DCTMOAS Chapter 39

“Welcome!”

The automatic door chime of the ramen shop gave a cheerful greeting.

Yu Siting sat down at an empty table near the bar. Chu Cheng headed toward the ordering counter.

The cashier smiled sweetly. “What would you like?”

“One tonkotsu chashu ramen, one tuna sushi, and a yangmei juice.” Chu Cheng turned to ask, “And you, Mr. Yu?”

Yu Siting wiped the edge of the table with a napkin and tugged his sleeve down. “Same.”

“Then we’ll take two of everything,” Chu Cheng said to the cashier, holding up his payment code.

“Got it. Please have a seat.” The staff quickly printed the receipt and called to the kitchen,
“Two bowls of tonkotsu chashu!”

Chu Cheng returned to the table and sat down. The shop wasn’t big, but it was packed. Most of the diners were young students or office workers.

On the TV in the main dining area, a trending idol drama was playing. The male and female leads were both huge stars. Chu Cheng normally didn’t have the time to follow these things, but he vaguely recognized it as a typical workplace enemies-to-lovers romcom.

This episode happened to be the one where the intern falls head over heels for their hard-working boss. Chu Cheng tilted his head and watched for a few extra seconds.

Yu Siting followed his gaze. “You like watching this kind of thing?”

Chu Cheng shook his head. “Not really. I just thought one of the comments was pretty funny.”

“What did it say?” Yu Siting looked over, but the comment had already scrolled off-screen.

Chu Cheng repeated it:
“It said, ‘Stuff like this never happens in real life. Your coworkers are either eight hundred times more cunning than you or so dumb it’s insulting.’”

Yu Siting remained expressionless. “And what do you think?”

Chu Cheng was still reading the on-screen comments. “Look, here’s another one: ‘Office romances are a total no-no. Just getting glanced at by your boss feels like you’re being plotted against…’ Hahaha, honestly, kind of relatable.”

Yu Siting replied, “It probably depends on the situation. Would that apply to places like ours too?”

Chu Cheng answered without hesitation,
“Of course. Teacher-student relationships? Say no more—just making eye contact feels like a death match waiting to happen. But hey, it’s just a drama, no need to take it seriously.”

Yu Siting looked like he was about to say more, but then realized Chu Cheng was truly just discussing the plot.
So he let it go.

“Sushi and bayberry juice.”
The waiter brought their food and casually handed them a promotional flyer. “You two can also check out our Christmas event,” he added.

“If you finish your noodles within the time limit, you get a Christmas gift. Huh? What kind of gift is it?”
Chu Cheng picked up the flyer, flipping through it curiously.

Yu Siting could tell he was tempted.

He couldn’t eat much at lunch, but now it seemed his mood had improved—and so had his appetite. Though it looked like the guy had completely forgotten what the doctor told him: eat regularly, chew slowly.

“Did you know there’s a pretty obscure etiquette rule when treating someone to a meal?”
Yu Siting took a sip of the bayberry juice, then continued only when he saw Chu Cheng looking over.
“You’re not supposed to eat faster than your guest.”

Chu Cheng blinked. “Where’d you hear that?”

Yu Siting: “My hometown.”

“Your home…” Chu Cheng paused mid-retort, then chuckled. “Aren’t we from the same place? What kind of district are you from to have all these rules?”

“The tonkotsu chashu ramen is ready,” the waiter interrupted, placing the dish on the table.

Chu Cheng’s eyes widened when he saw the steaming, oversized bowl of noodles.

That’s two bowls, not one!

Seeing the flyer still in his hand, the waiter asked, “You two are interested in the event?”

Chu Cheng quickly let go. “No, no thanks.”

“Remember, don’t finish before me,” Yu Siting reminded him with a smile, picking up his chopsticks and eating unhurriedly.

Chu Cheng swallowed hard and poked around the bottom of the bowl with his chopsticks.

If nothing goes wrong… I probably can’t finish this at all.

This place didn’t just serve generous portions—the food tasted amazing. Chu Cheng was thoroughly satisfied after eating. It was the first time he’d felt so full since his surgery. His stomach was warm and content.

To help digest, the two of them strolled through the night market. Just like last time, the area was packed with food stands and vendors.

Chu Cheng looked around in high spirits. “Still so lively today.”

“It’s Christmas,” Yu Siting replied offhandedly, eyes still on his phone.

There was a red dot notification on his WeChat Moments page—Chu Cheng had just posted a new update: a help request link to grab train tickets.

Yu Siting glanced at it, expression unreadable, and scrolled past.

“Where did Lu Yan buy those snowflake candies last time?” Chu Cheng suddenly asked.

Yu Siting put his phone away and pointed toward a signboard up ahead. “There’s a handmade shop over there that sells candies and pastries. You’ve got a sweet tooth?”

Chu Cheng replied, “Not exactly. I just think they look really delicate. I’m curious.”

“Then let’s go check it out.”
Yu Siting accompanied him down a narrow alley, stopping in front of the candy store.

“Welcome! Can I help you with anything?” the shopkeeper greeted.

“We’re just browsing,” Chu Cheng replied.

