ZHOU HAOYU
BASIC INTRODUCTION
A trainee healer from a small town, who is working under an old (and cranky but well-meaning) Master Li. Being a fourth son who has managed to settle into long-term training for a career much demanded in their turbulent times, he has nonetheless found himself in a place quite removed from most of the chaos, wishing to learn at a careful and slow place before considering stepping into something more hectic... and maybe, if he's honest, get a long and extended break from the much busier city that he was born in.
Zhou Haoyu is a confident young man with a quiet certainty in his current career, and, well, most of his choices. He possesses a rather upbeat and almost humourous bedside manner most of the time, seeking to bring a bit of cheer to those who are sick. Sometimes he gets his timing wrong, however, and he gets easily flustered when being watched by more than a few people when working (this is something his Master insists he works on, as sometimes there is no choice in the matter). He has also been accused of being deliberately avoidant of many of his responsibilities, by both his family and friends.
When a wandering Xu Shu is brought in for healing after helping protect one of the nearby villages from a bandit raid, Zhou Haoyu recognises him as Shan Fu from his old home years ago, and is rather surprised by the change. Having not known him personally but seen him around and known his reputation as a well-meaning, talented yet awkward rogue eventually punished for an act of revenge, the change is striking. Cautious at first around this patient, Zhou Haoyu quickly becomes instead both impressed by and concerned for the man Xu Shu has become, and in seeking to get to know him better and perhaps offer a shoulder to lean on, starts becoming rather smitten with him. Which, of course, means he is rather alarmed when he discovers that Xu Shu plans to leave immediately once he is fully healed...
DETAILS AND HISTORY
Backstory:
The fourth son, and sixth overall child, of somewhat but not excessively strict parents, Zhao Haoyu grew up amongst a busy merchant family in a large city that added two more daughters to the fold after him, meaning 'quiet' was not an experience he had often in his life. It was expected he would work in the family business and marry someone local when he came of age but while being content with this as his future while young, as he became more aware of the world and himself as a person Zhao Haoyu decided this absolutely wasn't for him. Thus began several years of frustrating, worrying and angering everyone he knew, and an eventual plea from his parents to just find 'something' to focus his life on.
It took a little while, but eventually Zhao Haoyu drifted into the orbit of the city healer who, after patching the young man up one day, strongly suggested he 'come by' on occasion to help out after sensing an opportunity to help him calm down somewhat. It worked. It worked... really well, to everyone's surprise, and Zhao Haoyu eventually went more and more often to help out until it was outright suggested that maybe training to be a healer could be a good path for him. Seizing upon this, Zhao Haoyu began to actively search for someone who would take him on as an apprentice and eventually did.
His family were, perhaps, rather frustrated that the man willing to take him on, Master Li, was someone who was based quite some distance away in a quiet little town distant from the troubles plaguing their lands, and (rightly) suspicious that Zhao Haoyu had deliberately sought for a situation like it, but did not make much of a fuss over the matter, content to know he was at least settling down in some manner and had found a calling. Moving away into the care of his new teacher, Zhao Haoyu found himself feeling less flighty and happy with his choice, looking forward to a somewhat quieter but nonetheless interesting break from his hectic previous life, deciding that he'd finish his training there and move back to something busier once he was fully ready to strike out as a healer on his own.
For several years, this was fine. He settled in to his new home, poured everything into his new training, made new friendships and sent home many pleasing letters to his family. It seemed his life was on course to be satisfying enough to sate him.
And then... there was Xu Shu, or Shan Fu, as he'd once be called.
It was a surprising appearance. They hadn't been friends, but Zhou Haoyu's family were from the same area in which Shan Fu had gone through his rough past and the Zhou family were perfectly aware of the well-meaning if awkward sword talent that had, in an act of loyalty to a friend, committed an act of revenge that he had been summarily punished for. The injured, bleeding man was brought before Master Li and Zhou Haoyu with a story of an act of pure heroism and compassion, having saved one of the surrounding villages from a bandit gang that had been targeting them for months, through an act both martially brave and intellectually impressive. The villagers said 'Xu Shu' had mentioned studying strategy, and certainly proven his knowledge of it that day.
Choosing to keep quiet about what he knew, aside from recognising a 'face from back home,' Zhao Haoyu got to work alongside his master in caring for Xu Shu, and it was, frankly, a rough time. Xu Shu was not exactly on his deathbed but it could go downhill at any moment, and his body was full of fever as well as fractures, bruises and pain. There was no question he would be with them for quite some time, and once he started to become more coherent after his fever somewhat cooled, Zhou Haouyu took on Xu Shu's more general care as the apprentice to free up his master and began learning Xu Shu's story. This was not easy, at all. The man Xu Shu was now was clearly a clever and kindly man, still talented with a sword but far more careful with it, and yet he was now burdened by severe anxiety and a sadness that hung over him like a cloud. Understandable to some degree, considering his past and the mistake on his shoulders, but the more Zhou Haoyu got to know Xu Shu the more he began to wonder how someone so, well, wonderful, who had clearly learned, who had clearly worked hard to better himself, could still be so heavily chained by his past.
