Whoever Falls in Love First is the Dog - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: “This Really Isn’t Mysticism, It’s Science…”

This was truly a sad and complicated story. Shen Mengke actually let Chen Yanxing move in.

They didn’t sign a contract. Thinking back on it, Shen Mengke found it a bit funny—of all the official things they had done, this one wasn’t bound by a contract.

She watched as Chen Yanxing cooked dumplings on her own and placed them on a plate.

From behind a cloud of steam, Chen Yanxing turned to look at her. “Do you want some?”

Shen Mengke shook her head. “I already ate. You go ahead.”

With that, she turned and walked out of the kitchen.

If there were one word to describe their relationship, it would be awkward—awkward relationship, awkward atmosphere, awkward connection…

Everything was simply awkward.

Jiang Zhixing laughed after hearing her story. “Then why did you take her in?”

Shen Mengke was silent for a moment and then said, “Wouldn’t it have been a little inhumane not to?”

“Chen Yanxing is so close to Ren Zhou—how could she possibly have nowhere to stay? You… better be careful not to get tricked.” Jiang Zhixing warned.

Shen Mengke opened her mouth but said nothing. She had suspected it too, but whenever she saw that pitiful look in Chen Yanxing’s eyes, she just couldn’t bring herself to ask.

She was afraid of stirring up some painful memory—something too cruel to face.

“I feel like things are awkward between us too,” Jiang Zhixing suddenly said when she noticed the silence.

Sitting next to her, Ruan Lihua glanced at her but said nothing.

It had been over two weeks since they parted at the Yuechen Mansion dinner party.

In those two weeks, Shen Mengke had gone through a lot, and Jiang Zhixing clearly hadn’t had it easy either.

No one had expected Jiang Zhixing and Ruan Lihua to run into each other at that banquet. Neither of them stayed till the end—Jiang Zhixing forcibly dragged Ruan Lihua away.

That might have been the most outrageous thing Jiang Zhixing had ever done to Ruan Lihua.

But when it came time to back down, she did. After dragging her out and taking her to a hotel, she booked two rooms.

In the end, they had dinner together at the hotel, and afterward, each returned to their own room.

Jiang Zhixing still cringed thinking about how they stared at each other that night in the hotel, both saying “long time no see” like it wasn’t painfully awkward.

Afraid Ruan Lihua would ghost her again, Jiang Zhixing sat outside her door all night. So the next morning, Ruan Lihua opened her door to find a panda-eyed Jiang Zhixing staring at her.

Ruan Lihua asked helplessly, “What exactly do you want?”

Jiang Zhixing replied: she wanted to reform the band.

And the most ridiculous part? Ruan Lihua agreed.

Shen Mengke laughed when she heard this. She was sure Jiang Zhixing had every intention of turning that night into something more—but when faced with her former goddess, she chickened out.

So now their relationship remained stuck at the awkward “bandmates” level.

“We’re still missing someone for the band. Why don’t you quit acting? All you deal with are annoying things anyway. You’re even trending right now,” Jiang Zhixing said while picking food for Ruan Lihua.

Shen Mengke let out a bitter laugh. She didn’t even know why she was trending again. With no one picking food for her, she served herself.

Pouring herself some tea, she looked at the two sitting across from her. “Missing a drummer?”

Jiang Zhixing paused mid-motion and gave a guilty cough. “No… we’re missing a bassist.”

Shen Mengke shrugged with a smile. “I don’t play bass. You know that.”

She sighed and downed her tea.

Tonight’s meetup had originally been about drinking with Jiang Zhixing. But Jiang brought Ruan Lihua along—who, unfortunately, was allergic to alcohol.

Since none of them had eaten, their destination changed from a bar to a restaurant.

Ruan Lihua was still the same—calm, reserved, uninterested in most things.

And Jiang Zhixing? Still the same ridiculous kiss-up.

If not for being friends with Ruan Lihua too, Shen Mengke might have urged Jiang Zhixing to give up already.

Then Ruan Lihua suddenly looked up. “You don’t want to keep doing that reality show, do you?”

Shen Mengke’s eyes lit up. She looked at Ruan Lihua.

“I think you’re avoiding things. Lately, you don’t seem to want to see people—especially anyone in showbiz, right?”

Shen Mengke winced. “Wow, didn’t expect you to see through that. What did you study abroad again?”

“Psychology.” Ruan Lihua said as she pulled a business card from her bag and slid it over. “I think you’re not in a good place mentally. If you need help, come see me.”

She pointed at the address on the card, then quickly pulled her hand back.

Shen Mengke glanced at the card. It was a local hospital nearby.

She could hear Jiang Zhixing muttering something about psychology being pseudoscience—mysticism.

Ruan Lihua just smiled faintly and didn’t argue.

Shen Mengke laughed lightly. “You might be spot on, but I don’t believe in that stuff.”

Ruan Lihua looked up, wanted to speak, then sighed. “It’s really not mysticism. It’s science…”

“Anyway, are you still filming that show?” Ruan Lihua asked.

“Mm-hmm. Of course. I can’t afford the penalty for breaching contract.”

“Where’s the next location?”

“Yuncheng.”

