In the California desert valley, the wind scorched by fire blew hot air onto the car. The breeze outside the window seemed cool, but it was actually dry and hot. Taking a deep breath would bring a strong discomfort to the nasal cavity.
The excited young boys who were still discussing animatedly in the car instantly had their energy drained the moment they stepped out. Even the normally vibrant Pei Luming wilted, saying, "It's so hot..."
Sang Mo glanced at the foreigners getting off the car and quickly averted his gaze, slightly panicked. "No wonder everyone's wearing so little."
Jiang Juyou felt the strongest discomfort. She wanted to go back almost the instant the car door opened. It didn't feel that unbearable in the city area earlier, but now she just wanted to carry a humidifier on her body.
The sunlight was blinding, forcing her to put on sunglasses. The sun, with its powerful presence, kept watching them from behind.
Because of the heat, almost all staff members changed their clothes after arriving at the hotel, wearing either tank tops or sleeveless shirts.
Jiang Juyou wore a pure white sleeveless top, light blue denim shorts on her legs, and a pair of comfortable sneakers on her feet. Her hair was tied up completely, not giving the wind any chance to play with it.
"Once we're inside, don't wander off. You must tell us wherever you want to go. The same goes for anything you want to eat or buy. You need our permission before buying anything!" When Jiang Juyou approached the trainees, the staff was lecturing them about safety rules.
Seeing Jiang Juyou coming, the previously playful trainees immediately stood straight, chests out, looking so formal they might as well have saluted her.
Due to the heat, Jiang Juyou was feeling irritable, her brows unconsciously furrowed. Her eyes were hidden behind the sunglasses, but everyone could judge her mood from her furrowed brows.
Jiang Juyou raised her hand to block the sunlight and pointed at the few raised phones nearby. "We'll be filming some behind-the-scenes footage these few days. Everyone, please be mindful of your behavior."
She added, "But don't be too conscious of the cameras. Just enjoy yourselves."
She glanced at the lively scene in the distance. The music was faint but present. Everyone entering was dressed up beautifully, and one could feel the atmosphere of the venue even before getting close.
Jiang Juyou turned back to the trainees standing in front of her, scanning them seriously, and said, "Go and experience it - remember this feeling, so you can convey it to the audience in the future."
-
Coachella is one of the world's grandest music festivals, held in the California desert valley, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year.
It's easy to get lost once inside because it's divided by time slots and types, with multiple stages.
Jiang Juyou followed behind the group, holding a jacket she would wear in the evening.
The trainees' outfits varied, but most wore short sleeves with shorts. A few, like Jiang Juyou, wore sleeveless tops.
Of course, there were also a few eye-catching ones who had specially coordinated their outfits.
Not long after entering, Chi Qiao and Sang Mo were already begging the staff to take photos for them, with Pei Luming queuing up beside them.
These three were the ones who had coordinated their outfits. Pei Luming had headbands on his forehead and wrists, and two chains around his neck. His sleeveless top was decorated with his own graffiti, including his name and a few English quotes he liked.
The staff member holding the phone aimed the camera at them, even passersby turned to look at them.
Jiang Juyou glanced at them and took a detour, pretending not to be with them.
Inside, there was the largest Sahara stage, also the most exciting venue. They could hear some music even before approaching.
The group of trainees who had just caught up were already getting hyped, gathered around with their water bottles, whooping and hollering, drinking mineral water as if it were something extraordinary.
Once inside the tent, the atmosphere was even more explosive, with music so loud the ground was vibrating.
At this point, the Sahara stage wasn't very crowded. They could squeeze to the front row if they walked a bit further. But not long after they entered, many people poured in. A staff member approached Jiang Juyou and shouted, "There's a famous singer coming up! The crowd is growing! Should we gather them together? So they don't get scattered!"
Jiang Juyou rubbed her ears and nodded painfully.
As soon as this was said, the staff took action, organizing the trainees together and forming a human wall to prevent people from behind from touching them.
Jiang Juyou was also surrounded. She was probably the only person in this group wearing sunglasses and not jumping around. Even the staff couldn't help but get hyped up. Only Jiang Juyou was maintaining her cool persona.
The song the DJ was playing now seemed to be a hit. The crowd below could sing along in unison. The group of boys were shouting at the top of their lungs, holding onto the railing and jumping continuously.
Sang Mo was the most excited. His face was red from shouting, his body like a well-cooked shrimp, even more eye-catching against his white sleeveless top. His fluffy hair was bouncing up and down with his rhythm. Youth and abandon seemed to have taken tangible form at this moment.
