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

After finishing their meal, the two left the Japanese restaurant.

Yi and Xia Anmian walked side by side on the road, so close that his shoulder would occasionally touch her arm.

But Jiang Yi felt that there was something invisible between them.

He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he had a vague feeling that Xia Anmian was acting differently than usual today.

She still smiles, and speaks in the same tone, but occasionally when she's lost in thought, her gaze drifts to a distant place, as if she has something weighing on her mind.

"Mianmian," Jiang Yi said.

"Hmm?" Xia Anmian turned her head to look at him. The dim light of the street lamp fell on her face, making her features look very soft.

"Where are you going on that business trip?"

"Shanghai"

Xia Anmian spoke very quickly, as if she had prepared her answer long ago.

"I have a project to coordinate with the company. It won't take long; I'll be back in a day or two."

Jiang Yi paused almost imperceptibly.

Su Xiaoyue flew in from Shanghai.

He took a deep breath and banished the coincidence from his mind:

"Then be careful on your journey, and text me when you arrive."

"Okay, there are still a few days left, don't worry." Xia Anmian replied, then suddenly stopped and turned around to look at him.

"Jiang Yi."

"Um?"

"Have you... needed my help with anything lately?"

Her eyes were very serious, so serious that it didn't seem like she was asking a casual question.

Jiang Yi opened his mouth, and the words "My sister cheated me out of 1.3 million yuan" almost came out of his throat, but at the last second, he swallowed them back down.

He forced a smile: "No, you just go about your business."

Xia Anmian stared at him for several seconds, her eyes filled with an emotion he couldn't decipher.

In the end, she didn't say anything, just gave a soft "hmm," and continued walking forward.

Jiang Yi escorted her to the subway station entrance, watched her swipe her card to enter the station, glanced back at him at the turnstile, waved to him, and then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

He stood at the subway station entrance until the figure completely disappeared before slowly exhaling and turning to walk towards the school.

He kept thinking about the same question the whole way.

Should he tell Xia Anmian?

If I tell her, how will she react?

Will she turn and leave like in the dream, or will she stay and help him?

He couldn't figure it out.

Or rather, he dared not think about it.

---

It was already 3 p.m. when I got back to the dormitory.

School starts next week, and my roommates haven't come back yet. The whole dormitory building is as quiet as a ghost town.

Jiang Yi closed the door, walked directly to the bed, took off his coat and threw it on the back of the chair, then collapsed onto the bed.

The bed creaked under the strain, as if protesting against his weary body.

He stared blankly at the upper bunk, his mind a jumble of chaotic thoughts.

Su Xiaoyue will arrive in Kyoto next Wednesday.

He earned 2,000 yuan from tutoring today, and with the money he made from selling his account before, he has a total of 203,000 yuan. He is still 1,096,000 yuan short of 1,300,000 yuan.

More than 1,096,000.

He closed his eyes, trying to banish the number from his mind, but it was as if it were etched into the inside of his eyelids, impossible to shake off.

After tossing and turning for who knows how long, Jiang Yi finally drifted off to sleep.

---

In his dream, he stood in that cemetery again.

The sky was overcast, making it impossible to tell whether it was day or night. All around were tombstones, row upon row, stretching to the horizon like a forest of stones.

Jiang Yi didn't know why he had returned here.

He wanted to leave, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot, and he couldn't move them no matter what he did.

Then he heard that voice.

"husband."

It was sweet and soft, coming from behind.

Jiang Yi suddenly turned around.

Su Xiaoyue stood in front of him, wearing that light blue floral dress.

But her dress was already stained dark red with blood, and her face, hair, and hands were covered in blood.

She was holding a knife.

Blood was still dripping from the tip of the knife.

"I don't care." She smiled, a smile so gentle it sounded like she was whispering sweet nothings. "I don't care who you are, or whether you're lying to me or not. I want to be with you forever."

She walked over step by step, leaving a blood-red footprint on the ground with each step.

"Honey, do you know how much I love you?"

"You've taken my heart away, and now I'm going to take yours away too."

The knife was raised.

Jiang Yi wanted to run, but his feet felt like they were nailed to the ground. He wanted to shout, but no sound came out of his throat.

The moment the knife pierced his chest, he heard Su Xiaoyue whisper in his ear, her voice as soft as a feather:

"That way, we'll never be apart."

