All at once, Mingjue decides he doesn't care enough about this theoretical future Meng Yao to worry about it. None of this is anything that he's experienced and there's no way to verify it. He can brood on the idea later, consider how it connects to his Meng Yao. For now, though he just says, "Good. If he was someone I cared enough about to swear to, however ridiculous the idea is, it'd be a shame if Hauisang didn't like him."

He lets out his breath and eyes Xichen. "That's something answered, then. Next question. What's wrong with you? I keep asking and you keep not telling me and 'the war's been over for years' isn't the kind of answer that would make you collapse like that. Did something happen to you in being kidnapped?" With a faint twist of amusement, he adds, "Someone that your 'da-ge' needs to take care of?"