DCTMOAS Chapter 21 [Part 3]

There was only one day left before the school sports meet. As usual, all evening self-study sessions were suspended for the entire grade.

From the afternoon onward, every class began making full use of the valuable time to prepare for the event.

The school field was lively before sunset—students running in groups on the track to build stamina, squads adjusting formations along the pathway, and performance teams rehearsing on the artificial turf… Everywhere was filled with scenes of teachers and students enjoying themselves together.

Because Yu Siting always acted like a hands-off supervisor, all the management tasks in Class 7 fell to the class monitor.

Lu Yan had really been run ragged lately. Mr. Chu felt a bit sorry seeing how hard the kid was working and, noticing he was still busy in the evening, brought him a bottle of iced cola from the cafeteria.

“Thank you, Mr. Chu.” Lu Yan took a break from his work to sit beside Mr. Chu on the stone steps of the bleachers. He carefully examined the drink, inserted a straw, and took a sip.

Mr. Chu asked, “Can you go home now?”

“Not yet.” Lu Yan, straw in mouth, wiped the sweat from his jaw. “I still have to help time the 400-meter runs and assign the baton order for the relay.”

Mr. Chu could only offer his sympathy: “Hang in there. You’re stuck with an unhelpful class advisor.”

Lu Yan smiled, seemingly long used to the role of a class monitor who had to act like a class teacher: “It’s actually not that bad. After all, my big bro is the backbone. As long as he’s around, I can handle the rest with ease.”

“But you’re still doing a great job, Lu. I have high hopes for you.” Mr. Chu raised his cold drink and stylishly leaned it toward him.

Lu Yan leaned forward to clink bottles. “Cheers.”

The glass bottles clinked with a crisp ding.

“Hey, Mr. Chu,” Lu Yan suddenly sensed something was off. He thought it over carefully and then realized, “You and my big bro make a good team—one cracks the whip and squeezes us dry, while the other plays the empath and brainwashes us. If this keeps up, even the workhorses in a commune would find purpose in life thanks to you two.”

Mr. Chu laughed. “Failed attempt at selling the dream.”

Lu Yan gave him a pleading look. “Please stop the psychological manipulation. If you keep stalling, I really won’t be able to go home today.”

“Off you go.” Mr. Chu had only called the hardworking class monitor over for a drink, seeing how thirsty he looked.

Lu Yan, now enlightened, jogged back to the bustling crowd. His cola bottle, still more than half full, was left on the steps.

Mr. Chu stayed seated, leisurely gazing at the white volleyball net fluttering in the autumn breeze.

Not long after, he heard footsteps nearby. It was the “hands-off” head of Class 7, walking over steadily like a foreman on patrol.

“You’re still here?” Mr. Chu looked up, squinting against the still-bright sunlight. He could only make out the sharp jawline of the man’s handsome face.

“Usually, I just scare Lu Yan a bit. I wouldn’t actually leave him to handle everything alone.” Yu Siting climbed a few steps and sat beside the assistant teacher. Only then did his facial features come into clear view.

Mr. Chu curved his lips. “Oh, right. You’re waiting for him. I almost forgot.”

Mr. Yu smoothed out the wrinkles on his slacks, and the back of his hand accidentally brushed against something cold and damp. He looked down and said, “What kind of weather is this, and you’re still drinking something this cold?”

Chu Cheng casually twisted the truth. “My good son bought it for me—I couldn’t possibly let his kind gesture go to waste.”

Hearing that joking title, Yu Siting froze for a second before reacting, “Lu Yan? You bought it for him, didn’t you?”

“How do you know everything?” Mr. Chu’s tough front didn’t even last three seconds.

The kid’s actual uncle gave him a sideways glance and said slowly, “Lu Yan never drinks carbonated beverages. His digestive system isn’t great. He takes better care of his health than you do.”

“…” That one hit Mr. Chu with a double critical blow.

Despite the sharp tongue, Yu Siting still picked up the drink nearby, pulled out the straw, and took a sip from the bottle that Lu Yan had left behind.

The two of them didn’t speak again, simply sat side by side on the high stone steps, sipping chilled soda while watching the busy crowd below. The evening breeze blew against them, cool and refreshing.

A little while later, the class life committee member, Ji Yanan, came climbing up with two tote bags in hand.

“Mr. Chu, I’ve been looking for you. Big Bro’s here too. These are the class T-shirts made to your sizes. Even though everyone says there’s no way you two will ever actually wear them, we still had to make sure you got them.”

She placed the bags beside the two men and thoughtfully added, “Sizes for anyone over 185 cm are all the same, so just pick whichever.”

“Thank you, I’ll make sure to keep it safe,” Chu Cheng replied with a smile, watching as the student trudged her way back down the steps.

When he turned his gaze back, he noticed that Yu Siting was staring straight at him. He asked, puzzled, “What is it?”

Mr. Yu glanced at the clothing bags on the steps, the corners of his lips twitching as though he had something to say but decided against it.

“Chu Cheng!”

Before Mr. Chu could press further, he saw Senior Zhou waving to him from the entrance of the track field, calling out from a distance. He had no choice but to get up.

“Well then, Mr. Yu, I’ll leave you to it.”

Yu Siting still said nothing, simply raised the unfinished soda in his hand in the orange-golden light of dusk.

Chu Cheng gave a small wave in return—a silent goodbye—then stepped down the stone stairs and headed home under the glow of the setting sun.

That night, after tidying everything up, Chu Cheng took a relaxing hot shower and strolled back into his room.

He opened his music app and played a guzheng piece titled Lanting Xu.

Because the instruments he’d borrowed from the music club were still at school, he could only practice reading sheet music by ear in the evenings these past few days.

