Wen Ning's shoulders relax a bit at the removal of the talismans only to freeze up at the touch.

Beneath Xichen's hand, the man's whole body trembles faintly in anxiety. Other than that, he doesn't move - neither to back away from the physical contact or to remove the hand on his own. It's unexpected, and he can't say he really wants it there, but he isn't going to do anything to be rid of it either.

"You..." he finally says, the first word since he'd gone on his rampage, "talk a lot more than your brother."

He doesn't raise his head, speaking into his knees instead. He sounds defeated.