Chapter 8 Gu Beichen Receives Terrible News

By the time Tang Hui returned to the outer sect market, half the disciples there were already waiting for her.

The moment she appeared, the crowd instantly surrounded her stall.

“Well?!”

“What happened at the medicine hall?”

“Does Senior Sister Lin actually hate him?”

“Did Senior Brother Gu cry?”

Tang Hui looked deeply offended. “Why would he cry?”

A disciple hesitated. “…His face always looks one emotional tragedy away from rain.”

Honestly, that was fair.

Tang Hui squeezed through the crowd and sat behind her stall with the exhausted expression of someone carrying the emotional stability of two sect geniuses entirely alone.

Old Chen glanced at her from beside the artifact stall. “You look tired.”

Tang Hui sighed heavily. “I spent two hours repairing communication problems created by sword cultivators.”

Old Chen nodded sympathetically. “A difficult profession.”

Very difficult.

Tang Hui had barely poured herself tea when the crowd suddenly shifted again.

The disciples nearest the street immediately scattered aside.

“Senior Brother Gu is here!”

Tang Hui looked up just in time to see Gu Beichen walking toward the stall.

Today, he was not carrying the rabbit lantern.

Tang Hui actually felt slightly disappointed.

The lantern had added personality.

Gu Beichen stopped in front of her table while the surrounding disciples instantly pretended not to stare.

Their acting remained terrible.

Tang Hui leaned back in her chair calmly. “Senior Brother.”

Gu Beichen nodded once. “You visited the medicine hall.”

Not a question.

Tang Hui narrowed her eyes. “Who told you?”

“…The entire sect.”

Fair enough.

Cultivators truly spread gossip faster than spiritual plague.

Gu Beichen remained standing silently for several moments before finally asking, “What did she say?”

The noisy marketplace gradually quieted.

Even Old Chen subtly leaned closer.

Tang Hui folded her arms slowly.

This was a critical moment.

A professional matchmaker must carefully manage emotional information.

Also—

she wanted revenge for the bandaging comment.

Tang Hui looked at Gu Beichen seriously. “Senior Brother.”

“Yes?”

“You emotionally wounded that woman.”

The surrounding disciples instantly nodded.

Gu Beichen fell silent.

Tang Hui continued mercilessly, “Do you understand she cried after your conversation?”

For the first time since meeting him, Gu Beichen’s expression visibly changed.

Only slightly.

But enough.

The surrounding crowd immediately noticed too.

Someone gasped softly.

Tang Hui almost felt impressed.

Apparently Gu Beichen possessed emotions after all.

“…Cried?” he repeated quietly.

Tang Hui nodded solemnly.

“She thought you disliked her.”

A dangerous silence settled over the marketplace.

Gu Beichen stood completely still.

The pressure around him became strangely unstable for a brief moment before calming again.

Tang Hui suddenly realized something.

Oh.

He genuinely cared.

Quite deeply, actually.

Interesting.

After several moments, Gu Beichen finally spoke again.

“…I never intended that.”

Tang Hui sighed. “I know.”

Honestly, that was the entire problem.

If Gu Beichen had intentionally hurt Lin Qingyue, this situation would actually be simpler.

Instead, he was simply catastrophically bad at emotional interaction.

Tang Hui rested her chin against her hand. “Senior Brother, do you know what normal people say after someone treats their injuries?”

Gu Beichen frowned slightly.

“…Thank you?”

“Yes!” Tang Hui pointed at him immediately. “Exactly! Not ‘your wrapping technique requires improvement.’”

Several disciples nearly died laughing.

Even Old Chen turned away to hide his expression.

Gu Beichen remained silent again.

Tang Hui watched him carefully.

For someone like him, public embarrassment probably felt unfamiliar.

The famous sword genius was admired everywhere he went.

Talented.

Respected.

Untouchable.

Yet now he stood in the middle of the outer sect market being lectured about basic human interaction by a third-stage Qi Gathering disciple.

Life truly was unpredictable.

Finally, Gu Beichen spoke quietly.

“…What should I do?”

Tang Hui almost smiled.

Good.

This was much better.

A client willing to listen was infinitely easier to manage.

“You apologize properly,” she said.

“I understand.”

“You explain that you appreciated her care.”

Gu Beichen nodded once.

“And,” Tang Hui added firmly, “you are forbidden from mentioning bandages, medicine techniques, injury recovery methods, or sword wounds during the conversation.”

“…That many restrictions?”

“Yes.”

The surrounding disciples nodded in fierce agreement.

One girl from the crowd muttered, “Please protect Senior Sister Lin.”

Tang Hui ignored her.

Gu Beichen seemed thoughtful for several moments before asking, “Did she truly seem angry?”

Tang Hui paused briefly.

Then she smiled slowly.

Ah.

Now this was the important question.

“No,” she answered honestly.

Gu Beichen’s gaze sharpened slightly.

Tang Hui continued calmly, “Embarrassed. Nervous. Confused.” She took another sip of tea before adding casually, “She still kept the spirit herb you gave her.”

The marketplace instantly became silent.

Gu Beichen froze.

Actually froze.

Tang Hui nearly wanted to applaud.

Incredible.

A single sentence had apparently dealt more damage than an entire sword duel.

The nearby disciples stared at Gu Beichen with expressions of profound shock.

Because the cold and untouchable sword genius now looked—

not softer exactly—

but dangerously hopeful.

“…She kept it?” he asked quietly.

Tang Hui nodded.

“In perfect condition.”

That last part was an exaggeration.

But emotionally effective exaggeration still counted as professionalism.

Gu Beichen lowered his gaze slightly.

Tang Hui noticed the subtle shift in his expression immediately.

For the first time since meeting him, the overwhelming sharpness surrounding him seemed to ease slightly.

Not completely.

He still looked capable of splitting mountains apart.

But now he also looked human.

The surrounding female disciples looked seconds away from emotional collapse.

One whispered shakily, “Why is this suddenly romantic?”

Another clutched her sleeve dramatically. “I think I understand Senior Sister Lin now.”

Tang Hui, meanwhile, felt deeply satisfied with herself.

Excellent work.

Premium matchmaking.

Unfortunately, the moment did not last long.

Because Gu Beichen suddenly asked:

“…What is a suitable apology gift?”

Tang Hui froze.

The surrounding disciples also froze.

Then chaos erupted instantly.

“NOT ANOTHER LANTERN!”

“Please choose something normal this time!”

“Junior Sister Tang, save him!”

Tang Hui covered her face briefly.

Right.

Of course.

The emotional progress distracted her from one critical fact.

This man still possessed absolutely terrible instincts.