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

Jiang Yi's fingers tightened suddenly.

Next Wednesday?

He quickly flipped through the calendar.

Today is Saturday, next Wednesday, four days to go.

Isn't it "these past few weeks"?

How did it become four days!

Four days later, the girl was going to fly to Kyoto to see him.

He hadn't even figured out whether he should go see her, in what capacity, or what to say.

Little Moon: Honey, why aren't you saying anything?

Little Moon: Do you not want me to go? (╥﹏╥)

Jiang Yi took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and typed:

"No, it's just a bit sudden. Are you really okay? The doctor said you can be discharged?"

Little Moon: Mmm! The doctor said I'm recovering very well and can be discharged next week!

Little Moon: I can't wait any longer! I call out "husband" to my phone every day. I really want to see what my husband looks like in person! (´•ω•`)

Little Moon: Honey, don't worry, I won't dislike you. Even if you're not the same as in the photo, I'll still love you!

Jiang Yi stared at the last message, his finger hovering above the screen, not falling for a long time.

He found himself in a dead end.

If Jiang Miaomiao said, "Don't come," Su Xiaoyue would definitely become suspicious. After all, Jiang Miaomiao had been very enthusiastic towards her before, and her sudden refusal to meet would be suspicious to anyone.

What if he says, "Come on over"—what will he do? Will he really go to meet Jiang Miaomiao on her behalf?

He can't.

Aren't you going to see them?

What if Su Xiaoyue arrives in Kyoto and can't contact anyone? Wouldn't it be easy for them to find her by calling the police?

That's 1.3 million! Are you really going to send my sister to jail?

Both paths lead to dead ends, no matter which one you choose.

All he can do now is stall for time.

Jiang Yi struggled to type these two words, but when he thought of the 1.3 million, he decisively started typing.

"It's not that I don't want you to come, it's that I'm worried about your health. You just had surgery, won't a long flight have any impact?"

Little Moon: Honey, are you worried about me? (✪ω✪)

Jiang Yi: "Of course I'm worried about you."

Little Moon: Don't worry, the doctor said there's absolutely no problem!

Little Moon: And my desire to see you is more important than anything else.

Little Moon: Honey, are you hiding something from me?

Little Moon: I feel like you're talking strangely today...

Jiang Yi's heart jumped.

He quickly replied, "No, no, I've just been working too hard lately and haven't been feeling well."

Little Moon: Then you should get some rest!

Little Moon: When I come, I'll take good care of you, cook for you, do your laundry, and tidy up your room!

Little Moon: I will learn to cook your favorite dishes!

As Jiang Yi looked at these messages, the feeling of guilt and helplessness in his heart grew stronger.

"Honey, I have a question for you." He hesitated for a long time before typing this.

Little Moon: What's wrong? Tell me~

Jiang Yi: "What would you do if one day you found out I'm not the person you imagined?"

He regretted it after sending it.

What kind of ridiculous question is this? Isn't this just asking for trouble?

As expected, the other side fell silent.

Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds.

Jiang Yi stared at the "typing" message on the screen, his heart pounding like a drum.

One minute later, the message arrived.

Little Moon: Honey, why did you ask that question?

Little Moon: Is there something you haven't told me?

Little Moon: Don't you like me anymore? (╥﹏╥)

Jiang Yi quickly typed: "No, no, I was just asking casually, don't overthink it."

Little Moon: Then swear it!

Little Moon: I swear you won't leave me!

Jiang Yi stared at the word "swear," his finger hovering above the screen as if nailed to mid-air.

He can't.

He doesn't even understand his own situation, so what makes him swear an oath?

But if she doesn't send it, Su Xiaoyue will definitely keep asking.

Given her sensitivity, she'll inevitably stumble upon the truth as she keeps asking questions.

He took a deep breath and typed the most insincere line of his life:

I swear, I will never leave you.

After sending those five words, Jiang Yi threw his phone onto the bed, covered his face with his hands, and let out a low, suppressed groan.

Sure enough, it's too difficult for someone as innocent as Xiao Chunan to do something like deceiving girls!

The screen lit up again, and Jiang Yi quickly picked up his phone.

Little Moon: Honey, I knew you were the best! (づ￣ 3￣)づ

Little Moon: It's a deal then, see you next Wednesday!

