Decayed Vulgarian chapter 48

First Love?

Upon hearing this, Meng Yuan Cen was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted. He took a few large strides forward, firmly grasped Shen Xun’s wrist, guiding him back, “Not necessary.”

Being dragged forward like this, Shen Xun straightened his arm, attempting to maintain distance from Meng Yuan Cen as much as possible. “…This smell is really awful. Let me go back and freshen up, just a few minutes.”

“It’s not that bad; the smell isn’t too strong.”

Meng Yuan Cen refused to let go. He opened the car door, pushed Shen Xun inside, closed the door, circled around, and then sat in the driver’s seat from the other side.

He buckled his seatbelt, casting a glance at Shen Xun, who seemed lost in thought, his gaze focused out of the front window into the night.

Meng Yuan Cen assumed Shen Xun was mentally drained and chose not to disturb him. He bent down, extended his hand to unbuckle Shen Xun’s seatbelt, elongated it, and fastened it securely.

This action surprised Shen Xun, who leaned back, pressing firmly against the seat.

Meng Yuan Cen, feeling helpless yet amused, said, “Have you forgotten? I have sinusitis. I can’t really smell it.”

Only now did Shen Xun recall that Meng Yuan Cen often woke up in the mornings with a stuffy nose and used several tissues from the nightstand. When he spoke, his voice was a bit deeper, perhaps even more attractive due to the nasal tone.

He hesitated, “Sinusitis shouldn’t completely negate the smell, should it?”

Meng Yuan Cen replied, “I can only smell a tiny bit.”

Shen Xun didn’t quite believe it; he thought Meng Yuan Cen was just trying to console him. He sneakily glanced at Meng Yuan Cen’s face, which remained unexpectedly calm, not even a hint of a frown.

Unlike Yang Bin, who seemed to react as though he’d encountered waste just fished out of a septic tank each time he saw Shen Xun. While speaking, his facial features would scrunch up, and the distance between them was just enough to hear Shen Xun’s voice; moving any closer was a no-go, unless Shen Xun offered extra money.

As Shen Xun was lost in his own thoughts, he suddenly heard Meng Yuan Cen’s casual question, “Why would you rather have Yang Bin pick you up and not me?”

The inevitable question had come. Shen Xun’s heart skipped a beat. Before he could plead for forgiveness, Meng Yuan Cen continued, “Is it because you think I would dislike the smell on you?”

Shen Xun pursed his lips and, in a soft voice, muttered, “Meng Yuan Cen…”

Meng Yuan Cen remained unfazed. “How did you respond to me on WeChat?”

Shen Xun lowered his gaze. “I was wrong.”

Meng Yuan Cen let out an “Mm.” “Don’t let it happen again, Shen Xun.”

Shen Xun felt relieved, and after a moment of silence, curiosity got the better of him. “How did you know I would call Yang Bin?”

“You mentioned it to me before, saying that whenever you worked late at the forensic center, you’d have Yang Bin pick you up. So today, I kept it in mind and I was right, You’d already made arrangements with him.” Ending with a cynical addition, “I knew you’d choose to contact him and avoid me.”

Shen Xun softly said, “Meng Yuan Cen, Yang Bin is a family man with a wife and kids.”

Meng Yuan Cen said firmly, “I’m allowed to complain a bit, aren’t I?”

Shen Xun nodded quickly. “Alright, alright. Complain as much as you want. I’m all ears.”

Meng Yuan Cen couldn’t help but smile.

As the car entered the residential area, the two of them got out of the parking garage. Shen Xun was in the lead, walking quickly.

Meng Yuan Cen understood that Shen Xun wanted to maintain a respectful distance from him. Taking advantage of his longer legs, Meng Yuan Cen followed him for a while. However, Shen Xun’s pace increased, making it seem like he wanted to start running. Meng Yuan Cen got annoyed, extended an arm, and encircled Shen Xun’s waist, pulling him in and holding him with a force that made it impossible for him to break free.