With the gentle flow of the melody filling the room, Chu Cheng unconsciously began tapping out the rhythm on the windowsill. The moonlight was soft and watery, laying a silvery veil over the glass, while his long, elegant fingers danced gracefully across it like they were performing.

Buzz Buzz——

WeChat notifications kept buzzing, disrupting his rhythm.

Chu Cheng opened his phone to check. All the messages were from the Class 7 group chat.

All the teachers were in this group. If it weren’t for some event giving it a temporary boost, it would never be this lively.

[Ji Yanan: Gather at 6 a.m. tomorrow at the south corner of the field. I’ll be holding the class banner. Everyone wear your class T-shirts and bring your caps. Light rain is expected—stay warm. @everyone]

As soon as the announcement was posted, other students began replying, and the chat quickly turned lively.

On the eve of the sports meet, no one could really sleep. Riding the wave of excitement, one bold student tagged Yu Siting.

[Big bro, are you wearing the class shirt tomorrow? @Yu]

There was no response for a while, until Lu Yan gave a status report.

[He’s read it but chose not to reply.]

So the students wisely shifted strategies.

[Mr. Chu, will you be wearing the class shirt tomorrow? @Chu]

It was just a printed shirt, after all. Since it was a group event, there was no reason not to blend in.

With that in mind, Chu Cheng typed out a simple “Yes.”

[Yay!]

The students cheered and even posted a gif of someone wildly waving glowsticks in support, quickly joined by a flood of +1s forming a line.

Chu Cheng stood up, went to the living room, and retrieved the bag with the class shirt, intending to try it on.

But the moment he unfolded the shirt, he froze.

On both the chest and the back of the shirt were cartoon-style prints. Around the images were small text bubbles, which seemed to spell out “I ❤️ love” in stylized writing.

The shirt didn’t differ much from printed shirts sold in stores—just had a bit more of a custom design touch.

But Chu Cheng stared at the image for a long while.

The hairstyle, the expression… Wasn’t that Yu Siting?

By the time Chu Cheng snapped out of it, it was too late to delete his message in the group chat.

He groaned, clutching his head and ruffling his own hair in frustration.

No way—how was he supposed to go out in public with this printed on his shirt?

—

After a whole night of agonizing, Chu Cheng still didn’t want to go back on his word to the students. On the morning of the sports meet, he ended up wearing the class shirt under his sports jacket and stepped out of his house.

Although the weather was a bit gloomy that day, it didn’t affect the buzzing energy on the athletic field of No. 10 High School one bit.

Because everyone had to get up early, Yu Siting had ordered steamed buns and soy milk for the whole class. By the time Chu Cheng arrived, most of the students were already seated and eating breakfast.

“Ah~ You lied to me! Neither of them wore it!”

“No way they would! I told you those designs wouldn’t get picked!”

“I don’t care. I love Big Bro no matter what.”

“Mr. Chu!”

Amid the chaotic chatter of students, Chu Cheng heard a familiar voice calling out. He looked around and was pleasantly surprised to see that the students who had transferred out of the class had all come back.

After the peak of the art college entrance exams, they were supposed to return to the regular class for general academics anyway. The separate art class was only a temporary arrangement for those needing frequent leave from school—it was just easier to manage that way.

Bai Xiaolong stood on the top step of the bleachers, visibly upset. “I’m still part of Class 7! How could you all secretly order class shirts without telling me!”

The other students clapped back, “You’re one to talk! You clearly just wanted to avoid doing any work.”

“How did I?! I swear on heaven and earth, I went out for physical tests. I only got back to school last night!” Bai Xiaolong said, rummaging in his pocket. “If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you my excuse note.”

“Enough bickering.” Ji Yanan took out a few leftover shirts from her backpack and handed them to the returning art students. “I brought some for you. Big Bro specifically asked me to get extra printed. He paid for them himself.”

“Oh, this design is awesome.” Bai Xiaolong took the shirt and dramatically declared his loyalty, “My devotion to Class 7 of Year 2 is witnessed by the heavens! From now on, I live for Big Bro, and I die as Big Bro’s ghost.”

“Please don’t.” Yu Siting, hearing the loud declaration even from a good distance away, coldly shut it down. “That’s unnecessary.”

“You’re not the only one with lines!” Another athlete, Jiang Zhibo, refused to be outdone. In front of the crowd, he made a show of taking off his jacket. “I’m putting this on right now. I swear I’ll outshine you!”

The students in the front row laughed and shouted, “Big Bro, do something! He’s stripping in public!”

Yu Siting gave him a cold side glance. “Go change in the restroom.”

“Got it.” Jiang Zhibo instantly backed down and obediently dropped his arms.

A classmate called out after him, “Once you wear Big Bro’s shirt, you’re officially one of his people! Don’t embarrass him on the track later!”

With full confidence, Jiang Zhibo turned back and declared the cringiest flag possible: “Don’t worry, today the name of Class 7 of Year 2 will become a legend on this field.”

All around, the noise and banter continued.

But Chu Cheng stayed silent. He pulled out a meat-filled bun from the insulated box, shrinking into the crowd as he quietly munched on it. He also pulled the zipper of his jacket up to the very top to cover himself fully.

A group of students in the back row were waving glow sticks, practicing their cheer rhythm, when one of them clumsily bumped forward.

Several students nearby were jostled by the ripple of movement.

Chu Cheng, caught off guard, lost his grip. The bun he had just bitten into, filled with juicy chicken broth, slipped down his wrist and landed squarely on his light-colored jacket.

“Mm—”

With the bun still in his mouth, Chu Cheng froze, cheeks puffed, his usually bright eyes now filled with despair.

Someone… please save me.

---

Author’s Note:

Chu Cheng (dead set on keeping his jacket zipped): Wear the shirt and become his person? No one said that before!

Yu Siting (staring): Mr. Chu, you don’t seem very honest.