DCTMOAS Chapter 67

Chu Cheng spent the next few days holed up at home playing games.

Thanks to Teacher Yu’s attentive care—medicine with every meal, meals with every dose—his cold was almost fully gone, just a lingering itch in his throat and an occasional dry cough.

That morning, he woke up naturally, without an alarm. As he opened his eyes, he saw his phone flashing repeatedly on the nightstand.

All WeChat notifications.

Yu Siting:
[The cough syrup is on the nightstand. Take it as soon as you wake up.]
[The meeting will go on for a while. Don’t wait for me to eat lunch.]

Bai Xiaolong:
[Mr. Chu, I’ve only been in training for three and a half days, and you’ve already shot up 46 stars?!]
[Hand on your heart—who’s the real gaming addict here? Bring me next time. Don’t make me beg.]

Xu Chuan:
[When are you planning to come back to Beijing? You’ll be with Mr. Bentley, right?]
[Don’t forget our dinner, or I won’t acknowledge you as family!]

After reading through the messages, Chu Cheng’s eyes shifted toward his nightstand. At some point, a wooden tray had appeared there, neatly arranged with a measuring spoon, cough syrup, and a thermos.

He took his medicine, rinsed his mouth with a sip of water, and began replying to each message one by one:

[Taken.]
[Let’s talk after I improve my final grades.]
[Stop calling him Mr. Bentley. He has a name. And why are you the “family” here?]

Before he even set down his phone, Xu Chuan fired back with a voice message, laughing with zero restraint on the other end of the line.

“Hahaha, it makes him more memorable! Or should I call him ‘189 cm, eight-pack, STEM-Teacher^[1], emerald-eyed Scorpio’? Wait—is he a Scorpio?”

Xu Chuan obviously didn’t know Yu Siting’s zodiac sign. He was just guessing based on his infamous, slightly vengeful reputation.

Chu Cheng was stumped for a second, then thought about it for a few seconds.

[I’m actually not sure. I just know his birthday’s in late autumn.]

Xu Chuan teased, “So you only remember the eight-pack, huh? Chu Cheng, it’s over for you. You’ve started your permanent descent into sin.”

Was there ever a time I wasn’t already a degenerate?
Chu Cheng typed out a response but deleted it halfway through. With the level of nonsense Xu Chuan was spouting, if he replied again, this conversation was guaranteed to fly off the rails and straight onto the expressway.

Outside, the sun was already high in the sky. Chu Cheng put his phone down and got up to wash up. When he walked into the dining room and opened the fridge, he stared at the abundance of ingredients for a while, then looked up and shouted toward upstairs.

“We’re here!” came the reply. Thudding footsteps followed, and the teenager came down the stairs, leaning over the banister at the bottom steps. “What’s up?”

Chu Cheng asked, “What do you want for lunch?”

“Just the two of us?” Lu Yan looked around, unsure since his uncle wasn’t home yet.

Chu Cheng nodded. “Yeah. Mr. Yu’s gone to school for a meeting—something to do with the summer training camp for the competition class. He won’t be back anytime soon.”

“In that case, it’s our little world—sounds like a celebration-worthy event.” Lu Yan propped his chin on his hand with a proud smirk, like he’d won a battle for affection. He suggested, “Remember that revolving restaurant? I’ve been craving their signature ginseng chicken soup. It’s almost on par with Grandma Chen’s cooking.”

“The soup is pretty good, yeah… just a bit far,” Chu Cheng replied, recalling the restaurant on the upper floors of a commercial tower.

Lu Yan narrowed his eyes at him, drawling teasingly, “What, now that my uncle isn’t around, you’re not even interested in dressing up and looking good to go out anymore? Mr. Chu used to treat me much better than this…”

“Brat,” Chu Cheng said with a laugh, giving in. He gave up on cooking and pulled out his phone again.

His chat with Mr. Yu still lingered on the last few messages.

