[He certainly thinks that’s true. There’s nothing he can truly hope to do here—he is nothing and no one and not a soul except for the few from their world and their time really care.]
It’s a bit... Freeing. It’s less like having a noose around my neck that’s waiting to tighten if I wobble too far from anyone’s favor. [Well okay there is still one noose and its name is Lan Wangji. But that’s a bit easier to navigate around than the entire cultivation world.
But honesty... he hesitates a moment; it’s a seldom seen look on him to be sure.]
Jin Ling... Does not know anything. He’s from before the temple. I believe he knows that I’m hiding something from him now, that I have...died, but I don’t believe he knows the whole truth of it.
[A pause, he doesn’t want to plead, he’s still got some pride, but—] I will tell him everything in due time. I have promised as much, to both him and to Xichen, and intend to do so. I... [Here he sort of smiles, as if exasperated]
I am still a selfish man, Wei Wuxian. I do not want to give up my nephew’s affection so easily, and I’m not ready yet to tell him. I will. [Another pause.] I know he is going to meet with you, so I humbly ask, though I know I am in no position to ask such things of you, that you don’t mention what I’ve done. Not yet.
Retroactively I’m going to pretend he’s put a lock in place to keep this away from Jin Ling only
It’s a bit... Freeing. It’s less like having a noose around my neck that’s waiting to tighten if I wobble too far from anyone’s favor. [Well okay there is still one noose and its name is Lan Wangji. But that’s a bit easier to navigate around than the entire cultivation world.
But honesty... he hesitates a moment; it’s a seldom seen look on him to be sure.]
Jin Ling... Does not know anything. He’s from before the temple. I believe he knows that I’m hiding something from him now, that I have...died, but I don’t believe he knows the whole truth of it.
[A pause, he doesn’t want to plead, he’s still got some pride, but—] I will tell him everything in due time. I have promised as much, to both him and to Xichen, and intend to do so. I... [Here he sort of smiles, as if exasperated]
I am still a selfish man, Wei Wuxian. I do not want to give up my nephew’s affection so easily, and I’m not ready yet to tell him. I will. [Another pause.] I know he is going to meet with you, so I humbly ask, though I know I am in no position to ask such things of you, that you don’t mention what I’ve done. Not yet.