DTBS - Chapter 148
Chapter 148: Extra 7: You're Too Good at This
"It's not like you said. If she had me in her heart," Su Qingxiang reached out and held the stem of the sour cocktail glass in front of her, lowering her eyes, "she wouldn't have cruelly told me that she wouldn't ask me for that ring when I said she could have it anytime."
The woman's voice trembled slightly as she slowly recounted the details of her confession to Chang Suiyou...
Upon hearing that Chang Suiyou had initially planned to refuse even the offer of a ride home, Cat felt a pang of sympathy. She couldn't help but pat Su Qingxiang with her paw, "Doctor Su, don't be sad. Maybe she was just startled."
She paused for two seconds, then continued to comfort her, "After all, she initially thought you were good friends. A sudden confession, even if she does like girls, would definitely be surprising and overwhelming... Just like if Teacher Ming suddenly confessed to me, I would definitely..."
Oh no, that wasn't a good example. If Ming Siwen confessed to her, she wouldn't need to think at all, she'd just refuse directly!
"How would you definitely?" Su Qingxiang looked at her.
"How I'd definitely isn't important, because it has no reference value," Qin Qingshang changed the subject, "Let's use a different example. Suppose I didn't exist, and you and Qiuqiu were very good friends. On a certain New Year's Eve, Qiuqiu suddenly confessed to you, what would you do?"
"She confessed to me? Then... I'd say I'd consider it."
Cat: "...?"
So you were planning to agree?
Damn it! I knew it! If it weren't for me, the novel would have ended with you and Qiuqiu having a marriage first, then love relationship!
Su Qingxiang picked up the glass and took a small sip. "What is this?"
She looked puzzled, asking Tao Qiuyun, "Is this really mixed with juice? Qiuqiu, you didn't secretly put alcohol in it, did you? I can barely taste any sweetness."
The taste was quite rich, but compared to its thick appearance, it was surprisingly refreshing on the palate.
"The name of this drink is Tonga," Tao Qiuyun was washing the jigger. "It uses lemon juice as the 'base spirit', then adds pomegranate juice and pineapple juice. Also, for flavor and color, an egg was added to enrich the texture."
"...I wasn't asking about the process, I'm curious, how is it not sweet when all these are mixed? Wait, I think I tasted a bit of pineapple, there's still a little sweetness."
"Shaking different liquids together, it really depends on the bartender's technique."
Tao Qiuyun looked at her, seeing her taking sip after sip, and continued, "It's normal that you don't taste sweetness. Drinking is more about the feelings inside. This drink... non-alcoholic cocktails are also temporarily called drinks. Its appearance is vibrant and passionate, but inside it's like an empty field swept by the wind. It's a drink with a contrast that is unexpectedly refreshing. Qingxiang, I think it's very suitable for you right now."
Su Qingxiang stared at the cocktail in front of her and smiled, "An empty field swept by the wind? What kind of description is that? Qiuqiu, your rare moments of romance are all in your drinks, aren't they?"
Seeing Su Qingxiang sipping the cocktail in her glass, Cat licked her lips, leaned closer to Tao Qiuyun, and asked curiously, "Qiuqiu, do you add eggs when you mix drinks?"
"Eggs are a great helper for mixing cocktails." Tao Qiuyun turned to look at her, seeing her eyes full of curiosity, and cracked another egg to explain to her, "They can bring different textures and flavors, and also change the density and viscosity. Egg yolks are roughly fifty percent water, seventeen percent protein, and thirty-three percent fatty acids, and these fatty acids are the key to changing the flavor."
"Also," she had Qin Qingshang turn her head to look at the woman quietly drinking alone by the bar, "like the Tonga in Qingxiang's hand, there's a layer of foam on the liquid. That's created by using protein dissolution to form a protein network. It first traps the air in the cocktail, and when it dissipates, the liquid released from the protein structure forms this kind of foam on the surface."
Cat nodded, half understanding.
"And this drink is mixed with lemon juice as the base, which is acidic to some extent, so it helps stabilize the protein network, preventing it from dissipating too quickly. Those bubbles will slowly transform in the glass, so from a visual perspective, it also maximizes the drink's initial beauty."
"Why do acidic drinks prevent it from dissipating so quickly?" Qin Qingshang asked.
"Because acid changes the nature of protein, it hardens it," Tao Qiuyun said seriously.
Qin Qingshang: "..."
Qiuqiu seemed to want to attack her fiercely with her dead chemistry knowledge!
Cat used her rebound skill, successfully resisting the "corrosion" of chemical knowledge.
Damn it! She had completely returned all that knowledge to her teachers!
Su Qingxiang finished the last sip. She looked at Tao Qiuyun, urging her friend, "Stop showing off your professional skills in front of your wife. Can I have another one? Make it something exciting this time. Your drinks are just like you, bland."
"Doctor Su," Qin Qingshang found it strange, "Aren't you afraid of getting sick from eating raw eggs?"
Logically, shouldn't doctors be more careful about these details?
"There is indeed such a risk," Su Qingxiang turned around to face Cat. "Generally, I avoid such behavior, but it's not completely unacceptable. Let me give you an example."
