Respect

In the room where Xu Xiran lives, there is a single sofa that resembles a high chair. The back of the sofa can adjust the angle, and its texture is soft. When lying on it, the whole person sinks into it and enjoys the ultimate comfort. It used to be Mr. Fang's favorite.
Unfortunately, as he aged, his back became less flexible, and lying down for too long would cause pain; so, Teacher Su sealed this thing away in the guest room.
Now it has become a bargain for Xu Xiran.
He comfortably slumped down on it, but he didn't look very happy.
“I can't do it anymore, Auntie will definitely find it strange,” he covered his face with both hands and wailed, “So embarrassing, I'm dying of embarrassment.”
Fang Mo frowned at him: "…It's been over two hours, why are you still thinking about it?"
“You know, just now when I finished showering and came out of the bathroom, I ran into her. The way she looked at me was especially… how should I put it, loaded with meaning?”
“She has always been like that, liking to look people in the eyes when she talks,” Fang Mo reassured him, “Don’t overthink it; at most, she just thinks you look a bit strange with that pose in the kitchen.”
This completely backfired. Xu Xiran looked sad: "That's terrible. If one day I go to propose, she definitely won't give her son to someone with mental disabilities."
Fang Mo laughed uncontrollably: "No way, they have a good impression of you. They say you look pleasant, are down-to-earth, and know manners. You're a good kid."
Xu Xiran wondered: "Did they also evaluate and score seriously when Zou Shun came to stay at your house?"
"Uh...." Fang Mo tilted his head and thought for a while, then moved to stand in front of Xu Xiran, resting his hands on the sofa armrest and looking down at him, "Did you use my shower gel?"
He deliberately changed the subject, and Xu Xiran fell into the trap in an instant.
“I thought so, why does it smell so good?”
Fang Mo smiled at him, spread his legs, and sat directly on his lap. The back of the sofa was originally set low, and Xu Xiran was half-reclining. Fang Mo simply leaned on him.
```htmlThis posture is the most suitable for kissing.
After some intimacy, Fang Mo whispered, "Is it okay if I stay at your place tonight?"
Xu Xiran, who had originally had her hand on his waist, seemed to suddenly remember something and shook her head repeatedly, "No, it's not good, right? What if we get caught?"```
Fang Mo frowned: "You've already interacted with them. My parents are so nice; they wouldn't possibly kick you out if they found out."
“Not appropriate, not appropriate,” Xu Xiran still shook her head, “Even if I have to tell them, I need to do it gradually. I should give them some psychological preparation; it can't be too sudden. They have taken care of me so well, and I feel bad for making them sad right away.”
Fang Mo looked at him for a while, feeling both amused and helpless, then sighed. He raised his head and cupped Xu Xiran's face, planting a kiss on his forehead: "Alright then."
Before going home, Teacher Su specifically asked Fang Mo if he should prepare a separate room for Xu Xiran.
No matter how good the relationship with parents is, there will eventually be awkward moments. Fang Mo tried to cover it up and said that if it was convenient for them, they could tidy up the guest room; if it was too hard, then it was fine. He emphasized this twice afterwards, telling the old couple not to force themselves, that their health was important, and to pay attention to resting, so as not to burden themselves with this.
Unfortunately, his heartfelt voice seemed unable to be conveyed smoothly, and the wish to be in the same room with Xu Xiran was shattered.
Not long after returning to the room, someone knocked on the door. As soon as Fang Mo heard the rhythm of the knocking, he knew it must be Teacher Su.
When Teacher Su came in, she was beaming, but what she said made Fang Mo blush.
“With you guys like this, how can your dad and I pretend not to know?”
Fang Mo smiled at her: “Hehe.”
“You see how scared Xiao Xu is,” Teacher Su continued, “I felt a bit guilty about it. Now that we're more familiar with each other and not so formal, you can tell him in a couple of days that we know and don't mind, right?”
Fang Mo hesitated for a moment and nodded: "Hmm, let's talk about it in a few days. But..."
“What is it?” Teacher Su asked.
“到时候就说，是你们看出来我们俩的关系，主动来问我，我承认了，你们表示能接受……这样行吗？”
Teacher Su was extremely confused: “Didn’t you say before that you were just worried he would be too tense when meeting us if it was too formal, so you decided not to tell him? Why did you have to tell such a lie?”
The various reasons are too complicated for Fang Mo to explain at the moment, so he looks down and remains silent.
Seeing this, Teacher Su asked, "Are you hiding something from him?"
“...it's not a big deal.” Fang Mo quietly defended himself.
“This kid Xiaoxu is really nice,” Teacher Su said, “I can tell by your eyes that you really like him.”
方默脸又红了，没吭声。
"Since you like each other, you need to consider the other person more. If you want a long-lasting relationship, you can't be too selfish," Teacher Su continued, "You can hide some things, but there are some things you shouldn't. You need to have a sense of propriety."
