DCTMOAS Chapter 26

Friday.
The bell rang to signal the end of the morning self-study session.

Chu Cheng walked back from the classroom to the Chinese Department office. From a few steps away, he could already hear voices and laughter coming from inside. Among them, he vaguely recognized Zhou Jin’s voice.

As he stepped through the door, he indeed saw his senior distributing wedding candy to the teachers.

“Back to work so soon?” Chu Cheng sat down at his desk and looked at him with a smile. “How was the wedding in your hometown? The videos in the group chat looked really lively.”

Now a married man, Zhou Jin still looked refined and gentle as ever. He waved his hand and said, “Don’t even mention it, it’s been exhausting these past few days.”

Chu Cheng asked, “You guys didn’t go on a honeymoon?”

Zhou Jin replied, “Your sister-in-law was worried about leaving school. Besides, once winter or summer break hits, we’ll have plenty of time to travel. No need to rush just for this one month.”

“Oh~ my sister-in-law~” Chu Cheng deliberately repeated the title with emphasis.

Sure enough, now that they were married, the bond seemed inseparable. Before, his senior always just called her Nan Nan.

Zhou Jin chuckled and handed him a packet of wedding candy.

As he looked down, he noticed a sealed cup of porridge on Chu Cheng’s desk. It was almost untouched and had gone completely cold.

“Hey? You haven’t eaten breakfast yet? Stayed up late again?” Now a family man, his senior couldn’t help but nag. “In the one week I’ve been gone, aside from ordering takeout, have you had even one hot meal? If Aunt Jin asks again, I’ll have to tell her I’m giving up on taking care of you.”

Chu Cheng looked guilty. “Had a bit of bloating this morning, so I didn’t drink it.”

Zhou Jin’s expression grew a bit more serious. “This isn’t the first or second time your stomach’s been bothering you, right? Maybe go get it checked out sometime? With your kind of lifestyle, if you don’t start paying attention, your body won’t hold out much longer.”

“It shouldn’t be anything serious.” Chu Cheng lightly pressed his fingers to his abdomen, thinking aloud. “Lately I’ve only had mild discomfort before and after meals. Probably indigestion. If I get checked, I’ll need a gastroscopy, right? That sounds pretty scary.”

Zhou Jin didn’t insist but reminded him, “Just keep an eye on it. If it gets worse, don’t delay—go see a doctor.”

Chu Cheng nodded. “I know.”

“After school today, your sister-in-law and I are hosting a dinner for our colleagues. Don’t forget to come.” Zhou Jin patted him on the shoulder as he spoke.

Chu Cheng watched him leave, then picked up the now-cold porridge on his desk and threw it into the trash bin.

As he bent over and straightened up again, a thought suddenly struck him.

Wait a minute—
I did have a hot meal recently. I even freeloaded a whole plate of pickled fish at Teacher Yu’s desk.

---

It was the Friday afternoon before the school break. Only two classes remained, and the last one was a self-study session, meant for teachers to assign homework.

Class monitors from various subjects busily moved between desks, handing out worksheets, and the classroom was slightly chaotic.

Teacher Yu wasn’t in the room. Chu Cheng sat in his usual spot beside the teacher’s podium, supervising the class.

At the back of the room, Mu Yiyang was lazily slumped over his desk, contemplating life. Between him and Xu Wanwan was a tall stack of textbooks—an unmistakable line of division.

Chu Cheng glanced around for a moment, then stepped down and lightly tapped the corner of the student’s desk, signaling him to sit properly.

But Mu Yiyang looked listless. He held his eyelids open with two fingers, pretending to be seriously studying.

For several days now, he and Ding Hui had seemed to be constantly quarreling, leaving him in poor shape during and between classes.

Seeing the student slacking off like this, Chu Cheng was both amused and exasperated. From above, he spat out two words: “Come out.”

Mu Yiyang paused, then slowly got up and followed him.

It was nearly the end of the school day, and there were almost no other teachers in the fifth-floor office. Chucheng led the student into the empty Chinese department.

As he closed the door, Chu Cheng noticed that Mu Yiyang was still clearly limping. Concerned, he asked, “How’s your foot doing?”

“Much better,” Mu Yiyang replied. “Mr. Chu, did you need something from me?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? You’ve been distracted lately—something happen?” Chu Cheng turned around and casually sat down in an empty seat.

Faced with this kind of question, Mu Yiyang’s mood visibly dropped. “You probably already know, don’t you?”

“Is there something I need to know?” Chu Cheng looked up at him. His expression was the same as usual—calm and unreadable.

“Mr. Chu~” Mu Yiyang sighed helplessly, dragging out his words to expose him, “You and big brother have clearly teamed up already.”

Chu Cheng remained composed, his voice pleasant as always but now tinged with gentle pressure. “Since you know we’re on the same side, you should also know that I can call him over right now to deal with your recent performance issues.”

