i really do get tired of the widespread "xiao is zhongli's kid" notion because while jokes abt it are fine i rly don't like the ppl who genuinely apply "found family" to their dynamic because a lot of times it rly mischaracterizes them and their interactions, especially when it comes to infantilizing xiao. people Love treating xiao like a fucking baby for some reason despite the fact that he's thousands of years old and a hardened war general. and i don't like applying a parent/child lense to their relationship that's basically one step away from indentured servitude. zhongli freed an enslaved xiao from his previous master yes, but he went from slavery to being contractually obligated to give away his whole life to war and strife and pain. xiao insists that morax saved him, and he has a great respect for him, but xiao is still not free. and it's made clear that deep down he doesn't feel free by his quiet longing for a normal life (implied by his namecard, among other things.)