#2xuan

(And I'm begging people to remember that was his first BL - he shot "Moon and Dust" after "Revenged Love", even though it aired before it.)

Not 2xuan giggling at each other like gremlins while the director is fighting for his life to restore some semblance of control over the script, and de-gay the scene as much as possible.

beefleaf / canon compliant / 8.7k words / completed.

After the Mid-Autumn festival, He Xuan lets slip a thing or two about his mortal life in Fu Gu, where he wasn’t just a scholar. Shi Qingxuan is (in)appropriately delighted by this.

“Come on,” Shi Qingxuan wheedles, fan falling away from her face, “you didn’t tell me you knew things like this! Does this fall under Earth Master jurisdiction, or something?” “Of course it doesn’t,” He Xuan scoffs. “Why would it?” “Then it has to be from your mortal life!” she crows triumphantly. She leans all the way in, their faces just inches from each other. He Xuan’s dead heart is suddenly in his throat. “Tell me, Ming-xiong! Were you involved with plays and theater when you were a mortal? Is that why you can tell all of that is evidently not up to standard?” “It’s sloppy is what it is,” He Xuan says, and immediately regrets it. Shi Qingxuan’s grin is not dissimilar to the one his fiancé had worn when she discovered He Xuan had a deft hand with makeup, both functional and theatrical.

I am BEYOND delighted to finally share my entry for the Beefleaf Minibang 2026, hosted by @beefleafweek2025! featuring: makeup sessions where He Xuan Really Doesn’t Want To Be Here (liar voice), musings on the nature of gender and its fluidity, and what was Scholar He like with his fiancée and sister, anyway? Find out in this stupidly self-indulgent fic ✨

I have been incredibly lucky to be able to work with @shagandaishi and @kintsu-tai for this event! Please give their accompanying art for this fic here and here some love; they are so indescribably glorious, I’m PUNCHING AIR IN JOY. Thank you, Momo and Tai, for being such delights to work with!

And: I’d like to dedicate this fic to my lovely friend @demon-xuan! Not only because this concept was first invented with you rambling into my inbox, but because I’ve had such a blast, and been so comforted, since getting to know you. You are (1) crazy (2) wonderful, hence, you get Beefleaf fic that I desperately wanted to yell at you about but refrained from doing so since we. Both ended up in the event as writers. HELP. Love you 💖

With English subs (there are a couple sections where they cut out, but overall they are coherent!)