"I enjoyed the vegetable loaf," he argues, squeezing Wei Ying more tightly as Wei Ying laughs, affection as always nearly too much for his heart to bear. He rolls them over until he is on top of Wei Ying, caging Wei Ying in with his forearms and the spill of his hair.

"Never thought much upon the subject," he admits, brow furrowing as he thinks. "There are babies born to Lan cultivators. Perhaps they simply discover it, as we did."