DCTMOAS Chapter 81

This dinner dragged on forever.

Throughout the meal, the two juniors had little to say—mostly because they didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire. Heads down, they just focused on eating.

“Eat this,” said Yu Siting for what felt like the hundredth time, naturally transferring food to Chu Cheng’s plate.

Chu Cheng put down his chopsticks, leaned back in his chair, and whispered, “I really can’t eat anymore.”

You can’t feast like this every meal—this one alone probably covered his calorie intake for the whole month.

Meanwhile, the two elders had barely touched their food. They sat ramrod straight, locked in a verbal sparring match, relentless and uncompromising.

 “Tech might be trending now, but without true innovation, it’s laughable to call anything cutting-edge. Chairman Yu, your outlook may be… overly optimistic.”

“Real estate is strangled by policy limitations. Speculation will always be curbed, and the industry will be stuck in long-term stagnation and decline…”

“Excuse me,” said the waiter as he brought out another dish, momentarily interrupting the war of words. “Here is your Mont Blanc chestnut dessert and raspberry gelato.”

“Thank you.”

Chu Cheng, having long made it to the dessert course, picked up a spoon and sampled the freshly plated Italian sweets. The tartness of the raspberry gelato cut through the richness of the earlier dishes, making him instinctively exhale a cool, frosty breath.

Though the satisfied sigh was barely audible, it still caught Chairman Jin’s attention.
Just a good meal after work was enough to make his nephew this content? Jin Heng couldn’t help but lament how unambitious this kid was.
All his years of fighting tooth and nail to make a name for himself out there—what was the point if his own flesh and blood had no aspirations?

Across the table, Mr. Yu’s gaze also landed on his son, and he frowned in quiet disapproval.
All these years, not once had the kid thought to peel a shrimp for his own father. But now, the moment he’s got a lover, he’s practically doting down to the last detail. That face of his really had no value.

Both chairmen sighed inwardly.
No matter how heated their debate got, it suddenly felt a little pointless.
Like two emperors fighting while their clueless crown princes just chilled and ate.

While Chu Cheng was still digging into his Mont Blanc cake, Yu Siting lowered his head and tapped on his phone for a moment.

On the other end of the WeChat chat was his older sister, Yu Xiang.

[Yu Xiang: Wow, third bro, color me surprised. According to past records, it usually takes only three sentences for you two to start butting heads. And today? He’s still sitting there?]

[Yu Siting: We haven’t even exchanged three sentences yet.]

A question mark popped up instantly.

[Yu Xiang: And the old man just… let that slide?]

Yu Siting answered honestly.

[Because he’s currently too busy to bother with me.]

Back at the table, Yu Siting noticed the atmosphere had quieted and looked up.

“Are you two finished talking?” he asked, glancing toward the two elders who had barely touched their food. “Is everything to your taste?”

Before the two fully-fed-on-anger parents could respond, Chu Cheng, having just polished off his dessert, let out a soft, satisfied burp.

“…” Yu’s father gave a light snort.
“I’m easy. As long as someone’s enjoying the food.”

He had, in truth, come to terms with his son’s orientation years ago.
Living abroad had exposed him to more open-minded thinking, and he no longer saw it as an issue.
His return this time had been out of concern that his son might’ve been led astray by someone unworthy.
But today, seeing things with his own eyes, he knew that wasn’t the case.

In the realm of rebellious children, Yu’s father had weathered many storms over the years. He wasn’t about to stir himself up just to get angry again.

The father and son had said all they needed to say. Both parties silently upheld the unspoken rule:
“No more than three lines per conversation—it’s better for everyone.”

Chu Cheng turned his head toward Chairman Jin and asked, “Uncle, how’s the food treating you?”

“You still care whether I live or die?” Jin Heng shot back sharply.

“How could you say that?” Chu Cheng replied with a smile that was both sweet and sly.
“You came all this way just to see me—it’s only right I treat you with the utmost hospitality.”

“Well, well,” Jin Heng huffed, clearly not buying the act, “I don’t know about ‘utmost hospitality.’ I didn’t die of rage today not because I’m lucky—thank traditional Chinese medicine for keeping me alive.”

Though his words were sharp, his tone held no real venom. In truth, he was just grumbling.
He was the kind of person who doted on younger family members even while cursing under his breath.
If his nephew insisted, no matter how much he disapproved, he’d always be there in the background, silently backing him up.