“……”

Mu Yiyang held his gaze for a moment, then dropped the slack attitude and quietly straightened up.

Sure enough, no matter the situation, big brother always worked.

Chu Cheng laughed inwardly but kept a calm expression. “Ready to talk now?”

“It’s not like I have a choice… You talk when you want to talk—I don’t have a say,” Mu Yiyang said, lowering his head and clasping his hands behind his back, a picture of submission.

“Fine. Then I’ll give you that right now. If there’s anything you want to say, now’s the time. If not, you can go back and lie on your desk,” Chu Cheng said as he turned away and started tidying his own workspace. “I’ll tell Mr. Yu you weren’t feeling well.”

Mu Yiyang stayed silent but didn’t leave.

Noticing the student hadn’t moved, Chu Cheng lifted his eyelids slightly, his voice cool and calm: “I’m pretty sure ‘just standing there like an idiot’ wasn’t one of the options I gave you.”

Mu Yiyang hesitated for a moment.

To be honest, he’d been exhausted—physically and mentally—by all the fights with his jealous girlfriend lately. He knew he was in bad shape, worried that Mr. Chu might report him to his big brother, but also didn’t want to go back alone just to stew in his own frustration.

At this point, he could already imagine the worst-case scenario, so he figured he might as well go all in.

Mu Yiyang said, “Mr. Chu, can I ask you something?”

“A language-related question?” Chu Cheng didn’t look directly at him, pretending not to notice the turmoil he was in.

“No.” Mu Yiyang got straight to the point. “I want to know—how do teachers like you view relationships in school?”

Chu Cheng didn’t leave him hanging for long. He stopped what he was doing and answered seriously, “My perspective might be a bit different from Mr. Yu’s. I’m not against innocent relationships during school years.”

“Why not?” Mu Yiyang didn’t understand.

“Because that kind of affection is pure and simple. It could start on a sunny day, or from a white shirt that just caught your eye. Maybe a jump on the basketball court, or a laugh during break time. If those things become part of your future memories, I think they’re quite meaningful.”

“But love isn’t just about that,” Mu Yiyang pointed out. “There’s also jealousy, arguments, silent treatments, and threats to break up.”

Seeing how seriously the student was listing everything, Chu Cheng chuckled. “Sounds like you’re in the middle of all that right now.”

Mu Yiyang didn’t confirm or deny it.

But the fact that the conversation had circled back to him—on his own initiative—was already a small success.

Chu Cheng simply asked, “What do you like about that girl?”

Mu Yiyang went quiet at first, then sniffed lightly. “She’s just… one of a kind.”

“Ah, I see,” Chu Cheng sighed softly. “Because everyone we meet is one of a kind, so you fall for every one of them.”

Maybe because the summary was too accurate, Mu Yiyang’s expression turned sour.

Chu Cheng didn’t give him a chance to argue back and continued, “Have you ever thought about this? There are plenty of couples in class—Mr. Yu knows about more than just your situation. Why do you think he’s prioritizing you?”

“He probably said I lose brain cells when I’m in love,” Mu Yiyang muttered under his breath. “Because her grades aren’t that good, she’s dragging me down—so everyone thinks we’re not a good match.”

So young, and already this deep in relationship drama. No wonder his big brother wants to keep him in check.

This time, Chu Cheng couldn’t help but lower his head and laugh.

Mu Yiyang looked even more aggrieved. “Are you laughing at me?”

Chu Cheng shook his head. “Your thinking is so naive, I don’t even know where to begin mocking it.”

“What’s naive about it?” Mu Yiyang asked, unconvinced.

Chu Cheng answered patiently, step by step, “Most relationships need balance. To put it simply, both people should be evenly matched—or at least have compatible values. That way, they can grow together and make each other better. A few relationships do endure hardship, but not in the way you think. It’s not just about who’s dragging the other down.”

Still puzzled, the student asked, “Then what’s an unbalanced relationship?”

Chu Cheng replied, “It’s when one person lowers themselves without complaint, constantly accommodating the other. And the other person—after having their whole world turned upside down by a massive difference—still finds the courage to chase after love and live a life completely unlike the one they knew.”

After a brief silence, Mu Yiyang quietly said, “I don’t get it.”

Chu Cheng smiled. “You’re not supposed to—not yet.”

Mu Yiyang grew even more confused, and his speech quickened a little. “But just now, you said that liking someone is a simple thing.”

“Exactly,” Chu Cheng replied, “because some feelings come easily, they fade just as easily. That’s why only a very small number of early relationships actually last. I think everyone you meet is either the last one—or just a stepping stone to someone better.”

Mu Yiyang seemed to be pondering that, then followed up, “Then how do you know if someone is the last one?”

