005 New Guest_1

Just as Lanya and Karina were intently watching the cocktail shaker, Lin Ge's movements suddenly changed, starting to shake the shaker diagonally upwards and downwards.

Gradually, a thin layer of frost formed on the shaker, Lin Ge felt the cold air with his hands, and abruptly stopped.

The large cocktail shaker came to a rest in front of Lanya and Karina, the sound of the wind and rain still seemed to echo in their ears. Lanya, with a grape in her mouth, forgot to chew and swallow, her cheeks puffing out slightly.

It wasn't until Lin Ge pushed a glass of freshly mixed Long Island Iced Tea in front of them that they snapped out of their trance.

Lin Ge picked up another glass that was his own, smiled, and said, "Please."

He reminded them, "Don't drink too fast this time, to avoid collapsing like you did yesterday."

Karina excitedly picked up her glass, stretched it forward to clink with Lin Ge's.

Lin Ge didn't refuse, gently clinking his glass against hers, the two crystal goblets making a pleasant ting.

Karina downed a third of her drink in one gulp and when she set her glass back down, her cheeks were flushed, her full lips moistened, glossy and red like cherries after the rain.

Lin Ge only took a small sip before putting his glass down, smiling.

Lanya, having finally swallowed the last grape in her mouth, became curious about the drink called "Long Island Iced Tea," seeing the glowing radiance on Karina's face.

"Is it good?"

With a smile, Karina pushed her glass towards her, "Why don't you have a taste and see for yourself?"

Seeing Lanya eager to try, Lin Ge intervened in a timely manner, "Although this drink is called iced tea, it is actually a strong liquor. People who aren't used to drinking may get knocked out with just one glass."

Lanya paused, then pushed the glass back towards Karina, "Then I won't drink."

Karina, however, picked up the glass while her other hand looped around Lanya's slender shoulder, "What does it matter? Just try a little, it's delicious. Isn't alcohol tolerance developed through practice?" she said as she brought the glass towards Lanya's lips.

Unable to refuse, Lanya closed her eyes and took a sip, then immediately started coughing violently.

She meant to only have a small taste, but Karina poured it into her mouth with gusto, spilling the drink onto the front of her robe.

Wiping the spilled drink from her lips with her sleeve, Lanya accused with a flushed face, "Bad woman."

Karina burst into hearty laughter.

Lin Ge sighed helplessly; he had warned Lanya that Long Island Iced Tea was a strong drink, but she still couldn't resist. It was an issue with her own timid nature; he certainly couldn't physically intervene with a guest and forcibly take the glass from Karina's hand.

Of course, if Karina were a malicious villain, he would have definitely stepped in to stop her.

Before long, Lanya felt the effects of the alcohol, her purple eyes misty with intoxication, looking innocently charming.

"Lin Ge, I'll wait for you over there. Please wake me up when you finish work," she said.

Then she staggered to the couch, flopped down face-first onto it.

Karina looked at Lin Ge's glass, which had hardly any less liquid in it, and complained discontentedly, "Why do you drink like a woman? Can't you have a proper drink with me?"

Lin Ge chuckled, "I'm actually curious. The guest is a charming and alluring woman, so why does she drink like a coarse man?"

"Are you calling me beautiful?"

"You could take it that way."

Karina threw him a seductive look, "Then how about I be your wife?"

Lin Ge remained unflustered, unaffected.

"Guest, you're drunk again."

Karina lay on the bar, gazing at Lin Ge's calm face, "You remind me of those Martial Monks in the monastery."

Monastery? Martial Monks?

Where did that setting come from.

Lin Ge remained silent, maintaining a smile.

An unexpected person took a seat at the bar.

"Make me one too!"

Lin Ge stared at Iris's pretty face in surprise and reminded her, "Miss Iris, you are a server here."

Iris pouted and said, "Can't I be a customer when no one's around? It's not like I'm not paying, so cut the chatter."

Lin Ge looked towards the door. It was quiet outside.

"What if a customer suddenly comes in?"

"I'll go serve them right away."

Lin Ge, resigned, asked, "Alright then, what would you like to drink?"

"Anything is fine."

Lin Ge silently took a cocktail glass and a bottle of port wine, poured ice cubes into the cocktail shaker until it was eight parts full, carefully measured in brandy, sweet vermouth, grenadine, citrus juice, and white mint liqueur, and shook it evenly with one hand, the movements elegant and steady.

Iris watched Lin Ge intently, as if committing to memory his every move, but then he stopped shaking and poured the bright red liquor into the prepared cocktail glass.

Next, he took a bar spoon, placed it with the back side up just above the glass, and with the other hand, slowly poured the port wine down the back of the spoon along the edge of the glass, creating a layer of dark red at the rim, mysterious and enticing to the eye.

Iris couldn't tear her gaze away from the glass.

"What drink is this?"

"American Beauty, it's a kind of rose, and also the iconic flower of Washington D.C. This cocktail was created in Washington and named for its resemblance to the color of this rose," Lin Ge explained slowly.

"Try it out," Lin Ge said as he placed the cocktail on a coaster and gently pushed it towards Iris.

A sweet, delicate fragrance wafted into her nose. Iris' lips parted slightly, and she carefully picked up the glass.

"How is it?" Lin Ge asked with a satisfied look on his charming face as he watched her drink.

His smile was annoying to Iris, but the fragrance lingering between her lips and teeth prevented her from uttering the disdainful words she would have before.

"Hmph, it's, it's not bad I guess," she huffed.

Karina pretended to be surprised and said, "Wow, what kind of magic does this cocktail possess to stop our Miss Iris from spouting vulgarities for once?"

"Mind your own business and drink your beverage," Iris retorted.

Lin Ge added, "By the way, there's also a movie called 'American Beauty.' Have you guys seen it?"

Karina suddenly turned her head, "I've been meaning to ask since a while ago, what is Washington? I've never heard of this place before, and what's this thing you called a movie?"

Lin Ge's expression stiffened, "Are you serious?"

"More serious than when I asked if you would be my boyfriend."

Just as Lin Ge was feeling puzzled, the wind chimes outside the door started to ring.

A customer was arriving.

He quickly signaled Iris to get ready to welcome the guest, and Iris, reluctantly putting her drink down, left the bar.

Her face held a feigned smile as she placed her hands below her navel, right over left, ready to greet the incoming customer.

The door opened and into the bar walked a humanoid lizard clad in gilded armor, a red-headed lizard standing upright.

Its bright red scales glistened like blood, while its hazel eyes bore dangerous, dark, slit pupils, and the spikes on its head resembled a collection of sharp daggers.

Lin Ge watched as this unusual guest walked into the bar, his mouth agape.