DCTMOAS Chapter 64
by Suxxi“Mm—what does that mean? One song or two?” Yu Siting leaned in a bit closer, eyes locked on him with unwavering focus.
The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing his clean-cut neckline. The long, elegant lines of his neck and that sexy, prominent Adam’s apple—it was a dangerously distracting combination.
Chu Cheng swallowed hard, accidentally tapping the hang-up button and ending the call with Xu Chuan.
Yu Siting kept leaning closer.
Trying to maintain a safe distance, Chu Cheng panicked and thrust the iced coffee he was holding toward the other’s lips, sticking the straw right up to them.
“One song. I’ll choose.” He turned away in a flustered escape, facing the karaoke machine and dragging a song to the top of the list.
“Okay.” Yu Siting, still wearing that unreadable smile, took the coffee cup and sipped from it.
A few seconds later, the music started again.
Yu Siting lifted the microphone. Under the flickering lights, his bright eyes were just as captivating as his voice. The alluring melody paired with his deep, magnetic baritone created an inexplicable pull.
Even though Chu Cheng had picked the song himself, he now felt his heart racing chaotically, too flustered to look the other man in the eye.
Both of them harbored their own thoughts—seeing right through each other but choosing not to say anything.
When the song ended, it was Chu Cheng who spoke first. “Let’s go back.”
“Want more?” Yu Siting raised the butterbeer coffee still in his hand.
Chu Cheng took it. After all, it was originally his own drink before he gave it to Yu Siting. Now that it was passed back, throwing it away after just one sip each would feel like a waste.
They took the elevator downstairs to the basement to get the car.
As he fastened his seatbelt, Yu Siting commented, “This summer feels unusually hot.”
“Really?” Chu Cheng was still flushed and parched from that lingering gaze earlier. He kept his eyes on the window, trying to act nonchalant.
Yu Siting chuckled, glanced at Chu Cheng’s elbow resting against the window, and reminded him, “The AC’s already on—close the window.”
“Oh…” Chu Cheng pulled his arm back. To break the awkwardness, he took a big sip of the iced coffee—so big it reached the bottom with nothing but melting ice, making a noisy slurping sound.
By the time they returned to Fantian Garden Residence, it was already quite late.
Chu Cheng was the first to say goodnight and head to his room. He casually tidied up a bit, waited until the living room was quiet, then came back out to lounge on the sofa. Digging into the leftover snacks Lu Yan hadn’t finished, he redialed the phone call he hadn’t completed earlier.
“The call dropped just now,” he said casually into the phone.
Xu Chuan didn’t think much of it. “Oh, I just assumed something was happening between you two, so I didn’t call back to interrupt. Look at me, being considerate.”
Chu Cheng: “Go do something useful.”
“I’m already being so obedient, not even trying to compete with your Bentley teacher for attention, and you’re still not satisfied? You’re seriously hard to please,” Xu Chuan muttered grumpily on the other end.
Chu Cheng: “……”
After a long silence, Xu Chuan broke the awkward pause himself: “Alright, alright, I’ll stop joking around. Actually, I called you earlier today on behalf of Shao Ji.”
Chu Cheng: “What does he want?”
“We’re going on a self-driving camping trip to Starview Town tomorrow or the day after—him and his wife. That place isn’t far from Tingzhou. He asked if we should swing by and pick you up too. I told him, ‘Mr. Chu’s probably too busy these days.’” Xu Chuan let out a couple of sly laughs. “I spoke for you—nailed it, right?”
Chu Cheng caught something in his tone and asked suspiciously, “You told Shao Ji about… me?”
“Of course I did. Who else would I gossip to?” Brother Chuan replied matter-of-factly. “Old Shao’s famous for being tight-lipped. Even if I tell him, he won’t go blabbing.”
Chu Cheng, of course, trusted his childhood friend—Shao Ji wasn’t one for gossip. Still, having someone as sharp-tongued as Xu Chuan in the loop couldn’t possibly lead to anything good.
