Chapter 16: Foreign Girls

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Sach is the editor-in-chief of The Daily Telegraph,

His departure was equivalent to breaking up the gathering, and there was indeed no need to continue the salon.

People began to bid farewell to Buckell one after another.

Lushi, Cooper, and Scott naturally wouldn't stay long either. They exchanged a few casual greetings with others and left the headquarters of The Times.

As they stepped out of the door, Sach was standing in a corner smoking a pipe, waiting for them.

He waved to the three of them.

"Shall we go for a cup of tea?"

Cooper knew that what happened next had nothing to do with him, so he bid farewell with a smile.

The others found a nearby café.

Sach took a seat and said, "Discussing tea in front of Chinese people is like showing off one's skills in front of an expert, but I still recommend Mr. Lu to try Earl Grey tea. It's based on Chinese tea with the addition of bergamot for a unique aroma."

The term "unique" was in comparison to Chinese tea,

The Chinese emphasize the original flavor and wouldn't add so many ingredients.

Lu said, "I would indeed like to try it. After all, English afternoon tea is a symbol of British culture."

Sach smiled, "The concept of British culture is too broad, saying that may be a bit too much."

Lu waved his hand, "No, not at all. The two most prominent features of British culture are trade and power. Why can the average citizen of London use exquisite tea sets and drink delicate tea? The reason?"

The answer is actually very simple, just two words:

Plunder!

In tea-producing countries like China and India, it's difficult for ordinary people to drink tea leaves, so why can the British?

As for porcelain and tea sets, they come from the "trade" ships of the East India Company.

Sach and Scott remained silent.

The recent news of General Wade's entry into Beijing with the Eight-Nation Alliance and setting up headquarters in the Forbidden City had already been reported. There was no need to say more about the role Britain played in this matter,

They didn't want to argue with Lu about it.

But Lu's ability to see Britain's power from afternoon tea, his ability to see the big picture from small details, made Sach more convinced of his previous judgment.

After a moment of silence, Sach said, "Mr. Lu, would you like to write for The Daily Telegraph?"

When it came to business, Lu straightened up.

He didn't rush to answer, but asked, "If I remember correctly, The Daily Telegraph and The Times have a close relationship, often collaborating. Mr. Sach, aren't you worried about causing friction with Mr. Buckell?"

The relationship is close on the surface,

Strictly speaking, it's about having the same political inclination.

Sach stirred his Earl Grey tea with a spoon and said seemingly unrelated words, "I don't work with fools."

He didn't say much,

But he said everything.

Buckell would probably have some thoughts after hearing Sach's evaluation.

Scott on the side curled his lips,

"Do you not fear that Buckell will turn against you?"

Sach's lips curled up, "Why? Mr. Scott wants to spread rumors? Feel free to do so, anyway, I'm upright and honest."

What a "upright and honest"!

Scott smiled knowingly,

The three of them talked in the café, speaking openly and without reservation, knowing that there was no need to worry about anything.

Sach said, "Of course, The Daily Telegraph's position won't change, and there won't be any reduction in cooperation with The Times."

The implication of this sentence was very clear.

Lu took over the conversation, "Thank you, Mr. Sach, for your kindness. My editorial stance won't have any bias. As for what you and Mr. Scott are going to do... Heh heh... Anyway, it's none of my business, and I have no control over it."

No matter how much The Manchester Guardian and The Daily Telegraph fought, it had nothing to do with him,

He only cared about two things:

Name;

Profit.

Establishing a foothold in the UK first,

At least Lu needed the capital to do so.

Scott said to Sach, "The Daily Telegraph mostly publishes short articles. If you're going to give Mr. Lu a column, I'm afraid it'll only be once a week, right?"

Sach took out his pipe, tapped the ashes on the table, and leisurely filled it with tobacco,

After a while, he lit it, took a deep breath,

"Shall we go outside?"

Scott nodded,

"Please."

The two of them gestured to Lu and then left their seats.

They seemed quite mysterious...

Lu was happy to be left alone, leisurely drinking his tea. At the same time, he complained about the British, who liked to put sugar and milk in their tea, making it taste strange.

At this moment, a white girl came to the table.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Lu Shi?"

Lu didn't respond,

He didn't know the foreign girl in front of him, so he naturally didn't bother to pay attention.

Unexpectedly, the girl was very proactive, saying, "Mr. Lu Shi, don't be nervous. It's just a simple acquaintance and chat, there won't be any moral violations, whether it's British morals or Chinese morals. By the way, you can call me Margarita."

Lu was speechless, ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Obviously, the girl was so enthusiastic because she misunderstood that he, as an East Asian, was reserved and didn't dare to actively interact with British ladies.

He sighed, "Who are you?"

The foreign girl was confused,

"I already introduced myself just now."

It's amazing that she didn't catch Lu's sarcasm, which is quite something.

Lu became increasingly helpless as he carefully examined the girl's attire. Margarita's dress was tailored perfectly, obviously not off-the-rack, and judging by the excellent craftsmanship, it was likely custom-made by a family tailor. Coupled with the pearl necklace around her neck, it looked expensive, giving off the impression of a wealthy girl.

Moreover, Margarita was exceptionally beautiful. Unlike typical Western women with large pores and freckles, her skin was smooth, suggesting she might have some Asian heritage. Her eyes were bright and curious as she gazed at Lu.

Lu was at a loss. He knew dealing with this kind of "princess" was tricky.

"Miss Margarita, are you..."

Before he could finish, Margarita corrected him, "It's Miss."

Lu was taken aback and continued, "Alright, Miss Margarita. Do you... by any chance, want to help me pay for the afternoon tea?"

This remark was practically shooing her away.

Unexpectedly...

"Sure."

Margarita actually sat down opposite Lu and pulled out a pound note, placing it under Sachi's saucer.

Lu was taken aback, forced to ask, "Miss Margarita, may I ask what brings you to me?"

Margarita giggled, "Mr. Lu, I heard you support women's suffrage?"

Ah, a feminist.

Rich girls with nothing better to do than ponder such matters.

Lu denied firmly, "No."

Margarita looked surprised, "But I heard you talking a lot about it at the salon..."

Before she could finish, Lu immediately cut her off, "Who are you!? Why didn't I see you at the salon!? Are you eavesdropping at Mr. Bakel's office!?"

Three consecutive questions, filled with intensity.

Margarita was dumbfounded, unsure of what to say.

Lu muttered, "I never expected London's security to be this bad. I need to contact Scotland Yard."

At the mention of Scotland Yard, Margarita hurriedly got up.

She had snuck out in the first place, and if she were inexplicably thrown into jail, it would be a big deal, possibly even an international incident.

She glared fiercely at Lu, lifted her skirt, and slipped away.

Lu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, "Phew..."

Meanwhile, Sachi and Scott returned.

Scott joked, "Mr. Lu, you're truly charming. We were only out for a few minutes, and you've already captivated a young lady."

Lu pleaded, "Please don't tease me. Let's talk business, business is important."