He didn’t mind the smell, so why did Shen Xun reject him?

Meng Yuan Cen had the key in his hand and expertly opened the door. He glanced at Shen Xun, who was momentarily like a gust of wind that brushed past his cheek.

He then headed for Shen Xun’s bedroom. When he reached the door, he coincidentally encountered Shen Xun holding a towel and pajamas in his hand.

Meng Yuan Cen pursed his lips and said, “Shen Xun…”

Shen Xun acted as if he hadn’t seen the large man before him. He dashed into the bathroom like an arrow shot from a bow.

The second part of Meng Yuan Cen’s sentence was addressed to empty air. “How are we sleeping tonight?”

Meng Yuan Cen: …

The usually well-mannered, Men Yuan Cen couldn’t help but mutter a curse. If it weren’t for Shen Xun’s exhaustion after a long day and the fact that he had work in the morning, considering Shen Xun’s broken promises on WeChat and his unpleasant dismissiveness, he would have definitely pinned him to the bed for some discipline.

………………………………..

On Wednesday morning, the case was solved. The perpetrator, who had bipolar disorder, killed his brother. While the murderer was arrested and imprisoned, the case drew significant attention due to the brutal method of hiding the victim’s body in the refrigerator. The incident caught media and public interest, sparking a frenzy of news reports and online discussions.

At noon, Shen’s mother called, “I heard there’s a very hot murder case recently in your neighborhood, right?”

Shen Xun didn’t expect his mother to find out so quickly. “Yes.”

Worriedly, his mother said, “You should move quickly. Don’t live in the Emerald Garden; it’s too dangerous. I’m worried.”

Shen Xun reassured her, “Mom, the culprit has been arrested and is in jail. Everything’s fine.”

His mother immediately countered, “No, you must move. The perpetrator is caught, but his family is still out there. What if his family also has a mental illness? What if they target you for revenge?”

“I will protect myself.”

“Will protecting yourself be enough? What if they genuinely want to retaliate against you? Can you defend yourself? It’s impossible to guard against everything, right?”

Shen Xun’s lips twitched. He wanted to say something but hesitated. He couldn’t think of a convincing reason not to move, so he compromised, “You’re right. My lease is expiring at the end of the year anyway. I’ll keep an eye out for suitable places and try to move out as soon as possible.”

Once he reassured his mother, he received a message from Meng Yuan Cen. Shen Xun replied briefly and suggested discussing the details after work since he had a pile of reports to write.

When he returned home and after they had dinner, Shen Xun voluntarily brought up the case of the murdered siblings. To his surprise, Meng Yuan Cen was quite knowledgeable about it.

As a professor teaching criminal law, Meng Yuan Cen routinely followed high-profile criminal cases and occasionally discussed them in class. They started by talking about the details of the case, which was Shen Xun’s expertise. As the conversation progressed, they delved into the potential court rulings and the issue of holding mentally ill individuals accountable for their crimes. Their professional areas overlapped, and the conversation flowed smoothly.

The issue of moving, however, had become a thorn in Shen Xun’s side. “I thought I’d have some time to relax after this case was over, but my mom is urging me to move. She says it’s not safe to live in the Emerald Garden, and I’m going to be busy again.”

“Did you agree to it?”

“Yes.”

Meng Yuan Cen reassured him, “Don’t worry, I know many people who can recommend good residential areas. I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

Shen Xun began to state his preferences, “I don’t want to rent an expensive place, and the affordable ones are too far from the Yuhai Sub-Bureau. It’s inconvenient for work. When I last rented, I spent a lot of effort finding this place. Now I have to start searching for a new one, and my lease will expire at the end of December. It’s giving me a headache.”

Meng Yuan Cen seemed to be getting an idea. “Have you considered co-renting with someone?”

Shen Xun appeared surprised. “What? You’re staying in the teacher’s dorm, right? Won’t it be troublesome for you to live outside?”