At the end of the day, these two love-struck idiots had clearly stirred up this “three-way summit” just to stir the pot.
They must’ve already known their elders’ temperaments inside and out—enough to gamble on it.

“Since everyone’s finished eating, I’ll go settle the bill,” Yu Siting said as he stood up.

Chu Cheng immediately wiped his hands with a wet towel and excused himself as well, following him out.

Watching the inseparable pair leave side by side, Father Yu and Director Jin exchanged a glance. After a few silent seconds, their war of words resumed once more.

Even if the disagreement had nothing to do with their unreliable juniors, neither of them was willing to lose the upper hand.

“You really dared to invite the two of them to the same table? Weren’t you afraid they’d flip it?”

Walking side by side down the hotel corridor, Chu Cheng still felt that bringing those two titans together at one dinner table had been a bold move.

Yu Siting responded flatly, “Why wouldn’t I dare?”

“Director Jin came here looking to pick a fight with you. Weren’t you worried he and Director Yu would gang up on you and skin you alive right at the table?” Chu Cheng, recalling the tense relationship between Yu Siting and his own father, couldn’t help his curiosity.

“Impossible,” Yu Siting replied with absolute confidence. “No matter how disappointed parents are in their children, they’ll instinctively take their side. After so many years as a teacher, I’ve learned to read more than just students’ minds. Teacher Chu, it seems you’re a bit lacking in mental resilience.”

Chu Cheng opened his mouth to retort.

Yu Siting added slowly, “I meant, a pretty daughter-in-law shouldn’t be afraid to meet the in-laws.”

That made even the tips of Chu Cheng’s ears turn red. He was speechless for a moment before finally managing to ask, “So, what do we do now? Inviting gods is easy, sending them off is the hard part.”

“What’s hard about that?” Yu Siting paid the bill and signed the receipt with a flourish. “They both have private drivers. We don’t need to take them home. Unless… you want to go back and ask if they’d like to drop by the house together?”

Chu Cheng gave him a light punch with a laugh. “With how things are now, fat chance they’d want to.”

And, sure enough, things went exactly as expected. After that one-of-a-kind dinner, both Director Yu and Director Jin politely declined the juniors’ invitation for a second round and were picked up by their drivers.

Standing at the hotel entrance, Chu Cheng took a deep breath of the cool night air and rubbed his painfully full stomach. He couldn’t help but sigh, “Meeting the parents is such an overstuffing experience.”

“Then how about we walk home?” Yu Siting slung his suit jacket over one arm, placed the other casually on Chu Cheng’s shoulder, and tilted his head. “By the time we get back, you’ll have digested most of it. No work tomorrow… Teacher Chu, surely you understand what I mean?”

Beep—

Before he could finish, Chu Cheng had already whipped out the car keys and hit unlock.

“Hey!”

“…”

Yu Siting called out with a laugh from behind, but Chu Cheng didn’t turn around or acknowledge him at all.

And just like that, the first day of the National Day holiday arrived.

Even though he’d only fallen asleep the previous night after reaching the peak of physical exhaustion, Chu Cheng still woke up early thanks to his deeply ingrained work schedule. He squirmed a little under the soft covers, and even the smallest movement made his back feel like it had been broken in two. Without question, another entry had just been added to his personal blacklist of forbidden positions.

Chu Cheng couldn’t help but laugh at himself—how many tons of pain must one endure for a few fleeting moments of pleasure? This, too, was one of life’s profound truths tucked into the adult pursuit of joy.

Honestly, it was more tiring than work. Might as well cancel the holiday altogether.

After resting for a bit, he instinctively reached out to the side to pull someone into his arms, only to find nothing. The other side of the bed was empty, with just a lone pillow. Dragging his tired body out of bed, Chu Cheng freshened up, threw on a jacket, and stepped out of the first-floor bedroom onto the balcony. The autumn weather was perfect—clear skies, soft sunlight, and crisp air.

The outdoor courtyard, past its summer bloom, looked a little desolate, but with some care, it would flourish again come spring. The glasshouse in the middle of the courtyard was filled with empty flowerpots waiting to be planted. Yu Siting was inside, personally tidying and cleaning up. Chu Cheng recognized the ranunculus tubers soaking in rooting solution in a bucket and asked with curiosity, “What made you suddenly want to plant these?”

