No One Else Will Do But You - Chapter 32

The result was excellent. Class Five won the award for Best Creativity and took first place in the program, receiving a banner.

Shu Luo smiled proudly. “Hmph, as expected, a top-tier class is extraordinary! We took it down easily, without breaking a sweat.”

“This result is really good. In previous years, the students in the top-tier classes I taught weren’t this good; they were completely insensitive to this kind of thing and even rejected it. It seems you all know how to balance work and leisure.” The class teacher nodded in satisfaction. “When you return after the break, I will give you a surprise.”

Shu Luo’s parents arrived backstage. At this point, Shu Luo hadn’t changed clothes or removed his makeup.

“Luo, Luo Luo.”

Shu Luo turned his head sharply. When he saw his parents, he could only raise his hand and wave with an awkward smile.

“Haha, hi, Dad and Mom, you’re here.”

Shu Mama’s eyes held an indefinable glow. She excitedly walked up to Shu Luo, leaned forward, kissed him on the cheek, and then hugged him.

“Oh my, Mommy has always wanted a little padded jacket (a term for a warm daughter). Luo Luo, you’ve fulfilled Mommy’s wish, just a little bit.”

“Mommy, am I not warm-hearted enough? Ah, it seems you’re starting to dislike me.” Shu Luo feigned sadness, his eyes welling up with tears, as he looked at Shu Mama.

Shu Mama playfully patted his cheek. “Mommy was just talking.”

Shu Dad was also surprised by Shu Luo’s cross-dressing but thought it was nothing since it was just a performance. However, that kiss scene just now… did they actually kiss? The audience seats were a bit far, so he hadn’t seen clearly, but the gasps of surprise had been very loud…

Jiang Mu watched Shu Dad, who seemed to be lost in thought. Was he thinking about the performance just now?

After the awards ceremony, everyone dispersed. This also marked the start of the New Year’s Day holiday, welcoming the year 2010.

“A’Mu, spend New Year’s Day with us this year. Your mother had to return to France for something. She originally planned to come, but something came up unexpectedly, but she left instructions with us.”

Hearing Shu Mama speak, Jiang Mu just nodded, but his heart was a little puzzled. Return to France? Was it urgent?

“Brother, let’s sleep in the same room tonight.” Shu Luo leaned towards Jiang Mu with an ulterior motive, his eyes shining.

“Okay.”

After having dinner at home, Shu Luo pulled Jiang Mu back to his room to play on the computer.

“Brother, play ‘King of Fighters’ with me for a bit. I want to beat Kyo.”

An hour later, the screen had shown countless crushing victories, the red word “KO” making Shu Luo’s eyes burn with jealousy.

Shu Luo lay sprawled across the bed in a huff. Too hateful. He hadn’t won a single time. The odds were too low. Not fun, not fun. Once he played any fun game with Jiang Mu, he lost all interest in it. Hmph! King of Fighters is out.

“What’s wrong? Unhappy?”

Jiang Mu turned his chair from the computer to face Shu Luo. He smiled faintly at him, the indulgence in his eyes melting and reserved entirely for one person.

“You didn’t let me win, not even once, Brother! You’re so disloyal.” Shu Luo didn’t even look at him, staring straight at the ceiling as he spoke.

Looking at that smooth chin, Jiang Mu really wanted to touch it. The texture must be very nice.

When he realized Jiang Mu wasn’t responding, he sat up in dissatisfaction, but suddenly met Jiang Mu’s eyes and froze.

It seemed a little different from usual… an indescribable feeling.

It was somewhat scorching, as if looking through him, wanting to see more clearly, extremely focused.

It made him feel a little self-conscious, and his ears started to feel warm.

Jiang Mu smiled, watching his ears turn red, and he even awkwardly touched them.

“What’s wrong?”

Shu Luo glared at him. “Why are you looking at me? Get back to what you were doing.” And he even asked what was wrong. How odd.

“Haha.”

That low, deep laugh was so bizarre it gave him goosebumps.

“Jiang Mu! What are you playing at? Are you asking for a spanking!”

This sentence, however, caused Jiang Mu to frown.

“Hmm? You called my name?” Jiang Mu stood up from the chair, sat on the edge of the bed, and leaned close to Shu Luo.

Shu Luo leaned backward, swallowing hard. “Wh-why are you so close? What’s wrong with calling your name?”

“Disobedient, disobedient.” Jiang Mu’s hand cupped his chin, forcing him to look into his eyes. “I am your Brother.”

Oh my… so scary.

That look, it was incredibly domineering.

