Decayed Vulgarian chapter 31
A Kiss
Upon hearing this, Meng Yuan Cen turned to look.
Their eyes met, and Shen Xun seemed to startle, quickly retracting his hand.
The warm-toned ceiling light cast an amber hue on the walls, like light refracting. It made Shen Xun’s deep brown eyes shine brightly, creating an unreal dreamlike scene.
Shen Xun hastily turned around, leaving Meng Yuan Cen with a fleeting image of his retreating figure, as if he were fleeing.
Seeing Shen Xun swiftly disappear from sight, Meng Yuan Cen couldn’t help but smile with a hint of helplessness. He hadn’t even had a chance to speak; he would have accepted Shen Xun’s proposal.
The wooden door of the storage room opened, and Shen Xun stepped inside. He moved quickly, intentionally creating a rustling noise to cover up his rapidly beating heart.
Soon, Shen Xun emerged from the room, holding several cans of beer. “Tonight, I’ll treat you to dinner and a few drinks,” he said.
Meng Yuan Cen quietly watched Shen Xun and agreed, “Sure.”
Shen Xun changed into slippers and returned to the couch. At this time of night, cooking seemed unrealistic, so they decided to order from a highly-rated restaurant that suited both their tastes. When the spicy crayfish arrived, it was steaming hot, and the restaurant’s excellent heat preservation kept it that way. This saved Shen Xun from having to reheat the food, and they dug in immediately.
The red chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, yellow potato strips, and vibrant crayfish shells all soaked in the rich broth. It created a layer of translucent red oil on the surface.
Meng Yuan Cen could tell that Shen Xun genuinely liked spicy food.
Shen Xun handed Meng Yuan Cen a pair of chopsticks and poured a glass of beer for him. “Try it; it’s really delicious.”
Meng Yuan Cen, wearing gloves, began peeling the crayfish shells. After finishing the first one, he commented, “It’s indeed very good.”
Shen Xun gave a modest smile. “See? I have decent taste.”
He continued by taking a sip of beer. The white foam at the top subsided. Shen Xun belonged to the type who couldn’t handle alcohol well but was nonetheless a bit of a heavy drinker. He hadn’t drunk much, yet he was already starting to feel a bit sluggish.
As a result, his words became more casual. He said, “Meng Yuan Cen, the gloves you’re wearing now are the same type we use in the dissection room. Isn’t that fascinating?”
Meng Yuan Cen asked with a smile, “Really?”
Shen Xun chuckled lightly, and there was a hint of pride in his eyes. “Of course. It’s not just plastic gloves; we also wear rubber gloves over them.”
“I knew it,” Meng Yuan Cen replied. “You couldn’t possibly go into the lab with just a single layer of plastic gloves; they tear too easily.”
“Are rubber gloves any less prone to tearing?” Shen Xun scoffed. He continued, “In front of sharp scalpels, everything is fragile. I remember having a close call back when I was just starting as a forensic pathologist—”
He suddenly changed his expression and said, “Never mind, I won’t say more.”
Meng Yuan Cen asked, “Why not?”
Shen Xun lowered his head and laughed again. He swirled the beer can in his hand from top to bottom, and the alcohol started to make his head feel hazy and heavy. He tilted his head. “Talking about dissections during a meal is a bit off-putting.”
In Meng Yuan Cen’s view, the bright pupils of the person in front of him were partially covered by his eyelids, which made him appear somewhat desolate for no apparent reason. “But I don’t feel that way.”
Shen Xun suddenly raised his head and locked eyes with Meng Yuan Cen. The alcohol was making his head feel dizzy and heavy, and he tilted his head slightly. “You’re lying; I don’t believe you.”
Meng Yuan Cen said, “I’m telling the truth.”
Shen Xun lowered his head again, as if he hadn’t heard or didn’t want to respond. He used the fingers of his right hand to cover the beer can from top to bottom, and his fingertips moved slightly. He watched the can lazily spin in his hand.
