Is Jiang Cheng the type who would proactively take advantage of others?
Impossible—Jiang Cheng claims he's a good man,
and he would never do something like that.
Unless a special circumstance forced him to.
He glanced at the young, firm Fang Yuan, reluctantly tucked away his reward card, and calmly ate the dishes on the table.
He didn't expect A‑San's cuisine to grant him such a reward.
It felt a bit odd, but it did fit the style of A‑San's country.
Unfortunately, he found no reward in the other dishes.
When he was about done, Jiang Cheng used the excuse of going to the restroom.
After washing his hands, he returned and paid the bill for their whole table at the cashier.
When he came back, Zhou Ying and Fang Yuan didn't notice anything amiss; they ate and took intimate photos together.
Seeing the similar faces of Zhou Ying and Fang Yuan, Jiang Cheng suddenly felt they looked like a mother and daughter, even a bit like sisters.
The feeling was quite magical.
After the meal, Zhou Ying tried to stand up and pay, but Jiang Cheng told her he had already settled the bill.
That made Fang Yuan regard Jiang Cheng even more highly.
After all, today Zhou Ying and Fang Yuan were out shopping, accompanied by Jiang Cheng.
If an elder were present, Fang Yuan would naturally rush to pay when invited.
But Jiang Cheng prevented that, highlighting his generosity.
He chose a more subtly appealing approach.
Using the restroom excuse, he quietly paid, avoiding the awkward scramble to split the bill.
His handling was a textbook display of high emotional intelligence.
That thoughtful act naturally won Fang Yuan's favor.
After all, a man only truly considers a woman's perspective when he genuinely likes her.
If Jiang Cheng were only after Zhou Ying's looks,
he could have flaunted his money instead of using such subtlety.
These gestures also reflect Jiang Cheng's good upbringing and his smooth interpersonal skills.
In fact, that's Jiang Cheng's brilliance—using genuine care to make Zhou Ying fall.
Which is better: a relationship built on love or one built solely on money? The answer is obvious.
If a couple only talks about money without affection, there's no guarantee the woman won't later leave for another man for cash.
As the saying goes, Jiang Cheng isn't vulgar; he's a good man who wants both Zhou Ying's heart and mind.
His behavior was actually taught by his father, Jiang Jianmin.
Since childhood, Jiang Cheng occasionally accompanied Jiang Jianmin to meet clients, picking up a lot of banquet culture.
He also learned how to make others comfortable while avoiding awkwardness.
After the three finished eating, Jiang Cheng suggested a stroll along the Bund to aid digestion.
After all, shopping is a woman's favorite pastime.
It's also the easiest way to boost a woman's favor.
It's well known that a new handbag can solve all a woman's worries; if one isn't enough, two will do.
Seeing Fang Yuan's admiration for him, Zhou Ying gladly nodded in agreement.
Since Fang Yuan told her the family debt was paid off, Zhou Ying felt a weight lift off her shoulders.
She no longer had to constantly hunt for jobs, worrying about monthly interest payments.
She also stopped feeling like a burden and fearing romance.
Moreover, Fang Yuan will start working at a friend‑referred beauty salon soon, adding a steady income.
The mother‑daughter duo's lives will become much easier.
Fang Yuan, a frequent salon client, quickly mastered the procedures and passed training smoothly.
Since the salon was run by her former close friend, the salary was generous and included meals and lodging, prompting her to leave Chengdu for Shanghai.
With the debt cleared and her mother now in the same city, she was thrilled.
These two facts made Zhou Ying extremely happy.
That's why she seemed so relaxed after meeting Jiang Cheng.
Zhou Ying used to be afraid of dating.
She feared Jiang Cheng would think she was after him for money once he learned about her family's huge debt.
After all, Jiang Cheng's family is well‑off.
It's hard not to make that assumption.
But now things are different; she no longer feels like a burden.
Zhou Ying feels she can finally stand beside Jiang Cheng with confidence.
Jiang Cheng had Wang Sheng drive the car to the nearest Hang Lung Plaza by the Bund.
Women love shopping, and Fang Yuan is no exception.
When she had money, she often visited luxury boutiques.
Even though she can't afford them now, she still enjoys browsing.
Inside Hang Lung, the Dior, Chanel, Gucci, and Hermès displays thrilled both Zhou Ying and Fang Yuan.
"Mom, it's been ages since we shopped together. I miss those days." Zhou Ying cheerfully dragged Fang Yuan along.
"Hmm, these years have been hard on you. Mom will work harder to earn money." Fang Yuan replied with a hint of sorrow.
Zhou Ying shook her head: "It's not hard. I still have you, right? As long as you're well, I'm fine."
Zhou Ying never explicitly mentioned her family's bankruptcy, but her frequent odd‑job outings hint at financial difficulty.
She's never directly asked Jiang Cheng for anything.
Even now that they're officially together, Zhou Ying doesn't drag Jiang Cheng into endless shopping sprees.
That shows Zhou Ying truly is a good girl.
If Jiang Cheng were free to pull Zhou Ying into a shopping frenzy, he would—except Fang Yuan is present.
If he tried, Fang Yuan would definitely refuse.
After all, this is their first meeting; even a modest Mother-in-law wouldn't demand gifts for her daughter's boyfriend.
Jiang Cheng pondered a polite, non‑awkward way to give them gifts.
He needed a strategy.
Passing by an LV store sparked an idea.
He said to Zhou Ying, "Let's go in. It's been a while since we bought clothes, and they've just released autumn wear. Can you help me pick two pieces?"
Seeing Jiang Cheng want to shop, the two readily agreed and entered.
After a while, Zhou Ying tugged Jiang Cheng, "How about this one for you?"
Jiang Cheng casually nodded, "Looks good to me."
He accepted all the clothes both Zhou Ying and Fang Yuan chose.
As long as it wasn't overly flamboyant, Jiang Cheng could pull it off.
When they'd chosen enough, Jiang Cheng pointed to a women's piece and said to Zhou Ying, "This looks like a couple's set with mine. Want to try?"
Zhou Ying noticed the matching print and, delighted at the idea of a couple's outfit, gladly agreed.
The three then wandered toward the women's section.
Under Jiang Cheng's persuasive push, Zhou Ying picked several couple‑style outfits and tried on multiple bags.
Zhou Ying was immersed in the joy of matching outfits with Jiang Cheng, while Fang Yuan instantly saw through his ulterior motive.