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

Chapter 23 Your presence is the best gift

The house that Jiang Miaomiao mentioned, belonging to her friend, is located in a mid-to-high-end residential area in Chaoyang District, Kyoto.

The apartment has two bedrooms and a living room, with a simple and modern decor. It is fully furnished with all the necessary appliances, and there are several potted green plants on the balcony, so it does look like someone lives there regularly.

"Who is your friend?" Jiang Yi asked casually as he walked around the living room.

"We met in a game. His family is quite wealthy; they own several properties in Kyoto," Jiang Miaomiao said, checking around as she spoke.

"She doesn't usually live in this apartment; she only stays there occasionally when she comes to Kyoto for business, so it's very clean."

Jiang Yi stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the landscape of the neighborhood outside, but his mind was full of other things.

This house can indeed solve the housing problem.

Su Xiaoyue is here. If she really wants to visit "his" place, at least she should have a decent address.

But this lie will only snowball and become increasingly difficult to undo.

"Brother, what do you think?" Jiang Miaomiao walked over and carefully observed his expression.

"It's alright." Jiang Yi turned around. "Where are the keys?"

"The assistant will bring it over in a bit, let's wait a while."

Jiang Yi nodded and sat down on the sofa.

Jiang Miaomiao sat down next to him, and after a moment of silence, she suddenly spoke up: "Brother, do you hate me a lot?"

Jiang Yi turned his head and glanced at her, but didn't say anything.

"I know I was wrong." Jiang Miaomiao's voice was trembling with tears, but she didn't cry.

"I really know I was wrong. I shouldn't have used your photos, I shouldn't have cheated her out of money, I shouldn't have spent so much money on games... If I had known things would turn out this way, I would never have done it."

"What's the use of saying all this?" Jiang Yi's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a nail. "What's done is done, the money's been spent, and the person is coming. Will saying 'I know I was wrong' solve anything now?"

Jiang Miaomiao lowered her head, her fingers twisted together, her knuckles turning white.

"I...I will find a way to pay it back. I'll sell the account, and I'll work to pay it back slowly. If one year isn't enough, I'll do it in two years, and if two years isn't enough, I'll do it in five years. I will definitely pay it back."

As Jiang Yi looked at her, the fire in his heart slowly died down, replaced by a deeper and heavier weariness.

"Alright, that's enough. Let's get through this first."

Jiang Miaomiao nodded and didn't say anything more.

The two sat on the sofa, each lost in their own thoughts, the room so quiet that only the ticking of the clock on the wall could be heard.

About twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Jiang Miaomiao jumped up and ran to open the door. A young woman in business attire was standing at the door, holding a bunch of keys in her hand.

"Hello, are you Ms. Jiang Miaomiao? I'm Ms. Gu's assistant, here are the keys."

"Thank you, thank you!" Jiang Miaomiao took the keys and thanked them repeatedly.

"Ms. Gu said you can use the house as you like, and please contact me anytime if you need anything." After saying this, the assistant nodded politely and turned to leave.

Jiang Miaomiao returned with the keys, a look of relief on her face: "Brother, it's all done! I got the keys!"

Jiang Yi looked at the bunch of keys but didn't reach out to take them.

"What's your friend's name?"

"Uh..." Jiang Miaomiao paused for a moment, her eyes darting around, "His name is... his name is Gu something, I don't remember his full name, we just met in the game."

Jiang Yi frowned, feeling that something was not quite right, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Never mind, I'll leave it here for now. We'll talk about it when Su Xiaoyue arrives."

"it is good."

Jiang Yi stood up, picked up his coat, and said, "I'm leaving. Be careful on your way home."

"Brother!" Jiang Miaomiao called out to him, "Are you...are you really going to see her?"

Jiang Yi stood at the door, remained silent for a few seconds, then opened the door and walked out without looking back.

……

When I got back to the dormitory, it was already past 3 p.m.

Jiang Yi took off his coat and threw it on the bed, turned on his computer, and began to do one thing—to record the information Jiang Miaomiao had said, one by one.

Name: Jiang Yi (Real Name)

Age: 24 (fictional)

Occupation: Programmer at Star Technology, annual salary 40+ (fictional)

Address: One-bedroom apartment in a certain community in Chaoyang District, monthly rent 8000 (fictitious, but the apartment has been rented).

Hometown: Suzhou (True)

Family: Parents run a small business and earn ordinary wages (partially true, partly false)

Education: Computer Science, Kyoto Institute of Technology (fictional; actually from Tsinghua or Peking University)

Interests: Basketball, folk music, and Honor of Kings (basketball and folk music are somewhat related, but I rarely play Honor of Kings).

