Chapter 247: Jungle Role

"Mr. Xia..."

"I'll call you Hongyi, and you can call me Xia Yu. It feels more natural that way. 'Mr.' sounds too formal."

As soon as Wu Hongyi began to speak, Xia Yu interrupted him with a sincere tone.

Wu Hongyi smiled and nodded, saying, "Sure, Xia Yu!"

"Thank you!"

"Xia Yu, since you've been here for a few days, have you visited Chinatown yet?"

Wu Hongyi thanked Li Qian, took a sip of tea, looked at Xia Yu, and asked with a smile.

Xia Yu shook his head with a smile, "Not yet. We've only just arrived and haven't had a chance to go there. You're actually the first Chinese person we've met in London."

"Oh? I'm honored!"

Wu Hongyi showed a slight surprise at Xia Yu's words.

Hearing this, Wu Hongyi smiled broadly. He felt that fate had brought them together.

Then Wu Hongyi enthusiastically began to share some practical knowledge that Xia Yu could use.

"Most Chinese who come to London settle in the Westminster area, in a street called Juelu Street. We call it Chinatown, although the London government hasn't officially named it yet. So if you ask a Londoner where Chinatown is, they might not know."

"I'm familiar with Chinatown. I grew up there since I was young. Except for those who moved there in recent years, I know everyone else. I've been free these days. If you want to go to Chinatown, I can take you there and guarantee you'll eat well and have fun!"

"And if the folks in Chinatown find out that more Chinese have arrived in London, they'll definitely warmly welcome you!"

Xia Yu and the others smiled at each other. Wu Hongyi was clearly a straightforward and warm person.

Gratefully, Xia Yu said to Wu Hongyi, "Chinatown is a must-visit. But will it trouble you?"

"Not at all! It's no trouble. When Chinese people come to London, we should stick together to live better!"

Wu Hongyi waved his hand, though his words seemed somewhat wistful. Xia Yu guessed the reasons behind it.

After all, Chinese people in England, especially in London, are foreigners. This natural difference in skin color and culture often leads to exclusion.

Moreover, due to historical reasons, the Chinese have been treated with contempt and bullying by the supposedly 'gentlemanly' but inwardly proud British.

All these factors have made life difficult for the Chinese in England. If they don't unite under such circumstances, life would truly be unbearable.

Surely, the Chinese in London have faced much exclusion and suppression over the years, which could explain Wu Hongyi's sentiments.

...

As Xia Yu and Wu Hongyi chatted over tea, time flew by unnoticed, and it was already approaching evening.

Checking the time, it was time to cook dinner. Xia Yu invited Wu Hongyi, "Let's have dinner here tonight. Bring your family along. It'll be livelier, and we can get to know each other better."

Wu Hongyi was not shy about accepting, smiling, "Then I won't be polite."

"Oh, it's just me at home. There's no one else. Since my mother passed away, I've been living alone in that house."

Upon hearing this, Xia Yu apologized, "I'm sorry for bringing up sad memories."

"It's okay. It's all in the past!"

Wu Hongyi smiled.

"Do you cook by yourself?"

"Yes, I haven't hired a chef or a maid. I prefer to do it myself."

Xia Yu explained briefly.

"Even better. Let me help you out!"

Wu Hongyi rolled up his sleeves and followed Xia Yu and the others into the kitchen.

Seeing Wu Hongyi skillfully washing vegetables surprised Xia Yu. Based on his observations, Wu Hongyi seemed like someone from a wealthy background, judging by his demeanor, attire, and the necklace he wore earlier.

Yet now, seeing his actions, Xia Yu was puzzled.

He didn't dwell on it much. After all, he had just met Wu Hongyi today. As they got to know each other better, he would naturally learn more.

While Xia Yu, Yanshineng, Li Qian, and Wu Hongyi were busy in the kitchen, they didn't notice that Housheng had slipped out of the house at some point.

After more than ten minutes, he returned to the villa, holding something lively in his hands, happily running into the kitchen.

"Monkey, not bad! Where did you get these?"

As soon as Housheng reached the kitchen door, Yanshineng, who was extremely alert, noticed him. When Yanshineng saw what Housheng was holding, he smiled and asked.

"Hehe!"

Housheng just smiled and didn't say anything. This expression made Yanshineng couldn't help but want to beat him up.

Yanshineng's words also attracted the attention of Xia Yu and others. Xia Yu stopped what he was doing, looked at what Housheng was holding, and showed an unexpected smile. In his left hand was three pigeons, which were spotted.

At this moment, even the three pigeons were making constant "cooing" sounds. Housheng's right hand was holding a large gray rabbit by its ears. The rabbit, which appeared to weigh over three pounds, was frantically kicking its legs, but being held in mid-air, it could only struggle helplessly.

"Housheng, where did these come from?" Xia Yu asked, surprised.

Housheng, naturally, answered honestly. He smiled and said, "I found them in the manor. While walking around the estate this morning, I noticed a lot of rabbit holes and even saw a few rabbits running around. The pigeons here are also less afraid of people, so I made a mental note. Since we have guests tonight, I thought I'd catch a few."

Seeing how effortlessly Housheng had caught them, Xia Yu praised him, "Not bad, Housheng! With skills like yours, you won't ever go hungry no matter where you are!"

Housheng grinned and, a bit embarrassed, scratched his head, saying, "My family has been hunters for three generations, and my father trained me from a young age. Although I haven't used these skills in years and they've gotten a bit rusty, it seems that the pigeons and rabbits here in England are easier to catch."

After Yanshineng took the rabbit from Housheng, freeing his hands, Housheng blushed slightly, both pleased and a bit shy from Xia Yu's praise.

"Haha!" Xia Yu couldn't help but laugh at Housheng's expression.

"Hongyi, it looks like tonight we'll have a great meal. I was worried we didn't have enough good dishes to entertain you, but now we do!" Xia Yu said, turning to the equally surprised Wu Hongyi with a smile.

"Haha, tonight's dinner will surely be a feast!" Wu Hongyi agreed with a laugh.

"Alright, everyone, let's get to work!" Xia Yu called out, and the group of men started preparing the three pigeons and the rabbit.

With everyone pitching in, and with the experienced hands of Housheng and Yanshineng leading the way, they quickly cleaned and prepared the game. The atmosphere in the kitchen was lively as they all worked together, their camaraderie growing stronger as they busily prepared the meal.