On the way home, Pan Ge exhibited a joy that was visible to the naked eye.

Humming a tune, hopping and skipping, childishly stepping on the floor tiles.

This was the first time Han Lie had seen this side of her. Very adorable.

Gradually, Han Lie's mood was lifted by her, and a genuine smile touched his lips.

When they arrived at the building of their residential complex, Pan Ge suddenly wasn't in a hurry to go up anymore. She turned around, hands clasped behind her back, looked straight at Han Lie, and asked him a question.

"Do you think I'm being disobedient today, having too many wild ideas, and can't wait to interfere with your life just after gaining a little bit of status?"

Pan Ge rarely had such serious conversations with Han Lie.

Between them, conversations that touched the depths of the soul were few. More often, they observed each other, overturning their original judgments and forming new understandings amid their clashes…

Today was a good opportunity, and Han Lie suddenly wanted to talk to her too.

"Not at all."

Han Lie shook his head. "I'll have to marry a woman eventually. If it's you, there's nothing bad about that. We're a good match, aren't we?"

Pan Ge smiled happily, then pursed her lips to complain, "You match well with anyone... Your level is just too high; my mom doesn't even permit me to control you too much or mess around with you..." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"But I have received so much help and favor from Uncle Pan and Auntie Zhao, as well as your indulgence."

Han Lie didn't refute her but took a different angle to give her a positive response. "An honest heart for an honest heart, isn't that right?"

"Yes!"

Pan Ge cheered up again, the tiny unease and anxiety in her heart quickly dissipating.

When Han Lie isn't being a sly dog, he's truly warm and radiates the unique charm of a mature man from the inside out.

Pan Ge thought for a moment, tilted her head, and asked, "But you're really complicated... Sometimes I really can't figure out if you have a strong sense of responsibility or absolutely none at all. How do you view responsibility?"

Han Lie pondered this question for a moment.

He had an answer but wasn't sure to what extent he should explain it to Pan Ge.

After some thought, he decided to tell her the truth.

Whether she could truly understand was her affair, but his attitude in conveying it—that was on him.

So, in a quiet voice, he carefully explained his thoughts on this matter.

"Living in this world, one inevitably has to take on certain responsibilities—towards one's children, spouse, parents, subordinates, society, the nation…

As a corporate wage slave, taking good care of one's immediate family is enough.

As a small business owner, providing a few jobs to support families and paying taxes according to the law naturally contributes to society.

If one achieves even greater success, doing a bit of charity within one's means—building a school or repairing a road for one's hometown, for instance—benefits the local community and brings more peace of mind than worshipping any deity.

When one reaches a certain height, one starts to contemplate how to realize greater life values.

The 'Zuo Zhuan,' in the 24th Year of Duke Xiang, states: 'The highest ideal is to establish virtue, next is to establish meritorious acts, and after that, to establish words. Even after a long time, they will not be abandoned; this is called immortality.'

Some aspects of Confucianism are quite dogmatic. However, its core philosophy has shaped the soul of our nation for millennia and also points directly to an individual's ultimate path.

I've never thought about being a sage; living like that is too exhausting. But I, too, want to pursue self-actualization.

On a smaller scale, I need to take good care of my immediate family, reciprocate to everyone who has helped me, believed in me, and loved me, and uphold the most basic responsibilities and virtues of being human.

On a larger scale, I need to learn to be a leader, guide my team and partners to achieve something significant, establish deep roots at a certain level of society, then spread our influence and earn the respect we deserve..."

Pan Ge had stopped in her tracks, listening intently to Han Lie's narration.

In the past, she'd had no interest in such topics—what was all this talk about value realization? What did it have to do with her, a bored young lady with more money than she could spend?

But now, because of Han Lie, not only was she listening very carefully, she even began to think along.

The reason was simple: her life was about to become completely intertwined with Han Lie's. Therefore, his mission would also be her mission. What was there to fear about not having a goal? She just had to follow him!

"You are already on the right path."

The petite Pan Ge, feigning seriousness, solemnly nodded, indicating that she was thinking about it and agreed wholeheartedly.

Ah, she was adorable to the extreme...

Han Lie laughed, feeling both happy and at ease, and then naturally continued talking.

"...Next, on a higher level, I also want to do something for this country, this nation.

It might sound somewhat lofty and hollow, but this sense of belonging and national identity is a peculiar thing. We hardly think about it in daily life, perhaps even scoff when others bring it up. Yet, at truly critical moments, the spontaneous actions of most descendants of Yan and Huang reveal that we have always been strongly and profoundly influenced by it.

Western values don't quite align with this. They tend to prioritize the 'self' above all, placing the individual over everything else in pursuit of absolute freedom…"

In theory, Han Lie, as someone with extraordinary advantages, was the most qualified to proclaim, "I am the world."

However, as someone who truly understood philosophy, sociology, and the laws governing the world, he was acutely aware of his roots.

"You know what?

Without this nation, without this land, no amount of success would ever make me happy."