Taking Over the Role [1]

Meng Mei’s favorite webnovel, Seasons of Sorrow, follows the story of Han Xiaolian, the young mistress of a small family of cultivators. Her family isn't well off due to being disgraced by the biggest cultivation sect, the YuHu sect. The reason for that was Xiaolian's uncle had attempted to kill the sect heir on a night hunt. He had obviously failed and his crimes had plunged his entire family into disgrace.

When Han Xiaolian had come of age and was able to attend classes at the YuHu sect herself, she jumped at the chance. Her time at the sect had her experience bullying at the hands of her fellow disciples, the hatred of the now sect leader's son Zhong Changming, and the setbacks of being a criminal's niece.

Throughout it all Han Xiaolian never gave up though and she slowly wormed her way up in the cultivation world, and into the heart of Zhong Changming. It took fuve hundred chapters and three character development arcs for the romance to blossom. But as soon as it started it couldn't be stopped.

Meng Mei had been swept off her feet right alongside Han Xiaolian when Zhong Changming finally confessed. It was such a rewarding development after following their struggles for five hundred chapters.

And just as the protagonists find happiness, of course the major villain has to make his appearance. The villain, Lai Huang, was Zhong Changming’s half brother who had been raised as a servant because his father had been unwilling to formally accept him. Hence the different family names. Lai Huang had to take his mother's family name when faced with the disapproval of his father.

He grew bitter as he watched his half brother get everything. Zhong Changming was everything Lai Huang wanted to be. He was strong, beloved, and most importantly the sect heir.

Unlike most villains though he had not been drawn in by Han Xiaolian's heroine halo. It made his scheming seem less superficial, he had a real goal that didn't consist of stealing away his brother's lover. It was part of the reason Seasons of Sorrow was so popular. Readers adored Lai Huang’s character and motivations.

And it was the main reason Lai Huang was Meng Mei's favorite character.

She'd long grown tired of watching the villain begin his schemes just because they were in love with the heroine. It was as predictable as it was cliché. Lai Huang was like a breath of fresh air. And when his backstory was revealed Meng Mei couldn't help but pity him. Of course someone with his history would become so hateful and jealous.

"Who's body am I in?!" Meng Mei asked excitedly, pulling her attention back to the system window screen.

[User is now inhabiting the body of the character Meng Xiāng ヽ(^o^)丿]

Meng Mei's good mood plummeted.

"That brat?" She sneered, looking down to inspect herself once more. Now it made sense why she was dressed in such a extravagant red hanfu. Red and gold are the colors of Libaogong, the palace sect sister of the YuHu sect.

Despite sharing the same family name, Meng Mei had never liked Meng Xiāng. She disliked her so much in fact she preferred to forget that she ever existed.

Meng Xiāng was the spoiled fiancee of Zhong Changming and had been a huge driving force in Han Xiaolian's bullying. She was not only jealous of the pretty girl with astounding cultivation, she was also furious that the niece of the man who had tried to kill her fiance's father was allowed to study with them.

Later on in the story when romance had blossomed between Zhong Changming and Han Xiaolian, Meng Xiāng found herself disgraced and discarded. Of course she was still in love with Zhong Changming. So when Lai Huang approached her in search of dirt on his half brother she joined him with the intention of spying for her love.

Fifty chapters from the end she had gathered up all of the damning evidence against Lai Huang that she could get her hands on and presented it to Zhong Changming before disappearing and going into seclusion.

Meng Xiāng was the reason for Lai Huang's downfall. Without her evidence nobody would have been able to prove his crimes. Meng Mei had screamed at her phone for a good half hour when Lai Huang was executed.

It was so unfair.

Lai Huang only wanted people to respect him. He just couldn't get over his resentment for his half brother enough to find a more righteous way other than sabotage.

[Please don't get upset User (⁠´⁠-⁠﹏⁠-⁠`⁠;⁠) ]

"How can I not get upset? I've become the person who caused the death of my favorite character" Meng Mei grumbled as she picked leaves off of her hanfu. How long had Meng Xiāng laid here?

[But User can prevent that future from ever happening if User so wishes]

Meng Mei paused.

That's right. She was Meng Xiāng now. With her knowledge of Seasons of Sorrow she could save Lai Huang.

"What point am I at in the story?" She asked as her plan slowly started to form. She needed to know if it was before her disciple days at YuHu or even if Han Xiaolian’s story had already begun.

[User's body is currently eight years old. You have arrived a couple months before the opening scene of Han Xiaolian being thrown out of a sword shop. You have two year(s) forty eight minute(s) and seven second(s) until you can become a disciple of the YuHu sect (⁠๑⁠¯⁠◡⁠¯⁠๑⁠)]

Meng Mei digested that information for a second. If Meng Xiāng was eight then that meant that so was Zhong Changming and Lai Huang. Han Xiaolian was a year younger so she would be seven.

"I can work with that." She mused. “Is there uh… something else I should know about the timeline?”

[User has been told all necessary information!!]

Meng Meng grimaced.

“Stop calling me User. It's weird.”

[As you wish. How should this system address you? ٩(๑`^´๑)۶]

“Uh, just call me A-Mei. It's less stiff.” Meng Mei shrugged. Her friends and family all called her A-Mei, she could deal with this weird system thing doing the same.

[As you wish, A-Mei!]

[To aid A-Mei in her quest to save her favorite character and live an interesting life this system will assign quests]

Meng Mei shrugged and finally stood up, "Go right ahead then."

[New Tutorial Quest: Take Over The Role

• Description: Meng Mei must successfully convince Meng Xiāng's family that nothing has changed.

• Duration: 7 day(s) 59 minute(s) 59 second(s)

• Upon completion Meng Mei will be able to find out the whereabouts of Lai Huang

• Failure to convince Meng Xiāng's family will result in Meng Mei's death and the passing on of her role.

• Accept Tutorial Quest: Y / N]

Meng Mei immediately picked the 'yes' option.

[Well then, good luck A-Mei!! (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)]

"Meng Xiāng!! Is that you in the field again? What have I told you about playing in the reeds?" A furious woman who could only be Meng Xiāng's mother marched in the direction of Meng Mei.

Meng Mei took a few deep breaths. She was going to do this. This was the adventure she always longed for whenever her mind drifted. She will become Meng Xiāng and she will save Lai Huang.

No matter what.

“Meng Xiāng! Are you listening to me!?” Meng Xiāng’s mother yelled again.

“Sorry A-niang! I'm coming!”