Actually, this kind of silence had occurred between them many times. However, Meng Yuan Cen felt that Shen Xun was different now compared to before.
After some thought, he asked, “Is this meal the one you owe me?”
Shen Xun replied without hesitation, “Of course not. How could it be?”
Meng Yuan Cen said, “Alright, then I’ll remember it for the future.”
However, the Shen Xun in front of him suddenly bent down, extended his neck, and stared at Meng Yuan Cen with a half-believing, half-doubtful expression. The conversation had returned to its original point. “Do you really like hearing forensic stories?”
Meng Yuan Cen found it amusing and said, “When have I ever lied to you?”
Shen Xun asked again, “Are you brave? If I dare to say something, would you dare to listen?”
Meng Yuan Cen raised an eyebrow and replied, “Go ahead, you’ll find out if you say it.”
“Okay,” Shen Xun nodded repeatedly. After pondering for a moment, as if he had finally made a decision, he continued, “I won’t talk about those terrifying and gruesome stories. I’ll skip over that part for you, just like in forensic documentaries where they quickly gloss over certain scenes. They can’t show too much, even if it’s just for a few more seconds.”
“Otherwise, you might really lose your appetite, although…” He looked at the table, now empty of food. “Although we’ve already finished eating.”
Then he began to boast about his glorious past, becoming increasingly talkative and enthusiastic. The profession had given him both a halo and a burden, but at this moment, it was more of the former.
“He seems like he’s drunk,” Meng Yuan Cen thought.
Shen Xun’s narrative included many professional terms. Although Meng Yuan Cen only partially understood, he listened attentively and occasionally chimed in, saying, “You’re really impressive.”
Shen Xun chuckled. “You’re flattering me.”
“In fact, what I said earlier had some artistic embellishment. Nowadays, solving cases heavily relies on surveillance cameras. Forensics doesn’t have such powers, but it’s still essential.”
Shen Xun’s eyes were mesmerizing, like two peach petals reflected in a flowing stream. His gaze circled around and finally landed on the glass of beer near Meng Yuan Cen. If he remembered correctly, that bottle of beer appeared untouched. “Why aren’t you drinking?”
Shen Xun frowned and inquired, “Don’t you like beer? I also have some white liquor at home. Would you prefer that?”
Saying that, he stood up.
Meng Yuan Cen was quick to react and pushed Shen Xun back into his seat. “No need, beer is fine.”
He stared at the glass for a moment and then took a big sip.
Shen Xun, watching him, clapped his hands in jest. “You have quite the drinking capacity.”
They enjoyed the feeling of chatting, conversing, and laughing together until Shen Xun stood up to suggest tidying up the table, temporarily putting a pause on their conversation.
Meng Yuan Cen helped Shen Xun clean up. Shen Xun’s movements seemed somewhat slow and sluggish, probably because he was genuinely drunk.
After they finished tidying up, Shen Xun accompanied Meng Yuan Cen to the living room to watch TV. He then went into the kitchen to wash the dishes. It was just a few plates, and he finished quickly.
When he came out of the kitchen again, he saw Meng Yuan Cen standing behind the couch, his index finger hooked around the keyring’s metal loop. Shen Xun’s expression tightened, and he asked, “Are you leaving again?”
Without waiting for Meng Yuan Cen’s response, in the next moment, Shen Xun suddenly smiled, his smile was bright, profound, and his pupils sparkled mischievously.
He said, “Meng Yuan Cen, you drank beer, and you can’t drink and drive, so you have to stay.”
Meng Yuan Cen realized that his earlier judgment was correct. The Shen Xun today was indeed different. When the distant and aloof beauty no longer refused people from a distance but became lively and vibrant, it was like a black and white film suddenly gaining color, elevating the visual experience. He felt as if he had been shot through the heart.
