[Xiao Xingchen considers lowering his spoon into the bowl and taking another spoonful of congee to let him think before he speaks, but hearing the other man's words stop him from trying to delay his words in such a dishonest way.
He smooths over his manner again, less tense, approaching this with the calm determination needed to find the truth. Both of them have many questions for each other, and the other man sounds willing to talk. Even if the man lies and means to mislead - something he doesn't want to assume outright, even if he can't trust too readily - at least Xiao Xingchen can glean information from that as well.]
Indeed, I did hear of the Yiling Patriarch, as I learned of the disciples who left Baoshan Sanren's mountain before me. Cangse Sanren, my shijie, had born a son. It... is difficult to reconcile the stories I've heard of both the mother and child.
[Of course, he did not discount that sometimes, even the blood-related could perhaps be that different. He only had no experience to speak to that.
People are always eager to talk when there's something they can add to the conversation, however. Xiao Xingchen knew to not trust anything he couldn't find the truth behind, but he had to know more in order to form some sort of image of this world. Baoshan Sanren had no intention of passing along any news or gossip from her journeys away from the mountain.]
Yet I'm actually surprised that you know of me. I only heard of you after— I-I did not think it was possible that you could have heard of me.
[Not as surprised and confused as he might have been without knowing that time works differently here, but it still reminds him that not everyone will be as he expects.
(He also realizes that maybe the man doesn't want to be reminded that he died. Even if he did suspect the man was the vicious criminal everyone suspected he is, Xiao Xingchen still figures it might be needlessly upsetting.)]
no subject
He smooths over his manner again, less tense, approaching this with the calm determination needed to find the truth. Both of them have many questions for each other, and the other man sounds willing to talk. Even if the man lies and means to mislead - something he doesn't want to assume outright, even if he can't trust too readily - at least Xiao Xingchen can glean information from that as well.]
Indeed, I did hear of the Yiling Patriarch, as I learned of the disciples who left Baoshan Sanren's mountain before me. Cangse Sanren, my shijie, had born a son. It... is difficult to reconcile the stories I've heard of both the mother and child.
[Of course, he did not discount that sometimes, even the blood-related could perhaps be that different. He only had no experience to speak to that.
People are always eager to talk when there's something they can add to the conversation, however. Xiao Xingchen knew to not trust anything he couldn't find the truth behind, but he had to know more in order to form some sort of image of this world. Baoshan Sanren had no intention of passing along any news or gossip from her journeys away from the mountain.]
Yet I'm actually surprised that you know of me. I only heard of you after— I-I did not think it was possible that you could have heard of me.
[Not as surprised and confused as he might have been without knowing that time works differently here, but it still reminds him that not everyone will be as he expects.
(He also realizes that maybe the man doesn't want to be reminded that he died. Even if he did suspect the man was the vicious criminal everyone suspected he is, Xiao Xingchen still figures it might be needlessly upsetting.)]