Qiao Ling calmed the itchy throat from coughing, unhappily asked: “Why is it so choking? Even more gassy than drinking cola.”
“The bubbles are so dense, coughs a person to death.”
Before Chen Kuang could speak, the black-dress woman who had been sitting on the side let out a light laugh with a snort, teasing.
“Little sister, you’ve never drunk gin and tonic, right?”
Qiao Ling was stunned.
The black-dress woman used her slender manicured nails to poke the table, explaining: “One thing that tests a bartender’s skill with Gin and Tonic is whether there is an obvious bitter taste, whether the main ingredient’s characteristics can be brought out. Another most important point is whether after serving the drink, the liquid can be ensured to mix evenly while still not losing the dense and strong bubbles.”
“The ice used is also whole blocks of ice, which shows the overall quality. Otherwise, I wouldn’t often come here.”
“Little sister, what you’re talking about are all advantages, haha.” The black-dress woman threw a coquettish glance at Chen Kuang, showing her professionalism while also expressing a fawning attitude by speaking up for him.
Chen Kuang lightly met her gaze, not giving much reaction.
Qiao Ling listened until her whole face turned red, immediately had no place to hide.
Done, it’s over, originally wanted to pick fault, as a result…!
At this time, hearing the commotion, Qiao Jing rushed over, a peacemaker appearance: “What’s wrong what’s wrong! Is there some problem, this young lady?”
He of course knew his younger female cousin didn’t understand anything and could easily mess up, so he directly smoothed things over, pushed back Qiao Ling’s Gin and Tonic, “Aiya no matter what, customer dissatisfaction is our fault. The bartender didn’t ask your preferences in advance, I apologize on his behalf.”
“Please rest assured, if the taste doesn’t suit you here, we replace the drink for free,” Qiao Jing glanced at Chen Kuang, slightly complaining, deliberately pointing at him: “If you’re still not satisfied, don’t get to drink something you like the whole night, directly all items on the house for you… bartender’s full responsibility.”
Chen Kuang reached out, pinched the rim of the glass and brought it back in front of himself, his gaze unintentionally moving across Qiao Jing and Qiao Ling’s faces.
Qiao Jing used heavily bitten syllables to remind her of the method of making things difficult, “Young lady don’t worry, our bartender will definitely help you find your favorite ‘taste.’”
Right, if you can’t pick on his technique, just say you don’t like the taste.
Subjective like or dislike will never be exposed.
Qiao Ling already wanted to run away, but now already caught in this situation, could only keep acting.
She picked up the drink menu again, looked up, and found that Chen Kuang had placed a strainer on the rim of the glass, poured her remaining more-than-half cup of Gin and Tonic into his own glass, then picked it up and drank.
Watching him tilt his head back, and the rolling protruding Adam’s apple, Qiao Ling opened her mouth in surprise, reminding: “That, that’s something I drank from.”
Chen Kuang drank two or three gulps, confirmed his own usual performance, put down the glass and said: “Anyway pouring it away is waste.”
But him drinking something she drank from, this action just makes her start to think all sorts of things, Qiao Ling’s thoughts became messy, looked at the ingredients, casually picked one: “Still drink the original special mix then, your shop’s signature, this ‘Nile Heartthrob.’”
Chen Kuang’s fingers spun the rim of the glass, quietly stared at her.
Between the two people was only separated by a narrow bar counter, and various types of wine bottles and seasonings standing around. In the process of gaze transmission, it would pass through layers and layers of mixed fragrance.
Giving the gaze between man and woman an extra layer of thought-provoking filter.
His gaze had very strong penetrating power, carrying an indescribable savor, Qiao Ling secretly gripped the drink menu, so nervous she wanted to cough again.
After a brief two seconds, Chen Kuang put away his gaze, turned around and bent down to take the ingredients for making Nile Heartthrob.
Nile Heartthrob is a type of low-alcohol clear original cocktail.
Ancient Egyptian culture was born because of the vitality of the Nile River. The Egyptians multiplied and lived along the banks of the Nile, so they naturally had the purest dependence on and praise for the oasis.
The concept of “Nile Heartthrob” is exactly using the refreshing taste of the oasis to metaphorically describe heartthrob—this kind of primitive, penetrating, pure emotion.
It has both the alcoholic stimulation symbolizing the turbulent river water (vodka as the base spirit), and the fragrance of dense fruit trees (mint, Egyptian orange, etc.).
Chen Kuang measured and mixed the ingredients, clamped on the shaker, and shook it hard single-handedly. The movement had a strong sense of power; just watching him mix the drink was already a kind of enjoyment.
The black-dress woman at the side watched with appreciative gaze, shaking her wine glass, the intentionality toward the opposite sex perfectly clear.
Qiao Ling used the drink menu to cover the lower half of her face, but the round eyes staring in a daze exposed everything.
After finishing the decoration, Chen Kuang pushed a glass of “Nile Heartthrob” in front of her, his peripheral vision noticing Qiao Jing standing in the distance directly observing this side.
Qiao Ling took a sip using the straw. The spicy stimulation entering the mouth assaulted the taste buds, burning down her whole throat into her stomach. She furrowed her brows suddenly and tightly.
