Shen Yuan has to literally bite his tongue, actually chomp on it with his own literal teeth, to keep from blurting out anything stupid. There's no guarantee that it's his Jin-ge; it might be a completely different person, and even if it's technically the same Jin Guangyao it might still not be his Jin Guangyao; people come to Trench from all different universes and points in time, after all. He might have transmigrated into a parallel universe or some point in Jin Guangyao's past; there's no reason to suppose that if he and Jin Guangyao met in person, the other man would recognize him at all...
But god, Shen Yuan's heart aches to see a familiar face. Lan Xichen's gone above and beyond for a stranger, Shen Yuan couldn't ask for a better benefactor, but that doesn't change the fact that he's still starting from scratch in a strange world. Just seeing someone he knows, even if they don't know him...it'd probably hurt like hell, honestly. But maybe it would help too?
And maybe, just maybe, just this once the odds will be on his side after all. "Jin Guangyao?" he asks hoarsely, and has to immediately clear his throat. He tries again afterwards, saying, "This one might be mistaken, but it feels as though I once knew someone with that name."
Shen Yuan goes alarmingly tense under his ministrations, and Lan Xichen looks up at him, bewildered.
"It's possible," Lan Xichen says. If Shen Yuan were formally of the Wen Sect, Jin Guangyao's name would stand out; he was the one who snuck into Wen Ruohan's service and slew him after all.
"He is the friend I wrote. He'll be visiting within the next few days, once he wraps up some business for his father."
Well, that was convenient. And hopefully didn't mean anything untoward for his cover story, if Lan Xichen had already wrote about him...
"I'd like to meet him," he says quietly. "I don't mean him any harm!" he adds anxiously, looking back at Lan Xichen over his shoulder. "I'd just like to know. If he recognizes me."
"I ... did not think you would," he says, pleased but puzzled. "Even if you have not actually met before, I think you two would get on well - he and da-ge's little brother are good friends who is quite like you in many ways."
He means it as a compliment.
Taking a towel, he pats down the length of hair, his touch as gentle as a summer breeze.
"Oh, well. I just wanted it to be clear." Shen Yuan lets out a nervous little laugh. "Sometimes it seems like I worry more about keeping Sect Leader safe from me than the reverse," he mutters, before turning himself around and gently taking the towel from Lan Xichen's hands.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2022-10-26 10:29 pm (UTC)But god, Shen Yuan's heart aches to see a familiar face. Lan Xichen's gone above and beyond for a stranger, Shen Yuan couldn't ask for a better benefactor, but that doesn't change the fact that he's still starting from scratch in a strange world. Just seeing someone he knows, even if they don't know him...it'd probably hurt like hell, honestly. But maybe it would help too?
And maybe, just maybe, just this once the odds will be on his side after all. "Jin Guangyao?" he asks hoarsely, and has to immediately clear his throat. He tries again afterwards, saying, "This one might be mistaken, but it feels as though I once knew someone with that name."
no subject
Date: 2022-10-26 10:33 pm (UTC)"It's possible," Lan Xichen says. If Shen Yuan were formally of the Wen Sect, Jin Guangyao's name would stand out; he was the one who snuck into Wen Ruohan's service and slew him after all.
"He is the friend I wrote. He'll be visiting within the next few days, once he wraps up some business for his father."
no subject
Date: 2022-10-27 02:17 am (UTC)"I'd like to meet him," he says quietly. "I don't mean him any harm!" he adds anxiously, looking back at Lan Xichen over his shoulder. "I'd just like to know. If he recognizes me."
no subject
Date: 2022-10-27 03:32 am (UTC)He means it as a compliment.
Taking a towel, he pats down the length of hair, his touch as gentle as a summer breeze.
no subject
Date: 2022-10-27 04:12 am (UTC)"My turn now?" he offers uncertainly.