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

Su Xiaoyue's fingers tightened suddenly.

Jiang Yi's hands were much larger than hers, with distinct knuckles. At that moment, his fingers were gripping the phone tightly, his knuckles white, and the veins on the back of his hands were slightly bulging.

Jiang Yi's other arm was still in her arms, and she could feel that arm trembling slightly.

She was very familiar with this feeling; it was the kind of physiological reaction that came from emotions reaching their peak and then being unable to control the body.

Su Xiaoyue did not let go.

She clung to his arm, half her body almost pressed against him, her chin resting on the outside of his upper arm, her eyes fixed on the phone with its screen lit up in his hand.

Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, each beat hitting her ribs with a dull, painful sensation.

who is it?

She asked herself this question over and over again.

Is it Xia Anmian?

The moment that name exploded in her mind, a chilling coldness, as if seeping from the depths of her bones, instantly spread throughout her body.

Her fingers clenched even tighter, her nails digging into Jiang Yi's skin through the fabric of his hospital gown, but she was completely unaware of it.

Her entire attention was on the phone, on the lit screen, on the caller ID that was about to be answered or hung up.

It shouldn't be her.

She heard herself say that in her mind.

It shouldn't be Xia Anmian.

Please, it can't be that woman.

My phone is still vibrating.

hum - hum - hum -

Each tremor felt like someone was hitting her heart with a hammer.

Her breathing became shallow and rapid, her chest felt heavy as if a stone was pressing on it, and her eyes began to sting and swell.

She bit her lip, desperately suppressing the emotions that were about to burst forth, refusing to make a sound.

She can't cry.

At least I shouldn't cry now.

Jiang Yi's finger hovered above the screen, pausing for about two seconds.

Those two seconds felt like an eternity to Su Xiaoyue.

However, Jiang Yi's body clearly stopped trembling, and his pupils began to dilate.

She watched his finger move slowly, watched his fingertip land on the screen, watched the green answer icon be pressed—

Then she heard a sound.

It was a woman's voice.

It was the voice of a middle-aged woman.

The voice was hoarse and tired, with a dryness and trembling that came through the receiver after crying too many times. It was particularly clear in the quiet hospital room.

"Xiao Yi? Xiao Yi! Is that you?!"

Su Xiaoyue's body suddenly stiffened.

In that instant, she felt as if a tranquilizer had been injected into her heart, instantly calming her down.

Her fingers slowly loosened.

But she didn't completely let go; she was still holding onto Jiang Yi's arm.

Not her.

It's not Xia Anmian.

She is Jiang Yi's mother.

Su Xiaoyue buried her face in Jiang Yi's arm, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

She closed her eyes, feeling her heartbeat slowly calm down from its frantic pace.

The icy chill gradually receded from my fingertips, and I felt the tightness in my chest finally subside.

She felt ridiculous.

But she doesn't regret it.

But she didn't have time to laugh at herself.

Her full attention had returned to Jiang Yi and to the content of that phone call.

"……mom."

Jiang Yi's voice came from above her head.

"Mom, I'm fine."

A suppressed sob came from the other end of the phone, as if something was covering it.

Then came a series of fragmented, almost incoherent words.

"Xiao Yi... Xiao Yi, why aren't you answering the phone... Mom has been calling you since last night... dozens of times... Your dad has called too... Why aren't you answering any of them...?"

Jiang Yi closed his eyes.

"My...phone died," he said.

It was a lie, but his voice was so hoarse and broken that even the lie sounded true.

"Mom, where are you...?"

"In...in Kyoto."

The voice on the other end of the phone was even more fragmented, like a mirror that had been smashed by a hammer, with blood seeping from every crack.

"Your dad and I...received a call from the police in the middle of the night yesterday...they...they said something about your sister..."

The people on the other end were choked up.

"They said...your sister...scammed someone out of more than three million..."

"Are they telling the truth?"

Jiang Yi's fingers tightened suddenly.

His eyes were red, so red they looked like they were about to bleed, but no tears fell.

It wasn't because he didn't want to cry, but because he knew that if he cried, his mother on the other end of the phone would completely break down.

"Mom, it's true."

But every word seemed to be forced out of his throat.

"I'm sorry to have worried you. I was helping out with something and that's why I didn't have time to answer the phone."

Jiang Yi wasn't sure if his parents knew he had also been arrested, so he kept it a secret.

After Jiang Yi finished speaking, there was a pattering sound from the other end, and then the voice changed from a woman's voice to a low, hoarse man's voice.

"Xiao Yi, are you alright?"

Jiang Yi knew it was his father's voice.

"Dad, I'm fine."

There was a moment of silence on the other end.

Then the low, hoarse voice sounded again.

"Xiao Yi, tell Dad what happened. Let Dad know what's going on."

Jiang Yi remained silent for a moment, his heart aching as if it were being squeezed.

"Dad, let's not talk about this anymore, okay? Where are you? Let's talk when we meet!"

However, the call was still not disconnected.

This time, the father's voice was noticeably hoarser, and there were more pauses in his speech.

"We're at Miaomiao's school gate. Have you rested enough? Why don't you rest first, don't tire yourself out."

"It's alright! I'll come find you!"

The moment the words "Call Ended" appeared in red, the ward fell silent again.

Su Xiaoyue raised her head and looked at Jiang Yi's face.

His eyes were still red, and his eyelashes were glistening with tiny, still-wet tears.

Her eyes were even redder than before.

But her expression had changed from that fragile state of being on the verge of collapse.

His eyes now have a more determined look.

However, it felt somewhat forced.

Su Xiaoyue knew that Jiang Yi was leaving again.

The feeling of helplessness that had previously prevented Jiang Yi from answering the phone washed over her again.

This time, however, she wanted to seize the opportunity.

Seize your future.

Even to dominate him!

"Jiang Yi," she called softly.

Jiang Yi turned his head to look at her.

His gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then moved down to her hands that were wrapped around his arm.

Su Xiaoyue did not let go.

She will not let go, never.

"Miss Su," Jiang Yi spoke, his voice still hoarse but steadyer than before, "thank you for saving me."

Su Xiaoyue gave an irrelevant answer.

Are you going to meet your parents?

At the same time, she held Jiang Yi even tighter.

Jiang Yi felt the weight on his arm and wanted to say something, but he nodded instead.

"Ms. Su, I will transfer the hospital bill to you using that account later. As for the money my sister cheated you out of, we'll talk about that later."

As he spoke, Jiang Yi was about to throw Su Xiaoyue off his arm without any mercy.

However, Su Xiaoyue hugged him even tighter.

Jiang Yi didn't want to get too involved with Su Xiaoyue, but he was also afraid of hurting the girl by being too forceful.

"Ms. Su, thank you for getting me out of prison. I will transfer the medical expenses to you later. As for helping me get out of prison, I will do my best to repay you in the future."

"Of course, if you need it."

After Jiang Yi finished speaking, he swallowed.

"Now, Miss Su, can you let go of me? I want to see my parents!"

However, Su Xiaoyue had no intention of letting go of Jiang Yi at all. "Snap!"

The phone fell to the ground.

Su Xiaoyue even climbed up completely.

He tackled Jiang Yi to the ground and pinned him firmly to the hospital bed.

"Jiang Yi, you bastard!"

"I rescued you just to hear your thanks?"

"Do you think I need your little bit of money?"

"I want you!"

"It's always been you!"

As they talked, Su Xiaoyue nestled into Jiang Yi's arms.

Hot tears soaked Jiang Yi's entire chest.

The girl's cries echoed throughout the ward.

And the buzzing vibrations masked by the sound of crying.