"Ah. That there have been," Mingjue agrees with Xichen, expression thoughtfully solemn. He lets out his breath and shifts, patting A-Yao's legs again thoughtfully. "I keep thinking you must have been here longer than that. More than a month."

He dips his head to kiss A-Yao back, absently petting him. Concern coils up within him, though—a different sort of concern than that which had driven his previous question. He frowns at A-Yao over his words, then looks to Xichen for help.

"This place is complicated and stressful enough that I don't need to be adding to it," is all he finally says. Then he gestures a Xichen to say something to A-Yao about the kind comment. All he can come up with is, "Especially by being unkind."