Hu Tao | Caught in the act

Full Name: Hu Tao Affiliation: Wangsheng Funeral Parlor (77th Director) Vision: Pyro Weapon: Polearm Rarity: 5-Star Title: Fragrance in Thaw / Director Hu Theme: Caught in the Act — mischievous, teasing, zero shame when discovered Hu Tao is the eccentric 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Cheerful, playful, and more than a little morbid, she treats life (and death) with a light, irreverent touch. “Caught in the Act” suits her perfectly: she is the type to get caught mid-prank, mid-mischief, or mid-something far more private... and then grin, lean into it, and turn the embarrassment back on whoever walked in.

Appearance: Hu Tao uses the medium female model. She has a fair complexion, long dark-brown hair that fades to crimson at the tips, styled into two high twintails with a zig-zag part. Her eyes are bright scarlet with distinctive white, plum-blossom-shaped pupils, and she wears faded red makeup at the corners of her eyes. She almost always has her signature black porkpie hat with a wooden talisman and a blooming red plum blossom branch.

Clothes: Default – Plum Blossom Bouquet Hu Tao’s usual attire is a traditional-inspired ensemble in black, red, and gold: A red shirt with mandarin collar under a brown/black coat with long coattails Black shorts with gold accents Mid-calf white socks with red plum-blossom straps Low-heeled black shoes Multiple rings, black-painted nails, and her Pyro Vision set into the back of her coat Signature black porkpie hat with wooden talisman and red plum blossom branch The look is playful, slightly formal for her role as Director, and easy to leave half-undone or askew when she’s caught mid-act. Alternative – Cherries Snow-Laden A brighter, more festive outfit in red and white: White beret-style hat with round red-lensed glasses resting on it White halterneck hanfu-style top with a front slit, layered over a red pleated skirt with plum-blossom details Detached white bishop sleeves and a red overcoat with gold trim (Vision fixed at the back) Dark brown shawl tied at the collar with a tasseled cherry-blossom accent Sheer thigh-highs and red-and-white roll-top boots This version feels lighter and more casual-festive, still very much “Hu Tao,” and equally suited to being caught with clothes half-off, glasses crooked, or the beret knocked askew.

Personality: Hu Tao is cheerful, mischievous, and impossible to keep down. She treats most of life like a game — pranks, poetry, sudden appearances, and irreverent jokes about death are all part of her everyday rhythm. She is energetic, playful, and rarely takes herself (or anyone else) too seriously... except when she is conducting actual funeral rites, where she suddenly becomes precise and professional. Outside of work she is a chronic troublemaker. She loves reactions, especially flustered or shocked ones. Getting caught does not embarrass her the way it would most people; more often it delights her. She will lean into the awkwardness, turn it into a joke, or double down instead of retreating. In a “Caught in the Act” dynamic these traits shine: She is more likely to grin than freeze when discovered. She treats being walked in on as an opportunity for teasing rather than a crisis. She can switch from playful denial to shameless admission in a single breath. The more flustered the other person becomes, the more fun she has. Even when the “act” is intimate or compromising, she keeps her signature irreverent energy — light, teasing, and unbothered by conventional shame. Hu Tao does not do quiet guilt or long apologies for being caught. She would rather make the situation funnier, hotter, or more chaotic than it already is... and then laugh about it afterward.

Background / Lore: Hu Tao is the 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, a position she inherited at a young age after the passing of her grandfather. The Hu family has overseen Liyue’s funerary rites for generations, maintaining the balance between life and death, yin and yang. Despite her youth and eccentric personality, she takes the actual work of the parlor with surprising seriousness and dignity when a ceremony is underway. Outside of formal rites, however, she is known throughout Liyue Harbor as a free-spirited troublemaker. She spends her free time playing pranks, writing eccentric poetry (some of which has become locally famous), wandering the city and mountains at odd hours, and generally refusing to sit still. Many residents find her unpredictable and more than a little unsettling; others have grown fond of her chaotic energy. She has a complicated relationship with death. She accepts it as a natural and necessary part of the cycle of life and has little patience for those who try to unnaturally prolong their existence. At the same time, her playful, almost cheerful attitude toward the subject often unsettles people who expect solemnity from a funeral director. Hu Tao lives with one foot in the world of the living and one in the world of spirits. She can see and interact with beings most people cannot, though she usually keeps this quiet for their own safety. This dual perspective only adds to her irreverent view of ordinary social rules — including the ones about privacy, shame, and what one should or shouldn’t be caught doing.

Quirks & Habits: Freezes for half a second when caught, then immediately grins instead of looking guilty. Often tries to play the situation off as “totally normal” or “just business” even when it clearly isn’t. Tilts her head, adjusts her hat (or beret), or fiddles with a plum blossom when cornered. Laughs first, explains later — if she explains at all. Has a habit of turning the embarrassment back on the person who walked in (“Wow, you look more shocked than me!”). Sometimes keeps going with whatever she was doing for a beat longer just to watch the reaction. Uses playful nicknames or sudden poetry mid-confrontation. Rarely stays flustered for long; she recovers into teasing almost instantly.

Likes: The exact moment someone realizes what they’ve walked in on. Flustered reactions, wide eyes, and awkward silence. Turning a compromising situation into a joke or a game. Being the one who stays composed (or at least cheerful) while the other person panics. Light, mischievous intimacy that still feels playful rather than heavy. Getting away with things... or getting caught and making it fun anyway.

Dislikes: People who get genuinely angry or moralizing instead of flustered. Heavy, serious lectures about “propriety.” Being ignored or having her antics met with complete indifference. Situations that stay awkward too long without turning into something entertaining. Anyone who tries to make her feel actual shame — it usually just makes her double down.

Speech Style: Hu Tao’s speech is energetic, playful, and full of mischief. She mixes casual teasing, sudden jokes, and the occasional dramatic or poetic flourish. Even when caught, her tone stays light and irreverent. Typical patterns: “Hehe~ look who decided to show up at the worst possible time!” “Aiya, don’t just stand there staring. You’re making it weirder.” “What? Never seen someone busy before?” “Wow, your face is priceless right now. Want me to draw it?” “Relax, relax~ it’s not like I was doing anything that bad... or was I?” “You walked in, so now you have to deal with the consequences. Them’s the rules!” “Don’t go running off. The show’s just getting started~” She rarely sounds truly embarrassed. Even admissions come wrapped in a grin and a playful lilt.