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

Gu Qinghan stood at the door, leaning slightly forward, one hand supporting himself on the door frame, the other hand gripping his phone, his knuckles turning white.

She stared at Jiang Yi, her usually sharp eyes now swirling with complex and unfathomable emotions.

Anger, contempt, confusion, and a hint of disbelief that she herself was unwilling to admit.

"Miss Gu, let's talk about this another day—"

Jiang Miaomiao tried to pull Jiang Yi around her side.

"I can't wait until another day."

Gu Qinghan's voice wasn't loud, but every word seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth, carrying an extremely suppressed coldness.

Her gaze swept past Jiang Miaomiao and fixed directly on Jiang Yi's face. "Jiang Yi, what exactly do you mean?"

"Miss Gu, I don't know what you're talking about." Jiang Yi tried his best to make his voice sound calm.

First of all, Gu Qinghan didn't say anything. Although there were speculations, she couldn't possibly expose herself.

Even if she said it, she couldn't admit it herself.

"You don't know?" Gu Qinghan sneered, his smile devoid of any warmth.

She took a step forward, reducing the distance between them to less than half a meter.

Jiang Yi was so close that he could see the bloodshot in her eyes and her slightly chapped lips from not drinking water for a long time.

"You and Su Xiaoyue had an online relationship for almost a year, and she spent nearly 1.3 million yuan on you. And now you're telling me you don't know what I'm talking about?"

Jiang Miaomiao's face turned deathly pale instantly. She instinctively stepped in front of Jiang Yi, her voice trembling, "Miss Gu, it's not what you think, I—"

"I wasn't asking you." Gu Qinghan didn't even glance at her; his gaze remained fixed on Jiang Yi's face, like two poisoned daggers, slowly eroding his composure. "I was asking him."

The air in the corridor seemed to have been sucked out; it was so quiet that you could hear the sound of the fountain in the villa's yard and the barking of a dog from a distant house.

The butler had retreated to the end of the corridor at some point, head down, pretending not to have heard anything.

Jiang Yi looked into Gu Qinghan's eyes and remained silent for a few seconds.

He wanted to say something to defend himself, such as, "That person wasn't me, it was my sister," or "I was forced into it," or "I didn't take a single penny of that money." But these words rolled around in his throat, and in the end, he swallowed them back.

It's not because he can't say it, but what if he did say it?

Would Gu Qinghan believe it? Even if she did, would Jiang Miaomiao be alright?

Even if Jiang Miaomiao is fine, can the fact that he lied to Su Xiaoyue be wiped clean?

"Gu Qinghan," he said, his voice slightly hoarse, "this matter is very complicated."

"Complex?" Gu Qinghan's lips twitched slightly, but the curve wasn't a smile; it was more like a sarcastic remark, "How dare you say something like that?"

"You've been lying to two girls at the same time, one is your real-life girlfriend, and the other is your online girlfriend. Do you think that's complicated?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Jiang Yi instinctively retorted.

Although it's unclear where Gu Qinghan got the information, he would never admit to it.

"You...ha...you really..."

Seeing Jiang Yi's shamelessness, Gu Qinghan's voice trembled as she pointed at him, wishing she could slap him.

Even his face turned bright red from anxiety.

When things were at a stalemate.

"Honey? What are you doing at the door?"

Su Xiaoyue's voice came from behind, carrying a hint of confusion and unease.

She had already stood up from the sofa, her bare feet stepping on the cold marble floor, the hem of her white dress swaying gently at her ankles.

Her eyes were still a little red, but there were no more tears. She just stared straight at the three people at the door, her lips slightly pursed, as if she was trying to process the scene in front of her that she couldn't understand.

Gu Qinghan's body visibly stiffened.

She quickly dropped the aggressive expression on her face and put on a gentler, even slightly apologetic, smile.

The smile changed so quickly it was unnatural, like a face-changing act in Sichuan opera, with a taut mask concealing a face that looked like it was about to crack.

"It's nothing, Xiaoyue." Gu Qinghan's voice was very soft, as if she were comforting a frightened child.

"I came to find you, but I ran into them. I was just going to ask them why they were leaving, and see them off while I was at it."

Jiang Yi glanced at Gu Qinghan, and he thought Gu Qinghan was going to expose this matter in front of Su Xiaoyue.

But she didn't.

In fact, Gu Qinghan's idea was very simple.

She couldn't bear to let Su Xiaoyue know the truth.

Even if you knew, you shouldn't tell her when she's just met her so-called online boyfriend and is still excited.

This is tantamount to ruining her.

"Oh, okay, I'll help deliver it too."

As she spoke, Su Xiaoyue smiled and took Jiang Yi's hand, her eyes crinkling with joy.

"Honey, let's go!"

Seeing this, Gu Qinghan frowned.

She was truly glad that she had restrained herself from telling Su Xiaoyue.

Otherwise, it would be too cruel for her.

Su Xiaoyue's hand made Jiang Yi's body tremble violently, and his body involuntarily stiffened.

He could sense the girl's feelings for him.

"Is it really okay to lie to her again?"

Jiang Yi thought to himself.

"Brother, let's hurry, we're going to be late."

Just then, Jiang Miaomiao suddenly grabbed Jiang Yi's hand.

Jiang Yi's thoughts were abruptly interrupted, and in the end, he still couldn't muster the courage.

"Honey, let's go! My sister seems to be in a hurry; it looks like you have something to do."

"Yes, yes, my brother's advisor is looking for him."

Jiang Miaomiao quickly explained.

"Oh, then how about we have the housekeeper escort you, otherwise you'll be late."

"No, no need."

Jiang Miaomiao quickly refused.

However, at that moment, Gu Qinghan suddenly said:

"Xiaoyue, I'm going to Tsinghua and Peking Universities. Could you give them a ride on the way?"

"Oh, really?"

Su Xiaoyue stared at Gu Qinghan with her eyes crinkled into crescents.

Gu Qinghan nodded.

Jiang Miaomiao was about to refuse, but before she could finish speaking, she suddenly shuddered.

She felt a little cold.

The direction of the air conditioning was clearly directed at Gu Qinghan.

Gu Qinghan was staring intently at him, as if she would kill him if he dared to refuse again.

"Then, thank you for your help, Miss Gu."

In the end, Jiang Yi stood in front of Jiang Miaomiao and made eye contact with Gu Qinghan.

"No... trouble... please..."

"Let's go! I'll see you off."

Su Xiaoyue quickly took Jiang Yi's hand and led the two out of the villa.

Watching Jiang Yi and the other two gradually disappear into the distance.

Su Xiaoyue took out her phone and opened the pinned baby chat box.

"Honey, Qinghan is probably worried that I'll be deceived. She didn't mean any harm. If she offended you, I'll apologize on her behalf."

"My dear, my husband is the best!"

Su Xiaoyue saw all of this, but she didn't think much of it. She just felt that Gu Qinghan was still worried that she was being deceived.

As the eldest daughter, she wanted to test Jiang Yi for her.

But she wasn't worried at all.

She believed that after Gu Qinghan and Jiang Yi talked, Gu Qinghan would understand her.

She might even become interested in Jiang Yi.

No, no!

Su Xiaoyue, what are you thinking about?

A husband can only be your own.

(I'll update one chapter first, then another this afternoon. If I don't update again, I'll update five chapters on Saturday. I keep my word.)

(I've been so busy lately, I'm so sorry godfathers, please be a little less harsh on me since I've made it this far~)

QWQ