DCTMOAS Chapter 56
by Suxxi[Help.]
Back in his bedroom, Chu Cheng sent a WeChat message to Xu Chuan with just that one word: [Help.] Then he walked into the shower.
By the time he finished bathing, Xu Chuan’s reply was already waiting on his phone:
[What is it this time?]
Chu Cheng collapsed onto the sofa, drying his half-wet hair while pondering how best to explain things for maximum effect.
After thinking it through, he decided to go with the ultimate move—brutal honesty. He came clean and confessed that the “friend” he mentioned on Lantern Festival night… was actually a man.
He stared nervously at his phone screen for half a minute before a new message finally popped up. But the content was completely unexpected.
[Xu Chuan: I know. It’s that Bentley guy, right?]
[Chu Cheng: ……]
Chu Cheng was overwhelmed. He couldn’t keep communicating through text anymore—he immediately called Xu Chuan, desperate to ask how the hell he figured it out.
“Come on, you basically spelled it out last time. You said he’s your coworker, your landlord, and he ran around taking care of you when you were sick. You didn’t even tell your own mom about your surgery, but this guy was there the whole time. Who else could it be other than that colleague of yours?” Xu Chuan rattled off his logical deduction effortlessly, every word hitting the mark.
Chu Cheng frowned. “You’re seriously not even a little bit surprised?”
Xu Chuan’s voice remained calm: “What’s so surprising? People date freely these days. Besides, I’ve heard stuff like this plenty of times.”
“…You’re acting weird,” Chu Cheng mumbled suspiciously.
Xu Chuan, on the other end, quickly cut off his wandering imagination: “Hey, not me, man. I only fall for sugar mommies.”
“Yes, no matter when it is, I’ll never forget your grand ambition,” Chu Cheng replied out of habit to Dr. Xu’s ever-present life philosophy, giving a half-hearted comment with little sincerity.
Xu Chuan, carefree by nature and long since immune to societal norms—not to mention completely unbothered by Chu Cheng’s perfunctory tone—smoothly steered the conversation back: “So, what’s going on now? You confirmed that he really does like you? Or at least is interested?”
How do you even confirm something like that? Chu Cheng fell into thought. Yu Siting wasn’t someone who talked much. On the surface, he didn’t exactly fit descriptions like “gentle” or “considerate.” But…
When he couldn’t get a high-speed rail ticket, Yu just happened to ask if he wanted a ride home.
When he was sick and fasting, Yu just happened to be learning how to make nourishing soup.
When he was overwhelmed and anxious about his career, Yu just happened to be visiting his old mentor.
Every book written by his father that mentioned Chu Cheng? Yu just happened to collect all of them.
When New Year didn’t feel festive enough, Yu just happened to take him to the best viewpoint near the TV tower for the fireworks.
When he couldn’t find a rental, Yu—who was supposed to be vacationing—just happened to come home early to clean up the place.
Looking back now, all of their shared moments had signs and traces. Chu Cheng wasn’t clueless—he could feel the intention behind all those “coincidences.”
Xu Chuan hadn’t heard a peep from his friend for a while and figured things out pretty well already. He finally spoke up: “Come on, I told you before. When someone cares, you’ll feel it—there’s no missing it.”
Chu Cheng grabbed the mineral water bottle on the table and took a huge gulp. After swallowing hard, he finally said, “But… he hid it really well before. Only recently did he start showing it more openly.”
Xu Chuan thought for a moment, then asked, “Did he tell you about his orientation?”
“Yeah.”
“There you go.”
Chu Cheng didn’t follow. “There I go what?”
Xu Chuan explained, “Think about it. Since he’s already come out and is now blatantly showing how much he cares, that’s basically his way of asking for your opinion. To put it simply—if you don’t show clear resistance right now, he’s going to take that as a tacit blessing to bend a straight guy.”
“Bend a straight guy?”
