DCTMOAS Chapter 58

Putting down his phone, Chu Cheng opened his closet and packed two sets of clothes into a backpack, along with his ID, a charging cable, towel, and other essentials.

He slumped on the couch, trying to think if he’d missed anything, while sighing deeply: Living with a hyper-efficient person is honestly exhausting.

He felt profoundly grateful that the day he’d been bragging, he’d only said he could climb Mount Tai—and not, say, conquer Everest.

Yu Siting and Lu Yan returned from shopping fairly quickly. Once everything was packed up, Yu Siting helped Chu Cheng load the luggage into the car and handed him a KFC breakfast.

“Are we heading straight out?” Chu Cheng asked as he buckled up, still feeling like everything happening was just a dream.

Yu Siting started the car and drove them out of the Fantian Garden complex, replying, “Gas tank’s almost empty—gotta fill up first.”

By the time Chu Cheng had finished one youtiao (fried dough stick), they were pulling into a gas station. Yu Siting rolled down the window and—true to the joke from earlier—said to the attendant: “Fill it up with 95, please.”

A 150-liter tank? That total was definitely going to break four digits.

Watching the numbers tick up rapidly on the screen, Chu Cheng lifted his cup of soy milk and held it toward the driver’s seat.

“Hey, bro, can I ask you a quick question?”

Yu Siting: “Shoot.”

Chu Cheng: “If I want to become a rich man like you, what necessary steps should I take?”

Yu Siting gave it some serious thought:
“Step one: Be born into a wealthy merchant family.
Step two: Get a 20% stake in the business.
Step three: Start blowing cash.”

“That’s it?” Chu Cheng tilted his head, eyeing him skeptically.

I even took out my notebook and that’s all you’re giving me?

Yu Siting added, “Of course, there are other essential factors. For example, you also need an elder sister who’s renounced worldly desires and is laser-focused on building an empire. Otherwise, I’d just be the puppet in charge of the company.”

“So, in short, not a single step in your path is replicable for me, huh?” Chu Cheng chuckled. He’d heard Lu Yan talk about Yu Xiang before—she was indeed a force to be reckoned with in the business world. But he himself was an only child.

Yu Siting paused for a beat, then suddenly changed the subject: “Do you know why we adopted the strategy of encircling cities from the countryside?”

“Because of the national conditions at the time,” Chu Cheng replied, sipping from his soy milk. “Why are you suddenly turning this into a historical lecture?”

“Exactly.” Yu Siting wore a perfectly logical expression. “So you need to find the right path based on your own reality. Skip straight to step three—what do you think?”

Chu Cheng caught the implication and smirked. “You’re suggesting I marry into a wealthy family? You’re corrupting the values of decent youth.”

Yu Siting remained unbothered. “I’m just teaching you to recognize your own market value.”

While they chatted, the fuel gauge display ticked up steadily, nearing 130 liters. The gas station attendant pulled out the pump and handed over a QR code for payment.

Just as Yu Siting lifted his phone, Chu Cheng leaned across the console and covered the camera with his palm, beating him to the punch.

They ended up squished close together in the tight cabin. Yu Siting’s arm was pinned beneath Chu Cheng’s, so he simply let it be and quipped, “Wow, look at you being all eager.”

“I can’t always let you pay,” Chu Cheng replied while entering his payment password.

“Didn’t you just say I’m a rich guy? I should spend where it matters. Otherwise, won’t it all just benefit him in the end?” Yu Siting nodded toward Lu Yan, sprawled across the back seat.

The teen, suddenly called out, cracked one eye open and grumbled, “First of all, I didn’t provoke either of you. Second, I especially didn’t provoke you.”

“Good. Let’s keep it that way,” Yu Siting said as he rolled up the window and tapped the car screen to navigate toward the highway entrance.

Chu Cheng glanced at the route distance on the GPS and was startled. “That far? You sure you’re up for driving that long?”

“You’re in the passenger seat. Just talk to me once in a while—that’ll be enough,” Yu Siting replied, eyes on the road.

