Band Girl Drink Mixing Action

Qingchuan Xiang let out a long sigh of disbelief and pointed directly at the door:

"Go out, turn right, and walk straight to the corner at the end. There's a vending machine there that can satisfy your needs."

This is a challenge, right? Who would tell a confident bartender that they only need a can of ready-made drink? So this must be a challenge, right? Qingchuan Xiang, furious!

"But the vending machine won't tell me 'Make a drink and change your life'." Qing Chuanyu said with a smile, grabbed Xiang's hand and gently rubbed it twice to calm her down.

"Hmph..." Qingchuan Xiang struggled weakly with his right hand that was being held, but failed to break free, so he had to use his left hand to find the Sprite in the beverage storage area in the freezer under the bar.

"Take it."

"Wow, why are you still shaking the soda? Where's your professionalism as a bartender?"

"Would you like to drink?"

"Well, since the bartender has started to kick people out, I'm going to leave too." He squeezed Qingchuan Xiang's hand hard one last time, took the can of Sprite that was about to erupt with malice, and stood up. "Izumo, do you want to come to the bookstore and sit down? I remember that novel you wanted to read before should have a sequel."

"Okay." Miss Izumo agreed happily.

"Miss Izumo, wouldn't you like to order a drink?" Xiangzi saw that both of them were about to leave.

"The shop owner is so particular about mixing drinks, so I also have to practice my skills in the store every day. As for the one or two practice drinks I made, it's not easy to sell them to customers, so I have to drink them myself." Izumo waved his hand, indicating that he really couldn't do anything else to drink.

Qingchuan Yu and Izumo went back to the bookstore, and for a moment the cafe suddenly became the world of Xiangzi and Qingchuan Xiang.

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Chapter 15 Hidden dangers

"Sister, you definitely did it on purpose..."

Even though Qingchuan Yu had already disappeared from the coffee shop, Qingchuan Xiang continued to grumble and express his dissatisfaction, but soon returned to his usual standard business smile.

"So, Miss Xiangzi, what would you like to order?" Even his tone began to become like that of a real bartender. Xiangzi was a little uncomfortable with the natural way of speaking in an ambiguous tone.

"Xiang, you can just treat Miss Yu in a natural way like before. I'm a little uncomfortable with your current behavior."

"After all, she is my sister, I can be more casual..." Qingchuan Xiang blinked. The only thing she could feel was the family affection that had permeated her for a long time. This stable relationship made Qingchuan Xiang not have to worry about doing something wrong and breaking the relationship.

What is the relationship between me and Xiangzi?

Friends? But the word is so vague. They can be strangers who speak to each other on the first day they meet, or close friends who have known each other for decades and supported each other...

Although I still like Xiangzi very much, I am not sure what kind of feelings he has towards me. Before that, I will just joke around casually as usual, or treat him with the businesslike attitude of a bartender.

Just like the saying that the more you talk, the more mistakes you make, Qingchuan Xiang doesn't want to ruin a relationship too easily.

"But we have signed a contract with each other, so I think you can relax a little." Xiangzi continued.

Contractual relationship...

Qingchuan Xiang blinked, somewhat taken aback by this statement. "Contract"—that word was much more endearing than "friend." It was a clear, equal agreement, requiring no emotional considerations, simply fulfilling the mutually agreed-upon interests...

After hearing what Xiangzi said, Qingchuan Xiang actually felt a little relieved. "Contract or something... So Xiangzi is a bit of a middle school student?"

"..."

"Ahem, what do you want to drink?" Qingchuan Xiang put his hand in front of his mouth and coughed, abruptly changing the subject.

"Sprite."

"Wow..." Qingchuan Xiang leaned back, "Is this a counterattack against me, or are you serious?"

"Both." Xiangzi said unhappily. She had obviously taken the deal with Qingchuan Xiang very seriously, but she was actually said to have a chuunibyou. Although she did think the word "contract" was very cool, she was not a chuunibyou, although it was very cool.

