  Quantized response is one distinguishing feature of a topological system. In
non-Hermitian systems, the spectral winding topology yields quantized
steady-state response. By considering two weakly coupled non-Hermitian chains,
we discover that the spectral winding topology of one chain can be probed by a
steady-state response defined solely on the other chain, even when other
important properties, e.g., {energetics} and entanglement entropy, indicate
that eigen-solutions are effectively {not hybridized} between the two chains.
This intriguing phenomenon, as carefully investigated in a large parameter
space with a varying system size, not only offers a new angle to understand
interchain signal propagation in a non-Hermitian setting but also reveals
unexpected physics of spectral winding topology vs quantized response.
