As mentioned before, in the United States, you're expected to drive a car that suits the occasion. If you're picking someone up from the airport or commuting to work, you're supposed to drive a sedan. Otherwise, you might come off as insincere when picking someone up, or seem out of place at work.
If you're picking up kids from school, the unspoken rule is to drive an MPV—a business-style family van. Not doing so might suggest that you don't prioritize your children's safety, and in some cases, might even draw unwanted attention from the police. Of course, that's partly because families in the U.S. tend to have more children.
If you're heading out for a trip or outdoor activity, an SUV is the standard. Not driving one might make you look unprofessional or just not "in the know"—something people will notice and potentially laugh at.
So in the U.S., people generally drive a car that matches what they're doing, unless they're truly strapped for cash and only own one car. Otherwise, not having the right vehicle for the occasion might make people raise their eyebrows. Cars are relatively inexpensive in America, so this kind of specialization is more common.
But in China, the mindset is different. People care more about the car's brand and price tag than what it's being used for.
Drive a Rolls-Royce on a casual outing? No one will laugh—they'll admire you. Pick someone up from the airport in a G-Class AMG SUV, which starts at two million yuan, and they won't feel insulted. On the contrary, they'll be thrilled and probably strike up a conversation about how much your car is worth.
This isn't about East versus West in a cultural sense—it's simply because China doesn't have a deep-rooted car culture. That's the real difference.
When it comes to etiquette and social graces, Chinese families—especially those with long-standing traditions—often surpass their Western counterparts in attention to detail. But when it comes to cars, there's far less concern for appearances, and those who do care aren't always the truly wealthy. At least in the Ai family, no one cares about those kinds of things.
"Let's go with an SUV. It's roomy, comfortable to drive, and performs well even on bumpy rural roads." After scanning the options, Jiang Hai had already made up his mind.
"You want an SUV? They've been really popular lately. Let me show you some options," the sales assistant responded enthusiastically. Although he wasn't especially slick or charming, he was attentive and quickly led Jiang Hai and his friends toward the SUV section.
Thanks to the SUV craze in China in recent years, many domestic models have adopted SUV-like designs—even if what's under the hood is a different story.
This dealership stocked mostly domestic cars, and that applied to their SUV inventory too.
The most affordable model was the Mustang F10, priced at 45,000 yuan. Other brands included Zotye, Zhishang, Senya, Beiqi Huansu, Haval H1, Shenbao, Changhe, Maiwei, Zhongxing, Changan, Yingzhi, Ruifeng, Lifan, Shuiyuan, Shengtanfei, Ouliwei, Great Wall, Zhanqi, Junpai… there were countless options under 100,000 yuan.
Ai Xiaohui felt a bit overwhelmed. He had thought about buying a car before, but now that it was actually happening, he wasn't sure what to choose.
After walking around and seeing the options, Jiang Hai realized Ai Xiaohui was still undecided, so he decided to help.
Although Jiang Hai wasn't concerned about the cost, this wasn't a car for personal enjoyment—it was a business tool meant to attract customers. Dropping over a million yuan just to impress people would be excessive.
So, he narrowed the price range to between 100,000 and 200,000 yuan. There were still plenty of options in that bracket—Haval's H6 and H7, Geely's Boyue, Nissan's Qashqai (though he ruled that one out), Jeep's Renegade, Ford's Kuga, and more. Jiang Hai was partial to the Haval series, the Renegade, and the Kuga.
But he also wanted something that could be purchased immediately.
In the end, the only immediately available model was the Haval H6, with a six-speed automatic transmission and a standard sunroof, priced at 126,800 yuan.
If registered with a rural household registration, there was a 5% discount—saving 6,340 yuan.
Although insurance, registration, and taxes weren't cheap, Jiang Hai didn't care about those minor costs. Since he was buying the car for Ai Xiaohui, he just swiped his card and paid in full.