Chu Cheng continued texting:

[I want to go out for lunch with Lu Yan. Can I borrow your car?]

This time, Yu Siting replied instantly—and with a hint of jealous sarcasm.

[That message’s got me sitting up straight. Has my boyfriend suddenly decided to get all formal with me? Did I not perform well enough or something?]

Chu Cheng chuckled at the screen.

[It’s not about being formal. I’m just warning you in advance in case my driving isn’t great. Thought I’d mentally prepare you.]

Technically, Chu Cheng had gotten his license a while ago. He could drive just fine under normal conditions, but he was terrible at parking—especially in crowded, tight commercial lots. He was always afraid of scratching someone’s car.

Yu Siting, in real life, was the epitome of a perfectionist. Everything he owned was top-tier, neatly kept, and deliberate. No matter what their relationship was now, it was only polite to check with him.

Yu Siting:
[The insurance covers everything. Don’t worry about scratches. The keys are in the entryway—go ahead and take them.]

Chu Cheng had just started typing when another message came in:

[Drive slow. Be safe. Call me if anything happens.]

Chu Cheng sent back a simple [Okay], then headed to the entryway and opened a drawer in the cabinet. Inside were four or five sets of car keys for different vehicles—some for cars Chu Cheng had never even seen Yu Siting drive.

“Mr. Chu, I’m ready! Are we heading out?” Lu Yan called out, already dressed and peeking down from the stairs.

“Let’s go.” Chu Cheng didn’t overthink it. He just grabbed the key to the cheapest car and took Lu Yan out.

They had a relaxing lunch at the restaurant, then strolled around the mall, shopping for summer clothes.

One of the stores they’d been to before had restocked. A mannequin in the window wore a casually cool outfit: a utility-style shirt paired with tailored shorts. That kind of rogue-chic, effortless vibe caught Chu Cheng’s eye instantly.

He thought of Yu Siting—standing under the sunrise at the campsite, eyes turned skyward, so unrestrained and carefree. Without hesitation, he bought the outfit as a gift for him.

The entire afternoon was smooth sailing—until the very end, when they were about to leave and discovered a small issue:

They couldn’t remember where they parked the car.

Yu Siting’s meeting wrapped up in the evening. He headed straight to the mall to meet up with the two of them. When he didn’t see them outside, he went into the underground parking garage himself—and eventually found them deep in the lot, not in any rush at all.

The two were crouched in front of a stray shopping cart. One of them was playfully teasing the baby inside; the other was chatting with the young, friendly mother nearby.

“How old is he?”

“Five months.”

“He’s adorable.”

Yu Siting walked up to Chu Cheng and asked, “Still haven’t found the car?”

“Got tired, taking a break,” Chu Cheng sighed, exhausted from wandering in circles. He didn’t even have the strength to keep searching.

Yu Siting couldn’t help but laugh and cry at once. “You’re parking in a public garage. Didn’t you note down the zone number?”

Chu Cheng replied, “I’m used to being a passenger, not the driver.”

“No clue what section it was? Which elevator it was near? Nothing at all?” Yu Siting pressed further.

Chu Cheng shook his head with a bright, unbothered smile. His eyes sparkled, so disarmingly pure that it made it impossible to stay mad.

Yu Siting couldn’t help but laugh, too—helpless, lighthearted. He tapped around on his phone, trying to connect to the car’s Bluetooth, then glanced at Lu Yan.

The teen deliberately avoided eye contact, poking the baby’s bib with a finger, speaking in a soft, exaggerated tone like he was scolding a child:

“Were you good today? How did you do on your finals? Did you clean your room before going out?”

The baby’s mom: “…?”

Yu Siting was helpless against the two of them. He glanced down from above and said, “Before I kick you, go do something useful.”

“You only ever act fierce with me,” Lu Yan muttered as his attempt to dodge responsibility failed. Clicking his tongue, he stood up and resumed the search.

