Chapter 85 – Respect

85 – Respect

Translator: tamago

Xu Xiran’s guest room had an armchair that resembled a grandmaster’s chair. The back of the armchair could be adjusted to different angles, and its soft texture allowed one to sink into it completely, providing the ultimate comfort. It used to be one of Mr. Fang’s favorite pieces of furniture.

Unfortunately, as he got older, his back became less flexible and ached from sitting too long, so Su Laoshi stored this thing away in the guest room.

This turned out to be a good deal for Xu Xiran. 

He comfortably collapsed into it, but his expression didn’t look very happy.

“I can’t. Auntie probably finds it so weird,” he wailed, hands covering his face. “So awkward, I feel like I’m gonna die.”

Fang Mo furrowed his brows and looked at him, saying, “It’s been over two hours. Why are you still thinking about it?”

“Do you know? Just now, when I came out of the shower, I bumped into her, and she looked at me in a very… How do I put it? Meaningful way?”

“She’s always like that. She likes to look into people’s eyes when she talks,” Fang Mo comforted him. “Don’t overthink it. At most, she probably thinks that your brain has some issues being in that pose in the kitchen.”

This had the complete opposite effect. Xu Xiran was full of grief: “Then it’s all over. If I propose one day, she would definitely not agree to hand over her son to a complete dumbass.”

Fang Mo was amused by him and burst into laughter. “No way, they have a good impression of you. They’ve said that you’re quite pleasant, down-to-earth, and well-mannered. That you’re a good kid.”

Xu Xiran looked puzzled, “When Zou Shun came to stay at your place, did they also evaluate and score him this seriously?”

“Uhh…” Fang Mo tilted his head, pondered for a moment, then moved in front of Xu Xiran, propping himself up on the sofa’s armrest, and looked down at him, “Did you use my shower gel?”

He deliberately changed the topic and Xu Xiran fell for it at the speed of light.

“I’ll say. No wonder you smell so good.”

Fang Mo smiled at him, spread his legs, and sat directly on Xu Xiran’s lap. The back of the sofa was already adjusted low, and Xu Xiran was half-reclined, so Fang Mo leaned over him, lying on top of his body.

This position was perfect for kissing.

The two of them had a moment of intimacy, and then Fang Mo whispered, “Can I stay here tonight?”

Originally, Xu Xiran had his hand resting on Fang Mo’s waist, but upon hearing this question, he seemed to suddenly realize something and shook his head repeatedly, “Maybe not, I don’t think that’s a good idea, is it? What if they find out?”

Fang Mo furrowed his brows, “You’ve already interacted with them a good amount. My parents are such nice people that even if they find out, they’d never kick you out.”

“I can’t, I can’t,” Xu Xiran continued to shake his head, “Even if we decide to tell them, we should take it slowly and not spring it on them all of a sudden so they can be mentally prepared. They’ve taken such good care of me. If I make them disappointed right away, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

Fang Mo looked at him with a mix of amusement and exasperation and sighed. He tilted his head back and planted a kiss on Xu Xiran’s forehead, “Alright then.”

~

Before coming home, Su Laoshi had specifically asked Fang Mo if they should prepare a separate room for Xu Xiran. 

Despite having a close relationship with his parents, situations like this would inevitably feel awkward. Fang Mo tried to downplay it, saying that if it was convenient for them, they could prepare a guest room, but if it was too much trouble, they didn’t have to worry about it. He reiterated this twice, emphasizing that they shouldn’t feel obligated, that their health was important, and that they should rest well and not have this be a burden.

It was a pity that his inner thoughts didn’t get conveyed successfully, and his dream to share a room with Xu Xiran was shattered.

Not long after returning to his room, there was a knock on the door. From the rhythm of the knocking, Fang Mo could tell that it was Su Laoshi.

When Su Laoshi entered the room, she had a cheerful smile on her face, but the words that came out of her mouth made Fang Mo’s face turn red.

“With you two like this, how am I and your dad supposed to pretend not to know?” Su Laoshi said with a smile.

Fang Mo smiled back at her, “Hehe.”

“You saw how scared Xiao Xu was,” Su Laoshi continued, “I felt so bad. Now that we’re familiar with each other and not as reserved anymore, you should tell him in a few days that we know and we’re not against it.”

Fang Mo hesitated for a moment and then nodded, “Mm, we’ll see in a few days. But…”

“Yes?” Su Laoshi asked.

Fang Mo explained, “When the time comes, I’ll say that you noticed the relationship between us, came to me to ask about it, and I admitted it, and you can say that you’re okay with it… Would that work?”

Su Laoshi looked puzzled, “But didn’t you say before that you didn’t want to tell him right away because you were afraid he’d be nervous when meeting us formally? Why do you want me to lie like this?”

Given the complexity of various reasons, Fang Mo found it hard to explain, so he looked down and stayed silent.

Seeing his reaction, Su Laoshi asked again, “Are you keeping something from him?”

“…It’s nothing big,” Fang Mo defended himself in a low voice.