Hearing that name, both Jiang Zhixing and Ruan Lihua froze.

They had attended high school in Yuncheng—it was also Shen Mengke’s hometown.

“I’ll come with you,” Ruan Lihua said.

Shen Mengke: “Huh?”

Jiang Zhixing: “No way.”

Ruan Lihua: “…”

“I can’t say for sure what’s wrong with you without a proper assessment. Whether as your friend or a doctor, I’m honestly worried. If you listened to me, I’d suggest taking a break. Go travel or just rest at home—just stop working for now.”

“But since you won’t, and I’m too worried to let it go, I’ll go with you.”

Shen Mengke was annoyed and just about to object when Ruan Lihua added quickly, “Don’t rush to argue. I know you don’t believe me. I’m not saying you’re sick. I just want to visit Mr. Liu anyway—our old teacher. Let’s treat it as a vacation.”

Mr. Liu—he was their high school Chinese teacher. Ruan Lihua had been quite rebellious in high school. She came to Yuncheng secretly, against her parents’ wishes.

Her parents cut her off financially to force her home, but she was so stubborn she worked multiple jobs to get by.

Later, Mr. Liu found out and took her in, making her focus on school. She even lived at his house for a long while. Without him, she wouldn’t be where she is today.

Ruan Lihua’s speech left Shen Mengke without a good reason to say no.

And Jiang Zhixing? She couldn’t say no either.

“What about me?” Jiang Zhixing asked.

Ruan Lihua looked at her and suddenly smiled. “You’re coming too. Mr. Liu was your teacher too.”

Jiang Zhixing lit up. Shen Mengke, however, remained annoyed.

She had asked Jiang Zhixing out to relieve her stress—now she was being told she might be mentally ill.

In the end, she ordered two bottles of wine. Jiang Zhixing couldn’t bear to let her drink alone and joined for two glasses.

But Jiang Zhixing was a terrible drinker—after her third glass, she was drunk.

Usually calm and composed, once drunk, she threw herself at people.

Shen Mengke dodged her drunken attacks with a laugh—then watched as Jiang Zhixing toppled onto Ruan Lihua.

Watching from the side, Shen Mengke clicked her tongue twice, suspecting this was intentional.

Ruan Lihua had a cleanliness obsession. Just tolerating their drinking was already generous. Now this drunk woman was trying to climb on her.

Though she complained and tried to push her off, Ruan Lihua still stood up to support Jiang Zhixing.

“We’ll probably head to Yuncheng tomorrow or the day after—likely before you,” Ruan Lihua said.

Shen Mengke, sitting by the window, nodded.

Behind her, the window was wide open. The moonlight outside was bright and beautiful.

Ruan Lihua looked at her with concern. “Who’s picking you up?”

Shen Mengke blinked. “What?”

“You drank—who’s picking you up?”

Shen Mengke lowered her eyes and shook her head. “I’ll call a cab.”

“That’s not safe,” Ruan Lihua said as she laid Jiang Zhixing in a chair and walked over. “Give me your phone.”

“What for?”

“Just give it to me.”

Shen Mengke sighed and handed her the phone.

Ruan Lihua used her fingerprint to unlock it and started flipping through her contacts. “Want me to call your agent to come pick you up?”

“No.”

“Then…”

But there weren’t many people Shen Mengke could call. All the people she trusted were in this room.

“I’ll take you home,” Ruan Lihua offered.

Shen Mengke leaned back against the wall and glanced at the passed-out Jiang Zhixing. She chuckled and shook her head. “Forget it. I’m not done drinking.”

Ruan Lihua took a deep breath and was about to speak when Shen Mengke suddenly took back her phone and called someone in front of her.

“It’s me. I’m at Qinwan Hotel. I’ve been drinking—come pick me up.”

Short and direct. She didn’t give the person on the other end any chance to respond.

After hanging up, she looked at Ruan Lihua and smiled. “There. Someone’s coming to pick me up.”

Ruan Lihua: “I’ll wait with you.”

Shen Mengke shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

She propped one leg on the windowsill and looked out.

The trees swayed gently, but the breeze was still warm.

She caught a glimpse of the empty wine bottle beside her. Turning to Ruan Lihua, she said, “Would you mind handing me that bottle?”

Ruan Lihua looked at her, then at the unopened bottle on the table, and shook her head. “You shouldn’t drink anymore—it’s bad for you.”

Shen Mengke pouted, her eyes shimmering with tears, looking utterly pitiful.

Her eyes, nose, even cheeks were red. She leaned against the windowsill like she had no bones—soft and fragile.

To be honest, Shen Mengke’s beauty was almost overpowering. Looking at her like that, Ruan Lihua couldn’t bear to say no.

She sighed, stood up, opened the wine for her, and handed it over. “Just don’t drink too much.”

Shen Mengke smiled—and then took a huge gulp right in front of her.

The red wine spilled down the corner of her mouth, slid along her cheek, and soaked into her clothes.

That was the scene Chen Yanxing saw when she walked in: moonlight bathing Shen Mengke’s figure, wind gently teasing her hair, red wine almost blending with her body. Her eyes looked over with both defiance and helplessness—utterly seductive.