Leng Jing, carrying Han Yu, Leng Qingqing, and the white marten, temporarily stepped away from his life as a prince. Leaving the court affairs to the "mixed-blood" Fourteenth Prince, they arrived at the city that had remained unchanged for a thousand years—the industrial Snow Capital, a relic of the Old Era.
In this massive metropolis, people’s lives were a microcosm of that extremely prosperous era from a millennium ago. To the readers currently smirking or feeling helpless before their computer screens, the place they had arrived at was identical to your current environment. Perhaps when you grow tired of looking at your computer, open a window for some fresh air, and look down at the street, you might just see the Leng trio.
In short, the Leng trio had arrived in a snow valley that resembled the industrial age. Compared to the valley dwellers who maintained the high prosperity of a thousand years ago, they seemed more like country bumpkins from ancient times.
Han Yu took a deep breath of the Snow Capital’s air—air tinged with the distinct scent of car exhaust—and then knelt on the road and began to cry. This was the sting of homesickness; for him, it was undoubtedly like returning to the hometown of a thousand years past. In truth, the inhuman torment he suffered within the Wanxiang Tower had lasted for a full millennium. By the time he escaped, everything else had changed.
"My life..." Han Yu wailed, sprawled on the snow-covered asphalt.
After he finished crying, he wiped his tears and stood up, saying to Leng Jing, "Your clothes are too conspicuous. You need to change."
"Change into what?" Both Leng Jing and Leng Qingqing were acting like total bumpkins now.
"It’s late at night. Come with me to the department store." Han Yu pulled up his hood.
One could tell just by looking at Han Yu’s back that the fellow was feeling quite smug. The Leng trio thought gloomily that being treated like an old-fashioned rustic really didn't feel good.
Late at night, there weren't many pedestrians on the streets. Since they were all wearing cloaks, even if they were seen, they would just be taken for vagrants.
Han Yu led the bumpkins silently through the streets, finally stopping beneath a large building. He pointed inside and said, "This is a department store." With a light press on the electronic lock, he easily pried the security door open just enough to slip through.
That was how Leng Jing’s first industrial-era outfit came to be—taken directly from the department store. Han Yu picked out a set of industrial-era clothes for each of them. Once Leng Jing was dressed in his new attire, he looked every bit the cool, handsome young man, while Leng Qingqing looked like a fresh, delicate "flower boy."
"They fit perfectly." Han Yu put on a face mask and nodded with satisfaction at Leng Qingqing and Leng Jing.
Leng Jing wore sneakers, jeans, and a sweatshirt, feeling incredibly strange. Looking at himself in the mirror, he realized that from now on, he was an industrial-era dragon.
Leng Qingqing’s outfit was similar to Leng Jing’s, but no matter what he wore, he always appeared a bit more *kawaii*. At least, that’s what Han Yu thought. *Kawaii*—what a nostalgic word.
***
Dawn broke, and the busy day of the metropolis began. The streets that had been quiet during the night became bustling, with a constant stream of vehicles and pedestrians. Leng Jing and Leng Qingqing stood blankly on the street corner, staring at this completely foreign place.
The winter morning air was biting, making one feel incredibly sharp and awake. Despite this, young women on the streets still hurried past in thick fabric skirts and thin leggings, stepping briskly in slender high heels. Leng Jing, Leng Qingqing, and the white marten squatted by a flower bed on the sidewalk, watching the novel sights while waiting for Han Yu to return with breakfast.
"Ahhh! He’s so gorgeous!" A group of girls in high school uniforms swarmed over, taking out their phones to snap photos of Leng Jing and Leng Qingqing.
"Are you here for the 'Future Supernova' auditions? You're so handsome!" the girls screamed at them. As it turned out, the building behind Leng Jing and the others was the television station. Currently, the metropolis’s TV station was hosting a male talent scout program.
"Quick, tell us your names! We’ll text in to support you! You’re so stylish! Even more stylish than Lan Haitao, the one who took first place in the preliminaries! Tao-tao finally has a rival! Yay!" The girls surrounded the Leng father and son, pressuring them to reveal their duo's name.
"Duo?" Leng Qingqing’s hands were stuffed with chocolates given to him by the girls. He ate one and suddenly felt the world brighten. It was so, so, so, so, so delicious! The great white snake was instantly filled with love for this strange Snow Capital.
"We are the Long Slender Duo," Leng Qingqing said with a grin, his mouth full of chocolate.
"Ahhh! So *kawaii*!" The girls crowded around Leng Qingqing, while Leng Jing was left ignored.
"What does *kawaii* mean, Young Master?" The white marten noticed the dissatisfaction in Leng Jing’s eyes.
"Probably means 'idiot,'" Leng Jing replied.
In the end, the big white snake harvested a great deal of delicious treats. When Leng Jing reached out to take some, Qingqing hid them all, refusing to let Leng Jing touch them.
***
Han Yu returned with a kind of soft bun filled with fried chicken patties and lettuce leaves; apparently, this food was called a "hamburger." Leng Qingqing took a bite and felt that compared to the noodles he cooked himself, this thing was much worse. Even the things he fed the white marten tasted better than this.
"Hurry up and finish eating so you can help me find a beautiful youth," Han Yu said, looking quite anxious.
"You should at least explain where we’re supposed to look," Leng Jing said, picking the chicken out of the burger to eat while tossing the bread and lettuce aside.
Han Yu looked up at the luxurious TV station building with its massive outdoor screen and said, "There, of course! The dream factory of beautiful youths. They’re holding a talent show right now, so there are plenty of them. You two will help me make a connection."
"A talent show? You mean that business for actors and performers? Why do you like performers?" Leng Jing said with considerable disdain.