Chu Cheng’s hand twitched at the phrase, and the water bottle slipped—cold mineral water splashed across his chest, soaking the front of his shirt.
He leapt up, scrambling to grab tissues and do damage control.
Meanwhile, Xu Chuan kept going on the other end: “In this situation, the ball’s actually in your court. If you really can’t accept it and there’s absolutely no chance between you two, then I don’t need to tell you what to do.”
In Dr. Xu’s memory, their prodigy Chu Cheng had always been good at rejecting people—an expert in handing out “You’re a wonderful person” cards. Every girl who’d ever confessed to him was sent off with the title of “the best girl in the world.”
“And besides, you’re still living in his house, right? If you’re planning to turn him down for good, even if you two stay coworkers or friends, I suggest you keep your distance from his personal life.”
Chu Cheng had left his phone on the sofa while frantically wiping off the water and didn’t catch most of what Xu Chuan had just said—except for that last sentence.
If there’s no possibility, then stay out of his life.
Chu Cheng’s hands slowed. He no longer had the heart to keep talking. After hanging up the call with Xu Chuan, he lay back down on the sofa, slipping into a new round of contemplation.
The next morning arrived, Monday right on schedule.
Lu Yan had stayed up late the night before to catch the tail end of the weekend and watch a soccer game. As a result, he woke up to find his phone confiscated by his uncle.
At the breakfast table, the boy listlessly sipped his hot milk, ears forced to endure a lecture. He was a kid who never needed supervision when it came to studying—just the occasional reminder when he got too caught up in having fun.
“You’ve been overdoing it lately. Monthly exams are coming up soon—better get yourself together. Don’t wait for me to step in,” Yu Siting said as he handed over an avocado sandwich, giving a warning look along with it.
“Mm.” Lu Yan answered obediently, took another sip of his milk, then checked the time on his watch. “Why isn’t Mr. Chu out yet? He’s gonna be late for work.”
Yu Siting murmured a quiet “Mind your own business,” then glanced in the direction of the first-floor bedroom. He decided to go check for himself.
He raised his hand and knocked on the door—no answer from inside.
After several tries, Yu Siting found it odd and simply pushed the door open. The bedroom was quiet and undisturbed. The bedding was neatly arranged, like no one had slept there at all.
No one here? Why would he leave the house without saying anything?
Yu Siting stared blankly at the spotless, untouched room. Just as he was about to turn around, he suddenly heard a soft hum. Then, a lamp flicked on in a dim corner.
Turns out—he’d fallen asleep on the sofa.
Chu Cheng stirred slightly, then slowly sat up with sleepy, half-lidded eyes. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and the deep lines of his collarbones, along with his smooth, pale shoulders, peeked out from under a towel blanket. His slender arms were wrapped loosely around a throw pillow, and he looked completely languid and dazed.
Their eyes met.
Chu Cheng instantly became more alert, eyes snapping wide open.
Before, if a guy was shirtless, no big deal—just a glance. But now, why did the air between them feel so weird? Lounging bare-shouldered in someone else’s house first thing in the morning… it was kind of like…
Marching into the tiger’s den, knowing full well there’s a tiger inside? Is that even the right metaphor?
Chu Cheng blanked out for two seconds, then awkwardly and slowly pulled the blanket up to cover himself to the neck.
Yu Siting’s lips parted slightly. “I knocked. Thought you’d be late for work, so I came in to check.”
Chu Cheng: “Mm… it’s fine.”
Tch, what the hell did he mean by “it’s fine”? As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them and shut his eyes in dismay.
Yu Siting noticed how out of it he looked and headed back out, saying over his shoulder, “Then hurry up and get ready.”
“Got it,” Chu Cheng replied, pulling off the thin blanket as he prepared to get changed.
But to his surprise, just as Yu Siting reached the doorway, he turned back around—throwing one last glance his way.
“The floor heating’s off, and it’s still chilly. You should wear a bit more,” Yu Siting said, his gaze openly dropping to the dip of Chu Cheng’s waist. That lean, narrow waistline had not a trace of excess fat—looked like a single hand could almost cover it.