“Xiao Xu is a good kid,” Su Loashi said, “Just by the look in your eyes, Mom can tell how much you like him.”

Fang Mo’s face turned red again and didn’t say a word.

“Since you do like him, you should be more considerate of his feelings. For two people to have a long-lasting relationship, one can’t be too selfish,” Su Laoshi continued, “Some things can be kept secret, while others can’t. You need to be able to differentiate the two.”

She probably couldn’t have imagined what exactly had happened, and so her words were based solely on her understanding and concern for Fang Mo.

“A white lie for the sake of another person is called a well-intentioned lie. If it’s only for yourself, then it’s called deception. Deception is a form of disrespect and respect is the foundation of a relationship,” Su Laoshi looked at him, “I’m not saying this to lecture you. I just see that you like this person very much, and I don’t want you to feel sad if you mess it up.”

“…Oh.”

“Have you done anything to hurt him?” Su Laoshi’s tone suddenly became serious.

Fang Mo shook his head repeatedly, “How could I? Am I that kind of person?”

“That’s true,” Su Laoshi said, sighing with a smile, “Since our Momo has never found anyone good enough for him before, a while back, I even joked with your dad saying that it’s a good thing I joined Rainbow Mothers, so that I can find you a blind date in the future. But I never would have thought that you’d bring someone home so soon. Looking at it this way, being picky isn’t a bad thing after all, since having high standards helped you find a good one, right?”

Fang Mo felt even more embarrassed. He lowered his gaze and hesitated for a while before asking, “If you can tell that I like him, then are you able to tell… how he feels about me?”

“Ya, what kind of question… My son is so amazing,” Su Laoshi beamed, “Who wouldn’t like you?”

~

Before going to bed, Fang Mo called Xu Xiran, who was just a wall away. 

The two casually chatted for a while before saying goodnight over the phone. After hanging up, Fang Mo noticed that not long ago, Su Laoshi had sent him a link. Just looking at the title alone made him feel dizzy.

It was a very serious educational article about the safety precautions for when same-sex couples engage in adult activities. 

Fang Mo awkwardly expressed his gratitude back. 

After turning off his phone, he lay in bed, and for the first time in a while, he was unable to fall asleep.

He had never planned to tell Xu Xiran that he was naturally gay or that he was initially drawn to him because it was love at first sight. He had imagined that if he were to tell the truth one day, it would be after they had been together for many years. They would be sitting at the table, having dinner and chatting after work, and he would casually say, “Do you know that I actually liked you the moment I first saw you?”

By that time, they would have already thoroughly become a part of each other’s lives. After Xu Xiran’s initial surprise and perhaps slight annoyance, his curiosity would likely prevail. He would ask him what had really happened back then and what he had been thinking during those times.

And then while eating, he would recount his story to Xu Xiran in detail.

Now was not the time. Their time together was still too short. Xu Xiran did not like being deceived, and if he were to find out that it was all premeditated from the beginning, that their so-called instant connection was just a calculated plan through his own ulterior motives, then Fang Mo would not know Xu Xiran would react.

He also had just had a disagreement with Xu Xiran today, which made him a little unhappy.

He couldn’t help but deeply care about what Su Laoshi said. He asked himself whether this was a form of selfishness. To deliberately hide this fact, if one day Xu Xiran found out the truth through other means, would he be furious?

The only time he saw Xu Xiran angry was a long time ago when he was in a conflict with Yang Lin and achieved a partial victory. Xu Xiran believed in him, felt that he was being bullied by Yang Lin, and stood up for him.

Now that he thought about it, he had also lied to Xu Xiran about that matter. 

The very thing that Xu Xiran despised the most, was something he had already done countless times before.

~

The good thing about being on school break is that even if you have insomnia, you can naturally sleep until noon.

After being awakened by hunger, Fang Mo walked out of his room and found Xu Xiran sitting on the living room sofa, looking down at something. From his angle, Fang Mo couldn’t see what Xu Xiran was holding, but he noticed that Xu Xiran seemed very pleased.

“You’re awake,” Xu Xiran heard the voice and immediately turned to him. “Come here!”

Fang Mo took a few steps closer and realized that Xu Xiran was holding his childhood photo album.

“You were so cute when you were a kid,” Xu Xiran exclaimed, “Pale and round.” 

Before elementary school, Fang Mo had been quite chubby and overweight among his peers. At that age, his round and plump appearance had naturally been adorable.

“Why is your butt so pointy now…” Xu Xiran muttered in a particularly low voice.

“I heard that,” Fang Mo replied.

Xu Xiran raised his head, grinned at him, and then quickly looked around as if checking that Fang Mo’s parents weren’t nearby. After confirming that they were alone, Xu Xiran quickly kissed Fang Mo on the face.

“Go wash your face and brush your teeth,” Xu Xiran said, “lunch is almost ready!”

Before leaving, Fang Mo playfully glared at him and felt up his thigh.

~

After finishing their meal, Fang Mo naturally followed Xu Xiran to the guest room.

