NOVEL NEXT Ch. 22
Chapter 22: Twilight Bar
When Bai Lengci returned to her rental apartment, it was already afternoon.
She walked to the desk and turned on her computer.
In the search bar, she typed: “Flair bartending tutorial.”
Instantly, a large number of videos popped up.
Bai Lengci clicked on the most-viewed one.
The bartender’s fingers were long and nimble, the bottle flowed smoothly across his palm, the back of his hand, and between his fingers—spinning, tossing, catching, rolling.
The movements were complex and ornate, visually striking.
After watching once.
She silently stood up and went to the kitchen.
There were a few empty mineral water bottles there.
She twisted open the caps, poured out the leftover droplets, then weighed the bottles in her hand, feeling their weight and center of gravity.
After that, she tried imitating the actions from the video.
The result was effortless.
The bottle seemed to stick to her palm, its speed and smoothness in spinning already not much different from the demonstrator in the video.
Next came more complicated toss-and-catch moves: tossing with one hand and catching behind her back; crisscross tosses between both hands; bottles tracing graceful arcs from left to right hand…
Very simple, no difficulty at all.
Then she clicked on the other two flair bartending tutorial videos she had downloaded in advance.
Watch once, imitate once.
By the second try, she no longer needed the video—her movements were already imprinted in her mind. She could even make subtler, more efficient adjustments based on the bottles’ weight distribution and rotational inertia.
Next, she searched for classic cocktail recipes.
Gin and tonic, Cuba Libre, Mojito, Long Island Iced Tea, Margarita… recipes, ingredients, steps, glassware, garnish—she noted them down one by one.
When she finished all this, it was already evening outside the window.
She shut down the computer, then reviewed all the movements and recipes she had memorized once more.
After confirming there were no mistakes, she got up and went into the bathroom.
She changed into a fairly presentable black sweater, put on a coat over it, and tied her hair—which now reached her chin—into a low ponytail.
......
No.77, Jiefang West Road, Twilight Bar.
The place was easy to find.
The deep-blue, all-glass structure, with its massive LED signboard, stood out brightly in the night.
Through the glass, she could see the outlines of the simple yet tasteful interior design.
Bai Lengci pushed open the heavy glass door.
At the entrance stood a security guard in a black uniform.
When Bai Lengci walked through the security gate, the guard was stunned.
He opened his mouth, as if forgetting what he was supposed to say. After a few seconds, he finally found his voice again, stammering with uncertainty.
“Uh… Miss, do you, do you have a reservation?”
Bai Lengci ignored the form of address, took out Zhou Zheng’s business card from her pocket, and handed it to the guard.
“I’m looking for Manager Zhou.”
The guard accepted the card, his eyes sweeping back and forth between it and the breathtakingly beautiful face in front of him. After confirming, he hurriedly picked up his walkie-talkie.
“Manager Zhou, there’s a… uh, a very beautiful lady at the front desk holding your business card, asking for you.”
From the walkie-talkie came Zhou Zheng’s voice.
“Very beautiful? How beautiful?”
“The kind of beautiful that stuns you at first glance.”
“Hearing you say that, I already know who it is. Have her wait for me, I’ll be right there. Take her to a booth to rest, treat her well.”
The guard put down the walkie-talkie.
“Manager Zhou is nearby, he’ll be back soon. Please go inside and have a seat while you wait.”
It wasn’t that Bai Lengci was afraid of looking inexperienced in a bar for the first time.
It was just that stepping into an environment brimming with potential consumption made her instinctively alert.
“No need, I don’t drink anyway. Going in is meaningless, I’ll just wait at the door.”
The guard seemed to notice her wariness and hurriedly explained.
“Miss, please go in and sit for a while. There’s heating inside, much more comfortable than outside, it’s fine. Sometimes Manager Zhou hands out cards nearby, sometimes even at the fountain square. Waiting inside will be more convenient.”
Bai Lengci studied the guard for a few seconds, confirming there were no signs of deceit, before nodding slightly.
“Sorry for the trouble.”
