DCTMOAS Chapter 27

Night had fallen.

The barbecue feast had gone on for quite a while. Gossip about everyone’s relationships had already been thoroughly discussed. Satisfied with food and drink but still in high spirits, the group moved indoors for karaoke.

News spreads quickly on campus. Many teachers had already heard about Chu Cheng singing during his first class, so it was inevitable that he’d be teased to perform again in this setting.

But Mr. Chu handled it gracefully—he wasn’t shy at all. As long as someone called out a song, he’d give it a try.

Chu Cheng sang several songs in a row.

Though the songs were in different styles, he gave each its own unique flavor.

After finishing another number, he looked a bit tired. He stretched his long legs out against the wall, perching his slim, tall figure on the edge of the couch. He casually grabbed a bottle of fruit wine from the coffee table to soothe his throat.

“You guys in the Chinese and English departments are total mic hogs.”

“Right? Each one more impressive than the last.”

“Isn’t it the math department’s turn next?”

Some of the more enthusiastic colleagues began tallying up who had sung already, and in the spirit of fairness, started calling out those who hadn’t taken the mic yet.

“Oh please, everyone knows our department is completely talentless when it comes to the arts.”

Their perennial bottom-rank performances in the annual school talent show had left a lasting impression. The math teachers present began joking about themselves, pushing responsibility around, with no one willing to step up and be compared again.

“Hey? Isn’t Mr. Yu the only one in the math department who’s never participated in a talent show?”

On a normal day, people might have hesitated to tease Yu Siting like this. But with the celebratory mood and the alcohol, it was hard to hold back, and someone finally broke the ice with this much-anticipated topic.

Sitting quietly in the corner, Yu Siting had been playing on his phone. When he heard his name mentioned, he calmly declined, “I’m tone-deaf.”

“No worries—we’re not recording this. Just for fun.”

“We’ve worked together for years and never heard him sing.”

“This is a rare team outing. Mr. Yu, why don’t you sing one? Think of it as a gift to the newlyweds.”

“…”

Colleagues all chimed in, encouraging him, but Yu Siting didn’t respond further.

“Don’t you guys think Mr. Yu’s voice is really nice? That low, deep tone—if he sang a love song, Ms. Shen and Mr. Zhou wouldn’t even need to hire a wedding singer!”

“Well, wedding performances are usually duets, aren’t they?”

That comment from a female teacher sparked a new wave of discussion, and everyone eagerly joined in to explore the possibilities.

One colleague immediately recommended the still-spectating Chu Cheng: “Isn’t there a gentle voice sitting right here? Have him team up with Mr. Yu—at the very least, it’d be worth 1,000 yuan per performance!”

The jokes and laughter carried on for quite a while. Though they teased him, everyone knew Yu Siting’s personality well. He was the type who would never be goaded into doing something. So, the remarks were treated as mere banter.

That is, until one bold math teacher blurted out, “Come on, guys. You’re dreaming. Do you know what kind of background Mr. Yu has? If 1,000 yuan could get him to perform, I’d transfer the money right now.”

Yu Siting responded calmly, “Go ahead.”

The once-boisterous colleague blinked, staring at Yu’s unusually composed face, and looked around for confirmation: “Did I hear wrong, or did he actually speak?”

Everyone around had the same expression: Not sure. Let me listen again.

While all the teasing had been going on, Yu Siting’s gaze had been fixed on the song selection screen. Chu Cheng was fiddling with the touchscreen absentmindedly, seemingly unsure what to sing next.

Yu watched him for a few seconds and repeated, “I can take this one for the team.”

The karaoke room went silent for a moment, then erupted with unrestrained laughter and encouragement.

“Hahahahahaha! Someone wire him the money! I have to hear this song!”

“Who would’ve thought? Mr. Yu has guts. Even with zero pitch, he still dares to sing for you.”

“No worries, the math department will pay! If he sings, we’ll crowdfund it!”

