Chapter 57: The Sunrise of the Agave
They got home around eight o'clock after finishing their hotpot meal. Because the food was so delicious, Wen Chu drank one and a half bottles of strong liquor, and then she was a little tipsy. Her face was flushed as if she had applied a thin layer of blush, and she chattered all the way home. She took off her shoes and put on slippers, and tried to bend down to straighten the shoes that were lying on their side, but she stumbled and almost fell.
Lu Ming quickly helped her up, bent down to straighten her shoes, and thought to himself how this person's alcohol tolerance was so poor, a world apart from his own. He said in a low voice, "Go upstairs, wash up, and go to sleep."
"It's only this early, how can I sleep? I'm wide awake." Wen Chu staggered into the living room.
"Then what else do you want to do?" Lu Ming asked from behind.
Wen Chu turned her head and backed away while looking at him, saying, "I feel like I haven't gotten over my drinking problem yet. I want to drink your cocktail. Can you make me another one that I haven't tried before?"
"Again? You make it sound like I prepared this for you before." Lu Ming kept a respectful distance from her, watching her intently, as if afraid she might trip and fall. "You're already getting dizzy from such a small amount of alcohol? Are you sure you want to drink more?"
"We've already drunk, why worry about how much or how little? Let's mix some drinks! I want to see you mix drinks." Wen Chu stopped in her tracks, reached out and shook his arm, then blinked her big eyes and pleaded.
Lu Ming's heart felt like it had been gently squeezed, instantly softening. He couldn't bear to see her like this, so he could only glance at her helplessly before heading towards the kitchen.
Wen Chu's face lit up with joy, and she followed behind the person excitedly, saying, "It has to be a little stronger, otherwise it's no fun. Drinking too much will help me sleep better."
What color would you like to adjust?
"Hmm... red, something more vibrant."
Lu Ming picked out several base spirits from the liquor cabinet, and took out soda, specific drinks, fruits, and syrups from the refrigerator. After preparing everything, he placed it on the bar counter in the kitchen, which is used for mixing drinks, and began to make it.
Instead of turning on the kitchen lights, they opted to turn on a separate wall lamp at the bar. The dim, yellow light illuminated the corner where they were, enhancing the atmosphere of the bartending session and making it easier for the slightly tipsy people to get excited and feel a surge of energy.
Wen Chu, who was standing to the side, offered her opinion: "It should have a taste that is both sour and sweet."
Lu Ming was slicing lemons in his hand when he raised his eyelids and gave her a deep look.
When a woman is drunk, she becomes completely harmless, like flowing milk, like a blank sheet of paper, or like a soft, fragrant little cake.
The other person leaned against the kitchen counter, looking at him expectantly. Their eyes were clear and bright, and their whole being exuded a pure and lovely quality, untouched by the world and unapproachable. In reality, however, they were very intelligent, very stubborn, and very... vivid.
When she saw him looking at her, she tilted her head to express her confusion, completely unaware of how her innocent expression appeared in the man's eyes.
Lu Ming's Adam's apple bobbed twice, a restless urge rising within him. He hurriedly lowered his eyes and began mixing drinks.
"Let me break the ice for you!"
Lu Ming lowered his head and gave a slight twitch of his lips.
Once the ice was ready, Wen Chu quietly watched as the man skillfully and charmingly poured various liquors and red syrups into the shaker, the colors in the glass constantly changing until it turned a vibrant watermelon red. Then he put the lid on and vigorously shook it with one hand.
The veins on his forearms were faintly visible, exuding a sense of power.
Wen Chu's eyes darted around, glancing at the wine glass, then at Lu Ming's arm, then at his well-defined fingers.
Lu Ming took out a hurricane glass from the cabinet, filled it with ice, then poured the red wine from the shaker on top, followed by freshly squeezed and filtered orange juice, and squeezed a few lemon slices of juice on top.
The alcohol and orange juice separated into distinct layers, resulting in a vibrant color.
Wen Chu initially wanted to remember the ingredients, but it wasn't until Lu Ming placed the prepared drink on the base lamp, cut an orange slice and put it on the glass as a decoration, and pushed it to her that she realized she had been daydreaming.
The liquid in the cup gradually changes from orange-yellow to red, like the rising sun, from top to bottom. Under the illumination of the base light, it looks very refreshing and beautiful, much like the changes in the sky at sunrise.
Wen Chu picked it up and took a sip. It was indeed sweet and sour, just as she had requested: "I think I've seen this before. What's it called?"
Lu Ming replied, "Agave Sunrise."
