He'd been looking so forward to this and suddenly he feels like he's back in the hall in front of all the cultivators. He has to be the host again and careful of whatever he says and does. If he shows weakness now.. he just couldn't. It wasn't fair to Yuan to push expectations on him that he never asked for in the first place. He has a new life- a new family- a world that's left Jin Ling behind. The message was clear given how much that ring had meant to them.. wasn't it?

He has to calculate the risk of appearing physically weak if he got up to get the other glasses or if it would be worse to request they be brought to him like he's some old man. Perhaps he should stop drinking to keep a clearer head. He wasn't free to be himself any longer and maybe he never will be.

He sniffs arrogantly and gestures to Zizhen. "Fetch them the glasses." He can mask his weakness with bravado like he always does. He hates that this inadvertently treats his only friend like a servant, but he doesn't know what else to do.

Jingyi's jaw drops and he bristles. "What's wrong with your legs?" He snaps.

Jin Ling's gaze jerks from Zizhen to Jingyi like he'd just been sucker punched. The hurt is quickly pushed aside by anger and he glares at the Lan. "Lan-gongzi, I advise you not to speak so disrespectfully to me. You're in my sect and being served my liquor."