He looked down on people who sucked up to him just for money. Han Lie was almost the first one who respected him purely for who he was; no wonder they became friends soon after they met.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Yuan also agreed, "That kid is the grateful type. Zhao Anni and her husband treated him with sincerity, and as soon as he made some money, he returned two generous gifts to the Pan Family. He's truly exceptional. Since you two get along, you should maintain a gentlemanly friendship. Try to engage less in financial exchanges and help each other out in different aspects... If there's something you don't want to bother your family with, it's also good to consult with Han Lie. According to Annie's description, that kid is quite capable and now he has spread his wings..."

"Great!"

Chu Liang nodded happily, feeling that his day to achieve great things was just around the corner.

...

Meanwhile, Zhao Anni "dragged" her sisters out to soak in a private hot spring, waving her hands at Han Lie and Pan Ge, "You two go home, we have another party to get to..."

Watching those aunties with their ashen faces, clearly not wanting to go yet forcing smiles, Pan Ge almost laughed herself onto the floor.

On the way home, she chattered away to Han Lie non-stop.

"My mom hasn't been this smug in a long time. I'm not exactly a child to boast about, with mediocre grades and no special talents. Aside from being pretty enough to be praised, I'm not really outstanding among the younger generation.

But you're different!

You've made my mom so proud!

In the past, she was arrogant and wouldn't listen to anyone because she was strong, with a quick wit and a sharp tongue.

Today is different, though; today was an outright triumph! Wow! It's the first time I've realized that I have such a strong vanity! I'm so happy, so happy, so happy! MWAH! Lil Lie, you performed very well today. This Queen is most pleased... So, what reward would you like? This Queen shall grant whatever you wish!"

The dog of a man, nuzzled and rubbed by her, already had a belly full of fire. At her words, he immediately whispered something into her ear.

"Ah? There, there, and there...?"

She was dumbfounded.

After much hemming and hawing, she suddenly threw herself into Han Lie's arms, cooing, "No, don't~~~~"

Goodness, the twists and turns in her refusal were endless.

So Han Lie immediately understood—she was just too embarrassed and couldn't bring herself to say yes; her rejection wasn't that strong.

With a woman's 'no,' you have to listen to the tone, not just the literal words.

"We're not going home! To the Banyan Tree!"

The rascal immediately seized the opportunity, instructing the driver to change course and head straight for the hotel suite.

Pan Ge immediately warned Han Lie fiercely, "If you dare do that to me, I'll fight you!"

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it!

Han Lie nodded nonchalantly, not taking her seriously at all.

If you truly didn't want to, why not tell the driver to take you home, huh? Honestly, all bark and no bite!

...

The delightful yet absurd night passed quickly. The next morning, Han Lie got up full of energy and headed straight to the office.

Pan Ge? That little lightweight was completely wiped out. If she could even revive by noon, it would speak volumes about her constitution.

Arriving at the company, Han Lie tossed a Tiffany invitation to Jiao Fangyan, gave her a few instructions, and then started dealing with various tasks.

There was no need to bother with stocks; just wait for the index to bounce back to 2,200 points and exit the market mindlessly. Assigning Jiao Fangyan to do such work was somewhat an underuse of her talents.

She herself was more interested in the Tiffany salon, flipping through the invitation with a face full of joy.

"Ah! A small jewelry exhibition! I think I've heard someone mention this before... However, wasn't it supposed to be organized by Cartier?"

This is the typical level of information for a regular white-collar worker. They have a rough idea, but the details are all fuzzy, only receiving more concrete descriptions several days after the event.

"Cartier had one too, but it ended yesterday," Han Lie explained casually. "I spent a bit at Tiffany's, so this invitation comes with some special offers. You can ask the staff about them when you're there. Hmm, consider it an extra gift for your diligent and outstanding work."

Jiao Fangyan happily gestured an OK sign.

"It says I can bring someone along. A best friend or a boyfriend, right?"

Han Lie looked up, puzzled, "Where did you get a boyfriend from?"

Jiao Fangyan rolled her eyes at him and, without a reply, turned and sashayed out the door.

Not long after, Lü Shuli arrived with a stack of documents. The legal paperwork for the two major projects, if piled up, would be taller than a person; she couldn't carry it all herself and could only bring the most important ones for her report.

After some discussion, finding no issues, Han Lie handed out another invitation, this one to a Van Cleef & Arpels event.

"Thank you!"

Lü Shuli smiled brightly, her large eyes fixed on Han Lie's face, shining with keen interest.

"Don't mention it. Just go and have fun."

Next, Han Lie had Cheng Shi run errands, delivering all the invitations that could be sent out. Tang Xintian received one too, also for Van Cleef & Arpels.

Today, Pan Ge would likely join Zhao Anni at Tiffany's to join in on the excitement. Jiao Fangyan could go, but it wouldn't be very convenient for Tang Xintian.

Among the remaining people, there was no need to bother with the house guardian beast, but a Van Cleef & Arpels invite could be saved for Ding Xiang.

Nearing noon, Han Lie sent a WeChat message to Ding Xiang. After waiting a few minutes without a reply, he picked up his suitcase and drove straight to the Banyan Tree.

He picked up the limp Pan Ge and took her home, only to find Panzi wasn't there.

Well, you can't blame me for what happens next...

With the help of his mischievous little accomplice, Pan Ge, Han Lie opened the door to the collection room, then the glass door of the dust-proof chamber. After rummaging around, he found two watches suitable for middle-aged men. One Rolex and one Cartier fashion watch—not too pricey, but both quite hard to come by.

Han Lie was feeling guilty and was about to slip away, but Pan Ge absolutely wouldn't let him.

"Now that you're here, don't be shy!"

So, she dug out a box of hard-to-get tea, two bottles of vintage Moutai, a string of unworn pearls, a full box of Cuban cigars, and a set of tea ware that Panzi cherished so much he himself was reluctant to use it...

By the time Han Lie left, he had an extra suitcase in hand.

Then he merrily headed straight for the airport.

After a semester of gallivanting that had brought about earth-shattering changes in his life, it was now time to return to his hometown in wealth and splendor.

---

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