DCTMOAS Extra 2.1
by SuxxiTingzhou No. 10 Senior High School.
The glossy black school plaque reflected a delicate, beautiful face.
A young woman paused briefly, then, holding her registration papers, walked into the campus of No. 10 High.
For a teaching graduate student, to return to one’s alma mater after earning a master’s degree was a rare experience—filled with complicated emotions.
After being away from these bricks and desks for seven years, she noticed the teaching building had changed a lot. The old sliding blackboards had been replaced by built-in ones, the white filing shelves by dark integrated desks…
Observing and sighing all the way, she finally came to the office of the Senior Two teaching affairs department.
Before she could knock, someone inside had already noticed her and hurried out to greet her.
“Welcome, Teacher Han.”
“Director Yang, it’s been a long time.” Han Rui stepped into the office, greeting the leader with easy familiarity. Years ago, she had greeted this very same person countless times, but as a student.
Now, meeting again under a new identity, the grade director, now past fifty, couldn’t help feeling sentimental.
After the pleasantries, Han Rui noticed another unfamiliar face in the office.
Director Yang introduced them.
Xu Shen—also newly appointed to No. 10 High. A master’s graduate from Northeast Normal University, he would be teaching mathematics.
“Hello.”
“Hello, Teacher Han.”
Just a few words of casual conversation were enough for Han Rui to sense his lively, easygoing character, carrying that natural Northeast-born humor and frankness.
Once the final onboarding steps were handled, Director Yang said to them both:
“If there are no other questions, I’ll call over your mentors to take you along.”
“Director Yang, which teacher has the school assigned us?” Han Rui asked cautiously. After all, she had studied here herself, and knew many of the teachers from that cohort.
“It’s the one you’re most familiar with.” The director gave a knowing smile. “Someone even called me late at night to specially ask for you.”
Han Rui smiled knowingly and said no more.
Then the director turned to the other:
“Teacher Xu will follow the head of the math teaching group. Let’s see… ah, I think he’s right next door in the Political Education Office.”
As he spoke, Director Yang opened the door and walked toward the adjacent room, Teacher Xu following.
The name head of the math teaching group flickered across Han Rui’s mind.
Wasn’t that…
Sure enough, a voice rang out in the corridor:
“Teacher Yu, there you are. This is our new math teacher, Xu Shen. From now on, you’ll be mentoring him.”
Han Rui, standing at the doorway, caught sight through the glass of a tall, upright figure.
That man’s features were sharp, his presence profound, his dark eyes deep as the sea. With just a glance upward, he radiated an oppressive aura without saying a word.
Even though Han Rui had graduated years ago, seeing his commanding presence again made her instinctively want to avert her gaze.
“Yu—uh, Master.” Just moments ago Xu had been lively, but now he was clearly suppressed.
Looking at his frail, helpless back, Han Rui silently wished him good luck.
After Yu Siting left with Xu Shen, Director Yang returned to the office to continue chatting with Han Rui.
Before long, another person knocked and came in.
A bright, clear voice followed:
“Hello, Director Yang. Where’s my beloved disciple?”
“Teacher Chu.” Han Rui beamed and stepped forward.
Back in her university days in Beijing, she often phoned Chu Cheng and sometimes met up in person. Still, she was surprised to see that time had left no trace on his face.
Now in his thirties, compared with years ago, his clothing style had changed a little, but his face was still as youthful and handsome as a college student’s.
“My class representative has returned.”
Just that one sentence from Chu Cheng flooded her with memories, bridging all the years that had passed.
Han Rui laughed: “Now your class representative will also have a class representative of her own.”
“In the blink of an eye, my students have become teachers themselves. Ah, how time flies.”
“Teacher Chu, you haven’t changed one bit. With this familiar teaching building too, I almost feel like I’m back in high school.”
“…”
Seeing the two of them caught up in endless chatter, Director Yang had to interrupt:
“Alright, enough. I still have things to do. You two teacher and student shouldn’t be hogging my office—go catch up somewhere else.”
Smiling, Chu Cheng bid the director goodbye and led Han Rui back to the Chinese department office.
Seven years later, the layout of the Senior Two building was unchanged. The Chinese office was still on the fifth floor, right next to the math office.
“That’ll be your desk, over by the window,” Chu Cheng pointed out.
“Nice, that’s a good spot—plenty of sunlight during the day.” Han Rui didn’t rush to unpack, and continued chatting with her former teacher.
“Have the classes been assigned yet?” Chu Cheng asked.
“Yes. Grade 11, Class 11—for now I’m only taking one class.”
“Class 11?” Chu Cheng ran the number through his memory. “Oh, a familiar one—that’s Teacher Shen Nannan’s class.”
Han Rui nodded: “I was pleasantly surprised when I found out. But I haven’t seen Teacher Shen in years, I wonder if she’ll still remember me.”
