"If I request you to massage me again in the future will you do it?"
"What will you do for me in return?" Gu Shan questioned him back boldly.
"What do you want me to do for you?"
"I want you to teach me how to make cocktails."
"You'll have to come to the club in the evenings before more customers come."
"Deal."
*****
After completing their group assignment,Li Yunxi,Xiao Hui and the rest of the group stayed at the coffee shop for a while telling stories and cracking jokes on several things. Suddenly Li Yunxi got up from his seat with his backpack intending to leave.
"Why are you leaving so early?"Xiao Hui queried puzzled by his behaviour. Recently they would report at the club from half past six or even at seven but now it was only four o'clock and he looked like he was in a hurry.
"Yunxi has a date,"One of the guys teased and the others joined him.
Looking sideways Yunxi saw the girl he had been avoiding for days walking towards them. He really wished he could vanish and never be seen again. The girl had been haunting him like a ghost, following him around and he managed to escape her claws each time but today he was unlucky.
"Yunxi gege,"Su Liang called him and bowed slightly. He hummed in response and bowed slightly.
"Hi guys,"Su Liang waved at them exposing her seraphic smile.
"She's beautiful. Yunxi you're so lucky."
"Let's talk outside,"Li Yunxi motioned her to lead the way.
He didn't want to lash out on her and embarrass her in front of the boys.
*****
"Why are you looking for me?"He asked with a poker face.
"I missed you,"she smiled shyly.
"We're not that close how can you miss me?" He replied rudely to get rid of her as soon as possible so he would not ruin his first lesson with his new disciple.
"How can you say that? Of course we're close,"Su Liang looked down fiddling with the hem of her blouse.
"Look I have somewhere to be so I'll text you later,"He said becoming impatient.
"You always say that but you never text me,"she whined pouting her lips cutely which made Li Yunxi cringe even more.
"Then text me ,"he said and walked away.
"Hey...Yunxi gege! Yunxi hehe!,"She called out running after him but the guy paced up and she finally gave up.
"Playing hard to get. Hmph!"She scoffed and went back inside.
*****
Li Yunxi passed by the apartment, freshened up before heading out to the club. As he walked inside,his gaze landed on a familiar figure seated on one of the barstools. The boy looked beautiful even from behind. He was tapping his fingers against the counter and for a moment Li Yunxi wondered whether he was nervous or just impatient.
"Hi,"he greeted gently.
"Hi,"the raven haired boy greeted looking up at him with his big doe eyes.
"Sorry I'm late. Are you ready?"
"Uh... I think so,"the boy uttered his voice barely above a whisper.
"You seem nervous,"Li Yunxi looked at him with concern.
"I am...but just a little bit,"Gu Shan admitted ,his head hung low in embarrassment.
"Don't worry you'll do great,"Li Yunxi encouraged him and walked away settling behind the counter.
"Should I sit here or?"
"Yes,"he confirmed.
There was a lull in their conversation only them staring into each other's eyes. Li Yunxi wanted to give him assurance through his eyes. He wanted him to become confident before starting their little lesson.
"Before we start preparing the cocktails. You need to know the basics. For examples the ingredients for each cocktail..."
"Wait..."the boy interrupted. He opened his backpack which had been resting on his laps,took out a notebook and a pen. Li Yunxi smiled seeing his action of devotion. He didn't imagine someone would want to take notes about cocktails though he was pleased knowing the boy was serious about whatever he was about to teach him - he didn't take it as a joke.
"How many types of cocktails do you know?" Li Yunxi asked focusing on him.
"Lychee martini, Dragon fruit mojito, Mandarin Margarita and Plum wine spritzer because I took it once."
"Well there are also others like Shanghai Buck, Jade cocktail,Baijiu Sour."
As he mentioned,the boy noted them down.
"Remember a cocktail is all about mixing the right ingredients, balance them so can you get the desired flavour. Each cocktail has its own unique ingredients supposed to be mixed."