Chu Cheng caught the implied meaning in Lu Yan’s words—and also clearly felt Mr. Yu’s favoritism and protectiveness. He cleared his throat dramatically and said, “Then I’ll go check over there.”

After the three of them split up and searched for a good while, they finally located the SUV, which had been parked in the middle of a tight cluster of cars.

Yu Siting got into the car and let out an exaggerated sigh as he buckled up, repeating Chu Cheng’s earlier words with mockery: “Your skills are definitely average—just in a way I didn’t anticipate.”

I figured you might ding the car or something—not that you’d forget where you parked it.

Chu Cheng laughed sheepishly. “It was just a little hiccup.”

“If you say so.” Yu Siting nodded, offering no further comment. What he meant was probably “I believe you”, but in Chu Cheng’s ears, it sounded more like “I’ll be watching you.”

Though he owned the car, this was Yu Siting’s first time sitting in the passenger seat. As soon as the car started moving, he looked around with genuine curiosity.

His obvious interest made Chu Cheng inexplicably nervous. On top of that, it was rush hour—cars were everywhere, and the streets were packed. His palms started to sweat as he drove with extra caution.

Eventually, they reached a four-way intersection with no traffic lights. The car in front of them suddenly stopped for no apparent reason. Chu Cheng noticed in time and slowed down, trying to merge right to go around it.

Just as he began to turn the wheel slightly, a deep “woo-woo” horn blared from the rear right.

“Watch out!” Yu Siting warned sharply, lifting his head from the passenger seat.

Startled, Chu Cheng instinctively jerked the wheel back. A truck shot past them at about 60 mph, narrowly missing the front corner of their car.

Yu Siting steadied himself, then looked over at the driver’s seat. “In that situation, did you really think it was safe to merge right?”

His tone was calm, but there was a stern edge to it. That kind of pressure-filled questioning was usually reserved for disciplining students.

Chu Cheng didn’t reply, but his hands tightened around the steering wheel. His palms were cold and clammy.

If either he or the truck driver had reacted even a second slower, the outcome could’ve been disastrous. And thinking about how the impact would’ve hit the passenger side first, his heart filled with lingering dread.

“Good thing Mr. Chu doesn’t seem to have any murderous intent toward his boyfriend,” Yu Siting teased, noticing the unsettled look on the person beside him. He quickly stabilized his own emotions and switched to a joking tone to comfort him.

Chu Cheng was still shaken, and only managed a weak smile in response, focusing intently on driving.

Once the car safely pulled into the Fantianscenic Garden residential complex, Chu Cheng let out a barely audible sigh of relief. He leaned back into the seat, his whole body finally relaxing from the tension.

Seeing that neither of them was making a move to get out, Lu Yan, perceptive as always, got out on his own and went inside.

Yu Siting stretched out his hand to the left and said, half joking, half serious, “License check.”

Now that he had regained his composure, Chu Cheng finally had the energy to respond. He pulled out his license and handed it over with a pout. “I do have one, I just don’t drive much.”

The photo on the driver’s license showed a much younger Chu Cheng—fresh-faced and delicate from just having come of age. Even back then, he had that slender bamboo-like temperament, his finely sculpted features exuding a natural youthful charm.

Yu Siting ran his thumb across the photo and said, “Yeah, it’s been a while. You’ll need to renew this soon.”

Chu Cheng didn’t answer.

“You scared?” Yu Siting tilted his head to look at him. Seeing the faint tremble of his lashes, he reached out and took his warm hand, feeling the dampness of cold sweat in his palm.

His voice softened almost to a coo, “Every new driver needs time to practice. Don’t let it get to you. We’ve got summer break—if you’re free, I can help you practice more.”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll really murder you?” Chu Cheng muttered, clearly not trusting in the peacefulness of big brother’s driving lessons.

After all, there are three kinds of tutoring guaranteed to end in disaster: parents helping kids with homework, children teaching parents how to use the internet, and men teaching their partners how to drive.