Yes, maybe he was becoming biased to that fact, but... they clicked so well Zhou Haoyu struggled not to be. Once he let his guard down Xu Shu was gentle, pleasant company with many interesting things to share and, to boot, very handsome. Zhou Haoyu was taken in by the gentle features, kind eyes, rough beard and impressive build. The strong arms of a lifelong swordsman were impossible to ignore, especially as he so often had to tend to the wounds on them, and the attraction was strong. It did not take long to turn into an infatuation, and then, quickly enough Master Li called him foolish for it, Zhou Haoyu was in love.
That was, frankly, a problem, once it became clear that despite their blooming bond and Xu Shu seeming to at least like Zhao Haoyu and the town that considered him a hero, he was intending to continue to wandering journey once fully healed. What was to pass once that time came, well... that was to be seen. Perhaps there would be time to change his beloved's mind, but perhaps not, and if it came to pass... Zhao Haoyu would have to make a decision that would lose him something important no matter what he did.
Story paths:
There's a few general stories I have in mind for him that you'd call 'standard.'
One, Zhou Haoyu cannot prevent Xu Shu from leaving but due to Xu Shu's own words, Master Li's pleas and his own determination, realises he has to stick to finishing his training. He eventually leaves the town when said training is done, hoping to find wherever Xu Shu has found his place and help him make it a home. There are many variants to play with here, as Xu Shu can end up in Shu and Wei and even within that be in a different mental space depending on many factors.
Two, Zhou Haoyu cannot accept losing Xu Shu after Xu Shu leaves and, with apologies and knowing how much it will cost him, sets out to follow Xu Shu, come what may. Same as above, how this goes depends on Xu Shu's own journey.
Finally, three, the comfy cozy route where Zhou Haoyu actually persuades Xu Shu to stay with him and find his 'place' at his side. It's a quiet, gentle tale.
Generally, Zhou Haoyu can easily slot into any route already designed in any form of canon for Xu Shu, alongside the AU potential. He's flexible!
Appearance:
The 'images' section at the bottom currently contains screenshots from the design I created for him in DW9: Empires. This accurately captures his face and hair, but his costume is less certain due to the limitations of 9:Empires in that department. But it works well enough. There is also a fantastic commission that I would call his canon design, with a much more on-point costume.
Zhou Haoyu's key features are his incredibly prominent cheekbones and long hair. This silky dark hair drops to about halfway down his back when loose, is kept in a braid when off work and put up into a high bun when working. He has a noticable facial scar that runs from the middle-to-top of the left side of his chin and slightly over his lips.
Exploratory fanfic:
- An Unfortunate Choice of Romantic Protagonist (No warnings needed, modern AU, 1828 words)
CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS
- XU SHU - The depressed and uncertain strategist Zhou Haoyu falls for, despite his initial caution. Zhou Haoyu is deeply charmed by his gentler side and talent for drawing people together, and, maybe, finds his hidden tough streak strongly attractive on the rare occasion it shows itself. They click rather well, talking easily as well as being able to be quiet together, and there are signs that Zhou Haoyu's feelings might be reciprocated.
Sadly, Xu Shu's troubles mean he still plans to leave Zhou Haoyu's town once healed and this throws the young healer into conflict. Persuade him to stay? Accept he will leave? Or follow him if he goes, abandoning any further training and yet again abandon a duty? It's one of the few moments in Zhao Haoyu's life where he's suddenly not so certain about what he wants to do... - MASTER LI - Another original character. Zhou Haoyu's master, easily driven to anger but nonethless well-meaning and good at what he does. He's able to at least hold his anger back when working. The two of them have a good relationship, though Master Li does feel he has to be pushy with Zhou Haoyu more than he should have to be.
MISCELLANEOUS
- The accusations of being avoidant of responsibility are absolutely not without merit. He'll dodge the question if asked specifics but he's upset his family and friends more than a few times because of the habit; his loved ones were incredibly relieved when he actually settled well into the path of the healer.
- Zhou Haoyu has only ever been attracted to men. He also really, really does not want to get married, no matter how many times he was told it was his responsibility. This was not the motivation for his current training and its location away from his family's much busier home, but it was certainly a welcome bonus. His letters back home frequently contain mention of how being a healer is his 'life's purpose and meaning' and how he can be dedicated to nothing else...
- Fond of lakes and rivers, finding them to be particularly relaxing places. He has never seen the sea and can't decide where it sounds incredible or frightening in its size.
- Not at all a fighter. His ability to defend himself even in a drunken brawl would be poor; he's just not built for fighting, or willing to do it, as he'd say. But he's learned to run quite fast!
- He has a scar on his left cheek and chin that just about cuts into his lips. Zhou Haoyu wishes there was a good story behind it, but there isn't... it's the result of a clumsy moment after drinking too much. Not that he's about to admit that to anyone easily.
IMAGES
Dynasty Warriors 9 Screens:
On his own: Page 1 * With Xu Shu: Page 1
Art Commissions:
