Outside, it is a crisp and lovely day. The lake glistens in the distance. By the time Lan Wangji pushes through the door, he has Wangji out, balanced across one hand and its wrappings stowed in his sleeves, but he does stop and give himself one and then two breaths to take in the landscape and let appreciation soften the edges of his urgency.

Subsequently, he sits on the steps, legs crossed, and settles his qin in place. He retrieves the spirit attraction flag and, for once, has only to plant it in the soft earth. He waits for Magnus.