"You don't understand. In the industrial age, entertainers are like the darlings of the gods. In short, the youths with the most outstanding appearances will all be gathered here." Han Yu recalled the scenes from his own era, his tone carrying a hint of longing.
"Fine, fine. We’ll go have a look for you." Determined to get rid of the tag-along behind him, Leng Jing walked straight toward the registration desk at the main entrance.
"Are you here to register? Come sign the registration form." The person sitting at the table by the door stopped them. Leng Jing actually signed his and Leng Qingqing’s names.
"What is your duo's name?" the person asked.
"The Long Slender Duo!" Leng Qingqing answered first. So, the person filled in the duo name column for them: "The Long Slender Duo—Leng Qingqing, Leng Jing."
"Can we go in now?" Leng Jing asked.
"Uh... Director’s office, third floor, turn left. All applicants are waiting there for interviews." The man stared at their duo name, trying his best to stifle a laugh. He couldn't help but add, "Your duo name is really... suggestive!"
"What is 'suggestive'?" Leng Jing silently questioned yet again.
As they turned to leave, the man suddenly called out to them again, "Long Slender Duo! You two... aren't gay, are you?"
"What is 'gay'?" Leng Qingqing asked.
"Never mind. If you are, it’ll cause bad media effects if you get picked. It’s better if you aren't. Just a warning." The man waved them off.
Once Leng Jing and the others went upstairs, the man dialed the director’s number. "Director, a duo with incredible looks just arrived. They’re a bit rustic, though, so they’ll need some training. Their name... uh, it’s the Long Slender Duo! ...Hello? Director, are you okay? Did you choke? Director?"
The long corridor was filled with beautiful youths waiting for interviews. Han Yu sat silently beside Leng Jing, carefully sizing these people up. After looking for a long time, he surprisingly didn't find a single one he liked. Shaking his head in disappointment, he sat to the side and read a newspaper.
The Long Slender Duo was soon called in for their interview. As soon as the judges saw Leng Jing and Leng Qingqing, they gave them extremely high scores and then asked them to sing a song.
Leng Qingqing stepped forward and sang a "Monster Chorus" song, and even performed a talent demonstration of simulated noodle-cooking. Leng Jing did nothing but stand there. In the end, Leng Qingqing received the highest score and was signed by a famous entertainment company. The cool-type Leng Jing wasn't signed for anything; it was only at Leng Qingqing’s pleading that the other party agreed to sign Leng Jing as a temporary entertainer as an added condition.
Leng Qingqing never imagined he could become a star of the industrial age, but clearly, he possessed a "flower boy" aura and cuteness that Leng Jing could never match. This was the most popular trend currently, the key element to attracting young girls.
The next day, Leng Qingqing was called in for a screen test, while Leng Jing continued to scout for Han Yu’s ideal partner.
***
One month later.
In a luxurious presidential suite at a hotel, Leng Qingqing, surrounded by bodyguards, finally managed to squeeze through a crowd of enthusiastic fans and reach his private room.
The current Leng Qingqing went by the English name "Clean Boy." In just a few short weeks, he had become the hottest superstar. He had even held a concert for thirty thousand people at the Arc Light Grand Stadium titled "The Monster’s Heartfelt Words," which was a massive success. In recent weeks, Leng Qingqing’s sales on the charts had reached a million.
He was, without a doubt, a super "flower boy" superstar.
However, he had a private secret that absolutely could not be discovered by the paparazzi—he had a son.
A son who was even taller than himself—Leng Jing. If they were caught on camera, it would become the "Qingqing-gate" scandal that would shock the entertainment industry.
After a long day of work, Leng Qingqing turned on the hot water in the bathtub and took a wonderful soak. The industrial age was truly great; food, drink, and living were all so convenient. While soaking, Leng Qingqing opened some expensive skincare products, slathering lotions and creams with unknown skin-softening or beautifying effects onto his face. His manager said that for an entertainer, the face was the most important thing.
Speaking of which, he hadn't seen his son in a long time. Although he might run into paparazzi if he went out now, he still decided to go find Leng Jing. Ever since the day he was signed, Leng Jing and Han Yu had almost vanished.
Even now that he was famous, there was no sign of them. Leng Qingqing felt increasingly lonely.
A knock came from the door. Leng Qingqing wrapped himself in a bath towel and hurried out to check. It turned out to be his manager.
The manager wore a hypocritical smile. Looking at Leng Qingqing’s damp hair and enticing skin, he swallowed hard and said with a grin, "Qingqing, I’ve brought your schedule for tomorrow."
His eyes darted all over Leng Qingqing’s body, looking hungry. Making an excuse, he squeezed into Leng Qingqing’s room. "Qingqing, do you have a girlfriend?"
"Not yet," Leng Qingqing replied.
"Qingqing, the Golden Chart Awards selection is about to begin. You know, this major award would be very beneficial for you. However, that Lan Haitao is clearly a strong competitor. Qingqing, I have a plan to surpass him. Do you want to hear it?"
As he spoke, he quietly rested his palm against Leng Qingqing’s waist.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
雪都 | Snow Capital | An industrial city relic from the "Old Era."
未来超新星 | Future Supernova | The name of the talent show.
长条条组合 | The Long Slender Duo | The duo name Leng Qingqing chose; "Long Slender" describes their snake/dragon forms.
蓝海涛 | Lan Haitao | A rival idol.
卡哇伊 | Kawaii | Transliteration of the Japanese word for cute, used in fan culture.
金牌榜中榜 | Golden Chart Awards | A prestigious music/entertainment award.
Clean Boy | Clean Boy | Leng Qingqing's English stage name.
