After dinner, Pan Ge was very enthusiastic about wanting to take Han Lie shopping. Her exact words were, "Come on, my dear, let me take you shopping!" The implication was that she intended to dip into her own coffers to spruce Han Lie up, giving off quite the sugar mommy vibes.
Unfortunately, Han Lie was not appreciative. I'm a man of professional ethics (?), you know? I only accept cash, not gifts. What's the difference? If you give me money, I buy what I need myself; I have experience. If you spend your money to buy everything I need, it reduces my own need to spend, and I don't gain any 'shopping experience' myself. What's the point of that? Besides, who knows if you're dragging me shopping just to mix business with pleasure, to keep me out all afternoon... A woman's shopping prowess? Brother Lie has no desire to experience that.
So Han Lie turned her down flat, but he phrased it beautifully.