“Alright.” Chu Cheng straightened up, solemnly accepting his mission.

The expressway was toll-free in the days leading up to the May Day holiday. Their SUV cruised steadily down the straight, clear roads, unhindered by traffic.

Chu Cheng took his co-pilot duties seriously. Worried that Yu Siting might get tired, he frequently initiated conversation. Yu Siting, for his part, was impressively patient—engaging with every topic as if he genuinely found it interesting.

They talked from their youth all the way into their working days, from the cloudless afternoon to the fiery sunset. Along the way, they stopped at a service area for a simple dinner before setting off again.

By the time night had fallen and stars were scattered across the sky above, they finally arrived at their destination—a scenic wooden cabin facing the sea, standing elegantly along the coastline beneath the night sky.

Yu Siting had already reserved one of the cabins. The housekeeper had placed the key inside a code-lock box at the front door in advance.

When they pushed open the wooden door, the interior revealed a suite-style layout. The décor was in soft, light tones—gentle and fresh in ambiance. There were three small beds in total, just enough for them.

Chu Cheng hadn’t shut his eyes once in the car. He had started yawning a while ago. Upon seeing that the cabin had only one bathroom, he said he could shower tomorrow, simply freshened up at the sink, then climbed into bed.

After the long journey, everyone was exhausted. Yu Siting and Lu Yan moved about quietly as they tidied up a bit, then turned off the lights and fell asleep to the sound of the crashing waves.

The next morning, sunlight from the seaside poured into the cabin. The three of them woke up one after another.

Since they’d arrived late the night before, they hadn’t been able to appreciate the beauty outside. Now, upon opening their eyes, they could see an endless view through the window—where the sea and sky merged into a vast canvas of blue, instantly lifting their spirits.

Chu Cheng was still wearing yesterday’s T-shirt. He got up and headed into the bathroom for a shower.

According to the plan, they were going tide-pooling today. Based on the tidal schedule, the best time was between 7 and 10 a.m.—perfect timing to return just in time for lunch.

The housekeeper had already prepared a full set of tide-pooling tools in the cabin. Lu Yan picked out a few that felt handy and took them to the beach to try out.

Yu Siting saw Chu Cheng heading into the bathroom with clean clothes and, worried that he’d forgotten the day’s itinerary, reminded him:
“You don’t need to scrub so thoroughly—you’ll be filthy again after coming back.”

But over the sound of rushing water, Chu Cheng didn’t hear clearly. He reached out to shut off the shower and asked, “What?”

Yu Siting, who was sorting through miscellaneous gear in the room, walked closer to the bathroom while holding a bunch of nets and tools. As he did so, one of the fishing lines accidentally caught the knob of the bathroom’s louvered privacy blind—
—with a soft tug, the slatted curtain whooshed open.

The glass was fogged with steam, but through the misty veil was the unmistakable silhouette of a flawless, naked figure.

“….”
Inside, Chu Cheng felt the light suddenly brighten. He turned around—and his gaze clashed right into Yu Siting’s stunned eyes. He had no idea how much the other had seen.

A moment of silence fell over the cabin.

Chu Cheng could tell it wasn’t intentional, but he was still furious about this “standing-there-and-appreciating” incident that couldn’t be undone. Through gritted teeth, he asked:
“Were you just gonna wait for me to step out and close the curtain myself?”

Yu Siting finally twisted the knob back.

Chu Cheng quickly dried off, got dressed, and emerged with dripping wet hair. He glared accusingly.
“You really didn’t have to rush me like that.”

Yu Siting opened his mouth but hesitated.

“What is it?” Chu Cheng narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

He pulled out a towel and gave his head a rough rub. His soft black hair was left a tousled mess, but it didn’t diminish his envy-inducing looks in the slightest.

“You’re really pale,” Yu Siting commented.

Chu Cheng snapped, “Is that not obvious normally? Haven’t we swum together before?”

Yu Siting replied candidly, “Not quite the same visual impact as in a steamy bathroom.”