“Of course she will.” Chu Cheng answered without hesitation. “Every student in your year’s Class 7 left a strong impression on us.”
“Class 7, from our year?” Han Rui echoed.
“Yes. Big brother and I are teaching Class 7 right now too.” After explaining, Chu Cheng added with a smile: “Feels like a lucky number.”
“So Teacher Chu, you’re still serving as vice homeroom teacher under big brother. But with your seniority now, haven’t you ever thought of taking a class of your own?” Han Rui asked curiously.
“Because I lack ambition, that’s all.” Chu Cheng smiled openly, answering half-seriously and half-jokingly. “Carrying the banner as a homeroom teacher is exhausting. Just look at how old Teacher Yu looks after all these years, while I still remain in my prime.”
At that playful jab, Han Rui chuckled but didn’t quite agree. “But Big Brother is still really attractive.”
That one glimpse outside the academic office had left an impression—Yu Siting was handsome and steady, with a reserved, ascetic air. The word “old” didn’t fit him in the slightest.
Still, what Teacher Chu said did puzzle her. Big Brother was at least thirty-five or thirty-six by now, and yet, after all these years, no one had ever heard of him being in a relationship.
A diamond bachelor staying single this long—something about it wasn’t normal…
Just as the young teacher was about to indulge in a round of gossip, the door to the Chinese department’s office was pushed open.
“Big Brother…” The moment she saw who it was, Han Rui instantly sat up straighter.
“No need to be nervous, I’m not here for you.”
Yu Siting wasn’t surprised to see Han Rui. Most likely, Chu Cheng had already mentioned to him that a former student was returning to teach.
He walked straight over to Chu Cheng, set a bottle of cough medicine on the desk, lowered his gaze, and said in a deep voice, “Did you take your medicine before lunch? You can never remember your own affairs for a single day, always making me run around after you.”
Displeased by his scolding tone, Chu Cheng wanted to argue back. “I did take it.”
“The bottle from yesterday is already finished. This one’s new.” Yu Siting shook the bottle, the liquid inside sloshing full.
Chu Cheng was left speechless. In the silent clash of glances, he eventually conceded, poured 20 ml into the cap, and obediently swallowed it right in front of him.
Only after watching him gulp it down did Yu Siting withdraw his gaze, murmuring, “You don’t worry about anything, that’s why you age so slowly.”
Chu Cheng chuckled. “Eavesdropping on me again.”
Yu Siting asked, “Why didn’t you attend the homeroom meeting?”
“Every year it’s the same, nothing new. I could recite your speech with my eyes closed.” Chu Cheng cleared his throat and struck a pose of solemn authority.
“Ahem—teachers, if there’s anything you’ll need my cooperation on this semester, please let me know in advance. I’ll do my best to assist and help complete your teaching plans… Isn’t that what you say?”
From Han Rui’s perspective, he actually captured a bit of Big Brother’s cool, aloof air.
Yu Siting: “…”
Ignoring him, Chu Cheng turned to Han Rui. “All of our Chinese department teachers are recording lessons in the multimedia room. I’ll take you there to meet them later.”
Han Rui nodded. “Okay.”
Chu Cheng continued, “Some of them were transferred from other grades—you probably haven’t met them. This afternoon there’s a small office team gathering. If you’d like, you can join in. It’ll help you get familiar with everyone quickly.”
“Mm-hmm. With Master as my guardian, my work life’s basically on cheat mode.” Just like when she was a child, Han Rui’s words were sweet as honey.
Once the master and apprentice had chatted enough, Yu Siting finally spoke: “When will your gathering end?”
Chu Cheng shrugged. “Not sure. I’ll call you later.”
“Fine. Go enjoy yourselves. I’ll stay back and help the new teacher with lesson prep. Call me when you’re done.” With that, Yu Siting turned and left.
Watching his powerful, brisk stride, Han Rui couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Teacher Xu Shen, who had run headlong into a boss-level challenge on his very first day.
Due to staffing adjustments, Teacher Shen’s former assistant homeroom position had stayed with the first-year level.
New teachers had a lighter workload with only one class, so Chu Cheng suggested that Han Rui apply for an assistant homeroom position.
On the one hand, she was familiar with Teacher Shen, so it was a rare opportunity. On the other hand, it was indeed a valuable chance to train.
In the end, Han Rui took his advice. But unexpectedly, under Big Brother’s supervision, Xu Shen had also submitted an application and ended up as assistant to Lin Qi, the homeroom teacher of Class 18, Grade 2.
At the first joint meeting between homeroom and assistant teachers of the semester, Han Rui walked into the conference room with Chu Cheng.
Because the lead teachers had other meetings to attend, they would arrive late. For now, the room was filled only with the younger crowd.
The assistant homeroom role was essentially meant to give new teachers more exposure to students and class affairs, training them as reserves for future homeroom positions.
