The Mad Ҡìղց

I Love You

Duan Dan had just finished recounting the strange and awe-inspiring events that had unfolded in the coral water. Her voice still echoed slightly in the room, a reminder of the tension that had filled the space just moments before. The flickering light of the lamp cast shifting shadows on the walls, making the atmosphere seem even more surreal, like the coral water itself had seeped into their surroundings.

Feng Mian, Chang, and Meng sat in silence for a beat, processing the gravity of what they had just heard. Their eyes wide, faces still reflecting the awe that Duan's tale had inspired. Feng Mian, who had been quietly sipping from his cup, slowly placed it down on the low table in front of him. His sharp eyes seemed to glow in the low light as they fixed on Duan Dan, the hint of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Incredible," Feng Mian finally said, breaking the silence. "I can hardly believe it. The coral water has always been a place of legend, but to hear it from you, someone who's actually experienced it..." He shook his head slightly, as though words failed him.

Meng leaned back in her chair, stretching out her long arms above her head. Her voice, deep and rough, broke through the lingering air of disbelief. "I wish I was there," she said with a groan, her body moving languidly, as though the weight of what she'd missed was almost too much to bear. "Imagine seeing it with your own eyes. I bet it was magnificent." She sighed dramatically, the alcohol making her voice heavier. "Next time, I'm going with you. No more leaving me behind."

Chang, who had been the quietest since Duan Dan's tale had begun, suddenly stood up, her face breaking into a grin. The energy in the room had shifted from awe to camaraderie. The heaviness of the story was lifted by the presence of alcohol and good company. "I'll get another bottle," Chang declared, pushing himself to her feet. Her step was steady despite the drinks they had already shared, a testament to the many nights they'd spent like this, together, drinking and talking long into the night.

"Get two bottles!" Meng called after Chang, a broad grin spreading across her face. She was clearly beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol, her usually serious demeanor softening with each passing drink.

Chang disappeared for a moment into the kitchen, and soon returned with not one, but two bottles of the potent liquor that had become a staple of their gatherings. "Can't have too much," she said, winking at Meng as she set the bottles down on the table with a satisfying thud. She sat back down with a contented sigh, her eyes drifting to the bottles as she picked one up and began to pour.

The sound of liquid sloshing into cups seemed to spark something in their conversation. Duan Dan, Feng Mian, and Meng started up again, their voices overlapping in a jumble of stories, laughter, and old memories. It was as though Duan Dan's story about the coral water had opened the floodgates, and now everything they had been holding back was coming out, one memory after another, each story more absurd or more poignant than the last.

The room was filled with the warmth of shared memories, their voices growing louder as the night wore on, the laughter bubbling up more frequently.

But amid the laughter and the stories, there was a quiet heaviness that lingered in Chang's mind. As she poured herself another drink, she couldn't shake the thoughts of Nie Ming Jue. She lifted her cup, the weight of it suddenly feeling significant in her hand. Looking around at the faces of her friends, she sighed, unable to suppress the sadness that had crept into her heart.

"I wish Nie Ming Jue were here with us," Chang said softly, her voice barely audible over the noise of the others. The laughter around the table died down slightly as the weight of her words hung in the air. The mention of their fallen brother brought a momentary silence to the room, each of them feeling the loss in their own way.