No One Else Will Do But You - Chapter 79

“What? Shu Luo is in the hospital? He jumped?!” Zhong Qing reacted as if she’d heard a bad joke. This didn’t sound like the Shu Luo she knew at all.

Zhang Feiyang nodded helplessly. “That’s what his mom told me. She even asked us to visit him more often to ‘counsel’ him. She specifically emphasized that the two of us should go together.”

“Why?” Zhong Qing was puzzled.

“Shu Luo came clean to Jiang Mu’s family and his own.”

Zhong Qing gasped. “How courageous! And then?”

“His mom obviously didn’t agree. She’s dead set against it. Word is that Shu Luo jumped because of her opposition.”

“Impossible!” Zhong Qing said firmly. “That kind of idiotic behavior isn’t his style. Based on my understanding of him, I—” She caught Zhang Feiyang’s warning look and swallowed the rest of her sentence. She immediately grabbed his arm, acting coy. “Why are you looking at me like that? I’m just expressing my honest opinion about him! I didn’t mean—ouch!”

Zhang Feiyang pinched her nose. “You’re so confident in him. What if he just had a moment of stupidity?”

Actually, Zhang didn’t believe it either. Knowing Shu Luo, suicide was simply not on the menu.

“Maybe it’s a ‘bitter flesh’ strategy?” Zhong Qing’s imagination ran wild.

Zhang Feiyang stroked his chin. “It’s possible. If that’s the case, shouldn’t we help him out?”

Zhong Qing’s eyes lit up with a mysterious smile. “I’ve got it. I have a plan. Let’s go see him right now.”

“Hey, it’s finally the weekend!”

Zhong Qing put her hands on her hips and glared. “What happened to being childhood friends? Are you his brother or not?!”

Zhang Feiyang sighed. Actually, it looks more like you’re his brother. He didn’t dare say it out loud, though. “Fine, fine. Let’s go.”

Because it was the weekend, Mrs. Shu had brought little Shu Yin to the hospital to keep Shu Luo company while she took his grandmother for a check-up.

Looking at Shu Yin, Shu Luo didn’t know whether to be angry or grateful. This brat’s accidental scare had “perfected” the bitter flesh strategy.

“Brother, does your leg hurt?” the boy asked, blinking his large eyes and blowing gently on the cast.

Shu Luo looked at the child’s innocent face and sighed. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” He ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Brother, what did it feel like when you jumped?”

“…” Can you be a little more tactful? Shu Luo chose silence.

“Were you super scared? Did you want to scream for me to save you?”

“…” My heart is tired. I’d call for anyone but you, kid.

The toddler let out a long sigh, looking exactly like a mini-Shu Luo. “You’re so silly. Why weren’t you obedient? Why did you climb so high to play? Even I don’t go that high!”

Blood is literally spraying from my heart, Shu Luo thought. Who taught this kid to be so talkative?!

“Luckily, I called the nanny in time, or you’d be in big trouble, Brother~”

“Enough, enough. Go take a break,” Shu Luo interrupted, before the noisy child could continue his lecture.

“Hahaha!”

A familiar laugh rang out from the doorway. Zhong Qing appeared in a bright pink coat, followed by Zhang Feiyang.

“Wow! Sister Qing is so pretty today! Brother Feiyang is handsome too!” Shu Yin chirped, earning a kiss on the cheek from Zhong Qing.

“Good boy, Yin Yin. Your mouth is so sweet.” Zhang Feiyang rubbed the boy’s head and then looked at Shu Luo. His brow furrowed at the sight of his friend’s condition.

“Why do you look like you just stepped in dog poop?” Shu Luo grumbled.

“You’re the one who stepped in poop! What are you doing, breaking your leg?!” Zhang’s eyes were full of genuine worry.

“It’s a long story. I didn’t actually jump, it was an accident—a total accident.” Since the kid was right there, Shu Luo couldn’t admit he’d been scared off the ledge by a toddler. That was too embarrassing.