“I, I know. Just now, well, who told you to scare me?” He almost couldn’t string his words together.

“I won’t scare you. I cherish you too much to do that.” After saying this, he lay down on the other side of the bed.

His tone returned to normal. His appearance just now was truly hard to look at, carrying a hint of wickedness, like a demon. Hmph! He is a demon anyway.

“All you do is trick me. Do you think I’m a fool!” Shu Luo simply turned over and lay with his back to him.

“If only you were a fool…” Then he would never leave him, never. He would raise him like a child, loving and indulging him.

“I am not!”

Hearing the slightly displeased voice, but seeing that the person didn’t turn around, Jiang Mu’s hand rested on his waist.

“Luo Luo, don’t be mad at me.”

That voice had such a seductive power, always making people fall into his trap again and again.

Shu Luo turned around, looked at Jiang Mu, and then said seriously, “Brother, I think you’ve been a little weird lately, just a little.”

Looking at this seemingly serious but incredibly cute expression, it was truly…

“Weird?” Oh, did he notice something?

“You keep looking at me, and it feels… ugh, a strange kind of awkwardness.”

“You’re handsome, so I look.”

“Stop it, don’t set a trap for me. Don’t try to sugarcoat it.”

“Hmm, then maybe you’re ugly, so I’m curious and want to look twice.”

“How is that possible?! Me, me, me, ugly? Ah, you go and find anyone else who is as handsome as I am.”

He flailed his arms and legs and crawled onto Jiang Mu, planning a weight offensive.

But looking at the person beneath him who was smiling brightly, he paused again. He had never seen Jiang Mu smile so happily. His slightly cold features softened, and his eyes reflected only his own face.

Forget it, who cares.

“Hey Brother, what university are you thinking of going to?”

After playing enough, he intended to have a serious chat.

“A doctor, I really want to be a doctor.”

“I thought you wanted to be a big boss! Aren’t you playing the stock market right now?”

The soft orange light of the bedside lamp shone gently on the bed, creating a warm atmosphere.

The two teenagers chatted face-to-face, adding an unusual feeling to the moment.

“People always have ideals, but they also have inevitabilities. When reality forces you to yield, and you don’t yet have the power to resist, you can only choose the most suitable path, become stronger, and then pursue what you want.”

Shu Luo patted Jiang Mu’s face and smiled. “Aiya, I admire you again, but only a little bit.”

“Every time you say ‘a little bit.’ Drops of water can penetrate stone. What about you? Is your heart full of admiration for me?”

This boy, who had always been more mature than him, always spoke more maturely than he did. He seemed to always use his endless tolerance to indulge his willfulness. But why was that?

“Brother, why are you so good to me?” He recalled that their first meeting hadn’t been very pleasant.

Yes, why? Because this person accidentally broke into his heart, quietly locked the door, lost the key, and now he didn’t want to let him out. But how should he speak about it? This kind of feeling…

“No reason. Because you’re pleasing to the eye.” This excuse wouldn’t last long.

Shu Luo didn’t seem to hear the answer he wanted and pouted. “You are quite the humanitarian.”

“Luo Luo, all my humanitarian love is for you.”

“Hey, Big Brother, that’s not how you use ‘humanitarian.’ Your Chinese language skills…”

“There are countless vibrant versions of you, and I like every single one of them.”

“Brother, your mouth is too sweet. Your future girlfriend must be very happy.”

“Hmm, she will definitely be very happy. And, Happy Birthday, Luo Luo.”

Shu Luo held out his hand to him. “Where’s the gift?”

Jiang Mu took a key out of his pocket and placed it in his hand.

“What is this?” Shu Luo asked curiously.

“You hold onto it first. I’ll tell you later.”

Shu Luo looked at him with suspicion. “This isn’t fake, is it? Just to fool me?”

“The timing isn’t right yet. When the time is right, I’ll tell you.”

Shu Luo examined the key, then glanced at him. So weird…

“Luo Luo, A’Mu, come down and eat cake.”

The cake had fourteen candles and a cartoon portrait of Shu Luo.

“Make a wish, make a wish,” Shu Mama said.

“Mommy, I’m not a little girl. There’s no need to make a wish. It won’t come true.” Shu Luo waved his hand, finding the idea of making a wish unmanly.

Shu Mama’s face hardened. “What’s unmanly about it? Hurry up and make a wish! Who says it won’t come true? What if it does!”

Shu Dad laughed and patted Shu Luo’s shoulder. “Listen to your mother. You won’t lose any weight. It’s just a wish.”

