Chapter 261: Targeted

While Xia Yu was skillfully mingling with the crowd, a sudden commotion occurred in the venue. He looked over and saw two British individuals arriving. As soon as they appeared, someone immediately went to greet them.

"It's the Mayor of London, Jones Jason. No wonder," Xia Yu thought to himself as he recognized the figure.

There's a saying: a businessman may not be involved in politics, but he must understand it. This holds true in mainland China, as seen in the previous life where businessmen who understood politics and aligned with national strategies thrived.

The will of a nation is not something a small group can withstand!

Of course, in capitalist countries, while capital often dominates politics, it doesn't mean politics is irrelevant. Capitalists still need political backing to achieve their goals, so the integration of capital and politics is highly pronounced in the capitalist world. The more powerful the capitalists and financial groups, the deeper their influence and control over politics.

Eventually, when traditional politicians fail to satisfy the capitalists' interests, the capitalists will roll up their sleeves and take over the political realm.

After arriving in the UK, Xia Yu made sure to familiarize himself with the current political landscape and the state of affairs in London. Watching the news at night often showed footage of the London Mayor, so he immediately recognized Jones Jason.

Jones Jason is the current Mayor of London, a British Member of Parliament, and a member of the Labour Party. He holds significant power and influence.

However, Xia Yu knew that Jones Jason likely only had one more good year, as Margaret Thatcher would lead the Conservative Party to reclaim power next May. By then, the Conservative Party would target the Mayor's position, and given his age, Jones Jason would struggle to run again.

Regardless, Jones Jason is a heavyweight figure.

His presence at the founding of the London Chinatown Chinese Business Association was likely an attempt to gain favor and support from the Chinese community. It's well known that the Chinese community is united and typically less politically active, and all parties, whether Conservative, Labour, or Liberal, strive for their votes.

With less than a year until the Prime Minister election, where the Prime Minister is chosen from the majority party in the House of Commons, and MPs are elected by the public, every vote counts. Jones Jason's intentions are understandable.

Right after Jones Jason entered, another group arrived behind him, all Chinese. The leader had an upright demeanor, leaving a positive first impression.

Upon his arrival, people near the entrance greeted him with enthusiasm, no less than what they showed earlier.

Xia Yu frowned slightly. He didn't recognize the newcomers.

While he was still pondering, a nearby Chinese businessman noticed Xia Yu's confusion and whispered an introduction into his ear, "The leader is Qian Wenchao. To his left is Minister Cheng Jie, and to his right is Military Attaché Song Weihong."

Xia Yu's eyes narrowed, then he regained his composure and smiled at the helpful businessman, saying, "Thank you!"

"You're welcome!" the man replied with a smile.

Xia Yu nodded, then continued watching Qian Wenchao and the others, his eyes filled with contemplation.

At that moment, Xia Yu noticed Ambassador Qian Wenchao scanning the crowd. Upon spotting Xia Yu, Qian Wenchao paused, nodded, and gave a friendly smile.

Xia Yu was briefly stunned but quickly smiled and nodded back.

Qian Wenchao and his entourage were then led away by their hosts. Watching their backs, Xia Yu began to ponder.

"It seems Ambassador Qian recognizes me. Logically, he shouldn't be focused on me in such a short time. It looks like I've been placed on China's priority watch list," Xia Yu thought, chuckling inwardly.

It's highly probable he'd caught China's attention; after all, he now controlled the largest media group in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, wielding significant influence over public opinion. The Chinese government, which understands the importance of propaganda, would naturally take notice.

Realizing the implications, Xia Yu wasn't anxious but instead smiled. Being on China's priority watch list was likely more advantageous than detrimental; overall, it was a good thing.

"I suspect someone will reach out to me soon," Xia Yu mused.

Just as he finished this thought, the ceremony was about to begin. Xia Yu stopped overthinking and followed the crowd to the event hall.

Xia Yu quietly observed the proceedings, from the Chinese Business Association president's speech to the congratulatory messages from London Mayor Jones Jason and Chinese Ambassador Qian Wenchao. Following that were other scheduled activities.

Xia Yu noted that besides the president, the Chinese Business Association also had an honorary president, Wu Huachang, while Wu Hongyi was one of the association's directors—the youngest among them.

After the ceremony concluded, a networking cocktail party commenced. Jones Jason left after having a drink, while Xia Yu, accompanied by Wu Hongyi, mingled through the crowd, being introduced to various influential individuals.

Suddenly, Xia Yu spotted Ambassador Qian walking directly toward him. He immediately stopped, preparing to engage.

As expected, Ambassador Qian came straight to him, warmly raising his glass, saying, "Mr. Xia, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Qian Wenchao, China's Ambassador to the UK. It's an honor to meet you for the first time!"

Xia Yu quickly feigned surprise and replied, "Ambassador Qian, the honor is mine."

"Haha! As fellow Chinese, let's not be so formal. Come, let's toast to our encounter!" Qian Wenchao laughed heartily, naturally closing the distance between them.

"To our encounter!" Xia Yu responded, clinking glasses and downing his drink in one go.

"Refreshing!" Qian Wenchao, also finishing his drink in one go, exclaimed with joy upon seeing Xia Yu's empty glass.

"Mr. Xia, and who might this be?" Qian Wenchao asked, his expression curious as he glanced at Li Xi beside Xia Yu.

Xia Yu chuckled inwardly. Since they had obviously investigated him, there was no way Qian Wenchao didn't know Li Xi's identity. This was likely a tactic to find common ground, a typical maneuver in social settings.

"This is my girlfriend, Li Xi. Xi Xi, greet Ambassador Qian," Xia Yu introduced, gently nudging Li Xi.

"Hello, Ambassador Qian. I'm Li Xi," Li Xi greeted gracefully, maintaining a poised smile by Xia Yu's side.

"A perfect match! Mr. Xia, congratulations!" Qian Wenchao said, continuing his personable approach, which confirmed Xia Yu's suspicions about China's attention on him.

Xia Yu's conversation with Qian Wenchao naturally drew the eyes of the crowd. Given Qian Wenchao's prominent status, he was arguably the highest-ranking person present, so his interaction with Xia Yu did not go unnoticed. Many began to take note of Xia Yu, eager to learn more about him, while others were already asking around to uncover his background.

In the crowd, one individual stood out. Upon seeing Xia Yu and Li Xi, his face darkened, his fists clenched, and he muttered under his breath, "So it's these two. I've been looking for them for so long, and here they are."

He glanced at Wu Hongyi, noticing how comfortably he mingled with Xia Yu and Qian Wenchao, and his brows furrowed deeply.

"Hmph!" he snorted before composing himself and asked the person beside him, "Who's the man talking to Ambassador Qian?"

"That's Xia Yu, Third Young Master. Here's his business card. Please take a look…" the person replied, handing over Xia Yu's card.

Seeing Xia Yu's various titles, the man's brows furrowed even more. He then said, "I'd like to keep this card, if you don't mind."

"Of course, Third Young Master. If you need it, it's yours," the other man quickly replied.

"Thank you!"