DCTMOAS Chapter 54

Two weeks after the official start of the new term at Tenth High School, Zhou Jin’s disciplinary notice was finally released. The details were pretty much what he had expected.

His homeroom students were mentally prepared as well, because starting this term, Chemistry classes for Class 5 and Class 6 had already been temporarily taken over.

The new teacher had been transferred from the senior year group. With nearly twenty years of teaching experience, they were highly skilled and knowledgeable.

Sometimes students would compare him to Zhou Jin. The most common remark was that the new teacher was serious and unsmiling—not as approachable or easygoing as Mr. Zhou, who blended in well with the students.

Blended in well with the students.

Every time Chu Cheng heard this, he couldn’t help feeling a little bitter.

When colleagues chatted and sensitive topics came up, the atmosphere in the office would turn somber and oppressive.

But compared to all the other teachers, Shen Nannan had an extremely zen attitude. She wasn’t obsessed with performance evaluations, ignored all gossip, and simply did her job gently and calmly.

She was still teaching Class 5. She didn’t judge anyone through a tinted lens, nor did she dwell on who might have reported Zhou Jin.

Yu Siting once said to Chu Cheng that Shen Nan Nan was an excellent teacher—she worked with a clear conscience and also knew how to protect and manage herself. Otherwise, from the moment she got hit by accident during your and Lin Qi’s little scuffle while reviewing lesson plans, she would’ve had a vendetta against you.

Life at school continued. After discussion between Teacher Yang and the Chinese Language Department, the task was assigned: Chu Cheng would give the first school-level open class of the new semester.

This meant he had the least preparation time and the most pressure. And since Chu Cheng only had one class under his care, he had no other option. In order not to delay Class 7’s progress, he simply used the current lesson plan and chose to explain a reading comprehension exercise.

Class 7 had strong academic foundations and excellent results. Last year, they had the highest number of open classes in the entire grade, so they were naturally very familiar with the whole process.

On the day of the open class, the students thoughtfully asked Chu Cheng how they should cooperate.

“Just act like usual,” Chu Cheng especially reminded the few troublemakers in the back row, “Don’t mess around.”

“Mr. Chu, how about we come up with a secret signal?” Li Sheng waved his arm and suggested, “When you ask questions—if I raise my left hand, it means I know the answer; if I raise my right, I don’t.”

Chu Cheng quickly cut him off: “If you don’t want to answer, then just don’t raise your hand. Otherwise, I might call on you if I get nervous up there.”

Li Sheng put on a very innocent look: “Huh? Then we’ll just end up awkwardly staring at each other. No one will be happy.”

The class burst into laughter.

Chu Cheng rubbed his temples, tired and helpless: “Quit it.”

As the time for the open class approached, the subject teacher led the students into the multimedia classroom.

Several rows in the back were already filled with administrators and teachers coming to observe. Chu Cheng went on stage to load his teaching materials, and seeing the dark mass of people below, he couldn’t help but feel a little nervous at the sheer scale of the audience.

To make matters worse, the projector seemed to be having connection issues. No matter how many times he tried, it wouldn’t respond.

“Give it to me.”

In the midst of his panic, Chu Cheng heard a familiar voice.

He looked up and saw Yu Siting enter his field of vision. He froze for a moment, then smiled—a little flattery, but also sincere: “Only my big bro can save me from fire and water.”

Yu Siting’s deep eyes saw right through his vice-homeroom teacher. He asked, “Nervous?”

Chu Cheng remembered how, the first time he did a trial lecture, Yu Siting had mocked him in the bathroom. He stayed silent and didn’t respond.

“Relax.” This time, Yu Siting’s voice was soft.
“Mr. Chu, sixth in the grade rankings—you’re amazing.”

His tone sounded like he was comforting a child. Chu Cheng found it funny, but it did help ease his anxiety quite a bit.

He suddenly remembered to ask, “Don’t you have class this period? Why did you come over? Afraid I’d embarrass your class?”

“It’s not that. I gave a class here just two days ago and remembered this HDMI port was acting up. Didn’t know if it’d been fixed.” He glanced at the unresponsive screen and added, “Apparently not.”

Chu Cheng felt a warmth bloom in his chest.

He ran all the way down from the fifth floor… just because of that?

Yu Siting fiddled with the equipment for a while, and it finally started working again.

“All set.” He patted Chu Cheng’s shoulder, eager to return to his class. “Good luck.”

“Mm.” Chu Cheng took a few deep breaths, adjusted himself to his best state, made final preparations before class, and signaled the videographer beside him to begin.

Reading comprehension exercises were actually what Chu Cheng was best at and also where he had the most rapport with his students.

In order to fulfill the “military order” he had pledged to his eldest brother, he had spent many early morning and evening self-study sessions explaining these concepts. So, without deliberately preparing and simply using his usual method, the students actually responded more enthusiastically.

Time passed, the slides flipped page by page. Chu Cheng went from nervous to hitting his stride, speaking with increasing fluency, confident and focused.