The guard immediately called over a young female supervisor dressed in a fitted black business suit with refined makeup.
“Lisa, take this guest to a window booth in Area A, serve fruit and drinks, treat her well—she’s Manager Zhou’s guest.”
“Of course, please follow me.”
With a professional sweet smile, Lisa led the way. When her eyes fell on Bai Lengci’s face, a fleeting glimmer of awe flashed across them, but her professionalism quickly suppressed it.
She guided Bai Lengci through a soundproof glass door.
Inside and outside, it was like two different worlds.
As Zhou Zheng had said, this was indeed a refined, elegant bar.
The air was filled with the rich scent of coffee beans, fine leather, and various premium liquors.
Not pungent, but rather a tranquil sense of luxury.
The background music was smooth, lazy light jazz. On the stage stood a female singer in a black slip dress, softly singing.
There weren’t many patrons in the bar—only a dozen or so—spread across the spacious booths.
On the left was the bar counter, where a young bartender in a white shirt, black vest, and bow tie was polishing wine glasses.
Lisa led Bai Lengci to a window booth near the bar.
The spot had an excellent view—she could clearly see both the stage and the bar, while also looking out the massive floor-to-ceiling windows at the glittering lights of Jiefang West Road.
The half-height partitions and curtains of the booth provided sufficient privacy, with a spacious feel.
“Please have a seat, Manager Zhou will be here shortly.”
Lisa smiled and soon brought over a fruit plate (freshly cut fruit) and a steaming cup of lemon water, setting them in front of Bai Lengci.
“This is lemon water. Please enjoy. If you need anything else, just let me know.”
“Thank you.”
Bai Lengci nodded politely.
Lisa tried making small talk, asking if she wanted introductions to drinks or the bar’s specialties.
But seeing that Bai Lengci only sat quietly, her gaze resting on the stage, clearly not inclined for conversation, Lisa sensibly smiled and stepped back.
On stage, the singer began her third song.
It was a classic blues jazz piece, slow and sorrowful, with the melancholic inflections unique to the blues.
The saxophonist’s improvised solo displayed perfect control of rhythm, handling several complex syncopations with ease.
The drums were low and elastic, while the piano accompaniment flowed like a stream.
The overall atmosphere was excellently set: lazy, nostalgic, with just the right touch of melancholy—soothing the nerves of weary city dwellers.
As the blues neared its end, the singer’s final lingering note slowly faded into the air, and a figure appeared beside the booth.
“Sorry, sorry, for keeping you waiting, Student Bai!”
Zhou Zheng’s voice carried his usual hearty enthusiasm. He took off his coat, draping it over his arm.
Underneath was a neatly pressed dark shirt and trousers, his face wearing the perfect apologetic smile.
He naturally sat across from Bai Lengci in the booth.
“Just arrived not long ago.”
Bai Lengci said.
Zhou Zheng’s eyes discreetly swept across her face again.
The strange feeling caused by Cheng Jiajia’s words had not completely faded, but he showed no sign of it.
With a smile, he asked:
“So, how is it? Do you like the environment of our Twilight? Isn’t it just as I said—quiet and proper?”
Bai Lengci gave a slight nod.
“Mm.”
“That’s good!”
Zhou Zheng seemed relieved.
“So… have you thought it over? Want to give it a try tonight? Right now there aren’t many customers—perfect chance for Ken to help you get familiar.”
He pointed toward the bartender in the vest behind the bar.
Bai Lengci didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she looked at Zhou Zheng and asked a crucial question.
“You want me to bartend—because you think my looks can attract customers, or because you actually need me to mix drinks?”
Zhou Zheng was briefly stunned by her bluntness, then chuckled and adjusted his glasses.
“Student Bai, you’re sharp. It’s both. Twilight thrives on style, and we need a face that can elevate the whole atmosphere. With your looks and aura, just standing behind the bar is the best advertisement.
As for bartending…”
He spread his hands with a light smile.
“Like I said this afternoon—just memorize a few basic recipes and pour. Of course, if you’re willing to learn some flair moves to entertain the customers, tips will naturally flow in. So, what do you think?”