So this too is what eats away at Xichen. Mingjue's jaw clenches as he listens, able to picture the scene. Even if it feels wrong, still. Somehow.

Lan Xichen and Meng Yao had seemed to have a connection from the moment they'd met. He'd heard about it from Meng Yao himself, how gentle and kind Zewu-Jun was. And he'd seen it himself.

He could back off, be gentle and let Xichen not speak of it now that Meng Yao is part of their conversation. But what would that help? He hasn't spared Meng Yao a second of what he knows of the younger man's future.

"Tell me. Tell me all of it."