"You said cocktails are all about mixing?"
"Yes,"Li Yunxi nodded slightly confused , noticing the mischievous gleam evident in the boy's eyes. He knew the boy was on to some mischief.
"So if two people mix their salivas well do we call it a saliva cocktail ?"he asked smiling innocently.
Li Yunxi was a little embarrassed. He even looked away but the boy continued staring at him amused by his reaction.
Li Yunxi cleared his throat,"Well I've never heard of such a cocktail but..."he paused lacking the right words to say.
"I'm sorry.That was a pretty bad joke, wasn't it? Gu Shan chuckled awkwardly.
"Which cocktail would you like to make first?"
"Plum wine spritzer."
"Okay so we'll use plum wine,soda water and lemon twist for garnishing and ice cubes."
Li Yunxi gathered the ingredients and set them all on the table.
"First you have to choose a tall glass, like a highball glass for serving your spritzer because it helps maintain the carbonation of the soda water. Fill the glass with ice cubes. Pour about 120 ml of plum wine over the ice cubes.Pour the same amount of soda water into the glass, over the plum wine. And then take a lemon twist and gently twist it over the drink to release its oils, then place it on the rim or drop it into the glass. Then we'll use this stirrer to gently mix the plum wine and soda water together to make sure the ingredients are well combined without losing too much carbonation."
"Let's make it together,"Li Yunxi added after Gu Shan finished jotting down the recipe.
The cocktail lesson wasn't just any other normal lesson with just basic instructions and imitation of actions,it included subtle and intentional brushing of fingers against each other,intense lustful stares making the atmosphere tense especially for Li Yunxi who felt like his heart would pop out of his chest. With their proximity,he was trying his best to hold back and control his breaths. The feeling was thrilling though.
"Tastes so good,"Gu Shan sipped the cocktail and smacked his lips,"Do you want to have a taste?" Without waiting for his reply Gu Shan raised the glass to the other's lips and made him sip it.
"It's good."
"What are you guys drinking?" Xiao Hui suddenly showed up.
"We made a cocktail,"Gu Shan replied quickly moving away from Li Yunxi.
"Can I have a taste?"
"Sure,"Gu Shan took one final sip and handed the glass to Xiao Hui.
"It's pretty good, it's actually better than what I make."
"You can have it all."
Xiao Hui gulped down the drink and placed the glass on the table and headed to the changing room to put on his work attire.
"So since you've become my cocktail teacher what should I call you? Master?"
"Just call me Yunxi-ge."
"I'm going home we'll meet tomorrow at the same time right?"
Li Yunxi ran his fingers through his hair before looking at him again,"I don't have a shift tomorrow but I'll make plans ,"he said sounding uncertain.
"Text me in case you make any changes."
"I will."
Gu Shan kept his notebook and pen threw his backpack over his shoulders and walked out of the club. Li Yunxi watched him dreamily till he disappeared out of sight.
"Glad to see you two getting along well,"Xiao Hui said playfully and tapped Li Yunxi on the shoulder startling him.
"What are you talking about?"
"Well I think he likes you now unlike the first time you saw each other."
"I guess so,"Li Yunxi replied nonchalantly.
While working throughout the night,he kept flashing his memories back to their erotic moment when they were making the cocktail. Gu Shan was so innocently flirting with him. He didn't put much effort to it just a little gestures were enough to shake his little heart.He couldn't wait to see him tomorrow for their lesson. He felt like a young girl anticipating her first date with her crush.
*****
"Where did you go without me?"Liu Daxun asked sounding offended immediately his friend entered the apartment.
"I had an errand to run,"he lied.
"Oh. I was waiting for you to help me with the assignment."
"Let me wash up first I'll come,"Gu Shan said walking to the bedroom.
"By the way I took one of your snacks hope you won't mind ,"Liu Daxun shouted.
"As long as you don't touch my strawberry milk I won't kill you,"he shouted back trying to sound as menacing as possible.