[Lin Mei's POV]
Lin Mei's hands trembled as she set down her farming tools, her eyes never leaving the small figure that had emerged from the forest edge. In her thirty-five years of life in this remote village, she had never seen anything like the child standing before them.
The girl, for it was clearly a girl despite the oversized, tattered robe, possessed a beauty that seemed to transcend the mortal realm. She had long white eyelashes and her crimson eyes held depths that should not exist in one so young, and her features were so perfectly formed they seemed carved by the gods themselves. Even dirt-stained and clearly exhausted, she radiated an otherworldly presence that made Lin Mei's breath catch in her throat.
"By the gods... Is she even human?" Lin Qiang whispered beside her.
When the child spoke, her words were completely foreign. Not the neighboring villages' dialect, not the trader tongue they sometimes heard, something else entirely. But the desperation in her voice needed no translation. She was clearly starving.
Lin Mei's maternal instincts overrode her shock. "She's just a baby," Lin Mei said, already moving forward. "Look how thin she is."
While the two parents started to relax, Lin Ye looked at the little girl with skepticism.
"Mom," he refuted, not daring to raise his voice, "look at her eyes. They're... they're red as blood. She looks dangerous. She might be tricking u-"
The girl stumbled as Lin Mei approached, nearly collapsing. Up close, Lin Mei could see the exhaustion written across that perfect face.
*Rumble*
She could hear her stomach growling audibly, causing the little girl's cheeks to redden slightly.
"Stop being paranoid Xiao Ye. She is clearly almost starving to death and needs our help. Not to mention, I couldn't even recognize what she was saying so she's definitely not just some thief from around here." Lin Mei nearly rolled her eyes at her son.
Then she reached out to the child and offered her hand, speaking gently in their tongue even though the child clearly wouldn't understand. Sometimes tone mattered more than words.
The relief in those impossible eyes was heartbreaking. The child took her hand with both of hers, clinging desperately.
"We're taking her home," Lin Mei announced to her family. "The rest we'll figure out later."
---
[MC POV]
She didn't understand a single word they were saying.
The realization hit her as the kind woman - Lin Mei, as the others had been calling her - led her through the village. Complete language barrier. She'd been so focused on her immediate survival that she hadn't fully processed this obstacle.
Of course it wouldn't be that easy, she thought tiredly. When is it ever?
Even so, she clung to the offered hand like a lifeline. Never in her life had she been so relieved to not be rejected.
I'm so glad I made it here before I got into any real trouble, she thought, though she kept her guard up. She was still in the middle of this remote village, surrounded by strangers she hadn't even met yet.
They followed the worn dirt path that served as the village's main thoroughfare, passing between modest dwellings that ranged from rough-hewn wooden huts to a few structures that bore hints of more refined architectural traditions with curved eaves and carved details.
On their way they stopped multiple times as the parents talked to each of the families they passed.
The conversations were brief but animated, filled with gestures toward her and hushed tones that needed no translation. Every person they passed stopped and stared, their expressions shifting from curiosity to wonder. Children peered around their parents' legs, wide-eyed and whispering. She felt like some exotic creature being paraded through the village, though Lin Mei's gentle grip on her hand remained reassuring.
People in this village all seemed to know each other intimately, their interactions flowing with an easy familiarity. She watched them with fascination; everyone was so open, so genuinely connected. In her previous life, she'd only had a handful of close friends to talk to. Beyond that, most interactions barely got past polite greetings.
Finally, Lin Mei stopped in front of a modest dwelling that looked slightly larger than the others. She turned to speak to her husband in that same rapid, incomprehensible dialect, gesturing between the house and her. Even without understanding the words, it was clear they were discussing what to do with their unexpected guest.
Before they could reach a conclusion, the door opened and an older woman emerged. She had to be Lin Mei's mother, the family resemblance was unmistakable, though age had painted white streaks through her black hair. What struck her most were the woman's eyes: a vivid emerald green that seemed to take in everything at once.
The older woman's gaze swept over the small crowd that had gathered, then settled on her with an intensity that made her want to step back. But there was no hostility in those green eyes, only a sharp, assessing curiosity.
The woman introduced herself as Chen Lan, her voice carrying the authority of years as she asked what was clearly a pointed question. Lin Mei responded quickly on the girl's behalf, gesturing toward her again, and she caught her own presence being discussed in their rapid exchange.
