The old bus rattled along the winding roads leading to Qinghe village, its wheels crunching softly over the gravel. Mei Lian stared out the window, watching the familiar fields and bamboo groves pass by, memories flooding back with every turn. It had been years since she'd left this place, chasing dreams in the city. Now, the village was calling her back — not just the place, but the people she had grown up with.
At the bus stop, five figures waited, their faces lighting up as the bus slowed. There was Mei Lian, carrying a small suitcase, her heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and unease. Beside her stood Chen Wei, tall and steady, with a reassuring smile. Then came Liang Feng, playful and loud, cracking jokes even now. Next to him was Lin Yue, quiet but warm-hearted, and finally, Zhang Hao — the one who always seemed lost in his thoughts, yet fiercely loyal.
They had been inseparable since childhood, best friends bound by years of laughter, secrets, and shared dreams. Over time, the bonds had deepened — Chen Wei and Lin Yue had quietly fallen for each other, and so had Liang Feng and Mei Lian, though neither had admitted it out loud. Zhang Hao, however, remained on the sidelines, his feelings hidden beneath a calm exterior.
As they walked together toward the village center, the sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the cobblestones. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and blooming lotus from the nearby pond — a place they had always been warned to avoid after dark.
"Feels like nothing's changed," Mei Lian said, smiling at her friends.
"Except the silence," Zhang Hao muttered, his eyes scanning the empty streets.
Indeed, the village seemed different. No children's laughter echoed in the distance, and the usual bustle was replaced by an eerie stillness. The villagers they passed offered polite nods but quickly looked away, as if burdened by unseen fears.
That night, gathered around a small fire in Chen Wei's family home, the friends shared stories and laughter, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling settling in their chests. Yet, as darkness wrapped the village in its cold embrace, strange noises whispered through the bamboo — faint, almost like voices calling out.
Lin Yue shivered. "Do you think the old stories are true? About the curse on the pond?"
Liang Feng scoffed. "Ghost stories to scare kids. Come on, we've all grown up."
But Zhang Hao remained silent, his gaze distant.
Mei Lian looked toward the window, where the moonlight shimmered on the surface of the lotus pond. Somewhere beneath those still waters, secrets waited — secrets that would soon bind them closer than ever before, testing the limits of their friendship and the sacrifices they were willing to make.
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