No One Else Will Do But You - Chapter 27

“The snow fell so deep, it fell so seriously, reflecting the scars of me lying in the snow…”

Joker Xue’s (Xue Zhiqian’s) song, Serious Snow (认真的雪), had become mildly popular. Although it couldn’t compare to the fame of Jay Chou or Jolin Tsai, this style of music still garnered quite a following.

Shu Luo was currently obsessed with this song. While everyone else found it unremarkable and didn’t pay much attention to the singer Xue Zhiqian—after all, he was still a minor celebrity—his spotlight was naturally overshadowed by the pop king, Jay Chou.

Not everyone owned a mobile phone, but by this time, most students had an MP3 player. Many classmates would immediately start listening to music, downloaded with the latest songs, as soon as classes let out.

Shu Luo held the iPod Nano 4 his father had brought back from the States, keeping it well-protected in a pocket inside his down jacket. It was loaded with his favorite songs and music videos (MVs)—a usage that would surely earn him a beating if his father ever saw it. The original purpose of buying it for him was just so he could listen to English vocabulary and textbook lessons.

It was already December. The air in City S was very cold now; it was a damp, chilling cold. The vast majority of schools here did not have central heating, so the indoors were also freezing.

Even the prettiest school uniform was useless; everyone had long since put on their down jackets. Girls who were particularly sensitive to cold had also switched to snow boots and wore scarves.

Shu Luo disliked wearing scarves and thought snow boots and gloves made him look sissy, so he never wore any of them. Consequently, his nose and ears were always red from the cold, and his hands were the same. So, whenever he got cold, he would shove his hands into Jiang Mu’s pocket. Jiang Mu was always especially warm and toasty.

“I told you to wear gloves, but you wouldn’t. Do you really have to do this?” Jiang Mu slipped his hand in too and held Shu Luo’s cold, stiff hands.

“Hehe, isn’t that why I have you? I truly don’t like dealing with those things; they feel too ladylike. That’s just not my style.”

Jiang Mu let him be, then took out his vocabulary notebook and started reciting words.

Shu Luo curiously leaned over and asked: “Do you still need to memorize these words? Didn’t you speak English when you were little?”

“I spoke French. English was just the official language; I learned to speak it, but it can’t compare to my mother tongue.”

“But your Chinese is very fluent. You even score so well in Language Arts.”

Jiang Mu slightly raised an eyebrow. He remembered telling him the reason many times. Had he never taken it to heart?

Seeing the raised eyebrow, Shu Luo knew he was in trouble: “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong again?”

Fine, I’ll ignore him.

Jiang Mu was just like that—he would never say what was wrong first. He enjoyed making people guess, getting them anxious; he was truly smoldering!

Shu Luo simply gave up trying to figure out what he had done and picked up his headphones to listen to music.

The Mid-Term Rift

The year 2009 was nearing its end, and 2010 was fast approaching.

It was like a familiar period of transition, where they were entering a phase of not being quite so close.

One person manages the other; one person cares for and protects the other. Yet, there is always one who seems unappreciative, acting like a rebellious child who doesn’t understand their parents’ care.

Perhaps he had simply reached that age—a full-blown case of adolescent rebellion (Chūnibyō).

Shu Luo, a fourteen-year-old boy, was thriving among classmates older than him, “acting spoiled and arrogant.” He wasn’t just enjoying Jiang Mu’s attention but also the concern of many girls who liked him.

As the class leader, he naturally received a lot of attention. Girls these days liked handsome boys, and the Taiwanese boy band Lollipop F had captivated many of them.

In those years, the “Wash, Cut, Blow” hairstyle was sweeping across Asia, with boys sporting various bangs that covered their eyes.

However, a “fresh, simple style” was trending in Shu Luo’s class.

Shu Luo had shaved his head, while Jiang Mu still maintained a European gentleman’s haircut—strict but elegant.

As a result, everyone chose to adore this cute, young boy, abandoning the likes of Prince or Owodog from Lollipop F.

Jiang Mu had always presented himself with an uncharacteristic maturity, and he seemed to… enjoy managing every single aspect of Shu Luo’s life.

Now that Shu Luo had cut his hair, it felt uncomfortable to touch.