She twisted it hard—

"ah--!"

Jiang Yi suddenly jumped up from the bed.

He was soaking wet, as if he had been pulled out of the water. He was panting heavily, and his chest ached as if he had been stabbed.

The dormitory was quiet, with only the fan humming. It was pitch black outside the window, so it was clear that the person had slept for quite a while.

He reached up and touched his chest.

There are no wounds.

There was no blood.

It was just a dream.

Jiang Yi buried his face in his hands, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

He's had this dream twice already, and both times it's the exact same scene, the exact same words, and the exact same knife.

He didn't know what had scared him.

Is it the image of Su Xiaoyue holding a knife?

Is it that feeling of helplessness from the dream, where "no matter how he explains, it's useless"?

It took him a while to calm himself down.

Then he remembered the cell phone.

That cell phone that Su Xiaoyue used exclusively.

He turned off his phone at noon and hasn't turned it back on since, even now it's evening.

Jiang Yi gritted his teeth, pulled the phone out from under his pillow, and pressed and held the power button.

The moment the screen lit up, his breath caught in his throat for a second.

Unread messages: 999.

Article nine hundred and ninety-nine

All of these are from Su Xiaoyue.

Jiang Yi's finger hovered above the screen, hesitant to tap. He took a deep breath, as if making some important decision, and then opened the chat interface.

Since the phone was turned off, Su Xiaoyue has been constantly receiving messages.

It started as a normal sharing session:

Little Moon: Honey, I watched a movie today, it made me cry so much! (´;ω;`)

Little Moon: It tells the story of a boy who strives to become a better person for the girl he likes.

Little Moon: I thought of you halfway through reading this, my love, you are my light (✪ω✪)

Little Moon: Honey, are you asleep? I'm going to sleep too, I had such a happy day~

A normal "goodnight," a normal short essay, and normal emoticons.

Then, starting at 11 p.m., the style changed.

Little Moon: Honey, why are you replying to messages so slowly today?

Little Moon: Are you not going to talk to me anymore? (╥﹏╥)

Little Moon: Honey, I had a dream that you didn't want me anymore, and I woke up crying...

Little Moon: Honey, are you there? Could you please reply to me?

Little Moon: Honey, I miss you so much, I can't sleep...

Little Moon: Is something wrong with you?

Little Moon: Honey, don't scare me! Please reply to me!

By 1 a.m., the tone of the message had changed from aggrieved to anxious:

Little Moon: Honey, are you sick?

Little Moon: You live alone, what if something happens to you...?

Little Moon: I remember you said you lived in Asahi Ward, Kyoto. What is your exact address?

Little Moon: Please say something... I beg you...

3 a.m.:

Little Moon: Honey, I really can't wait any longer, I'm already checking flight tickets.

Little Moon: If you don't reply to my message by tomorrow, I'll book the earliest flight to Kyoto.

Little Moon: Wait for me, I'm coming right away.

4 AM:

Little Moon: I've already checked the plane tickets. My flight is tomorrow morning at 7:30, arriving in Kyoto at 9:50.

Little Moon: Honey, don't be afraid, I'm here.

Little Moon: No matter what happens, I'll be with you.

The last message was sent five minutes ago:

Little Moon: Honey, I've packed my bags. If you don't reply to me by 7 PM, I'm heading to the airport.

As Jiang Yi looked at the message, cold sweat poured down his back.

He could already picture the scene—Su Xiaoyue standing at her doorstep, dragging her suitcase, her phone screen lit up with unanswered messages. Her eyes were red, and she was biting her lip, waiting for his reply.

If he really doesn't come back, she will go to the airport, fly three hours to Kyoto, and then discover that her beloved "husband" was a huge lie from beginning to end.

He quickly started typing, his fingers trembling:

"Honey, I'm here, I'm okay!"

"My phone died last night, so I didn't see the message. Don't come, please don't come!"

After sending it, he stared intently at the screen.

three seconds.

Five seconds.

ten seconds.

No reply.

Jiang Yi's heart was in his throat.

Is it too late?

Has she already left?

Or perhaps she was so heartbroken by his lack of response that she didn't even want to read his messages anymore?

As he was anxiously thinking, the screen lit up.

Little Moon: Husband!!!