He gradually formed a smooth and responsive connection with the students, even forgetting about the school leaders observing from the back, pushing all distractions out of his mind.

“Great knowledge is leisurely, small knowledge is busy; great words are flaming, small words are chattering.”

When he reached this part, he randomly called on students for their interpretations.

Xu Wanwan: “I think it’s similar to the saying, ‘A noble person is calm and composed, a petty person is always anxious.’ Great wisdom is relaxed and open-minded, while petty cleverness is nitpicky and calculating. Those with genuine insight are confident and convincing, while those full of grievances argue endlessly.”

Han Rui: “Zhuangzi seems to be categorizing people. Great wisdom is broad and tolerant; small wisdom is detailed and perceptive. Noble speech is like a raging fire, bold and assertive. Narrow-minded speech is hesitant and indecisive. Great or small wisdom, grand or petty words—these are all ways of perceiving and dealing with the world and don’t change easily.”

Lu Yan: “Those with great wisdom are like free-roaming cranes and clouds, knowing what their heart truly desires. Those with petty cleverness build barriers and use cunning tricks to trap themselves in hopes of getting by smoothly. Righteous speech is like a blazing sun—bright and intense. Narrow views are like marketplace gossip—nagging and trivial.”

Everyone offered their own take. Chu Cheng encouraged all of them but was especially amused by Lu Yan’s answer.

After all, they had casually discussed this very quote once in a massage room while dealing with a surprise inspection from his elder brother. The classical inscription on a painting they saw that day was the same one.

“You’re all correct. These four lines from Zhuangzi summarize the vast variety of human nature…” He began wrapping up the lesson.

“Everyone has their own understanding of the world and their likes and dislikes. A noble person chooses good company. Instead of trying to change others or external things, it’s better to stay true to yourself. I hope you all can hold onto your sincerity and ideals, with no burdens in your heart, and never compromise just to please others.”

In the past, Chu Cheng had actually felt confused and uneasy. But the moment he stepped onto that podium and threw himself completely into teaching, it was as if he were healed by some mysterious and powerful force, regaining strength once more.

What he said wasn’t just for the class—it was a reconciliation with himself.

By the time Yu Siting finished his math class and returned to the public lesson room, the session was still wrapping up. He found an empty seat near the back door.

Beside him, the vice principal was chatting with the academic director: “Teacher Chu’s class was quite good. He started teaching senior high right after graduation, didn’t he? That’s not easy.”

“Yes. But besides leadership decisions, the future of the school still lies in this new blood,” Director Yang replied with a smile.

He was reminded of how Class 7’s physics teacher had been unwell lately and couldn’t attend evening self-study sessions. Every time he passed their classroom, it was either the homeroom teacher helping with physics problems or the assistant Chinese teacher stepping in to teach math.

It seemed the school would soon need to dig up and train more capable talents.

Director Yang looked up and, not knowing when it had happened, noticed that Teacher Yu had also quietly come in and taken a seat. He turned and teased softly, “Here to check on your assistant teacher? Weren’t you grumbling back when the assignments were made? Satisfied now?”

“Mm.”

Yu Siting responded with just one syllable, his gaze fixed on the figure at the front who had already finished the class but was still radiating charm. He couldn’t look away.

After all, a little sun shining brightly always dazzles.

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The New Semester Begins. Spring Tiptoes In.

Ever since Chu Cheng moved into the Fantian Garden complex, Yu Siting had been able to observe his work and life closely every day.

After work, Chu Cheng would lazily sprawl out, doing absolutely nothing. He even managed to influence Lu Yan, who used to love exercising, turning him into someone who would lie down right after eating.

On a weekend afternoon, Chu Cheng swayed gently on the rocking chair by the floor-to-ceiling window, reclining there as he read the newest novel by Yu Chen, his long, slender legs stretched out across the carpet.

The sunlight outside was warm and radiant, casting beams that spilled over his body, making his already fair skin appear nearly blinding.

Yu Siting looked down at him from above. “Stop craning your neck like that to read, or your shoulders and neck are going to start hurting again.”

“They already hurt, but I’m too lazy to move.” Chu Cheng flipped to the next page at a leisurely pace.

“Don’t you have a gym membership?” Yu Siting couldn’t help but lecture him as he watched him lying there like he had no bones. “If you’re not going to use it, don’t renew it. From now on, I’m adding 600 yuan to your monthly rent.”

Completely unfazed by the landlord’s threats, Chu Cheng—who happened to have just received his assistant teacher’s cash bonus—casually tossed the money at him. “Here’s 800. Now stop bothering me.”

On the sofa nearby, Lu Yan, who was playing on his Switch, grinned as he watched his uncle get shut down and gleefully echoed, “Did you hear that? Don’t bother him.”

Yu Siting shot him a glare.

Lu Yan quickly scooted closer to Chu Cheng. Now that he had a new backer, he figured his uncle wouldn’t dare touch him too easily.

Yu Siting couldn’t stand the two of them and had no plans to coddle them either. His tone turned sharp as he scolded them one by one.

