Decayed Vulgarian chapter 66
Silence
On the evening of the 29th of the year, Meng Yuan Cen personally went to the Yuhai branch to pick up Shen Xun.
On their way back, the setting sun was about to fall, crushed into gold dust by the footsteps of passersby.
Returning home, Meng Yuan Cen took out a pair of Spring Festival couplets and a Fu character, which Shen Xun had asked him to buy. “Actually, I bought these a long time ago, but I haven’t been willing to put them up. I specially waited for your vacation, thinking that we could put up the Spring Festival couplets together.”
Shen Xun jokingly said, “If you’re lazy, don’t give yourself excuses.”
Meng Yuan Cen retorted, “I call this having a sense of ceremony.”
Shen Xun took scissors from a drawer, cut a few tapes, sticking one end on his thumb and handing the rest over to Meng Yuan Cen.
After pasting the couplets and the Fu character, which were quite high on the door, Meng Yuan Cen got a stool closer.
The stool, left behind by the landlord and meant for children, had a small top surface. As Meng Yuan Cen put one foot on the stool, the other end flicked up a bit. This startled Shen Xun, who hurriedly stepped forward, extending both hands, “Be careful.”
The two pairs of black shoes occupied the stool’s surface, appearing quite cramped. Shen Xun, seeing this, couldn’t help but laugh, “Let me bring a chair for you.”
“No, no need, it’ll be finished soon,” Meng Yuan Cen turned the Fu character around and pressed it against the wall, “Can you see if it’s crooked?”
“A bit higher on the left side.”
“Like this?”
“A bit too high, come down a bit.”
“Is it okay now?”
“It’s fine.”
Shen Xun handed Meng Yuan Cen the tapes, one by one.
Half a minute later, Meng Yuan Cen hopped off the stool, clapped his hands, took a few steps back, looked up at the Fu character he had pasted, and said, “Perfect.”
Hearing this, Shen Xun lowered his head and chuckled.
Although the two had planned to return to their respective homes on New Year’s Eve, even if there were any New Year’s Eve dinners or family reunions, they would be in their respective hometowns. However, Meng Yuan Cen still insisted on preparing some ingredients and freezing them in the refrigerator. After all, there would be few people at the market for several days after New Year’s Eve, and most takeout stores might be closed.
Shen Xun was convinced by Meng Yuan Cen and found Meng busy in the kitchen. Not wanting to sit idly, he also went in and lent a helping hand.
Soon, Meng Yuan Cen was dealing with the fish, removing the fish’s innards, and getting his hands dirty. Without washing his hands that smelled fishy, he turned to Shen Xun, “Help me push up my glasses.”
Shen Xun stepped forward to assist.
A little while later, Meng Yuan Cen started slicing the fish. After cutting a few slices, he picked up the thinnest one and held it up to Shen Xun, “Look, my knife skills are pretty good, aren’t they?”
Shen Xun observed carefully for a few seconds, “There’s still a fish bone not removed from this.”
Meng Yuan Cen withdrew his hand and started looking for the fish bone. As he bent down, his glasses slipped down, and he used the back of his hand to push them back up, just about to pick up the knife again.
Shen Xun couldn’t watch anymore, “Let me slice the fish; you attend to something else.”
Meng Yuan Cen, not thinking much, subconsciously said, “Are you sure you can?”
“Because it’s a New Year’s dish, I hope that there will be no bones in any of the fish slices. Of course, some parts of the fish may be challenging to debone. These parts can’t be made into slices. They can be used for other dishes, but…” He emphasized, “There must be no bones in the fish slices.”
“You move aside,” he pushed Meng Yuan Cen to the side and then picked up the knife. Holding the fish with his left hand, he slowly sliced it. This cut turned out to be even thinner than the slices that Meng Yuan Cen was showing off earlier.
So, Shen Xun picked up the fish slice with two fingers, mimicking Meng Yuan Cen’s previous actions, and held it in front of him. He jiggled it, “Meng, no matter what, you shouldn’t question the knife skills of a forensic doctor.”
Most of the semi-processed ingredients were put into the refrigerator, and after cooking a small part, it was served on the table.
Meng Yuan Cen’s cooking skills were indeed excellent. After enjoying the food with Shen Xun, they talked about their New Year arrangements.
“So, you’re heading home by tomorrow noon?”
At this point, Shen Xun’s gaze was unfocused, lost in thought. Meng Yuan Cen tapped him, prompting him to respond. He nodded, “Yes.”