Amid the laughter, the current song was suddenly cut off, and the playlist automatically queued up the next track—“Promises.”

It was a song Chu Cheng had picked.

Busy watching the chaos unfold, Chu turned his head toward Mr. Yu and asked casually, “You gonna sing?”

“You first.”

Yu Siting gestured with his hand, then leaned down to grab another microphone from the side.

Chu Cheng assumed he was just joking and turned back to the lyrics screen. The intro to the song was short, just a few seconds before the romantic melody and lyrics began.

Chu’s voice remained pleasant as ever, his smooth and gentle English intonation flowing into the microphone. After a few accenting piano notes in the background music, the song moved into an instrumental break.

Just as the second part began, Yu Siting raised his mic and joined in with perfect timing.

“I make no promises. I can’t do golden rings.”
[I can’t make promises, nor can I offer you marriage.]
“But I’ll give you everything tonight.”
[But tonight, I’ll give you everything.]

The moment his voice came through, Chu Cheng was stunned—so much so that he turned around instinctively.

Yu Siting leaned against the sofa, most of his body draped in shadow. Only the blue glow of the screen lit up his profile, casting shifting light across his high-bridged nose and sharp jawline.

His voice was magnetic and melancholic. Not only was he on-key, his pitch was excellent, and each English word carried a depth of lonely tenderness.

It was truly unforgettable.

“This is tone-deaf? Then I must’ve been born mute!”

“I’ve never heard this song before—thought they suddenly turned on the original track!”

Chu Cheng hadn’t even recovered from the shock when coworkers’ exclamations rang out around him. He was so fixated on watching Mr. Yu that he missed his own cue.

Yu Siting filled in smoothly, singing a few extra lines before stopping right at the next transition.

Chu picked it back up:
“I’m speeding up. My heartbeat’s dancing alone.”
[My heart races, beating wildly on its own.]

The teachers chatted and sipped their drinks over the background music, debating whether the song was too intense to be sung at a wedding.

At this point, they couldn’t tell if it was the original song’s passion or the spontaneous duet’s energy that stirred them. But listening to one voice so soft and captivating, and the other rich and soulful, they all agreed—1,000 yuan didn’t sound like such a bad deal after all.

Yu Siting: “So come get your everything.”
Chu Cheng: “Tonight.”

As the song neared its end, their call-and-response delivery was in perfect sync.

Chu Cheng never expected Mr. Yu to sing so well. Smiling, he lifted his half-finished sparkling drink in a toast.

Since Yu Siting had driven, he could only raise his soda water in return—but his dazzling smile cut through the crowd and noise, reaching across the room without a hitch.

The festive atmosphere lasted late into the night.

As dusk gave way to full night, the group gradually dispersed, hailing cabs or arranging designated drivers.

Yu Siting, who hadn’t touched a drop, was able to drive Chu Cheng home just as he had on the way there, dropping off Ms. Shen and a very drunk Zhou Jin at their new home along the way.

“Honey, wake up—we’re here.” At the destination, Shen Nan-nan gently patted Zhou Jin’s cheek to rouse him.

Yu Siting rolled down the window and asked, “Need help getting him upstairs?”

“No need, I’m not that drunk,” Zhou Jin said, rubbing his temples as he sobered up a little in the night air with Ms. Shen’s support.

Still worried, Chu Cheng unbuckled and got out to help steady him.

“It’s fine, I’ve got him. It’s late—you two should head home too,” Ms. Shen said. Then she leaned down to Yu’s window and added with a smile, “Thanks, Mr. Yu. Drive safe on your way back.”

Yu nodded. “Got it.”

The soft white lights inside the gated complex weren’t harsh, but bright enough to illuminate the path to the building entrance. Chu Cheng stood by the road, watching Ms. Shen and his senior slowly make their way inside.

Yu Siting noticed he was still lingering outside even after they’d gone in and tapped gently on the window from his side. Chu took one last glance at the hazy, glowing scene before finally getting back into the passenger seat.

