So she’s not unaware of her own feelings, and not so entirely sheltered that she can’t interpret what he’s faux-putting down. (The “uncle” also indicates he’s aware of his feelings, but I feel that was pretty clear from the start, the dude’s an adult after all; he’s just mature, responsible, and caring enough to not let meat-impulses dictate his actions.)
I’m not tired of the same joke being repeated yet, the execution has been good enough that even knowing what the basic setup and punchline is before I see it doesn’t ruin it. Sleeping Princess and Bakarina also repeat the same joke over and over, it it works for them too. When a single gimmick is your central premise, it’s no longer something to be changed lightly.