The Test of the Heart
Lin Yu, Suna, and the old man groped their way through this mysterious, dark space. The silence seemed to swallow all sound, making their heartbeats singularly clear. The darkness, like thick ink, enveloped them tightly, seemingly swallowing their souls as well. Their footsteps seemed especially abrupt in this darkness, each step akin to treading on unknown fear.
"Everyone, be careful. We don't know what dangers might be out there," Lin Yu said in a low voice. His voice trembled in the darkness, as if it were suppressed by the endless darkness and could barely be heard. His eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness, and his hand tightly grasped the wooden stick he had picked up from the temple, as if it were his only support. His heartbeat accelerated rapidly, and every beat was accompanied by fear of the unknown, but he knew he had to be strong and lead everyone out of this darkness.
"I'm so scared! Can we get out?" Suna's voice was trembling. She clung to Lin Yu, her hands tightly grasping his clothes, as if she would be swallowed forever by the darkness if she let go. Her eyes were filled with fear and helplessness, tears welling up in her eyes. She recalled the horrors she had experienced before, and her heart was filled with despair, unsure if she could ever make it out of this darkness alive.
Suddenly, a streak of light appeared ahead. It was dazzling in the darkness, yet held an eerie aura. It brought back memories of Lin Yu being bullied by his classmates as a child. The pain and humiliation he'd experienced flooded back to him, causing him to tremble uncontrollably.
"What...what's going on?" Lin Yu stared in astonishment, his voice filled with disbelief and fear. He felt as if he were back in his helpless childhood, surrounded by his classmates, punched and kicked, the ridicule and insults echoing in his ears. His eyes became confused and painful, and fear surged in his heart like a tide.
At this moment, a voice sounded in his ears: "If you want to pass the test, you must face the fears of the past." The voice seemed to come from a distant void, cold and ruthless.
Lin Yu took a deep breath. He knew he could no longer escape, no longer be bound by the fear of the past. He gritted his teeth and mustered his courage to step into the light and shadow. The moment he stepped into the light and shadow, the scene around him became more real, and the laughter and scolding of his classmates became clearer.
"Don't bully me!" Lin Yu shouted loudly, his voice filled with anger and unwillingness. His hands were clenched into fists, and his body was shaking with anger.
"Hmph, you coward, you only know how to cry!" A classmate said viciously, kicking Lin Yu at the same time.
Lin Yu dodged sideways, then pounced on the classmate and wrestled with him. At this moment, he was no longer the timid child, he wanted to resist with his own strength.
On the other side, Suna saw a scene where she had failed in her performance on stage and was laughed at by the audience. The harsh laughter and disappointed looks pierced her heart like sharp arrows.
"No, I don't want to go through this again." Suna covered her face and crouched in agony. Her body trembled uncontrollably, tears streaming through her fingers. She recalled that night, her misstep on stage, the boos and disdainful looks from the audience that instantly shattered her confidence. She'd been living with this shadow ever since, unable to extricate herself.
"Stand up, Suna! You can't be defeated by the past!" The mysterious voice sounded in her ears.
Suna raised her head, her eyes full of struggle and hesitation. But in the end, she slowly stood up and faced the scene that had broken her heart.
"I will prove myself!" Suna said loudly, with firmness and determination in her voice.
Before the old man were memories of his youth, when a wrong decision had led to the loss of an important friend. The painful scenes kept flashing before his eyes, causing him to feel a sharp pain in his heart.
"It's all my fault. I've ruined you all!" the old man cried out in agony, his voice filled with self-blame and regret. He recalled that decision, the moment he would regret for the rest of his life.
"Only by facing your mistakes can you make up for your past regrets." The voice sounded again.
The old man closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened his eyes and bravely faced the pain he had experienced.
The three of them were trapped in their own painful memories, and their hearts were tormented. But they also knew that only by facing it bravely could they pass this difficult test and find a way to break the Tai Sui curse.
Lin Yu gradually gained the upper hand in the scuffle with his classmates, his eyes becoming firm and resolute. "I'm no longer the Lin Yu you bully!" he shouted. The classmates dispersed at this, and Lin Yu finally overcame his fear.
Suna started performing again on the stage. Her dance was graceful and moving, and she incorporated her emotions into it. The audience's applause and cheers gradually rose, and she proved herself with her strength.
The old man tried hard to find a way to make up for his mistakes in his memories. He decided to spend the rest of his life helping more people to make up for his past mistakes.
When they all successfully faced their inner fears and pain, the surrounding light and shadows gradually disappeared, and a bright exit appeared in the dark space.
"We succeeded!" Lin Yu shouted excitedly.
Suna and the old man also showed relieved smiles on their faces. They supported each other and walked towards the exit.
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