Chapter 33 Tang Hui Refuses to Become Elegant

Tang Hui spent exactly three seconds considering Moonheart Peak robes before deciding the entire concept sounded financially dangerous.

“No.”

Luo Ming looked amused already. “You haven’t even seen the options yet.”

“I know enough.”

Tang Hui pointed accusingly toward him from behind the consultation table.

“Elegant inner peak clothing always costs spirit stones.”

“A tragic truth.”

“And once cultivators start talking about tailoring, disaster follows naturally.”

Several nearby female disciples looked deeply offended.

Tang Hui ignored them.

The matchmaking pavilion remained crowded despite the afternoon heat spilling across the market streets. Festival banners fluttered overhead while disciples continued wandering through the outer plaza carrying lanterns, flower branches, and unresolved emotional issues.

Business showed no signs of slowing.

If anything, the Moonheart Peak invitation had made things worse.

Now every disciple entering the pavilion looked at Tang Hui with alarming admiration.

“Senior Sister Tang truly ascended socially.”

“She’s practically inner sect now.”

“She’ll probably become an elder eventually.”

Tang Hui physically covered her face.

“No one say things like that around me.”

Old Chen snorted loudly from beside his artifact stall.

“You should surrender already. The sect has decided you’re important.”

“I reject the sect’s decision.”

“Too late.”

Unfortunately accurate.

Tang Hui sighed before returning attention to the consultation slips piled across her desk.

One particularly dramatic note caught her eye.

[Senior Sister Tang, if someone remembers your favorite tea after hearing it only once, does this mean anything?]

Tang Hui stared at the paper.

Then slowly looked up toward the disciple waiting anxiously nearby.

“Yes.”

The girl blinked. “…That quickly?”

“People remember details when they care.”

The girl immediately turned bright red while nearby disciples started whispering excitedly again.

Tang Hui leaned back in her chair.

Honestly, these consultations became easier every day.

Cultivators really did reveal themselves constantly through small actions.

Who walked slower beside certain people.

Who noticed discomfort immediately.

Who remembered preferences without being asked twice.

Affection rarely appeared dramatically at first.

Usually it arrived quietly.

Then ruined people’s emotional stability afterward.

Tang Hui accepted payment before glancing toward Lin Qingyue, who currently helped organize appointment slips beside the pavilion windows.

“Question,” Tang Hui said suddenly.

Lin Qingyue looked up. “Hm?”

“When did you first realize Gu Beichen liked you?”

The entire pavilion became silent instantly.

Lin Qingyue nearly dropped the consultation records.

Outside, several disciples visibly leaned closer to the windows.

Gu Beichen himself had not arrived yet.

Unfortunate timing for him.

Lin Qingyue’s face turned pink almost immediately. “Why are you asking that here?”

“Professional curiosity.”

“You’re smiling.”

Tang Hui corrected herself immediately into a solemn expression.

“Professional solemn curiosity.”

No one believed her.

Lin Qingyue lowered her voice slightly while attempting dignity.

“…I wasn’t certain for a long time.”

Tang Hui nodded knowingly.

Expected answer.

Lin Qingyue hesitated briefly before continuing more softly.

“But eventually I noticed he always appeared whenever I needed help.”

The surrounding disciples collectively dissolved emotionally.

Tang Hui watched her carefully.

Interesting—not interesting.

Subtle.

Better word.

Lin Qingyue herself seemed faintly embarrassed by the attention now, but her expression softened unconsciously while speaking.

“He remembered things I mentioned casually,” she admitted. “Even small things.”

Tang Hui rested her chin against one hand thoughtfully.

There it was again.

Not grand gestures.

Consistency.

People always underestimated consistency.

Before the pavilion could spiral deeper into emotional atmosphere, another figure appeared outside the entrance.

Tang Hui looked up automatically—

then narrowed her eyes immediately.

Three female disciples stood there carrying folded fabric bundles and expressions of terrifying determination.

Ah.

Absolutely not.

The lead disciple smiled brightly.

“Senior Sister Tang! We heard about the Moonheart Peak invitation.”

Tang Hui instantly became wary.

“That sentence already sounds expensive.”

The disciples ignored her resistance and marched directly into the pavilion.

“We brought robe suggestions!”

Tang Hui stood immediately.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I refuse decorative suffering.”

One disciple unfolded shimmering pale robes embroidered with silver cloud patterns.

Several spectators gasped aloud.

Tang Hui looked personally betrayed by the fabric.

“That robe alone probably costs more than my courtyard.”

“Senior Sister Tang,” another girl insisted, “you can’t attend Moonheart Peak dressed like this.”

Tang Hui looked down at herself defensively.

Her robes were clean.

Mostly.

“Outer disciple robes possess emotional sincerity.”

“They possess visible stitching damage.”

Rude.

Correct, but rude.

Before Tang Hui could continue resisting, laughter drifted from the pavilion entrance again.

Luo Ming.

Of course.

The man stepped inside while immediately surveying the unfolding chaos with delight.

“Oh?” he mused. “The transformation process already began?”

“There is no transformation process.”

The female disciples disagreed loudly.

Qin Yue entered several moments later—and unfortunately paused after seeing the robe bundles.

Tang Hui noticed the faint shift in her expression instantly.

No.

Absolutely not.

She refused involvement in whatever expression that was.

One of the disciples hurried toward Qin Yue hopefully.

“Senior Sister Qin, please help us convince Senior Sister Tang!”

Traitors everywhere.

Qin Yue’s gaze moved calmly over Tang Hui’s current robes.

Then toward the elegant fabric displayed across the tables.

Finally, back toward Tang Hui herself.

The silence lasted just long enough to become threatening.

Tang Hui pointed immediately.

“Don’t.”

Qin Yue ignored her completely.

“The blue one suits her better.”

Silence.

Complete silence.

Even Old Chen stopped moving outside.

Tang Hui stared blankly.

“…What?”

One disciple gasped dramatically. “Senior Sister Qin has taste!”

Qin Yue looked mildly regretful immediately afterward, as though realizing she accidentally participated socially.

Too late now.

Luo Ming outright laughed beside the doorway.

Dangerous man.

The blue robes in question rested folded near the edge of the table—deep twilight blue threaded with subtle silver embroidery along the sleeves and collar. Elegant without appearing excessively formal.

Tang Hui hated that Qin Yue was probably correct.

Which made this significantly worse.

The surrounding disciples already looked ready to force a fitting session physically.

Tang Hui prepared for tactical retreat.

Unfortunately—

Gu Beichen arrived at exactly the wrong moment.

He stepped into the pavilion, glanced once at the displayed robes, then calmly toward Tang Hui.

And without hesitation said:

“The blue one does suit you.”

The pavilion exploded.

Tang Hui nearly flipped the consultation table herself.