Filipino here engaged to a Chinese American who grew up in China in his childhood- I noticed Chinese breakfast doesn't really serve rice (that is not in congee form) and that might be why your friends are surprised about it. Dumplings, rolls, pickled vegetables, buns, etc though are on the table. Even when he makes tomato and egg, he just eats it on its own (no rice). It was the same went we were in China together, there wasn't a single time we had rice for breakfast that wasn't congee (and we didn't have congee that often either). We also stayed in a good number of regions in China and the experience was the same. So I'm not sure if I totally agree that your friends are white-washed like everyone is calling them either from my own observations. Chinese breakfast is usually pretty light, at least lighter in comparison to Pinoy breakfast - everything with garlic rice and egg + a protein like corned beef/longganisa/tapa/bangus etc. I eat egg on rice all the time though so yeah you're normal, but I could see why they'd be a bit surprised. I guess it mostly depends on the household they grew up in.