Intoxicated and Enchanted

The bartender Heinz handed a brightly colored liquid to Zhang Guan and said, "Zhang, you seem reserved. You don't seem to enjoy this kind of occasion."

"It's not that I don't like it, just not used to it. It's my first time attending such a party," Zhang Guan replied, picking up the glass. But under the lights, he noticed the liquid in the glass had a charming red hue, with shimmering lights dancing within it, exuding an intoxicating allure. This drink was no longer just a drink; it was a beautiful piece of art.

"Heinz, I almost feel guilty drinking this. What is it?" Zhang Guan asked.

"Enchantment. It's my masterpiece! I think you'll like it," Heinz replied.

"Enchantment..." Zhang Guan repeated the word, but with his English proficiency, he clearly didn't understand its meaning. Then he brought the drink to his lips, taking a small sip, feeling a clear sensation flow down his throat.

"This drink is amazing!" Zhang Guan's face lit up with satisfaction.

"Yes, this drink is perfect for subtle enjoyment. I wouldn't have crafted this for someone like Phelps. That guy wouldn't appreciate art at all," bartender Heinz said proudly.

"Art?" Zhang Guan looked again at the liquid in the glass, like amber, crystal clear, then said, "You're right; this is indeed a work of art."

Upon hearing this, the bartender appeared pleased. After all, among the men here, more than nine out of ten would be surrounding pretty girls, rarely discussing drinks with him.

"Let me get you another one of my specialties," the bartender said, swaying his cocktail shaker.

...

At the entrance, the butler escorted four women, with the last one appearing very young and towering over 180 centimeters, her golden hair matching a black jumpsuit, exuding a unique sensuality.

Sheikh Rashid Prince, seeing these four, immediately greeted them, saying, "Dear Justine, Irina, and Miss Kuznetsova, I didn't expect you all to come together."

The three women in front were Justine Henin, Irina Demontieva, and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Henin was undoubtedly the most prominent female tennis player in recent years, having won the only gold medal for the Belgian team in the tennis finals at the recent Olympics.

Henin smiled slightly at the prince, saying, "I happened to meet Irina (Demontieva) at the door, so we came in together."

Next to her, Demontieva said, "Your Highness, it's a pleasure to see you again. Misaki and Petra couldn't make it today; they asked me to apologize to you."

Misaki was Russia's first Grand Slam champion, and Petra was a rising star in women's tennis in recent years. The two, along with Kuznetsova, formed the Russian Olympic women's singles legion, while Demontieva partnered with Misaki for the Olympic doubles, only to be unexpectedly eliminated by the Japanese team in the first round. They were all invited to the party by Sheikh Rashid.

Sheikh Rashid nodded with a smile, looking at the tall, blond woman at the back, over 190 centimeters, saying, "No worries, you brought another beauty, didn't you?"

"Your Highness, let me introduce you. This is Maria Sharapova!" Demontieva pulled the tall blonde from behind and continued, "Maria was on vacation in Athens; we just brought her along."

"Oh, you're the Wimbledon champion this year! It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Beautiful Sharapova," Sheikh Rashid said.

"Hello, Your Highness, I came uninvited; I hope I'm not intruding," Sharapova said.

"No, no, no, it's an honor for such a beautiful lady to attend my party. Four beautiful ladies, please follow me. The party is in the backyard; I hope you all have fun tonight!" Sheikh Rashid said, leading the four into the backyard.

...

By the marble bar, Zhang Guan waved his hand, saying to the bartender, "Heinz, no more drinks for me. I think I'm already drunk."

The bartender glanced at Zhang Guan's slightly flushed face and said, "Indeed, you do look a bit flushed. How about going to the dance floor to sweat it out? That might help."

"No, I'd rather go eat barbecue! My father once told me that you shouldn't drink on an empty stomach, and eating more meat helps sober you up," Zhang Guan said, getting up and heading towards the barbecue grill.

...

Sharapova made her way to the marble bar.

"Hello, beautiful lady, what would you like to drink?" the bartender asked.

