The Rise of the White Lotus

Chapter 192 The problem of having no labels

Two days had passed since they got home from their island trip and Lexi was back to reality.

Inside her room, Lexi was scrolling on the web and clicking the tabs on the sites that would broaden her knowledge about the career she wanted to take-- she fixated all her attention in reading and taking down notes; when her phone on the side of her laptop suddenly rang and vibrated that snapped her senses back.

Reaching for her phone, Lexi saw it was Rika's personal contact number hence, she immediately answered it. "Yes?"

"Bestie~! How are you?" When the line connected, Rika merrily greeted at the same time as Lexi answered.

"Uh… good." Stretching her back, Lexi massaged her shoulder as she leaned her back against the desk chair. She resumed, "You? How's the promotion?"

"Tiring, you know how tiring it is. Smiling all day with Gael-- So, how are you and Mr. Darcy's status?" Rika unenthusiastically responded before she had a change of tone when she asked about the status of the ship she was protecting. She added teasingly,

"Did you guys did something, you know romantic while on the trip?"

Lexi didn't respond immediately as she continued to massage her shoulder. Biting her bottom lip, she was once again reminded of the intense kissed she and Ethan Lu shared. Up until today, she could still feel the texture of his lips and how he tasted.

"Oh ho, Lexi Yang, what is this silence all about? Don't tell me you did the deed?" On the line, Rika mischievously laughed as her imagination run wild.

"No, of course not. It's… it's just a kiss-- a long one."

"A kiss? Really? So, does this mean you're officially together?" Slightly disappointed that they didn't go that far and her chance of being a bridesmaid seemed it was not going to happen anytime soon, still, Rika was glad about this progress.

"Uh, no?" Raising her brows, Lexi mildly shook her head even if Rika could not see her.

"Huh? What do you mean 'no?'" Confused, Rika stopped whatever she was doing as she attentively listened to her friend's clarification.

"We… don't have any relationship label." Massaging her temple, Lexi briefly explained. She added after a beat, "I think whatever we have right now, I am satisfied with it."

"What? No label? Bestie, is this your idea?" Sounding dismayed, Lexi could imagine Rika's expression by the tone of her voice.

"No way! Did Ethan Lu agree? Like seriously? Are you trying to kill the guy? How can he torture himself like this?" After receiving a hummed as an answer from Lexi, Rika uttered her disappointed statements in one go; which puzzled the inexperienced Lexi Yang.

"Why do you sound like I made a mortal sin?" Arching her brows again, Lexi asked as she has zero clues on Rika's concerns.

"It is! It is a mortal sin between a guy and a girl with mutual feelings, okay? Just think that, alright, you two like each other and Mr. Darcy incarnate didn't mind. But, what if another person came into the picture? Do you have the right to feel jealous? To get mad if, in the first place, you're not his girlfriend? Well, that might not happen to you knowing Ethan Lu but, these silent killer emotions will get to him if someone tries to flirt with you!"

Lexi listened to Rika's reasoning which made a little sense if she thought about it deeper. However, Lexi wasn't the type of person who could anyone to flirt with, hence, she wasn't worried about that.

Also, she trusted Ethan Lu and uphold the words and emotions he bore for her. Thus, Lexi knew that even if someone tries to get closer to him, he'd ward them off— if he didn't and resigned to temptations then, there's nothing she could do.

"That's not going to happen," Chuckling after considering her personality and Ethan Lu, Lexi reassured her friend on the line who was more affected with their unlabeled status than the both of them.

"Urgh! Bestie, I am telling you this so you won't have any problems like that in the future-- being in a relationship than having no labels at all won't hurt right?" Heavily sighing her frustrations, Rika helplessly muttered.

"Committing to a relationship without giving your all would hurt the other party. Don't worry, me and Ethan will eventually get there-- remember? My yes means wedding?" In a matter of factly tone, Lexi raised her brows as if waiting for Rika to process her words.

"Ah… right. But, don't make me say I told you so." Still disappointed, Rika let out another heavy sigh as she foresaw her ship's problem in the future.

Brushing off her concerns, Rika diverted their topic to the real reason why she called. "Anyway, the premiere night of is coming and I heard you'd walk the red carpet with Eli?"

"Mhmm, I've heard but it's not yet finalized-- you know, my name just got cleared. Walking with Eli on the premiere night might cause everything to resurface." Sighing heavily, Lexi was reminded with this headache as Arnold Shen requested Lexi and Elliot Gong to arrive together at the premiere night of the movie Taming Hearts.

Of course, Lexi knew what he was thinking as it was obvious. However, even if it was for the sake of publicity and make the movie to be more talk about, alas, Abigail Fan was completely against it as it might affect her reputation again. Nevertheless, Lexi was fine with or without an escort.

"Well, I don't want to bother with it for now. When are you free?" Shrugging off the matter, Lexi meekly smiled as she wanted to treat her friend as she really worked hard promoting their movie while she was on a vacation.

****

Ethan Lu stopped spinning the pen in his hand as he raised his sharpened gaze to meet Lyrick Jiang's eyes behind his thin-framed eyeglass.

"What did he say?" Furrowing his brows, he flatly asked as his eyes narrowed.

"CEO Liu personally made an urgent business appointment with you tonight." Repeating his report, Lyrick Jiang slightly shook his head as Morris Liu only made a brief call and remained his words short and precise as usual.

In retrospect, Morris Liu could call his boss if he needed anything-- same with Ethan Lu.

'Was their misunderstanding hasn't cleared yet?' Lyrick Jiang thought inwardly as he assumed everything was settled since Morris Liu didn't cut off his boss' from their joint business projects.

"I see… well, clear my schedule for the night." Nodding in understanding, Ethan Lu commanded.

Several reasons hovered in his mind why Morris Liu suddenly made a meeting with him. Regardless, whether it was good or bad news, it didn't matter. Furthermore, he also wanted to talk with Morris Liu regarding what happened in their last encounter with each other. After all, they had been brothers for a long time.