"Sunrise?" Wen Chu's heart skipped a beat. She looked at Lu Ming with some surprise, but his expression was calm, so he probably wouldn't remember their promise to watch the sunrise that night. She stared at the glass of wine for a few seconds, then chuckled softly, feeling a subtle unease.
"What's wrong? What are you laughing at?" Lu Ming asked.
Wen Chu shook her head, smiled meaningfully, and took another sip: "It's nothing. I think it looks pretty and tastes pretty good. It really does look like the color of sunrise."
Lu Ming said gently, "Drink less, it's a bit strong."
Wen Chu ignored all advice, turned around, leaned against the kitchen counter, supported herself with one hand on the counter wall, and drank half a glass in one gulp.
She shrugged one shoulder, and the loose collar of her dress slipped down a bit, revealing her fair shoulder, prominent collarbone, and the thin black bra straps.
Her black hair fell to her shoulders, partially obscuring her figure, which ironically added a touch of alluring, unconscious sexiness to the dim and quiet night.
Lu Ming's gaze swept over the woman's cheeks and slender neck, landing on her shoulder before silently moving away: "I told you to drink less, but you insisted on doing the opposite." Wen Chu puffed out her cheeks, licked the wine in her mouth on her tongue, and then swallowed it. She turned to look at him, "You want to drink all of your sunrise drinks, huh?"
She leaned against the kitchen counter, her eyes growing even more intoxicated. She suddenly moved closer to the man and slowly asked, "Do you like sunrises?"
"I haven't paid much attention to it."
"Shall we go see it together later?"
Lu Ming's eyes flickered as he looked at the woman who was very close to him. Her lips were inches away, and the scent of wine and her body mingled together, like an addictive poppy, silently seeping into his nostrils and making his heart feel hot and stuffy.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he felt a dryness in his throat. He turned his head away from the woman, keeping a distance, and mumbled, "Let's talk about it after the competition."
Wen Chu nodded, touched his face, turned his head back to face her, and whispered, "When the time comes, you'll see whether you prefer the sunrise or Wen Chu a little more."
The woman's ticklish breath landed on Lu Ming's face, and an unbearable itch came from deep within his heart. His breathing gradually became rapid, and he suddenly felt thirsty.
The person opposite clearly had no idea how alluring their unintentional actions were.
"You've had too much to drink." Lu Ming removed her hand from her face. "Go upstairs and go to sleep."
"No, this is nothing." Wen Chu handed the half-empty wine glass to the person, "I'll share half of my drink with you."
Lu Ming frowned slightly, looking at the wine glass but hesitating to take it.
"What are you doing, disgusted with me?" Wen Chu frowned. "Why didn't you find it disgusting when you kissed me before?" She shoved the wine glass directly at Lu Ming, the cold glass touching the man's lips.
Lu Ming hesitated for two seconds before finally reaching out to take her hand, but Wen Chu dodged his hand again, insisting that he drink from her hand instead.
Lu Ming pursed his lips, wanting to end this farce that tested his willpower as soon as possible. So he drank the rest of the wine with Wen Chu's hand. His prominent Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. Wen Chu watched, her eyes flickered, and she resisted the urge to bite it.
She placed the empty glass on the counter with satisfaction and said, "This cocktail is very famous. It wasn't made by you. I want you to make me a one-of-a-kind one."
"Are you sure you can still drink?" Lu Ming looked at her hesitantly.
"Why not? I can still speak fluently right now, can't I?" Wen Chu's face actually turned a little redder, like a ripe red apple exuding a fruity aroma under the dim ambient light, easily arousing one's appetite.
"Okay..." Unable to bring himself to refuse, Lu Ming poured out the ice cubes, washed the glass, and started again.
This time, the setting took a little longer. Twenty minutes later, Wen Chu watched as the bright, translucent red liquid, as vivid as a flame, was poured into the bubbly white liquid under the base light. It spread out in the cup, gradually seeping downwards, and eventually irregularly covered the white liquid until only a small part of the bottom of the cup remained.
Lu Ming stirred it gently with a stirring stick, then pushed it in front of Wen Chu.
"This looks so good!" Wen Chu exclaimed sincerely, and couldn't wait to pick it up and take a big sip. It tasted like a sweet fruit wine with pomegranate flavor, mixed with the taste of lychee, and was refreshingly sweet without being cloying.
Her eyes lit up, and she asked, "It's delicious! What's it called?"
Lu Ming didn't look at her and said, "I don't know, it was a last-minute change."
"Then hurry up and come up with a name, how can it not have one?"