"I haven't tasted Sprite yet, so I'm a little curious."

After all, she is the eldest daughter. Qingchuan Xiang did not dare to say this. According to Xiangzi's previous behavior, Qingchuan Xiang knew that the other party did not like to mention the past when she was the eldest daughter of the Fengchuan family.

"It's just sugar and bubbles."

"Does that mean it doesn't taste good?" Xiangzi was curious.

"That's not the case. After all, this drink only costs 120 yen and offers a simple, quick pleasure. I drink it all the time. Especially the first sip when it's bubbly. The feeling of the bubbles stimulating the tip of your tongue gives you a refreshing shiver."

But Qingchuan Xiang immediately added, "But we're at the bar now! The bar! Anyone who ordered ready-made drinks should apologize for the tools and ingredients on the table."

Xiangzi felt a little happy when he saw Qingchuan Xiang with his arms crossed and a slightly annoyed look on his face. After all, Xiang was the one who said she had a second-year syndrome.

"Ang↑, you are really making fun of me."

Xiangzi smiled. Today he probably smiled more than all the previous few days combined.

Maybe it’s just because I found a job.

"Then Xiang, just make me a drink. Tea, coffee, or something else will do."

"Ah, here it comes... my second most annoying way to order."

Qingchuan Xiang tapped the table with his fingers in annoyance, as if thinking about something, and soon an idea came to him:

"Xiangzi, you mean you're curious about the taste of Sprite, right?"

"right."

Qingchuan Xiang clapped his hands and decided what drink to make for Xiangzi: "Then I'll make you a Mojito! It uses fresh lime as the ingredient, and the taste is very similar to Sprite. However, the taste of Mojito is more refreshing and not as stimulating as Sprite. But it is more suitable for cooling off in the hot summer."

"I've heard of Mojito, but isn't that a cocktail? We're still underage." Since it came to a field he had never been exposed to, Xiangzi was not ashamed to show that he knew nothing about it.

"The classic Mojito does require some rum. The strength of the rum and the refreshing taste of the lime complement each other, creating an ambiguous and passionate atmosphere..."

Qingchuan Xiang was very happy to explain this to Xiangzi, and his face once again showed that loving smile, "But unfortunately, we are underage, so we can't taste the most authentic flavor today.

"But don't worry, even without the rum, the taste will definitely not be bad."

Qingchuan Xiang winked playfully, turned around and walked towards the storage room behind her. Xiangzi could see that Qingchuan Xiang's pearl-gray hair, which was braided into a single ponytail, was swaying and cheering excitedly today.

She's the same age as me, having just graduated from middle school, but she looks a bit more mature after wearing this outfit. Maybe when I save up some money, I can buy something that makes me look more mature and reliable?

Xiangzi's eyes followed Qingchuan Xiang's figure until she walked into the storage room, and he could hear the crisp sound of her low-heeled leather shoes hitting the ground.

Qingchuan Xiang felt much closer today. It could be said that being with Qingchuan Xiang was the most relaxing thing for Xiangzi in the past few days.

"Haa..." Xiangzi sighed, but no matter how comfortable he was getting along with Qingchuan Xiang, there was always a thorn in his heart that he couldn't ignore.

Now Xiangzi doesn't know how to repay Qingchuanxiang for his help.

After arriving at this coffee shop, Qingchuan Xiang, after showing her love for mixing drinks, or in other words, for water sources, inevitably recalled her previous thoughts:

Qingchuan Xiang has master-level drink-mixing skills. Even though he is not familiar with cocktail-mixing, the cup of fragrant Pu'er tea that Qingchuan Xiang brewed for him before is enough proof.

Even Qingchuan Xiang, who has such ability, can feel the novelty of the water source. Can I really do the same?

The contract was just an excuse that Qingchuan Xiang used to trick her into accepting help.