Seeing her face exaggeratedly wrinkle up into a ball, Chen Kuang leaned back, folded his arms, his gaze carrying a few points of absurd amusement.
“What is it again?”
“Too, too…” Qiao Ling this time wasn’t really lying either, hurriedly drank a mouthful of plain water to ease it: “Spicy.”
At this point, Chen Kuang had guessed about fifty or sixty percent of the situation.
This is just a person who basically doesn’t know how to drink.
Chen Kuang also didn’t say much, stretched out his hand, and slowly took back the glass of Nile Heartthrob in front of her, “What you drank is alcohol.”
He let out half a laugh: “How could it not be spicy.”
The black-dress woman let out a puff of laughter, truly amused by Qiao Ling.
Where did this little sister who is still drinking Wangzai milk come from? [Wangzai milk = a popular sweet milk drink in China]
Qiao Ling this time was truly embarrassed, gulping water, trying to save herself: “But, that, the fruity aftertaste is quite refreshing.”
“Quite fragrant.”
“You, why don’t you not take it back.” She pointed at that glass of Nile.
Chen Kuang also understood clearly now, deliberately said: “How can that be, not serving you well.”
He spoke with an odd tone: “If not, my family’s vice store manager will have me fired.”
Qiao Ling: “……”
Her face seemed to go poof all of a sudden, like popcorn in a pot, exploding.
Save me… my twenty-four years of face are all going to be lost clean tonight.
The black-dress woman inserted herself into the conversation: “If I had known earlier, I’d have pretended to be a first-time drinker too, could have you mix me so many drinks, really unfair~”
Chen Kuang pinched the flattened front end of her bitten straw with two fingers, lightly turning the drink with crushed ice, pondering for a moment.
“Like sweet things?”
Qiao Ling buried her head, nodded.
“The sweetness just now, do you like it?”
Qiao Ling no longer acted up, obediently answered, tone aggrieved: “A little sweeter…”
Chen Kuang swept his gaze over the various ingredients and fruits in the cabinet, nodded: “Make you a special mix.”
“If you still don’t like this glass, I’ll refund you the drink money.”
Qiao Ling looked toward the black-dress jiejie next to her, took the initiative to ask: “Excuse me, what is a special mix?”
The black-dress woman, even if she was jealous, looking at her face like a doll being so obedient also couldn’t get angry anymore, answered without good temper: “It’s a custom-made one just for you, the ingredients, the name, all are one of a kind.”
“Little sister, today you really are lucky.”
“Chen da bartender’s treatment, I’ve been to this bar so many times and have never seen it.”
Qiao Ling wanted to cry but had no tears, in her heart imitating Huan Huan’s tone.
Don’t even know if this is my blessing, or my calamity.
However, in less than a few seconds, she was once again attracted by Chen Kuang’s focused bartending movements, not even blinking as she watched the whole process.
Because it was an exclusive special mix, Chen Kuang’s movements obviously weren’t as smooth as when making fixed menu items before. It was like designing while creating.
When a blue cocktail with a yellow cat-head shaped jelly on the rim was pushed in front of her, she finally came back to her senses.
Qiao Ling met eyes with him, accepted the straw.
When she sucked the first mouthful, she heard the other party slowly introduce: “Rum, lemon, coconut milk, and blue curacao.”
Rum is one of the sweetest base liquors, and he also chose low alcohol content.
As expected, after two rounds of picking fault, it actually let him quickly catch her drink preference.
This one mouthful down, Qiao Ling’s mind went blank, other than delicious, she could no longer pick even half a bone out of the egg…
The alcohol taste wasn’t strong, after entering the mouth, it dispersed on the tongue in less than two seconds, after that was layers of rich fruit sweetness, coconut fragrance…
An excellent drink so delicious that her cheeks uncontrollably puffed up, Qiao Ling’s lowered eyelashes trembled, slowly lifting her gaze, asking the man leaning on the bar edge waiting for her feedback: “This wine…”
“What’s it called? Did you name it?”
Even if she didn’t say it, Chen Kuang had already gotten the answer from her face.
Looks like she liked it.
When bartending he had deliberately made two extra sips’ worth to test the flavor, just before pouring into the glass earlier he poured it into his own cup.
Chen Kuang picked up his own glass, leaned in close.
Qiao Ling’s breathing slowed, seeing him leaning over.
The next second, Chen Kuang pinched the glass and clinked it lightly with hers, a crisp ding sound.
He hooked his lips, staring at her clearly guilty eyes, spoke the name of this special mix—
“Called…”
“Zhao, Cha [Picking Fault].”
Dong.
As if something suddenly moved inside the body shell.
Qiao Ling’s panicked eyes reflected his face, all of a sudden found it a little hard to breathe.
Her cheeks burst into waves of volcanic-like heat.
Why? What’s going on?
She couldn’t explain this moment’s feeling.
This sweet of a wine is called Picking Fault?
He had already noticed it long ago!
Chen Kuang raised his head and drank another mouthful of “Picking Fault,” ignoring the gazes of the people beside, said to her: “Let’s get to know each other.”
He took off the work apron single-handedly, gaze like a torch, tilted his head slightly to indicate.
“You and I, let’s have a chat.”