He reached out and patted Wen Chu's head, tilting his head and saying irritably, "Why do you have so many demands? If you can't think of anything, go to sleep after you finish your drink."
"Then I'll help you think of one." Wen Chu ignored his words, drank her drink and hummed in agreement for a while, then leaned closer to him and grinned, saying, "Let's call it, 'Heartbeat'."
Lu Ming's heart skipped a beat.
Holding up her glass, Wen Chu drunkenly let her imagination run wild: "Doesn't this look like two people from different worlds who met, and one of them slowly invaded the other's heart, turning the other's originally pale heart into a bright red? Just like the process of falling in love."
Lu Ming's gaze intensified as he looked at the person, then became somewhat lost in thought. The other person had miraculously uttered the name he had been thinking of, as if they had shared a subtle, profound resonance of souls at that moment.
This feeling is indescribable yet sends your adrenaline soaring.
He asked, feigning composure, "Are you referring to your feelings towards me, or my feelings towards you?"
“Of course it’s both.” After Wen Chu finished speaking, she took another big gulp of wine. Just as Lu Ming was lost in thought, she grabbed his collar and pulled him forward. Instantly, their lips met, and the cool whiskey entered Lu Ming’s mouth, the sweetness spreading on his tongue.
Lu Ming's eyes widened slightly, and he swallowed the wine unexpectedly.
He felt as if he were being electrocuted. The alcohol did not relieve his thirst; instead, it acted as a catalyst that exacerbated his loss of control. His hands, hanging by his sides, suddenly clenched.
Wen Chu gently caressed his lips, taking only a light sip, yet it was enough to make her heart flutter.
Lu Ming's taut bottom line snapped. He let out a soft breath, as if annoyed by his broken composure. Then, he forcefully wrapped one arm around Wen Chu's waist, pulled her into his embrace, and slammed her heavily against the kitchen counter.
With his other hand, he gripped the back of the woman's head with a slightly impatient gesture, squeezing the distance between them to nothing, and then explored deeper into the woman's soft mouth, savoring his masterpiece.
The crimson liquid in the glass swayed and spilled, splashing onto Wen Chu's hands and the kitchen counter. But her mind was too hot to care. She haphazardly put the glass down and instinctively wrapped her arms around Lu Ming's neck.
The darkness enveloped them, quickly igniting the desires in the hearts and minds of the adult men and women. Their kiss deepened, their breathing grew heavier, and their bodies visibly changed, like withered, neglected plants receiving sunlight and nourishment, spontaneously secreting excess sap.
Lu Ming kissed Wen Chu's lips, their tongues intertwining and pressing against each other, eagerly swallowing and demanding each other, yet still unable to quench their thirst. So, he couldn't help but move downwards, kissing the woman's snow-white neck, wanting to leave mottled marks on it.
My breathing became erratic, and the surrounding air felt sticky and hot.
Unable to quell their passion, Lu Ming tightened his grip on the woman's waist, almost melding her into his own body. The situation teetered on the edge of spiraling out of control, the wine glass being pushed further away, clattering against other utensils, but the two were oblivious to the noise.
Wen Chu's arms began to weaken as she held him, her strength gradually draining away, and she could barely stand up without the man's support.
Until she let out a soft, cat-like hum, Lu Ming's heart skipped a beat and trembled violently. Lu Ming suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze finally clearing, as if waking from a dream. He quickly stopped and used all his self-control to separate their bodies.
Wen Chu's eyes were glazed over, her lips red and glistening with moisture, completely consumed by intoxication and instinct. She seemed bewildered by the abrupt end. Lu Ming took two deep breaths, swallowed hard, and clenched his fists, using the pain to stimulate his senses and self-control.
He scooped the person up in his arms and carried them out of the kitchen and upstairs to the second floor.
Wen Chu leaned against the man's chest, feeling dizzy, clutching his sleeve. Her heart was still pounding. She vaguely knew what was going to happen next, but she didn't resist. The alcohol had made her much bolder, and she even felt a faint sense of anticipation.
As a result, Lu Ming carried her into the guest room, placed her on the bed with slightly unsteady movements, covered her with a blanket, said only that it was time to sleep, and then hurriedly left and closed the door.
She didn't have any time to react.
Wen Chu blinked as she watched the person hurry away. Her heart was still pounding. Her mind was in a mess. She was a little disappointed, but she also knew that this was expected.
Sleepiness quickly overwhelmed her, and before she could dwell on anything, she fell asleep.
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Author's note: Sigh, I dare not write any more [crying emoji]
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