The more Xiangzi thought about it, the more he felt that Qingchuan Xiang made this request because such a vague request left too much room for maneuver, and she could use a set of equally mysterious but seemingly logically consistent statements to fool him about all his doubts.

After a few days, Xiangzi was no longer as impulsive and emotional as before, and he did not directly and violently resist Qingchuanxiang's help. However, Xiangzi had to ask Qingchuanxiang what he was thinking today.

Chapter 16 Mojito

Qingchuan Xiang quickly came out of the storage room, holding a few emerald green, tender and fresh-looking limes in his hands.

"Hmm, a non-alcoholic Mojito really needs fresh ingredients to make up for the lack of rum."

Xiangzi looked at Qingchuanxiang's excitement, smiled helplessly, and temporarily suppressed the idea of questioning Qingchuanxiang. Putting himself in her shoes, Xiangzi would not like someone to disturb him while he was playing the piano.

Placing the limes on a chopping board specially used for cutting ingredients, Qingchuan Xiang skillfully found a special knife on the bar and cut each lime into quarters.

The moment the lime is cut, a faintly refreshing and sour smell fills the air, refreshing the mind.

Select 5 or 6 lime wedges and put them into the prepared glass. Use a thick, round stick with a large bottom to squeeze out the juice. The aroma and juice will be violently stimulated and fall into the glass, waiting for subsequent preparation.

"Would Xiangzi prefer a sweeter drink?" As a bartender, Qingchuan Xiang naturally would not ignore customers and just sit aside while doing his job.

"Things that are too sweet will feel cloying, so a normal amount is enough."

He took a small jar of sugar from the side, picked it up and shook it. After getting Xiangzi's answer, Qingchuan Xiang carefully weighed out two small spoonfuls of sugar and poured them into the cup.

"After putting in the right ingredients, the essence of making the drink comes down to mixing them." The long spoon that was originally used to take out sugar now deftly served as a stirring stick in Qingchuan Xiang's hands, stirring the lime, juice and sugar in the cup quickly but not too roughly.

"When making cocktails with fewer ingredients and a simpler preparation, stirring is a quick and effective method compared to shaking with a shaker. The less aggressive mixing technique also gives the drink a more transparent feel."

When he felt it was almost done, Qingchuan Xiang took out the long spoon he was using for stirring and tapped it lightly at the base of his palm, leaving a drop of juice. He then slightly extended his tongue and dipped it into the drop of juice.

"Hehe~ The sourness and sweetness blend perfectly... Xiangzi, do you want to try it?"

Xiangzi looked at the long spoon, then looked at Qingchuanxiang's fair and slender hand, and the tiger's mouth that he had just licked with his tongue. For a moment, he didn't know where he should try.

"..." Qingchuan Xiang guessed what Xiangzi was thinking when he saw Xiangzi glancing back and forth between his left and right hands, "I don't mean to ask you to lick my hands... Do you want to lick them?"

"It's not desuwa!" How could I possibly want to lick it!

Seeing Qingchuan Xiang blinking, it seemed that he really thought he wanted to lick her hand, and he began to hesitantly stretch his hand forward. In his haste, he even subconsciously said his old habit.

"Ahem." Qingchuan Xiang withdrew his hand and quickly took the next step to avoid embarrassment.

Next, take 3 to 4 mint leaves - this ingredient is also key to providing aroma to the drink.

However, there is no need to rush to put it directly into the cup. You need to gently pat or rub it first to allow the aroma of the mint leaves to be released before putting it into the cup.

Then comes the essential ingredient in any summer drink: ice. Cover the glass with crushed ice, stopping when the drink is about halfway filled. Then, top it off with canned soda water...

"You obviously used canned soda water?"

"I want to make it clear that treating canned drinks as 'raw materials' and as 'finished products' are two completely different concepts."

