章節 512: Chapter 512: London Financial District
The River Thames, while not as long as the major rivers in other countries, flows through a region that nurtured the brilliant civilization of England. The Thames runs through London, dividing the Greater London area into northern and southern parts, with various buildings symbolizing English historical and cultural heritage lining its banks.
Xia Yu sat by the window seat on a Boeing 747, overlooking the morning scene of London, savoring the unique experience.
Before long, the plane landed at Heathrow International Airport. Xia Yu and his group exited through the VIP passage and found Xue He and Song Yang waiting outside the airport, with a row of black cars behind them.
"Boss!"
Xue He and Song Yang quickly approached Xia Yu, smiling broadly.
"Hmm!"
Xia Yu nodded with a smile, glancing at the row of waiting vehicles and showing a satisfied expression.
Li Wuming and the others, who were following Xia Yu, went over to put the luggage in the car's trunk.
"Have you all settled in?"
Xia Yu casually asked.
Xue He replied, "Boss, we've rented a place in the London Financial District. It's more convenient for our activities. As soon as we got everything set up yesterday, we started working. Liu Xiao and the others have already begun work early this morning, so it's just the two of us who came to greet you!"
"Already started? Efficient work!"
Xia Yu said with satisfaction.
The London Financial District, also known as the City of London, is the economic center of London. Although it covers only 2.6 square kilometers, it houses over a hundred domestic banks and more than five hundred foreign banks, all centered around the British central bank, the Bank of England.
As a financial hub, land and rent prices are naturally top-tier. Liu Xiao and the others settled there, though it was a bit expensive, it was worth the convenience.
Time is money; such a small amount of money is certainly worth spending.
Big money is always earned, not saved!
"Boss, do we need to head there now?"
Seeing that everything was packed in the car, Song Yang asked.
Xia Yu looked at Li Qian, who was forcing herself to stay awake, and thought that since Liu Xiao and the others had already started, there was no need for him to go so early. Besides, he hadn't been to his suburban villa in the UK for almost half a year, so he decided to check it out and stay there for a bit.
Living away from home, one never feels as comfortable as being at home.
Thus, Xia Yu shook his head and said, "No rush. I have a villa in Hampshire; let's head there first."
After saying this, Xia Yu led Li Qian to one of the cars.
Though Xue He and Song Yang were surprised to learn that the boss had a villa in the UK, they followed the boss's instructions without question.
Soon, the group got into the car, and the driver from the rental company drove them towards Hampshire as per Xia Yu's directions.
About an hour later, they finally arrived outside the villa.
Just as they arrived, a maid was mowing the lawn on the grass. Upon seeing the sudden arrival of a row of cars, she put down her work and came to the closed iron gate.
"This is private property. May I ask what you are doing here?"
Xia Yu recognized the maid and rolled down the car window, leaning out to say to the maid, "Ham, it's me. Open the gate!"
"Sir is back!"
The maid, Ham, was momentarily stunned, then quickly showed a surprised smile and hurriedly opened the gate, standing aside and slightly bowing as the cars entered the estate.
After being quiet and peaceful for half a year, the estate was suddenly filled with the roar of engines. The old butler, Flander, immediately came out. Upon seeing Xia Yu and the others get out of the car, he showed a delighted smile.
"Sir, you've finally returned!"
Flander said, a bit excited, and bowed to Xia Yu.
"This is the butler of my estate, Flander."
Xia Yu explained to the curious Song Yang and the others in Chinese, then smiled at the old butler, "Flander, it's great to see you again."
"It's clear that the estate has been well managed in my absence! Thank you for your hard work!"
"It's no trouble; it's my duty!"
"Sir, miss, please come in!"
Flander, pleased with Xia Yu's praise for his diligent work, led Xia Yu and the others into the house.
The villa had clearly been meticulously maintained daily. Every place was spotless, indicating that Flander managed it well.
Xia Yu had everyone take their things upstairs to put them away. After sorting things out, he came down to see five maids already lined up respectfully.
The old butler Flander, housekeeper Susan, and maids Ham, Jones, and Jack.
Seeing Xia Yu return, everyone was very happy. Xia Yu chatted with them briefly, encouraged them, and then they went back to their duties, leaving only Flander and Susan busy inside the house.
"Gentlemen, please have some tea!"
"Thank you!"
Xia Yu took a sip of tea, exhaling deeply, feeling completely at ease.
"Flander, has anything happened during the past six months while I was away?"
Xia Yu asked the old butler Flander quietly, motioning for him to sit down.
"No major events occurred. Besides the occasional tourists seeking some help, your friend named Wu often came by, asking if you had returned."
"He even returned to the house next door the day before yesterday, took a walk here, but left a bit disappointed."
The old butler, Flander, answered truthfully.
"Hmm, I see."
Xia Yu nodded slightly, thinking of Wu Hongyi, and a smile appeared on his face.
When he was in Hong Kong, Wu Hongyi would occasionally call him internationally to chat, and Xia Yu knew some of his situations.
Since Wu Hongyi had gotten back on track, he had been very busy and had been unable to find a chance to visit Hong Kong. He had mentioned several times that he wanted to come, but never managed to.
He also kept telling Xia Yu to let him know once Xia Yu arrived in the UK.
Wu Hongyi was the only friend Xia Yu had in London and even in the UK. Whether out of personal sentiment or courtesy, since he was in London, he naturally needed to let him know.
Moreover, Xia Yu would be staying here for a while, and they would have plenty of opportunities to keep in touch.
"I'll make a call!"
With that, Xia Yu got up and went to the desk, dialing a number.
The call was made to Wu Hongyi's home but went unanswered. Xia Yu then dialed another number, reaching the Phoenix Tower in Chinatown, where Uncle Chang answered. Uncle Chang said Wu Hongyi was at the Hua Shang Bank in the London Financial District and that Xia Yu should wait a moment while he notified Wu Hongyi to call back.
London Financial District, headquarters of Hua Shang Bank, President's office.
Wu Hongyi, in a formal suit, was sitting at his desk handling documents, exuding an air of composure.
"Ring ring ring!"
"What? Xia Yu called me, saying he's back in London at his residence? Okay, I understand. Uncle Chang, I'll hang up now."
After receiving the call, Wu Hongyi's face showed a pleased smile, and he immediately dialed the special number he remembered.
The call was quickly answered, and Xia Yu's familiar yet distant voice came through. Wu Hongyi said happily, "Xia Yu, you've come to London? When did you arrive?"
"Just arrived? I'll come over immediately… I'm at the Hua Shang Bank headquarters in the Financial District… You have something to do this afternoon? Alright, then come over tonight…"
After chatting happily with Xia Yu for more than ten minutes, Wu Hongyi reluctantly hung up. After thinking for a moment, he dialed the Phoenix Tower's number again: "Uncle Chang, I'll be dining at the restaurant tonight. Please prepare some good ingredients…"
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