Perhaps against his better judgement, Xi Zirui agrees to Han Yu's offer, who looks as elated as if someone told him he's next in line to the throne.
"Then, if gege wants, we can start practicing now."
"No," Xi Zirui says, and gets up to his feet.
He's having second thoughts already, and has no interest to subject himself to more of Han Yu's sticky presence so soon.
Han Yu is clearly dispirited by this turn of events but he doesn't say anything, only nodding once.
Xi Zirui cleans up his writing materials and leaves the library, heading straight to his quarters next to Su Xueyi's private pavilion in one of the more distant floating platforms.
Su Xueyi isn't around when he arrives, which allows Xi Zirui to ignore his duties as a disciple to go and see if his shizun needs anything from him and to go straight to his room.
