If Xue Yang must be that close to Xingchen then Zichen will simply be on his soulmate's other side. He is all too aware of where they touch, if they touch, how they touch, but he isn't afraid to try with Xingchen. Anyone else would be a different story and they might see a new side to a man who rarely emoted.

"Yes, that was her name." he curls his fingers around the tea cup after thanking Xingchen with a small squeeze to his hand, "She seemed well enough to me. She was protective of you and I...liked that."

Zichen would have kept her with him in a place like this, that's true. Have they left her alone? The thought worries him and his brow furrows. The shift in topic doesn't help his unease and he sips on the tea to keep himself peacefully occupied.

"So he has...behaved...all this time? Not once has he killed or maimed?" he keeps his eyes looking forward - not at Xue Yang. That is the only way he can keep his voice calm.

"That really is a miraculous change." and he doesn't believe it.