“What were you staring at?” Yu followed his gaze but could only make out the vague silhouettes of the newlyweds. He asked, half-testing, “Jealous?”

Chu Cheng replied, “Why wouldn’t I?”

He made no effort to hide his thoughts, resting his elbow on the car window as he felt the night breeze blowing in from outside. With a long sigh, he said, “Doesn’t it look so warm and cozy? I could easily add it to my life plans.”

Yu Siting turned his head, looking at Chu Cheng’s calm and peaceful side profile, and the few strands of hair on his forehead being tousled by the wind.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit too early?”

For someone with no dating experience, it’s rare to have marriage already in their plans at the age of 22, right?

Chu Cheng seemed to seriously consider it after hearing that. Then he replied, “Not too early, right? The location here is pretty good. Even if it doesn’t go up in value, it won’t depreciate much either. Pay a bit of the down payment early on, and the rest of the loan can be paid off slowly.”

Yu Siting paused. “You’re talking about their new home?”

Already showing signs of weariness, Teacher Chu withdrew his gaze and replied with a yawn he couldn’t hold back, “What else? What were you saying was too early?”

“Ah,” Yu Siting responded, “I meant this housing complex will probably have a second phase in a few years.”

Chu Cheng gave a light “mm,” and said, “I was just talking casually.”

Yu Siting pressed his lips together and said nothing more, silently turning the car around to drive him home.

After an unconventional team-building session on Friday, the rare weekend finally arrived.

In these new days, Chu Cheng, who always considered sleeping in a weekend mission, didn’t sleep as well as he had imagined.

“Ugh—” Before dawn, the sound of dry heaving came repeatedly from the bathroom of a unit in Yuncheng Gardens.

Chu Cheng leaned against the toilet, panting for half a minute before he got up and flushed, even though nothing had come up.

He walked to the living room for a sip of water, then collapsed wearily onto the sofa. Probably due to the alcohol he drank not long ago, his upper abdomen was filled with a bloated pain, which only seemed to be getting worse.

After struggling mentally for over half an hour, Teacher Chu had no choice but to face reality. He fumbled for his phone, half-opening one eye, and opened the Tingshou Medical University Hospital’s smart clinic app, booking an appointment with the gastroenterology department before dragging himself back to bed to wait for daylight.

At almost the same time, in the flat zone of the Fantian Scenic Garden complex, a more violent bout of vomiting echoed through one of the units.

Lu Yan had already vomited to the point of having no strength left, collapsed on the carpet in front of the coffee table, weakly muttering a single syllable: “…unc…”

“Are you calling for me, or for an ambulance?” Yu Siting’s face was almost expressionless, cold and stern, but a trace of unshakable worry lingered between his brows.

“You,” Lu Yan rasped, his voice hoarse from vomiting, speaking with difficulty, “I’m the sick one. Can’t you… be a little more patient with me?”

Yu Siting looked down at his disheveled appearance and let out a calm snort. “Didn’t I tell you not to eat random things when I’m not home?”

Frustrated, Lu Yan yanked out a bunch of tissues, wiping his mouth while complaining, “Young Master Yu, I already feel terrible—how can you still…”

“Endure it.” Yu Siting was about to say something else when his phone rang in his palm. He had to swallow the words that had reached his lips and answer the call instead.
“Hello, Director Zhang, sorry to bother you so late… Yes, he doesn’t have a fever right now, just abdominal pain, and he’s been vomiting pretty badly. The symptoms are exactly the same as last time.”

Already in pain and agitated, Lu Yan felt even more wronged after being scolded again by his uncle. He gave up all pretense and flopped sideways onto the carpet. “I can’t endure it! Ugh, I feel awful—bleh—”

“Yes, he did eat something bad again. It’s my fault for not watching him. So should I take him to the emergency room now, or can we wait until morning?” As he spoke, Yu Siting moved the phone slightly away and said in a low voice, “Be quiet, I can’t hear… Oh, go on, please.”