Zhong Qing handed her tablet to Shu Yin to distract him. Once the kid was fully absorbed, she leaned in with her plan. Since Mrs. Shu wanted them to “counsel” Shu Luo, they would do the opposite: they would show off their own relationship. By acting lovey-dovey in front of him, they would trigger his “loneliness,” making his performance even more convincing. “Ideally,” she added, “you should cry.”

Shu Luo was appalled. “You want a grown man to cry?”

“Please, Shu Luo. Look in a mirror. You’re prettier than me half the time. If you cry, you’ll look heart-wrenchingly beautiful. Your mom will cave in seconds.”

Shu Luo: “…” Is that a compliment?

“Luo, I think it’ll work,” Zhang Feiyang added. “Seeing us happy will stimulate your acting potential. We’re doing this for your own good!”

Shu Luo sighed. It had come to this. It was not easy being him!

A short while later, Jiang Mu entered the room to find Shu Luo with red, watery eyes. He frowned immediately. “What happened?”

Hearing that incredibly tender voice, Zhong Qing and Zhang Feiyang felt a wave of goosebumps. Is this the real Jiang Mu? Is this voice dubbed?!

Shu Luo had thought it was his mother. Seeing it was just Jiang Mu, he wiped his eyes and waved him off. “Nothing. I’m just practicing my acting.”

Jiang Mu reached out, his fingers incredibly gentle as he wiped away a stray tear. It was as if he were handling a priceless treasure. “That’s good then,” he murmured.

Zhong Qing pointed a dramatic finger at him. “Jiang Mu, are you a clone? An impostor? You weren’t like this before!”

“Oh? What was I like before?” Jiang Mu’s voice took on a dangerous, upward lilt.

Zhong Qing immediately retracted her finger. “Never mind. You’re still the same.”

I guess the tenderness is a ‘Shu Luo Exclusive’ feature, she thought, then glared at Zhang Feiyang for no reason.

Zhang Feiyang felt like he’d been caught in the crossfire. What did I do?!

Jiang Mu had come straight from the company after stopping at his apartment to cook a meal and brew some soup. When he opened the insulated containers, the rich aroma of pork bone soup filled the room. Three pairs of eyes widened.

Zhong Qing couldn’t believe her eyes. “Jiang Mu… you can cook?”

“I made it myself,” Jiang Mu confirmed.

Zhong Qing & Zhang Feiyang: “…” The world is full of malice toward us.

They watched as Shu Luo happily tucked into his “love lunch.” It was a brutal display of affection. Zhong Qing whispered to Zhang, “His mom told us to stimulate his desire for a girlfriend… but I’m the one being stimulated by their relationship.”

Zhang patted her head. “I’ll cook for you when we get home.”

Zhong Qing looked disgusted. “Can I eat it? I’m afraid of being poisoned.”

Heart… hurts… Zhang felt a mortal wound. Is this my actual girlfriend? Could she be any more direct?

The couple decided to take Shu Yin out to lunch. If they stayed any longer, they’d be too full of “dog food” (PDA) to eat real food.

“Brother, why did you decide to bring me food today?” Shu Luo asked as he ate.

Jiang Mu sat beside him, looking through files on his tablet. “I thought Auntie would be here. I wanted to show off for her.”

Shu Luo choked on his soup and laughed. “Brother, you’ve really changed lately.”

“Is it bad?”

Shu Luo shook his head, his eyes curving into crescents. “It’s great.” He loved this tenderness—a tenderness that belonged only to him.

Jiang Mu’s lips curved into a slight smile. The ward was filled with a warm, cozy atmosphere.

Outside the door, Mrs. Shu stood silently. She hadn’t entered yet, but through the crack in the door, she could feel the intense, unbreakable bond between them. She didn’t have the heart to ruin it.

She sighed and turned away. Both were like her own children. How could she reconcile her traditional values with her son’s happiness?

It was a difficult internal struggle. But seeing that sunny, genuine smile… she wanted her child to keep smiling like that forever.