Decayed Vulgarian chapter 32
No Feelings?
Lips forcefully brushed against lips, tongues skillfully parting teeth and tangling in a relentless embrace, breath mingling and heating up, sending warmth down to their necks. Meng Yuan Cen used his fingers to pull Shen Xun’s sweater’s collar down, kissing in a passionate cycle.
Shen Xun tilted his head back as far as it could go, causing the muscles along his jawline to tense up, revealing an exquisite bone structure. He was breathing rapidly, and his messy black hair added to his seductive allure. A layer of mist covered his slightly brown irises, with his reflection visible underneath.
“Shall we go to the room?” Meng Yuan Cen bit Shen Xun’s earlobe, lightly nibbling on the soft cartilage, earning a soft moan from Shen Xun.
Shen Xun didn’t reply, closing his eyes and gripping Meng Yuan Cen’s neck, using his fingertips to clutch the fabric of Meng Yuan Cen’s coat, creating several creases. There were still faint teeth marks on both ears. His earlobes and the corners of his eyes turned slightly red. Shen Xun nodded in agreement.
Meng Yuan Cen carried Shen Xun into the bedroom, and Shen Xun loosened his arms, falling onto the pure white sheets. He still hadn’t opened his eyes, merely lying there quietly, curling his legs up slightly.
Meng Yuan Cen carelessly took off his coat, and soon, it was joined by a sweater and a belt.
He placed his hands on Shen Xun’s sides. His voice was hoarse as he asked, “Where’s the lubricant?”
Shen Xun didn’t respond.
Meng Yuan Cen thought he hadn’t heard and thus pressed his entire body against Shen Xun. He exhaled, letting his breath wash over Shen Xun’s neck. He bit Shen Xun’s earlobe, and in a strained voice, he repeated, “You should have it; we need it now… where is it?”
Still no response.
Meng Yuan Cen suddenly felt something was amiss. “Shen Xun?”
The person beneath him remained unresponsive. After a few seconds, Meng Yuan Cen saw Shen Xun unconsciously arch his back, burying his head in his chest as if he was pulling himself into a cocoon.
Meng Yuan Cen stopped his advances, realizing that Shen Xun had fallen asleep.
Of course, he thought. After working late into the early morning on a Sunday and then having to go back to work on a Monday, Shen Xun was utterly exhausted. With the combination of alcohol, dizziness, and a long day of work, it was no surprise he fell asleep. Nevertheless, Meng Yuan Cen peered down and saw his half-aroused state. He couldn’t help but feel the situation was a little unfair.
After a moment of silence, Meng Yuan Cen sighed heavily, accepting the reality. He chose not to disturb Shen Xun’s rest. He helped Shen Xun remove his outer clothing, covered him with a blanket, and tucked him in. Then, Meng Yuan Cen rushed to the bathroom.
Shen Xun was awakened by his alarm clock.
The days were getting darker and mornings later as winter set in. Shen Xun shivered while putting on his clothes. He felt a stinging pain when the handle of his toothbrush bumped against his lower lip, which he noticed had a cut.
How did that happen?
His thoughts flashed back to the previous night. He had asked Meng Yuan Cen to stay, they had talked at the dining table, and then… his memories turned hazy. It was as though his brain had turned into a lump of porridge, absorbing and distorting the fragments and rendering them incomprehensible.
Slipping into the kitchen, he placed two slices of bread in a frying pan over low heat. As he began to prepare to return to washing his face, he noticed a note left on the table beside the frying pan.
“I have class this morning and need to go to the university cafeteria for breakfast, so I have to leave early. PS: The lobster and beer last night were delicious, and I really enjoyed it. – Meng Yuan Cen.”
A simple drawing of a smiling face wearing glasses followed the message.
Shen Xun read it over, but his comprehension was limited. He tucked the note into his pocket.
As he returned to the sink and used a towel to dry his face, he couldn’t help but ponder: What did “leaving early” mean? Did it imply that Meng Yuan Cen stayed over the previous night?
Shen Xun absently touched the cut on his lower lip, pondering the situation. He finally realized that Meng Yuan Cen had spent the night at his place. If they had stayed together all night, then something must have happened between them.
Shen Xun stood there, lost in thought for a while, still struggling to piece together the events of the previous night. Eventually, he noticed a burnt smell in the air.
Oh no, his bread!
In the end, Shen Xun took a bite of the slightly burnt but still edible toast, and after changing into his police uniform in the dressing room, he arrived at the forensic office. Colleagues were engaged in a lively discussion about the case from the past few days.
“So, the wife fell down the stairs accidentally because of her husband, and it led to her death?”
“Is it considered involuntary manslaughter or intentional murder?”
Shen Xun didn’t participate in the discussion because he wasn’t very interested. He sat in front of his computer, focusing on his own work. Occasionally, his mind would wander, mainly due to Meng Yuan Cen. He thought about giving Meng Yuan Cen a gift as an apology for canceling their previous plans. This idea took root in his mind, persistently resurfacing and disrupting his thoughts.
During the lunch break, Shen Xun received a message from Liang Yan:
[How’s it going? Have you finished the case? Can you tell me how things are progressing between you and Meng Yuan Cen? I’m genuinely curious!]So Shen Xun provided a brief summary and then asked Liang Yan: What do you think would be a good gift for an apology?
However, Liang Yan’s focus seemed to go off track:
“You said he came to pick you up in person, stayed to have drinks with you, and then what?”
His words and tone hinted at an unnamed excitement: “Both of you had drinks; didn’t something happen between you?”
Shen Xun couldn’t help but bite his lip. If it weren’t Liang Yan, he might have brushed it off. He told Liang Yan:
“I feel like we might have kissed, but I’m not sure because I can’t remember anything. You know, I can’t handle my alcohol, and I don’t remember anything once I’m sober.”
Liang Yan had indeed seen Shen Xun drunk before. Initially, he found it quite unbelievable, but he had grown accustomed to it.
He had another question: “Wait, who suggested having drinks last night?”
Shen Xun: “It was me.”
Liang Yan: “Was it intentional on your part?”
Shen Xun remained silent for a moment and then decided to be honest with Liang Yan:
“Yes, I thought maybe I didn’t have the courage usually, but when I’m drunk, there’s more courage, right? I wanted to take a chance, but I think… I failed.”
Liang Yan: “?”
Shen Xun: “In the morning, I noticed that my lips were cut, as if they were bitten. But I checked the bedsheets, and I even checked the washing machine—everything was normal. I found a box on my bedside table, and it was still sealed. We didn’t do anything, only a kiss. I don’t even know if I forced it.”
Shen Xun slowly typed out another message.
“Do you think this means he has no feelings for me?”
Liang Yan: “…”
Liang Yan: “If he didn’t have feelings for you, he wouldn’t have come all the way from Huada to Yuhai Sub-bureau to pick you up after you stood him up, you idiot!”
After some consideration, Liang Yan asked earnestly: “Do you think there’s a possibility that he might be physically incapable, like… having a functional issue in that aspect?”