"Give me a margarita!" Sharapova said.

"No, no, no, I don't think a margarita suits a beauty like you," the bartender said, continuously shaking his cocktail shaker. After a moment, a ruby-red liquid, shining like a gem, was placed in front of Sharapova.

Sharapova took a sip and was instantly captivated by its taste.

"This is fantastic!"

The bartender smiled with satisfaction. "Thank you very much. You're the second person tonight to say that to me."

"What's this drink called?" Sharapova asked.

"Enchantment. It's one of my specialties," the bartender replied.

"Enchantment... that fits perfectly with this drink," Sharapova said, savoring the lingering taste in her mouth. She had gone to Miami to study tennis at the age of six and had been raised in the United States since then, so she could understand the meaning of the word.

"Thank you for the compliment," the bartender began to introduce himself, "Heinz Sebastian, pleased to serve you."

"Maria Sharapova, nice to meet you," Sharapova said.

"Sharapova! I know you, you're the Sharapova who won Wimbledon recently! You're even more beautiful in person than on TV," Heinz said, pushing another glass of drink towards Sharapova, saying, "Try this one; it's also one of my specialties. The sprinter earlier couldn't stop praising it!"

...

Chewing on the tender, juicy camel meat, Zhang Guan felt no reduction in his drunkenness.

"Eating meat doesn't help sober you up at all!" Zhang Guan sighed inwardly. Then he remembered what Phelps had said earlier about that door; there were guest rooms behind it, which could be a good place to rest.

So Zhang Guan walked unsteadily towards that door. As he reached it, a waiter approached.

"Dear guest, do you need any assistance?" the waiter asked.

"I think I've had too much to drink; I want to sleep for a while," Zhang Guan said.

"Alright, please follow me." The waiter led Zhang Guan into the room, opening the door at the front of the corridor.

"Thank you." Zhang Guan walked into the guest room, heading straight for the bathroom.

"Why am I alone? Usually, male guests would bring a girl into the room. This guest is alone; should I ask if he wants company?" The waiter saw Zhang Guan enter the bathroom. He hesitated for a few seconds, then decided to semi-close the door.

Inside the bathroom, Zhang Guan turned on the tap and gulped down several mouthfuls of cold water, instantly feeling a bit more sober.

"What did that bartender Heinz give me to drink? 'Enchantment,' or something like that... Why does it have such a strong aftereffect?" Zhang Guan felt waves of dizziness but also a strange excitement.

"Right, a shower, a cold shower! Maybe that'll help me sober up!" With that thought, Zhang Guan took off his clothes and stepped under the showerhead.

...

Meanwhile, Sharapova staggered away from the dance floor, feeling dizzy. She knew she was drunk.

Sharapova didn't have a great tolerance for alcohol. She had been studying tennis in American tennis schools since she was nine, and since American law stated that one must be 21 to drink alcohol, Sharapova didn't have many opportunities to drink.

In Russia, although the law also set an age for drinking, the reality was that the drinking culture was so ingrained that many fifteen or sixteen-year-olds had already been exposed to alcoholic beverages. In Western Europe, most countries allowed drinking at 16, with more conservative countries like the UK requiring supervision by an adult over 18. So at seventeen, Sharapova had only started to explore alcoholic drinks in the past year.

With her tall figure, blonde hair, long legs, and years of athletic training, Sharapova's figure was no less attractive than the bikini models by the poolside. Even though she was only seventeen this year, she was definitely the most delicate flower at the party, enough to tempt every male in the room who had been stimulated by alcohol.

"I feel so dizzy. If I pass out now, I'll surely be taken away by someone! I might wake up tomorrow morning in some stranger's bed." Sharapova didn't want to just black out like this. She regretted drinking that glass of 'Enchantment' just now.

Sharapova tried hard to find Demontieva and Kuznetsova in the crowd, but the dim lights and the noisy crowd made it impossible for her to find her two compatriots.

"I need to find a safe place." Sharapova thought as she headed towards the door leading to the guest rooms.