"Salmonella, which is most likely to be present in raw eggs, can be fatal, but more often it causes symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, or just some discomfort. In most cases, the infection is over before humans even notice."
"According to professional technical analysis and various data provided by the food safety bureau, the probability of dying from eating a raw egg containing Salmonella is one in fifty million," Su Qingxiang paused, then corrected herself seriously, "I should emphasize, this is data I saw a few years ago, I don't know if it has changed this year..."
"Enough, enough," Cat slumped. "Master Su, stop reciting."
Why!
In the middle of the night, why was she trapped here listening to a bartender talk about chemistry and a doctor talk about medical data? It felt like the pain of being back in class.
"Moreover, if we don't talk about dosage, it's quite irresponsible, so..." Su Qingxiang rattled on.
"Alright, Qingxiang," Tao Qiuyun pushed a red cocktail towards her, interrupting her momentum. "Stop showing off your professional knowledge in front of my wife, okay?"
"Whoa! Qiuqiu, what's this stick on top?" Su Qingxiang stared at the glass in front of her. "What is this? It's not some snack you prepared to go with the drink, is it? This little thing is quite unique."
The bright red liquid in the glass looked like it was filled with fresh blood, nourishing the "green tree" on top. What kind of dark story was this? Bloody Mary?
"Celery stalk, for garnish." Tao Qiuyun removed the celery stalk stuck between the ice cubes. "Since you don't drink alcohol, I replaced the vodka base in the Bloody Mary with tomato juice for you, and slightly changed some other ingredients."
Su Qingxiang picked up the glass, took a sip, and her face immediately changed. She quickly put the glass down and fanned herself with her hand, breathing heavily with a flushed face, "So spicy, so spicy! Is there really no vodka in it!"
Cat, watching from the side, was surprised. She reached out and nudged Tao Qiuyun, "Qiuqiu, I want to drink this too."
Doctor Su's face turned red from drinking, is this drink that potent!
"Don't drink it, I added chili oil." Tao Qiuyun first soothed the excited Qin Qingshang, then chuckled at Su Qingxiang, "How is it? Does it feel like drinking alcohol now?"
"Tao Qiuyun! You did that on purpose!" Su Qingxiang raised her voice.
"Don't drink so fast, okay?" Tao Qiuyun wiped her hands with a handkerchief, took a glass, and put a piece of ice in it. "I still need to mix a drink for Qingshang."
The woman's expression was gentle, and her voice was clear, "So Qingxiang, this drink, you have to drink it slowly, savor it slowly."
"You're too mean, Qiuqiu! I'm heartbroken, you know!"
"You and Teacher Chang haven't dated," Tao Qiuyun corrected her. "You were rejected."
"But even if you were rejected, don't be discouraged," Tao Qiuyun paused dramatically, successfully making Doctor Su choke, and continued, "Didn't Teacher Chang finally agree to let you take her home? You still have a chance, Qingxiang. If you really like her, don't give up easily."
"But I hate pestering people the most. I don't want to become that kind of person." Su Qingxiang gulped down a mouthful of the new version of Mary. The spicy pain stimulated her, making her feel like crying. "I don't want our relationship to become more awkward."
"So," Qin Qingshang understood her meaning, "you want to go back to being friends with Teacher Chang?"
"I'm afraid I won't even be friends with her," Su Qingxiang took another sip. This stimulation also prompted her to voice her inner thoughts. The woman's eyes were slightly red. "When I took her home, she used to invite me in for a drink of water. Today, she just got out of the car and left, only saying 'goodbye'. I feel like... she suddenly became so distant."
Cat moved closer and patted her back.
"She said goodbye," Tao Qiuyun joined the conversation. "If she wanted to completely cut ties with you, she wouldn't even say goodbye. Teacher Chang maintained politeness towards you, which means she respects you in her heart. Qingxiang, didn't you keep saying Teacher Chang was acting strange before? Could it be because of her personal reasons that she's afraid to accept you?"
Su Qingxiang suddenly looked up, something flashed in her mind but she couldn't grasp it. She hesitated, "You mean... her rejecting me might not be my problem, but rather, she has a problem?"
"I don't know Teacher Chang's character," Tao Qiuyun leaned on the bar with one hand, her eyes serious. "But I know your character. If you weren't confident, how would you dare to confess? You must have at least sensed that she had some affection for you to do something like giving her a ring."
Su Qingxiang nodded, "I did... but it could also be my illusion."
"Whether it's an illusion or not, Qingxiang, is there a possibility that your feeling wasn't wrong, and Teacher Chang does have feelings for you? Then why did she reject you?"
"Because..." Su Qingxiang tried to think from a new perspective, "she has a hidden difficulty?"
Seeing her friend lost in thought, her expression constantly changing, Tao Qiuyun knew she was immersed in her own world.
Tao Qiuyun looked at Qin Qingshang in front of her, showing her the glass she had been shaking. "Qingshang, I haven't truly mixed a drink for you using the complete process. Can you give me this chance now?"
"Yes," Qin Qingshang sat on the bar stool, cupping her face in her hands, watching the woman's movements. "I want to drink too. I've forgotten what the previous ones tasted like. Are you mixing that one again this time? Sweet Heart~"
The sweet-voiced Cat made a pun.