Stop when the soda water is almost at the top of the ice cubes, and use a long spoon to swirl and stir a second time to mix thoroughly. Finally, pour in the crushed ice again, this time filling the cup to the top and completely covering the ingredients at the bottom of the cup.

"We're almost done here." Qingchuan Xiang pushed the cup onto the table in front of Xiangzi. "There's only one last step left. Xiangzi, you can try it yourself!"

"Hey, me?"

"Yeah, it's very simple. Just decorate the rim of the cup with a mint leaf, insert a straw, and you're done."

Xiangzi took the mint leaves handed to him and carefully patted them like Qingchuan Xiang had done before. His overly cautious action made Qingchuan Xiang couldn't help laughing.

"Did I do anything wrong?" Xiangzi saw Qing Chuanxiang suddenly laugh and thought he had done something wrong.

"It's just a slapping motion. There's no right or wrong about it, my dear lady."

When Xiangzi heard the word "dear", he knew that Qingchuan Xiang had entered the bartender state again.

“Drink mixing never requires absolute refinement. From shaking the cup to filling and pouring, every step can be done according to your own wishes. If you are too shy to do anything like Xiangzi, the drink you make will be dull and lack flavor.

"After all, you see, as I said before, atmosphere is a very important part of the bar."

Under Xiangzi's dazed gaze, Qingchuan Xiang gently held Xiangzi's hand holding the mint with one hand, and the two hands were spread out flat and pressed against each other. Xiangzi could feel the moistness and coolness on the back of his hand.

Then Xiangzi's hand was pulled towards Qingchuan Xiang, and Xiang also leaned forward slightly to close the distance, and patted Xiangzi's hand a few times with his other hand, neither lightly nor heavily.

The mint leaves sandwiched in the middle were so beautiful that they could not be seen. Like a mimosa that had been touched, it automatically spread out a fresh herbal scent, lingering between the two people's fingers.

"Look, it's that simple." Qingchuan Xiang naturally withdrew his hands, as if he didn't care at all about the slight physical contact just now. After all, there was the more exciting "jewel in front" of licking his hands, although he didn't really lick it.

Xiangzi looked at the mint leaf, or rather, at his hand that had just been held, and looked at it silently for a few seconds. Then he inserted the mint leaf into the crushed ice on the edge of the cup.

In the clear and transparent glass, ice cubes float leisurely, dotted with green lime wedges. As the cool condensation slides across the glass wall, a touch of fresh lemon color ripples in the glass, exuding an attractive and refreshing breath.

"It's so beautiful." Xiangzi murmured softly.

Seeing that Xiangzi liked this Mojito very much, Qingchuan Xiang was also very satisfied. He did not disturb Xiangzi's viewing. He took two straws, put them together, and inserted them next to the mint leaf decoration.

"Okay, my dear lady, your Mojito is ready."

"I told you not to call me that."

"Okay, Xiangzi." "..."

It felt even more ambiguous. Xiangzi subconsciously changed the subject: "Why do you need to insert two straws?"

"Ah, because this is a couple's cup~ Can I drink with you?" Qingchuan Xiang tilted his head with a smile on his lips.

"Eh?"

"Haha, no kidding, it's actually a drink with lots of ice, so double straws can prevent clogging."

What a guy with a bad taste... Xiangzi didn't want to pay attention to Chuanxiang anymore. He picked up the Mojito and took a sip.

The refreshing aroma of mint and lemon quickly spreads, first with a cool and refreshing feeling, followed by the fresh taste of mint dancing on the tip of the tongue. The sour and sweet taste of lemon gently outlines the layers of taste, and the whole mouth is refreshing and has an endless aftertaste.

"It tastes very good." Xiangzi praised almost subconsciously.

"That would be perfect."

Xiangzi continued to drink the drink that belonged to her, and looked up at Qingchuan Xiang again. She felt a sense of beauty from the bottom of her heart, a unique feeling that she had never experienced not only in this period of time, but even in the past.

Reassuring.