Chapter 4 [04]

Dark Chocolate

In early summer, it gets dark later than usual.

After Lu Mingxiao finished speaking, Luo Qingyue counted on her fingers and estimated that it would take about four hours from now until the sun completely set.

She immediately realized what was happening.

On the surface, Lu Mingxiao sought his uncle's opinion, but in reality, he was making veiled accusations, his words carrying a familiar air of disdain.

No matter how much time she was given, she couldn't possibly make the pineapple bubble Americano, which led to doubts about her identity.

Ultimately, her inner self was hollow; she needed acting skills to support her. Luo Qingyue held her phone, feeling a little uneasy.

But then she thought again, even though she was a lazy bum with no ambition, she had to stand up for herself when it came to her uncle's career, and she couldn't let Lu Mingxiao laugh at her.

Jingxi still hadn't replied to the message, so Luo Qingyue decided to search for the recipe online.

As soon as he opened Xiaohongshu, his uncle answered Lu Mingxiao's question: "I've long heard that Mr. Lu is very knowledgeable about coffee. It would be my honor to witness it in person."

Luo Qingyue paused her touch on the screen and looked up at the two people opposite her.

Lu Mingxiao responded modestly, "I wouldn't call it research; I just enjoy it as a hobby. Friends who have tried my coffee have given it good reviews, so you can give it a try. You can order anything on the menu, and if you want something not on the menu, I can make it."

My uncle suddenly became interested: "Then I'll order two drinks, a latte and a coconut Americano."

Everything is on the menu, so at least we can guarantee that the raw materials won't be missing.

Lu Mingxiao responded and got up to walk towards the bar.

Luo Qingyue watched him approach. His steps were unhurried, and he quickly stopped beside her.

A tall shadow fell, and my heart skipped a beat.

Stunned, Luo Qingyue's breath caught in her throat as a deep male voice reached her ears.

"I need these materials, please help me prepare them."

Lu Mingxiao was making a request to her.

Luo Qingyue listened attentively; her unusually calm tone was quite pleasant to hear.

When it comes to making coffee, Lu is always a professional.

It's better for him to do it himself than for her to try and fail to meet his expectations, only to be criticized for being too strong.

Luo Qingyue feigned composure and faced him, saying, "Alright, go ahead."

Lu Mingxiao named several materials.

Luo Qingyue turned around and opened the refrigerator behind her.

As an unofficial member of Hi coffee&car, she knew everything about it even if Jingxi didn't say it.

They quickly and easily retrieved the items Lu Mingxiao needed and neatly arranged them on the workbench.

Lu Mingxiao stood in front of the coffee machine.

Use your well-defined knuckles to unbutton the shirt and roll up the cuffs.

"Old Liu, help me time this."

My uncle stood outside the bar, looking like he was observing intently.

He placed his phone on the table, turned on the stopwatch, and pressed the start button the instant Lu Mingxiao made his move.

Lu Mingxiao first weighed the coffee beans and then poured them into a grinder to grind them into powder.

Then, press the coffee grounds flat on the powder dispenser to make the puck compact and even, and then place it on the coffee machine to extract the coffee liquid.

As the coffee liquid is poured into the cup, its aroma fills the air.

Luo Qingyue stood beside Lu Mingxiao, her eyes fixed on him the entire time, never once looking away from the movements of his hands.

It was so immersive that even the flow of air seemed to slow down.

She had never realized before that making coffee could be so visually appealing.

Even though she had seen these procedures many times with other baristas, the artistry that Lu Mingxiao created still caught her eye.

Lu Mingxiao held the coffee cup, tilting it slightly, and used his other hand to hold the latte art pitcher, pouring milk foam into the cup.

He gently swung the kettle, and a latte art swan took shape in the cup. Beautiful and lifelike.

Luo Qingyue couldn't resist taking a picture with her camera.

Then I heard my uncle, who was keeping time, say, "Four minutes and thirty-three seconds."

"How many?"

Luo Qingyue thought she had misheard, so her uncle repeated it.

Lu Mingxiao said that this is the normal preparation time for a cup of coffee.