Yu Siting replied, “If it’s just me getting hit, I can live with it. What worries me more is your safety when you’re driving alone—”

Chu Cheng cut him off. “Don’t say stuff like that.”

“Aw, you’d miss me? Then be more careful next time,” Yu Siting said with a grin, gently squeezing his soft palm. “Because at the rate we’re going, it looks like I’ll be riding shotgun every time you drive for a long while.”

Only a man with feelings could take a jab at someone’s poor driving and make it sound like a love confession.

Chu Cheng, face serious, made a formal demand: “Then promise me—no yelling like a teacher.”

“I promise.” Yu Siting lifted a hand to his forehead in a mock oath, then got out of the car, walked around, and opened the door on the other side, inviting his satisfied boyfriend to come home.

—

The school’s emergency meetings ran for two straight days. Once Yu Siting wrapped up his work, the three of them picked a sunny day and returned to Beijing together.

There were only two weeks of summer vacation before senior year. Chu Cheng and Yu Siting were on the same page: no trips, just rest—and driving practice.

On a bright summer morning, Chu Cheng was helping Professor Jin tend to her greenhouse. The old man, with nothing better to do, was leisurely sipping tea and practicing calligraphy nearby.

Yu Siting video called him. Chu Cheng put down the pruning shears and quietly slipped out of the greenhouse to answer.

The video connected.

Yu Siting was lying on his bed in a tank top, groggy and still waking up. His gaze didn’t carry its usual sharpness, and his hair was tousled. Even so, with his solid bone structure, he was still strikingly handsome despite the disheveled look.

Chu Cheng rarely saw him sleep in this late. “Just woke up?” he asked.

“Mm. Slept really late.” Yu Siting propped one muscular arm under his head, stretching under the covers.

His lazy posture all but said: First thing I did when I opened my eyes was call my boyfriend. Praise me.

Chu Cheng smiled, indulging the sour sweetness of coupledom and feeding his man’s need for affection.

“Do you want to go practice driving again today?” Yu Siting asked while throwing off the covers and getting dressed.

He wasn’t intentionally showing off for the camera, but his morning state—particularly certain… noticeable dimensions—ended up being exposed through careless movements.

Chu Cheng instantly realized what he’d seen. His cheeks flushed red, and he quickly averted his gaze. “Didn’t we just practice yesterday?” he mumbled.

“You can skip the driving practice, but I need to see your face every day,” Yu Siting said while slipping into a freshly pressed suit and tailored shorts.

Chu Cheng recognized the outfit—it was one he had bought for him. He glanced back through the glass doors at his parents, who were deep in conversation, their affection obvious, and replied, “Alright, then will you come pick me up?”

“See you in a bit,” Yu Siting said before hanging up.

About an hour later, a white Bentley pulled up at the entrance of the alleyway leading to the Chu family courtyard. Dressed to the nines, Yu Siting leaned casually against the car, waiting.

“Why are you driving this car?” Chu Cheng paused in surprise.

“Plate restrictions,” Yu Siting answered, then stepped aside to give up the driver’s seat. “Doesn’t matter which car—just get in.”

Doesn’t matter?
Chu Cheng was full of doubt as he opened the door and sat down. The moment his hand touched the steering wheel, the nervousness in his chest doubled.

Noticing the flicker in his eyes, Yu Siting gently reassured him, “Don’t overthink it. Whatever car you’ll be driving in the future, that’s what you should practice with now. Otherwise, you’ll just waste more time adjusting later.”

I get the logic… but who the hell learns to drive in a Bentley?

Chu Cheng pouted silently and cautiously eased the car onto the street.

This Bentley was a new model from the previous year. Since Yu Siting was rarely home and only drove it occasionally, it was still in pristine, like-new condition thanks to meticulous care.

