Chapter27-Showing off? Master-level bartending skills!

Not until the car disappeared around the corner did the smile leave Daniel's lips.

Every frown and smile of Sophia's was like a seed sown in the soil of his heart.

"What will you walk me out with?"

Recalling her words, Daniel seriously pondered, "It seems I really need to get a car."

First, he called a car rental service to go back to his low-rent apartment.

The book "Qi Origin" was still there, so he packed all his personal items like clothes.

Though nothing was of great value, it was his principle to not waste anything, so he took everything with him.

He hadn't lived in the low-rent apartment for long, less than two years, but he had quite a few things.

All packed, there were sixteen large parcels, too much for one person to handle.

After a moment's thought, Daniel called Abel.

After a short while, he saw a black pickup truck pull up in front of him from his waiting position downstairs.

What a cool truck, Daniel thought.

Then he saw Allen, grinning from ear to ear behind the window.

"Dear Dan, we're delighted you called us!"

Once out of the car, Allen went straight for a big hug.

Daniel smiled and pushed Allen away, bumping fists with Abel.

"Sorry for the trouble. I don't know many people in Golden Shores, so I had to call you guys."

He didn't know the number of any moving companies, so he thought it best to call these two brothers.

Next auction, he could do some appraisal work for them to return the favor.

Abel said, "Dan, we haven't known each other for long, but I believe we will become friends."

Daniel chuckled, politely replying, "I have the same feeling."

It took the three of them multiple trips upstairs to load all the luggage onto the truck.

Thanks to the roomy, deep cargo bed of Abel's pickup, they managed to fit everything in.

Upon arriving at Daniel's villa, Abel and Allen couldn't help but exclaim, "This is a beautiful house!"

Daniel replied, "What are you talking about? Your villas are much larger than mine."

Abel shook his head, "Ours is in the suburbs, cost just over a million. Yours is in the city, in the top-ranked community of Golden Shores. It's way more expensive than ours."

Daniel had to admit, Abel had a point there.

"But compared to yours, yours is much nicer," Daniel admitted. "Let's get moving. Once we're done, I'll treat you guys to some drinks."

Upon hearing about the drinks, Allen's eyes sparkled. "Let's go!"

Soon, all the luggage was neatly arranged.

As Daniel was about to suggest where they could rest, the brothers were already ready for a drink.

Then he heard Allen exclaim, "Dan, you know how to mix drinks?"

Daniel was taken aback, wondering why Allen would suddenly ask such a question.

Walking over, he finally understood; the brothers had discovered a complete set of cocktail-making tools in the kitchen bar, along with a wall full of various kinds of liquor.

You name it, from gold spirits, vodka, whiskey, brandy to liqueurs, they had it all.

This was something Daniel had just discovered too, since he'd only arrived at the villa last night.

After a brief tour, he and Sophia got lost in a night of passionate romance, leaving him no mood to care about these things.

Daniel modestly replied, "I know a bit."

Allen, with a slightly provocative smile, said, "Really? Then I want to challenge you."

Seeing Daniel's confusion, Abel explained, "Dan, my brother is crazy about mixology, he likes to challenge people wherever he goes."

"But don't worry, his skills are pretty basic."

At this, Allen was unhappy.

"How can you say that? I was the champion in our local bartending competition!"

Daniel was surprised.

That sounded impressive.

However, Abel casually added, "There were only three contestants - a blind man, a man with no sense of taste, and you."

Damn...

Daniel was speechless.

Any normal person would have won that competition.

Allen, with a reddened face, indignantly asked, "Dan, may I use your tools?"

Daniel nodded in agreement.

With permission granted, Allen immediately got to work.

"Whiskey~"

"Melon liqueur~"

"Milk~"

"Chili oil~"

"Mustard oil~"

"..."

Pouring all the ingredients into the shaker with a measuring cup, Allen raised the shaker with both hands: "With a shaker in hand, I rule the world!"

He shook it vigorously, tossing it between his hands, tracing a beautiful arc over his head.

His smooth and flowing shake looked quite professional.

A few minutes later, the shaker hit the table.

Allen opened the shaker and poured a greenish drink for Daniel through a strainer.

"This is my best original creation, Devil's Delight!"

"Dan, give it a try."

It looked okay, to be honest.

Daniel reached for the glass, about to take a sip, when he noticed Abel giving him a sympathetic look.

Daniel felt a pang of anxiety.

This drink, it couldn't possibly be...poisoned, right?

He put down the glass that he'd raised to his lips, laughed awkwardly and said, "Well... Allen, this Devil's Delight of yours, just by its smell, I can already sense your unparalleled bartending skills. We have to go out later, so maybe we should skip the drinks."

Allen stared at him, looking a bit angry, "Dan, you don't even have a car."

Daniel replied, "I can buy one."

As long as it means I don't have to drink this cocktail, I'd even buy a plane right now!

Allen's face fell, and he looked rather upset.

"The cocktail I made doesn't even warrant a taste, it seems I'm destined not to be a good bartender."

Daniel's face fell.

Damn, how old is he and he's still playing these tricks.

Seeing Allen about to turn and leave, Daniel conceded, "Alright, alright, I'll drink!"

Daniel picked up the drink and bravely poured it into his mouth.

In an instant, a mix of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy flavors attacked him.

Holy hell, no wonder it's called Devil's Delight.

It tasted worse than a stinking demon.

Allen blinked, looking at Daniel expectantly, and asked, "How's it, Dan? Tasty?"

Daniel spat it out, "Are you messing with me?

"Is this even supposed to be a cocktail?"

Abel, seeming to have expected this reaction from Daniel, naturally walked up to Allen and gently patted his younger brother's head.

Without waiting for Allen to react, Daniel angrily went to the bar, pushing Allen aside.

"If you want to be an excellent bartender, no one is stopping you.

"But you need to calm down and learn, study, that's how you become a true bartender.

"Not like now, messing things up and thinking you're excellent."

Having said that, Daniel took an unopened bottle of vodka, a bottle of coffee liqueur and concentrated coffee from the shelf and put them on the table for use.

He turned to get two spherical ice cubes from the ice maker and put them in a cocktail glass.

He stirred them clockwise with a spoon until a thick layer of frost appeared on the glass wall.

Then, he poured the vodka, coffee liqueur and concentrated coffee into the shaker in proportions, holding it with both hands and shaking it vigorously.

Daniel's technique wasn't as flashy as Allen's, not because he couldn't do it, but because he didn't see the need.

A perfect flavor isn't born out of fancy actions.

Such practices are nothing more than a way to sell the drink at a higher price.

After shaking for a few minutes, Daniel opened the shaker and poured the drink into the cocktail glass.

Instantly, a rich aroma, mixed with alcohol, rose.

Allen and Abel's eyes instantly cleared up.

They were seasoned drinkers, they've had countless drinks.

Naturally, they could easily recognize that Daniel's drink was an Espresso Martini.

But they'd never smelled such a fragrant martini.

Daniel pushed the glass towards Allen and said nonchalantly, "Try it."

Allen picked up the glass, took a deep breath, and his eyes became dreamy.

"Smells so good, it doesn't smell like a cocktail, but coffee."

He took a sip, and his eyes lit up.

"Bro, try it!"

Abel took the glass, took a small sip, and then turned to Daniel with a surprised look, "Dan, your skills are insane!"

"I can assure you, if you entered this cocktail in a competition, you'd win first place in the country!"

Daniel laughed, shrugged and said, "Number one in the country?"

"Sorry, I'm not interested."

Although he enjoyed drinking, he had no interest in mixology.