Jandy Nelson, I'll Give You The Sun

— Jandy Nelson, I'll Give You the Sun

Ugh it’s so clear now, of course it’s a eugenics term! Grossssssssss

I wish people would remove the word "degenerate" from their vocabulary

Five People The Rumour Mill Thinks the Yiling Patriarch Is Sleeping With, Ranked By How Happy They Are About This

5. Jiang Yanli

A rumour made all the more delicious for the layers of scandal packed in. Sect-brother-who-might-a-bastard-brother-who might-be-secret-lover, known for violent fits of rage on her behalf and unchaperoned visits with her alone. Three servants at Koi Tower have been caned for gossiping about it, which has only given the story new wings (though now no one speaks of it within earshot of Jin or Jiang allies). Poor Jiang Yanli is more aware of it than her mother-in-law or brother would like and she channels her fury into periodic spells of violent bread making.

4. Luo Qingyang

Mostly mad because the story of her ruinous association with the Yiling Patriarch is being used to defang her speech to the sect leaders. No one trusts a bewitched woman. When she shows up at her parents’ door they’ve already heard that’s she’s run away to marry a demon. She takes a second to be angry, though she’s not sure at who. Maybe Sect Leader Yao.

3. Wen Qing

Was pretty much resigned to this as soon as the reality of their living situation sunk in. He’s an abomination, she’s a witch, of course people think they’re doing unholy magic together. She tries to have a good sense of humor about it, it’s not like these sorts of insinuations haven’t been a part of her life for years, but it does irk. If she was going to turn to a demon to slake her cruel Wen lusts she’d pick someone less obnoxiously tall.

2. Wen Ning

Honestly, not super aware that the crueler half of the cultivation world thinks his Ghost Generalling extends past the Blood Pool and into the Inner Sanctum. Girls get taught a keener sense of reputation awareness! He is very busy with radishes and his family. Nevertheless, thinks it would be chill? He’s still got a baby crush and puts his trust in Wei Wuxian’s hands for a reason. Most of what he does hear is ridiculous, which helps. Overall, neutral to intrigued by the salacious whispers that crop up. Some of them seem very anatomically unlikely.

1. Lan Wangji

He wishes. Gets irrationally jealous about how few of the Wei-Wuxian-seducer-of-innocents rumours actually involve him. Objectively it’s good for his sect and his reputation but is he not being obvious enough? Are people not picking up on his clear pining? He was in pieces at the last Flower Banquet, his self control in shreds! (They do notice, it’s hard to ignore that much eye contact, but it is largely written off by the masses because Hanguang-Jun Wouldn’t Act Like That. Only a few insiders suspect the truth.) Instead everyone thinks he’s a righteous man resisting the wiles of evil, only giving in to try to bring the fallen hero back from the brink. Unacceptable. Lan Wangji demands to be a debauched victim of malicious energy too.

Saw a picture of a gecko hanging from a ceiling and immediately thought of Wen Ning during the scene at the inn.