Once, Xingchen would have been right. But then he'd turned Xue Yang's life, and heart, around. And now Xue Yang is someone with a few more blunt edges. Someone eager to make Xiao Xingchen happy. Xue Yang grins at the thought and nods, trusting Xingchen to sense the motion- blindness barely is a disability for this man.

"Of course! She's my sect sister, even if I've not been part of the Wen sect in a while." Barely a loss, really. Compared to who he's with now. And then Xingchen seems to droop, and he pauses at the frown before reaching out to brush gentle fingers over his cheek.

"No! I like your food. I just want that particular dinner to be special!" Because the start of their new life together.

And then he freezes, sensing someone approach and already starting to turn when Song Zichen makes his appearance. It's not even that Xue Yang isn't capable of defending himself- Jiangzai is sheathed at his back and he has a dagger tucked into a sleeve.

But Song Lan is someone important to Xingchen. Precious. Jealousy flashes through him before he swallows it. It takes effort not to draw his sword, but he'd promised. He's not going to break it now.

"Daozhang Song," he murmurs. "I have attacked no one here. Just ask Xingchen," he forces his attention away from the man who very well might kill him where he stands. Away from Zichen, to Xingchen. Watching his expression for what he should do now.