Upon hearing Liu Jianhong's words, Qin Yue couldn't help but pause for a moment.
"Hey! This phone is mine to begin with!" She shouted immediately.
Liu Jianhong shook his head with a smile, "But without proof, it's just your word against mine. I simply found this phone on the ground; I didn't see it fall from you."
Qin Yue clarified, "Let's get this straight. The distance between us has never exceeded three meters from the beginning. If you found a phone on the ground and it's not mine, whose else could it be?"
"It could also belong to someone who was there before, and…"
As he spoke, Liu Jianhong couldn't help but chuckle as he glanced at the phone.
"Come on, what era are we in now?"
"People who still use flip phones like this must be over forty at the very least. Girls your age definitely use smartphones. How could you possibly be using this outdated flip phone?"
"I…"
Qin Yue was momentarily speechless, unsure of how to respond to Liu Jianhong's question.
"What's wrong? Are you admitting that this phone isn't yours?"
Qin Yue took a deep breath, then shook her head and said, "I didn't admit it. This phone is mine. I just don't like using smartphones. I prefer using this outdated type of phone. So what? Is that a crime?"
"If you don't believe me, go ahead and open the phone to check. I can name more than half of the contacts in the phone book, and I can even recite a few numbers!"
Liu Jianhong shook his head gently. "Since this isn't my phone, I don't have the right to open it and invade someone else's privacy. Once you leave, I'll take it to the police station. If you can prove it's yours, you can retrieve it there."
"You're clearly just trying to make things difficult for me!"
Liu Jianhong continued to smile at Qin Yue, completely ignoring her accusations.
Qin Yue glared at him, almost visibly suppressing her anger.
Without her phone, she had no way to call for help. In her current state, leaving here forcibly would be almost akin to running naked in public.
"What do you want in order to help me?"
Qin Yue lowered her voice as she spoke, picking up her wallet as she talked.
"I have a lot of cash in my wallet. Let me take those clothes to wear, and I'll give you all the cash in my wallet. I'll keep just a little for my taxi fare. Can we do that?"
"No."
Upon hearing Qin Yue's words, Liu Jianhong promptly refused without any hesitation.
"I don't need pocket money. I don't need to take money from you," he said.
"What do you want then?"
Qin Yue's face tensed, almost shouting out loud.
"Do you have to stay here and watch me change clothes before you're satisfied!?"
Liu Jianhong remained silent, not saying a word, seemingly indicating his acquiescence.
Qin Yue stared at him, their eyes locked in a silent exchange. The moment stretched for about half a minute, and gradually, her expression softened.
"Fine, I understand."
She let out a soft sigh, her tone a mix of anger and resignation.
"Please lend me some clothes to wear. You can stay inside the room and watch."