Meng Yuan Cen asked again, “What time tomorrow? Do you need me to take you?”
Shen Xun was puzzled for a few seconds, then shook his head, “No need.”
Meng Yuan Cen chuckled mysteriously, “I asked you two questions, why are you answering only one? What time will you leave tomorrow morning?”
Suddenly back to reality, Shen Xun thought for a moment before saying slowly, “Not too early. I can’t wake up early, so by the time I reach there, it should be time for lunch.”
“I’m the same. I’ll also return home for lunch and then do New Year visits until the fourth day. How about you?”
“…The third day of the Lunar New Year.”
Meng Yuan Cen vaguely understood something, circled Shen Xun’s waist, and pulled him close. “What’s wrong? Is it that my cooking is too delicious and you’re too full, so your brain isn’t working, and you’re ignoring me?”
“No,” Shen Xun pursed his lips. “It might be because of the New Year.”
“What do you mean?”
“I seem not to like the New Year that much… It’s not that I don’t like it, but I also dislike it a bit. I was just thinking that going home this time, I have to deal with some relatives, so I might not be feeling that excited.”
“Relatives? What’s wrong with them?”
Shen Xun thought for a moment and tried to describe, “Do you have those relatives who always boss others around, constantly criticize, and, most importantly, their thinking is as outdated as feudal garbage? But due to the close blood relationship, especially at the dinner table, after a little alcohol, they say anything, and when they encounter someone who thinks differently, they keep trying to persuade the other.”
“It seems like I don’t.”
“Then your New Year should be very enjoyable.”
“What did those relatives you’re talking about say?”
“A lot, I can’t remember. I just know that I found it very annoying to listen to them,” Shen Xun turned around, straddled Meng Yuan Cen’s lap, and touched Meng Yuan Cen’s lips. “Let’s talk about something fun tonight. Both of us are finally free, don’t waste this time.”
Rarely taking the initiative, Shen Xun seduced Meng Yuan Cen. Unable to resist, Meng Yuan Cen turned Shen Xun over and kissed him for a while. He then, with a pretense, asked for Shen Xun’s opinion, “But I just want to get naked and chat now. That’s the only way we can talk about something stimulating, or else, I won’t talk anymore. After all, I have to return to my hometown tomorrow morning—”
“I’ll comply with whatever you want to talk about.” Shen Xun, blushing, interrupted Meng Yuan Cen’s conversation, knowing the other person was using a line but still fell for it.
It was another night of bliss in this world.
Early the next day, Shen He came knocking on the door.
After getting ready, Shen Xun, along with Shen He, carried their bags and hurried back home.
After lunch, they joined their mother in the kitchen to make dumplings. They had only made a plate when a guest arrived. It was Shen Taian’s sister, their third aunt.
Shen’s mother exchanged a few words and then returned to the kitchen. Shen Xun and Shen He wanted to go back to the kitchen, but their mother shooed them out, stating that they needed to attend to the guest.
In Shen Xun’s mind, the third aunt was a hard-to-deal-with character. Swiftly making use of a sugar delivery excuse, he slipped away. When he returned, Shen He and the third aunt had already finished a round of awkward conversation.
Silently, Shen Xun handed over the sugar water to the third aunt, who, after taking a sip, sighed contentedly and continued to ask Shen He, “What are you studying?”
“Law,” Shen He replied.
The third aunt said, “Studying law, I happen to have a matter I’d like to consult with you about, concerning property division. Can you help Auntie analyze it?”
Scratching his head, Shen He quickly clarified, “Auntie, I’m studying criminal law.”
“Are you planning to become a lawyer in the future?”
Shen He thought, ‘I’m only a freshman and haven’t thought that far ahead.’ But to avoid a possible sermon, he nodded, “Yes.”
The third aunt furrowed her brow, “If you become a lawyer, would you defend murderers?”
This question left even the articulate Shen He bewildered. He stammered several explanations, trying to make criminal law concepts more understandable, but the third aunt didn’t grasp it. “So, you’re still defending murderers after saying so much.”
Shen Xun stood watching the scene.
But after a while, the situation shifted to him—
The third aunt suddenly turned and, without any segue, blurted out, “Jingge is having a baby, did you know?”
“I just found out,” Shen Xun said. “Congratulations to her.”
“I don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl…” the third aunt murmured, “A girl is also fine. I don’t favor boys over girls.”