“So are you coming or not?” After all that, Xu Chuan still hadn’t gotten a clear answer.
“Nope. Let me live, please.” Chu Cheng didn’t hesitate.
He was already half-dead from work. After climbing Mount Tai, his back had ached for two straight days. His current life motto? Don’t leave the house unless absolutely necessary.
Xu Chuan had expected that answer and wasn’t surprised at all. “Alright then. You just keep clinging to your Bentley teacher. We’ll go experience the outside world on your behalf.”
The two of them chatted about random stuff for a bit longer before hanging up.
Chu Cheng lay flat on the sofa, zoning out. Something Xu Chuan had said earlier in the day stuck with him—hit him like a sudden epiphany.
A relationship can have blazing passion, but also gentle endurance. Chu Cheng had fantasized about a future together before, but he never expected the freshness of falling in love to be this intoxicating, this fast.
His own acceptance of the situation shocked him—it was so high, it startled even himself. Though he had never verbalized it, he genuinely enjoyed the natural harmony between him and Mr. Yu, along with the quiet affection and subtle excitement threaded through it all.
But what if things got awkward later on? What if it got so bad they couldn’t even stay friends? Because he cherished both the person and the relationship so deeply, he didn’t want a moment of reckless emotion to ruin everything.
As he thought about it, Chu Cheng sighed and pulled a throw pillow over his face.
After a while, he heard the soft tap-tap of slippers approaching.
Chu Cheng felt someone standing beside him. He lifted the pillow—and the first thing he saw, upside-down, was a broad, bare chest. Strong, defined muscles topped with two red-tinted nipples.
Yu Siting had apparently just finished working out and showering. He wore nothing on top but a white towel draped over his shoulders. His black hair was wet, still dripping water, and his deep, still eyes gazed down from above.
When the hell did this guy get used to walking around the house shirtless?
The visual shock froze Chu Cheng mid-recline.
Suddenly, a drop of water slid from Yu Siting’s sharply defined jawline—falling directly onto Chu Cheng’s cheek.
The droplet was cold, yet somehow ignited a heat inside.
Yu Siting reached out and gently wiped under his eye with the pad of his finger. “I thought you were asleep—didn’t want you suffocating under that pillow.”
The slightly rough sensation across the bridge of his nose made Chu Cheng’s heart jolt. He nearly choked on his own saliva and bolted upright.
“I wasn’t asleep,” Chu Cheng said in a flustered rush.
Yu Siting stayed in place, a puzzled expression on his handsome face.
Chu Cheng scrambled to explain, “Maybe because I’ve been hunched over my desk too much lately—I haven’t been moving around. My neck’s really sore. Lying like that felt better.”
“Ah.” Yu Siting seemed to get it. He wiped away the shining droplets near his sexy collarbones with the towel and then suggested, “If your neck feels stiff, how about going to the gym’s pool tomorrow? The weather’s warming up—water won’t feel cold anymore.”
The moment he mentioned the pool, an image popped into Chu Cheng’s mind: a lithe, powerful body cutting through the blue water of a swimming pool.
He looked at the well-defined chest muscles openly displayed by the man in front of him and declined in a flustered tone, “Tomorrow might not work. I’ve got plans with friends—we’re going camping to stargaze.”
“So sudden?” Yu Siting paused, trying to read something from his expression. “You didn’t mention it before.”
Chu Cheng replied, “Yeah, just finalized it.”
“Alright then.” Yu Siting looked at his flushed face and didn’t press further, though a trace of disappointment flickered in his voice. “I guess I’ll go with Lu Yan then. Have fun.”
Chu Cheng stood still, putting on a polite, harmless smile like a standard template. “Good night.”
Yu Siting: “Good night.”
Watching the muscle-bound back disappear up the stairs, Chu Cheng let out a silent sigh of relief. He grabbed his phone and sent a WeChat message to Xu Chuan:
[Pick me up tomorrow.]
Saturday Morning
Rarely awakened by an alarm, Chu Cheng got up early, slung on a backpack, and left the Fantian Garden residential complex on his own.