“I’m learning how to express love,” Yu Siting replied.

Chu Cheng: “You’re planting them for me?”

Yu Siting: “Who else?”

Morning sunlight poured down from the eaves, casting a warm glow across their bodies.

Chu Cheng pulled his jacket tighter and sat on a nearby rattan lounge chair, resting his chin in his hand, watching the busy figure in the glasshouse. His lips curled into an unconscious smile. Yu Siting glanced back. “What are you smiling at?”

The man at the table looked at him with clear, bright eyes and spoke in a soft voice: “The cold, sharp-tongued Mr. Yu that everyone fears at school is actually planting flowers for me.”

“That’s not all, is it?” Yu Siting paused his shoveling, pretending to recall thoughtfully. “Your clothing, food, housing, transportation, fun and games—I think I’ve had a hand in it all.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Chu Cheng got up and took a few steps closer, hugging the teacher from behind and resting his chin on his back. “This chubby, well-fed me right now is all your doing, okay?”

“It is,” Yu Siting chuckled, bearing the weight on his back as he continued working. “Anything you want to appeal?”

Chu Cheng let the topic drop and clung to him for a while. Then, something occurred to him. “Is your father still in Tingzhou? We basically escaped a disaster yesterday, but we should probably pay a proper visit to the elders today.”

Yu Siting replied, “He might not have time to see you.”

“Huh?” Chu Cheng lifted his chin and pulled away from his back.

“Yesterday, Yu Xiang waited all night at home but never saw the old man return. Turns out, his showdown with Director Jin moved from the dinner table to the city’s auction house. And this morning, they’re scheduled to play golf together. Until they’ve decided who’s better in every way, they’re not going to call it quits.”

Chu Cheng was stunned. “Ah… should I call Director Jin? Ask him not to drag a sixty-year-old man around like that?”

Yu Siting said, “It’s fine. My dad’s in great shape. He still goes rock climbing from time to time when he’s abroad. Instead of worrying about him, why not focus on our holiday plans?”

“Our plans, huh?” Chu Cheng thought for a moment. “I don’t want to go too far. How about we visit Maple Valley again? I haven’t stopped thinking about that fish stew since last time.”

“Sure,” Yu Siting agreed with a look that said that’s easy enough, “Let’s go tomorrow.”

Before Chu Cheng could even say “okay,” a voice rang out from the second-floor terrace.

“Fish soup?” Lu Yan peeked out, electric toothbrush still in his mouth. Who knew how long he’d been eavesdropping—if he hadn’t spoken up, no one would’ve noticed him at all.

The boy continued, “Where are you going to have fun? I want to come too.”

“Nope,” Yu Siting rejected him without hesitation. “You’re staying behind to keep the old man company.”

With a mouth full of foam, Lu Yan mumbled, “Grandpa didn’t even reply to me all night. Mom said you helped him find new meaning in life. So does he still need me around?”

Yu Siting didn’t bother explaining, just tossed out a tempting offer: “I’ll exempt you from your holiday math homework.”

“…” Lu Yan swallowed whatever words he was about to say and immediately switched to obedient mode: “Then I’ll give him another call.”

Watching the boy’s retreating figure, Chu Cheng chuckled, then crouched down to help with the planting.

The ranunculus tubers in the bucket weren’t labeled, all gnarled and dark like old tree roots—it was impossible to tell what colors they’d bloom into. When Chu Cheng asked, Yu Siting admitted he couldn’t remember either. “Let’s just treat it as a surprise.”

Chu Cheng counted the new flowerpots twice—there were 56. “What’s the meaning behind this? Fifty-six ethnic groups, fifty-six flowers?” he asked. But Yu Siting simply placed an old carnival prize pot in the last open slot on the rack.

“Total: 57.”

A gift for—my wife^[1]?

Chu Cheng instantly caught the pun and muttered, “Who’s yours,” before lowering his head and continuing to dig. But his movements became noticeably more careful, almost as if afraid any of the flowers might not bloom properly.

---

On the second day of the holiday, Yu Siting stayed true to his word. He pulled out the long-idle SUV from the garage, and he and Chu Cheng set off for Maple Valley.

Every October, the place transformed into a vibrant sea of fall foliage—rolling mountains painted in fiery red and golden yellow. The landscape was majestic, shrouded in mist like a painting.