Jiang Mu smiled without saying anything.

Shu Luo closed his eyes, and after a moment, opened them and blew out the candles. He looked up, his eyes meeting Jiang Mu’s. They exchanged smiles.

A majestic castle. The dark night enveloped this silent city. Every pointed spire of the tower stood like a guardian, faithfully protecting this place.

The fountain in the courtyard still gracefully sprayed water, so quiet that only the sound of water could be heard.

The footsteps of the servants were almost inaudible. Everyone moved with extreme elegance, like professional models, their expressions uniform.

The reflection on the marble floor shimmered.

On the spiral staircase, a handsome man in a casual suit elegantly held a wine glass. His azure eyes were like the clean sky, filled with an unfathomable smile.

“Cassou, I think I’ve said many times that power is not everything. The problem between us involves too much, mostly lifestyle habits. The passionate romance of the French and the reserved subtlety of the Chinese are inherently contrasting.”

The woman standing beside him was Jiang Mama, who had traveled from afar.

“Qin, you still don’t understand me.”

This man’s voice had always been captivating, belonging to a mature man with a rich, magnetic quality, making the sound of “Qin” exceptionally pleasant, even in Chinese.

Jiang Mama gave him a cold smile. “Cassou, stop arranging people in China. The child won’t come back. I won’t let him return to this cold-blooded place. I don’t want to see the child suffer any hardship. Since arriving in China, Nelson has always been happy. That is the sight I look forward to. As a mother, that is my wish. I have no interest in any titles belonging to your family.”

The smile on Cassou’s lips had never changed. He was a perfect dissembler himself.

“It seems you haven’t cherished our wonderful memories at all, Qin. You truly are cold-blooded. Every sentence continuously denies our past, our marriage, the time when we were happy.”

Jiang Mama shook her head. “I’m not denying it. You were the one who personally strangled our happiness. No, I shouldn’t have expected you to focus your attention on me for long, otherwise, I wouldn’t have seen that woman lying in our bed. Yes, I shouldn’t have expected it.”

“Qin, your words always hurt me. French women are not like this.”

Jiang Mama looked at him with amusement and a trace of mockery. “Of course, they all shower you with sweet words. But I am not a French woman. In my bones, I lack that passion, and I have no expectations for a man who is unfaithful to his marriage and cold to his child. No matter how open-minded this place is, it won’t make me completely forget my true nature.”

Cassou stopped smiling. The hand holding the stemmed glass tightened, and the coldness in his eyes deepened.

This woman was indeed heartless. Because of his natural disposition, he lived a life of constant revelry, surrounded by countless women. A man’s impulse is fiery. He had always been susceptible to passionate and sultry women. But Jiang Qin was an intellectually composed woman who frustrated him.

They met in college. Without revealing his identity, they had a free relationship.

He liked her intellect and cleverness, her straightforwardness and directness, and the cute side of her. So he used all his charm, using his mouth that was skilled at sweet-talking, to win her affection.

He had countless women around him, but none had ever lasted longer than three months. This woman was an exception; she stayed by his side for three years. She was truly special.

She never worried about why he didn’t come home at night, never checked who sent the letters he received, never asked where he went to parties or who he was with, and never questioned whose lipstick stain was accidentally left on his white shirt. Because she had said one thing:

Unconditionally trust you, unconditionally stand behind you.

But the premise of that statement was that nothing should ever happen in front of her.

Jiang Qin was a perfect wife, very caring, but not passionate, because she was too intellectual, too smart.

She always saw through his thoughts, leaving him completely exposed in front of her. Although he should be the master of disguise, the perfect dissembler, she always saw through him.

Absolutely loyal and devoted to the marriage, Jiang Qin would not tolerate any flaw in the relationship.

But Cassou was a noble. This ancient title brought him habits different from ordinary people: a luxurious and frivolous lifestyle that made him frequent various venues and parties, familiar with playing with women, without any restraint. Sometimes, it was even on the bed in the master bedroom, directly across from their wedding photo.

However, he had never considered divorce.

When Jiang Qin proposed divorce, she was blocked by the family, as it was a matter of reputation.

She couldn’t bear that humiliation, couldn’t forget that the man she deeply loved once had another woman lying in his arms. When she walked in, his eyes were still nonchalant. He brazenly walked up to her, kissed her forehead intimately, and gently said: I’m glad you’re back.

Such words sounded jarring.

She couldn’t bear it anymore.

Cassou had never spent time with Jiang Mu. Yet, Jiang Mu had been learning things inappropriate for his age since he was very young, as well as the so-called aristocratic etiquette.

