While he was wondering, the young man had already walked around to the passenger side.
He reached out to shield the girl beside him from a hanging locust tree branch, and his profile came fully into view.
Seeing this, Lei Jun's gaze instantly froze.
He stared at that face for a good while.
Just as Jiang Cheng walked forward, something suddenly clicked in his mind.
Right, wasn't this the young man he had seen in Richest Man Wang's moments last year?
It was during the ribbon-cutting celebration for the King of Fengtai plot in Kyoto.
Back then, when Lei Jun saw the photo posted by Richest Man Wang in his moments, he was merely a bit curious.
After all, Jiang Cheng was simply too young.
Wang Jianlin, Xu Jiayin, and Wang Shi from Wangke were all there, yet they let such a young man take the center position.
He had taken a few extra looks at the time, wondering whose big shot's grandson this was.
Finally, details about the dinner that night were also posted online by Wang Congcong.
In particular, the video of Xu Jiayin performing a playful opera-style expression for Jiang Cheng drew widespread attention online.
Later, he only learned of Jiang Cheng's identity after hearing colleagues talk about the Wangcai incident.
Jiang Cheng was actually the boss of Xingchen.
Jiang Cheng ignored the chatter outside the window. After parking the car steadily at the end of the alley, he rolled down the window and said to Xu Yan, "We're here. Let's get out."
Unlike Jiang Cheng's composure, Xu Yan had long heard the whispering outside. Feeling a bit uneasy, she pulled her coat tighter.
She whispered, "Your car is way too eye-catching. We'll probably be surrounded by onlookers after we finish eating. I almost regret bringing you to a place like this. By the way, is it okay to park the car under a tree?"
Jiang Cheng casually locked the car and reached out to shield her from the hanging locust tree branches. "Let them look. What's the big deal? Other people park under trees too."
As he spoke, two students carrying backpacks passed by, staring at the car and quietly taking a photo with their phones.
They muttered, "My god, I actually saw a bugatti at the morning market. This luck is insane..."
Being stared at like that, the tips of Xu Yan's ears turned a bit red.
She really wanted to complain: Others have a Mercedes-Benz or a bmw, but you have a bugatti nights sound. Parking it under a tree like this—how can you even compare?
But then she saw Jiang Cheng looking up at the stalls in the morning market with fresh eyes.
She forced herself to swallow her words.
Forget it, she shouldn't meddle in the young master's business.
As she led Jiang Cheng forward, the noise of the morning market instantly rushed in.
Stall owners shouting "Freshly made sugar oil cakes," the ringing of bicycle bells, the aroma of grease mixed with the steam from savory jellied tofu—it was full of the atmosphere of everyday life.
Although she had seen Jiang Cheng eat at roadside stalls before.
Xu Yan asked once more to be sure, "Right here. These are all authentic old Kyoto flavors. You don't mind eating in a place like this, do you?"
Mind what?
Although his status was extraordinary, he had lived this kind of life since he was a child.
Back in high school, his mother rarely made breakfast.
So Jiang Cheng always took care of breakfast himself on the way.
Jiang Cheng's gaze swept over the long queues and the steaming stalls.
He smiled. "I think you guys have a bit of a misunderstanding about me. In fact, I'm just a kid from an ordinary family."
She had originally thought Jiang Cheng was going to say something profound.
She even looked at Jiang Cheng with a serious expression.
But she really didn't expect him to say that in the end.
Her expression instantly became quite a sight. She held it in for a moment but finally couldn't help herself.
"Damn!"
Seeing Xu Yan's reaction, Jiang Cheng burst into laughter.
He followed Xu Yan to a small table in an open-air shop with a long queue and sat down.
After sitting down, he spoke again, "What's there to mind? This is much more comfortable than sitting in those exquisitely decorated shops. Truly authentic food is hidden in places like this. When looking for food in a city, don't just focus on the fancy shops. You should go to morning markets and wet markets to find the most genuine atmosphere of life. By bringing me here, I think you really know your food."
Xu Yan believed that Jiang Cheng was being sincere.
But when she heard the words "know your food," she couldn't help but think back to when Jiang Cheng was bragging about his "breakfast trio."
She suddenly felt that in the future, whenever she heard those words, she might get the wrong idea.
Xu Yan gave him a private eye-roll and then shouted to the stall owner with practiced ease, "Two'standard sets'—two sugar oil cakes, two bowls of savory jellied tofu, and a side of shredded pickles!"
The stall owner responded briskly, and before long, a helper brought over a tray.
The golden sugar oil cakes were shiny and glistening, with a burnt aroma where the brown sugar had seeped through.
The jellied tofu sat tremulously in the bowl, topped with thick gravy, dried shrimp, and cilantro, its aroma wafting straight into their noses.
The sugar oil cake was so crispy that it crumbled upon the first bite.
Jiang Cheng chewed a few times and began to nod in praise.
"Mhm, it's indeed very good. Much more fragrant than the ones in chain stores. The dough is soft enough, and it's not too greasy."
Xu Yan watched him eat naturally, without the slightest hint of distaste.
The corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up.
While the two were eating, a polite voice came from above.
"Excuse me, may I share the table with you?"
Jiang Cheng, who was currently eating without much regard for his image, looked up and saw a very familiar face.
Xu Yan also recognized Lei Jun. After all, the success of Rice phones was due not only to the price but also largely to Lei Jun's marketing.
Xu Yan was naturally someone who enjoyed surfing the internet.
She had already been very surprised when she met Su Wan and Lei Jiaying earlier.
Her chopsticks froze against the rim of the bowl with a "clack," and her eyes widened.
Wasn't this President Lei, whom she always saw while browsing tech news?
In the heat of the moment, and given her naturally lively personality, she blurted out, "Are you OK?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Xu Yan froze.
Oh my god, how did I just say that to his face without thinking?
Her face turned red all the way to her ears in an instant, and she waved her hands frantically. "S-sorry, President Lei! I... I was just too surprised!"
Lei Jun was amused by this blunt reaction. Without any air of importance, he played along, "Yes, I'm OK."
Jiang Cheng's lips had already curled up at Xu Yan's "god-tier reaction." He now tilted his chin toward Lei Jun. "Please sit, President Lei. Space is tight at the morning market anyway."