The books purchased were of numerous varieties, as long as they weren't already present in the home and caught his interest, Zhao Lun would buy them.
On one occasion, Zhao Lun nearly cleared out an entire bookstore, much to the delight of the owner, who, in turn, gave them a discount. They had become the most welcome customers to the bookstores around the area, and the neighboring stores also grew warmer in their reception, enthusiastically recommending books from their own shelves and offering them discounts.
"Well, this place has quite a variety of books. I'll collect them for now, and read through them whenever I have the time," Zhao Lun remarked.
Naturally, Zhao Lun wasn't buying the books for academic purposes, even though he wouldn't be able to finish them all.
His companions wholeheartedly agreed with his decision, as not only would the books be available for browsing at any time, but they also filled up the entire study room—an investment that was both practical and worthwhile.
Once the books were packed, they were shipped back home, and the group continued their exploration.
They arrived at a famous pet market, bustling with numerous pet stores, each offering different kinds of pets. Snakes, lizards, spiders, turtles, fish, pigeons, crows, owls, falcons, geese, miniature ponies, sheep, and nearly every conceivable type of pet imaginable could be found here. It was enough to broaden the horizons of Zhao Lun and his companions, who had never been here before.
However, Zhao Lun and his friends weren't interested in the exotic pets; they only had eyes for the birds of prey and large, powerful puppies. Eventually, they selected two chicks from a breed of snow eagles, said to have originated from the snow-capped mountains in Asia. These chicks, one male and one female, were pure-blooded and had yet to open their eyes. The cost of acquiring them had been substantial, but they didn't mind. The puppies they chose were from a breed of mastiffs native to the highlands, one with white fur and the other yellow. As with the chicks, they had not yet opened their eyes, but once they did, they would recognize Zhao Lun and his companions as their masters.
In the past, Zhao Lun had fantasized about training birds of prey, though he lacked the conditions to do so. He had also been fascinated by fierce mastiffs but found them too expensive to afford. Similarly, he could only dream of owning them. Now, with the conditions in place, he was finally able to fulfill those long-held desires.
Of course, he had also considered buying a few horses to ride, but none of the horses he saw caught his eye.
When selecting pets, Zhao Lun's intuition guided him to choose the best. He couldn't find anything remarkable about the miniature ponies on display and didn't care for them at all. What he wanted was a legendary steed, not these showpieces lacking substance.
The Chinese have a deep obsession with horses, and stories of magnificent steeds such as the thousand-li horse, the汗血宝马 (sweat-blooded horse), the dragon horse, and the celestial steed have been passed down for generations.
As for the miniature ponies, Zhao Lun thought to himself: What kind of "horse" is this? He glanced at them once and lost all interest. If he wanted a famous horse, he would go to a horse market or seek out a specialist in equine breeding, where one could find truly satisfying horses.
"Wow, what a cute little pony!" Maria remarked, her eyes fixed on one of the adorable creatures, unable to resist stopping to gaze at it.
Although Zhao Lun didn't particularly care for the sight, he remained silent, as Maria liked it, and that was all that mattered.
By the time they left the pet market, it was already afternoon, and despite their protesting stomachs, they took a car and headed to Chinatown.
Chinatown had only been officially recognized by the London government three years ago, and the Chinese community here had only started receiving slightly better treatment than before. Aside from the Chinese, there were also small populations of Singaporeans, Malaysians, Koreans, and Japanese people.
Here, the strong influence of Chinese culture was evident, with large Chinese-style arches welcoming visitors as they entered the district.
Upon arrival, they found Chinatown to be more lively than other areas. It was bustling with activity, creating the feeling of being in a Chinese marketplace.
"Brother, look over there," Maria pointed eagerly at a bustling snack shop.
"Oh, they sell pea paste," Zhao Lun replied, spotting the shop and immediately heading towards it. The pea paste here was very similar to the one he remembered, and he couldn't resist stopping to taste it. Maria and the others were also drawn in by the sweet aroma of the food, and naturally, they followed him.
The shop was small, yet spotless. Most of the customers were young children—five Chinese children, two white children, and one black child. Upon seeing Zhao Lun and his companions, the children curiously looked their way. Zhao Lun greeted them with a smile, and then called for Maria and the others to sit at a vacant table.
"I didn't expect the pea paste to be so authentic here," Zhao Lun said, taking a bite and offering his praise.