"Sweet Heart has a bit of a high alcohol content, are you sure?" Tao Qiuyun leaned closer and smiled, "Am I going to have to take care of a drunk cat again?"
"Hmph! If it's not Sweet Heart, I won't drink it!" Cat pouted.
"I still remember that fanfiction you read," Tao Qiuyun stared at her. "My profession in it was actually a bartender. Your fan with the ID 'You Are My Mom' guessed quite accurately, accidentally guessing my profession right. Qingshang, do you remember what drink I mixed for you in that story?"
"Pussy... Cat..."
Qin Qingshang blushed slightly. She strongly suspected that "daughter fan" with the ID "You Are My Mom" did it on purpose! With so many words, you specifically chose the most popular hot word on a certain famous website, which has a certain suggestive meaning (reversed)!
"Why are you saying it separately?" Tao Qiuyun couldn't help but laugh. "It was originally a very proper drink name, but now that you say it like that, it's suddenly not proper anymore."
"Are you really proper?" Cat asked seriously.
"I..."
"I want a drink with alcohol!" Cat slapped the table. "Bartender, give me the strongest and best-tasting drink!"
"I've prepared a drink that's very suitable for you, Qingshang." Tao Qiuyun held the glass up to the woman. "Do you know what I'm doing now?"
"Shaking ice?" Qin Qingshang guessed based on her actions.
"This is called 'chilling the glass', using centrifugal force to swirl the ice and lower the temperature of the glass."
Tao Qiuyun placed the glass on the counter and continued, "This state is very good now. You can even see a thin layer of frost on it. Some bars use refrigeration to chill glassware, but I believe bartending should be a complete process, striving for perfection."
"But I just saw you get a glass for Doctor Su from the refrigerator."
"How can she compare to you? I want to give you the best."
"You should say things like that to me in private. How can you say it in front of Doctor Su?" Cat disapproved.
"It's okay, she can't hear us."
Su Qingxiang: "..."
I'm deep in thought, but I'm not deaf.
"So what kind of drink is it?" Qin Qingshang watched Tao Qiuyun mix the liquids, feeling a bit curious.
"Using gin as the base spirit, adding vermouth and sherry... then adding Dubonnet, and mixing."
"Originally, I should have filled a cocktail glass for you," Tao Qiuyun poured the shaken liquid into the chilled glass in front of her. "But considering your low alcohol tolerance, I used a small glass so you only drink a little."
"Are you looking down on me?" Cat saw her pour the drink, immediately picked up the glass, "I'll make you see me in a new light right now, I'm not the same person I was back then!"
With that, she held the glass, tilted her head back, and drank it all... almost.
"Cough, cough, cough," Qin Qingshang turned her head to alleviate the rising dizziness, her cheeks flushed. "So spicy!"
Wuwuwu~
"That Sweet Heart drink was only fifteen degrees," Tao Qiuyun washed her hands and reached out to touch the woman's hot face. "But this drink is over twenty degrees. Qingshang, you're drunk."
"Wuwu, no," Qin Qingshang shook her head. "At least not yet."
Dizzy as she was, she was still conscious!
"This drink..."
Tao Qiuyun leaned down to the woman's ear and whispered, "It's called 'Bartender'. Is it good?"
"Wuwu... What bartender?"
"The bartender who gave you this drink, how does she taste?"
"You! You're not proper!" Cat's face was red, she didn't know if it was from drinking or from shyness.
"Qingshang seems drunk," Su Qingxiang tapped the bar. She looked up at Tao Qiuyun, "You should carry her back to the room to rest. It's very late now, and I need to sleep too... Oh, is your guest room available?"
"Yes," Tao Qiuyun nodded. "You can pick any room."
"Alright, alright, I'm going to sleep," Su Qingxiang held her unfinished drink and walked away quickly. "Happy New Year to you both!"
Seeing Doctor Su flee in a hurry, Qin Qingshang suppressed her dizzy feeling. She straightened up and finished the last bit of liquid in the glass. "It's all your fault, Doctor Su must think we're annoying, showing off our affection in front of her!"
"She's used to it," Tao Qiuyun walked out from behind the bar and reached out to hug Cat. "I often show off to her on WeChat."
Is that something to be proud of?! She's having a terrible time right now!
"Wife," Tao Qiuyun picked up the dizzy drunk cat in front of her. "Do you think what I prepared for you was a surprise?"
"Not a surprise!"
Qin Qingshang, who was already too drunk to tell north from south, couldn't remember what she was supposed to do if it wasn't a surprise. Her thoughts were also drifting. She hooked her arms around Tao Qiuyun's neck and whined, "Qiuqiu, that drink... it was so spicy, it burned my throat, I don't like it!"
"The bartender is a bit sao, don't you like that?"
Cat leaned forward and kissed her, "I like it!"
Tao Qiuyun is so good at playing with double meanings. Was that Sweet Heart drink back then really just a coincidence?
Giving her "Sweet Heart" when they first met, and then giving her "Bartender" after they got married...
Wuwuwu, you're too good!
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