A Mercedes-Benz GLC was already waiting at the entrance.
After climbing in, Chu Cheng saw not only Xu Chuan in the driver’s seat but also his childhood friend Shao Ji and a young woman with soft, short hair sitting inside.
“Sister-in-law.” Chu Cheng greeted her specifically.
Shao Ji’s wife replied with a gentle smile, “Hello~ Long time no see.”
Xu Chuan glanced at the rearview mirror and grumbled, “Oh, just gonna ignore the two of us, huh?”
Chu Cheng looked at the sister-in-law, then at Shao Ji who was casually typing on his phone, and sarcastically jabbed at Xu Chuan: “So you drove all the way from Beijing just to be the third wheel?”
Xu Chuan, still driving, shot back, “Isn’t that your job now?”
Their destination was set. After picking up Chu Cheng, the car pulled out of Tingshou City and continued toward Stargazer Town.
By noon, the SUV arrived. The group pitched their tents in the camping area and began preparing for a picnic.
Once everything was in place, Shao Ji sat on the picnic blanket and asked with curiosity, “Didn’t you say you weren’t coming? What made you change your mind?”
“Couldn’t stand being at home anymore,” Chu Cheng replied. As he helped lay out the food, he casually chatted about his recent life.
Maybe it was the deep understanding and unspoken bond from growing up together, but despite Chu Cheng keeping his story vague and tactful, he still got roasted by both Dr. Xu and Shao Ji.
Xu Chuan’s reaction was the most exaggerated—he pounded the picnic blanket laid out on the open grass and burst into laughter. “Damn, I was wondering how a hardcore shut-in like you agreed to go out so easily. Turns out you were so thoroughly flirted with that you fled in panic!”
Mocked by his cheeky friends, every word dripping with innuendo about his lack of resolve, Chu Cheng clenched his teeth and countered, “The initiative was in his hands, what could I do?”
Shao Ji clicked his tongue. “In the adult world, there’s this thing called tacit understanding. If you don’t say no, it already counts as saying yes. Of course he’s going to make a move—what, you expect your sorry ass to go flirt with him?”
Chu Cheng was speechless. Silence was all he could offer in return.
“With my twenty-plus years of studying sugar mommas,” Xu Chuan leaned on his elbow with a scornful glint in his eyes, “if you wanna marry into money, first drop that pitiful attitude. What did you tell me yesterday? That a general doesn’t fall in love on the eve of battle? Well, if you really want the upper hand, then go ahead and reject him. Come up with ten different ways to turn him down—right now. Otherwise, I’m not driving you home.”
These two clowns were clearly not to be trusted.
Chu Cheng narrowed his eyes, his expression cold as he stared at his so-called friends bickering like a comedy duo. He didn’t believe a single word. After all, he’d grown up being tricked by these guys—developing a solid immunity was only natural.
Rolling his eyes, he got up and wandered off behind the tent to distance himself from their nonsense.
Shao Ji’s wife was washing fruit nearby. She looked up when she saw someone approaching. “Why aren’t you chatting with them?”
“They’re both useless,” Chu Cheng replied while reaching over to help.
She smiled softly, lips curved but without sound.
Standing there, she could also hear bits of the conversation from earlier. Handing him a container of freshly washed strawberries, she gently said, “I think you’re seeing this all wrong.”
“Alright then, let’s hear what you think, sister-in-law.” Chu Cheng accepted the strawberries and raised his brows with a bright smile.
She said, “Actually, the initiative lies equally in both your hands. In fact, you might have even more of it.”
She went on to share her own story—how back then, when she was being courted by her current husband, the math genius, he acted just like that. She only agreed to two dinner dates, and he already thought of her as his wife.
“People with those high-precision minds might not offer the kind of romance we usually fantasize about,” she said, “but their sincerity—you can feel it loud and clear.”
“When they truly like someone, the other person doesn’t need to use tricks or games. Just standing there quietly is enough—they already hold all the cards.”
