My online dating circle has millions of followers, why would she put a collar on me?

Upon seeing Liu Ming, Xia Anmian's expression visibly changed the moment she saw him.

The change was so subtle that Jiang Yi wouldn't have noticed it at all unless he was facing her directly and looking at her intently.

Her pupils contracted slightly, and the relaxed smile on her lips froze for a fraction of a second before quickly switching to a polite but distant fake smile.

"Mr. Liu, what a coincidence."

Her voice remained steady, but with a hint of tension.

Liu Ming was clearly unaware of what he had disturbed, or rather, he hadn't even noticed Jiang Yi's presence.

His gaze was fixed on Xia Anmian, with a deliberate air of respect and warmth.

"When I saw you in the private room just now, I thought I was seeing things."

Liu Ming bowed slightly.

"I didn't expect you to eat here. This restaurant is really good. I saw the chef here when I was shopping on JD.com..."

"Mr. Liu," Xia Anmian interrupted him, her tone polite but tactful.

"I had dinner with my boyfriend today."

She emphasized the word "boyfriend" as if to remind someone of something.

Liu Ming then turned his gaze to Jiang Yi.

He looked Jiang Yi up and down, his gaze lingering for half a second on Jiang Yi's faded hoodie before he looked away and nodded with a smile.

"Okay, okay, then I won't bother you any longer. Please enjoy your meal; the bill has already been put on my tab."

"No need." Xia Anmian's voice was noticeably colder when she said those two words.

Liu Ming paused for a moment, seemingly realizing he had misspoke, and quickly corrected himself: "Then... then see you later."

He left with his wine glass in his hand, his steps much faster than when he arrived.

The atmosphere at the table suddenly turned cold.

Jiang Yi looked at Xia Anmian and noticed that her fingers, which were under the table, were unconsciously clenching the hem of her clothes, and her knuckles were slightly white.

"Mianmian?" he called tentatively.

"Hmm?" Xia Anmian looked up, her expression back to normal, even managing a forced smile. "What's wrong?"

"That person...do you know them?"

"Someone from our partner company." Xia Anmian picked up her juice and took a sip, her tone casual yet deliberately affected. "As you know, I work as an assistant in a studio, and sometimes I have to liaise with suppliers. Mr. Liu is the head of one of them. I've met him a few times, but we're not very close."

"As for her calling me President Xia, it's just mutual flattery."

Jiang Yi simply said "Oh" and didn't ask any further questions.

But I always felt that something was off.

He couldn't explain it.

The way Liu Ming looked at Xia Anmian didn't seem like the way he would look at a "small company planner".

That respectful, even slightly cautious, feeling was more like...

What does it look like?

He couldn't explain it.

"What were you going to tell me just now?" Xia Anmian took the initiative to bring the topic back, her tone softening as before. "You said you had something important to tell me. What's so important?"

Jiang Yi opened his mouth, but the sudden interruption had largely dissipated his earlier impulse to "reveal everything."

He looked at Xia Anmian's face, at the faint dark circles under her eyes, and it seemed that she hadn't been sleeping well lately.

In the end, Jiang Yi hesitated again.

This is a huge issue.

It involves fraud, 1.3 million yuan, and potential criminal liability.

If he tells Xia Anmian, will she be scared?

Will I turn around and leave like in my dream?

"Jiang Yi?" Xia Anmian tilted her head to look at him. "What are you daydreaming about?"

"It's nothing." Jiang Yi forced a smile. "I just wanted to say that I think this tutor is pretty good. They said I should go once a day."

Xia Anmian blinked: "That's it?"

"That's it." Jiang Yi lowered his head, picked up a piece of sashimi, and stuffed it into his mouth.

He mumbled incoherently, "What other big deal could it be? Earning two thousand yuan a day isn't a big deal, is it?"

Xia Anmian stared at him for several seconds, then softly said "Oh".

She didn't press the matter, but Jiang Yi noticed that the complex light in her eyes was even stronger than before.

……

Meanwhile, in the private rooms of the buffet restaurant.

Liu Ming returned to his seat, where his grandfather, Liu Jianguo, sat opposite him. He was an elderly man with gray hair but a sprightly spirit.

"Did you run into a snag?" Liu Jianguo picked up his teacup, his tone indifferent.

"No, it's just..." Liu Ming carefully chose his words, "Miss Xia is having dinner with her boyfriend, so it seems inconvenient for her to talk."

"Boyfriend?" Liu Jianguo raised an eyebrow. "Who is he?"

"He looked like a student, dressed very casually," Liu Ming recalled. "He didn't seem like a young master from some wealthy family."

Liu Jianguo put down his teacup, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke:

"Don't pry into the affairs of the Xia family's eldest daughter. She wants to live an ordinary life in Kyoto; that's her choice. Don't ruin things for me."

"I know, Grandpa." Liu Ming nodded, but he still couldn't help being curious.

Who exactly is that boy in the hoodie who could make the young lady of the Xia family lower herself and sit in the lobby to eat?

"Grandpa, who exactly is Xia Anmian? Our Liu family isn't bad, is it? We shouldn't be feeling so humiliated, should we?"

Liu Ming couldn't resist.

It should be noted that the Liu family is a prominent family in Jiangnan Province.

My grandfather was a famous figure, and my family spanned the military, political and business worlds.

Moreover, his father was already the "God of Wealth" of the entire Jiangnan Province before he was even fifty.

If nothing unexpected happens, he will soon be entering the decision-making level of Jiangnan Province.

There is also a major general in the family.

The whole family is thriving.

He couldn't understand why his grandfather would be so wary of a woman.

"Ugh!"

Liu Jianguo sighed deeply, then slowly said:

"Don't even mention my Liu family; with just a word from her, thousands upon thousands of Liu families could appear in Jiangnan!"

"what?"

Liu Ming was stunned.

Then, another sentence from Liu Jianguo dealt Liu Ming a heavy blow.

"The 'Xia' in 'Xia Anmian' is the 'Xia' in 'Da Xia' (Great

……

In the restaurant lobby, Jiang Yi and Xia Anmian's "truth game" ultimately couldn't continue.

The two of them finished the rest of the food, each lost in their own thoughts, and chatted about random things.

"By the way, I'm going on a business trip next week."

"Next week? Is it with that CEO sister?" Jiang Yi's heart skipped a beat. "What day exactly?"

"Yes, the specific time hasn't been set yet," Xia Anmian said, looking at him.

"However, it will most likely be between Tuesday and Thursday; we'll have to wait for further notice."

"It's nothing, just asking."

Jiang Yi smiled, but his mind was racing.

Su Xiaoyue will arrive next Wednesday.

If Xia Anmian happens to be away on a business trip during those days, and if she really has no choice but to see Su Xiaoyue, she might actually have a chance.

God, is this a buffer period you're giving me?