Chapter 17 Tang Hui Meets the Most Difficult Kind of Romance

Tang Hui returned to the outer sect that evening carrying emotional stress instead of spirit stones.

This deeply offended her expectations.

Normally, matchmaking consultations followed relatively predictable patterns.

One person liked another person.

The second person usually liked them back.

Both parties then proceeded to behave like emotionally unstable spirit beasts until Tang Hui forced them into proper communication.

Simple.

Manageable.

Occasionally exhausting, but survivable.

Su Wan’s situation, however, felt entirely different.

Seven years.

Tang Hui still could not stop thinking about that number.

Seven years of uncertainty could hollow a person out slowly without anyone noticing.

The outer sect market had mostly emptied by the time she returned. Evening lanterns glowed warmly beneath the darkening sky while mountain mist drifted between distant sect peaks.

Old Chen glanced up from closing his stall.

“You look troubled.”

Tang Hui sat heavily beside her matchmaking sign.

“I encountered advanced emotional suffering.”

Old Chen nodded solemnly. “Inner sect problem?”

“How could you tell?”

“Outer disciples are loud about romance.” He snorted softly. “Inner disciples suffer quietly until everyone involved becomes miserable.”

Tang Hui reluctantly admitted that sounded accurate.

She rested her chin against the wooden table while staring absentmindedly at the spirit lantern hanging nearby.

Su Wan’s calm smile surfaced in her memory again.

Not dramatic.

Not resentful.

Just tired.

Tang Hui disliked it immediately.

Before opening her matchmaking pavilion, she had always assumed romance problems came from misunderstandings.

Now she was realizing something uncomfortable.

Sometimes people understood each other perfectly.

And still could not move forward.

Troublesome.

Very troublesome.

“…You’re unusually quiet,” Old Chen observed.

Tang Hui sighed.

“She likes him.”

“And?”

“She doesn’t know whether he likes her back.”

Old Chen looked unimpressed. “That describes half the cultivation world.”

“No, this is different.”

Tang Hui straightened slightly.

“He remembers everything about her. Protects her constantly. Stays beside her for years.” She frowned. “But she still isn’t certain.”

Old Chen paused mid-motion while storing artifacts.

“…Ah.”

Exactly.

That reaction.

Tang Hui pointed at him immediately. “See? Even you understand the problem.”

Old Chen sat down across from her stall with a more thoughtful expression now.

“Some people,” he said slowly, “become so accustomed to caring for someone that they stop questioning what the feeling means.”

Tang Hui blinked.

That was… unexpectedly insightful.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Why do you sound experienced?”

Old Chen instantly looked offended. “I am old, not emotionally deceased.”

Fair enough.

Before Tang Hui could continue interrogating him, hurried footsteps approached from the eastern street.

A familiar figure appeared moments later.

Xu Yelan.

The young inner sect disciple nearly rushed straight into Tang Hui’s stall before catching herself awkwardly.

“Junior Sister Tang!”

Tang Hui blinked in surprise. “Senior Sister Xu?”

Xu Yelan looked visibly flustered.

And slightly red-faced.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Old Chen quietly began unpacking tea again without even pretending to leave.

Shameless old man.

Xu Yelan lowered her voice slightly. “Something happened.”

Tang Hui immediately sat straighter.

Please let it be romantic progress.

She deserved emotional compensation after today.

“What happened?”

Xu Yelan hesitated briefly before speaking.

“Senior Brother Shen came to see me this morning.”

Tang Hui nodded patiently. “And?”

Xu Yelan’s expression became increasingly strange.

“He brought flowers.”

Tang Hui froze.

Old Chen nearly dropped his teacup.

“…Flowers?” Tang Hui repeated carefully.

Xu Yelan nodded weakly.

“Real flowers.”

Tang Hui stared at her blankly for several moments.

Wait.

No sword manuals?

No combat diagrams?

No spiritual circulation charts?

Actual flowers?

Impossible.

“Are you certain it was Shen Ruijin?” Tang Hui asked suspiciously.

Xu Yelan looked helpless. “Yes.”

Tang Hui immediately leaned forward. “Explain everything.”

Xu Yelan sat down across from the stall while nearby disciples instantly slowed their walking speed again.

Wordlessly.

Like trained vultures detecting gossip.

“Senior Brother Shen came to my courtyard early this morning,” Xu Yelan explained softly. “At first, I thought he brought another sword manual.”

Reasonable assumption.

“But instead…” She hesitated awkwardly. “He gave me spirit orchids.”

Tang Hui’s eyes widened slightly.

Spirit orchids were not casual gifts.

Not extremely expensive, but elegant. Meaningful.

More importantly—

romantic enough that even sword cultivators could not misunderstand the implication.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

“What did he say?” Tang Hui asked immediately.

Xu Yelan’s face turned even redder.

“He said…” She paused briefly. “‘Junior Sister Tang informed me women prefer flowers during courtship.’”

The entire market exploded with laughter.

Tang Hui physically covered her face.

Of course.

Of course that man repeated it directly.

Xu Yelan looked deeply embarrassed, though beneath the embarrassment Tang Hui noticed unmistakable happiness lingering around her expression.

Important detail.

“And then?” Tang Hui pressed.

Xu Yelan lowered her gaze toward the table.

“…Then he asked whether I would like to attend the lantern festival with him next week.”

The surrounding disciples collectively screamed.

Actually screamed.

Several female disciples grabbed each other violently while staring at Xu Yelan with emotional devastation.

Tang Hui herself looked mildly stunned.

Wait.

That progressed fast.

Extremely fast.

Shen Ruijin learned quickly too?

What was happening?

Did sword cultivators become terrifyingly efficient after finally understanding romance?

Dangerous information.

Xu Yelan twisted her sleeves nervously. “I… accepted.”

The surrounding disciples erupted again.

Tang Hui slowly leaned back in her chair.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Her reputation was becoming increasingly dangerous.

First Gu Beichen.

Now Shen Ruijin.

At this rate, Qingyun Sect’s entire inner sect would eventually start appearing at her stall seeking emotional guidance.

Actually—

Tang Hui’s expression suddenly sharpened slightly.

Wait.

Lantern festival.

That gave her an idea.

A very profitable idea.

Tang Hui slowly looked around the market.

Disciples everywhere.

Young cultivators.

Existing crushes.

Unresolved emotional disasters.

And soon—

a sect-wide lantern festival filled with romantic atmosphere.

Tang Hui’s eyes gradually brightened.

Old Chen noticed immediately and sighed.

“That expression again.”

Tang Hui stood abruptly.

“I need a bigger sign.”

Old Chen looked deeply concerned.

“What are you planning now?”

Tang Hui smiled slowly.

“The matchmaking pavilion,” she announced, “is about to launch festival services.”