DCTMOAS Chapter 60

The last thing Chu Cheng remembered from that night was blacking out in the hotel lobby—he had no idea how he made it back to his room.

Afterward, his roommate Lu Yan said matter-of-factly, “Aside from being carried back by my uncle, how else do you think you got here?”

Chu Cheng groaned and rubbed his forehead in despair.

The image of a stern-faced 189cm man carrying a babbling, drunk 185cm guy through the hotel’s quiet late-night corridors was mortifying—too cringeworthy to even imagine.

Their holiday continued to pass in a leisurely blur. The three of them drove along the port city, stopping to eat and explore, enjoying nature and sightseeing. After a couple of days, they finally arrived at the foot of Mount Tai.

The night before the hike, Chu Cheng made sure to go to bed early and store up his energy. Then at dawn, brimming with a “ready to overlook all beneath me” kind of ambition, he set off with the uncle-nephew duo.

Yu Siting had pre-booked tickets for a morning entrance and chose the hiking route—entering from the Hongmen Visitor Center.

At the base of the mountain, while buying trekking poles, Chu Cheng stood at the foot and looked up at the majestic peak. From the endless-looking stairs alone, he could tell this would be an epic journey of conquest.

Lu Yan tapped the ground with his newly bought trekking pole, testing its sturdiness, and asked, “Mr. Chu, I vaguely remember a quote: ‘Climb Mount Tai and the world looks small.’ What’s the next line?”

Chu Cheng thought about it. “No idea.”

“It’s ‘Then see the affairs of the world, and realize how hard feelings come.’” Lu Yan raised his brows meaningfully.

“Stop making things up,” Chu Cheng scoffed. “The real line is, ‘Climb Mount Dongshan and see Lu as small; climb Mount Tai and see the world as small.’”

Lu Yan didn’t care what the original quote was. He continued on, “I heard there are over 6,000 steps from Hongmen to the summit. Our school building has two staircases per floor, 13 steps each, so 26 steps per floor. That makes climbing Mount Tai equivalent to how many floors?”

Chu Cheng passed the question off: “Let the math teacher answer within one second.”

Yu Siting didn’t even pause. “Over 230 floors.”

Hearing that, Chu Cheng’s smile became a little forced.

The Chinese department was only on the fifth floor, and even then, he needed a two-minute break if he walked up too fast.

“Getting cold feet?” Yu Siting lowered his eyes and caught the shift in his expression.

“Please.” Chu Cheng glanced at the eager Lu Yan. “If a minor can make it, why couldn’t I?”

Yu Siting offered an honest assessment: “To be fair, aside from his naturally sensitive stomach, your dear son is actually quite strong physically—with excellent motor skills too.”

Chu Cheng rolled up his sleeves. “Then today, let me show you who’s in even better shape.”

Like countless tourists dreaming of conquering Mount Tai, the three of them bickered good-naturedly as they prepped and set off on their climb.

Along the way, the strange pine trees and uniquely shaped rocks created breathtaking scenes at every step.

Since they traveled light, none of them carried too many supplies. When they got tired, they just bought water and took breaks. Overall, the first half of the climb went smoothly.

But mountain fatigue is cumulative. After two hours of hiking, their breaks became more frequent.

The weather was gorgeous—clear and sunny. By noon, the intense heat led most of the other climbers to shed their heavy windbreakers and change into lighter clothes.

Just ahead of the trio was a group of young men from the same fitness club. These muscular powerhouses had already stripped off their outer layers and were climbing in workout tank tops, showing off bulging biceps and exaggerated shoulder muscles.

“Ooh~ Kirin^[1] arms,” Lu Yan exclaimed in awe.

Even though everyone was tired, it was hard not to notice those striking physiques that stood out among the crowd.

It was only May, and they were already stripped down like that. Come summer, wouldn’t this place turn into a full-on muscle showcase? A buffet of male beauty?

Chu Cheng felt a flicker of curiosity and instinctively glanced toward Teacher Yu.

That man, however, seemed utterly uninterested in those finely trained bodies — he didn’t even spare them a glance. His clothing was still neat and proper, sporting a dark brown patchwork windbreaker that somehow looked stylish and full of attitude.

Yu Siting, noticing the gaze falling on him along with the sunlight, spoke up:
“Teacher Chu, there’s something in your eyes.”

Chu Cheng hurriedly smiled and waved it off:
“No, no! I was just wondering if you’re hot in that jacket.”

Finally, Yu Siting glanced sideways at the group ahead and said in a low, calm voice:
“You want me to strip like that too?”

Just hearing that question conjured an image in Chu Cheng’s mind — of that firm, sculpted chest and the explosively masculine serratus muscles radiating testosterone.

The visual punch he’d once received at the swimming pool still hadn’t faded. Compared to that body, Chu Cheng suddenly felt like some innocent high school boy.

