"Hello," says one of the Kyoto juniors cheerily. Okazaki Haruto, an infamous gossip. 

Excellent choice. 

Lan Xichen makes small talk for a few moments about the Chang'an sophomore who's sleeping with Jin Zixun.

Isn't he also sleeping with Jin Zixuan? What a series of decisions to be making.

(Surely Lan Xichen is not here to talk about Jing Yi. Well, whatever he has to say can wait until he says it.)

His enclave's romantic life is their own business but really at some point Jin Zixun is going to find out and then they're going to have even more drama at the Shanghai enclave table which, really, they do not need.

(...This is interrupted by Jiang Cheng threatening someone with Zidian. Sigh.)

"In better news," Lan Xichen says, "I think Shanghai is going to pick up a freshman ally very quickly this year."

"Oh?"

Is this the one Ayako reported back to him about, or are there two.

"Masozi. Fascinating kid. Wei Wuxian actually found him because he had forgotten his room number and was trying to find it and he offered to help. Affinity for detecting mals. Grew up in Malawi. Indie parents who didn't teach him spells or what an enclave was."

"I've heard that he has a malificer's aura. What is it that the Americans say-- ah, yes, a little bird told me."

He's smiling like he's hugely amused by some private joke.

What is Nie Huaisang up to now.

"Well, of course, Shanghai has no tolerance for maleficers of any sort."

"Of course," he agrees easily.

"But, you see, he grew up without the benefit of any sort of magical education. He didn't know using malia was any different from cheating. Under the circumstances I am inclined to be lenient. Forgiveness is a virtue."

"Is it true he made it to the Scholomance without learning a single spell from anyone else?"

This is deliberately pitched loud enough for most of the table to hear.

"Or was my little bird exaggerating?"

This is not.

Loud enough for most of the table to hear: "I was so startled by his claim that I had Meng Yao give him a truth potion to confirm it, and either he's telling the truth or he can throw off a truth potion made by a junior with a thoughts affinity and either is impressive."

"...holy shit," says one of the sophomores.

"Quite," says Haruto.

"It's very early in the year to ally with any freshman but I feel like I sort of have to, he has almost no resources and it kills me to see that sort of talent go to waste."

Come on, Haruto, make the comment that Lan Xichen can't make because of loyalty to his people.

"Of course, I've also heard that he's quite rude, and looks as if he'd slept in a dump," Haruto says conversationally. This isn't from any sparrows little or otherwise, the whole Mandarin-speaking side of the cafeteria is aware, but if he says it out loud then nobody else will feel the need to and Xichen can address it without bringing it up himself. 

"Well, he did grow up without the benefit of any sort of education," Lan Xichen said. "It's easier to take a genius and teach him etiquette than to take a polite person and teach them to be a genius. --I do wonder how much of the maleficer aura is simply lack of good hygiene. Auras are so unreliable, you know."

"That they are." 

"He confirmed under Meng Yao's truth potion that he doesn't intend to use malia ever again. He was unaware of the ways it... twists your brain and was quite horrified to discover them. He's really quite the altruist."

"Fortunate for us all that he had you, then, it would seem." 

This is not quite loud enough that it's clear Haruto is doing it on purpose.

"He'd heard of it before, apparently the Anglos told him."

Haruto waves a dismissive hand at the concept of Anglos. "Nevertheless."

"But, yes, he confirmed while affected by a truth potion that he had no idea of the effects of malia and was horrified when he found out. Of course if he turns out to be a maleficer we'll take care of that promptly."

"Of course; I would never have expected less." 

"He's quite charming. I understand he's spending all lunch delightedly having Wei Wuxian tutor him in geometry."

"Oh, how good for him. And how is Wei Wuxian, I've heard so much about him from Yanli--"

And in this fashion they can trail off into other gossip, so the conversation isn't quite so obviously for a specific purpose.