The two of them biked along the winding mountain paths of Huairou, chatting and laughing as they rode, enjoying the scenery and reminiscing about the nervous flutter from when they first met.

By noon, they arrived at the same small bamboo courtyard where they had once taken a break.

“Hello!”

“Hey, old friends are back?”

Though the courtyard was never crowded during holidays, it was rarely empty either. Whether or not people knew each other, there were always a few familiar faces who’d greet you warmly.

“Old Zhao’s not here?” Yu Siting looked around.

A fellow cyclist who was maintaining his bike nodded toward the gate. “There—he’s back.”

With a creak, the courtyard gate swung open. Old Zhao returned, covered in mud and leading two huge dogs, with several fat, glossy black fish dangling from his belt.

“Hey, all familiar faces!”

The bikers crowded around him. “Damn! Don’t say you fished those—looks more like you dove in and caught them by hand!”

“Don’t talk nonsense! I really did fish them! I’m covered in mud because of these two mutts—hey!”

Before he could finish, the two massive Caucasian Shepherds he was holding lunged forward like maniacs, yanking him along unsteadily.

“Shit—my fish! Stop it! You’re ripping my pants—” Old Zhao wrestled with his overly enthusiastic dogs.

Everyone else just stood around watching the chaos, laughing. Someone even shouted, “We’re starving! Start cooking already, or we’re gonna riot!”

“You people are devils,” Old Zhao shot back with a groan. “I moved out here to avoid a desk job, and now you lot have me feeling like I’m back to 9-to-5 grind.”

“We don’t care. Food. Now.”

“There’s a fire pit and charcoal over there, and some fresh lamb on the chopping board—go grill yourselves some skewers. I need a shower.”

Amid the clamor, everyone pitched in to help, the place soon buzzing with activity.

The sky dimmed as dusk fell.

A bonfire was lit in the courtyard, and the travelers grilled lamb skewers over small hearths. The rich aroma of meat wafted through the crisp autumn evening air, spreading far and wide. Old Zhao brought out a pot of freshly stewed fish soup and served it to everyone. The savory taste made mouths water. Sitting on a large stone by the fire, Yu Siting ladled a bowl and handed it over. Chu Cheng drank two bowls in a row, the warmth filling his belly and driving away the evening chill.

Over the past year, Old Zhao had immersed himself in dog-walking and fishing. He hadn’t learned many new recipes, but his fish soup still tasted as delicious as ever. It wasn’t just the flavor—this rustic courtyard, the quirky host, and the one who sat beside him sharing the soup—all remained unchanged. As the laughter and chatter of fellow travelers drifted in the background, Chu Cheng’s gaze turned to the man beside the fire, a look of quiet contentment filling his eyes as he admired that handsome profile.

Then Yu Siting turned to him, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a delicate little box. He handed it over.
“For you.”

“What is it?” Chu Cheng took it and opened it—inside was a men’s diamond ring.

Sleek and silver, the main stone was flanked by twin rows of pavé-set diamonds, the design intricate yet understated. Each tiny gem along the band shimmered in the firelight.

Chu Cheng froze for a moment. As his eyes drifted upward, he noticed a thin chain peeking out from Yu Siting’s collar. Reaching up, he gently tugged open the shirt, revealing the matching ring, strung on the necklace and worn close to his chest.

“Another new way you’ve learned to express love?” Chu Cheng asked.

“Mm.” Yu Siting picked up his wrist and helped him put the ring on—it fit perfectly.

Chu Cheng felt the cold metal circle his finger. He looked down and stared at it for a long while. He remembered when they first visited Maple Valley, they saw a cyclist proposing here—and the ring had been dropped into the valley.

“You’ve kept it on you for so long. Weren’t you worried you’d lose it too?”

Yu Siting smiled. “I’d rather you lose it. I’ve already given it to you. If it drops in this darkness, you’ll never find it again in this lifetime.”

Chu Cheng curled his fingers around the ring. With no one around paying attention, he leaned in and kissed Mr. Yu lightly on the cheek. In a soft voice, he replied:

“Don’t worry—I won’t lose it, and I won’t lose you either.”

Just as the two were whispering to each other, Old Zhao, who had been drinking nearby, suddenly turned around and happened to catch the tender, affectionate scene.

