The Rise of the White Lotus 541 Sister?

‘He knew…?’ Stupefied, Andy Chang stared at him. ‘How…?’ Not many knew about this fact about her or rather, no one noticed that she never drank coffee. 

Yet, he did? But how? After all, although they worked in the same building, they rarely interacted with each other as they worked in the different departments. 

Moreover, Nico Zhuang was often by the big boss’s side. Hence, their encounter was rare and mostly under formal circumstances. 

“You like sweets, don’t you? This is yours.” Unaware of the turmoil of feelings he had been unconsciously stirring in her, Nico Zhuang slid the slice of chocolate cake beside her hot choco before he glanced up. 

Upon seeing her daze front, he furrowed his brows. “Hmm? Is there something wrong?” He asked. 

Nico Zhuang was just acting as a kind gesture. After all, Andy Chang had shown sadness and disappointment earlier when they were on the front desk. 

Therefore, as a concerned colleague, he wanted to treat her to make her feel better. Furthermore, he wanted to ask questions that might be a little personal, hence he was setting up the mood. 

So, why was she staring at him weirdly? Did he do something wrong? He wondered. 

“Ah, nothing.” Snapping from her daze, Andy Chang meekly smiled as she stared at the hot choco and slice of cake. “Thank you, but how did you know?” Trying to sound natural, Andy Chang forced her meek smile to widen, concealing her conflicted feelings.

“I noticed.” Short and precise, Nico Zhuang didn’t bother with the details. After all, they trained him to be extra observant. 

Should he explain that the first time he dropped by in her office, he noticed the empty cup of chocolate frappe on the trash bin? Or when he asked her to be his date and noticed the half empty cookies and cream frappe? 

Should he need to detail that when they had breakfast after Mr. Tang’s birthday, he noticed that she ate more sweets than the main course? Should there be a need to detail it to her? 

It was not like he was particularly invested in her likes and dislikes. He was just a natural observant, and he easily noticed simple details.

“Ahh…” Nodding, Andy Chang let out an awkward chuckle. She didn’t want to dwell on these simple things and yet, her heart was beating so fast as if it aimed to be a gold medalist in track and field competition.

‘Andrea, stop this right now!’ Yet internally, Andy Chang apprehended herself from her silly thoughts. ‘He’s just like this, nothing special! Also, aren’t you ashamed of yourself? Remember, your body will never be clean!’ Andy Chang realized that her internal dialogues were harsh — too harsh even.

Still, it was true though. She was a former escort and serviced men with her body. How could she think of liking someone when there’s nothing much left on her dignity? Also, she’s thinking of Nico Zhuang of all people! 

“Aww!” Andy Chang hastily placed down the hot cup despite her fingers in pain. After putting it down without spilling more, she shook her hand as if to lessen the pain before she blew on it.

“Here,” handing out some tissue, Nico Zhuang had been observing her and he could tell that she was really acting weird. “Wait, let me—”

“No, it’s fine.” Andy Chang’s defense wall spiked up as soon as she saw his hand reached for her scalded hand. She immediately held it closer to her and smiled awkwardly.  “It’s fine, boss. I’m sorry, I just had a lot of things in my mind recently.” She reasoned, giving justice to her clumsiness. 

Nico Zhuang didn’t mind her abrupt refusal as he nodded in understanding. “It’s okay. I don’t mind.” He nodded again to reassure her, easing her mind. However, how could she ease her mind if the main reason it was in haywire was him?

“By the way, you said earlier that you mistook someone as the person you knew?” After some time, Nico Zhuang watched her wipe her hands before she raised her head and smiled. Taking up that opportunity, Nico Zhuang delved on his main agenda for asking her out.

“Ahh…” Although surprised that he was inquiring about this, Andy Chang didn’t mind giving him an answer as this thought would bug her, anyway. “I thought I saw my elder sister earlier.” Looking down, Andy Chang memories of her elder sister flashed across her mind.

A bitter smile formed on the corner of her lips as those memories grew darker and tragic. Regardless, it still excited her when she thought she saw her elder sister once again.

“Sister?” Arching his brows, Nico Zhuang examined Andy Chang’s face and demeanor. She doesn’t have any resemblance of Avah Tong… well, they have the same eye structure. But, that’s just it.

“Hmm…” Andy Chang softly hummed a tune as she nodded her head. “She ran away from home when she’s 16 and I’m 14. We have a very simple life back in our hometown, but it never satisfied my sister. She always told me that she wouldn’t settle in this kind of life… maybe that’s the reason she ran away.” A heavy sigh escaped from her nose as she forced a smile on her lips.

“Now I wonder if she got rich just like what she aimed. It’s not like I have grudges with her — just that, I hoped she didn’t leave me.” Andy Chang bit her lower lips because thinking about her elder sister, it brought out emotions she had been hiding in the deepest part of her heart. Her vision blurred as forming tears clouded her eyes.

Suddenly, Nico Zhuang showed his phone that has an image of a woman. “Does she look like this person?” he was just trying out his luck by showing her Avah Tong’s portrait. But, he wasn’t hopeful.

He just wanted to be sure that Avah Tong was just like Andy Chang assumed; she’s just a resemblance of her sister… and not the real person.

Andy Chang, though teary eyed, shifted her eyes on the screen of his phone. Staring at it for several seconds, her eyes widened as she slowly turned her surprised eyes back to him.