The shopkeeper smiled and said, “Alright,” before going back to work.

The shop was small, but filled with dazzling goods. The owner had impressive skills—able to turn fondant into all kinds of artistic creations.

Chu Cheng’s eyes were drawn to a chocolate house in the display window. “Wow, look at how well this is made. It’s all chocolate—even the old man and the cat in the little yard look lifelike.”

Wasn’t this the dream retirement life?

“You like it?” Yu Siting bent down to take a look too. “Boss, is this one for sale?”

The shop owner looked up from his work. “That’s a new piece I just made for display. But if you like it, you can buy it.”

Yu Siting said, “Then please wrap this one up for me. And give me a few boxes of your best-selling pastries.”

Chu Cheng looked surprised. “Why are you buying all these gift boxes?”

Yu Siting replied without hesitation, “For you.”

“Huh?” Chu Cheng blinked in confusion. Why the sudden gift?

Yu Siting explained calmly, “It’s the holiday season—Christmas and New Year. Consider it a gift from the homeroom teacher to the subject teachers.”

Chu Cheng chuckled. “There’s such a benefit? Then I get to pick first?”

“Of course. Didn’t you already choose?” Yu Siting lifted the chocolate retirement courtyard and placed it in front of him, then turned to go pay.

The shop owner had already packed the items quickly and neatly. Chu Cheng glanced at the payment screen—just the chocolate house alone cost over 600 yuan.

“This gift is more expensive than the others. You’re really spoiling me, Teacher Yu.”

Yu Siting pulled out his phone to pay as if it were nothing. “It’s fine. I’ve seen the hard work and effort my co-homeroom teacher has put in this semester. It deserves a special thank-you. Besides, the boss only made one—first come, first served.”

The words were so sincere, Chu Cheng accepted it with a smile. “Thanks, big bro.”

The two of them carried their gifts and headed back toward the parking area through the night market. The winter night breeze was cold, but the festive buzz made it easy to forget. One spot ahead had gathered a crowd.

Chu Cheng curiously moved closer, using his height advantage to peek in. It turned out to be a ring toss booth. This kind of game was filled with childhood nostalgia and had become rare in cities.

Yu Siting noticed the sparkle in his eyes. “Wanna give it a try?”

“I probably won’t get anything.” Chu Cheng leaned slightly toward Teacher Yu and whispered, “The plastic rings are almost the same size as the prizes on the ground. Even if I aim well, they’ll probably bounce off.”

He wasn’t wrong. One look around said it all—lots of spectators, not many players. Everyone seemed to be just watching for fun.

Yu Siting agreed, but shrugged it off. “The point of these games isn’t whether you win or not. It’s just about having fun. If you want to try, go ahead. I’ll hold your things.”

“That’s true. Then I’ll give it a shot.” Chu Cheng couldn’t resist when tempted like a kid. His attitude shifted fast as he handed the chocolate house over to Yu Siting.

He exchanged some money for thirty plastic rings, stood behind the line, and thought for a moment. Then he turned back and called out,
“Teacher Yu, can you use your math and physics skills to help me figure out which row has the best chance of hitting?”

Yu Siting responded leisurely, “Every class I teach is based on a full score of 150. But in reality, our class’s average score is only 120.”

Chu Cheng caught the implication. “So you’re indirectly telling me that the theory won’t be the problem, but my practical skills might not keep up, right?”

Yu Siting refused to admit it. “I didn’t say that.”

Chu Cheng grinned. “But that’s exactly what you meant!”

“The third row from the end, then,” Yu Siting gave in, his eyes scanning the ground thoughtfully. “Compared to the other square-shaped ones, those tall round ones should be easier to hit.”

He was referring to a row of wide-mouthed, colorfully painted cups placed toward the back right of the street stall.

“Okay.” Chu Cheng carefully gauged the angle, took a breath, and started tossing his rings toward the target.

It was already very cold in the north at the end of the year, and his hands were a bit stiff, making it hard to aim properly. Most of the rings missed, and even the few that got close would bounce off the objects.

“Ugh, no good…” Chu Cheng groaned in frustration.

Just like he’d thought—those items were both large and far away. The more he threw, the less hope he had. He even began to mock himself, “Forget 120 points, my performance score’s probably not even 50.”

“Don’t rush it,” Yu Siting said from behind him. “If you throw two hundred times from here, the boss might feel bad for you and give you a consolation prize.”

“Shut up.” Chu Cheng was amused by him, but that only made his aim worse.

By now, he only had seven or eight plastic rings left. Losing both patience and expectations, he simply flung the rest of them all at once. The colorful plastic rings scattered through the air, drawing gasps from the surrounding crowd.

Suddenly, a child’s voice cried out, “He got it!”

Chu Cheng looked over and, to his surprise, one of the rings had landed perfectly—looped right around a snow-white ornament.

“Can’t answer the test, but guesses every answer right,” Yu Siting commented dryly.

“Whatever! I got it in,” Chu Cheng had no time to argue, his face lit up as he turned to the stall owner. “Can I have that one, please?”

“Sure.” The stall owner, clearly used to this kind of “miracle shot,” cheerfully handed over the prize.