Chu Cheng squatted down, munching on a large, juicy strawberry while quietly listening. After a while, the corners of his moist lips moved slightly. “I think I get it… but also maybe I don’t.”
“When the time comes, you’ll understand,” she said with a gentle smile, swatting his hand away as he reached for another berry. “Stop eating—if you stuff yourself now, you won’t have room for dinner.”
Chu Cheng stood up and replied with a soft “Okay.”
After the picnic, they watched the sunset together. A few rounds of cards followed. Night gradually fell.
Outside the tent, Xu Chuan and Shao Ji were setting up stargazing equipment. Chu Cheng lay lazily inside the tent, gazing at the moon overhead.
Although this place was a bit remote, the phone signal was surprisingly good. Whenever he got bored, he could scroll through his feed.
Just as his finger was sliding across the screen, a voice call came through—from Lu Yan.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Chu, you’re not coming home tonight?”
As soon as he brought the phone to his ear, the boy’s accusatory tone rang out. Chu Cheng couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m not you. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to spend a night out on my own?”
“Ah, the freedom of adulthood is truly enviable,” Lu Yan muttered. “Where are you, anyway?”
Chu Cheng looked up at the tent he had rented and recited the name of the campsite printed on it. “Came out to see the stars.”
“Did you have a fight with my uncle?”
“Nope.”
“Then why are you suddenly out here on your own?”
“Uh…”
Chu Cheng paused, tongue-tied, unsure how to explain.
He couldn’t exactly tell the kid, “Your little uncle is way too hot, he was coming at me so hard I nearly caved, so I ran off to catch my breath and cool down.”
On the other end, Lu Yan didn’t wait for a reply and kept talking: “I feel like he’s kind of agitated when you’re not around. I didn’t even dare say anything—afraid I’d get caught in the crossfire.”
“Huh? Agitated how?” Chu Cheng perked up, curious. Even though he was clearly the one who had fled in a mess, he still wanted to know more—and shamefully, felt a bit smug about it.
“He… well, he just wasn’t acting normal.” Lu Yan’s voice wavered with hesitation, but in the end, he swallowed the rest of his words. “Anyway, if you guys didn’t fight, I’m relieved. I’ll hang up now.”
“Hey—!”
The call had already ended.
Chu Cheng was left hanging, completely hooked but without any follow-up. The kid cut off right at the juicy part—it was maddening.
“Chu Cheng, are you coming out or what?” Shao Ji called from outside the tent.
“Coming.” Chu Cheng wasn’t really in the mood, his head still full of thoughts, but he responded anyway and pushed aside the flap to step out.
On the open grounds of the campsite, small clusters of visitors had gathered for stargazing, with various pieces of equipment set up neatly.
“First, find the Big Dipper—it’s the one with a distinctive shape.”
“Then straight ahead, the brightest star is Arcturus in the Boötes constellation.”
“See it? It’s at the bottom of that kite-shaped figure.”
Chu Cheng had little interest in astronomy. He’d tagged along mostly just to clear his head and be around people. Now, he sprawled on a nearby mat, playing with his phone, completely uninterested.
Since he’d left earlier, other than that one call from Lu Yan, he hadn’t heard from anyone—not a single message. Chu Cheng didn’t even know what exactly he was hoping for. After all, he’d come out here to avoid that person.
The others were still tirelessly pointing at the sky, searching and discussing. Officially, they were here to stargaze, but in truth, they were all waiting for the Boötes meteor shower. Its appearance was notoriously unpredictable, with no fixed pattern, and sometimes it was nearly impossible to spot.
But because the Boötes meteor shower had once erupted the year Shao Ji’s wife was born, it carried a different kind of sentiment for them. That’s why, every summer, Shao Ji would bring her to watch it.
He knows I’ve got things on my mind, and he’s still here showing off like crazy. Chu Cheng rolled over with a sigh, shooting his childhood friend a silent, annoyed glance.
As night deepened, Xu Chuan and Shao Ji’s wife, both feeling sleepy, retreated into their tents. Only Shao Ji remained lying on a mat, gazing up at the starry sky.
