Upon stepping outside, the destination was Chinatown! — Today was a gathering in Chinatown, attracting not only a large crowd but also an abundance of delicious food and delightful trinkets.
The journey was uneventful, and the vehicle safely reached the bustling area. Ada steered the car toward a courtyard near Chinatown and came to a stop.
"Is this another property we purchased?"
After getting out of the car, Maria curiously gazed at the crimson courtyard and inquired with Nicole and the others.
"Yes, it's another recent purchase, just renovated. This is our first time here," Monica replied.
"Do you know who decorated it? This place was arranged by Angela herself!"
"So, what do you think? Boss, are you impressed?"
As the group walked through the courtyard, Monica introduced it to Zhao Lun and the others, who had never been here before.
The courtyard was built in the traditional Chinese "Siheyuan" style, with an architectural method native to China. The difference, however, was that the buildings here were two-story, and the entire courtyard was bathed in a vibrant crimson hue.
The place exuded an ancient and natural charm. Though it couldn't rival grand estates or the Flower Fairy's residence, it was undoubtedly one of the finest in Chinatown.
The courtyard was adorned with lush, vibrant plants, which only enhanced its delicate and intricate beauty.
The windows were clear, and the air was fresh and invigorating, teeming with life.
"What a wonderful place!" Zhao Lun exclaimed.
Indeed, it was an impressive place, with a tastefully done decoration and design, offering a perfect escape from the cacophony of the outside world.
"Of course it's a great place! Angela personally oversaw the renovation to ensure everything was perfect."
Though not as large as the Flower Fairy's home, the effort put into this place was no less substantial.
"Is this a surprise as well?"
"If so, you've succeeded!"
Upon entering the house, the interior was decorated in a retro style, blending many technological creations which, after being subtly disguised, appeared as traditional wooden furnishings rather than modern electronic devices.
For anyone unfamiliar with the space, they would believe the furnishings to be simple wooden artifacts, not advanced tech.
Upstairs, the space felt more expansive, and the arrangement was more relaxed. Zhao Lun, with a casual gesture, summoned a display screen into view, revealing the entire courtyard and its surroundings.
"Hmm, just like home."
"Athena, are you there?"
"Yes, sir, Athena is here. How can I assist you?"
"No need, just testing the equipment."
"..."
The technology here was comparable to that in the estate, with tight security, though the materials used were slightly inferior. Nonetheless, the value of these materials far exceeded that of the original property.
"Brother! Hurry up and come out!"
A voice from below urged them onward. It was Maria, who, though curious about the traditional Chinese courtyard, was eager to attend the Chinatown gathering. As she put it, there would be many more gatherings, but this one was a rare opportunity she didn't want to miss.
The gathering was more lively than usual, with attendees not only from the Chinese community but also from Korea, Japan, India, and even the local white population, who regarded themselves as superior.
Normally, when they visited, there were few street vendors, and those who did set up stalls only did so in front of their shops, with no others allowed to display their goods. But today, anyone with a good spot could freely set up their stalls.
Before even entering Chinatown, they saw rows of stalls. The crowd was so large that it spilled out of Chinatown itself.
"There are so many people today!" Maria cheered, darting toward the stalls.
"There really are," Zhao Lun remarked, surprised. He hadn't expected the vendors to include some locals from Britain, some of whom were awkwardly trying to speak Mandarin while promoting their goods.
Listening to their clumsy Mandarin, Zhao Lun and the others couldn't help but laugh. Their words were so amusing that they could easily be misunderstood.
The ladies chuckled, drawing the attention of the vendors, but fortunately, Nicole and the others were wearing sunglasses, traveling discreetly, so they weren't recognized. Otherwise, they might have encountered some overzealous fans.
As they glanced at the items on display, they found them to be either rough handmade products or old books, used clothes, and flowerpots.
After a brief glance, the group moved on, uninterested in the wares.
The deeper they went into Chinatown, the more crowded it became, much more so than usual, creating a slight sense of congestion.
Thankfully, there were patrol officers maintaining order, so the area remained lively but not chaotic. While the place was crowded, it hadn't yet reached the point of being unbearable.
"Here comes Ah Zhi!"
"Ah Zhi!"
"Nicole! Monica!"
"Ada! Maria! Allen!"
As they walked, they were greeted by familiar faces. Though there wasn't the frenzied atmosphere of Hong Kong, the calls of their names alerted more people to their identities, making it difficult for them to enjoy their time freely.
"Mrs. Wang~"
Angela responded in Mandarin, and Zhao Lun and the others reciprocated.
"Don't worry! Just have fun, no one will disturb you."
"Exactly! Ah Zhi, we've already made it clear—no fan chasing here. You can enjoy yourselves without any concerns!"
Although they had prepared for it, they couldn't stop some fans from watching them from afar. Even though they didn't approach, they still kept their eyes on them, following their every move. Vendors, however, were thrilled to see celebrities trying their food, anticipating a big payday.
Being watched like animals in a zoo took some getting used to for Zhao Lun, but he quickly adapted and even enjoyed it, as it brought benefits—vendors eagerly invited them to try their food and gave discounts.
Whether there was a discount or not didn't matter much to Zhao Lun. What mattered was the sense of enjoyment and the satisfaction of finding treasures among the clutter.
The treasures Zhao Lun sought—antiques, powerful artifacts, and valuable art pieces.
To his surprise, many people had brought Chinese antiques, most of them British locals. He had spent a fortune collecting these antiques but still found many more in the market, a testament to how plentiful Chinese antiques were.
"Seems like the road to collecting is still long!" Zhao Lun mused, making his way to a stall to acquire the antiques.
Authenticity wasn't a challenge for Zhao Lun. Having bought many antiques, he had developed an intuitive understanding of their authenticity. With the help of his neural interface, he could easily become a master appraiser.
"This one's a keeper!"
"This one too, it looks good!"
"This one here, it's about to fall apart, but I'll take it home and check it out."
"This one! And this one as well, they're both coming with me."
"Ada, remember to buy them all!"
From here on, Zhao Lun picked items with ease. With a glance, his interface marked the authenticity of everything in his line of sight, allowing him to select only the genuine items.
If there were objects with special powers, he would personally negotiate the price, though such items were rare and hadn't appeared yet.
"Young man! You won't find anything good picking like that."
An elderly man, seeing Zhao Lun's careless spending, warned him.
Hearing the familiar Mainland accent, Zhao Lun stopped and looked over. The elderly man was shaking his head.
"It's alright, old sir. These things aren't worth much. We're not short on money, just buying them for fun."
"Sir, you're breaking the rules here!" A short, thin officer warned the elderly man.
The "rule" was that no one was allowed to interfere with the sale of antiques—though this wasn't an official antique market, there were still local customs.
"Sigh."
The elderly man sighed and stopped his persuasion.
Some people were watching the scene, amused, but Zhao Lun ignored them.
As they neared the end of the street, Zhao Lun finally spotted something interesting in a corner—a bronze mirror. The mirror's owner, downtrodden, clutched it and waited for someone to buy it.
However, everyone passing by kept their distance, avoiding him, and no one approached to make a purchase. (To be continued...)