“…” Seeing that he was really angry, Lu Yan didn’t dare act up anymore and quietly pulled himself together.

A moment later, Yu Siting hung up the phone and looked coldly at his nephew, who was sprawled out and still heaving like a drained battery. “Get up. I’m not going to scold you.”

Lu Yan had already achieved his goal. After a short break, he obediently climbed onto the sofa, perfectly navigating the fine line between pushing his limits and keeping just enough restraint.

Being tormented by this kid in the middle of the night, Yu Siting felt both exasperated and amused. He wiped the cold sweat off Lu Yan’s forehead with his palm and sighed. “Hang in there, the doctor said it’s not that serious. If you keep acting up in the middle of the night, I’ll record you throwing a tantrum and send it to the class group chat.”

“Go ahead. Then I’ll make sure your reputation in education is completely ruined,” Lu Yan muttered with no strength left, lying face down and closing his eyes to rest.

---

Public hospitals on the weekend were bound to be crowded, and noticeably less efficient than on weekdays.

After waking up, Chu Cheng didn’t eat and went early to wait in line. He went through a whole series of tests by himself, and it was almost noon by the time he finished. Just as he’d expected, after the doctor’s thorough inquiry, he was given a referral for a gastroscopy.

Taking advantage of the hospital’s lunch break, Chu Cheng picked up his medications and test results. The rest of the time he spent sitting in the endoscopy waiting area, trying to mentally prepare himself. He opened Baidu to search the steps of a gastroscopy procedure, but still felt uneasy, pacing nervously back and forth.

“Mr. Chu.”

A voice suddenly called out, catching him off guard and sending a chill down his back. He thought it was the doctor from the exam room calling him, and he looked up in a panic—only to see Yu Siting.

Of course. A doctor wouldn’t call him that.

“Mr. Yu? What are you doing here?” Chu Cheng felt the temperature of his blood gradually rise again, and the anxiety in his heart eased a little.

“Lu Yan’s gastritis flared up—he’s getting an IV downstairs. I came up to pick up his file.” As Yu Siting spoke, he noticed the test forms in Chu Cheng’s hand, then looked up at the endoscopy sign behind him. He asked uncertainly, “You’re getting a gastroscopy?”

Chu Cheng nodded.

Yu Siting glanced around. “You came alone? Why didn’t you ask a friend to come with you?”

“It’s just a regular gastroscopy—the kind where you can walk out on your own afterward.” Though Chu Cheng sounded casual, his fingers unconsciously tightened around the forms in his hand.

Yu Siting noticed that he might be scared and asked in confusion, “Why aren’t you doing the painless version?”

Chu Cheng admitted, “General anesthesia requires a family member’s signature. I don’t even know what the issue is yet—I don’t want to worry them in advance.”

While the two were talking, the display screen outside the department flashed, and Chu Cheng’s name was listed as the first for the afternoon examination.

A nurse in blue scrubs approached with a clipboard, explaining the potential discomfort that might occur during the procedure.

Seeing how nervous the person next to him still looked, Yu Siting offered, “Do you want me to wait for you outside?”

“No need.” Chu Cheng had heard that Lu Yan was also unwell, and he didn’t want to trouble Mr. Yu further.

“You sure?” Yu Siting asked again.

Chu Cheng nodded firmly, then tried to lighten the mood with a joke: “Yeah, if I ever need to do the painless version next time, I’ll ask you to come with me. I’ll be under anesthesia and unconscious, so I’ll have to trouble you to pull up my pants. We’re colleagues, don’t let me lose face.”

“Mr. Chu,” Yu Siting looked at him with intense focus, responding seriously, “the gastroscope goes in through your mouth. You don’t need to take off your pants.”

Author’s Note:

[Lu Yan invites Mr. Chu to ‘roll around together.’]

Yu Siting: ?