Chu Cheng shifted positions again, prompting an irritated voice beside him. “Stop rolling around. You’re so noisy.”
“I didn’t even say anything. Can’t I move a little?” Chu Cheng grumbled, deliberately rubbing his clothes to make even more rustling noise.
Shao Ji replied, “You don’t need to talk. Even if I were deaf and blind, I could still guess what’s eating at you.”
“I’ve got nothing on my mind,” Chu Cheng shot back defensively.
His friend just let out a small scoff and didn’t argue, continuing to quietly stare at a certain point in the sky.
“Then say it. I’ll listen.” Chu Cheng held out a little longer but eventually gave in, turning his head toward him.
Shao Ji let out a barely audible sigh. “You really haven’t changed at all since we were kids.”
Chu Cheng didn’t have time to argue before Shao Ji continued:
“Even though you act carefree on the outside and go with the flow, you actually think way too much. You worry that if your heart wavers, someone else might get hurt. You’re afraid your selfishness could tarnish the clean reputation your grandfather spent his whole life building… But the more you overthink, the harder it gets to live freely. Remember what your grandfather used to teach us when he was still around?”
Sometimes Chu Cheng had to admit—he didn’t like hanging around Shao Ji too much, because the guy could see right through him.
He closed his eyes, letting the summer night breeze brush against his face, offering no response. But in his heart, he quietly muttered: Of course I remember.
“Your situation is simple, really,” Shao Ji said calmly. “Just do what you believe is the right thing, like you always have.”
After that, he closed his eyes too, beginning to rest.
A long silence passed. Then, out of the blue, Shao Ji changed the subject. “Oh right. When I found out you were going to be a literature teacher, I sent a gift. Just not sure if you’ll ever get to see it.”
Chu Cheng glanced at him. “Did you stick your gift in a message bottle or something?”
Shao Ji chuckled. “Close enough. Looking forward to it?”
“Looking forward to your ass.” Chu Cheng sat up. “You never give anything good.”
Shao Ji sighed dramatically. “Sigh. The outside world is full of tempting distractions, but don’t forget us old friends. Haven’t you heard? A true friend is like me—subtle but ever-present, like a gentle breeze or flowing water.”
Chu Cheng didn’t hold back. “You’re more like a walking biohazard. Cut the crap. If you’re done, I’m going to sleep.”
“Careful not to trip and kiss the dirt,” Shao Ji waved lazily from his spot on the mat.
Chu Cheng bared his teeth in mock irritation, ignored him, and headed back to rest.
He slept lightly that night.
The tent wasn’t particularly comfortable, and by the time morning came, his already sore body felt even worse. He found himself longing for the plush velvet mattress back in Fantian Garden.
Xu Chuan and the others had woken up even earlier. They were already packing up and getting ready to head to their next destination.
Chu Cheng washed up quickly, then sat on the picnic mat, spreading a thin layer of jam on his bread as he let the group know he wanted to head home early.
Xu Chuan paused what he was doing. “We agreed we’d all go fishing together.”
Chu Cheng shook his head. “Changed my mind. It won’t affect your plans. We’re not far from Tingzhou—I can catch a coach back on my own.”
Shao Ji’s wife handed him a still-warm bottle of milk and tried to persuade him: “Won’t you reconsider? It’s been a long time since the three of you hung out together.”
Chu Cheng accepted the milk. “Thanks, sis, but I’m really too tired. I have to get up early for work tomorrow. You guys go ahead and have fun. If there’s a chance during the holidays, I’ll join next time.”
Hearing that, she didn’t insist any further.
“Well, not exactly a surprise,” said Xu Chuan, who understood Chu Cheng’s personality. If he didn’t want to go, no one could talk him into it. There was nothing to do but let him be.
The jam on the bread was too sweet and cloying. Chu Cheng didn’t have much of an appetite in the morning. After a couple bites, he tossed it aside and went back to the tent to pack.
By the time he came out again, Xu Chuan had already finished tidying up and was ready to drive him to the nearest bus station.