No wonder he thought thirteen minutes was a long time. Luo Qingyue suspected that this was a record made specifically for her.

After making the latte, Lu Mingxiao also made a coconut Americano and his own pineapple sparkling Americano.

As he sipped his coffee, his uncle praised, "Anything made by Mr. Lu is bound to be of the highest quality. It's definitely different from what's sold in the market."

Luo Qingyue asked curiously, "How is it different?"

Uncle: "The texture is more delicate and silky, and the aroma and intensity are just right. Anyway, I really like it."

Hearing him say that, Luo Qingyue was itching to learn more about Lu Mingxiao's skills.

But Lu Mingxiao was washing his utensils in front of the pool, seemingly not even considering that she was there beside him.

Luo Qingyue took a deep breath, raised her hand, and poked his arm with her finger.

Lu Mingxiao turned off the tap, turned his head to look, and heard someone ask him, "Could you make me a cup of dark chocolate?"

Luo Qingyue handed over the tissue, which Lu Mingxiao took.

After wiping the water off his hands, he finally spoke: "Head Barista?"

He's so perceptive, he must have figured it out a long time ago.

Luo Qingyue accepted reality, and her mind became calm: "I named it myself, and it expressed a beautiful vision."

Lu Mingxiao threw the tissue into the trash can without responding to a single word.

The revolution is not yet complete. Luo Qingyue watched as Lu Mingxiao sealed the materials and put them back in the refrigerator, and continued to be candid.

“This shop is owned by my best friend. She had a fever and was on an IV drip, so I offered to come and help out. I had never made coffee before, and I thought I could do it, but as you can see from reality, it’s easy to be proven wrong. Don’t blame Editor Liu; he was unaware of the situation. He put in a lot of effort to help you find a suitable place.”

Her uncle was answering a phone call in the corner, and Luo Qingyue looked in his direction.

She admitted that she had a slight tendency to run away, fearing that she would hear Lu Mingxiao's rejection.

The probability of him refusing is extremely high, otherwise she would have already posted about him on her WeChat Moments.

My fingers kept rubbing below, and I almost stopped breathing.

A fraction of a second later, a man's voice suddenly came into her ear: "Cold or hot."

Luo Qingyue snapped out of her daze and looked up at Lu Mingxiao.

Before he could react, he added, "I meant dark chocolate."

A dazzling starlight suddenly flashed in Luo Qingyue's dim eyes.

Without any hesitation, she blurted out, "Only children make choices; I want both."

Lu Mingxiao: "One cup."

His face was expressionless, yet his powerful aura emanated a chill that permeated the surrounding air.

Her tone was completely uncompromising. Luo Qingyue told him with regret, "Then let's go for the iced one, thank you."

Luo Qingyue retrieved the materials again, as requested by Lu Mingxiao.

As she watched Lu Mingxiao put ice cubes into the glass, she asked him, "Can I make latte art with this?"

Lu Mingxiao: "Only hot drinks can be made."

Luo Qingyue immediately raised her hand: "I request a replacement."

Lu Mingxiao didn't stop what he was doing: "Iced dark chocolate tastes better."

Luo Qingyue stopped insisting: "Oh, never mind then."

The dark chocolate was quickly made.

Lu Mingxiao tidied up the control panel, and the interview officially began.

This time, he chose a spot far from the bar, near the floor-to-ceiling window.

Luo Qingyue moved quietly, changing tables three times before finding the perfect angle to admire that handsome face.

The dark chocolate flavor is rich and creamy, with a slightly bitter yet sweet taste. It's absolutely delicious.

Luo Qingyue rested her chin on her hands, took small sips from the straw, and savored the taste.

Not far away, Lu Mingxiao stood amidst the greenery.

Luo Qingyue raised her hand, interlaced her index finger and thumb, and placed him into the viewfinder.

Very good visuals and composition.

Luo Qingyue held up her phone, opened the camera, and wanted to take a picture to share with Jingxi.

As luck would have it, Lu Mingxiao looked over here. His sharp gaze made her shudder, and she immediately held up her phone, making a peace sign as if taking a selfie.