Chu Cheng gave a faint smile, his voice soft and unhurried: “That depends on whether you’re willing to give up all the other possibilities your future could hold—just for her.”

Seeing the student fall into silence again, Mr. Chu shifted in his seat. “I think you’re already at your breaking point. Can you tell me what you’re actually thinking?”

“What I’m thinking?” Mu Yiyang repeated the question, chewing over it but unable to give a real answer. He furrowed his brow and shook his head. “I don’t know what to do. I haven’t figured it out yet.”

Chu Cheng could only sigh. “Then I’ll make the call to give you some time. While you’re seriously thinking things through, I’ll ask Mr. Yu to back off a little. You can choose to stabilize your grades, or to deal with the external distractions—but don’t just drag it out hoping to get lucky.”

He met the student’s eyes, which had darted away several times, and said firmly, word by word: “When it comes to principles, your big brother and I stand on exactly the same side. We won’t neglect our duties. Do you understand?”

Mu Yiyang silently nodded.

Outside in the hallway, the dismissal bell had already rung. Chu Cheng didn’t keep the student any longer. He tilted his chin and said, “Go on.”

Mu Yiyang shuffled out of the language office, his footsteps making a faint rustling sound. That sound had barely faded when the office door opened again.

“What a coincidence,” Chu Cheng looked up to see a tall, lean figure enter.

“Not really,” Yu Siting leaned against the edge of a desk and replied bluntly, “I was waiting outside for a while. Didn’t want to interrupt Mr. Chu’s life lessons.”

Chu Cheng asked, “So you heard what I said?”

Yu Siting nodded with complete honesty, then added with a teasing tone, “Yeah. You sounded like you had a decade of experience in teenage romance.”

Chu Cheng let out a soft laugh. “You need something?”

“Yeah.” Yu Siting straightened his posture a bit and explained, “Later, Mrs. Shen and Mr. Zhou are treating everyone to dinner. The place is a bit far, so we made a group chat—but you’re the only one who hasn’t replied.”

Hearing that, Chu Cheng picked up his phone to check. “Oh, you’re right.”

Everyone had been chatting in the group for a while, and they’d even already decided in advance which teacher would ride in whose car to the restaurant.

Among the dense stream of messages, Yu Siting had only sent one: he said he had three seats left in his car, and right away, three teachers tagged him to claim them.

“Even Mr. Yu’s car is full. Guess I’ll just take a taxi,” Chu Cheng scrolled on his phone, his tone soft yet laced with sarcasm. “The other teachers with cars must’ve saved their seats for their own class members too…”

Noting the gentle but pointed tone, Yu Siting explained in a low voice, “I didn’t count the front passenger seat.”

Chu Cheng had already anticipated this. The moment Yu opened his mouth, he smoothly switched expressions: “I just knew you’d be as generous as the rest of them.”

Yu Siting chuckled but didn’t expose the act. He simply said, “Class is over. I’ll head down first. Don’t take too long.”

“Alright.” Chu Cheng happily started gathering his teaching materials. “I’ll be ready in a sec.”

The newlyweds had booked a whole roast lamb courtyard restaurant in the outskirts of the city. The location really was a bit out of the way—it still took some effort to find even with the location pin in the group chat.

Fortunately, Yu Siting was familiar with the local roads and delivered his passengers right on time.

The sky had just begun to darken, and the quiet bamboo-lined courtyard was filled with the rich aroma of roasting meat. Inside, several round tables were set up, and people bustled back and forth.

The teachers without homeroom duties had gotten off work earlier, so naturally, they had arrived earlier too. By now, they had already split into tables based on their usual cliques.

No wonder the older physics and chemistry teachers from the same grade level couldn’t turn down the invitation—tonight’s attendees were mostly young teachers. It felt more like a team-building event.

“Mr. Yu, Mr. Chu, Mr. Zhang… there are seats over there, please sit,” Shen Nannan called out warmly as she coordinated with the roast lamb chef and noticed her colleagues entering.

“Congratulations on your wedding, Nannan.”

“How was the ceremony?”

“…”

The female teachers all gathered around to chat. Chu Cheng and Yu Siting, however, simply nodded politely and went to find their seats.

The table was quite full, with an even number of men and women.

But Chu Cheng hadn’t been working long, and he wasn’t well-acquainted with the teachers he didn’t work directly with. Aside from Yu Siting, Lin Qi, and another colleague from the language department, he didn’t have much to say to the others.

Once everyone had arrived, the servers began bringing out the dishes. Roast lamb ribs, stir-fried dishes, stewed chicken and fish in iron pots—plates kept coming, one after another.

Because so many friends were gathered in one place, Zhou Jin kept moving between tables. While dropping off drinks at their table, he smiled and apologized, “Sorry for the poor hosting—please forgive us.”

