Jin Zixuan stands in place long enough to be reassured that A-Yao isn't about to fall over once more, before he steps back and runs his clawed fingers through his feathered hair, pushing it back into place behind his pointed ears.

He can't help the wry smile that comes to his face at Jin Guangyao's comment. "If anyone had to turn into a snake, I'm glad it was you." At first, it doesn't seem to occur to him just how that sentence came off sounding like an insult, but after a minute's pause, he shakes his head and continues. "You always were skilled at making the best of a bad situation."