Is he looking at me? He probably is, I'm so pretty.

Was the man I met in the car accident an ominous sign? Not necessarily. He had a good appearance and seemed to bring me good fortune.

Does he have a girlfriend? No, I haven't seen him touch his phone since he came in.

Lost in thought, Luo Qingyue finished her dark chocolate, and the interview on the other end.

Her seat was near the entrance, and when her uncle accompanied Lu Mingxiao over, she quickly stood up as well.

"Xiaoyue, you haven't left yet?"

The interview lasted for two hours, during which the uncle had his back to her the whole time. When they met again, he was somewhat surprised.

"You're busy, so I shouldn't bother you."

Luo Qingyue explained earnestly, "I just have a question, and I won't be able to sleep tonight until I get the answer."

The uncle asked curiously, "Tell me."

Luo Qingyue: "When will this issue of your magazine be released?"

The uncle thought for a moment and said, "The earliest would be the end of next month."

Luo Qingyue replied with an "okay," and said excitedly, "Then I'll order two thousand copies to support President Lu and my uncle."

Having had some prior contact, Lu Mingxiao knew that this girl was not short of money.

Her sincere gaze at that moment was exactly the same as the one she gave him that day when she said she would buy him a new car.

As the editor-in-chief, Lao Liu was naturally very happy.

Due to the rapid development of the internet, even long-established magazines like "Car and Driver" have seen their sales decline significantly compared to the past.

Inviting Mr. Lu for an exclusive interview was also to leverage his reputation to salvage the current decline. If the young lady is willing to help, that would be even better.

He was about to express his gratitude to Luo Qingyue when she added, "If you're willing to sign these for me, I'll add another two thousand copies."

Old Liu beamed with joy: "I just mentioned to Boss Lu that we will indeed sign some contracts as employee benefits."

He paused, then realized something: "But four thousand books, isn't that a bit too many?"

Mr. Lu is very busy and has no free time, so he can't make a promise about this.

Luo Qingyue and her uncle focused their attention on Lu Mingxiao, waiting for him to make the final decision.

Unexpectedly, Lu Mingxiao asked Luo Qingyue in a calm voice, "Does your family run a newsstand?"

Luo Qingyue shook her head: "No, my home—"

Because there are so many industries, she pondered how to introduce them.

It shouldn't be too flamboyant or high-profile, but it should still showcase the family's strength.

It's so difficult, it's a bit mentally taxing.

However, Lu Mingxiao did not give her any extra time to think.

The next second, he said with certainty, "They must be running several good bookstores."

Luo Qingyue shook her head as well, her lips drooping: "I don't like reading. I get a headache when there are too many words."

She seemed to remember something else, and with a slight smile, she shared with him, "But I like reading comics. I just bought a lot yesterday, and they're still on their way. They should arrive in the next day or two."

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a soft golden halo over Lu Mingxiao.

Luo Qingyue winked at him, and Lu Mingxiao's tone was calm and even: "So, what are you going to do with all these magazines once you get them?"

That's easy," she quickly replied.

"Ten signed copies will be enough. I'll keep them as a keepsake. As for the rest, I'll hire a few people to distribute them on Pingtan Road. There's a lot of foot traffic there, and local internet celebrities and self-media reporters love to stake out the area and look for interesting things."

"Everyone has seen flyers handed out, but you've never seen magazines handed out. When the time comes, people will flock to report on it. Why not take advantage of free advertising space? This will generate buzz and definitely bring a new wave of sales to the magazine."

After speaking, Luo Qingyue gave a serious warning and looked directly at Lu Mingxiao.

"You're going to be famous soon, so remember to be careful with your words and actions."

"I don't want news of your house collapse to come from afar before the magazine is published."

She turned to look at Old Liu, a naive smile on her face: "Uncle, aren't you right?"

[Author's Note]

Moon: Your face is very auspicious for me, not bad, I can accept you! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]

Xiao: The boomerang hit me! [eating melon emoji] [eating melon emoji] [eating melon emoji]

Old Liu: I dared not utter a sound [crying][crying][crying]