Little Moon: You must come to pick me up then, and don't be late!

Little Moon: I'm so excited! I'm sure I won't be able to sleep tonight...

Jiang Yi was too exhausted to deal with it, so he casually sent an "OK".

Little Moon: Goodnight, my love!

Little Moon: Mua! (*╯3╰)

Jiang Yi did not reply.

He put his phone on silent, tucked it under his pillow, and closed his eyes.

I'm tired. Let the world end!

……

When I opened my eyes again, the whole world had collapsed.

He stood in the police station corridor, the cold white light stinging his eyes.

At the end of the corridor, Jiang Miaomiao was being led out by two policemen, her hands handcuffed, her face contorted with tears.

"Brother! Brother, save me!" She desperately turned around, her voice shrill like fingernails scraping against glass, "I don't want to go to jail! I really don't want to go to jail!"

Jiang Yi rushed forward, but before he could touch her, he was pushed away.

"Fraud involving 1.3 million yuan is an exceptionally large amount. You are hereby criminally detained according to law." The police officer's voice was like a bucket of ice water poured over your head. "Family members, please recuse yourselves."

The police car drove away.

The taillights faded into the night, eventually becoming a red dot before going out.

The phone rang.

It was his father calling, his voice trembling so much he could barely speak a complete sentence: "Your mother... your mother found out about your sister... she had a heart attack... you need to come quickly..."

When he arrived at the hospital, the corridor was full of people.

His father sat on a chair outside the emergency room, holding his head in his hands, his shoulders heaving.

The lights in the emergency room went out, the door opened, and the doctor came out, taking off his mask.

"Sorry, we tried our best."

Jiang Yi felt a kick to his knee from behind, and he fell straight to his knees.

His mother passed away.

The person who would get up at six every morning to make him breakfast and who would always tell him on the phone, "Don't skimp on money, eat more meat," is gone.

He knelt on the cold hospital floor tiles, crying like a fool.

His father sat beside him, his aged face streaked with tears, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

A family has been torn apart in the middle.

On the day of the funeral, Jiang Yi stood in front of the tombstone. The photo on the tombstone was taken by his mother last year, and she was smiling gently.

He reached out and touched the photograph, but his fingers only touched cold stone.

Xia Anmian has arrived.

She was wearing a black dress, and her eyes were red.

When Jiang Yi saw her, he walked over as if grasping at a last straw, wanting to take her hand.

She took a step back.

"Jiang Yi, let's break up." Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a knife.

"My parents found out about your family situation, and they don't approve of me being with you anymore. And..."

She paused, then tears finally streamed down her face: "Think about it yourself. Are you really unaware of what your sister did? You used your photos to help her deceive people; aren't you breaking the law too?"

Jiang Yi was stunned: "I didn't..."

"I don't believe it." Xia Anmian interrupted him, her voice choked but resolute, "I'm sorry, I can't take it anymore."

She turned and left.

gone.

Like everyone else.

Jiang Yi stood in the empty cemetery, surrounded by tombstones. The sky was hazy, making it impossible to tell whether it was day or night.

He looked down at his hands, which were covered in blood.

I don't know whose blood it is.

Then he heard a voice.

"husband."

It was sweet and soft, coming from behind.

He turned around abruptly.

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 and he couldn't move.

He tried 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 soaked to the bone, as if he had been pulled out of the water.

He was panting heavily, his chest aching as if he had been stabbed.

School doesn't start until next week, and my roommates haven't come back yet. The dorm is eerily quiet, with only the fan whirring.

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.

It took him a long time to catch his breath before he pulled the phone out from under his pillow.

Time: 5:30, it's already morning.

Startled awake, Jiang Yi could no longer fall back asleep.

Checking Su Xiaoyue's chat window, it appears that Su Xiaoyue is still asleep and has not sent any messages.

Jiang Yi breathed a sigh of relief and then pulled out his phone.

That's when I realized my phone was out of battery.

After being plugged in, a chat log with the note "Baby" immediately appeared on the screen.

Without a doubt, this "Baby" is the nickname Jiang Yi gave to his official girlfriend, Xia Anmian.

Baby: Jiang Yi, I have a tutoring job here, 90 minutes per session, 2,000 yuan!

Baby: Please reply to my message when you wake up.