Chen Lan's emerald eyes never left her face as she listened to her daughter's explanation. The older woman nodded slowly, then stepped closer, her weathered hands reaching out to gently lift the girl's chin. She studied her features with the practiced assessment of someone who had seen much in her long life.
What is she looking for? the girl wondered, fighting the urge to pull away from the scrutiny. There was something almost... knowing in Chen Lan's expression, as if she recognized something others had missed.
The older woman's breath caught almost imperceptibly as she took in the silvery-white hair that caught the light like spun moonbeams, the deep crimson eyes that seemed to hold depths no child should possess. Chen Lan murmured something under her breath, a name perhaps, that made Lin Mei's eyes widen in surprise.
A rapid exchange followed between mother and daughter, their voices dropping to urgent whispers. The girl caught fragments of what sounded like questions, speculation, growing confusion. Chen Lan kept glancing back at her with an expression that mixed recognition with bewilderment. Finally, Lin Mei gestured toward the forest and mimicked the strange sounds the girl had made when she'd tried to speak.
Chen Lan fell silent, her weathered face creasing with confusion and something that might have been worry. She turned back to the little girl, pointing to herself with a gentle finger.
"Chen Lan," she said clearly, then pointed at the girl with raised eyebrows.
The girl tilted her head, not understanding what was being asked of her. When Chen Lan repeated the gesture more insistently, she could only shake her head helplessly.
"I don't know," she said softly, the English words falling strange and foreign in the village air.
She did know about her name of her past life, but she hadn't thought about a new name yet.
The gathered villagers exchanged uncertain glances, clearly recognizing that whatever language she'd just spoken was unlike anything they'd ever heard.
Chen Lan's expression softened with understanding. She placed a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder and spoke slowly, her tone reassuring despite the incomprehensible words. Then she turned to Lin Mei, gesturing toward the child's distinctive features - the moonlight hair, the crimson eyes that seemed to glow even in daylight.
After a brief discussion, Chen Lan smiled and pointed to the girl again.
"Hong Yue," she said clearly, repeating it with careful emphasis. "Hong Yue."
Lin Mei nodded approvingly and repeated the name, pointing at her with an encouraging smile. Soon other voices joined in, the small crowd murmuring "Hong Yue" as if as if welcoming her properly into their community.
The little girl, Hong Yue, felt a strange warmth spread through her chest. It wasn't just having a name again; it was the way they'd given it to her, with such natural kindness. She nodded slowly, pointing to herself.
"Hong Yue," she repeated, and the villagers beamed as if she'd accomplished something wonderful. The meaning of the name would come to her later - Red Moon - but for now it was enough to belong somewhere, to be someone again.
Chen Lan clapped her hands together decisively, the sound cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. She spoke a few firm words that seemed to dismiss the gathered villagers, who began to disperse with respectful nods and lingering curious glances at Hong Yue.
Lin Qiang stepped forward, saying something that sounded like a question. Chen Lan responded with what was clearly instructions, gesturing toward the house. He nodded and disappeared inside, followed by their son who had been watching everything with wide, fascinated eyes.
The older woman turned back to Hong Yue, her expression gentling as she took in the child's obvious exhaustion. She made a series of gestures - pointing to Hong Yue, then to her mouth, then rubbing her stomach. The meaning was universal enough: Are you hungry?
Hong Yue's stomach chose that moment to respond with a soft growl, answering the question more eloquently than words could have. Chen Lan chuckled, a warm sound that needed no translation, and ushered both Hong Yue and Lin Mei toward the house.
The interior was warm and welcoming, with wooden beams overhead and simple but sturdy furniture arranged around a central hearth where a pot simmered, filling the air with savory aromas. Hong Yue's empty stomach clenched painfully at the smell.
Chen Lan settled into what was clearly her customary chair near the fire, those sharp emerald eyes still studying Hong Yue with quiet intensity. She spoke a few words to Lin Mei, who immediately began bustling around, ladling soup into a wooden bowl and cutting thick slices of bread.
Lin Mei set the food in front of Hong Yue with a gentle smile, miming eating motions with her hands. Chen Lan nodded approvingly and added something in an encouraging tone.
