Chapter 646 - 642: Good Things Are Just Different

"Wait a minute."

When Yvonne Sterling heard that Cecilia was going to get rid of all these clothes, she hurried over to rummage through them.

Finally, she pulled out a khaki-colored jacket.

She held it up and gave it a shake. The collar was already pilling, but it was clear from her expression that she cherished the garment.

"I have to keep this one. Sarah bought it for me last New Year’s with the money she earned from her part-time job. It wasn’t cheap."

Cecilia Sterling nodded in understanding. Of course, what her aunt considered "not cheap" couldn’t be measured by her own standards. A jacket like this would have cost a few hundred at most.

But her aunt was used to being frugal with clothes. Plus, in Veridia, people rarely wore expensive materials like down, wool, or fur, so a piece of clothing that cost a few hundred was already a huge luxury for her.

Besides, it was a gift from her daughter. Cecilia naturally wouldn’t object to her wanting to keep it.

Her aunt then held it up to her nose and sniffed it. Finding no strange smell, she slipped it on right then and there. "It’s so cold here in Lorcain. I think it’s about to snow. I’ll probably only get to wear this jacket for a few days this year."

"Does it look good, Cecilia?"

Cecilia pursed her lips into a smile and nodded. "It looks great."

The three of them went down to the underground garage and got into the Land Rover that Cecilia had bought for her uncle. Yvonne Sterling sat in the back with Cecilia and couldn’t help but laugh as soon as she got in. "You know the saying, ’a fine horse deserves a fine saddle,’ but your uncle has never driven a nice car before. It’s been days and he’s still not used to it. He used to be a terror on the road in our old family car, but now that he’s in a nice one, he’s so cautious you wouldn’t believe it. He’s terrified of getting a single scratch or dent."

Cecilia laughed at that. "Well, it’s just the beginning, so that’s to be expected. It’s better to be careful. The most important thing about driving is safety, after all."

Brendan Harris was touched. He was a man of few words and couldn’t express such sentimental feelings to Cecilia, but he was definitely happy and grateful on the inside.

"Cecilia, you really pulled out all the stops for me. Honestly, if we were going to get a new one, a car in the ten or twenty thousand range would have been more than enough. You went and got me one worth over two hundred thousand. I still feel like I’m dreaming."

"Uncle, you deserve it, so you should accept it with a clear conscience," Cecilia said. "Auntie and my mom are sisters, so it’s understandable that they’d support and help each other. But you’re different, Uncle. Not only have you never once complained, you’ve always taken such meticulous care of me, Lily, and Ethan. Sometimes, you treated us even better than Sarah and Ronald. I’ve kept all of that in my heart."

"I still remember one time when I was little, I had a high fever, and a typhoon hit Veridia. The wind was so strong that day it felt like it could sweep you right off your feet. You told my mom and my aunt to stay home while you took me to the hospital all by yourself."

Hearing this, a reminiscent smile appeared on Brendan Harris’s face. "That was so many years ago. You were only five or six, just old enough to start remembering things."

"But I remember it crystal clear."

Yvonne Sterling patted Cecilia’s hand, her expression one of gratification. "Auntie is so happy that you remember and appreciate your uncle’s kindness."

For so many years, Brendan Harris had been the only adult male breadwinner for the extended family. He did all the hard, tiring work without ever complaining. Sometimes, he was even more thoughtful and considerate of her sister’s family than she, the younger sister, was.

"Of course I remember. I’ll never forget it as long as I live."

「Ashford District, Starlight Crystal City.」

This was a massive crystal emporium that had just recently opened. Based on her aunt’s modern and cozy home decor, Cecilia thought some high-end crystal ornaments would look beautiful there.

"They sell crystal here?"

Yvonne Sterling was taken aback when she saw the huge logo. "What if we put it at home and it gets chipped or broken?"

"As long as you and Uncle don’t insist on doing all the house cleaning yourselves every day, it won’t get easily damaged just sitting there." Cecilia took her aunt’s arm. "Let’s go in and browse first. If we don’t find anything we like, we can go somewhere else. The grand opening for this place was a huge deal. I’ve been wanting to come ever since."

Yvonne Sterling could only nod in agreement, but she still had no concept of how much crystal cost. ’I just hope it’s not too expensive,’ she thought.

The moment they stepped through the main entrance, Yvonne Sterling and Brendan Harris were stunned by the sight inside the Crystal City Mall. The most prominent spots near the entrance were all occupied by the world’s most famous and luxurious crystal brands. The entire mall was decorated to be sparkling and translucent. The noon sun streamed in through glass panels everywhere, refracting into a myriad of colors as it hit the crystal.

"How magnificent. I had no idea it was so big inside," Brendan Harris remarked with a sigh.

"Auntie, you and Uncle take your time and look around. I’m going to the restroom," Cecilia said, pointing to the restroom sign. "There are several floors, so we can take our time and pick something you like."

Since they were already here, Yvonne Sterling didn’t want to be a killjoy. She nodded lightly. "Alright, we’ll look around here by the entrance while we wait for you."

The shops near the entrance were all top-tier crystal brands, as the prime locations were typically reserved for major names.

On the left and right were the Hermes of the crystal world—the king of luxury, "Valoria"—and the brand second only to "Valoria," "Lalique."

Yvonne Sterling and Brendan Harris wouldn’t have recognized any of these brands. Being closer to the right, they walked straight into the "Lalique" boutique.

There was only one other group of customers in the store, and the manager was personally assisting them.

"Honey, look at this vase!"

Women have always had a weakness for beautiful things. The craftsmanship of a major brand goes without saying; the colorful crystal pieces were captivating enough to win any woman’s heart just by being on display.

Men, however, are different. The first thing Brendan Harris did was walk over and look at the price tag. His eyes went wide. "Sixteen *thousand* dollars!"

"Wow, nice things really are different!" Yvonne Sterling exclaimed in awe. "I always thought crystal and glass were pretty much the same thing."

"How could they be the same?" Brendan Harris chuckled. "Think of how much glass you could buy for sixteen thousand dollars."

"This one’s beautiful too." Yvonne Sterling spotted a simulated coral piece made entirely of red gradient crystal. She subconsciously reached out and touched it gently. The crystal was cool and smooth—a completely different sensation from glass.

The manager, who was busy with another customer, only just noticed Yvonne Sterling and Brendan Harris. He offered a polite reminder, "Ma’am, please refrain from touching the crystal with your bare hands. The oils from your skin can affect the surface’s transparency. You’re welcome to wear the special gloves we provide to feel the texture and temperature of the crystal."

"Oh, I’m so sorry," Yvonne Sterling said, quickly apologizing.

The manager didn’t say anything further, simply turning his head toward the inner counter and calling out, "Abby, come out and assist the customers."

The salesperson named Abby looked up at the call, rolling her eyes in annoyance as she did. She had already noticed the two "customers" in their plain, even somewhat cheap-looking clothes.

’Calling them "customers" is a stretch,’ she thought. ’Look at them, so unsophisticated. There’s no way they’re going to buy anything. Can’t they see the price tags under the products?’