After some urgent repairs, it had reopened.
Although the supplies had not yet arrived and the pharmacy was still being prepared, Zhong Shenxiu decided to open as soon as possible due to funding shortages.
In any case, with the original stock of liquor left behind by Old Sea Dog, he could still support operations for a while.
Alice and Angel were good friends and roommates.
Their families were affluent, and they yearned for independence, currently studying at a women’s university in Byron City.
Bored with their routine lives and the thrill of being ’bad girls,’ they would occasionally band together to do something outrageous.
Of course, this did not mean they really wanted to try anything depraved.
They sought the kind of misdeed that offered a brief indulgence in naughtiness, without leading to lifelong regret.
Thus, sneaking out of school for a drink every now and then had become their preserve.
The taste of alcohol paired with the thrill of doing something illegal was an indescribable temptation.
So, even though they had sworn never to visit an underground bar again, that night, the two of them still sneaked out.
Alice had long, golden hair, fair skin, blue eyes, and a slim figure, while Angel, smaller with some baby fat on her face, looked incredibly cute.
But at this moment, the two were dressed so differently that not even acquaintances could recognize them.
Alice was in a tight black leather outfit, complete with metal spikes, and Angel had caked her face in thick makeup, applying heavy smoky eyeshadow that gave her a gothic flair.
"I heard the bar has changed owners," Alice whispered as they walked down the alley together.
"Each bar is a source of wealth; it’s normal for gangs to fight over it... and they have rules, they won’t harm customers because we are their source of revenue, angels sent by the gods to bring blessings!"
Angel replied with a smile, "And... don’t you think it’s more thrilling to drink in such a place? You might even see bullet holes in the walls and bloodstains not yet cleaned up..."
Alice had already spotted the bar’s side door, indeed guarded by a new bouncer—a pale man with a scar.
"He looks fiercer than the last security guard."
Alice felt like leaving but was pulled forward by Angel, who said cheerfully, "Hey, we are regulars!"
"Welcome to Whisperer Bar."
The scar-faced man gave them a glance and smiled, "Please rest assured, our boss guarantees the safety of every guest!"
He stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter.
"We are not afraid of danger," Angel puffed up her cheeks, making a fierce face that still looked adorably pouty.
The scar-faced man’s lips twitched, almost letting out a laugh.
Alice and Angel entered the bar, passing through another door and immediately feeling the lively atmosphere wash over them.
Amid the merry chaos, numerous men and women relieved their stress, gulping down various alcoholic beverages.
Angel started swaying to the music, while Alice looked around and approached the bar.
The previous bartender was replaced by a young man in a white shirt, black waistcoat, and a red bow tie, who was smilingly polishing a glass with a white handkerchief.
Brown hair, blue eyes, a prominent nose, and handsome features...
Alice had to admit, this bartender was much more pleasing to the eye than the previous one.
"To the two beautiful ladies, what would you like to have on this night?"
Zhong Shenxiu set down his glass, smiled, and said, "I recommend tequila, mixed into a ’Margarita’ cocktail. It’s sweet and sour, refreshing, just like you two, full of vitality!"
"You know how to mix drinks?"
Alice’s eyes lit up, and beside her, Angel couldn’t wait to say, "Of course... we’ll have that."
As she spoke, she handed over several American bills.
Both of their families were very wealthy and could easily afford the high price of private alcohol services.
Zhong Shenxiu nodded, gestured for Smith, who was beside him, to take the money, and then he began by cutting a lime and using a slice to moisten the rim of the glass.
He quickly opened the cocktail shaker, poured in the tequila, lime juice...
Alice and Angel watched the rapidly spinning cocktail shaker and its smooth aesthetic felt almost mesmerizing;
Just watching his every move while mixing drinks was like a delicate art form, possessing a unique beauty.
When he finally poured the ready drink into a glass and garnished the rim with a slice of lime, he placed it in front of Alice, "Your Margarita is ready. Please enjoy it slowly."
Alice took a gentle sip and immediately felt a rush of sweet and sour taste burst onto her palate.
That kind of taste, reminiscent of a first love, was like lemon, filled with sourness yet evoking a poignant, bittersweet remembrance.
"I feel like I can taste a story in this drink... it must be a love tragedy..."
Alice wiped the corner of her eye and said with a smile, "Sorry... I got a bit emotional."
Zhong Shenxiu placed another drink in front of Angel and said with a smile, "I specially made it with a lower alcohol content, so it’s not easy to get drunk. You two can enjoy it as much as you like..."
"Why lower the alcohol content? We want strong drinks!"
Angel sipped her Margarita in small gulps and gave a fierce pout upon hearing his words.
"Both of you are decent girls, perhaps you have school tomorrow. Going there smelling of alcohol is not ideal."
Zhong Shenxiu methodically wiped the bartending tools with a handkerchief as he responded.
"What? How could we possibly be decent girls?"
Angel was almost ready to grab onto his tie and confront him.
"This is Notting Hill family territory, and the Sirians are people who adhere to tradition. Although their men can commit murder and arson, their women are very traditional and conservative..."
Zhong Shenxiu shrugged his shoulders, "They would never accept women being gangsters... if you don’t believe me, just look around."
Feeling somewhat sheepish, Alice tugged at Angel and looked around at the well-dressed patrons, feeling like they really were out of place.
"Sorry, we shouldn’t have..."
She hesitated, habitually yielding, but then heard Zhong Shenxiu’s voice, "A little drink is nothing to worry about; Whisperer Bar always welcomes you two. Next time don’t worry about it; the doorman won’t give you trouble."
"That doorman, he must have noticed already."
Angel sat back down, filled with a sense of defeated despondency.
"Thank you, kind sir."
Alice said gratefully.
"It’s nothing, I was young once too. An occasional playful indulgence, an escape, a fateful encounter; I’ve always looked forward to those, for both genders... so I understand your needs."
Zhong Shenxiu responded with a smile.
"We still don’t know your name... maybe we could be friends? Can we come talk to you here later?"
Alice said with a smile.
"Talking to a bartender in a bar is quite common, you can call me Li Wei, I’m the mixologist here..."