The cup—or rather, the bowl—was massive. It was beautifully patterned, smooth to the touch, and clearly high quality, the kind you’d expect to find in a boutique store.

Chu Cheng held it in his hands, playing with it, completely satisfied.

“Why do you get happy so easily?” Yu Siting followed him out of the crowd.

He was awkwardly juggling a box of chocolates in his left hand and multiple gift boxes of pastries in his right. He looked a bit overloaded, but his gaze had softened—watching Chu Cheng smile like that, he really did look like a little sun.

Chu Cheng had mostly calmed down by now. He reached over to take back his box of chocolates and added casually, “Carrying all that’s going to freeze your hands. Let’s stop here and go back to the car.”

“Mm.” Yu Siting pulled out the car keys and handed them to him. “You go on ahead, wait for me in the car. I’m gonna grab a chicken flatbread from over there.”

Chu Cheng looked puzzled. “You’re still hungry?”

“There’s a kid at home, remember?” Yu Siting reminded him helplessly. “I’ve picked up the smell of snacks all the way here—he’s not gonna buy it if I say I didn’t eat anything.”

Chu Cheng chuckled in understanding. He headed back to the car first, put away the rest of the items, and once again picked up that oversized cup to admire it.

It was so big, and so pretty. He couldn’t use it at home, and if he brought it to school, it’d definitely get broken in a couple of days.

So… what should he do with it?

While waiting, he opened Baidu and searched for “uses for oversized mugs.” In the end, only one suggestion really made sense:

Drill holes and plant flowers.

“You’re still staring at it?” Yu Siting came back quickly, glancing at the passenger seat where Chu Cheng was lost in thought.

Chu Cheng shared his idea. “I’m thinking of drilling some holes in it. A beautiful cup with beautiful flowers—sounds like it’d turn out great.”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Yu Siting agreed without hesitation. He started the car, scanning the nearby roads. “There’s a flower shop I took Luyan to before, it’s around here somewhere. I think they can drill holes in pots. Not sure if they’re still open at this hour though. Wanna try our luck?”

“Yeah, let’s go!” Chu Cheng said quickly.

Yu Siting gave him a sideways look. “Weren’t you the one who said giving flowers was tacky?”

“That’s different.” Chu Cheng laughed, lowering his head to wipe a smudge off the ceramic surface with a tissue from the car.

Seeing how fond he was of the thing, Yu Siting didn’t tease him anymore and focused on driving.

By the time they arrived at the flower shop, the owner was just about to close up. Hearing what they wanted, she readily said it was no problem and brought out a drill, finishing the job in just a few minutes.

“Boss, what kind of flowers do you think would look good in this cup?” Chu Cheng looked at the rows of different flowers, unsure what to choose.

“Honestly, anything would work. It’s big enough and deep enough—no different from a regular flowerpot. But judging by the color and pattern, something simple and elegant would be better.”

Chu Cheng asked, “Do you have any recommendations?”

“I’ve got some ranunculus roots that sprouted a while ago. If you like, you can pick a few.” The shop owner said as she fetched a tray from a nearby shelf, filled with what looked like old black tree roots, already showing tiny white sprouts.

Chu Cheng stared at the unremarkable-looking things, a little stunned.

Yu Siting explained, “These claw-looking things bloom into the same ranunculus flowers Luyan picked last time.”

Hearing that, Chu Cheng became curious—how could these inconspicuous root clumps eventually turn into such elegant and striking flowers? Maybe that was the charm of planting something with your own hands.

In the end, he chose white ones. Following the owner’s instructions, he planted the root clumps into the pot with soil. By the time they left the flower shop and got back in the car, it was already quite late.

Chu Cheng held the flowerpot and studied it carefully. “The boss said it’s a bit late in the season to plant these, so they might not grow very well. But honestly, it was just a sudden whim. I can barely take care of myself, so I’m not really expecting them to bloom.”

“If you take good care of it, it might still bloom,” Yu Siting glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “But winter break is almost here—you’ll have to take the plant home, right? Is it gonna be easy to carry on the train?”

Chu Cheng paused.

Oh… right, he hadn’t even managed to get a high-speed rail ticket yet.

He originally thought that if he couldn’t grab one, he’d just head home a few days later—no big deal. But now, not only did he have to carry a flowerpot, he also had a box of chocolates that couldn’t be bumped, melted, or jostled. Total diva cargo.

When Yu Siting didn’t hear a response for a while, he turned his head during a red light—and sure enough, saw that clean, youthful face full of dazed confusion.

He chuckled knowingly. “I’m heading home for break too. Want me to take anything back for you? Or… you could just delete that train ticket support link you posted in your WeChat Moments and wait to hitch a ride with me?”

Chu Cheng didn’t answer right away. But his lips pressed into a small line, and his clear eyes turned toward Yu Siting with an obedient, almost grateful look.

It was the kind of offer that felt like warm soup in a snowstorm—how could anyone say no to that?

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Author’s Note:

Chu Cheng: Wait a second… you scheming bastard!
Gifting me a chocolate house, playing ring toss, planting flowers…
When exactly did you start plotting to reel me in?