Thinking about going to Jiangnan and maybe even seeing Huo Meiren, Xue Qiandai lost all interest in the grand meal.
After finishing her meal, she couldn't wait to go back to the coffee shop to pick up Snow Lion and head home.
"Xiaoyan, then this weekend..." Now that the appointment had been arranged, Yuan Mu still hoped to spend some time together.
Jian Yan looked at Xue Qiandai, seeking her opinion.
Xue Qiandai smiled amiably, but her words were anything but polite. "I'm sorry, Senior Yuan, you briefly taught me pattern making. Our autumn clothes can't be delayed any longer; I have to go to the factory soon."
Who doesn't have their own career aspirations?
Yuan Mu said awkwardly, "Xiao Yan, I'll ask you out next time."
Watching the two girls drive away in their Mercedes-Benz, Yuan Mu was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. That little girl, once unknown on campus, now lived in a villa, drove a Mercedes-Benz, and was friends with a former socialite from a prominent family—she seemed to be on the road to success, while he felt himself drifting further and further away. This desolation sent a chill down his spine. "No, Xiaoyan, I will walk alongside you," he told himself.
The coffee shop was lit. Zhao Jiening teased the snow lion, occasionally glancing at the man on the bar, a slight smile playing on her lips. Even without much verbal communication, there was no awkwardness.
This is the scene that Xue Qiandai and Jian Yan saw when they returned.
"Hey, you two, just leave this big dog to him. He has a competition tomorrow, he needs to rest well today, you know?"
Unexpectedly, Zhao Jiening's first words were to accuse him.
Before Xue Qiandai could answer, the snow lion, which had just been playing happily with Zhao Jiening, roared and revealed its ferocious nature.
"Hey, you heartless bastard, you fed all that good food to the dog."
“Miss Zhao, what are you saying? Isn’t Snow Lion just a dog?” Xue Qiandai approached her, pressed her cheek against hers, and breathed on her. “Miss Zhao, you’re really taking advantage of us and then complaining. I created such a good opportunity for you to be alone, and instead of being grateful, you’re turning around and blaming us.”
Lanshan wiped his hands and came out from behind the bar. "Don't blame them. It's my job to take care of Xueshi. Anyway, I'll have nothing to do at home, so I might as well spend time with Xueshi and Coffee."
Zhao Jiening felt like she was choking on her own blood. "Why don't you come find me when you've got nothing better to do?" But with outsiders around, she was too embarrassed to say it aloud. She could only glare at him hatefully, thinking, "Fool!"
Jian Yan led the snow lion away and greeted the couple, "Blue Coffee, Miss Zhao, thank you. We're heading back now. You two can continue your conversation... Coffee."
After the two people and the dog left the coffee shop, Zhao Jiening approached Lan Shan and stared at him intently. Lan Shan felt a little uneasy under her gaze and took two steps back.
Would I eat people?
"Won't."
"Then why are you avoiding me?"
"No, I'm not used to you looking at me like that."
"Take me home."
"Weren't you driving?"
"It's dangerous for girls to drive at night, you know?"
"But I can't drive."
What an honest guy, he just can't drive. Zhao Jiening chuckled, "Then I'll give you a ride, I'll drive."
"No need, I'll take the subway..."
"Will you give me a ride, or will I give you a ride? You have to choose one."
Still possessing a gentlemanly spirit, Lan Shan met Zhao Jiening's burning gaze, swallowed hard, and made a difficult decision, "I'll give it to you."
Zhao Jiening smiled, pursing her lips. How could this man be so wonderful? He was simply the best of the best. She just wanted to tease him, to keep teasing him.
*
The barista competition organized by the Beijing Barista Association was held at the Beijing International Expo Center.
The interior layout is designed to resemble a coffee shop, and all contestants are also key members of their respective coffee shops, including baristas from upscale clubs and five-star hotels. Two baristas share a counter, and the competition is conducted face-to-face.
There were approximately fifteen groups of baristas, totaling thirty people, at the entire competition venue.
Today, Lanshan wore a white emoji-print T-shirt from the store, paired with a coffee-colored apron, looking both professional and casual.
The coffee shop members and Zhao Jiening, as cheerleaders, were all dressed in matching emoji-themed t-shirts. Because the girls were all very attractive, and two of them had a very high-profile presence, they attracted the attention of the judges and media from the moment they appeared.
The judging panel included coffee masters from the UK, Italy, and Sweden, the previous World Barista Championship winner, and coffee media professionals.
The host is also a barista. He first introduced the competition content and rules, and then proceeded to the first round of the competition.
Taste six single-origin coffees made from beans from different regions within 3 minutes, then shuffle them in order and taste them again within 2 minutes. Answer the question about the origin of the coffee beans and restore the original order.
The two contestants competed simultaneously, and the answer was revealed on the spot.
The scene was incredibly exciting.
However, Lan Shan remained calm and composed at the bar, even giving an OK sign to his cheerleaders—Xue Qiandai, Zhao Jiening, and others—before the match began. His opponent, infected by his confidence, broke out in a sweat.
Six black open-top cups were lined up on the bar, emitting a fragrant aroma of coffee. Lan Shan picked up a cup, scooped a spoonful from each, and savored it. Then the staff shuffled the order of the coffees before they were tasted again.
During the verification phase, Blue Mountain misplaced one of its competitors and also got the country of origin wrong.
It's Blue Mountain's turn.
He looked towards the audience. Xue Qiandai and Jian Yan stood with their arms crossed, looking relaxed and at ease, while Zhao Jiening looked nervous.
He smiled, pointed to the coffee cup in front of him, and said with a measured tone, "The first cup is Geisha coffee from Ethiopia, a coffee with a rich sweetness and fruity aroma;"
"The second cup was Yirgacheffe coffee, also from Ethiopia; the third was Mandheling coffee from Sumatra, Indonesia; the fourth was Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, just like my name; and the fifth was Guatemalan coffee, with a rich and slightly wild flavor."
"As for the last cup, it comes from my hometown of Yunnan. It's Simao small-bean coffee, with round and small beans, and the taste is similar to... Colombian coffee."
The judges' area was silent for a moment, then erupted in enthusiastic applause. The host immediately announced that the only coffee bean to receive a perfect score in this round of evaluation was Blue Mountain from Lightyear Coffee.
Zhao Jiening's little hands were almost red from clapping; she was even more excited than the victorious Lan Shan. "He's amazing! I knew the championship belonged to him!"
"Miss Zhao, it's too early to draw conclusions, although we also hope Brother Lan will win," You Duoduo said with a charmingly innocent expression, offering an objective and fair assessment.
Xue Qiandai poked You Duoduo in the armpit with her elbow, "Don't you know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder? You're being really annoying."
Zhao Jiening didn't seem shy at all and was quite pleased with the word "lover".
"Miss Zhao, you should play in the next round. This is a great opportunity to be on screen with Lan Ka," Jian Tan said.
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