The dealership operated efficiently. In no time, the paperwork was processed, and they had a temporary license plate ready. The purchase tax was also handled on-site, thanks to an in-house tax bureau office.
Once everything was settled, they drove directly to the local vehicle management office to register the car. On the way, they filled up the tank. After paying the required fees, choosing a license plate was simple—the plate would be mailed to Ai Xiaohui's house within fifteen days. Or, he could come pick it up himself.
By then, it was nearly ten o'clock. Jiang Hai still wanted to head back to the sea, so he urged the others to hurry. They made a quick stop at the market to pick up Ai Xiaoxi's father before leaving town.
However, when they arrived, the usual spot where Ai Xiaoxi's father set up his stall was swarmed with people—three rows deep.
"What's going on?" Jiang Hai muttered, eyes narrowed. He stood tall and had sharp hearing, and he could faintly hear shouting from the crowd.
"Hey, Xiaohui, your dad got into it with Zhang Hao. You better go check it out!" a woman on the edge of the crowd recognized Ai Xiaohui and shouted anxiously.
The moment they heard there had been a confrontation, Ai Xiaoxi and Ai Xiaohui became visibly alarmed and tried to push through the crowd. But one was a woman and the other weak and sick—it wasn't easy.
That's where Jiang Hai stepped in.
Using one arm to shield Ai Xiaoxi, he told Ai Xiaohui to follow close behind and began pushing forward through the crowd.
Jiang Hai's strong presence made the onlookers give way. When they realized Ai Xiaohui was involved, most people fell silent. They were just there to watch—no need to get involved.
Eventually, the three squeezed into the center of the commotion—and Jiang Hai frowned at the sight.
Though most of the leeks from the stall had been sold, many were scattered on the ground. The two baskets were broken, the carrying pole flung far off. Ai Xiaoxi's father was being grabbed by a burly man over 1.8 meters tall. His clothes were disheveled and smudged with dirt and shoe prints. Behind the man stood a few street-thug types, jeering and swearing.
The big man, face twisted with anger, clenched a fist and shouted at the elderly man.
"You old fart, do you know how much this shirt cost? You scratched it! You're not leaving without paying me ten thousand yuan!"
"I didn't scratch it—you tore it yourself!" Ai Xiaoxi's father, usually quiet, stood his ground. Shandong men were known for being stubborn and proud. Admitting fault wasn't easy for them.
"You damn geezer!" the man cursed and swung his fist toward the old man—but a strong hand caught his arm mid-swing.
"Huh?" The man looked up in surprise to see Jiang Hai towering over him—well over 1.9 meters tall and clearly muscular. For a moment, he hesitated. Jiang Hai took that chance to pull Ai Xiaoxi's father to safety.
"Uncle, are you okay?"
"Dad, are you hurt?"
"Dad! Those bastards!"
Relieved that their father was safe, Ai Xiaohui and Ai Xiaoxi rushed over. Ai Xiaohui looked ready to fight, but Jiang Hai stopped him.
"Oh, your family's here now? That makes things easier," the man sneered. "Your dad tore my shirt, and I want ten thousand for it. I paid twelve grand for this shirt—it's already been worn, so I'll give you a discount. Ten thousand will do. If you can't pay… your daughter's kinda cute. How about we have some fun with her instead?"
"Brother Hao, they're locals…" one of his underlings whispered, sensing that things were escalating dangerously.
"So what if they are? We're just messing around—it's not like we're going to hurt anyone. And even if we did, who's going to know? Worst case, toss the girl a couple hundred when we're done," Zhang Hao scoffed. His cronies laughed along with him.
Ai Xiaoxi's face turned cold, her whole body trembling with rage. Jiang Hai, seeing this, gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. Since her father wasn't injured, there was no need for restraint anymore.
He stepped forward.
"How much did you say your shirt cost?" Jiang Hai asked, pointing at the supposed damage.
"Ten thousand," Zhang Hao replied arrogantly. "What, you planning to pay up?"