To Love the Gentle Moon - Lan Xichen X Reader

Piecing Together the Puzzle

A/N - Hello all, here with another chapter. I shall be posting daily till we reach 5 chapters, so that you can enjoy it and be pulled into waiting for the updates later on. 😁
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On with the story ....
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Breathing in deeply, the girl stood still for a moment, letting her thoughts settle. If she was truly in this world—she needed to understand who she was and what role she played. The clues so far painted an intriguing picture: 

She was clearly someone of importance. The luxurious silk robes she wore, adorned with crescent moon designs, and the intricate jade-and-pearl hairpins suggested wealth and status. The way the maid addressed her as 'guniang'—a term reserved for a respectable young lady—confirmed she was no ordinary person. If she was being taken to Gusu, for the year long classes, then she must be a good cultivator. 

The crescent moons intrigued her. She racked her brain, trying to recall if any sects in 'Mo Dao Zhu Shi' had a moon motif. None came to mind. It must be a minor sect, one not directly mentioned in the book. That gave her some breathing room; at least she wasn’t immediately tangled in the chaotic drama of the larger sects like the Lan, Jiang, or Wen families—yet. 

But more important questions loomed: 'Where in the story am I?' Was it the beginning, before the fall of Wei Wuxian? Or the aftermath, with Lan Wangji picking up the pieces? Could it even be after the book’s conclusion? 

The reign names blurred in her memory; she hadn’t paid much attention to the dates while reading. But surely there was some way to find out. 

Her thoughts were interrupted when the maid, the same one who had woken her earlier, entered with a polite bow. “Feng guniang, it is time for lunch,” she said softly. 

The girl blinked, realizing she had woken up from a mid-morning nap. That explained her full attire—an outer robe, an elaborate hairstyle, and jewelry. It wasn’t typical sleepwear, even for a noblewoman. 

Deciding to play along, she followed the maid out of the room. As they walked through the halls, she observed everyone they passed. Each person—whether a servant, guard, or disciple—stopped to bow and greet her with smiles, saying, “Feng guniang.” 

She returned their greetings with a warm smile, careful not to betray her confusion. If there was one thing she had learned from years of reading cultivation novels, it was that noble families were built on appearances and decorum. Any deviation from her assumed personality could spark suspicion, which she couldn’t afford. 

As they neared the dining area, the girl remembered something important: the cultivation world frequently held discussion conferences. These were gatherings of sect leaders, disciples, and other influential figures. Asking about one could be her best opportunity to figure out her place in the story and the current timeline. 

She glanced at the maid, realizing with a pang of panic that she didn’t know her name. 'What if she notices I’m avoiding using her name?' Crossing her fingers, she decided to improvise. 

“So,” she began casually, “how are we dividing ourselves for the discussion conference and Gusu lectures?” 

The maid, now walking slightly ahead of her, paused and looked back, surprised. But she quickly recovered and answered, “Yourself and Feng gongzi will be going to Gusu, along with the fourth and fifth disciples and six junior disciples. Zhongzhu will be leaving next month for Qinghe Nie with the second disciple. Furen will remain here at Fenghua Manor with the second and third disciples.” 

The girl absorbed this information carefully, committing the names and roles to memory. She had a brother—Feng gongzi—and she belonged to a well established sect, confirmed by the mention of the good number of disciples being sent to Cloud Recesses alongside her and her brother. Fenghua Manor appeared to be their home base. She filed these details away, grateful for the maid’s candid response. 

Feigning curiosity, she added, “And what was that look for?” She kept her tone light, avoiding any hint of accusation. If people were treating her with this much respect, her character likely had a reputation for kindness and fairness—traits she needed to uphold. 

The maid, who introduced herself as Mei-er with a slight bow, looked flustered. “Apologies, guniang. San-er only found it surprising that the first question you asked happened to be the one we were discussing before you fell asleep.” 

The girl inwardly sighed in relief. 'Thank heavens for small favors.' San-er had unknowingly provided her with a plausible explanation for her question. 

As they reached the dining area, she relaxed slightly, letting her mind drift back to the clues she’d gathered. It was becoming clearer now—she was part of a wealthy sect, respected by those around her. The crescent moon motif was their emblem, but the sect itself seemed minor, given its absence in the story. 

'That might work to my advantage,' she thought, smiling faintly as they entered the room. 

The discussion conference and lectures at Gusu could be her ticket to unraveling the mysteries of this world.  But first, she needed to figure out who she was pretending to be—and more importantly, how to survive this family gathering.
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