Chu Cheng was left speechless, choked by the words. After a beat, he muttered,
“That’s borderline perverted. Consider this your one and only warning.”

Yu Siting chuckled and apologized, sincerely accepting the scolding.

Once fully geared up, the three of them boarded a boat to head to the island for tide-pooling.

They gathered conchs, starfish, sea urchins, octopuses… The beach was full of treasures left behind by the receding tide, and with the help of tips from their private guide, they ended up with a bountiful haul.

The sea in May was still a bit chilly, but it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the tide-pooling team. Lu Yan and Chu Cheng, wearing water boots and gloves, were happily catching crabs and digging for shells.

The sea breeze had caused Chu Cheng’s eyes to water. As he turned away to rub them, he noticed Yu Siting sitting off to the side, sneaking a break.

“Are you tired?” Chu Cheng asked with concern. Yu Siting had driven for such a long time yesterday and had gotten up early this morning to get things ready, and he didn’t seem very energetic.

Yu Siting replied naturally, “Entertaining kids is a physical activity.”

“True,” Chu Cheng said, nodding as he watched Lu Yan’s figure.

Yu Siting glanced at him from behind. “Especially when there are two of them.”

Chu Cheng quickly retorted, “You’re taking advantage of me.”

Yu Siting laughed, “Does that count as taking advantage?”

This conversation reminded Chu Cheng of the incident with the shower curtain earlier in the morning. He was both embarrassed and annoyed, so he decided to ignore Yu Siting’s idle time and went back to play with Lu Yan.

The tide crashed against the shore, and the white waves rolled beneath their feet. Chu Cheng, wearing shorts, crouched on the sand and searched. When the tide-pooling ended and he felt pain, he realized both his legs had been scraped by sharp rocks.

Back at the cabin, Yu Siting brought him saline solution and iodine for cleaning the wounds.

“These little cuts are nothing,” Chu Cheng said, propping his legs up on the edge of the sofa. The bright red wounds stood out against his pale skin, looking somewhat glaring.

Yu Siting took out a cotton swab. “The seawater isn’t clean. We need to prevent infection.”

“I’ll do it myself.” Chu Cheng grabbed the iodine and began dabbing at his wounds. The first touch stung painfully, and he winced, giving up and saying, “Never mind, you take care of this heavy-handed task.”

Yu Siting had expected this and didn’t even put down the cotton swab. He swiftly took the bottle back from him.

“Bear with it.” His technique was quick and gentle as he applied the iodine, fanning it dry as he went, then finally put on waterproof bandages. “All done.”

Afterward, Chu Cheng’s knees were patched up, looking a bit messy. Yu Siting suddenly smiled.

“What now?” Chu Cheng sighed. “I can never keep up with your thinking because I’m not ruthless enough.”

“Only stayed one night, and already both knees are scraped. It does sound pretty ruthless,” Yu Siting didn’t argue, laughing as he went to wash his hands and prepare lunch.

Chu Cheng didn’t quite get the joke, but after changing his clothes, he stepped outside the cabin to help out. A fire was already crackling beneath the open-air barbecue grill, and a variety of seafood was laid out neatly on metal trays—undeniably a grand seafood feast.

“Try this, Teacher Chu,” Lu Yan said, handing over a platter of grilled shrimp and clams. He had even prepared a special dipping sauce of his own secret recipe.

“I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but the clams I picked myself seem to smell more appetizing than the store-bought ones,” Chu Cheng commented thoughtfully, savoring each bite.

“It’s not your imagination,” Yu Siting replied while tending to the food on the grill.

“Rare to see you so supportive,” Chu Cheng said as he peeled a particularly large shrimp and casually handed it over to him. “Here, a reward.”

Yu Siting ate the shrimp, swallowed it, then continued, “Because I asked the butler to buy these from the fishing boats. The ones you guys dug up were way too small—no way to grill them. So, yeah, it tastes better for a reason.”

Chu Cheng’s shrimp-peeling hands froze. He looked up, eyes narrowed in a tight smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Spit it out,” he said softly.

