No One Else Will Do But You - Chapter 63

“Are you feeling better?” He Zeming asked.

Shu Luo nodded. “Of course.”

He Zeming seemed to hesitate, his words lingering on the tip of his tongue, which made Shu Luo feel a bit uneasy.

“Actually… this is the first time I’ve ever felt this way about a guy,” He Zeming began. “It’s a very special feeling. I always thought I was straight.”

Shu Luo felt a wave of awkwardness wash over him. Why are we discussing such an explosive topic here?

“Shh! Don’t talk about this outside the classroom,” Shu Luo whispered urgently, pulling him away. “Class is still in session, and people will hear you.” He led him away quickly to avoid drawing any suspicious glances.

From a discreet distance, Norman—who appeared to be innocently admiring a flower bed—slowly tracked their movements with his eyes.

The Boss certainly has no shortage of rivals, Norman thought.

Fortunately, the professor was absent this period; otherwise, they would have definitely been marked for truancy. The two walked to the campus milk tea shop and ordered two drinks.

Shu Luo felt He Zeming’s gaze fixed on him the entire time, making him too embarrassed to even lift his head. This was nothing like being with Jiang Mu. It confirmed for Shu Luo that his feelings weren’t about gender—he liked Jiang Mu because he was Jiang Mu, not because he was a man.

“Ahem… Shu Luo, your skin is really nice.”

What kind of weird conversational pivot is this? Shu Luo took a silent sip of his tea. “Look, I already have—”

“I know,” He Zeming interrupted. “I know. But I still hold out a bit of hope. You really are special.”

Shu Luo truly hadn’t expected to be confessed to by another guy like this. “To be honest, this is only the third time we’ve met.”

“Actually, after our fight, I felt there was something different about you. I don’t know why I feel this way—I’m a straight guy, yet I’ve fallen for you. And that day, when I saw you collapsed on the ground… I felt a chill run through my body. It felt like my blood was flowing backward.”

Shu Luo grew curious. “How did you even happen to be there?”

He Zeming hesitated, unsure of how to explain. “The truth is… my uncle is a high-ranking member of the Azure Dragon Gang. Lin Kun had some dealings with him, so…”

Shu Luo frowned. “The Azure Dragon Gang? What is that?”

“The underworld. Organized crime.”

Oh…?!

Shu Luo stared at him in shock. The mob?! He instinctively wrapped his arms around his chest in a protective gesture.

He Zeming’s lip twitched. Is it really that terrifying? “But my uncle… he’s a good person.”

Can a mobster really be a ‘good person’? Shu Luo looked at him skeptically. “No wonder you’re so physically imposing. Are you planning to inherit the ‘family business’?” The idea of being liked by someone from that world was a headache waiting to happen.

“Don’t think of me as a bad guy,” He Zeming said. “I know it was wrong of me to hit people indiscriminately before, but I’m not just some brainless muscle-head. I truly like you.”

“Shh—!” Shu Luo checked their surroundings. Thankfully, the shop was mostly empty at this hour. “Don’t say it so loudly! What if someone hears?”

Suddenly, He Zeming reached out and grabbed Shu Luo’s hand. Shu Luo’s face froze in shock. What… what are you doing?!

Nearby, Norman calmly took a photo of the hand-holding and sent it straight to his Boss. He looked like a man who simply wanted to watch the world burn.

One can only imagine what color President Jiang’s face turned at that moment. Anyone who dares to touch what is mine will pay the price.

“Shu Luo, why don’t you give me a chance? Let’s try dating,” He Zeming said with total sincerity.

Shu Luo was dazed. “I-I-I told you already, I have a boyfriend! You can’t do this!”

He Zeming recalled the man from before. He thought of him as a “man” rather than a student, as Jiang Mu’s mature aura certainly didn’t match that of a typical sophomore. “Is that guy forcing you? He seemed very overbearing.”

Shu Luo laughed. “You’ve watched too many dramas. He’s my brother—not by blood—but our relationship is very deep.”