She probably cannot imagine what exactly has happened; saying these things is just out of her silent understanding and concern for the other person.
“A lie told for the good of others is called a white lie, but if it's only for oneself, then it's deception. Deception is a form of disrespect. Respect is the foundation for interaction.” Teacher Su looked at him, “I’m not saying this to educate you. I see how much you like her, and I don’t want you to mess things up and end up feeling sad.”
"...... Oh."
```html“You haven't done anything to let others down, right?” Teacher Su suddenly spoke in a serious tone.
Fang Mo shook his head repeatedly: “How could I? Am I that kind of person?”
“That's true,” Teacher Su said, sighing with a hint of nostalgia, and then smiled, “I was joking with your dad the other day, saying it was good that I joined Rainbow Moms, as it would make it easier to find matchmakers for you in the future. I didn't expect you'd bring someone back so soon. Looking at it this way, being picky isn't a bad thing; having high standards means you can find someone good, right?”```
Fang Mo became even more embarrassed. He lowered his gaze and hesitated for a while before asking, "If you can tell that I like him, can you also tell... how he feels about me?"
“Wow, that's quite a question you have there! My son is so outstanding,” Teacher Su said with a beaming smile, “who wouldn't like him?”
Before going to bed at night, Fang Mo made a call to Xu Xiran, who was just a wall away.
The two chatted casually for a while. After saying goodnight over the phone, Fang Mo discovered that not long ago, Teacher Su had sent him a link. Just looking at the title made him dizzy.
It was a very serious popular science article about the safety precautions that must be observed in homosexual adult relationships.
Fang Mo awkwardly expressed his thanks.
After turning off his phone, he lay on his bed for the first time in a long while, unable to fall asleep.
He originally didn’t plan to tell Xu Xiran that he was naturally gay, and that he initially approached him out of infatuation. He imagined that if there ever came a day when he truly confessed, it would be many years after they had been together. Sitting at the table after work, eating dinner and chatting, he would casually bring it up, saying, "Do you know that I liked you the moment I first saw you?"
By then, they had completely become a part of each other's lives. After a moment of surprise, Xu Xiran might feel a bit annoyed, but ultimately curiosity would prevail. He would ask him, what was it all about back then, and what exactly were you thinking during those times.
Then he ate while carefully telling Xu Xiran.
It shouldn't be now. They had been together for too short a time. Xu Xiran hated being deceived; if he found out that everything had been a calculated scheme from the very beginning, that the so-called instant connection was all part of a hidden agenda, Fang Mo was uncertain how Xu Xiran would react.
He just had a falling out with Xu Xiran today and is not happy at all.
However, Teacher Su's words made him very concerned. He asked himself in his heart whether this could be considered a kind of selfishness. If he deliberately keeps it hidden, will Xu Xiran become enraged one day if he learns the truth through other means?
The only time he saw Xu Xiran angry was a long time ago when he had a temporary victory in his rivalry with Yang Lin. Xu Xiran trusted him and believed he was being bullied by Yang Lin, so she stood up for him.
That matter, he also deceived Xu Xiran.
He did the thing that Xu Xiran hated the most countless times.
Of course, Fang Mo knew that this was not good. Respect is the foundation of interaction, but sometimes caring too much can make a person inevitably timid.
After turning over a few times, he suddenly realized one thing.
Whether it was unwilling to speak, wanting to wait a few years before mentioning it, or fearing that Xu Xiran might unknowingly find out, all of it was conclusions drawn from his own perspective. The starting point was for himself, rather than for Xu Xiran.
He wrapped himself in a quilt, closed his eyes, and softly murmured in a very quiet voice, "Respect..."
The benefit of being on vacation is that even if you can't sleep, you can naturally sleep until noon.
Fang Mo was awakened by hunger and walked out of the room, discovering Xu Xiran sitting on the sofa in the living room, looking down at something. From his angle, he couldn't see clearly what Xu Xiran was holding, but he noticed that this guy seemed to be very happy.
“Wake up,” Xu Xiran heard the voice and immediately turned around, “Come here quickly!”
Fang Mo took a couple of steps closer and discovered that he was holding his childhood photo album.
“You were so cute when you were a child,” Xu Xiran remarked, “Chubby and fair.”
Before Fang Mo started elementary school, he was chubby and overweight among his peers, being a little fat kid. At that age, being round and plump was naturally cute.
“How come his bottom is so pointy now…” Xu Xiran mumbled in a particularly low voice.
"I heard it," Fang Mo said.
Xu Xiran looked up, grinned, and quickly looked around, like a thief, to make sure Fang Mo's parents weren't around. Then she quickly kissed Fang Mo on the face.
“Hurry up and wash your face and brush your teeth,” Xu Xiran said, “It’s time for lunch!”
Before leaving, Fang Mo pretended to glare at him and even gave his thigh a little pat.
After finishing the meal, Fang Mo naturally followed Xu Xiran to the guest room.