His brows arched in surprise, his eyes wide with astonishment—but after a brief moment, he simply gave them a thumbs-up, then turned back as if he’d seen nothing at all.

This group was made up of people who valued freedom above all else—so naturally, they understood respect better than anyone.

Chu Cheng pulled Yu Siting up and joined the other travelers by the fire, laughing and playing along with everyone.

After they had eaten, drunk, played, and worn themselves out, Yu Siting drove them back from Maple Valley. It was already the middle of the night by the time they returned to the Fantiangjing Residence.

Looking up from the courtyard, they saw that the lights on the second floor of the house were still on. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows were wide open, with no curtains drawn.

“Why is that kid still awake?” Chu Cheng found it strange. He left Yu Siting downstairs to put away the bicycles and went upstairs to check.

The door to Lu Yan’s room wasn’t locked, just slightly ajar. Through the gap, Chu Cheng saw his beloved boy fast asleep, still in pajamas, slumped over his desk.

The rustling sounds woke the teenager. His long lashes fluttered as he opened his eyes drowsily, mumbling, “You’re back, huh?”

“Why didn’t you sleep in bed? And you left the lights on too,” Chu Cheng said, noticing the faint mark on the boy’s cheek—he’d clearly been asleep for quite a while.

Still groggy, Lu Yan pointed at the brightly lit window across the way, smiling slyly. “Gotta intimidate the kid next door a bit.”

Chu Cheng paused before realizing—that was Ying He’s room.

He chuckled at his son’s oddly competitive spirit and chided him gently, “Malicious rivalry isn’t the way to go. Come on, it’s super late—get to bed.”

As he helped him, Lu Yan caught sight of the ring on his finger. Narrowing his eyes, he teased, “So… finally cuffed, huh? My dear little stepmom~”

“That’s grown-up stuff—kids shouldn’t meddle,” Chu Cheng muttered, flustered by the dragged-out nickname. He quickly ushered the boy into bed, tucked him in, turned off the lights, and headed back downstairs.

“What was he doing up so late?” Yu Siting, now lounging on the sofa in the living room, turned to ask upon hearing footsteps.

Chu Cheng didn’t answer directly. Instead, he tilted his chin toward the brightly lit unit across the way. “That kid’s up to something too.”

Yu Siting furrowed his brows and, after a moment of thought, guessed it immediately: “The monthly exam results must be out.”

“Oh, right!” Chu Cheng suddenly remembered, pulled out his phone, sat down beside him, and opened the campus app. Sure enough, the September test results had just been released.

As expected, Lu Yan was still ranked first on the master leaderboard. But Ying He had improved dramatically—last time, he was only in the class’s top ten; now, he had rocketed into the top five in the entire grade.

Chu Cheng tapped a few times and switched to the teacher portal to view average scores.

System Message: Welcome, Teacher Chu Cheng! You may view the subject averages for [Senior Grade 3 – Class 1] and [Senior Grade 3 – Class 7].

After tapping to confirm, his eyes widened noticeably.

Senior 3 (Class 1) Chinese Avg. Score Ranking: 1st
Senior 3 (Class 7) Chinese Avg. Score Ranking: 4th

Even though he knew the students had a solid foundation thanks to their previous teacher, he still couldn’t quite believe it. He turned to confirm with Yu Siting: “This really is my class?”

Yu Siting chuckled softly. “Yes. It’s your class. Happy?”

“I am. But honestly… I’m even more proud of our Class 7.” Chu Cheng rubbed the ring on his finger and gently leaned his head against Yu Siting’s chest, listening to the steady, strong rhythm of his heartbeat.

Even though the kids’ scores were still clinging to fourth place—and couldn’t compare to Math, English, or Physics top classes—he’d watched their progress day by day. That quiet sense of accomplishment and satisfaction was beyond words.

Just like everything else in life, he preferred to do things personally—steady and slow, like a gentle stream.

“Of course,” Yu Siting murmured, pressing a kiss to his lover’s forehead, the two of them leaning into each other.

“After all, we are Class 7.”

---

Author’s Note:

Ying He: There are two top-ranked subject-average teachers living under this roof, and they still have the audacity to pressure me.

Lu Yan: They leave the house at dawn and don’t come home until after midnight—have you ever seen either of them teach me a single question?