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

By the time all the checks were completed, it was almost noon.

Jiang Yi was wheeled back to the ward, and the nurse quickly replaced the IV drip bottle. The clear liquid dripped down the thin tube, making a soft, rhythmic sound in the drip chamber.

His fever hadn't subsided, but he was a little better than he had been in the morning.

The temperature dropped from 39.4 degrees to 38.2 degrees, the number on the thermometer decreased by more than one degree, and the complexion changed from a frightening ashen color to a slightly normal pale color.

His eyes were closed, and his breathing was much more steady than when he was in the car. The rise and fall of his chest was smaller, and there was a layer of Vaseline that the nurse had applied to his lips, which shimmered slightly in the afternoon light.

Su Xiaoyue sat on a chair by the bed, holding Jiang Yi's fingers in one hand and resting her chin on her other hand as she looked at him.

She had been watching like this for a long time, so long that her neck ached as if it had been repeatedly struck with a blunt object, and so long that her wrists began to ache faintly.

But she didn't let go of his hand, nor did she look away.

She is waiting.

Wait until he wakes up, wait until he opens his eyes, wait until he returns from that long, unconscious sleep in which he doesn't even know what he was dreaming about.

When Gu Qinghan pushed the door open, she was carrying two plastic bags.

One container contained two servings of porridge and several steamed buns, while the other contained several boxes of medicine and a large bottle of mineral water.

She placed the plastic bag on the bedside table very gently, but the bag still made a soft rustling sound.

"Xiaoyue, eat first." Her voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of disturbing something. "You haven't eaten anything since this morning."

Su Xiaoyue didn't move, still looking at Jiang Yi's face.

"He won't wake up that quickly." Gu Qinghan took the porridge out of the plastic bag, opened the lid, and placed it on the bedside table.

The porridge was still hot, with white steam rising from the rim of the bowl and gently dispersing in the afternoon light, carrying a faint aroma of rice.

"The nurse said it will take at least two hours to finish this IV drip. You eat first, and then keep an eye on him."

Su Xiaoyue finally released Jiang Yi's fingers.

She gently placed his hand back under the blanket, her fingers lingering on the back of his hand for a moment longer.

Then she turned around, picked up the bowl of porridge, scooped a spoonful with a plastic spoon, and put it in her mouth.

The porridge was plain white porridge, without sugar or salt, so bland it was like drinking a bowl of warm, tasteless water.

But she ate very slowly, chewing each bite for a long time, as if she were performing some kind of ritual that required serious attention.

"Qinghan," she suddenly said, her voice a little hoarse.

"Um?"

"What did the lawyer say?"

Gu Qinghan sat down opposite her, picked up his bowl of porridge, stirred it, but didn't drink it.

"The lawyer said the case is easy to overturn, but it will take time."

She put down the spoon and looked into Su Xiaoyue's eyes.

"As long as the two plea agreements conflict, the lawyer has room to maneuver, it just takes time."

"How long will it take?"

"It's hard to say." Gu Qinghan tapped her fingers lightly twice on the table.

"It could take a few months, or a year or two. It depends on how the procuratorate handles it, and also on whether Zhao Jianmin cooperates."

Su Xiaoyue lowered her head, scooped up another spoonful of porridge, and put it in her mouth.

She chewed a few times, swallowed, and then looked up at Gu Qinghan.

"Qinghan, thank you."

Gu Qinghan was stunned for a moment.

It's not just about thanking her for finding a lawyer, but also for running around doing everything she could.

I am especially grateful to her for accompanying me from Shanghai to Kyoto, and for being the first person to arrive at the hospital after I cut my wrists.

She thanked her for hugging her and saying, "This is not your fault," when she was crying and trembling all over.

Gu Qinghan's eyes reddened for a moment, but she quickly blinked to force the tears back.

"Don't give me that." She picked up the bowl of porridge, took a big gulp, and said indistinctly, "Take care of yourself first, so that when he wakes up, you're already collapsed again."

Su Xiaoyue's lips curved slightly, a small smile, but it was indeed her first smile of the day.

The two ate their meal quietly, the steam from the porridge rising gently in the afternoon light. Occasionally, the sound of a nurse walking by in the corridor and the sound of a television in a distant ward could be heard from outside the window.

Jiang Yi's finger twitched.

A very slight, almost imperceptible movement.

But Su Xiaoyue saw it.

She put down her bowl of porridge, leaned over, and looked at his face.

His eyelashes trembled, his brows furrowed slightly, and his lips moved slightly, uttering an extremely faint, almost inaudible syllable.

Su Xiaoyue brought her ear closer.

"water......"

She sat up, picked up the bottle of mineral water from the bedside table, unscrewed the cap, and poured it into a glass.

The water was cold, so she poured some hot water from the thermos into it and tested the temperature with her finger.

Then she sat back on the edge of the bed, supporting Jiang Yi's head with one hand and bringing the cup to his lips with the other.

A little water spilled from the corner of his mouth, trickling down his jawline and dripping onto the pillow, spreading into a small, dark stain.

Su Xiaoyue wiped the water from the corners of his mouth with a tissue and gently placed him back on the pillow.

Jiang Yi's brows relaxed a little.

His eyes were still closed, but his eyelashes stopped fluttering, and his breathing was more even than before.

Su Xiaoyue put the cup back on the bedside table and took his hand again.

This time, his fingers twitched slightly, not unconsciously, but with a weak, tentative grasp.

Su Xiaoyue's eyes reddened.

She didn't cry, but looked at his face with red eyes.

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the gaps in the blinds, casting long, thin golden lines on the white sheets.

The ward was very quiet, so quiet that you could hear the sound of the IV drip dripping and the soft clinking of the porridge bowl as Gu Qinghan stirred it with a plastic spoon.

Su Xiaoyue held Jiang Yi's hand as they sat in the afternoon sunlight.

He was still asleep, but his breathing was steady, his body temperature was dropping, and his fingers were clenching.

At least everything is moving in a positive direction.

Looking at that somewhat tired face, Su Xiaoyue felt unusually relaxed, as if she had come back to life.

Gu Qinghan shook her head as she watched this scene, and then quietly walked out.

Gently close the door.

Leaning against the hospital wall, the pungent smell of disinfectant rushed into my nose.

She didn't notice anything amiss and simply took out her phone.

Click on the pinned profile picture labeled "Baby", then swipe right, delete, and confirm deletion.

All in one go.