He reviewed the information several times to make sure he had memorized it all.

Then he opened another document and began recording information about Su Xiaoyue.

Name: Su Xiaoyue

Age: 22 years old

City: Shanghai

Family background: Parents are in international trade, and their company has annual revenue in the hundreds of billions.

Characteristics: Birthmark on face (now faded surgically), sensitive personality and lack of affection.

Best friend: Gu Qinghan, from a wealthy family, with a strong personality, may accompany her to Beijing.

After reading all this, Jiang Yi leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling for a long time.

The only daughter of a family worth hundreds of billions, a sensitive and love-starved heiress, was swindled out of 1.3 million by a female gamer who used his photos.

He, a college student so poor that he has to pay in installments for instant noodles, is now going to meet up with his sister in person.

If this gets out, who will believe it?

Hey.

My phone vibrated.

Jiang Yi picked it up and took a look.

The message was sent by Su Xiaoyue.

Little Moon: Honey, I have something to tell you (✪ω✪)

Jiang Yi leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers on the screen: "What is it?"

Little Moon: My plane ticket is booked! I'll arrive in Kyoto next Wednesday at 2 PM!

Jiang Yi was taken aback.

Two o'clock in the afternoon?

Didn't they say the flight was in the morning? How did it become an afternoon flight?

Just as he was about to type a question, Su Xiaoyue's next message popped up:

Little Moon: I originally wanted to book for the morning, but my mom insisted that I finish my final check-up before I could leave. (´;ω;`)

Little Moon: The follow-up appointment is scheduled for Wednesday morning, so I can only take an afternoon flight.

Little Moon: Honey, you won't blame me, will you?

Looking at the message, Jiang Yi felt a strange sense of relief that he couldn't quite explain.

I arrived at 2 PM, several hours later than the morning I had mentioned.

These extra few hours felt like a buffer period given to him by God, giving him more time to prepare.

"It's not your fault, your health is the most important thing," he typed back. "Let me know when the follow-up test results come out, so I know how well you're recovering."

Little Moon: Mmm! Honey, you're so good to me (づ￣ 3￣)づ

Little Moon: Oh, by the way, honey, I've prepared a surprise for you!

Jiang Yi's finger hovered above the screen, staring at the word "surprise," and his heart skipped a beat.

What he fears most now is "surprise".

Su Xiaoyue's surprise is probably something he can't handle.

"What surprise?" he asked tentatively.

Little Moon: I can't tell you now! If I do, it won't be a surprise anymore!

Little Moon: You'll find out when we meet (✪ω✪)

Little Moon: Honey, you'll definitely like it! I promise!

Jiang Yi stared at the screen, his mind racing.

Surprise.

Given Su Xiaoyue's personality, her "surprise" is most likely related to money.

For example, buying him something expensive, booking a high-end restaurant, or preparing a valuable gift.

He couldn't afford either of them.

It's not because I don't want it, but because I can't bear the heavy sincerity behind that sentiment.

"Baby," Jiang Yi typed after a long pause, "You don't need to prepare any surprises for me, your arrival is the biggest surprise."

After sending it out, he himself thought it was a brilliant statement.

He was so beautiful that it didn't sound like something he would say.

Little Moon: Honey, you have such a sweet tongue! (///ω///)

Little Moon: But no! I'm going to prepare a surprise for you!

Little Moon: You're so good to me, I'll be even better to you!

Little Moon: This is a fair trade!

Jiang Yi's lips twitched involuntarily as he looked at the words "fair trade".

fair?

Where is the fairness?

You spent 1.3 million to buy a lie.

There is no more unfair deal in the world.

But he couldn't say that.

He could only type one line: "Okay, then I'll wait for your surprise."

Little Moon: Hehe, I promise you won't be disappointed!

Little Moon: Honey, what are you doing right now?

Jiang Yi glanced at the blank document on the computer screen. Only two lines of information were written on it, leaving large blank spaces, just like his current situation—nothing was prepared.

"I'm resting at home; I didn't go to work today."

Little Moon: Then you should get some rest, don't overwork yourself.

Little Moon: Honey, shall I order you some takeout? What do you want to eat?

Jiang Yi quickly typed: "No need, no need, I'll handle it myself."

Little Moon: But you ate instant noodles last time (╥﹏╥)

Little Moon: I'm worried about you.

Jiang Yi: "I'm not eating instant noodles today, I'll go downstairs to eat."

Little Moon: Really? You can't lie to me!

Jiang Yi: "Really, I'd be a dog if I lied to you."

Little Moon: Okay then. (´•ω•`)

Little Moon: Honey, remember to tell me when you're done eating!

Jiang Yi: "Okay."