It seems his own encouragement, in turn, had some sort of unintended effect. Wei Ying laughs, but tinged with a kind of discomfort or anxiety, covered up with levity, and that's... While Wei Ying isn't in imminent danger of disappearing from view, there's a precariousness to this encounter that Lan Wangji doesn't know what to do with. Perhaps the intervening years could be blamed for it, perhaps he doesn't remember quite what to say to him or how to understand him. Perhaps the memory of the man he cared for had slowly run out through his fingers after all, over time, despite his refusal to let go.

Or perhaps this isn't any different from before. Missteps, arguments, never finding the right words that wouldn't end with a door remaining shut in front of him. Attempting to persuade, demanding explanations, when what he should have done was to simply be there, by his side. A clarity that had come to him in blood and tears and wretchedly too late.

Well, not here. Not this time. Whatever reasons Wei Ying has for pretending his death is not worth talking about, whatever worries he is hiding, he won't press. His comment about being out of practice seems not unlike his own unease with the disappearance of their spiritual energy, anyway. As much as he's an expert at adopting new methods, and not shy about saying so, it is hardly an easy feat. Considering all this, Lan Wangji may seem to give his request far more serious thought than may be warranted, lost in regret for a moment before he answers with a hum of affirmation and determination.

Though the first part of what he said does touch on one of Lan Wangji's questions. But he can't quite bring himself to voice it, instead quietly regarding Wei Ying with said question in his eyes.