Yu Siting only spread his hands helplessly—couldn’t be done—and then leaned back down, his tall figure curving gracefully as he went back to fussing over the grill.

Late spring fading into early summer. A sea breeze fluttered their clothes. One dish after another made its way to the table as they cooked, and the three of them eventually sat on little stools outside the wooden cabin, enjoying a peaceful and relaxing afternoon together.

After the meal, the sun was still high. Although Chu Cheng had a leg injury and had been warned by Yu Siting not to go swimming, he threw himself into all kinds of water sports—motorbikes, speedboats, and more—with great enthusiasm.

As night fell, the three of them checked out and drove themselves to the port. Yu Siting had bought a ferry ticket that allowed vehicles onboard, so they simply drove the car into the ferry’s auto-hold and took a designated elevator up to the passenger cabins.

“Welcome aboard,” said a crew member inside the elevator, bowing slightly. “May I please see your tickets? Let’s see… two VIP sea-view rooms, and one third-class ticket.”

Up until that moment, Lu Yan hadn’t even seen what tickets his uncle had booked. Hearing the crew member now, he realized something belatedly. “Wait—who has the third-class ticket?”

Sure enough, Yu Siting answered without a second of hesitation: “You.”

Lu Yan was about to argue.

The crew member quickly explained, “Each of our sea-view rooms accommodates two guests. As long as the additional person buys the lowest-tier ticket, they can stay in the same room.”

Still, the boy frowned. “But I want my own sea-view room. I don’t want to share with him.”

“You think I do?” Yu Siting tilted his head slightly, his sharp gaze clearly stating his true feelings. The truth was, they’d booked too late—May Day holiday traffic was crazy, and only two rooms had been left.

Lu Yan pursed his lips and stopped complaining.

The VIP cabins were located one level below the deck. With a breezy blue-and-white marine theme, full amenities, and luxurious, comfortable beds, the room satisfied every romantic notion of a sea voyage.

After quickly unpacking their luggage, they rushed to the dining hall before it closed and had a buffet dinner, bringing some extra food back to their rooms.

Since it was a sea-view room, there was a private balcony. One glass sliding door, and the night sea breeze rushed in to greet them.

Chu Cheng sat on a chair, gazing out into the distance, watching as the ferry slowly left the city behind and sailed into the vast sea.

High from the thrill of being on a ship, he wasn’t feeling sleepy at all. Just as he was thinking about chatting with someone, he looked over and saw Lu Yan peeking in at the doorway.

“Come join me,” he said, patting the woven chair beside him.

But Lu Yan politely declined. “No thanks, Teacher Chu. I’m feeling a bit seasick.”

“You were the one making a fuss about seeing the sunrise at sea, though?” Chu Cheng said in surprise. He had noticed the boy seemed a bit tired since boarding, but hadn’t realized this was the reason.

“Huh?” Lu Yan was caught off guard.

Before the boy could react, Yu Siting, who had entered the room with them, reached out from behind and ruffled his hair. “He likes to challenge himself.”

Chu Cheng was momentarily stunned into silence.

But Lu Yan had already caught on to the sentiment and nodded with an exasperated smile. “Right.”

This family really can’t function without me.

Though the open-air view was beautiful, Lu Yan couldn’t enjoy it. Instead, he went to the ship’s theater alone to watch a movie.

Meanwhile, the cabin attendant brought over some refreshments, and Yu Siting sat down to chat leisurely with Chu Cheng.

Ever since the ship had set sail, there was barely any network signal. They could only send WeChat texts; even loading pictures was a struggle.

Chu Cheng tried a few times but gave up.

“There should be a paid Wi-Fi service. Want to ask one of the crew members?” Yu Siting offered, having noticed his attempts.

“I’m not that addicted to the internet,” Chu Cheng replied, decisively putting down his phone and choosing to enjoy a night free from online distractions.

As the ship moved away from the glittering neon of the land, the night sky became even more brilliant. When they looked up, it was full of stars.

“Look.” Chu Cheng used his hands to frame a particularly bright star, sharing the moment with the person in front of him.