“Weren’t we supposed to go to the mall to buy new clothes? You just ate—can’t you get up and move a little? I’ve never seen you this talented in math, but you’ve got laziness down to an art.”

“And you—” he pointed at Lu Yan, “always dressed like a high schooler. One of the new public internship teachers already came to me after their first class to complain: that kid sitting in the last row didn’t take any notes and kept switching seats at will.”

After that little scolding and the lure of new clothes, Lu Yan obediently got up.

But Chu Cheng remained comfortably nestled in his spot, continuing to read his mystery novel. He flipped another page, reached into the dried fruit tray for a preserved plum, popped it into his mouth, and lazily mumbled, “You two go ahead. I’ll stay and watch the house.”

Yu Siting’s patience was running thin. He issued a final warning in a low voice: “Chu Cheng, don’t push me.”

Chu Cheng lifted his eyes with a lazy look that clearly said: “Bring it on.”

Yu Siting didn’t respond. He simply refilled the pot with mulberry and red date tea and took a seat beside him.

For a moment, the air was calm and undisturbed.

Chu Cheng leisurely sipped his tea, basking in post-meal laziness, wondering in amusement why Mr. Yu was being so uncharacteristically accommodating today. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the man reading a copy of The Selected Works of Chu Lining, thoroughly engrossed.

Chu Cheng shot up, flustered. “Ahem—”

Without even looking up, Yu Siting replied, “Keep it down. The living room doesn’t belong to you alone.”

Your seventh uncle, fourth aunt, and second grandpa…

Chu Cheng silently cursed all of Yu’s distant relatives, having been utterly outmaneuvered.

Resigned, he folded the page of the book he’d been reading halfway through and set it aside, clicking his tongue as he looked around and muttered to himself, “Where’s my jacket? The one decent enough to wear to the mall…”

“How about I lend you another one?” Lu Yan, who had just come downstairs after changing, immediately caught the tension in the air.

His dependable backer was clearly being toyed with again.

“You’re reading in such bright light—your eyes will start to hurt.”

“They already hurt.”

“We just ate. Mr. Yu, could you maybe move a little?”

“Too lazy.”

“…”

So that’s how we’re playing this now? Master-level reversal of power dynamics, well played.

It took a ton of coaxing, but Chu Cheng finally convinced Yu Siting to go out. Still fuming, he climbed into the front passenger seat, doing his best to swallow his annoyance.

Lu Yan only shops at a few select stores—mostly sportswear and casual brands. The moment they arrived, they headed straight to their destination.

But a trio made up of tall, long-legged, and stunningly good-looking people was basically a walking highlight reel. Wherever they went, they turned heads.

Lu Yan went into the fitting room. Chu Cheng wandered around aimlessly while waiting, and his eyes landed on a member points display in the store.

This area showcased items not for sale. The one in the center stood out the most: a “couples hoodie.”

It looked like two hoodies sewn together, but it only had one neck hole and one body hole—wider than normal—with two sleeves attached. A promotional sign beside it clearly stated: Spend over 8,000 yuan in-store and get one for free.

Chu Cheng was baffled. “Is this thing even wearable?”

“Of course!” the shop assistant, clearly excited to be talking to a handsome customer, came over enthusiastically. “It’s perfect for couples to snuggle together while using their phones or watching TV on the couch.”

Chu Cheng tried to picture it but couldn’t summon any reasonable image. He frowned. “But it only has two sleeves. What about the other arms?”

The assistant gave a slightly bashful smile. “Each person sticks out one arm. The other arm… naturally, goes inside—so you’re hugging each other. Sir, you…”

Don’t have a girlfriend, do you?

Otherwise, you’d both be stuffed inside one hoodie, and you’re still asking me what the other arm’s supposed to do?

Chu Cheng looked like his worldview had been shaken. He frowned deeply.

Just then, Mr. Yu strolled over. Chu Cheng turned to him in confusion and asked, “Is the hoodie weird, or is it me?”

“Mr. Chu, please respect the design. If you’re really curious, you could always…” Yu Siting answered calmly, but stopped halfway with a knowing smile.

Chu Cheng immediately knew what he was implying—Try it on.

He suddenly felt his throat go warm. Grumbling under his breath, “Only a lunatic would wear that,” he turned and walked away, heading to the normal hoodie section. After a few turns, he picked out one and entered the fitting room.

Swish! The curtain opened.

Lu Yan stepped out in new clothes, still adjusting his collar as he walked over. Before he could even check himself in the mirror, his uncle’s slow voice drifted over from the side.

Yu Siting: “Looks good. Go pick out another set.”

“?”

Lu Yan froze mid-motion, confused, and looked down at what he was wearing.

Wait a minute—you didn’t even look at me!

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Author’s note:

Big bro: That doesn’t matter. I just wanted to spend 8,000 yuan.

The conjoined hoodie: You think you’re too good for me? I’m setting this flag today! One way or another, I will end up in your closet.