No One Else Will Do But You - Chapter 75

A gentle breeze lifted the beige curtains beside the large floor-to-ceiling window, carving an elegant arc in the air. On an exquisite European-style tea table, the rich fragrance of black tea drifted upward with the rising steam.

Jiang Mu sat with an elegant posture, his bespoke high-fashion suit perfectly accentuating his elite temperament. His deep, calm eyes remained fixed on the elderly man sitting across from him.

The old man possessed the sharp features typical of Westerners, marked by the traces of time, yet his youthful handsomeness remained evident. He was dressed in a comfortable Tang suit, creating a unique fusion of Eastern and Western aesthetics.

When the old man spoke, his voice was a rich, mellow French. “Nelson, you always make your grandfather come looking for you.”

Jiang Mu set down his teacup and clasped his hands over his knees. “Grandfather, I believe you have always approved of my methods and would help me—just as you did when I was a child and didn’t enjoy horse riding.”

The old man smiled, the wrinkles on his face dancing playfully. “Currently, I am turning a deaf ear to the world.”

“Penniless but fearless,” Jiang Mu added naturally.

The glint of a smile never left the old man’s eyes. That phrase was something he had used to educate “Nelson” since he was a young boy.

The ancient glory of their family had long since become a misty memory; what remained to be inherited was responsibility, not just a title. There were no useless members in the Rochechouart family. Today, talented kinsmen excelled in various fields, using the aristocratic halo to their advantage while working harder than most.

“Nelson, I always hoped you would become a member of the political elite. It is a pity you took a path our family never intended to travel.” Though the old man spoke with a smile, his tone gradually grew cold.

Jiang Mu understood his grandfather’s style perfectly. The “smiling tiger” mask was never removed, and the man was an expert at creating crises only to step in and offer a “solution.”

“Regarding the losses in the overseas department… you were involved.”

It wasn’t a question, but a statement of fact. Two years ago, Jiang Mu might have simply thought the overseas department was incompetent. But as names linked together—including the mysterious interference of the Green Dragon Gang—the breadcrumbs had eventually led here. He only needed this moment to confirm it.

“You are more meticulous and patient than your father,” the old man observed. “You always manage to surprise me.”

The two men sat in perfect posture, eyes locked. Though it appeared to be a simple chat between grandfather and grandson, an invisible tension crackled between them.

This mountainside villa was a property Jiang Mu had purchased two years ago—or more accurately, even earlier. The key he had once given Shu Luo was the key to this very house. At the time, he couldn’t afford the property, so he had bought a high-quality lock first as a symbol of his intent.

Every design choice, material, and stylistic element was tailored to Shu Luo’s tastes. He wanted this to be their home—their exclusive world. From the window, one could see a forest park and a nearby lake filled with fish; if Shu Luo wanted to go fishing, it would only be a ten-minute walk.

He had even remembered a wish of Shu Luo’s that the boy had likely forgotten. He had commissioned a technician to design a robot that, while not truly sentient, was a perfect recreation of the “Gundam” models Shu Luo loved as a child. It sat here now, waiting for its other master.

“No,” Jiang Mu said firmly. “I am not a patient man. My patience is reserved only for those I care about.”

The old man’s expression darkened. “Nelson, I have given you many opportunities which you have failed to grasp. It seems you no longer respect your grandfather! For a man… is it worth giving up your honor and wealth in France?!”

Jiang Mu’s unruffled composure only further incensed the old man. Despite the Earl’s fury, Jiang Mu continued to sip his tea with poise—years in the business world had hardened him. However, out of respect for his kin, he refrained from any overt hostility. But family or not, he would not be pushed further.

“Grandfather, Shu Luo is my world. He is my wealth.”

The old man’s hand trembled on his cane. “Nelson, you must have an heir. The Rochechouart line must have a qualified successor.”

“Uncle Christon is also a qualified successor.”

At the mention of that name, the fury in the old man’s eyes intensified. He slammed his cane against the floor, shattering the quiet atmosphere. “You are not permitted to speak that person’s name!”