Shen Xun thought to himself that people who didn’t favor one gender over another rarely speak so explicitly about it.
“But your second uncle seems to want a boy,” the third aunt continued. “Jingge just got pregnant recently. After a few months, they can go to the hospital to find out. You know, just to give the doctor a little gift.”
Shen Xun couldn’t hold back, “Doctors cannot disclose the baby’s gender. It’s illegal.”
The third aunt, speaking as a more experienced person, said, “Oh, come on, asking quietly, where’s the strictness? It’s not publicized, and many things exist in a gray area. Sometimes, turning a blind eye is the solution. And besides, we just want to know the gender in advance to prepare some clothes for the baby.”
Shen Xun didn’t know what to say and chose to remain silent. He knew arguing wouldn’t change the third aunt’s perspective. Starting an argument would only ruin the festive atmosphere of the New Year.
Switching topics, the third aunt asked him, “Do you have a girlfriend now?”
What was inevitable was indeed inevitable. Shen Xun replied, “I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“How old are you now?”
“Twenty-eight.”
“Twenty-eight and still no girlfriend?” the third aunt tsked. “Back in our time, at twenty-eight, children could walk. I remember a saying, oh yes, ‘By thirty, be established.’ Starting a family early is the essence of life, right?”
Shen Xun had lost the desire to argue a long time ago. Even if he disagreed a thousand times in his heart, he still politely, albeit vaguely, hummed in agreement. He glanced at Shen He, who was laughing on the side. It seemed luck was turning. He glared back at him.
What was he enjoying about this?
Thankfully, the third aunt didn’t chat for too long. After she left, Shen He also disappeared, perhaps to play games on the side.
Shen Xun returned to the kitchen and continued making dumplings quietly. After making a few, he heard his mother ask, “What were you talking about just now?”
Shen Xun didn’t want to discuss being pressured to find a girlfriend again, so he said, “We were talking about Shen Jingge’s pregnancy”
Not long ago, the bride had turned into a prospective mother. Shen Xun couldn’t help but feel time was passing swiftly. However, his mother misunderstood his intention. She lowered her voice and said, “Shen Jingge got pregnant before the wedding. The wedding was brought forward. If it had happened a bit later, people would have figured it out.”
Shen Xun was taken aback and remained silent for a moment. He then asked, “Mom, do you think that girls shouldn’t get pregnant before marriage?”
His mother promptly replied, “No, I absolutely don’t mean that. But, once this matter gets out, it’s always the girl who suffers. If you’re not married, the criticisms are always aimed at the girl. There are always some people in this world whose mouths can’t be controlled. Parents also don’t want their daughters to be gossiped about.”
Suddenly, Shen Xun remembered the words of the third aunt, “Earlier, the third aunt mentioned that Uncle wants Jingge to have a boy.”
Shen’s mother remained silent for a moment. “Your second uncle is like that.”
Shen Xun pursed his lips and looked at his mother, “What about you?”
“I like both boys and girls,” Shen’s mother said. “But since you don’t have a girlfriend yet, this matter is too far away for me.”
How did the conversation end up back to a girlfriend again?
Frowning, Shen Xun shifted the topic, “But Mom, it’s the 21st century. Isn’t it ridiculous for people to have such feudal thoughts? Don’t you find it funny?”
His mother thought for a moment. “Some viewpoints indeed need not be agreed upon. You’ve never heard me conforming to their views at the dinner table, have you? But we also don’t need to argue. It’s not appropriate to quarrel during the New Year, and besides, we can’t out-argue them.”
“People always have certain fixed viewpoints that they never think to change,” his mother gave an example. “For instance, if I told you to start waking up at six-thirty every morning from tomorrow, would you agree?”
Without hesitation, Shen Xun said, “No.”
“Exactly.”
Suddenly, his mother sighed. “Even though people can selectively fit in, they also have some connections they can’t break, such as blood ties. When you don’t want to fit in with certain people, just remain silent.”
Shen Xun looked down, lost in thought.
Was this why he was so used to remaining silent?
Seeing that Shen Xun had finished wrapping the dumpling skins, she handed him another bunch, “Hurry up and wrap them. Don’t dawdle. The pot is waiting to steam the dumplings.”
Shen Xun responded with an “Oh” and took a dumpling skin in his hand. He moistened the edges with his fingertips and then hesitated, “But…”
“But?”
Shen Xun looked up at his mother, “But a person can’t… remain silent forever.”