“Luo Luo, why did you suddenly cut your hair?”

Seeing that Jiang Mu seemed somewhat displeased, Shu Luo’s minor rebellious streak came online.

“I cut it because I wanted to.”

Lately, Shu Luo’s attitude when answering his questions had been poor. What was going on?

Watching the hand Jiang Mu was preparing to place on his head pause, Shu Luo instantly regretted speaking so rashly.

“Uh… Brother, I didn’t mean it, it’s just… I felt…” He stammered for a long time without making any sense.

Jiang Mu lowered his hand, his face looking displeased: “I think we need to talk. What’s been wrong with you lately?”

Yes, what is wrong with me lately? Jiang Mu was the person he admired most, so why was he treating him badly?

He had recently heard people discussing that Shu Luo was a child who would never grow up, and Jiang Mu was his nanny, constantly following him around, worrying about him, and helping him with everything he needed.

Could this be the reason?

He had initially just listened, but he had apparently taken it to heart.

Was this why he was treating Jiang Mu this way?

If he did this, Jiang Mu would be sad.

Shu Luo slumped on his desk in distress. He couldn’t bring himself to look into those bewitching eyes, or everything would be exposed. He wanted to… keep a little secret.

“Well, nothing to say?”

Jiang Mu’s voice sounded right next to his ear; he seemed to have leaned closer, making his ear tingle.

“No, no! What could possibly be wrong?”

He was terrible at keeping secrets, so he couldn’t lift his head.

Jiang Mu’s eyes darkened. Sure enough, this guy is hiding something from me, so he dares not look me in the eye?

“Class Leader, Class Leader, the Chinese teacher asked me to carry workbooks. Can you help me move them?”

A delicate voice came from above his head.

Shu Luo looked up as if he had been saved. It was the Chinese class representative, Li Xing.

“Sure, let’s go.” Shu Luo immediately stood up and followed Li Xing to the office.

The heat on his back felt like pinpricks.

Jiang Mu was probably angry. He had started to disobey him.

Why do I always have to listen to him? Is it just a habit now? Is it because he never breaks his promises to me, or because his capabilities impress me? Do I really have to keep doing this?

Ugh!

So annoying! I won’t think about it for now. Those girls are just ridiculous; they love spreading rumors!

“Class Leader, why do you look a little annoyed? Is something wrong?”

Shu Luo saw Li Xing looking at him with concern. For a moment, he didn’t know how to explain, and he suddenly wanted someone to talk to. Talking to the boys would probably just make things worse.

“Li Xing, do you have time to chat with me?”

So, after the next physical education class was dismissed, the two walked to a secluded small stone bench near the track and sat down.

Shu Luo, looking troubled, explained the whole situation.

To his surprise, Li Xing started to laugh, very shyly but clearly amused by Shu Luo’s words.

“Wh-What’s wrong? Why are you laughing?” Shu Luo looked at her, confused.

“Class Leader, how can you distance yourself from someone who genuinely cares about and protects you just because of something some girls said? That’s not a sign of growing up; it’s a sign of adolescent rebellion. Although you’re younger than us, we are still in the same grade, and we’re exposed to many of the same things, people, and events. So you should have the ability to judge whether what they’re saying is right or wrong.”

Shu Luo frowned: “But, I don’t want to keep listening to him. I feel like…”

Li Xing grabbed his hand, looking at him seriously: “Shu Luo, is he forcing you to listen to him? Some people are born with the ability to command respect and obedience. That’s Jiang Mu’s charm. You listen to him because you’re drawn to him and you trust him. That’s not being subservient; that’s trusting him from the bottom of your heart. Are you trying to deny your own choice now?”

Everything Li Xing said made perfect sense. Shu Luo was amazed that a girl could speak so logically and even make him believe her.

“He’s not forcing me… I just feel…”

“You feel like you’ve lost your masculine dignity? Are you bringing up male chauvinism again? When you have a genuine friend who treats you well, who is willing to be kind to you, and who is wholeheartedly good to you, why do you need so much face? You’ll know if it’s genuine, so do you think those chaotic, meaningless things matter?” Li Xing interrupted what he was about to say, yet articulated what he was thinking. She seemed to shed her shy image, becoming articulate and perceptive.