Chu Cheng’s brain officially crashed. He didn’t even know if he should bother covering his chest anymore.
He just stood there awkwardly and tried to explain, “This is what I usually sleep in. My clothes got wet last night.”
Yu Siting nodded and said nothing more, quietly closing the door behind him.
By the time Chu Cheng had tidied up, he no longer had time for breakfast. He grabbed a slice of bread and a carton of milk and rushed out the door.
Yu Siting was the last to get down to the parking garage. Once in the car, he handed Chu Cheng two boiled eggs—cooked while the other was getting dressed and freshening up.
Chu Cheng accepted the eggs through a napkin. The heat burned into his palm.
He peeled one open and took a bite. Five-spice flavor—salty, soft, delicious. He leaned back. On the passenger seat was the custom pillow that had always been there, just for him.
At 6:20 a.m., the two walked into the classroom together, right as the school bell rang.
“Why do they always show up together lately?” Mu Yiyang looked up as the two figures entered, then nudged the chair in front of him, whispering.
“Who?”
“The class rep and Big Bro, duh.”
The student in front turned to Lu Yan. “Then ask him.”
“Hey!” Mu Yiyang switched targets.
“Isn’t it perfectly normal?” Lu Yan replied, giving them a look that said obviously. “Those two are tirelessly devoted to Class 7, sacrificing day and night. Them sticking together is just to make our class better. You oughta study harder and not let down the teachers’ hard work.”
Mu Yiyang was left speechless, stunned by Lu Yan’s words. He turned to glance at the two people behind the office desk.
Chu Cheng was leaning close to Yu Siting’s ear. “Wanna try that new coffee shop?”
Yu Siting lowered his head. “Let me see.”
Chu Cheng handed him his phone and they scrolled through the menu together. “Last time I had this one with a double shot—it was pretty good.”
Mu Yiyang couldn’t hear their hushed conversation, so he could only imagine what kind of work discussion it must be.
Noticing the students’ gaze, Chu Cheng cleared his throat. “First period’s mine, right? Take out your books and do pages 36 and 37.”
“Okay~” the students responded, quickly diving into the assignment.
After morning study ended, Chu Cheng and Yu Siting headed to the fifth-floor office together to grab their teaching materials for first period.
The morning sun was perfect. They walked side by side. Chu Cheng looked down at the brick-patterned tiles underfoot and noticed their overlapping shadows cast westward. He couldn’t help but glance up at that poised and handsome face beside him.
He thought about it—at some point, Mr. Yu had become the person he trusted most. Whenever he felt unsettled or needed to vent, he’d always think of him first.
But all along, it was Yu Siting caring for and guiding him. He hardly knew anything about the man in return. Chu Cheng realized—he wanted to get closer.
After a quiet moment of reflection, he pulled out his phone and sent Yu Siting a transfer—next month’s rent paid early.
A buzz from his phone. Yu Siting glanced at the amount, his brows slightly raised. “It’s not payday yet.”
“I’ve got money. Can’t I pay in advance?” Chu Cheng smiled, his eyes crinkling with warmth and charm.
That radiant expression made Yu Siting pause for a beat. When he looked back at the transfer notification, the message suddenly became clear.
It wasn’t rent.
It was his answer from last night.
He accepted the money without hesitation. The two of them parted ways between the Chinese and math office rooms.
Chu Cheng pushed open the Chinese office door. A breeze blew in through the window gap. The curtain beside his desk swayed gently.
The magic of spring lay in the vitality of growing things.
He looked over at his desk—and to his surprise, the Persian buttercup he’d worried might never bloom had finally sprouted a bud.
Author’s note:
Yu Siting: Put on some clothes. You might be fine in the cold, but how am I supposed to handle the heat?
Chu Cheng: Oh, now you act all prim and proper? You sure didn’t miss a single glance back there.