The early morning was a bit chilly. Chu Cheng had on a collared casual jacket, his travel bag slung over his shoulder, and he walked toward the road. As he looked up, he saw an SUV parked in the distance.
This was a self-drive camping site, so vehicles—especially off-roaders and SUVs—were everywhere. Nothing unusual there. But what stood out was the figure perched on the roof of that car, watching the sunrise alone.
Chu Cheng squinted at the silhouette, thinking the guy’s build looked just like Yu Siting’s. A few steps closer, and the man’s face came into view. Chu Cheng stopped dead in his tracks, stunned.
It was Yu Siting.
Bathed in the quiet glow of morning light, he sat there alone in silence. Dressed in a black crewneck sweatshirt, rugged American-style cargo pants, and ankle boots, his long legs—thanks to his 189 cm height—hung down from the elevated roof of the car.
From head to toe, he exuded a wild, untamable vibe.
Chu Cheng wasn’t dumb enough to think this was some kind of coincidence.
At almost the same time, Yu Siting looked over at him. Sitting high on the car, catching the morning breeze, his sharp, handsome features looked downright arresting from that angle.
Yu Siting said, “The sunrise is beautiful today too.”
It was the kind of line that carried the same emotional weight as “The moon is lovely, and the wind is gentle.”
But Chu Cheng’s brain never worked quite like other people’s. All he could think in that moment was: I ran, he chased, and now I’m cornered.
Yu Siting wore only one outdoor glove—the other hand was bare, revealing elegant knuckles. He rubbed his wrist, probably to ease the fatigue of a long drive.
He added, “I remember someone once told me that a red sky in the morning means it might rain. So I came to check if he brought an umbrella.”
Chu Cheng stepped closer.
From Yu Siting’s car, a soft melody was playing—it was a song called “Bressanone.” The volume was low. You could only hear it if you got close enough.
The vast and lonely melody spoke of sorrowful partings, and it stirred something in Chu Cheng.
Judging by the time, Yu Siting must have started driving after Chu Cheng’s call with Lu Yan and had only just arrived.
Chu Cheng asked, “Was it my dear boy who told you the name of the campsite?”
Yu Siting didn’t deny it. “You probably already knew who he works for.”
Chu Cheng replied, “But I didn’t expect you to actually show up.”
Yu Siting said, “Mm. I came in person to show Teacher Chu just how agitated I’ve been.”
Chu Cheng couldn’t help but laugh. “You drove all this way just for that?”
Yu Siting answered honestly, “That was just part of it. Mainly, I figured you’d be getting tired of all this and probably want to head home. Thought the transportation might be inconvenient, so I took the liberty of coming to give you a ride.”
Chu Cheng pressed, “Weren’t you afraid you guessed wrong?”
Yu Siting shrugged. “So what if I did? Worst case, I just drive back.”
While they were talking, Shao Ji and his wife walked over as well.
Chu Cheng turned and introduced them. “These are the friends who invited me out—Xu Chuan, Shao Ji, and his wife.”
“Yu Siting,” said the man, jumping down from the roof of the car.
Even without saying much, the way he appeared and the atmosphere around him made it easy for Shao Ji to guess who he was. He nodded politely, then looked to Chu Cheng. “Looks like he’s here to pick you up.”
Chu Cheng said, “We were just talking about that.”
After a few brief courtesies, the others, clearly knowing when to make themselves scarce, waved goodbye.
Yu Siting opened the front passenger door with a graceful gesture, then leaned down and murmured in Chu Cheng’s ear in a low voice, “I’ve got decent mental strength. I can handle being rejected face-to-face.”
Chu Cheng shot him a sidelong glance but bent down and got in the car.
The SUV sped off, kicking up dust.
Xu Chuan leaned against his own car door, shaking his head as he watched. “Tsk. Clearly, he’s no match.”
Author’s note:
Brother Yu: I waited an entire day and you only made it 300 kilometers? You sure you’re okay?
Teacher Chu: [nervous emoji]