They would regularly give the kids pocket money.
As the oldest brother, Jiang Chengzhou had often helped buy groceries for the family when he was young, so he was fairly frugal and liked to save money.
He also figured that the family had plenty of food and drink, and his clothes and pants were all bought by his aunt, so aside from occasionally buying some snacks to spoil his sister and little brother, he had no real need to spend money.
Especially when he compared himself to Yan Yuan, the Ma brothers, and Qiangzi, Jiang Chengzhou felt that he had it too good, too luxurious.
Even Li Xuan, who was an only child, sometimes didn't have it as well as he did.
Because Lin Zhilan often went to Yangcheng for classes and would also take them out to play, and Su Lang worked in E City, the family of five would occasionally spend some time there too.
Jiang Chengzhou had seen others struggle, so he cherished money and material things, feeling that if something wasn't worth it, there was no need to waste.
Ever since Linlin could remember, she had never worried about money. And with an older brother above her, she didn't really care about such matters. She was very generous with family and close friends, and didn't place much importance on money at all.
Su Li was the most generous of all, and he was a total "Nuonuo-con" — he'd spend all his pocket money on her without a second thought.
The three kids each had very different personalities.
Lin Zhilan had a fairly progressive view of money. She felt that money was meant to be earned and spent — not spending it was the real waste.
After the college entrance exam, Lin Zhilan discussed with Su Lang how much living money they should give Jiang Chengzhou for school.
Jiang Chengzhou said they didn't need to give him any money. Tuition and dorm fees were waived, the state gave monthly living subsidies, and he had saved up quite a bit of pocket money on his own — more than enough.
Only then did Lin Zhilan and Su Lang realize that Jiang Chengzhou had actually saved up several hundred yuan in pocket money, all accumulated from his allowances and New Year money over the years.
A kid being too thrifty wasn't necessarily a good thing either, so this time Lin Zhilan gave Jiang Chengzhou a thousand yuan and told him to spend it freely.
But Jiang Chengzhou had been in the capital for days now, and aside from buying gifts for the elders and every member of his second uncle's family, today at the restaurant was the first time he had actually spent money.
Cheng Qingshan listened, and was silent for a long while.
He looked up at the young man before him, standing straight-backed with clear, upright eyes, and suddenly let out a laugh. "Your aunt really is something... You should take good care of her in the future."
Jiang Chengzhou didn't really like hearing that kind of thing.
Being good to his aunt was only natural — he didn't need anyone to remind him.
Jiang Chengzhou smiled faintly and brushed it off.
Cheng Qingshan pushed the red envelope back toward him. "Take this too. It's my token of affection — don't refuse it!"
Cheng Qingshan had money, but his food, clothing, housing, and transportation were all covered by the state, so he had money with nowhere to spend it.
Others saved money for their children and grandchildren, but he had none. Previously, he would give everything to the revolutionary committee's civil affairs group, to be allocated to impoverished or disaster-stricken areas.
The only two younger people close to him were Tu Jing and Lin Zhilan.
Both were well-off and didn't lack his money.
Now, he set aside a portion of his monthly income — it was his own little selfish wish.
After all, several kids called him Grandpa, and a grandpa couldn't just let that title mean nothing.
Jiang Chengzhou looked at Cheng Qingshan's unyielding expression and ultimately didn't refuse again. He thanked him sincerely, then turned and left.
Later, he called home and told Lin Zhilan about the matter.
Lin Zhilan thought for a moment and didn't tell him to return the money. "Keep the money for now. Since you'll be studying in the capital, go visit Grandpa Cheng often when you have free time. Cook for him, chat with him, and buy him little gifts from time to time to make him happy — that's enough."
Jiang Chengzhou figured that made sense, so he agreed.
The three kids were about to head back to the island soon. Jiang Chengzhou still took Linlin and Su Li around to a few places, and didn't skip Jiang Jinzhu's place either.
When the Wen family heard that Jiang Chengzhou was back, they came knocking on the door themselves.
Jiang Jinzhu quickly explained to his grandson in a panic, "This time, I really didn't arrange it."
Since the guests had already arrived, they couldn't very well turn them away.
Jiang Chengzhou had no choice but to invite them in.
The Wen family's daughter was named Wen Miao. Because she had been spoiled rotten since childhood, she had a willful and arrogant temperament.
The last time, Jiang Chengzhou had dodged her like the plague and refused to meet her, which had already made Wen Miao quite unhappy.
If her family hadn't pushed her to come this time, Wen Miao wouldn't have bothered.
As soon as she sat down, she shot Jiang Chengzhou a glare.
Su Li noticed and immediately pointed at her, saying, "Bad guy!"
Linlin wasn't sure what was going on, so she grabbed her little brother's hand and scolded him, "You can't be so rude."
Su Li pouted. "She is a bad guy! She just looked at Big Brother like that!"
As he spoke, Su Li imitated the look Wen Miao had just given.
Of course Linlin believed her little brother. Her face immediately darkened, and she said to Wen Miao, "Why did you look at my brother like that? Apologize to my brother!"
Wen Miao's face turned alternately pale and red at being confronted by the two kids. "Your little brother must have seen wrong."
Su Li was a stubborn kid who hated being wrongly accused, so he quickly argued back, "You're lying! I saw it with my own eyes!"
"Uncle Jiang..." Wen Miao's parents finally couldn't help but speak up, and Wen Miao, as if she were the one being bullied, started to tear up.
Linlin and Su Li had grown up on the island and had never encountered this kind of tactic before. They felt a strange sense of frustration, as if they had somehow been the ones bullying someone.
"Big Brother..."
Linlin and Su Li said in unison, their voices full of grievance.
Jiang Jinzhu knew that his grandson treated his aunt and uncle's family like precious treasures, and he certainly didn't dare scold Linlin or Su Li. He could only force an awkward smile and keep his mouth shut.
Jiang Chengzhou gathered his sister and brother close to him. "Alright, you can't be rude to guests."
The moment he said that, Wen Miao wore a smug expression, and her parents' faces also looked much better.
Jiang Chengzhou glanced in their direction and said to Su Li, "And also, don't learn any impolite behaviors — they're ugly to look at, got it?"
Su Li nodded. "Got it!"
"Jiang Chengzhou!" Wen Miao stood up and pointed at him. "Don't go too far!"
Wen Miao's parents might not have amounted to much, but her grandparents lived in a cadre retirement compound after all.
Her parents had spent their entire lives basking in the glory of her grandparents, and that was how they had raised her too.
With that family background, Wen Miao was treated like a queen at school.
Her parents fawned over her, and her classmates did too. Naturally, Wen Miao developed a personality where she would never yield to anyone.
She could play the role of a well-behaved girl in front of Jiang Jinzhu for a while, but after what happened last time — Jiang Chengzhou deliberately avoiding her and refusing to see her — Wen Miao had long since run out of patience. She just thought Jiang Chengzhou didn't know his place.
In her mind, she was from the capital, while Jiang Chengzhou had grown up in a godforsaken place like the island. The two of them simply weren't a match.
If it weren't for her grandfather and his grandfather's connection, and the fact that Jiang Chengzhou was good-looking, she wouldn't have come to meet him at all.
Wen Miao was so overbearing, dripping with an air of smug superiority.
Not just Jiang Chengzhou, but even Jiang Jinzhu's expression turned sour.
Wen Miao's parents quickly pulled their daughter back and tried to smooth things over. "Miao Miao doesn't know any better; don't mind her. That's just how she is. She has a good heart, really — it's just her mouth that's the problem."
