The confusion goes away, but it's not really replaced by understanding. It's just the polite neutral again, which doesn't really show whether he believes that or not. (He doesn't, really.)

But if she doesn't want to tell him the truth, then he's probably not going to be able to tease the truth out of her. Conversation is not his strong point. So he nods a little. "Even when the place changes you," is all he prods with. "You like that."