"Yessss!" Song Meiyu squeaked, her voice bouncing off the quartz walls. She was already halfway to the spring, practically crawling on hands and knees. Without a shred of hesitation, she plunged her hand straight into the glowing water and gasped dramatically.
"Oooh, it feels so nice! I think it really is healing water!" she cried, eyes wide with delight. "Master Yin Xue said we could drink it and even bring some back!"
She wasted no time pulling a small vial from her pouch and carefully filling it with the spring water, looking very pleased with herself.
Linyue crouched beside the spring and dipped her fingers into the surface. The glow rippled around her hand, soft and silver-blue. The water wasn't cold, just cool enough to soothe, fresh and strangely comforting. Her fingers tingled slightly, her hand felt light as if it had just been bathed in a healing elixir. She smiled a little.
Behind her, Shu Mingye still hadn't moved. He stood there, motionless, watching her with intensity that might have worried anyone else. He wasn't sure if he was about to fall into the spring or just fall further into her.
In front of him, the others clearly had their own priorities. Song Meiyu had moved on to taste-testing the water, humming happily as if she had just discovered the best tea of her life. Shen Zhenyu stood a few steps back, arms crossed, quiet and watchful, probably already calculating how much water they could carry back without turning the entire return trip into a soaking disaster.
Song Meiyu, always first in line for questionable decisions, had already filled one vial and reached down for more. She scooped up a handful of the glowing water and drank it in a single, dramatic gulp.
"It feels so good!" she gasped, eyes going wide, her whole face lighting up. "I feel better already! Totally worth the fall and the trauma and the mild drowning!"
Before Shen Zhenyu could say anything reasonable or responsible, like don't overdo it or we don't know the side effects, Song Meiyu threw back another sip.
This time she spun around to face them, dripping water everywhere. "Quick! You all drink some too! Come on! It's like… miracle tea!"
Shen Zhenyu closed his eyes briefly, clearly considering whether to argue, confiscate her water, or just give up on the idea of sanity and join in. After another long, suspicious look at the glowing spring, he sighed and crouched down. He cupped his hands, scooped up the water, and took a cautious sip.
Nothing happened.
He paused. He waited. One breath. Two. Three. Still nothing. No glowing eyes, no claws, no sudden urge to howl at the moon. He flexed his fingers and frowned.
"…It's safe," he said at last. Then added after a tiny pause, "Probably."
Song Meiyu nodded seriously, as if that settled it. Shen Zhenyu stood there for another moment, testing his breathing, his pulse, his overall level of regret. He hadn't grown wings, passed out, or started hallucinating. And to his mild surprise, he actually felt… better. The tight ache in his shoulders had faded, and the constant edge of irritation had dulled into something resembling peace.
Interesting.
He turned to Linyue and made a small, calm gesture. "Try it."
Linyue watched the spring quietly, her expression thoughtful. The water glowed faintly, casting pale light over her face. She dipped her hand into it and took a sip.
It was cool and fresh, almost sweet, like the first drink of cold tea after a long walk under the sun. The chill spread through her chest, then melted into warmth that left her feeling strangely light.
"Not bad," she said softly.
Coming from her, that was practically a standing ovation. Seeing that, Shu Mingye who had been standing stiffly like a statue, finally moved. He knelt by the water, scooped it up with one hand, and drank. He didn't care if it was poison at this point. If she was going to risk it, then so would he.
The water was cool, refreshing, and faintly sweet. His side hurt a little less, his shoulders felt a little lighter. Amazing. Healing water. But did it fix the heart?
No. Unfortunate. Because his heart had not stopped misbehaving since the moment Linyue turned around with that face. He risked a glance at her again, just a quick one. She was patting her cheeks dry with her sleeve.
He instantly looked away. The spring was healing, yes. But he was beginning to suspect he needed stronger medicine. Preferably something that cured dangerous thoughts. Then his eyes betrayed him again.
Linyue was sitting at the edge of the pool, legs folded neatly, arms resting on her knees. The glowing mist swirled gently around her as she quietly took in the cave around them. Her expression was calm, almost peaceful, like she had wandered into a dream and decided to stay for a while.
A fairy cave. That was what this place looked like. And unfortunately, she fit right in.
In front of her, Song Meiyu was having the time of her life. She hopped from plant to plant. She poked at the leaves, sniffed the flowers, and murmured things like, "Edible? No. Poisonous? Maybe. Smells like mint, but might be death. Hmmm."
Shen Zhenyu was doing his usual brooding thing. He stood silently by the shimmering wall and running his fingers over the quartz, probably judging it for existing.
Linyue didn't mind the silence. Shu Mingye was suspiciously quiet beside her, but she decided not to question it. Peace was peace. If he wanted to act like a very attractive statue, that was his business. But then something tugged at her thoughts.
She tilted her head slightly, her tone calm but curious. "Come to think of it," she said, "there was more to the riddle."
Shu Mingye turned his head, his eyes landing on her.
She continued, voice low and thoughtful, "The spring recalls what time forgot... and For time forgets those who recall. What does that mean?"
Shu Mingye blinked. His mouth opened, ready to say something clever or at least vaguely intelligent—
And then Song Meiyu dropped. One second she was crouched by the edge of the spring, chatting cheerfully with a suspiciously red cluster of plants. The next, her head tilted to the side in an oddly dramatic way and she crumpled onto the cave floor.
Linyue's eyes narrowed. "Sister Meiyu?"
She stood up quickly, eyes flicking to Shen Zhenyu who, just as she turned, collapsed too. Like someone had flipped a switch. No sound, no cry, just collapsed.
Linyue turned sharply to Shu Mingye, alarm sparking in her dark eyes. "Something's wrong—"
But she never finished the sentence. The cave seemed to tilt. Her vision blurred. Her legs gave way. The last thing she saw before everything went black was Shu Mingye's arm shooting out, his hand reaching for her with a flash of panic in his eyes.
Shu Mingye caught her just in time, one arm locking firmly around her waist, the other steadying her head before it could meet the floor. Her body slumped against him. He held her close, feeling the light rise and fall of her chest against his.
"…Linyue?" he tried, his voice low.
No response. Panic flared in his chest for half a second before he reminded himself.
No, she's breathing. She's fine. Just unconscious. Probably.
He looked around the cave for answers and found only chaos.
Song Meiyu was face down in a patch of moss. Shen Zhenyu lay crumpled against the quartz wall. And now Linyue, the final member of his sanity, limp in his arms.
"Fantastic," Shu Mingye muttered. "Exactly what I needed today."
He glanced at the glowing spring accusingly. "Are you happy now?"
The spring sparkled innocently back at him.
Shu Mingye shifted his hold on Linyue, tightening his arms around her limp form. "You better not be cursed," he told her unconscious face. "Or glowing. Or both. I don't have the energy for glowing curses today."
He took a deep breath, bracing himself to stand up and claim his title as the only sane survivor of this nonsense. But then the cave twisted. The walls stretched like soft dough being pulled apart. The light bent and warped, curling at the edges of his vision. And just like that, Shu Mingye's legs gave out. The ground rushed up at him. Or maybe he rushed down at the ground. Hard to say.
The back of his head never hit the ground, because he was already gone before it could. The last thing he thought just before darkness took him was, "Great. Now we're all glowing, cursed, and unconscious. Typical."