“Your brother? A ‘forbidden’ brotherly romance? That’s intense,” He Zeming replied, seemingly fascinated by this novel concept.

Shu Luo realized then that this guy was just playing around—he was curious and looking for a thrill.

“He Zeming, let me be clear with you. I am not ‘gay,’ and I am not a person of loose morals. I love Jiang Mu simply because he is Jiang Mu.”

“So his name is Jiang Mu. What does he do for a living?”

Hey! Did you hear a single word I just said?

Shu Luo irritably drained his milk tea in one gulp and prepared to leave. However, as he stood up, his wrist was caught.

“Shu Luo, it was love at first sight for me.”

“…” Look, man, this isn’t an idol drama.

He Zeming looked at him earnestly. “I will find a way to move your heart. I will never bow to ‘evil forces’!”

Evil forces? Does he mean Jiang Mu?

“Buddy, the ‘evil force’ here is you,” Shu Luo retorted, thinking of that Azure Dragon Gang.

He Zeming shook his head firmly. “I only just found out about them. I have nothing to do with their business.”

Is it really okay to disassociate yourself that quickly? Isn’t that man your uncle?

“No way. I need to stay far away from you to avoid any accidents.” Shu Luo wrenched his hand away.

He Zeming didn’t try to stop him further, but the look in his eyes was one of terrifying persistence.

Just then, Norman, acting as the “Guardian of the Flower,” walked past and “accidentally” bumped into He Zeming with significant force. Shu Luo stumbled back a few steps from the impact and looked at the man in confusion, but he didn’t dwell on it. His only thought was: Run! Run away from this weirdo!

The successful Norman adjusted his cool sunglasses. “My apologies, classmate. My joints have been acting up lately.”

“…” Where did this guy come from, ruining my moment? He Zeming huffed and stomped out of the shop, his angry departure bringing a look of triumph to Norman’s face.

“Boss, I have successfully defended Master Shu’s virtue!”

On the other end of the line, Jiang Mu was calmly pruning a small plant on his desk. “Good job.”

“Raise! Raise!” Norman chirped.

Jiang Mu let out a low chuckle that sent a shiver down Norman’s spine. “A raise? Certainly. On one condition: your vacation for this month is canceled.”

“Boss! Protecting Master Shu is my sacred duty; how could I possibly accept a raise? It wouldn’t be right. I’ll just stick to my regular schedule of work and rest. Thank you for your kindness, Boss!”

The speed at which he backtracked was legendary.

“Mm. Get back to work.” Jiang Mu hung up and continued to tend to his plant with an air of absolute calm.

Norman sighed. Schemes and plots… they really aren’t for me.

By the time Shu Luo got out of the shop, class had ended. He returned to his dormitory to grab his books for the next period.

Chen Cheng looked up and pointed to a package on the desk. “You have a delivery.”

A delivery? Shu Luo wondered. Who would send me something?

There was no name or return address on the label. Intrigued and slightly cautious, he slowly opened it. Inside was a small box containing a mobile USB drive.

He walked out to the balcony and plugged the drive into his phone. A folder popped up containing a single video file. He opened it, but after only a few seconds, he slammed it shut.

It was a video of his kidnapping.

The person in the video—was that really him? He looked so wretched, so broken. God only knows how he had survived that ordeal. Anyone who saw him in that state would have their imagination run wild.

He silently tucked the USB drive away and tried to gather his thoughts. He took a deep breath before stepping back inside, but his hands wouldn’t stop trembling.

What do they want with this video? What does it mean, sending it to me now?

Chen Cheng turned to ask what it was, but stopped when he saw Shu Luo’s face. “Shu Luo? What’s wrong? You look pale.”

“It’s nothing.” Shu Luo sat down and leaned back against his chair, closing his eyes.

The USB drive in his pocket felt as though it were glowing red-hot, searing his skin. He had a terrible premonition. Lately, it felt as though he were sinking into a dark quagmire—a mystery he couldn’t solve.

The person who did this… what are they really after?