"I feel that if such an item hasn't sold well within a few years of its creation, then its cost-effectiveness upon sale wouldn't be high. Discounting it would harm the brand's high-end image. Not discounting it makes it genuinely hard to sell. So, they might as well keep it for themselves, slap a 'not for sale' tag on it, constantly take it to exhibitions, and thereby elevate the brand's status. With prestige maxed out, they don't even need to issue press releases; customers will naturally hype it up for them. Then, they make money through other series and private custom orders."

"I always thought Cartier's brand premium was too steep. A rose gold bracelet without diamonds costs tens of thousands, and with just a few dozen small diamonds, they dare to sell it for six figures. And yet, so many yuppies chase after them. Where do they all come from?"

"History, story, tone…"

"Repeated brainwashing and reinforcement added too much of a sentiment-driven bubble to these relatively ordinary mass-produced items."

"In conclusion, it's nothing more than two words."

Pan Ge, with a tacit understanding, picked up the conversation, "Marketing!"

"So smart!"

Han Lie chuckled and wrapped an arm around her waist in an encouraging gesture.

Han Lie's Level 3 marketing knowledge wasn't particularly profound, but his conceptual framework was largely complete. Coupled with his future foresight and experience, his perspective and depth in analyzing issues were already quite commendable.

Pan Ge, on the other hand, possessed an impressive astuteness cultivated by her family environment, exhibiting a maturity and wisdom far beyond her years.

This girl is truly remarkable, Han Lie thought. If a self-made man starting from scratch could marry such a woman, he wouldn't trade her for a 'fairy sister' plus Nazha, even if they were offered for free. Those other two are flighty and problematic; they can't even manage their own careers, truly all beauty and no substance. Pan Ge's looks are no inferior to theirs, and she has brains and wealth to boot—simply irresistible. Except for the fact that she's not easy to fool, she's perfect in every way. But factoring in that she's not easy to fool... damn, suddenly she's not so alluring anymore.

Pan Ge didn't notice the silent lament of the scoundrel beside her. She happily continued holding his hand, leading him forward to look at more items.

"As long as we understand what's going on, if we feel it's not worth it, then we just don't buy it," she said. "When we've truly made it big later and don't care about such small sums, then we can splurge on a whole bunch of custom designs! Actually, this is no different from the high-end restaurants we frequent. When you can't afford it, you inevitably feel like you're paying an 'IQ tax.' When you can easily afford it, even if it's just for show, you'll still tout its ambiance, taste, and atmosphere. Go up another level, when you're earning money faster than you can spend it on food, you won't even bother mentioning it; you'll just consider it a necessary living expense. Humans, isn't that how we level up, step by step?"

Incredible, were these really the words of a nineteen-year-old girl?

Han Lie marveled internally once more. These rich heirs are truly a study in extremes. Some are unbelievably foolish, while others are so brilliant they defy imagination.

The ensuing conversation remained pleasant, growing increasingly so.

Objectively speaking, Pan Ge and Han Lie were very similar and, at their core, exceptionally compatible. Both were the type of intelligent, mature individuals who disliked constraints yet could face them squarely. Han Lie's strength lay in his experience and practical wisdom, while Pan Ge's was in her breadth of knowledge and vision. They complemented each other well, making it easy for them to connect deeply in conversation.

They looked and critiqued as they went, finding very, very few individual pieces that genuinely satisfied them both.

Not until they reached the contemporary exhibition hall and paused before the display case containing the glass-variety Imperial Green jadeite leaf bracelet.

Pan Ge merely glanced at the bracelet before stating definitively, "I like it."

Han Lie, feigning to see it for the first time, leaned in for a closer look, nodding in a seemingly appreciative manner. "It's stunning yet elegant, eye-catching yet restrained. Indeed, quite beautiful."

Under the lights, the jadeite leaves radiated a rich, translucent luster. The multi-layered structure prevented the delicate platinum chain from appearing too flimsy, with the leaves pleasingly scattered, lending it an appearance of moderate substance. The clasp was an unassumingly sized ruby, perfect in its clarity, color, and cut. The entire bracelet, featuring only these three colors, wasn't plain, yet it certainly wasn't flashy either. It was, simply put, just right.

If judged solely on the price of the gemstones, it clearly wasn't worth 2.88 million. However, considering its unique artistry and how it would look when worn, Han Lie believed it would suit Pan Ge perfectly.

Most likely, Pan Ge thought so too. She lingered there the longest, observing it with the utmost care.

Finally, she turned back to Han Lie, remarking, "It's truly beautiful. The best one so far."

Han Lie feigned ignorance, simply nodding. "Mhm, agreed!"

Pan Ge couldn't discern anything from his expression, so, her suspicion piqued, she continued looking.

After completing a full circuit, she found two more pieces of jewelry that caught her eye: a necklace and a butterfly brooch.

"It's one of these three!" she declared with certainty.

But when it came to playing dumb, Han Lie was a professional.

"Which three?" he asked, his expression of perplexity and the slight furrow of his brow as he pretended to recall looking utterly genuine.

Consequently, Pan Ge became even more convinced.

Playing dumb, are you? Heh, just watch how I expose you, she thought.

She pulled Han Lie over to the brooch's display case, wrapped her arms around him from behind, slipped her hand into his shirt, and pressed it against his left chest.

"Is it this one? Answer me, yes or no."

"No." Han Lie was very firm.

It was the same for the next two items; when asked, the answer was a steadfast no.

Han Lie felt confident he had his heartbeat under perfect control, showing no signs of faltering. But then, Pan Ge suddenly asked out of the blue, "Exactly how much did you spend? Answer me now!"

"Uh..."

Han Lie faltered, nearly losing his composure.

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