Reason told Jiang Fan he didn’t have to answer this call. Anna had already mentioned Mu Yuli had tried many times before. Even if he pretended not to hear, Mu Yuli wouldn’t know—this one time wouldn’t make a difference.

But a deep-rooted fear made Jiang Fan instinctively reach for it. He could vividly imagine the horrific consequences if Mu Yuli discovered he’d deliberately ignored her call.

Time crept by. As Jiang Fan hesitated, his Xiaomi 8 kept playing Remilia’s character theme. Anna didn’t press him. She simply waited quietly for his choice.

Five minutes passed on the screen. Mu Yuli’s phone must have long since chimed, *"The user you’re calling is unavailable. Please try again later."* Yet she still hadn’t hung up.

Five minutes was Mu Yuli’s patience limit.

Now, she’d shattered it herself.

"Sis Anna… just answer it for me…"

The words slipped out—and Jiang Fan instantly regretted them. *Talk about protesting too much.*

He sighed, squeezed his eyes shut, and played dead.

*Better pretend. Just in case…*

Anna caught his drift and nodded. She answered the call, switching on speaker so Jiang Fan could hear.

"Hi~! Hello there~~!"

Her cheerful greeting made Jiang Fan certain Mu Yuli had never met a kidnapper quite like her.

*Hell, neither had he.*

Dead silence crackled from the other end. Then came Mu Yuli’s voice, rough with suppressed fury:

"...Where is he?"

Jiang Fan’s body jerked involuntarily. He knew that tone. It only surfaced when Mu Yuli caught him with another woman. How could he *not* be terrified?

"Hmm… where *are* we…? Honestly, I’m not sure! China’s a bit confusing to me. But I *am* curious—who are *you* to him? Calling this many times… you must really care."

Anna had no idea what monster she’d provoked. Jiang Fan frantically signaled her to watch her words—but she clearly missed the point.

Another silence. Then Mu Yuli spoke, each word ice-cold and deliberate:

"I’m his girlfriend."

Beside them, Yelan kept her head down, stunned.

*Miss has never openly claimed her relationship with the young master before…*

*He must mean far more to her than anyone realized.*

She stayed silent. Right now, Mu Yuli was a loaded gun. No one dared step in front of the barrel.

*Girlfriend?*

Anna glanced at the contact name on the screen, then winked at Jiang Fan. He covered his eyes like an ostrich, hoping she’d take the hint.

"Oho~! His *girlfriend*? I’m so happy for my little brother—he found someone who worries about him this much!"

Her laughter was barely concealed. It only poured gasoline on Mu Yuli’s rage.

"*Sister*? Hah. Kidnapping him the moment you met? What a *wonderful* sister you are."

Jiang Fan nodded instinctively. *Yeah. She’s… a bit rough.*

Anna pinched Jiang Fan’s thigh lightly. "I know it’s wrong. But you had him locked up tight too. Doesn’t exactly scream ‘girlfriend,’ does it? I doubted you’d just let me take him home."

Jiang Fan nodded again. *If Mu Yuli ever ‘let’ anything happen, the Earth would spin backward.*

"He’s *mine*! None of your business to order him around!" Mu Yuli snapped into the phone, her voice turning glacial. "I know he’s awake. Put him on. *Now*."

Jiang Fan frantically crossed his arms in a giant "X" at Anna. He could already hear Mu Yuli’s ultimatum: *Choose—me or her?* Facing her now meant risking the wrong answer. Better to play dead.

*Running away is shameful… but useful. Whoever wins, I’ll pick them. Happy ending for all.*

"Sorry, sweetie! He’s fast asleep. Want to hear his snores?"

Anna lied smoothly, seeing Jiang Fan’s panic. But Mu Yuli wasn’t fooled. She called out directly:

"Jiang Fan. Think carefully. Or when I find you…" A chilling chuckle. "*You’ll regret it*."

Jiang Fan’s face twisted like a bitter melon. *How did she even know I was here? I didn’t make a sound!*

He knew why. He just refused to admit it.

His hesitation earlier had tipped her off. Before he woke, Anna must’ve hung up instantly every time. Only this call lingered.

*Slap yourself stupid, Jiang Fan! You act tough every day—why fold now? Softening toward *her*? Tired of living?*

*Pathetic!*

Pretending was pointless now. Jiang Fan switched to vague diplomacy. He was powerless anyway. A show of reluctance would have to do.

"Ah… Yuli? Anna just woke me up. My head’s still foggy from that awful knockout gas—you have no idea how foul it smells…"

"Cut the crap! What’s your answer?"

Her voice turned razor-sharp. "Come back with me? Or stay with *her*? Ten seconds."

Mu Yuli saw right through him. No room for dodging. Her tone grew eerily calm—but the question shoved Jiang Fan to the gates of hell. One wrong word, and he’d burn.

Anna watched him silently, waiting. She wanted to know his choice too.

She’d welcome him as family… but if he refused, she’d simply reunite him with his mother and return him to Mu Yuli. No force.

Time bled away. Dodging was impossible. And "I want both" would only disappoint them both.

*What now?*

*Think. What’s my advantage? My greatest asset? What can save me?*

*The system. Obviously.*

Jiang Fan steeled himself. In a spot Anna couldn’t see, he summoned a stun gun.

*Maximum voltage. Activate!*

Then—

He experienced Ash and Pikachu’s daily routine firsthand.

*Running away… damn, it really works…*

That was Jiang Fan’s last thought before the darkness swallowed him.