Close the door, and you won't have to worry about being disturbed. Fang Mo wanted to lean on Xu Xiran like yesterday, but before he could act, he noticed that Xu Xiran's expression was unexpectedly serious.
“你是不是有什么心事啊？”许熙然问他。
“没有啊，”方默下意识反驳，“我现在能有什么心事。”
许熙然神情犹豫：“要是有什么不开心的事要跟我说。”
“...Why do you think I have something unhappy going on?” Fang Mo asked him.
“You, your emotions are always written all over your face,” Xu Xiran seemed quite pleased with himself, “Do you think you can hide it from me?”
He's not entirely wrong. Being good at talking nonsense doesn't mean being good at hiding emotions. It's difficult for Fang Mo to pretend to be cheerful when he's feeling down.
"You finally come to my house, but you refuse to sleep with me," he attempted to change the subject again, "Of course I'm not happy."
Xu Xiran was at a loss for words: "At least wait a few days before saying anything."
He was different from Fang Mo. This was Fang Mo's own home, where he could relax both physically and mentally. For Xu Xiran, however, it was a strange environment, and he had to be careful not to leave a bad impression on Fang Mo's parents, which made him feel more on edge.
Fang Mo sighed and opened his arms: "Give me a hug."
Xu Xiran embraced him and then suddenly seemed to remember something: "By the way, I have to go out tomorrow for something."
Fang Mo asked casually, “What’s the matter?”
“I’m going home for a visit, to that place I mentioned to you before,” Xu Xiran said, “I told my family I’d be staying there during the New Year, and my dad is worried I won’t be able to clean up by myself, so he hired professional cleaners for me. I need to go back and supervise them tomorrow.”
Fang Mowen immediately took a step back, looking at Xu Xiran with eagerness: "I want to go too!"
"You can go," Xu Xiran said, "but you'll just be sitting there watching others clean up, it will definitely be boring."
"So that's why you need me to accompany you!" Fang Mo said excitedly.
The house, which had been vacant for more than half a year, was scarier than imagined.
Dust covered everything, except for a large glass display case, which was covered in a layer of dusty cloth. With permission, Fang Mo held his nose and pulled the cloth aside, only to be stunned by what he saw.
A staggering quantity, exquisitely beautiful, almost unbearable to look at.
Xu Xiran's expression was half shy and half proud.
“These are my many years of collection, many of which are limited editions,” he introduced to Fang Mo, “and there are some unopened ones in the cabinet over there.”
Fang Mo was dumbfounded. He walked around the cabinet in half a circle, changing angles to carefully observe one of the suspiciously shaped giant-breasted girls: “I have a question.”
What?
"...Can this piece on her chest be removed?" Fang Mo reached out and pointed to the thin fabric.
"Huh, how did you know?" Xu Xi Ran was surprised. "Do you want me to tear it off and show you?"
“No,” Fang Mo said seriously as he looked at him, “you’re not allowed to take it apart from now on!”
Xu Xiran was taken aback for a moment, then suppressed a laugh and nodded, “Oh, alright.”
Just as they were talking, a cleaner came in. She was a nimble and somewhat chatty woman, and the whole place visibly became tidier under her diligent work.
The elderly woman was cleaning the display case and looked curious: "So many toys? Aren't these supposed to be liked by little girls?"
In her view, all the indecency in that cabinet was probably no different from that of Barbie dolls.
Xu Xiran didn't say anything, but Fang Mo took the initiative to explain: "It's not a toy, it's called a figurine. It's very expensive. It is a highly advanced collectible."
The auntie didn't seem to believe it, but she didn't object. After a moment, she dragged out a box from under the bed: "Do you still want these comic books?"
Fang Mo immediately knew it must be a comic. He laughed and ran over, “Yes, yes, give it to me, we’ll clean it up ourselves.”
Xu Xiran was quicker than him, grabbing the cardboard box and swiftly moving to another corner of the room, trying to tidy it up right away.
“Let me take a look,” Fang Mo said as he walked over, “just to kill some time.”
Xu Xiran, however, instinctively dodged: “There’s nothing worth seeing, nothing you would like.”
“I like whatever you like.” Fang Mo stretched his neck and caught sight of the cover of the topmost book, “Isn’t this Xiao Yao? I didn’t know that 'Love Story' had a manga version?”
He reached out to take it, and Xu Xiran struggled for a moment, but didn’t stop him.
Fang Mo quickly noticed something was off. Although "Love Stories" often features plenty of benefits directed at the camera, the cover of this manga is excessively blatant, far more so than the second season that Xu Xiran disdains.
He quickly flipped through a few pages with a look of confusion, his breath gradually stagnating.
"...What is this?" He looked at Xu Xiran with astonishment.
Xu Xiran shyly replied, "It's a notebook."
Recently, the frequency of serious titles has been increasing.
It reflects that the author has a serious heart beneath a vulgar exterior.
(Although I previously mentioned casually accumulating works, there's not much left, so just keep me company, okay? (?? ??)‥?