Reborn in 2012, building a new energy empire

As dusk settled, the shadows of the sycamore trees along the roadside were stretched long and thin by the newly lit streetlights.

As Jiang Haoran followed Zhou Mingyu and pushed open the heavy oak door, the doorbell rang with a clear, ringing sound.

Inside the door was a world completely different from the hustle and bustle outside: a dim, warm light, the low strains of jazz music, and the subtle aroma of whiskey and coffee beans floating in the air.

Behind the bar, the bartender was drawing elegant circles in the shaker with a long spoon.

"Young Master Zhou is here." The bartender, wearing a vest, clearly recognized him and nodded in acknowledgment. "Your usual seat is reserved for you."

The corner booths were separated into private spaces by half-height screens. Four or five people were already sitting on the sofas, and they all stood up when Zhou Mingyu and Jiang Haoran arrived.

"Brother Yu!"

"Young Master Zhou, I've been waiting for you for ages."

Jiang Haoran glanced at the people without making a sound.

The booth on the left is occupied by a young man wearing frameless gold-rimmed glasses. His shirt is a classic piece from an Italian luxury brand, perfectly pressed, with the cuffs rolled up to reveal a simple mechanical watch.

He held a brand-new folding screen phone in his hand, his fingertips unconsciously sliding across the screen. When he looked at Jiang Haoran through his glasses, his eyes held a sharp shrewdness.

A young man with neat short hair sat next to me, leaning against the outermost side of the sofa, playing with a Dupont lighter between his fingers, making a crisp "ding" sound as he opened and closed it.

He wore a seemingly casual cashmere sweater, but the material and cut were excellent. He wasn't wearing a watch on his wrist, but a thin platinum chain around his neck, with the pendant hidden in his collar.

His posture was the most relaxed in the entire room, even somewhat lazy, but when he occasionally raised his eyes, his gaze was like a blade flashing across the room.

At the other end of the sofa sat a girl. She wore a well-tailored black suit jacket over a silk camisole, matching trousers, and pointed-toe stilettos.

Her chestnut-brown long hair was slightly curled and draped over one shoulder, with two small but sparkling diamond stud earrings adorning her earlobes.

She didn't say much, just slowly sipped the water in her glass, occasionally scanning the room with her exquisitely drawn eyes, especially when Jiang Haoran came in, she lingered for a few seconds, a faint, scrutinizing smile playing on her lips.

On the table in front of her was a Hermès mini Constance bag, its color a rare glacial white.

Zhou Mingyu turned to the side, made a simple gesture, and said in a low voice that made everyone stop what they were doing: "This is my classmate, Jiang Haoran."

"I've heard so much about you!" The boy with the gold-rimmed glasses stood up first, extended his hand, and smiled warmly: "Chen Zian, you're also from the finance department of our school. Your family runs a building materials business."

"I've heard a lot about Brother Jiang in the industry lately, and I'm finally lucky enough to meet him today."

The young man playing with the lighter slowly straightened up, extended his hand, and gave a perfunctory handshake with a hint of nonchalant aloofness: "Zhao Rui. My family runs a logistics business, just trying to make a living."

His tone was calm, but his eyes sharply fixed on Jiang Haoran the instant they shook hands.

The woman, with a slightly mature and sophisticated air, spoke with a clarity and directness that matched her sharp attire: "Cheng Yirou, my family runs a small real estate business."

The other two young men wearing limited-edition sneakers on the far side of the sofa also quickly got up.

"Wang Hao, my family owns several chain restaurants. Whenever Brother Jiang comes to eat, just let us know!" The slightly taller one had a bright smile, with the shrewdness typical of a businessman's son.

"Li Zhenyu, his family does some clothing export business." Another person, who was relatively reserved, occasionally glanced at Zhou Mingyu, revealing his subservient position towards Zhou Mingyu.

Jiang Haoran shook hands with each of them, his smile gentle and calm, neither overly enthusiastic nor showing the slightest stage fright.