Hong Yue didn't need encouragement. She fell on the food with desperate hunger, barely pausing to breathe between bites. The soup was simple but delicious, vegetables and grains in a rich broth that warmed her from the inside out. Each spoonful seemed to awaken her body's awareness of just how starved it had been.
This body has been starving for weeks, she realized between bites. For the first time, she found herself wondering about the previous owner of this small form. What had happened to the original soul? What was a child doing alone in that forest, without even clothes?
She took another spoonful. Warm. Nourishing. Heavy enough to finally settle the gnawing ache in her stomach.
Maybe she was running from something and got lost, then starved to death out there, Hong Yue thought with a flicker of sadness for the unknown child. Not that it matters now.
Lin Mei watched with obvious satisfaction, refilling the bowl before Hong Yue even had to ask.
The rest of family gathered around the simple wooden table, Lin Qiang and their son joining them, speaking quietly in their melodic language while stealing glances at their unexpected guest.
When Hong Yue finally felt full for the first time in what felt like weeks, exhaustion hit her like a physical blow. Her eyelids grew impossibly heavy, and she swayed slightly in her chair.
Lin Mei noticed immediately, rising with a concerned murmur. She gently guided Hong Yue to a small room off the main area, where a simple bed with clean blankets looked like the most luxurious thing she'd ever seen.
Hong Yue tried to express her gratitude, gesturing to the bed, to Lin Mei, to the house in general. "Thank you," she whispered in English, hoping her tone would convey what her words couldn't.
Lin Mei seemed to understand perfectly. She pulled the blankets up to Hong Yue's chin, smoothed her tangled hair with gentle fingers, and spoke softly in their melodic language. The words were foreign, but the care in them was universal - the same tender tone mothers used everywhere.
Alone in the quiet darkness, Hong Yue finally let herself process what had happened. She was safe, fed, and had a place to sleep. The Lin family had taken her in without question, despite everything strange about her appearance and origin.
I need to learn their language as soon as possible, she thought drowsily. I can't stay dependent on their kindness forever.
With her enhanced comprehension abilities, it shouldn't take too long. She was already starting to pick up patterns in their speech, recognizing repeated words and phrases at a pace that surprised even her. Her cultivation talent seemed to affect more than just her understanding of techniques - it was sharpening her perception of everything around her.
For now, though, she was simply grateful to be alive and safe. The soft bed, the full stomach, the sound of quiet conversation drifting from the next room - it was more comfort than she'd dared hope for.
Even though it was still afternoon, she was asleep within minutes.
[Lin Mei's POV]
In the main room, Lin Mei quietly cleared away the empty bowls while her family settled around the table. The house felt different somehow with Hong Yue sleeping in the next room - warmer, but also charged with an energy she couldn't quite name.
"Mother," she said softly, glancing toward the closed door, "when you looked at her earlier... you seemed to recognize something. What was it?"
Chen Lan was quiet for a long moment, her weathered hands folded in her lap. When she finally spoke, her voice was uncertain.
"Those features of hers - the silvery hair, those deep crimson eyes. They reminded me of something I saw years ago when I traveled to the capital." She paused, her emerald gaze growing distant. "The Ming family. One of the three ducal houses of our Qiyue Kingdom. The members of that duke family all had that same unusual coloring - white hair and red eyes."
Lin Qiang frowned. "You think she might be... related to them somehow?"
"I don't know," Chen Lan said, shaking her head slowly. "It's just... those features are so rare. In all my years, I've never seen anyone else with that combination except for the Ming nobles. But then again..." She trailed off, looking troubled.
"What is it?" Lin Mei prompted gently.
"If she truly had any connection to the ducal families, she would surely know our language. They're educated from birth in proper speech. Yet when she spoke to us..." Chen Lan's brow furrowed with confusion. "Those sounds she made - I've never heard anything like them. I didn't even know there were other languages beyond our own."
The family fell silent, each wrestling with the puzzle of their mysterious guest.
"Perhaps the resemblance is just coincidence," Lin Mei said quietly, though she didn't sound entirely convinced.
"Perhaps," Chen Lan agreed, but her troubled expression suggested she wasn't convinced either.
---
A\N:
Language of the cultivation world is written with quotation marks in italics -> "Thank you!"
And language of the mc's previous world is written in normal text with quotation marks -> "Thank you!"