Maybe it was the car’s superior performance—or maybe just psychological—but after driving a while, Chu Cheng actually felt it was easier to handle than the last one. Even parallel parking, which used to be his mortal enemy, suddenly felt… smooth.

“This parking job is chef’s kiss! I almost don’t want to drive it out again,” Chu Cheng said proudly after carefully backing into a spot at the far end of the shopping mall’s parking lot.

“You really have improved.” Yu Siting got out and checked the car, offering genuine praise. The vehicle was parked not only perfectly straight, but with the side gaps measured almost identically.

To make the beautiful moment last a little longer, the two didn’t leave immediately and instead had a meal nearby.

After eating and drinking their fill, Chu Cheng got back into the driver’s seat. With a bit more experience under his belt, he felt noticeably less nervous gripping the steering wheel this time.

However, in the past half hour, the parking situation had changed significantly. The car on the left, which had originally been a tiny sports coupe, was now a bulky Mercedes G-Class SUV, and it was parked incredibly carelessly. The size difference between the vehicles made the once spacious gap on the left of the Bentley feel a bit cramped now.

“How the hell did he park like that?” Chu Cheng glanced at the tricky angle of the neighboring car, clearly disdaining such selfish and inconsiderate behavior.

Yu Siting didn’t seem to care. He calmly fastened his seatbelt and said, “Just drive up and scrape his car once. Bet he won’t do it again.”

“That’s like losing 8,000 soldiers to kill 10,000 enemies, huh?” Chu Cheng was carefully watching the rearview mirror, trying to maneuver the car out of the tight spot, but he couldn’t help laughing at the sarcastic tone of the comment beside him.

As he responded, he continued adjusting the car’s angle to steer away from the Mercedes, but the collision alert sensors kept beeping. Chu Cheng found it odd and turned the steering wheel the other way.

“Don’t—” Yu Siting noticed something was off and tried to stop him, but it was already too late.

The right side of the car had scraped against a cement protrusion hidden in a blind spot, producing a very noticeable screeching sound.

“…!” Chu Cheng immediately realized he had hit the wall and quickly stopped the car, frozen and unsure what to do.

Just from the sound alone, Yu Siting could tell the scrape was serious. To avoid further damage, he guided Chu Cheng step-by-step out of the tight spot.

“Turn the wheel all the way to the right.”

“Okay, that’s good.”

“Reverse carefully.”

After a bit of maneuvering, the car finally escaped the awkward pinch between the two obstacles. Chu Cheng got out to check the damage to the car door. Sure enough, there were several deep, long scratches that had already exposed the undercoat.

“Let’s switch places. Want to go to the 4S shop you usually go to?” He got back in the car and tilted his head to look at Yu Siting.

“No need. You keep driving.” Yu Siting remained incredibly calm, didn’t even turn his head, but somehow exuded a deeply repressed vibe.

Chu Cheng was riddled with guilt but didn’t know how to comfort him. He could only speak softly, “Don’t be so down… I’ll go with you to fix it, okay~? What if I scratch something else later? Won’t you be upset?”

Yu Siting stubbornly spat out one word: “No.”

“Really?” Chu Cheng was amused by his expression. He reached out and gently pinched his chin, asking with soul-piercing intensity, “Then what’s with that vacant stare in your eyes?”

Yu Siting replied, “I’m feeling gratified. Starting next semester, Teacher Chu can drive me to and from work.”

Chu Cheng didn’t believe him. Still teasing, he tightened his grip slightly. “You liar. Say that again while looking at me.”

Yu Siting’s jaw was slightly deformed from being pinched, but he still wore a bright, silly smile as he stubbornly repeated, word by word, “I—am—not—upset.”

Even though this man never admitted anything out loud, Chu Cheng could definitely see the helpless indulgence in his eyes—like a primary wife watching her husband spoil his side piece and feeling too tired to fight anymore.

---

Author’s Note:

Bentley: When he took me out, he never planned on bringing me back in one piece.