"Everyone on this street is from Hong Kong, and they brought many of the traditional Chinese recipes from mainland China," Angela explained to him.
Zhao Lun and his companions listened intently while Maria continued to devour her pea paste, and Hodal stood guard by her side.
Nowadays, most of the Chinese in Chinatown came from Hong Kong. Angela, having arrived from Hong Kong herself, was quite familiar with the area, and she expertly shared her knowledge with them.
After leaving the pea paste shop, they encountered several of Angela's acquaintances along the way.
"Hey! Isn't this little Zhao? You're getting more handsome by the day!"
"Ah, Aunt Liu! How have you been?"
"A Zi, come try my char siu bao."
"Thank you, Uncle Li. How's Aunt Li doing?"
"A Zi, it's been a long time! Are these your relatives?"
"Yes, it's been a while, Wang Dajie. Um, this is my relative, Zhao Lun, and this is Maria, and my friends, Nicole and Monica..."
"Hello, handsome!" many people greeted them cheerfully as they passed by, with Angela introducing them to her friends and the atmosphere was filled with warmth.
Angela led them through the streets, guiding them to sample the local delicacies from the beginning to the end of the street. By the time they finished, they were completely full. As familiar faces, the vendors were generous enough to offer them free samples, but Zhao Lun and his companions insisted on paying for everything, much to the vendors' reluctance.
The variety of food was overwhelming, and they indulged themselves thoroughly. By late evening, they were finally full and ready to leave.
"Brother, I want to have shaomai again tomorrow."
Maria had developed a fondness for shaomai, especially the honeyed version, which was sweet, sticky, and fragrant with a lingering aftertaste.
"Shaomai is good," Zhao Lun agreed.
Zhao Lun favored a type of shaomai made with salted duck egg yolk. The rich, fragrant egg yolk was perfectly blended with the dough, making each bite an unforgettable experience.
"Soup dumplings are great too," Angela added.
"Beef cakes are really good," Monica and Nicole chimed in, agreeing on the deliciousness of the beef-filled pastries.
As they walked along, savoring the memories of the food, they found themselves still hungry for more.
"We'll come back tomorrow," Zhao Lun decided, pleased with the authentic flavors.
The group spent a few more days in Chinatown before antique prices began to rise. They secretly began acquiring valuable items—precious porcelain, rare ink-wash landscape paintings, ancient Daoist texts, medicinal manuscripts, and historical documents. In addition, they had stocked up on various plant seeds, from common tree seeds to rare medicinal plants, ensuring they didn't miss anything they could get their hands on.
As for other items, Maria, Nicole, and the others helped to fill in any gaps.
The poor have their way of life, and the rich have theirs.
Now that Zhao Lun's business was flourishing, he no longer had to be so frugal with his money. Unlike in the past, when he struggled to make ends meet, he had become generous with those around him. Anyone who worked with him was well taken care of, and he never begrudged his friends. If Nicole or Angela spotted something they liked, he would happily reimburse them. His lavish spending sometimes left the others in awe.
Hodal, who worked alongside Zhao Lun, found his job much easier once things were running smoothly. The salary was good, and he was very content. He had always believed in the principle: "You get what you pay for." Zhao Lun, understanding this, had always placed great trust in him.
After spending over half a month in the bustling city, enjoying their fill of indulgence, the group decided to return home. The journey back was much faster than the trip there—straight and uninterrupted, they made it home in just one day.
Having left in early spring, they now returned in the summer. Their home was as clean and neat as when they had left, thanks to Monica, who had taken care of everything by hiring someone in advance to tidy up the yard.
Unlike the smog of London, here the sky was clear, the air fresh, and the birds sang merrily. Golden fields of wheat stretched as far as the eye could see, the breeze carrying the scent of the harvest.
This place, peaceful and warm, was a true comfort to the soul.
Returning from the busy metropolis and witnessing such beauty and tranquility, the group felt as though their spirits had been cleansed. They felt lighter, more at ease.
Zhao Lun got off the car at the village entrance and decided to walk back home.
"Ah! It's good to be home!" Zhao Lun sighed, stretching lazily as he marveled at the serenity.
"Ah! We're home! We're home!" Maria couldn't wait to run towards the small yard.
"Woof!—Woof—"
"Woof!—"
The two dogs, Ivy and Grey Shadow, ran alongside her, their tails wagging happily as they reached the familiar home, barking joyfully.