Although in reality, Shen Xun hadn’t successfully manipulated him. At that moment, Meng Yuan Cen had merely succumbed to his plea, thinking that indulging him for a while wouldn’t hurt. After all, he had more than one way to get home, not just by driving. He could also use a designated driver, take public transportation, albeit causing a bit of trouble.
Meng Yuan Cen took a step closer to Shen Xun and asked, “Are you drunk?”
Shen Xun frowned for a moment before saying, “I’m not.”
He was definitely drunk, and Meng Yuan Cen was almost certain of it.
There was still an unopened can of beer. Shen Xun sat on the couch, silently playing with it.
After a brief moment of silence, Meng Yuan Cen walked to Shen Xun’s side, looked down at him, and asked, “Is this how you want me to stay?”
Shen Xun raised his head and smiled, “Yes.”
In an instant, the metal loop of the keyring slipped rapidly from between Meng Yuan Cen’s right fingers, falling into the bottom of his coat pocket.
The intoxication that had flooded Shen Xun’s face now reached the corners of his eyes. His eyes became slightly reddish at the corners, as if he had just emerged from a passionate encounter. Meng Yuan Cen was somewhat absent-minded, thinking that if one day these eyes were to shed tears because of him, it would probably look very beautiful—
His thoughts suddenly came to a halt. He jolted back to his senses, startled by his own thoughts.
Forcing aside these distracting thoughts, Meng Yuan Cen heard Shen Xun’s voice again. Perhaps due to his tipsiness, Shen Xun’s speech wasn’t as clear as usual. His words blended together.
“Do you want to?”
Meng Yuan Cen’s breath caught, and he looked at Shen Xun with disbelief. “Want to…..?”
“Isn’t standing tiring? Why don’t you sit down for a while?” Shen Xun used his finger to indicate the spot beside him. “Don’t you want to sit down?”
Only now did Meng Yuan Cen understand what Shen Xun had said. He sat down next to Shen Xun, still pondering what had happened.
Shen Xun, who seemed drunk, tried to open another beer can but spilled a few drops on Meng Yuan Cen’s glasses.
He quickly placed the can on the coffee table and apologized, “Sorry, I’ve dirtied your glasses. Let me clean them for you.”
With that, he used his fingertip to hold the metal wire in the center of the lens and gently removed it.
As the glasses passed over the skin above his ears and were removed, Meng Yuan Cen’s clear vision suddenly blurred. His eyesight wasn’t very high, but when his glasses were taken off, he instinctively squinted.
As he tried to adapt to the environment without the lenses, his vision refocused. He saw his glasses held in Shen Xun’s palm, wrapped in a tissue as Shen Xun wiped them, mumbling to himself, “Why can’t I get them clean…”
Meng Yuan Cen suddenly seized Shen Xun’s wrists. Their finger bones and wrist bones slightly rubbed against each other. He stared at Shen Xun, and only the latter’s fair skin became faintly red where he was being held, serving as evidence of this intimate standoff.
Shen Xun asked, “What’s wrong?”
Meng Yuan Cen was abruptly awakened and realized what he had almost done. He slowly released Shen Xun’s wrists and was about to step back.
However, Shen Xun grabbed his palm.
With a blink of his eyes, the curve of his Adam’s apple fell into Meng Yuan Cen’s view. Shen Xun’s expression appeared sober yet not quite, “Don’t you think we should do something right now?”
Meng Yuan Cen’s voice was somewhat hoarse as he asked, “What do you mean?”
Shen Xun stared into Meng Yuan Cen’s eyes. His expression seemed clear, yet not entirely sober. “Like… kissing?”
Before Meng Yuan Cen could react, he suddenly flipped Shen Xun over on the couch. His breath quickened involuntarily as things heated up. He and Shen Xun made eye contact for a moment, and then he leaned down, unhesitatingly kissing him.
Meng Yuan Cen took the lead in this kiss, at the same time, he retrieved the glasses from Shen Xun’s palm and put them in his coat pocket. Before reason collapsed, he thought that Shen Xun had initiated this, and he hadn’t taken advantage of the situation.