Shu Luo remained silent, staring at her in a daze. He was stunned, and at the same time, this speech had truly touched his heart.

What was I thinking? I started trying to distance myself from Jiang Mu for no reason. He remembered he did the same thing in the second year of junior high, and it was Su Jingfeng who had set him straight. Yes, why am I struggling again?

Li Xing saw him processing her words and started to feel a little embarrassed again.

“Class Leader, if what I said is wrong, please don’t mind it. I just think Jiang Mu treats you really well, and there’s truly no need to care about what others say. Besides, Jiang Mu is your older brother, isn’t he? It’s perfectly normal for an older brother to be good to his younger brother.”

An older brother being good to his younger brother—that’s normal.

“Hmm? You’re absolutely right. Even an outsider can see clearly, but I’m trapped in the situation and digging myself into a hole. I guess I’m still too young.” He leaned back on the bench, almost in self-mockery.

Li Xing shook her head: “No, that’s not it. Class Leader, you’re starting to have your own ideas, aren’t you? Compared to people your age, you’re thinking more deeply, and you’re the class leader. It’s like an accelerated process of growing up; you’re just experiencing these things a few steps faster than normal people. But as for you and Jiang Mu, I don’t think anything needs to be said. Your bond is visible to everyone.”

Sigh, why do I keep thinking about these useless problems all day? I feel embarrassed, like I’ve been made a fool of.

“Am I really suffering from adolescent rebellion? Thinking about this and that all the time.” Shu Luo rubbed his hair. It was prickly and felt a little uncomfortable, making him feel unaccustomed.

Li Xing looked at his hair: “Why did you cut your hair?”

“Um… well, I didn’t want Jiang Mu to keep treating me like a kid and ruffling my hair. He really loves doing that.”

“Hehe, how much Jiang Mu must like you! Your relationship is so good. Cutting your hair was just to upset him, wasn’t it? Jiang Mu is a very mature boy. A lot of girls in our class, and even in other grades, like him because he has a unique charisma. Not only is he handsome, but he’s also steady and courteous. Aren’t you happy to have a friend like that?”

“I am happy.”

The speed of this instinctive answer was very fast.

Li Xing smiled at him: “See? You still won’t admit it, you little kid.”

Shu Luo gave her an annoyed look: “Where did all your shyness go?”

“Depends on who I’m talking to.”

Frustration on the Court

A tall figure in the distance seemed saddened, turning and walking away.

Jiang Mu swept his hair back from his forehead. His entire face projected a cold, detached feeling, and the displeasure in his eyes chilled his entire aura.

Soon, the basketball game on the court started to heat up.

The battle was fierce.

The score was completely one-sided. The game between Jiang Mu, Wang Kai, and three others against Class 5 was meant to be a casual game to pass the Physical Education class, but it surprisingly drew countless spectators.

They were mainly there to look at the handsome boys.

Those who understood the game could see that Jiang Mu was playing with an overwhelming intensity, showing no mercy.

A beautiful slam dunk elicited countless screams, but the scorer showed no joy; he was simply venting his frustration.

Wang Kai seemed to notice his unusual mood: “Jiang Mu, what’s wrong? You seem completely out of sync.”

Jiang Mu wiped the sweat from his face, panting: “I’m fine. Keep playing.”

Wang Kai grabbed his arm: “This has become your personal battlefield. You’re not cooperating with us at all. Do you remember you’re the power forward?”

“Fine, I’m done.” Jiang Mu turned and left the court, ignoring Wang Kai’s shouts behind him.

Wang Kai could only apologize to the others and substituted in a replacement to continue the game.

Leaving the court, Jiang Mu ran into Shu Luo and Li Xing returning. He glanced at Shu Luo indifferently and walked past him.

Shu Luo quickly grabbed his arm, feeling the sweat on him: “Brother, let’s talk.”

Jiang Mu turned his face to look at him: “What’s wrong? You didn’t want to talk just now. Don’t force yourself.”

That tone made Shu Luo feel genuinely uncomfortable. It looked like this was all his fault.

“We’ll talk, of course, we’ll talk! We’ll go now. Li Xing, we’re leaving first.”

Shu Luo pulled Jiang Mu and rushed towards the teaching building.