Mind Games and Power Plays

A Beijing-flavored story. I want to write about childhood sweethearts who are rivals and lovers.

[Blurb]

Among Beijing's families of traditional architecture, the “Kuai family painters of Longsheng Workshop” and the “Lei family carpenters of Lu Ban Lei” are well-known industry rivals and sworn enemies.

The feud between the families can be traced back to the Qianlong era. Legend has it that when they were commissioned to design an octagonal plum-blossom pavilion for a princess's residence, neither family would give in on its design. They even came to blows and nearly caused a real uproar before the emperor, and only then did they stop.

And so, from the Qing dynasty to the Republic of China and then the present day, Beijing changed its name from Shuntian Prefecture to Beiping and then Beijing. The world changed, and the times changed, but one thing never did: the two families remained sworn enemies.

Kuai Jingtang, the newest heir to Longsheng Workshop, is a refined young master and the family's only child. The phrase he heard most from his father growing up was: “You little rascal, no matter what we do, we can't lose to that kid from the Lei family.”

Lei Cangzhi, chosen by the Lu Ban Lei family to be their next head, is thoughtful and composed, the apple of his family's eye. When he first learned to read, the first word he learned was “enemy.” Soon after, he learned the name “Kuai Jingtang.” He's been fed this idea of rivalry ever since.

The two families are at each other's throats, scheming against each other in business and carefully grooming their heirs. Each wants to win their generation's contest, so their ancestors can finally hold their heads high after being at odds since the Qianlong era.

What the elders of either family don't know is this:

By day, Kuai Jingtang flings a stack of design plans against Lei Cangzhi's chest, acting arrogantly as he sneers, “What a shabby piece of work.” By night, Lei Cangzhi splashes red wine over Kuai Jingtang's fair chest. As he licks the crimson wine clean, he whispers a threat in his ear: “Shopkeeper Kuai, you were so good at giving me a hard time during the day. How about letting me do the same to you tonight?”

As a child, Kuai Jingtang always saw Lei Cangzhi as his rival. Other childhood sweethearts grew up carefree together, but the two of them fought so fiercely they turned the world upside down, consumed by hatred.

But as Kuai Jingtang grew up, he suddenly realized they were like the carved balusters and interlocking brackets so common in Ming and Qing architecture, joined together from the day they came into the world.

Their hearts entwined, their horns locked, they spent their days butting heads, yet neither could live without the other. What do you even call that?

Blurb written on: 2025.8.20. Screenshotted and archived on Weibo. Please do not disturb.

Theme: Finding the most precious treasure in life