You know why people go to cinema as first date last time?

Its for "accidental" physical contact (hand touch when eating popcorn) or even more hanky panky stuff. Nowadays with all the surveillance, people don't go there for initial dates anymore.

Convince yourself about your "ancient love" all you like, but know that it is a delusion. Its only something you tell yourself to make yourself feel better.

There are 2 things you need to do
1) Learn more about yourself so you become more confident in your own skin
2) Learn more about women and how to court them

Going extreme in either (1) or (2) is bad, but you do need to know how to do both and find your balance point. People like ramjade is very clear about who he is and also very clear about what he wants in a partner. However he's not so stupid to not put effort into some courtship and romance.

I'm not you, you are not me.

If you try to follow what I suggest, you'll fail. Just like if I follow ramjade's style, I'll also fail. I'm not so frugal like him

Figure yourself out first, the girls can come after that.

He is not going into defense mode la, its just you stuck in your perspective cannot understand where he is coming from.

I personally find his approach weird also, but it works for him. So who am I to judge? He knows what he wants in a partner, and he set out to get what he wants.

His "test" is straightforward, he bring the girl to a cheap place because he is showing her that's what life with him is going to be. He has mistakenly called it a "test", when in fact its really a demo/trial.

Using your version of a test and fit into his scenario. Would be more like he take her to somewhere cheap to "test" her, when normally in life he would go fancy place to makan. Protect himself from "gold-digger", but what if the girl is not a gold digger, but actually just don't like to eat fancy food? She might like to go cheap place, but now when in normal mode, he want to go makan fancy place will be incompatible in the relationship already. Stupid test.

Its the same with your AA test. What does it prove? A guy willing to go AA is stingy? No. You offered, he accepted; maybe he wanted to respect your autonomy? Just because he accepted doesn't mean he is stingy, and just because he paid doesn't mean he will continue to be generous. It is frankly a very stupid test; as most relationship tests are.

You want the guy to be a provider, nothing wrong with being upfront about it. Any guy who makes noise about it, that's their problem. It filters them out much faster also right

Sadly, the dating market is really f`ked up. I'm so glad that I'm no longer in it.

Its become quite common for fairly attractive ladies to go on dates specifically for free meals. Even in my time I know a few people who did stuff like that, but it was very rare. Dating apps has just made it too easy and common. These ladies would go out for meals with the simps, but have the fun part with their choice of mate.

Really? I think we shouldn't be that far in age, but during my time I used to chat up random people all the time. People are generally friendly, not as open as the aussies of course.

Once married already, takes effort to maintain sex life. That's just the reality of it, especially once kids come into the picture.

There's more to life and relationship than sex though, its not the only metric in a relationship.

Like I tried to explain

Its the confusion between test and trial.

He is giving them a trial of what life with him is like. A girl can also do the same to him and say "if you want to date me, take me somewhere nice". Which is fine if the girl expects that to be part of their relationship.

If you offer AA but actually want him to pay; as a test. Then all you're doing is setting up false expectations on both ends. Every guy knows this rule, and if they want to play the game, they just play it. No sincerity, no guarantee it will continue long term. On the girl's end, the test only provided short-term answer.

Testing in such a manner is failing strategy. Its also not a good way to start a relationship where you're constantly "testing" each other, no trust and honesty. So if you're "tested" in such a manner, I don't think its unreasonable to feel put off by it. Its a dishonest interaction, and would you want to be in a relationship like that long term?

Do the trial method instead and be clear with your expectations so everything moves on the right track.