“From what I know, Christon is an exceptional individual,” Jiang Mu said calmly. “Like my father, he is an expert in psychology—perhaps even more brilliant. Is he not your child? My uncle is only eight years older than I am. He is still young, is he not?”

The old man’s chest heaved with rage. “No. Christon’s existence was an accident. Do not mention him again.”

A deep, thoughtful light flashed in Jiang Mu’s eyes. “He is currently teaching at McGill University. I hear he is a great educator.”

“Enough, Nelson! Do not attempt to challenge my authority or cross my bottom line.”

Seeing his grandfather’s escalating anger, Jiang Mu took a breath. “Grandfather, I do not wish to upset you. I am merely trying to help you choose a better path.”

“A path? This isn’t a joke, Nelson. The heir I want is you!”

Jiang Mu took a leisurely sip of his tea. “Unless you have my father produce another child. He has many lovers, doesn’t he? Surely one of his past flings left a child behind?”

The old man stared at Jiang Mu in astonishment. This was no longer a child he could easily command. Jiang Mu’s maturity had solidified through his career, revealing an indomitable spirit. He was neither like his father nor his mother; he possessed a unique, innate talent and a level of stability far beyond his years.

“Nelson, do you know why I never scolded your father? Even when he hid his divorce from me for years, I never said a harsh word.”

Jiang Mu was surprised, but his expression quickly returned to its usual calm. “With your resources, it wouldn’t have been hard to find out, would it?”

“Your father was injured once, after you were born. He can no longer have children. At first, we thought it was your mother, but tests confirmed it was your father. For a time, he couldn’t even bear to be near her. As you grew older, I sensed Carlos’s internal struggle and pain. He tried to make himself feel better with various lovers, but he never let your mother know. I knew when she left France; the butler told me. Carlos is my most beloved child; in his youth, he was the heir I was most proud of. His refusal to return home from China these past years makes me angry, but if it means he can truly reconcile with Qin, I will let it go. Therefore, all my hopes are placed on you.”

Jiang Mu knit his brows. “But that is not a reason for me to give up Luo Luo. Grandfather, I am not a tool for inheritance. I can inherit the title, and I can raise an orphan to be the next successor, but I will never give up Shu Luo.”

Looking at the determined young man, the old man leaned back, closing his eyes in exhaustion. He was nearly eighty; his only wish was to see his grandson married with children. He didn’t want to leave this world with regrets.

“Nelson… I only wish to see you married and with an heir.”

“I can marry,” Jiang Mu replied, “but Shu Luo cannot give you a child.”

“…” The old man nearly choked. The boy’s obsession was far worse than he imagined.

“If you have abandoned Christon simply because he is an illegitimate child, then you are not the Old Earl I respect and admire. That isn’t how you raised me—even if you weren’t often by my side.”

The old man’s breathing was heavy. He did not want to discuss the child born of that “accident”—a boy fourteen years younger than Carlos. After his wife had passed, he had thought of remarrying but couldn’t let go of his love for her. His father had then arranged a woman for him; in a state of total ignorance, they had an accidental encounter. She was a beautiful daughter of the nobility. Marrying him would have been a sacrifice for her—she was in her twenties, while his own son was already a teenager.

Feeling he had betrayed his late wife, the Earl had hated himself and his father’s scheme. He never expected the woman to become pregnant. He couldn’t accept it; he had driven her away without even giving her a name. His father had nearly broken his legs for it. He assumed she would terminate the pregnancy, only for her to reappear five years later with a child—a beautiful boy who looked exactly like him.

He had lived his life by a code of loyalty and no betrayal; the appearance of this child was a stain on his honor. He had supported the boy until he reached adulthood and then sent him off to Canada. Yet, surprisingly, Carlos loved his little brother. Having no other siblings, Carlos had always craved a brother or sister, and he had personally guided Christon’s growth—mostly in secret.

But for the Old Earl, a grudge was a grudge. Whenever the family mentioned “Chris,” he would fly into a rage, even though the child was innocent.

“Nelson, you don’t understand…”

“I do understand,” Jiang Mu said firmly. “If I were to betray Shu Luo, I would never forgive myself for as long as I lived.”

“…” The old man thought: Is that even the same thing?!