Someone like Teacher Chu, who had seniority but is not a homeroom teacher, was rare. But with his good looks, he sat among them without the slightest sense of being out of place.
Even Xu Shen, seated on Han Rui’s other side, assumed he was a fresh graduate.
Since the meeting hadn’t officially started, and everyone present was young, the mood was relaxed. They shared snacks, chatted in small groups, and even vented a little.
“I’ve only just started, but this job already feels nothing like what I imagined, and honestly, I don’t think it suits me.”
“I thought being a teacher was just about educating students. But even before school officially starts, the workload is already overwhelming.”
“Endless meetings, constant directives, documentation everywhere… And now we have to attend a lesson review meeting. I’ve got piles of reports to write and submit. I don’t even have time to properly practice my teaching—I’m panicking.”
“…”
Chu Cheng didn’t join the grumbling. He’d snagged two hawthorn rolls from the colleague up front, chewed on them quietly, and scrolled his phone.
Xu Shen, unfamiliar with the others and hesitant to strike up conversations with the women, leaned across Han Rui to ask Chu Cheng a question.
“What subject do you teach, Teacher?”
“Chinese.”
“So you’re in the same department. No wonder you came together. It must be nice to have new colleagues. My math group is all veteran teachers—I can barely breathe around them.”
Hearing the young man’s low muttered complaint, Chu Cheng found him rather interesting. It also reminded him of his own early days in the Chinese department, when everything had been manageable only thanks to Teacher Yang’s help.
He put down his phone and offered a friendly, reassuring glance. “That’s how the math department is, but it’s not all about seniority. Your group leader counts as pretty young, too.”
The moment he heard the words “group leader”, Xu Shen’s mind buzzed, and he let out a sigh. “Don’t even mention it.”
Sensing there was a story behind that sigh, Chu Cheng leaned in with interest, coaxing him to spill.
Teacher Xu was straightforward and began vividly recounting his experience practicing lessons under Teacher Yu’s guidance.
“My master’s lectures are seriously amazing, but his tongue is way too sharp. Every comment is like striking at the snake’s seven inches. If I didn’t have the iron will of a Northeasterner—‘blood may flow, but no tears’—I’d have been bullied into tears eight hundred times by now.”
Chu Cheng couldn’t help but chuckle. “Why don’t you snap back? It’s not like he can eat you alive.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” Xu Shen sighed again at his own cowardice. “The moment he looks at me with those cold, fierce eyes, my back just goes numb.”
“Tsk, same here. I didn’t dare either, back then.” Chu Cheng shook his head, helpless.
Wedged between them, Han Rui listened as the two of them bonded over gossiping about Big Brother’s temperament. They were hitting it off so well, she didn’t know whether she should step in and warn Teacher Xu.
Fortunately, the sound of footsteps filled the hallway as the homeroom teachers and academic leaders filed in, and the meeting room gradually quieted down.
Half an hour later, the small routine meeting was finished, and the new teachers all moved together to the multimedia lecture hall for the lesson review session.
Chu Cheng followed Han Rui and Xu Shen to the sign-in desk.
Facing the judges’ panel and the rows of densely packed teachers in the audience, Han Rui clenched her lesson plan tightly and took a deep breath.
“Relax.”
Chu Cheng noticed the nerves in the people beside him and comforted them gently. He didn’t demand an extraordinary performance from his students; instead, he reminded them that stumbling was normal—discovering flaws was the first step toward improvement.
Han Rui smiled, blinked mischievously, and said, “I’m not afraid of embarrassment. Most of the veteran teachers here already know I was your student.”
“Oh, so it’s my fault?” Chu Cheng burst out laughing, scolding her as a “little rascal.”
After signing in, Chu Cheng didn’t follow the new teachers to their seats. Instead, he gave Xu Shen’s shoulder a pat and said, “You heard her, didn’t you? Don’t be nervous—if you mess up, it’s your master’s fault for not teaching you well.”
With that, he waved to Han Rui and walked toward the front row of the judges’ table.
It wasn’t until Chu Cheng sat down next to Yu Siting that Xu Shen snapped out of it and asked in confusion, “Wait—he is…?”
A passing Chinese teacher glanced over casually and helpfully replied, “He’s our department head.”
“Huh?” Xu Shen turned his head, stunned.
“Uh…” Han Rui rubbed the bridge of her nose with her fingertip and tried to soften the blow. “He’s your master’s partner of ten years.”
“Using his face as a weapon” had always been this man’s specialty. Just like how, years ago, he had infiltrated the students, now he had slipped right into the circle of new teachers.
Watching the two men on stage whispering and laughing together, Xu Shen recalled the “rebellious disciple” speech he had just delivered back in the meeting room. Completely deflated, he muttered, “I’m shattered.”
Author’s Note:
The good son who’s been deceived: “Bring on the next victim.”