“Better not,” he quickly raised a hand to stop the idea. “No need to make your companion look like the side dish.”
He even apologized for his momentary lapse in judgment.

The climbing squad pressed on.

After passing through the Zhongtian Gate, their journey was officially halfway done. The steps beneath their feet shifted from relatively flat to steep and unforgiving, and the surrounding scenery grew more vibrant and layered. Looking up or down, there were temples and mountain shrines everywhere.

Exhaustion began to slow Chu Cheng’s pace, and where his legs could no longer do the heavy lifting, his voice picked up the slack. He started narrating every notable sight to Lu Yan as they passed.

“One of the most famous places here is the Bixia Temple, dedicated to the Lady of Mount Tai — a revered Taoist deity.”

“I know — Beijing has similar Taoist temples too.”

“They were originally known for fertility blessings. I’ve heard they’re pretty effective.”

Yu Siting, who had been quietly hiking alongside them, was drawn in by their conversation and looked over.
“You believe in that?”

Chu Cheng smiled and shook his head.
“Not really. But since we’ve made it all the way up here, it feels right to have some reverence.”

Lu Yan looked around, then solemnly said,
“But the three of us… don’t really need help with having kids, do we? If anything, we’d probably be coming back with a kid to fulfill a vow.”

The other two chuckled silently, and the conversation ended there.

Their next destination was Nantian Gate, and by that time, they’d already been climbing for over four hours.

Chu Cheng’s stamina was starting to give out. He paused to catch his breath and looked up.
“They say you’re not supposed to reach the summit on your first climb — it means leaving room for the future.”

“As a language teacher and a so-called intellectual, don’t start spouting superstition,” Yu Siting’s gaze practically said if you’re tired, just say you’re tired.

Busted, Chu Cheng let out a laugh, half frustrated, half amused.
“You were just listening to my whole spiel about the Lady of Mount Tai!”

While he was stalling for time, a father passed by carrying a wobbly four- or five-year-old child up the steps.

Yu Siting tilted his chin in their direction — no words needed. That alone was motivation enough.

“He must’ve carried him up here!” Chu Cheng widened his eyes.

“You want that too?”

“…”

Yu Siting asked with a perfectly straight face, but to Chu Cheng it sounded like a full-on roast.

“Tired already? Wasn’t it you who said you’d show me what your amazing body can do? If you really can’t go on—”
Yu Siting didn’t even finish before being interrupted.

“I’m not tired.” Chu Cheng replied instantly, though his butt stayed glued to the stone bench like it had roots.

Yu Siting chuckled and reached out a hand.
“Teacher Chu, the last cable car runs just after five. Any longer, and we’re walking back down.”

Looking at the outstretched arm, Chu Cheng gritted his teeth. His waist felt like jelly, but with some pride left in his words if not his legs, he stood up and kept going.

Yu Siting smiled with delight. For him, watching the people climbing was more entertaining than the climb itself.

After five and a half hours, they finally reached the summit — Yuhuang Peak — where waves of mountains rolled beneath them, peaks vying for glory.

The sea of clouds over Mount Tai lived up to its legendary name.

Standing high above and gazing into the vast expanse, Chu Cheng felt utterly healed in mind and body. But the temperature at the summit was low, and the sharp wind made him shiver.

“Here — wear this. It blocks the wind better than yours.”
Yu Siting didn’t hesitate to take off his coat and drape it over him. Before Chu Cheng could protest, he tugged the drawstrings tight.
“Put the hood on — don’t catch a chill and end up with a headache.”

Chu Cheng stood frozen as Yu Siting’s fingers tied a simple but secure knot beneath his chin.

They had climbed the same mountain, but somehow Yu Siting still looked like he could do it all over again.

“You stay here with Lu Yan and rest. I’ll go line up for the cable car. No rush — enjoy yourselves, then come over when you’re ready.”
Yu Siting, thinking Chu Cheng was dazed from fatigue, gave a few soft instructions before heading off.

Only when he’d walked away did Chu Cheng impulsively give his “good son” a pat and sigh:
“Your uncle’s back view is way too handsome.”

But Lu Yan’s attention was elsewhere:
“Why didn’t he offer me his coat too?”

“He probably only had one left,” Chu Cheng said as he adjusted his zipper.
“If you’re cold, take mine.”

Lu Yan clicked his tongue.

Chu Cheng looked over, puzzled.

The next second, the teenager pulled out the inner layer of his double-lined fleece hoodie from his collar and showed it off:
“Kids without umbrellas not only run faster — they’re also smarter, and have longer legs.”

“You little smartass,” Chu Cheng chuckled, fully re-immersed in the joy of conquering the mountain. He dragged Lu Yan off for some commemorative photos.