"The fundamental problem I've encountered is that my healing affinity expects to be about making people's bodily systems work better, which is obviously not at all what we want. I've been trying to create a spell in which the fetus is conceptualized as a parasite which should be expelled. Did you know the uterus is in fact a hostile environment for embryos, in order to discourage pregnancies that aren't worth the expenditure of energy? I've been thinking about something that leans into that. There are some really interesting problems in magical theory here."

"Sounds like an interesting challenge at any rate."

(Ayako personally went the 'get the implant before you go in' route, which seems more practical on every single level, but that's hardly the point.)

"May I speak to you two in private?"

"...sure." 

"Of course." Also, what. 

She takes them aside. "This is my brother, Wen Ning."

Little wave.

"My brother is monolingual in Mandarin. He doesn't like hurting things even in practice combat. He is meek and quiet and a coward. Do you understand me?"

What. No. Absolutely not. What do you even say to that? You can't just go around offering your condolences for their living siblings sitting there right in front of you. 

He just bows. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." 

...yes, Ayako understands perfectly well, but if the Shanghai enclave can't keep someone safe, what exactly is Wen Qing expecting from Julian? 

No offense Julian, she adds, even though none of this is leaving the privacy of her own head. She's not totally sure why Wen Qing thinks Kyoto will have such an advantage over Shanghai either. But it's a less glaring point of confusion. 

"Likewise," she says out loud, and bows with him. 

"As long as you keep him alive, I will tutor you in spell-writing and I will heal you whenever you need it. I'm very good at healing magic, I'm the best in the school, you can ask anyone."

"That's a very generous offer and of course I'll do all that I can, but – I'm not sure I have any particular advantage at this." And she's Shanghai, and she has an actually useful affinity, and she can absolutely afford to bribe someone more qualified than the random freshman her parents paid to deliver her mail. 

"I'll talk to the others in Kyoto but my prediction is they'll think it's a good idea, but also— yes, what Julian said." 

"Obviously I'm going to trade up as soon as I can but he needs protection now and not when I've found the freshman Mandarin speaker who's the best at combat. I suggest you do a good job and I won't want to."

"Alright. Uh –" he turns to Wen Ning – "I think it's best if you take all my classes. That way I can accompany you. I'm going for all honors but don't worry if you're not any good, I'll just do your homework for you. I need to grind mana anyway. What's your room number?" 

"...does this offer extend to the rest of my enclavemates, who will be helping fulfill our end? If so, and depending on the rooms, I'd actually suggest he takes classes with me and Masane Mei, she's the best in Kyoto for the last several years at athletics and combat casting." 

Goddamn enclavers. 

Look this is benefiting him too.

"I do not have capacity to heal an entire enclave and maintain the slack Xichen likes in case a disaster happens to Shanghai enclave, but I can handle a third guard."

"I can do my own homework, sir, ma'am? I don't want to bother anyone."

"It's really no trouble at all." 

To Wen Qing – "Will you be warding his room or do you want me to do it? I'm quite good at wards, actually, but I'd want to be compensated for the mana expenditure." 

"Deal, then. And Julian, I can take some of his homework if you'd like, I'm doing Mei's anyway." 

"Zixun does the wards for our enclave. There's a reason we haven't let him get eaten by a mal yet. Well, also Xichen would frown."

"I can do my own homework?" Wen Ning says fruitlessly.

"I'm sure you can," she is not, "but if you're going to be in our classes, part of protecting you is making sure the homework gets done."