The Rise of the White Lotus

Chapter 225 After Party

[Imperial Grand Pavilion]

When the movie ended, Lexi and the others headed to the after-party which would be held at a private grand pavilion at City Y.

While everyone was busy and Lexi finally got time to breathe— she headed towards the bar counter on the side to enjoy her leisure time. Just as she was sipping her glass of sweet champagne, the familiar deep voice of Gael Zhang caressed her ears.

"You did great— that scene felt really vivid." Smiling, Gael Zhang smoothly perched on the stool beside her. His gaze slowly scrutinized her pretty side profile and an unreadable glint flashed across his pair of galvanic eyes.

Casting him a side glance, Lexi meekly smiled as her gaze glanced at the distance between them. Seeing that he was three times farther by a palm length, she raised her gaze to meet the intent stare of her colleague with ease.

"Thanks," She softly responded, unwilling to continue the conversation with him. Lexi wasn't a bumpkin not to pick up the hints from Gael Zhang's obvious interest towards her.

If this was before, Lexi would have insulted him from head to toe including his family lineage.

However, she already swore to be the big girl and act more mature— as long as they wouldn't invade the personal space she made for herself, she's cool with it.

"He's interested in you~?" Raising her nonexistent brows, Churu's forehead creased as she locked her eyes onto Gael Zhang's not-so-bad facial features.

"Can't these people stay away and let you and Ethan Lu live in peace?" Steam escaped her small nostrils as she adorably puffed. Just when she thought she had settled the matter with Morris Liu— there's another fly lurking around her host which annoyed her to a great extent.

'Calm down, Sissy. As long as he doesn't cross the line, I'll be lenient.' Calming the overly sensitive dumpling, Lexi elegantly swirled her glass of champagne as she responded telepathically.

"How can I? Where's your hubby? He should be here to see what I'm seeing!" Unappeased, Churu grumbled in a higher pitch. Perhaps it was because of the movie or the effect it is meant to relay that got through her. Hence, Churu's mood was a little on the edge.

"By the way, you look great with your choice of clothes— very much in contrast with your previous image." Unbothered by Lexi's distant tone, Gael Zhang sipped a bit of wine and then tilted his head to the side.

Since all the reporters were outside and only the important people were around, Gael Zhang felt at ease interacting with her without thinking of a scandal breaking out. Moreover, he was interested in Lexi even before they worked in Taming Hearts. He just didn't approach her before because of the fact that she was engaged with the CEO of the Liu Empire.

"All credits to the person who sent me this dress…" Raising her brows with a slight smirk, Lexi responded.

"Ohh…" Slowly nodding his head in understanding, Gael Zhang tapped his finger on the counter as he refrained from asking who it was. Meanwhile, just as Lexi thought he would heedlessly question who was the person out of curiosity, her right brow arched because Gael Zhang didn't.

"It's good you have reliable people around."

"Hehe, what are you two scheming?" Just then, Elliot Gong appeared out of nowhere as he leaned on the edge of the bar counter, near Lexi's left side without seating on the empty stool next to her.

Tilting his head a little bit more to see Gael Zhang next to her right, Elliot Gong grinned as his eyes marginally widened.

"Brother Gael, I think Director Shen was looking for you— introducing you to someone I heard."

Upon hearing Elliot Gong's news, Lexi's brows twitched as his intention was obvious— he was shooing him away.

"Great my one-night stand man, Eli! Shoo him away from my Sissy!" Nodding in agreement, Churu commented as she flew and sat on Elliot Gong's shoulder. She then patted his cheeks as she cheered him on to scoot the irritable man that wanted to jump inside her ship.

"Is that so? Well, see you around then Miss Yang." Surprisingly gentle, Gael Zhang sipped another ample amount of wine before he assisted himself to stand up. Turning to face Lexi who was still sitting, Gael Zhang smiled.

"Anyway, you really look enticing tonight." He remarked before leaving the two with a smirk.

"He—" Grinding his teeth, Elliot Gong muttered under his breath as he closed his eyes and calmed himself down.

"Haha, " Chuckling at Elliot Gong's reaction that was more irked than her, Lexi mildly shook her head sideways. "Did Ethan tell you to guard me again?"

"Guard you? More like threatened me to be your fly swatter!" Frustrated, Elliot Gong slid his phone out and immediately showed his dear friend, Ethan Lu's short message.

Lexi only glanced at the phone screen and a subtle smile formed on the side of her lips. "He just said you know what to do— how can that angel emoticon consider to be a threat?" Since there wasn't a conversation before that single message, Lexi didn't read Ethan Lu's previous mail to him.

Regardless, Lexi was certain that it was just like what Elliot Gong said; it was more like a threat. Still, she pretended not to know and didn't mind this simple gesture that made her feel Ethan Lu was just around the corner. Moreover, it saved her the trouble of personally repelling pests.

"Argh! This girl! Don't allow him to brainwash you, okay? Ethan is my friend but he's not as kind as you thought he was! Damn it! I should not have deleted his first message to me back then." Double frustrated, Elliot Gong looked at Lexi with a complete dismal eye as she was obviously covering for Ethan Lu.

If only he didn't erase his conversation with Ethan Lu, he would have shown it to Lexi. Alas, whenever he sees Ethan Lu's name in his messages, a cold chill runs down his spine which made him entirely delete them in the end.

"Wait! Are you also part of his ploy? I never remembered telling you about this…" Suddenly, Elliot Gong gasped as a sudden realization struck him.

"Can't you tell? Duh?" Rolling her eyes, Churu could not help her sarcasm from leaking out as if she shamelessly forgot that she harassed Elliot Gong without him knowing until now and treated him as if she did nothing wrong.

"I am not but well, since it works to my advantage— why would I decline?" Nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders, the curve on her lips slightly stretched before she sipped her champagne.

"Dang… I should accept an international project to keep my distance before you two can become lovers. I need to save myself from the drama." Elliot Gong clicked his tongue as he murmured.

"But we've been officially together for days now." In a matter of fact tone, Lexi uttered without reserve that was akin to a gigantic rock cast upon Elliot Gong's head.

"Ehh?!? Too soon?!?"

"What too soon?" Just as Elliot Gong expressed his shock, Rika's investigative tone approached them from behind with her brows raised and a glass of wine in her hand. She took the seat where Gael Zhang perched earlier and she altered her gaze from Lexi's smirking lips to Elliot Gong's horrified front.

"Thank the heavens no one would see your face or else, I can foretell it going viral online." Staring at Elliot Gong's face for a second, Rika smoothly dissed seeing the alluring superstar doing some weird expression. Well, he's human after all.

"Bestie~ why are you hiding here~?" After she sassed at Elliot Gong, Rika sweetly inquired to her dear best friend as if she was an angel.

"I wanted to enjoy and observe for a while." Lexi gently replied. Since she already shook hands and mingled with familiar people in the industry and some investors of the movie, Lexi decided to rest for a while since it would be a long night.

Furthermore, she didn't want to steal the spotlight from Rika and all the leading main leads. After all, she already knew the people around from the entertainment and business industry. If only she didn't forget her phone inside the van— Lexi would have called Ethan Lu since earlier.

"Hey, for real?" Still couldn't move on about Lexi and Ethan Lu being officially together, Elliot Gong leaned closer and lowered his voice while he scanned around. "You and Ethan are officially together?"