-
"Title: Gossip discussion / The powerful Little Red Potato residents encountered Sang Mo at Coachella [confused]"
"The blogger discovered Sang Mo in the video from the scene, and Sang Mo's face also appeared in the photos taken by the blogger."
"With such a clear face, anyone can see it's Sang Mo, it can't possibly be his twin brother Si Mo, right?"
Comments section:
"Wow, it really is..."
"Was his contract terminated?"
"Huh?"
"Waiting for fans to clarify."
"...Is there a possibility that the story about SJYL buying tickets to go to America is true?"
"Can you recognize Sang Mo but not YX?"
"It's not that the blogger encountered them, but fans discovered Sang Mo in the photos and videos posted by the blogger. The blogger doesn't know who they are."
"You're having quite a blast, aren't you, kid?"
"So it seems SJYL really did buy tickets to take them to America... But why go to America? For training?"
"Training at Coachella?"
"He looks like he's had too much to drink."
"Show some mercy for the underage... Don't spout nonsense."
"Oh! My 1.8-meter tall high school boy of destiny!"
"It's hard to accept that he's only fifteen..."
"The neighboring post has an update, saying all the trainees are there!"
"He looks so hot, let me stick to him and cool him down!"
The appearance of this post brought new changes to the hot search that had been quiet for a few days. Sang Mo's name was tied to Coachella, climbing up the Weibo hot search.
The less-than-four-second video clip was shared thousands of times, with all kinds of marketing accounts wanting to join in on the buzz.
The comments in the topic were also interesting, with attitudes taking a 180-degree turn.
Before knowing the company took the team to the music festival:
"He looks like someone who parties a lot..."
"Your Domestic Entertainment Industry [surprised]"
"Isn't he still underage..."
"He gives off the vibe of a two-timing nightclub guy."
"Hasn't debuted and already has a scandal."
After knowing the company took the team to the music festival:
"I'm calling dibs on calling him husband!"
"I can already imagine how he'll bewitch people on stage in the future!"
"White sleeveless! Arm muscles! Pink skin! Flushed cheeks! Ahhhh who understands!?"
"You've been hiding quite a bit, kid! You actually have muscles!!! Don't tell me you have abs too?!"
This short video quickly spread within the fan circles, and the public opinion changed dramatically.
However, videos and photos of others couldn't be found, only Sang Mo's.
The solo fans of other trainees, who were just using Sang Mo's video to spread rumors, were now begging the blogger to take some videos of their favorite trainees.
The signal in the desert was poor, with intermittent internet connection. It took Jiang Juyou ages just to reply to a message, let alone know about the news back in China.
After accompanying the trainees to hype up for a while, she followed them to another stage.
There were many people sitting on the ground here. They quickly blended in after arriving, enjoying the breeze and savoring this hard-earned coolness.
Standing at the back, Jiang Juyou turned to look at the setting sun. Romantic pink and comfortable orange dyed the entire sky. She couldn't help but take out her phone to snap a picture.
The remnant clouds rolled with the sunset, pulling up the curtain of night.
Jiang Juyou stood silently watching until the sun had completely set before turning back. Only then did she realize that everyone else, like her, had been completely immersed in the beauty of the sunset.
Under the backdrop of this natural wonder, all emotions were amplified, and everything felt at the music festival was etched into their minds.
Yao Shuo put away his phone, but his gaze lingered on the sky. "Incredible..." he murmured.
At that moment, a soft R&B melody was playing on stage, with the singer's unique voice adding a touch of dreaminess to the beautiful sunset scenery.
Everyone near the stage had paused what they were doing, either quietly listening or silently appreciating the view.
They sat back down, draping small blankets over themselves. The music on stage changed to jazz, more suitable for the evening. As the saxophone started playing, their mental fatigue seemed to dissipate.
Pei Luming lay down to look at the starry sky and sighed, "This is wonderful..."
Chen Wu, who had been tense since boarding the plane, finally relaxed as she gazed at the Milky Way. "...I hope we can come again next year."
The night breeze was cooler than during the day, and the word "refreshing" finally had meaning. They sat on the grass, huddled together like little lambs on a winter's night.
When they heard familiar English songs, they would sing along loudly for a few lines, before trailing off as they forgot the lyrics.
Just as the word "contentment" was forming in their minds, before they could fully appreciate the beauty of their American journey, someone broke the peaceful silence.
"Did you guys actually learn anything this afternoon?"
Gao Xiayu had casually asked the two people next to him, but his question caught the attention of everyone around.
Damn!
They had almost forgotten why they were here!
Gao Xiayu: If no one's done their homework, then I can relax.
-