Once they closed the door, they didn’t have to worry about being disturbed. Fang Mo wanted to do the same thing as yesterday, lying on Xu Xiran’s body. However, before he could act on it, he noticed that Xu Xiran’s expression seemed somewhat serious.

“Do you have something on your mind?” Xu Xiran asked him.

“No, I don’t,” Fang Mo instinctively refuted. “What could possibly be bothering me right now?”

Xu Xiran hesitated in his expression. “If there’s anything that’s making you unhappy, you can talk to me about it.”

“Why do you think I have something that’s making me unhappy?” Fang Mo asked him.

“You’re the kind of person whose emotions are always written all over your face,” Xu Xiran seemed somewhat pleased with himself. “Do you really think you can hide it from me?”

He wasn’t entirely wrong. Being good at making things up on the spot didn’t mean he was good at concealing his emotions. When Fang Mo was feeling down, it was difficult for him to put on a cheerful facade.

“You finally came to my house, and you still won’t sleep together with me,” he tried to change the subject again. “Of course, I’m not happy.”

Xu Xiran didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Let’s see after a few more days at least.”

He was different from Fang Mo. This was Fang Mo’s own home, so he felt relaxed both physically and mentally. But for Xu Xiran, it was an unfamiliar environment, and he had to be careful not to make a bad impression on Fang Mo’s parents, so he always had to be more on guard.

Fang Mo sighed and extended his arms. “Give me a hug.”

Xu Xiran hugged him and then seemed to remember something. “Oh right, I have to go out tomorrow for something,” he said.

Fang Mo asked, “What for?”

“I’m going back home, to the house that I mentioned before,” Xu Xiran explained. “I told my family I would stay there during the New Year, and my dad was worried that I wouldn’t be able to clean it up by myself so he arranged for some professional cleaners to come. I have to go back tomorrow to supervise.”

Upon hearing this, Fang Mo immediately took a step back and looked at Xu Xiran with anticipation. “I want to come too!” he said.

Xu Xiran replied, “You can come, but you’ll just be sitting there watching them clean, so it’ll probably be very boring.”

“That’s why I need to accompany you!” Fang Mo said enthusiastically.

~

The house, vacant for more than half a year, was even more terrifying than he had imagined. 

Dust was everywhere, and the only place that seemed protected was a large glass display cabinet covered with a dusty cloth. After getting his permission, Fang Mo covered his nose, pulled the cloth aside, and was immediately shocked by what he saw.

There were a staggering number of them, beautifully crafted, but they were too explicit to be displayed openly. 

Xu Xiran had a mixture of embarrassment and pride on his face.

“These are my collectibles over the years, and many of them are limited editions,” he explained to Fang Mo. “There are also some unopened ones in that cabinet over there.”

Fang Mo was stunned. He circled the cabinet, changing angles to carefully examine one of the suspiciously shaped busty girls.

“I have a question,” he said.

“What is it?”

“…Can this piece of clothing on her chest be taken off?” Fang Mo pointed to the thin piece of fabric covering her chest.

“Yi, how did you know?” a surprised Xu Xiran asked. “Do you want me to take it off and show you?”

“No,” Fang Mo looked at him seriously. “You’re not allowed to take it off in the future either!”

Xu Xiran paused for a moment and then nodded, suppressing a smile, “Oh, okay.”

Just then, the cleaning auntie arrived. She was an efficient woman who was a bit talkative, and under her diligent work, the entire house visibly became cleaner.

The cleaning auntie, upon reaching the display cabinet, looked rather puzzled. “So many toys? Aren’t these usually liked by little girls?”

In her eyes, the collection in the cabinet seemed just as mundane as Barbie dolls.

Xu Xiran didn’t speak, but Fang Mo was proactive in explaining: “These are not toys; they’re figurines and they’re quite expensive. These are high-end collectibles.”

The cleaning auntie looked somewhat skeptical but didn’t voice any objections. After a moment, she pulled out a box from under the bed and asked, “Do you want these books as well?”

As soon as he heard this, Fang Mo knew that these had to be his mangas. He smiled as he ran over, saying, “Yes, yes, give them to me. We’ll tidy them up ourselves.” 

Before Fang Mo could get there, Xu Xiran grabbed the cardboard box and quickly moved it to another corner of the room, attempting to pack them up immediately. 

“Let me take a look,” Fang Mo followed him. “It’ll be a good way to pass the time.”

Xu Xiran, however, awkwardly dodged him, “There’s nothing to look at here, not the type you like.”

“I like whatever you like,” Fang Mo stretched his neck, and at a glance, he saw the cover of the topmost book. “Isn’t this Xiaoyao? So, Love Story has a manga too?”

He reached out to grab it, and while Xu Xiran struggled for a bit, he didn’t stop him.

Fang Mo quickly realized something was amiss. While Love Story had a lot of fanservice, the cover of this manga seemed to be even more explicit, much more so than the second season which Xu Xiran found distasteful.

He flipped through a few pages with a puzzled expression, and his breath gradually stagnated.

“What is this?” He looked at Xu Xiran in astonishment.

Xu Xiran replied shyly, “It’s a doujinshi.”