One of his chemistry department colleagues, who knew him well, waved it off. “It’s nothing, don’t worry. We’ll help ourselves.”

“You all go ahead and eat and chat,” Zhou Jin said, covering his mouth as he lowered his voice. “I still need to go charm the English department ladies’ table.”

After all, those coworkers spent all day every day together—they were basically half of his new wife’s best friends, so they definitely needed extra attention.

Everyone laughed and nodded in understanding. No one needed the hosts to break the ice; the table naturally fell into conversation.

When it comes to wedding banquets, gossip is inevitable. After a few rounds of food and drinks, the conversation at the table had completely shifted to everyone’s relationship histories.

Aside from Lin Qi and Chu Cheng, everyone at the table had known each other for a while—so the two of them were bound to get singled out eventually.

Lin Qi was more shy and hadn’t had many relationships. After being asked a few times, he smiled sheepishly and said, “I’ve only dated one person. We met in college—doing long-distance now.”

“Alumni, huh?” the coworkers chimed in, following the conversation. “So your girlfriend must be a fellow normal university grad too?”

Lin Qi nodded. “Yeah, she’s also a tenured teacher now, but she’s down south.”

The coworkers listened closely and couldn’t help but sigh. “Ah, that must be tough. Since both of you have stable jobs already, it’s not easy for either of you to give up your current situation.”

Mr. Lin sighed helplessly. “We can only take it one step at a time.”

After Lin Qi finished sharing his relationship story, the dining table went quiet for a few seconds. Then the topic naturally shifted to another new teacher.

“Mr. Chu is single right now, isn’t he?”

The person in question, who was just picking up food, was caught off guard. He paused for a moment, then gave a polite smile and nodded.

Before anyone else could say more, a fellow colleague from the Chinese department quickly jumped in. “Of course! Ever since the performance at the art gala, he’s become the most sought-after bachelor in our department.”

“Exactly! That guzheng performance—every string and every note went straight to the heart. He gained a whole bunch of campus fans overnight.”

“The point is, he’s good-looking too! You don’t need an artistic bone in your body—just eyes to appreciate him.”

“Mr. Chu, you’d better give us the details of your romantic history—especially what kind of person you like. Let everyone have a reference. Don’t say the school didn’t do you any favors. From tonight onward, the chance to win Mr. Chu’s heart is fair game for all.”

Now that everyone had clocked out for the day, there was no need to maintain the strict teacher persona. Add in the bit of alcohol, and the mood was lively and uninhibited.

Chu Cheng didn’t take offense, but his answer caught everyone off guard: “Um… It’s hard to say, because I’ve never been in a relationship.”

“No way!” one coworker squinted and waved a hand dismissively. “Your university was full of talented and beautiful women. Someone like you—with looks, brains, musical talent, and a romantic touch—how could you not have a girlfriend? Don’t tell me your standards are too high?”

“It’s really not that…”

He couldn’t exactly say it was because he stayed cooped up in the dorm with his roommates playing online games all day, which is why he never had a girlfriend.

With no way to explain, Chu Cheng could only let them tease him as they pleased.

“Then you’re at the wrong table. Our No. 10 Middle School is full of beautiful women too. Quick, have Zhou Jin take you over to the English department’s female teachers!”

“Why look next door? Our chemistry department isn’t lacking either. Mr. Chu, don’t be shy—on your right is Ms. Xu, undergrad from Central China Normal University, graduate degree from Fudan. And right across from you is Ms. Yao, a southern beauty from Jiangnan…”

When the colleagues realized that Chu Cheng really had no dating experience, it was like discovering a new continent. They immediately started playing matchmaker on the spot.

Chu Cheng was still young and completely inexperienced with this kind of situation. All he could do was smile awkwardly, trying to express that “everyone here is excellent,” while occasionally eating to cover up his embarrassment.

Yu Siting had been silent for a while. He turned to look at the person who had unexpectedly become the center of attention.

The assistant homeroom teacher might have seemed obediently quiet, but beneath his gentle and refined appearance was clearly an inner cry: “Please, I beg you, stop bringing me up—I just want to quietly zone out.”

He had reached out to pick up food several times but always withdrew his hand. Even the dishes he usually liked remained untouched.

Yu Siting, without saying a word, broke apart his chopsticks and placed a piece of grilled lamb—crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside—onto Chu Cheng’s plate.

“Huh?” Chu Cheng blinked in surprise, a hint of confusion in his handsome eyes.

Yu Siting moved his lips slightly and asked a short question: “Can’t reach it yourself?”

Chu Cheng met his gaze for a few seconds.

In those deep eyes, the message was clear: Just eat. Don’t mind them.

---

Author’s note:

Chu: If I told you about my ten-year secret relationship, it’d scare you.

Yu (flipping through records): Oh, right. With that old pagoda tree in your courtyard, wasn’t it?