Chapter 224 - 190: Online Siren, Real-Life Dork

Chapter 224: Chapter 190: Online Siren, Real-Life Dork

"The Chairman of the Zhen Cui Group, no less."

Liu Nanyi whispered, "And you’re mixing your own drinks?"

When Gu Heng heard Liu Nanyi reveal his identity, he gave an almost imperceptible raise of his eyebrow. He quickly realized an employee must have accidentally let his identity slip. Still, if she knew, she knew. It wasn’t something he needed to hide.

"You think being a chairman is that easy?"

"Only by personally handling every one of these seemingly insignificant tasks can you truly gain full control of the company."

Gu Heng raised the glass of Brahma World in his hand. Under the lights, the deep brown liquid and the crystal glass both reflected a magnificent glow.

"Take this cocktail, for example. As Cloud Vase’s signature drink, it sells nearly ten thousand glasses a year. At 98 yuan per glass, that’s almost a million yuan in total sales."

"Given that, as the owner, I need to know the cost of this drink. For instance, its base is a sandalwood-aged whiskey. I need to know exactly how many glasses of Brahma World one bottle of that whiskey can make, how much loss might occur during preparation, and which of those losses are avoidable versus which are inevitable."

"Only by having a firm grasp of these details can I look at the financial statements and revenue data my subordinates provide, see past the numbers to the reality underneath, and identify problems. This is how I prevent serious corruption, like people deceiving their superiors."

At this, Gu Heng took another small sip of his Brahma World.

"A small leak will sink a great ship."

"Let’s say one bottle of the sandalwood-aged whiskey can make twenty Brahma World cocktails. If someone wanted to skim a profit, they’d just need to report that number as fifteen instead of twenty. Over time, the amount of money they could make would be staggering."

Gu Heng gently set his glass down, a smile playing on his lips. "And that’s just the petty cash you could skim from one signature cocktail. Here at Cloud Vase, we have over a dozen more..."

Since he had nothing better to do and was in the mood, Gu Heng used the cocktail as a small example to illustrate a larger point, briefly explaining to Liu Nanyi why he, the Chairman of Zhen Cui Group, would be here in the first place.

In truth, these were principles Gu Heng himself had gradually come to understand through extensive research, constant practice, and continuous learning.

As Liu Nanyi listened to Gu Heng, a look of admiration began to shine in her eyes.

They were both eighteen, but while she was stuck in school worrying about final exams, Gu Heng was already skillfully managing a restaurant group worth over a hundred million yuan with a thousand employees.

How could she not be amazed!

How could she not admire him!

A young woman’s heart is a tender thing. They are drawn to the sunny, youthful energy of boys their age, but also to the steady, humorous charm of a mature man.

Usually, they have to choose one or the other.

Gu Heng, however, was an exception. He possessed the sunny energy of a boy his age and the steady, humorous charm of a mature man, leaving Liu Nanyi completely captivated and a little disoriented.

"That specialty cocktail of yours is called Brahma World, right?"

Liu Nanyi wasn’t drunk, but her gaze on Gu Heng was already hazy. "Could you make one for me? I want to try it, too."

"Oh?"

"You’ve got some nerve."

"I’m the Chairman of Zhen Cui Group. Are you ordering me to do something?"

Gu Heng teased her, raising an eyebrow.

"Then..."

"Then how about you just give me yours?"

Liu Nanyi extended a pale, slender index finger and gently poked the glass in front of Gu Heng, her shy gaze holding a hint of boldness.

"Just how many glasses of champagne have you had?"

Gu Heng, surprised by her sudden boldness, asked in return.

"Um..."

"Five glasses?"

"Or maybe six?"

"I can’t really remember."

Liu Nanyi blinked, then shook her head.

"Are you sure you can handle more?"

"Don’t be fooled because champagne is sweet and bubbly, like a soda."

"That stuff’s like rice wine—it tastes sweet, but it’ll knock you for a loop."

Gu Heng eyed Liu Nanyi with skepticism.

"Of course!"

Liu Nanyi instinctively straightened up. "I rarely drink, and I’ve never had a lot at once, but genetically speaking, my parents can both hold their liquor, so I should be able to as well."

"Hmm..."

"Alcohol tolerance definitely has a genetic component."

Gu Heng noted that Liu Nanyi’s eyes were still clear enough and said, "You shouldn’t have my Brahma World. The woody notes are pretty strong, and it’s a bit bitter. You probably wouldn’t like it."

"How about I make you a Floating Frost?"

"It’s another one of our signature drinks. The base is a preserved-plum gin, blended with cherry liqueur, cranberry juice, and lemon juice. The flavor is more on the sweet and sour side, and it’s a popular choice among our female customers."

This was Gu Heng’s first time trying his hand at bartending, and the novelty hadn’t worn off yet. Even if Liu Nanyi hadn’t come over, he had already been planning to mix a few more cocktails just for fun.

At that moment, he suddenly understood a saying he’d seen online—

’If you have money, raising kids must be a really fun hobby!’

’In fact, it was true.’

’Without financial pressure, the world is just a giant open-world game. You can spend your long life exploring it and doing anything you want.’

’Just thinking about a life like that is incredible.’

’Huh?’

’Wait a minute.’

’Isn’t that exactly the life I’m living right now?’

’Oh...’

’Never mind, then~’

The realization dawned on Gu Heng a bit belatedly.

"But I’m warning you, I’m a complete novice. I can’t guarantee this Floating Frost will taste good, ’kay?"

Gu Heng was lowering expectations in advance.

"It’ll be delicious~"

"I believe in you~"

Hearing that Gu Heng was going to personally mix her a cocktail, Liu Nanyi’s bright eyes curved into crescents, and her voice danced with delight.

"Alright."

Gu Heng was a man of action. He gathered all the base spirits needed for the Floating Frost and immediately began following the recipe.

Signature cocktails like Floating Frost and Brahma World had all been independently developed by Zhen Cui Group’s F&B research department. The recipe for each was documented in painstaking detail to ensure they could still be made even if a particular bartender left the company.

The instructions were so detailed that even a novice following them step-by-step could make a signature cocktail that tasted more or less right. The only difference between them and a professional bartender would likely be their efficiency and the final mouthfeel of the drink.

Gu Heng followed the steps, his expression growing focused.

Liu Nanyi didn’t disturb him, but without realizing it, her gaze drifted from his face down to his hands.

Watching his hands move deftly over the various bar tools, she felt an inexplicable heat rise within her.

At the same time, scenes from the anime she had watched began to flash through her mind. Gu Heng’s face and hands took the place of the male leads, while she, naturally, became the heroine.

She imagined those strong, well-defined hands gently gripping her neck, pinning her against a wall, while his other hand roamed slowly over her body...

As the images flooded her mind, Liu Nanyi, perched on the high stool, couldn’t stop herself from squeezing her thighs together. She bit her lip as a faint blush spread across her cheeks.

Liu Nanyi stared at Gu Heng’s hands, her gaze utterly entranced.

For some strange reason...

She felt like she was about to take flight again.