Meng Yuan Cen raised an eyebrow. “I already spend most of my time in Emerald Garden when I have the time?. So, what do you think?”

So the idea of co-renting was decided upon, making the process more enjoyable. By splitting the monthly rent, they had more options, and both were satisfied with the price they agreed upon. They used various websites, group chats, and listings to look for suitable places.

Meng Yuan Cen, with his efficiency, found a place a week later. It was in a prime location, with excellent transportation connections and even closer to the Yuhai Sub-Bureau. He had already contacted the landlord. Shen Xun was too busy to visit the place, so Meng Yuan Cen went alone and sent a long video to him on the way back.

As expected, Shen Xun was quite satisfied with it.

That night, they began to pack their things. Moving was not just physically demanding, but it also consumed a lot of time. Shen Xun even found many things that he couldn’t find before, such as a dead Bluetooth earphone that Shen Xun found under the nightstand and a lost bank card that had disappeared half a year ago from the bottom of the wardrobe.

Meng Yuan Cen started packing the bookshelf. Knowing that Shen Xun cherished his books, he carefully placed each book in storage boxes, cushioning them with clothes to prevent the book corners from getting damaged during the move. However, when he found a book wrapped in newspaper, he couldn’t resist his curiosity.

What kind of book was this to be treated with such care?

The title on the spine was concealed by the People’s Daily’s printed font, making it difficult to see. Meng Yuan Cen opened the first page and realized it was “Six Records of a Floating Life.” It was unfortunate because he had read it before. He remembered reading it but had forgotten the specific content. He quickly flipped through it and, as he encountered some passages, his memories were rekindled. While browsing through the book, he suddenly noticed that there seemed to be something else inside.

Taking a look, Meng Yuan Cen was amused. He pinched the note and called out Shen Xun’s name, “Look what I found!”

Shen Xun turned back, squinted, but couldn’t see it clearly from a distance. He walked closer and then realized it, but he remained silent.

Meng Yuan Cen teased, “Why didn’t you say so earlier? You could have told me, and I would have ordered takeout for you every day.”

Shen Xun remained silent for a while and finally said, “Don’t gloat.”

Meng Yuan Cen smiled and continued, “I’ll put it back for you.”

Shen Xun returned to the wardrobe and started folding clothes. “Alright.”

As he reached the top shelf, which was rarely accessed, it had accumulated a thick layer of dust. Meng Yuan Cen brushed it off with his hand and wiped it with a towel before placing the books inside the boxes.

Repeating these actions for all the books, Meng Yuan Cen suddenly noticed a black notebook tucked deeply against the inner wall of the bookshelf. The notebook’s softcover had a curve, indicating something was placed inside.

He couldn’t help but smile. He wondered how much Shen Xun loved putting things inside books.

While contemplating this, he took out the notebook, dusted it off, and absentmindedly opened it. However, the notebook appeared to contain more items than expected, and when Meng Yuan Cen picked it up, photos fell out.

It was a photo of a high school boy in his uniform, and while it was slightly yellowed, it was still clear and free of creases.

Meng Yuan Cen suddenly became alert and flipped the photo over, where he found written words:

“Ran into you after school again today. Took a picture of your back without permission. I wanted to show it to you but didn’t dare to disturb you.”

The handwriting was elegant and unconventional, and it was Shen Xun’s handwriting.

Meng Yuan Cen narrowed his eyes, holding the photo as he walked to Shen Xun, teasingly asking, “Shen Xun, what’s this?”

Shen Xun only glanced for a second and instantly understood, without saying anything, he stretched his arm to grab the photo from Meng Yuan Cen.

Meng Yuan Cen didn’t allow him to grab it, holding his hand high and asked again, “Is this your first love?”

Shen Xun pursed his lips, not saying anything, tiptoed to continue grabbing the photo, of course without success. He eventually gave up, lowered his head, and said quietly, “It’s something from a long time ago, I’ve almost forgotten. Don’t look at it, it’s awkward.”

