Underneath all of the power of his position and the calm of his trained demeanor, Lan Zhan is fretting. The truth was, he doesn't know what he's doing. He's never had a youth come to the Lan clan so late and certainly not one with such a background. He feels his inexperience with being a father and keeps looking to his own but not finding any helpful answers. All the memories from his uncle seem cruel now in his older, wiser age.

What would Wei Ying do here? He would've found a way to make the boy laugh and be at ease, but Lan Zhan doesn't know how to do that. Instead the pockets of silence drag on which are normally comforting to him but he worries they aren't to Yuan. Should he be giving him more concrete answers? He can't possibly give the young man the precepts his first night here and expect him not to crumble. Once upon a time, he would've but he's learned from his husband's point of view how intimidating those are.

He's grateful when the food arrives. At least he could go play his qin while.. he blinks in confusion when he opens the door and sees there's too much food for one person. He opens his mouth to protest but is quick to realize what's happened. He looks toward the dining hall and shakes his head.

He joins Yuan again and just before he starts to eat, he turns and opens the hidden compartment in the floor. He takes out the jar of peppers and sets it in front of Yuan. "Our food can taste bland to some outsiders."