And so the two of them sat there, watching the stars and chatting in the breeze until late, before finally going to bed.

To make sure he didn’t miss the full sunrise over the sea, Chu Cheng set several alarms on his phone. Not long after, the noise woke him up, and he dragged himself out of bed and up to the deck.

Yu Siting had gotten up even earlier—or perhaps he hadn’t slept at all. The sky before dawn was still dark, but Chu Cheng recognized him instantly just by his upright silhouette.

“Morning,” Chu Cheng greeted him.

Yu Siting turned his head. “I thought you wouldn’t make it.”

“You underestimated me.” Around the ship, countless small, dim, warm-orange lights glowed. Chu Cheng walked over to stand beside him.

The early morning deck was freezing, the chill wind whipping across their faces and making the flags on the ship tremble restlessly. Chu Cheng had taken a blanket from the room when he left, and he was now wrapped up in it against the cold.

Gradually, more people began to appear on deck, many of them wrapped in blankets. Every few paces, you could spot someone in the same standard blue “battle robe.”

But Yu Siting wasn’t one of them. He was only wearing a thin windbreaker that, while expensive-looking, didn’t seem especially warm. Maybe because Lu Yan, who had taken motion sickness meds, was still asleep and had taken the only spare blanket.

Chu Cheng noticed the hem of his coat fluttering in the wind, then glanced at his own large double blanket. After a brief pause, he offered, “Wanna share?”

Yu Siting smiled and didn’t refuse.

Chu Cheng stepped closer and handed him a corner of the blanket. The two of them wrapped themselves up in the same quilt.

As dawn approached, a crimson glow had already begun to dye the clouds along the distant coastline. Slivers of light broke through the thinning night, gradually illuminating the darkness.

Staring at the breathtaking horizon where sea met sky, Chu Cheng said, “A line from a movie suddenly came to mind.”

Yu Siting: “You jump, I jump?”

Chu Cheng let out a laugh. “So you felt the same, huh?”

“Nope,” Yu Siting shook his head bluntly. “I was just thinking using your logic.”

Why is it so hard for this man to just keep his mouth shut and be normal?

Chu Cheng clicked his tongue and gave the blanket a tug, but it didn’t budge. He gave up talking and turned his attention back to silently admiring the sun as it broke over the horizon.

Only when that brilliant radiance had fully risen above the sea did Chu Cheng turn his head and speak again. “I want to take a photo.”

Yu Siting reached into his pocket for his phone. “What kind of angle are you thinking?”

Chu Cheng glanced around. Standing on a cruise ship like this, any angle would be picturesque. Finally, he adjusted the blanket around him and said casually, “Just take it as is.”

“As is?” Yu Siting glanced at the minimal distance between them and smirked. “You mean a selfie?”

“I don’t think we’ve ever taken one before,” Chu Cheng replied, already tilting his head to find the best framing.

Yu Siting raised his arm, reached behind Chu Cheng’s neck, and captured both of their faces—along with the sea and the rising sun—in the shot.

“Take a look.” He handed the phone over.

It was a stunning photo—flawless in lighting and background, impossible to nitpick.

“I’m clearly the better looking one,” Chu Cheng said, zooming in and scrutinizing their features, looking very pleased.

Just as he was about to return the phone, he suddenly remembered that hideous photo taken of him at the lab building. His fingers instinctively swiped right a couple of times, planning to sneak-delete it.

To his surprise, Yu Siting’s photo gallery was remarkably clean—aside from a few recent candid shots, it was mostly work screenshots.

Yu Siting noticed him frowning down at the screen for a while and leaned in slightly to look too.

That’s when Chu Cheng realized how rude he was being. Flustered, he quickly handed the phone back and opened his mouth to apologize.

But the other man didn’t seem to mind at all. He calmly took the phone, lips curled in amusement. “All done snooping already?”

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Author’s note:

Chu Cheng: Weren’t we supposed to pull an all-nighter and rank up in-game?

Yu Siting: How’s this not ranking up?