"I know." He'd been skittish enough around a few of them when he'd first arrived, she remembered. And she'd made it her mission to help him feel more at ease, more at home, in Lotus Pier. Anyone else would probably not have been able to get so long. Weak as her cultivation was, her charm made up for it.

"And that's alright. You don't have to force yourself." She reached over to lightly cover his hand with hers for a moment. "I just want to be sure you know that. You don't have to stay inside all day."

And then a thought: "Would you like to collect some Lotus seeds with me today?"