He already understood that this was not a gathering of equal friends, but a small circle with Zhou Mingyu at its absolute core.

This is a group of young people from well-off families, but whose family backgrounds are not as good as Zhou Mingyu's. They gathered around Zhou Mingyu, their postures intimate and warm, but the distance between them and the occasional glances they cast toward the center indicated that the family business mostly relied on or was subordinate to the Zhou family's industrial network.

Rather than a friendship, it was more like Zhou Mingyu's initial team, his eyes and ears, his henchmen, growing on a towering tree.

Tonight's drink is about appreciating people, and discussing people. And these people before us are the touchstones Zhou Mingyu has prepared for Jiang Haoran.

After everyone took their seats, Zhou Mingyu naturally sat in the main seat and arranged for Jiang Haoran to sit next to him.

"What would you like to drink?" Zhou Mingyu pushed a thick wine list with a leather cover across the terrazzo bar counter; it felt slightly cool to the touch.

"They don't do anything fancy here, they just stick to old-school classics. I heard their drink menu is a replica of a 19th-century bartender's guide."

"Just what I wanted." Jiang Haoran nodded, his fingertips brushing over the antique gold lettering on the wine list, his gaze calmly sweeping over those familiar names.

Without hesitation, he flipped through the thick wine list and lightly pointed: "Negroni. If your base spirit is Tanqueray or Beefeater gin, that would be even better."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Rui sat up slightly straighter: "Not bad, ordering something 'hard' right off the bat. This wine is a bittersweet blend, not everyone can appreciate it."

"It's just a classic among classics," Jiang Haoran said with a faint smile.

He knew that this masterpiece, made of equal proportions of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, had recently regained its place as the world's most popular classic cocktail and was a touchstone for connoisseurs.

The wine was served quickly. It was served in a classic barrel-shaped glass, holding a clear, bright orange-red liquid, like the afterglow of a sunset, with no superfluous decorations except for a square ice cube reflecting an amber light.

Jiang Haoran did not drink it directly. He slowly swirled the stem of the glass, raised it to his nose, and the first thing that hit him was the signature bitter orange peel and herbal aroma of Campari. Then, the crisp gin fragrance dominated by juniper berries wafted out, while the bottom layer was filled with the sweet wine aroma of absinthe.

The three were evenly matched and intertwined. He took a small sip; the wine was smooth and full-bodied, the initial sweetness quickly overshadowed by a deep bitterness, leaving a long, dry, and complex aftertaste.

"How is it?" Chen Zi'an observed his expression with great interest.

"The frame is perfect, the balance is just right." Jiang Haoran put down his glass, the bottom of the glass lightly touching the bar.

"A good Negroni is one where bitterness and sweetness don't cancel each other out, but rather complement each other. This drink has a strong body, with the sweet vermouth used in a restrained manner, highlighting the sharpness of the gin and the richness of the Campari. The bartender's hands are steady, paying homage to tradition without any shortcuts."

As soon as he finished speaking, even the bartender who was wiping glasses behind the bar looked up and nodded slightly at him.

The look of inquiry in Zhou Mingyu's eyes deepened: "It seems that he doesn't just know the basics. Many people find it too bitter the first time they drink it."

"Bitterness is its essence," Jiang Haoran said calmly. He recalled the wine he had drunk on countless occasions in his past life, some of which were just perfunctory sweet soup, while others were masterpieces that were absolutely stunning.

A classic Negroni embodies the bartender's reverence for the original recipe. Tasting a drink is like appreciating a person; the simpler the composition, the more profound its character becomes.

"Well said!" Zhao Rui laughed, raising his glass, which was also filled with a dark liquid. "Mine is an Old Fashioned. Come on, let's toast to these 'old-timers' and celebrate an old friend bringing in a new friend!"

Several antique cups of different shapes clinked together, producing a deep and pleasant sound.

Jiang Haoran took a sip, letting the rich and direct flavor spread in his mouth, without changing his expression.

The rhythm of a classic night unfolded steadily in the amber liquid.