And she was no longer allowed to go out to work.

This was not the life she wanted. When they were together, she had no idea this man was a Count, a noble. Heh, an ancient noble family that still existed in France.

But she understood this man. He was fundamentally empty inside. He wanted to fill his hollow heart with various things. So, she had to do something to break free from this marriage, to provoke him into letting go. Moreover, she didn’t want their child to become like him, living alone in this terrifyingly large estate, lonely and isolated.

Jiang Mu was the heir, the only heir, and the only one the family recognized. His responsibility was unavoidable. But it wouldn’t be now. The child was not yet an adult. He needed a comfortable environment. She didn’t want him to enter this circle—a circle full of schemes and intertwined power—so quickly.

This required consulting the child’s opinion.

Looking at the thoughtful woman, Cassou himself couldn’t believe how gentle his eyes were.

Gentleness should not appear on a strong family heir; it was called terrifying benevolence and tolerance.

But he had to admit that this woman was an excellent wife. The elders in the family also admired and liked her very much, even though she was Chinese.

With the marriage broken, he had lost an excellent wife, and the shadow of their child was gone from this empty estate.

Nelson loved to ride horses. The estate had a very wide grassland, and the stable housed the finest horses. He loved shooting, he loved playing with machinery… Whatever he liked, his father would satisfy all his hobbies.

What a pity… if it weren’t for that woman… things might not have come to this.

“Qin, Nelson must return when he turns eighteen. That is my lowest demand.”

Jiang Mama said coldly, “Let the child choose for himself. You cannot force him. Otherwise, you can go and have another one yourself.”

Her attitude was so firm that he couldn’t continue the discussion.

“The Rochechouart family does not recognize heirs of impure blood, Qin. Stop being willful.”

“That’s not my problem, it’s yours, understand? Cassou, your behavior has violated the marriage vows. From a legal standpoint, the child will also be awarded to me, as long as the Rochechouart family doesn’t interfere.”

The two of them truly couldn’t talk anymore. They had been divorced for over three years, and they had talked no less than ten times, each time ending unresolved like this.

Cassou was silent for a while, then suddenly said, “I actually haven’t told them about our divorce.”

“What?!” Jiang Mama’s eyes widened in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Our divorce, let’s just treat it as an agreement between us. The family doesn’t know. I asked the lawyer to keep it confidential.”

Jiang Mama finally understood why Cassou was so concerned about Jiang Mu. “Then, these past three years…”

“I refused to attend family banquets for these three years.”

Jiang Mama frowned, because she knew the importance of family banquets. These were important gatherings among many nobles, especially since he was a Count.

“Old Count…” He must have been punished.

Cassou didn’t say it. The punishment he received over the past three years was unimaginable, because he had defied the Old Count. As a Count, he refused to attend banquets and tried to use his notorious reputation to block various jobs, creating the image of a prodigal son who rarely stayed home. The clear gun wound on his waist and the whip marks on his back clearly told him the even more severe consequences if he had announced the divorce. Not only would Qin be hurt, but Nelson would definitely be brought back, by any means necessary, even if it meant hurting the people closest to Nelson.

Jiang Mama looked at his silence. She had never seen this man so calm. This man should be the center of attention at all times, radiating his elegant and charming smile, every move noble and high-profile.

She suddenly felt a bit of compassion because of his compromise.

“I agree to let Nelson choose for himself, but the condition is that we keep the divorce a secret. That is my lowest demand.”

“So, you actually don’t want to bring Nelson back?”

“No, I want to, but you don’t agree, do you? I respect your choice. So, I also want to ask for your help, as a request between friends.”

Seeing the plea in the man’s eyes, she nodded.

“I can, but how will you keep the family hidden? This matter cannot be concealed for long.”

Cassou smiled and walked up to her, gently tucking her slightly messy hair behind her ear.

“So, that’s why I asked you to come. Bring the child back for the family banquet during the National Day holiday, and you too. This banquet will be held here at the estate.”

Seeing her hesitation, Cassou sighed inwardly.

Then he lifted his shirt.

The ugly whip scars suddenly came into her sight, and she widened her eyes in shock.

Such hideous marks were on this man’s body?! Could it be—

“The Old Count did this because I’ve refused to attend the gatherings for three years, and I tried to use my scandalous reputation to obstruct various work, creating a picture of a dissolute, wayward playboy who never stayed home. So, my dear, please help me.”

The slightly childish plea made her eyes soften, reminding her of the past.

She agreed.