He Xuan feels inexplicably tender at that — he has always been too stubborn to fully remove himself even in his most pathetic depressions and misanthropic states, but he can certainly sympathise with the urge and the ensuing loneliness.

"You're not like that anymore, though," he points out, since they wouldn't be here pretending to still be fishing if Shen Yuan hadn't pushed to meet off the network. "Everyone makes stupid decisions when they're younger. Even gods have mortal lives they regret."

He reaches out again, pats Shen Yuan's shoulder, this time without any intention of pushing him off the pier. "Shen-xiandi might still be the kind of idiot who says a demon is kind, but he's pretty smart. Don't disrespect him."