This is a Hong Lu blog.

Exactly what it says on the tin.

I am an extremely burnt out office worker who wants something to do on his breaks other than sitting and twiddling his thumbs until he goes back to his desk. I also love Hong Lu.

So, I thought I would offer up reader insert content! This includes both headcanons and little drabbles. What I do depends on my energy level; please do be patient with me!

Rules (I will delete anything that does not follow them without notice):

1. I only do Hong Lu. By default, I do post-C8 Sinner Hong Lu, so if you send in a request with no Hong Lu parameters I will assume this is what you want.

2. My creed is to keep him as in character as possible. If you ask for one of the colder Hong Lu IDs or a pre-C8 Hong Lu, he will be true to how he is/was.

3. I don't do yandere stuff right now. I may warm up to it later as time heals me, but it's currently an ick of mine for very personal reasons.

4. Since this is a ploy to keep me occupied on my work break and I also don't have the time to make sure minors are not following this blog, there will be NO NSFW REQUESTS. You can ask for something a little spicy but full on NSFW is a no go. Sorry! Maybe I'll make an alt later or something idk

Oh my god I've been working on this for SO LONG because I wanted to make this perfect, but perfect is the enemy of good and it's Pride Month so I'm going to just get over myself! This is something I feel super strongly about myself as an enjoyer of the original novel. Did you know there's articles and papers examining the trans coding of Jia Baoyu? Here's one by Li Kotomi, a Taiwanese writer who is a trans woman herself!

Since this is an imagines blog I'm tossing in some x reader stuff, but it's mostly Hong Lu focused. Some inspiration from the novel for this one, as well as my vague ideas on how Hongyuan (specifically Daguanyuan) approaches gender (also novel inspired). Also, disclaimer: I am a GNC trans man, so I may not be familiar with any particulars about the transfeminine experience.

Transfeminine Headcanons (Post- (and Pre-) Canto 8)

Content warning: mild transphobia

Though Jia Mu had been thoroughly consumed by the Anamnaworm, a part of Shi Miyin that still lived deep within her once idly wondered if her little Baoyu would've been happier as a commoner girl with two black eyes.

The City is a harsh place. Throughout the vast majority of its cold, sprawling alleyways, people simply do not care what your name and pronouns are as long as they themselves are fed and have a roof over their heads before the Sweepers come out. It stands to reason that inventing arbitrary gender laws about sticking to "what you were born as" (if such a thing is even always that clear cut) is a pastime of the ultra rich. So brings us to Daguanyuan.

i'm saying like......please hold me sir. I'm alive BTW.

Consoling During a Breakdown (Post-Canto 8)

In the lead-up to the breakdown, Hong Lu can tell something is off about you. He hasn't shaken his habit of observing and analyzing the world all the time; according to what he's seen, you haven't exactly been doing well recently. He keeps wanting to ask if you're alright, but things have been more demanding than usual lately, so he can never seem to catch you long enough to have an actual conversation. It's just one thing after another, all the time. It's not good for anyone, but especially not you. Hong Lu is not able to bring you back down until the dam breaks.

If you're one to catch it and hide before it totally overwhelms you, Hong Lu will come across you and hesitate for a moment before approaching you. If it all comes crashing down while you're in public, he'll be quick to gently guide you to a more private location, and if that's not possible, he'll shield you from the world with his body.

He's talked his coworkers through their feelings before, and he attempts this at first, softly calling out to you. But words do not work at the breakdown's peak. So, instead, he tries a different approach, using his experience as an older brother to rub your back while you cry it out. Hong Lu doesn't want to freak you out too much with more physical contact than you can handle, but if you turn to hug him, he'll let it happen, moving to run his hand through your hair instead.

When you can finally hear his voice over your crying, he'll keep telling you it's alright. You can cry as much as you need. You can make his sleeve soaking wet, if you want. Bottling it up wouldn't be good, now would it? He would know.

He's a patient man. He'll be there when you're ready to speak. There, you can vent to him all you'd like; he'll listen attentively and sympathize with your pain. When all is said and done, you're probably all out of sorts, so Hong Lu helps you tidy back up, then offers to get you some warm tea. It'll help your throat after all that crying~ Maybe you'd like a snack, too? You must be hungry.

angst fans when they see an angst generator in their inbox

General Headcanons (Lord of Hongyuan Hong Lu)

There are rumors in Hongyuan, winding through the streets in a whisper, telling of the Lord's lover. Nobody can confirm this story, and many consider it nonsense. He's never made anything like that public, and to be quite frank, he doesn't seem like the type of person who could fall in love.

Little do they know that it's all true.

You are someone he just happened to meet at the right place at the right time during his travels. Hong Lu prioritized his revenge, but he could not forget the person who brought drops of life back to his hardened heart. He only made a move after he ensured the end of the Xianren and solidified his reign, and even then, he's kept all your affairs private. He cannot risk you getting hurt; he has lost too much.

When things became serious between you two, Hong Lu gave you the option to either stay in Daguanyuan or live a life outside of it, but under his protection. He wanted you to have this choice simply because the idea of you ever feeling trapped in Daguanyuan like he once did made him sick to his stomach.

Regardless of what you decide, meeting with Hong Lu is unfortunately a rare event. He's always busy with something. When he is able to see you (usually late at night), expect him to be practically all over you. You might just be the only soul in the whole City who can soothe the pain in his eye with your presence alone. The towering, unstoppable force who rules Hongyuan with an iron fist becomes merely an exhausted and grieving man in your arms.

He has a special fondness for when you change his bandages. You swear you see the faintest little smile when you do so. You once asked him why his eye socket is constantly bleeding, but all he could tell you is that he's tried to make it stop and failed.

Another thing he does that he never seems to do around anyone else is...laugh. It's very rare and very quiet, but it's there. They're genuine laughs from real, innocent amusement, usually after you've made some kind of joke or looked particularly silly.

As time goes on, he seems to be getting frailer and frailer. His nighttime visits are far and few between. You know he is preparing for war—he tells you about his plans to hear your trustworthy insights—but as concerning as it is on its own, you're even more worried about what it all must be doing to his health.

Thank youuu he means a lot to me so to hear people like my interpretation makes me smile!

Jealousy Headcanons (Post-C8 Hong Lu)

Hong Lu does not often get jealous. He trusts you immensely in a myriad of ways. He's not afraid to maturely communicate with his partner, too.

That being said...he's not immune to it. Especially now as he tries to pay attention to his desires. Something Hong Lu finds himself not liking very much is loneliness. Hong Lu will find moments where his desires for your attention cannot be immediately met, and his heart will respond irrationally towards whoever or whatever has it. He wants to be with you right now, so why do you have to be doing something that isn't being with him?

He doesn't put much stock into it. When he experiences jealousy, it'll be like he just hit by a little sprinkle of rain. Wow! What was that? He can't control you, so what does it matter? Wait, but isn't he going to try to live a life where isn't just a passive bystander? Hm...Obviously, he has to address this somehow.

This is where he gets a bit childishly mischievous. If what's taking up your time is another person, Hong Lu will suddenly make his presence known by standing right next to you and joining the conversation the instant he can squeeze in. He'll gracefully back out if he knows he's not going to have you back any time soon, but this little act satisfies him well enough for him to regain his patience.

If what's taking up your time is a task, he'll either help you with it if possible...or try to gently goad you out of it. You don't have to finish all of that now, do you? Something of yours must be aching. You've been doing it for long enough, right? Why don't you take a break and chat with him over a pot of tea? No? What if he gets you your favorite snacks, too? Haha, got you~

General Headcanons (Post-C8 Hong Lu)

Everything under the cut because this got way too long!