Chapter 49 Su Yan Starts Pushing Buttons Professionally

Tang Hui lasted approximately twelve minutes before deciding Su Yan was spiritually exhausting.

Not because he behaved rudely.

That would have been easier.

No—
the problem was that Su Yan remained charming while causing problems intentionally.

A terrifying skill.

The inter-sect welcoming banquet had relocated toward Qingyun Sect’s eastern cloud terraces by midday. Long jade tables stretched beneath hanging lantern canopies while disciples from multiple sects mingled across the gardens exchanging formal greetings and increasingly informal gossip.

Tang Hui should have remained unnoticed quietly.

Instead, she somehow became seated directly between Gu Beichen and Su Yan.

Clearly fate hated her personally.

“You seem tense,” Su Yan remarked pleasantly while accepting tea from a passing disciple.

Tang Hui smiled politely.

“You seem observant.”

“Usually.”

Dangerous answer.

Across the table, Luo Ming looked openly entertained already while Qin Yue maintained complete composure beside him.

Traitors.
Every single one.

Meanwhile Gu Beichen sat unusually silent beside Tang Hui.

Not cold silent.

Focused silent.

Tang Hui recognized the difference now.

Which unfortunately meant she also recognized the subtle tension around him whenever Su Yan leaned too close conversationally.

Ah.

Terrible.

Su Yan rested one arm lazily against the table while studying the surrounding banquet atmosphere.

“So this is the famous Matchmaking Pavilion influence.”

Tang Hui narrowed her eyes.

“That phrase continues sounding fake.”

“And yet half the disciples here keep looking toward you.”

Tang Hui immediately looked nowhere except her tea cup.

Because unfortunately—

he was correct.

Disciples from multiple sects openly observed her now with varying degrees of curiosity.

The rumors clearly spread beyond Qingyun already.

Spiritually horrifying development.

One Northern Sword Sect disciple nearby finally gathered enough courage to approach their table cautiously.

“Senior Sister Tang,” he began carefully, “is it true you can identify compatibility immediately?”

Tang Hui blinked once.

“…No.”

The disciple looked unconvinced.

“I heard you resolved an engagement dispute in under an hour.”

“That was because both parties still liked each other and simply refused communication.”

“Ah.”

The disciple looked enlightened immediately.

Tang Hui pointed at him.

“That expression suggests you learned nothing.”

Before the conversation could continue further, Su Yan suddenly asked casually:

“What about us?”

Dead silence.

Tang Hui slowly turned toward him.

“…Excuse me?”

Su Yan smiled into his tea cup.

“Compatibility analysis.”

Across the terrace, several nearby disciples physically stopped breathing.

Tang Hui stared blankly.

This man truly woke up every morning choosing emotional violence.

Luo Ming outright abandoned subtlety and laughed openly now.

Even Qin Yue looked mildly exhausted already.

Gu Beichen’s silence sharpened beside her.

Dangerous atmosphere increasing steadily.

Tang Hui folded her arms calmly.

“I don’t perform entertainment consultations.”

“A shame,” Su Yan replied smoothly. “I’m curious what conclusions you’d reach.”

Tang Hui narrowed her eyes harder.

Professional instincts screamed now.

Because this was not flirting exactly.

No—
Su Yan enjoyed provoking reactions socially.

Testing emotional structures.
Pushing boundaries lightly to see what moved.

And currently—

he was absolutely targeting Gu Beichen intentionally.

Tang Hui suddenly understood why these two irritated each other historically.

One emotionally restrained sword cultivator.

One emotionally perceptive menace.

Disastrous combination.

Before Tang Hui could redirect the conversation safely, Su Yan continued speaking lightly:

“Though honestly, I understand the fascination.”

Silence deepened instantly.

Tang Hui felt incoming catastrophe approaching spiritually.

Su Yan’s gaze rested on her openly now.

“You’re different from what I expected.”

Ah.

There it was.

The banquet terrace became unnaturally quiet around their section.

Tang Hui noticed several disciples pretending not to eavesdrop again.

Hopeless people.

She kept her expression perfectly calm anyway.

“And what exactly did you expect?”

Su Yan considered thoughtfully.

“Someone dramatic.”

Tang Hui snorted softly before stopping herself.

“Well there’s your mistake.”

The corners of Su Yan’s smile deepened.

Meanwhile beside her—

Gu Beichen finally spoke.

“She’s busy.”

Simple sentence.

Quiet tone.

But unmistakably territorial.

The surrounding atmosphere shifted immediately.

Su Yan noticed too.

Of course he noticed.

If anything, he looked even more entertained afterward.

Tang Hui internally screamed.

Because this man absolutely enjoyed emotional pressure dynamics.

“Busy?” Su Yan repeated lightly. “I only asked a question.”

Gu Beichen’s gaze remained steady.

“You ask too many.”

Ah.

Now they were sword fighting socially.

Wonderful.

Tang Hui drank tea aggressively while pretending she did not exist.

Across the table, Luo Ming looked moments away from spiritual ascension through amusement.

Qin Yue finally intervened before the situation worsened further.

“The welcoming banquet is not interrogation practice,” she said calmly.

Bless Qin Yue spiritually forever.

Su Yan leaned back slightly afterward.

“My apologies.”

Not sincere at all.

Tang Hui recognized playful retreat when she saw it.

The banquet resumed more normally afterward, though the atmosphere around their table remained subtly charged.

Disciples from different sects exchanged cultivation stories while musicians performed near the eastern terraces overlooking drifting cloud valleys below.

Beautiful scenery.

Terrible emotional environment.

Tang Hui focused desperately on logistics discussions instead of nearby dangerous men.

Unfortunately, this also failed eventually.

Because at some point during the banquet, one of the Northern Sword Sect disciples accidentally mentioned:

“Senior Brother Su rejected three marriage alliances last year.”

Tang Hui immediately noticed movement beside her.

Gu Beichen looked completely uninterested externally.

But his tea cup stopped moving briefly.

Ah.

Interesting.

No.

Wrong word.

Reactive.

Better.

Su Yan noticed too.

The man’s eyes flickered toward Gu Beichen for exactly one second before amusement sharpened again.

Tang Hui suddenly realized something horrifying:

These two communicated through micro-reactions like rival predators.

Terrible social skillset.

Before she could continue analyzing professionally, Su Yan turned toward her again unexpectedly.

“And what about you, Senior Sister Tang?”

Tang Hui distrusted that tone immediately.

“What about me?”

“Have you rejected many marriage proposals recently?”

Dead silence.

Absolute devastating silence.

Because unfortunately—

everyone at Qingyun Sect already knew the answer.

Tang Hui physically felt Gu Beichen go still beside her.

Ah.

Wonderful.

Public emotional warfare.

Tang Hui smiled thinly.

“Enough.”

Su Yan tilted his head slightly.

“For professional reasons?”

Tang Hui opened her mouth—

then paused.

Because suddenly, answering honestly felt dangerous.

Not because of Su Yan.

Because of Gu Beichen.

The awareness of him beside her suddenly felt far too strong beneath the lantern-lit banquet atmosphere.

Tang Hui looked down briefly at the untouched tea in her hands.

Then quietly answered:

“…Because I wasn’t interested.”

Silence followed.

Soft.
Heavy.
Different from before.

And beside her—

for the first time that entire banquet—

Gu Beichen visibly relaxed.