After being teased by Elder Xi, she handed over the packed candied haws. She bid goodbye to the elder and walked back to her place. She changed into a more comfortable clothes and took out the paper bag to eat the dessert. Staring at the candied haws on her hand as she chewed the food, she remembered Grandma Xi's question why SyaoRan wasn't with her when she visited her in the afternoon.
At least once a week for the whole 3 years, Chen SyaoRan and Jiang Ai Yue have become very familiar with Grandma Xi. Instead of the luxurious restaurants, SyaoRan often takes her out to some good local diners and restaurants where average people mostly go to. The price was cheaper and the quality of food could not be compared to those luxury restaurants but their taste are comparably better.
Back when she met SyaoRan at Elder Chen's house, he would often give her some foods he got from outside. She actually thought that they came from some expensive shops but when he brought her out the first time, they visited a small stall in the streets that were located a bit farther than their homes.
Since Jiang Ai Yue have already a lot of experience traveling especially spending days in forests, mountains and other places where getting food is a hard, she didn't mind eating delicacies from stalls and small restaurants.
She'd eated some random vegetables and fruits her brothers have picked out for her whenever she goes with them. Having tried that kind of sparse foods, even eating at the stalls can be compared to a luxury.
For Chen SyaoRan, Jiang Ai Yue knew that he had a bit of a difficult life when he was a child. The Chen's are a military family aside from having their family business. He was groomed to be a soldier and was often sent by his grandfather to random and shady places to fend for himself.
She had listened to some of his stories before SyaoRan left for the army. His first experience was when he was dropped off at the top of the mountain by his grandfather with just a bottle of water and no food to eat.
He had to go down the mountain by foot and had to scramble for some food at that time. Even finding a source of water was quite difficult because he also encountered a lot of dangerous beasts on that mountain that could easily kill his life if he wasn't careful.
After almost 3 months, he finally arrived at the foot of the mountain with wounds, scratches, dirt and tattered clothes. After that experience, he knew he would be sent to another place soon after so he was on full-mode research to what type of grasses and fruits he could eat and which are poisonous and how to cook the meat of the animals he can kill in such places.
From being a pampered young master at the age of 5 years old, he quickly grew up to be a smart, matured, and crafty kid.
Because of that, Chen SyaoRan earlier realized how to appreciate simple luxuries such as being able to eat staple foods on the streets. And another weird realization of his is that spending a large amount of money eating on expensive restaurants and buying brand clothes is a waste.
Jiang Ai Yue always hears him say a familiar line. "Clothes are just clothes. Food is just food. Their purpose for use is just the same may it be expensive or cheap."
Thus, even if SyaoRan earns millions every minute right now, he still prefers to eat to such humble places instead of those expensive ones. His clothes when he goes out may all be customized but his home clothes are all bought in the downtown area and majority are from sale. They've gone countless times in different thrift shops whenever they go to different countries.
He may have employees and few maids in some of his vacant villas to keep the place maintained but at his place, he doesn't have any other employees aside from the keeper who cleans the house every week. He buys his ingredients at a local grocery and fresh ingredients from the wet market and cooks it by himself.
Thinking of him, Jiang Ai Yue realized the great disparity of Chen SyaoRan from other wealthy people. He was the epitome of a guy who grew up in an average household. You wouldn't even see a trace of a rich young master if she didn't know that he was the only son of the Chen family and the director of LuChen Group of Companies.
Jiang Ai Yue admits that this part of SyaoRan is actually very charming for other girls if he wasn't that cold to other people. His miser attitude is also a reason why he was such a workaholic because he thought that instead of lazing away and doing nothing, he could earn millions in those hours instead.
Jiang Ai Yue finally thought of something. She wondered what is the current net worth of Chen SyaoRan with all the money he's earned back in the army and while working in the company.
And with all that money, what does SyaoRan plan to do with it? It's not like he could bring it to heaven when he's dead. He must have had a plan to spend it in one way or another, right?