The Rise of the White Lotus

"Churu... fairy what?!" Upon hearing her cheerful introduction, Ethan Lu's nose scrunched up. "Fairies don't look like dumplings! Where's your butterfly wings?!"

Ethan Lu's mind was too muddled that he didn't know what relevant question that should be asked first. Thus, his first thought was what escaped from his mouth.

"This—!" Grinding her teeth, Churu had the urge to smack him in the head as his question sounded more as an insult.

"How dare you insult my beautiful being, hah?! Do you have problems with dumplings?! Wasn't that your favorite since you always add that dish in every date you had with Lexi?!" Churu protested without a pause as fumes blew out from her little nostrils. "Is this how you treat your savior?!" She added, pointing her tiny forefinger at him.

"Huh? How did you know that?" Startled at her remarks, Ethan Lu quickly recalled every date he had with Lexi — from the start until the recent one. He realized that he would purposely order dumplings as he noticed that ever since he met Lexi, she seemed to be in high spirits whenever she sees dumplings.

He didn't know the reasons but to him, if Lexi was pleased with it, he would gladly add dumplings and enjoy them with her. Still, he was taken aback that Churu had been talking to him as if he knew him for quite some time now.

"Hah! You don't know my hard work!" Churu brimmed with pride. It reminded her how she pushed Lexi to him until Lexi accepted him in her own accord. "Just so you know, Lexi wouldn't accept you if not because of me! She wouldn't even accept your first offer for a noodle dinner if not for me!"

"Huh?!?" Lost at her statement, Ethan Lu remembered how everything started with Lexi. Therefore, he instantly discerned what she was referring to.

"What 'huh'? This one and only, and irreplaceable beauty had been shooting love arrows since day one! And now, I am here to save chuu~!" Churu first pointed at her chest by his thumb with pride. And posed with different poses while complimenting her wonderful existence.

"..." Ethan Lu was rendered speechless as he could only watch her poses and listen to whatever she says. Until now, he could not believe that he was literally talking to a dumpling with little arms and feet!

"While you are speechless with my beauty, I'll take this time to explain the system inside chu~!" Slowly, Churu flew upward, in a circular motion like a whirlwind with her mini hands wide open.

"Unlike the otome love system, yours is different. It is called the Battle of Life system and its main task is, charaaan! Your life, of course!" Since Churu's skills also upgraded, she managed to have a change of clothes and props. Hence, right now, Churu was dressed just like an outdated teacher, with round glasses around her eyes, a stick in her hand, and a small blackboard behind.

"This system is rather easy because you only have one task: not to die chu~! Oops, I mean, it easier said than done~!" Churu giggled at her own lame humor.

Indeed, Ethan Lu has only one main task and that was for him to live. After all, the consequences when he died was the doom of Lexi and everyone she dearly loved. 𝙛𝐫e𝚎wℯ𝗯𝒏𝗼ѵ𝙚l.𝒄o𝚖

Churu wouldn't let that happen as they only have this one shot. She wouldn't let him die though she was slightly sad that she was transferred to be in his side instead of Lexi. Regardless, this was still better than knowing the tragic end of Lexi if Ethan Lu died.

"Don't worry~! As long as you have me, I won't let you die! Chichichi~!"

"Hold on! Hold on, chacha!" Overwhelmed by the enormous, ridiculous information she had ever heard in his entire life, Ethan Lu run his fingers through his hair several times. His gaze shifted from the context above him and to Churu.

"You mean system, this system?" Wrapping the information around his head, Ethan Lu raised his hand and tried touching the context above. However, the letters only faded when his hand passed through and then returned afterward.

"Yes!"

"And you're the fairy guide — you don't look like a mother though— for... guidance? Like a manual?" Taking it slow, Ethan Lu clarified one step at the time.

"Exactly!"

"And my task is not to die? Why would I die though?" Confused at the simple yet hard to believe task, Ethan Lu was left more confused. Who would want to die anyway? Of course, he had been doing his best not to die as he has a family to protect. So, what's the need for it? 𝒇𝘳ℯℯ𝚠𝙚𝑏𝗻𝑜ѵ𝑒𝙡.co𝑚

"Oh-hoh, Mr. Host!" Churu scoffed. "Apparently, you would have died earlier if you get on that plane~!" Winking, Churu noted in a matter-of-fact tone. "If you don't believe me, check the news~!"

Although Ethan Lu was in doubt, he listened to her. To him, even a slight validation that he was sane, he would do it. Hence, he reached out for the television's remote control and turned it on.

"Breaking News! A plane crash in the border of Country M..." The instant Ethan Lu turned on the TV, his eyes widened in disbelief as his heart raced. "In the flight BN XXX..." The report continued with all the details they gathered at the moment.

"See? Isn't that the flight you're supposed to be in~! Aya~! I saved you from burning into a crisp by the skin of my teeth~ oh! I don't have teeth!" Churu was rolling on the table as she giggled at her own joke.

"No way..." His eyes were glued on the news report as Ethan Lu had mixed emotions circling inside his heart. He would be one of those passengers if Churu didn't aggressively bit his nose while sticking her body to his eye— blocking his sight.

She was too extreme and stressful that Ethan Lu was forced not to fly back today. But now, what she did, was actually to save him?