The hall was roaring with laughter and chatter again, but at the Yun Clan's table, Zhan's patience had already worn thin.
San kept leaning over, shoving plates of food toward him.
"Eat this—no, wait, try this! Oh, and this wine—"
"I don't drink much," Zhan muttered, pushing the cup away.
San grinned mischievously. "What? Are you scared you'll loosen up and admit you like me?"
Zhan's eyebrow twitched. Without another word, he grabbed the wine cup and downed it in one go.
San froze. "Uh… Zhan? That was—"
Too late. The Queen Wu had moved on to speak with other clan leaders, and Zhan was now pouring himself a second cup… and a third. Each gulp seemed more aggressive than the last.
Tang Hao leaned over to Wei Xie. "Is he… trying to drink away his irritation?"
Wei Xie sighed. "No, I think he's fueling it."
By the fifth cup, Zhan slammed the cup down, stood, and glared at San with glassy eyes.
"You," he said, voice low but loaded, "are the most insufferable person I have ever met."
San blinked innocently. "Thank you?"
Zhan turned on his heel and stalked out of the hall, the crowd parting for him like frightened fish. His long robe swished dramatically behind him, the exit doors slamming as he disappeared into the night.
San stared after him, wide-eyed. "…Did I… break him?"
Gu Nie, passing by with a plate of dumplings, muttered, "You shattered him."