"Henry, are you sure it's okay? Maybe it's something urgent or important," Aether Hepburn asked, puzzled as he half-pushed her along.
Henry was tempted to say, Ever heard of the trick they pulled on Lin Chong at White Tiger Hall in Water Margin?
But explaining all that to someone unfamiliar with the story would be far too much trouble. Henry hadn't forgotten the lesson another Hepburn woman had taught him: one casual love story had turned into a regular daily chore.
He could have explained it as a possible scheme, but Henry chose another approach. "Let me tell you something I only figured out after years in Hollywood.
"Respect goes both ways. If the person inviting you respects you, he'll explain what he wants and why. Unless the two of you are so close that you don't need to explain anything, of course.
"If all he sends is a one-line summons with no explanation, that's basically how you call a dog. He either assumes you can't understand words or thinks you don't matter enough to deserve an explanation.
"Some people worry, 'If I don't do as he says, will he make trouble for me?' Honestly, you're overthinking it. If it's important, he'll come himself or send someone again. This time, they'll explain things and ask you properly. If it isn't important, a polite refusal won't provoke any drastic response.
"And if he meant to cause you trouble from the start, things will turn ugly no matter how you answer. In that case, refusing to play by his rules is your best option.
"So you see, a simple, polite refusal can save you a lot of trouble. More importantly, it tells the other person to show some respect. If you're already afraid something bad will happen unless you obey him, you've