This was admitting it, and Meng Yuan Cen scoffed, continuing to press, “Forgotten? Then why do you still keep these photos? Is it because of unresolved feelings?”

Shen Xun grabbed Meng Yuan Cen’s arm and said in a low voice, “After I graduated from college, I moved into this house. Over time, I almost forgot that I had written these things. I didn’t even know where you found them…”

Meng Yuan Cen chuckled, “Top shelf of the bookcase, well-hidden, do you treasure it?”

Shen Xun pursed his lips, “I just put it there. If I really treasured it, you wouldn’t have found it…”

After speaking, he suddenly realized he said the wrong thing. He quickly tried to fix it, “No, I, I didn’t mean that. I genuinely forgot. Otherwise, I would definitely throw it away. You can throw it away now, I won’t be heartbroken or nostalgic…”

“I won’t throw it away,” Meng Yuan Cen glanced at Shen Xun, “I haven’t seen it yet, it would be a pity to toss it.”

As Meng Yuan Cen took the photo, Shen Xun again reached for it. This time, Meng Yuan Cen grasped Shen Xun’s wrists and picked up a photo showing ten students standing under a red flag on campus holding award certificates.

Meng Yuan Cen: “Today—”

Shen Xun felt incredibly awkward, “Don’t read… Please don’t read… I beg you…”

Meng Yuan Cen glanced at Shen Xun, undeterred, and continued to read aloud, “Today’s academic award ceremony. So you topped the whole school again, while luckily I landed at the tenth spot this time. This is our first group photo, although we’re standing far apart. If I can reach second place next time, will I stand beside you?”

Meng Yuan Cen laughed, held the photo in front of Shen Xun, “Come on, point out, which one of these was the top scorer?”

Shen Xun tried to reach out but then heard Meng Yuan Cen sternly add, “No snatching photos.”

He pointed and withdrew his hand, “You are a bit fierce today.”

Meng Yuan Cen, with a poker face, “Hmm, I’m jealous.”

Meng Yuan Cen tossed this photo away and took another one from the diary, “It’s your birthday today. Hope you like the gift I got you.”

He turned it around, revealing a beautifully wrapped gift inside a transparent gift bag. It was much fancier than the black box Shen Xun got for him, which he kept in his pocket. Meng Yuan Cen felt uneasy, “Is this what you call having no sense of ceremony?”

“I bought this gift from a physical store, and their staff wrapped it for me,” Shen Xun said, sneaking a glance at Meng Yuan Cen’s expression, which seemed to worsen. His words didn’t come out right, fearing he’d make things worse, he just lowered his head silently.

“What did you give him?”

Shen Xun remained silent.

“Shen Xun.”

Shen Xun dared not look up at Meng Yuan Cen, “A pen.”

Now Meng Yuan Cen fell silent.

Shen Xun tentatively stole a few glances, directly meeting Meng Yuan Cen’s scrutinizing gaze. Apparently, Meng Yuan Cen had seen through his little acts. Shen Xun took the plunge, leaning closer to Meng Yuan Cen and kissed his lips. Meng Yuan Cen allowed it but didn’t respond.

Shen Xun quickly explained, “I gave you the pen because you wrote something on the rainbow picture you gave me. I guessed that you liked using fancy pens, and the pen I gave you was carefully chosen from the Mright brand. It conveys my intention, that my…”

“Who are you kidding? Wasn’t the pen you gave him carefully selected too?”

Shen Xun knew he couldn’t argue with Meng Yuan Cen, “… Meng Ge.”

“Calling me Ge won’t work.”

Meng Yuan Cen asked, “Did you date?”

Shen Xun hurriedly replied, “No, he’s straight, got a girlfriend in college.”

“Hmm,” Meng Yuan Cen pondered. After a few seconds of silence, he said, “I suddenly want some meat today.”

Shen Xun understood, saying softly, “Meng Yuan Cen…”

Meng Yuan Cen stood up, heading to the bathroom, taking his own towel with him.

“Save the pleading for the bed.”