Conan: The Man Behind the Romance

Chapter 46 This is just an experiment

Time passed quickly and it was already eight o'clock in the evening. After having a nutritious meal with good color, aroma and taste at the training base, Hotaru and Xiaolan each carried a large bag of miscellaneous things and appeared on the streets of Harajuku.

The shops on both sides of the street are brightly lit, with all kinds of trendy clothing, accessories, and food shops lined up one after another. The moonlight is shining brightly, the neon lights are colorful, and there is an endless stream of pedestrians, which reflects a gorgeous night scene with this prosperity.

"Oh... I ate a little too much just now." Yingsheng suddenly spoke.

"Hmm...So?"

"So in order to avoid nighttime food accumulation, which is bad for your health, should you take a few steps?"

"How many steps is that?"

That's true, but our steps have actually moved forward, like a drop of water into the sea, merging into the crowd and becoming a part of this beautiful night scene.

Yingsheng chuckled: "I want to walk until midnight."

"Damei, that's too dangerous. I don't dare."

"Eh? Harajuku is safe, right?"

"Hmph, Suigetsu-kun knows that's not what I'm talking about."

“I have no idea.”

"Oh."

"Oh."

"Oh."

"Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh, I can't even beat you, senior, don't worry so much."

"Hey, you're here again. I didn't want to talk to you about this." Xiaolan picked up the bag in her hand and shook it. "And according to the schedule set by Miss Shirley, I need to rest at half past ten at the latest."

"So strict, what about the recipe?"

"Of course we need to follow it as much as possible. That's the advice given by nutritionists. Speaking of which, I was worried that Suigetsu-kun was coerced by the Yakuza, but it turned out to be not the case at all. It's a very formal research institute, and the logistical support for the operatives is first-rate."

"Well... there is no conflict between the formal and the extreme, for example, that loan shark last night."

"Oh, that's right, the Yakuza are legal in Japan." Xiaolan's eyes lit up as if she had suddenly discovered some truth, "That means that not all Yakuza are bad guys..."

"mistake!"

Yingsheng rejected it on the spot: "What happened today is just a special case. When you see them again tomorrow, they will become the worst villains who have committed heinous crimes again."

"Eh? If you keep saying you're seeing special cases, it's totally unconvincing. Is that the same for Ms. Shirley?"

"She is a core research member. I think she is one of the worst villains. Don't be fooled by her appearance."

"Ah... you must be kidding. I can't tell at all."

"Then can you see that I killed three people this afternoon?"

"!!!"

Hearing this, Xiaolan was stunned. Shuiyue-kun killed someone? What does this mean?
It was not until she saw the smile on Yingsheng's lips that she realized something and snorted in annoyance.

"We have been together this afternoon. Except in the locker room, you have never left my sight for more than half a minute. How could you have time to do something like that?"

"See, that's it. So next time you meet Miss Shirley alone, don't believe her. Also, gin and vodka, all of them."

"..."

Xiaolan was speechless: "I don't understand at all. Is there any cause and effect relationship between them? Let me think... Are you trying to say that I can't immediately be sure of what I saw with my own eyes, so I should be more vigilant about other things?"

"That's understandable."

"But this is too tiring."

"Just like what you said in the early morning."

"what?"

"Used to it."

Habit is a very scary thing. No matter how abnormal the situation is, when it happens repeatedly, it will make people dull and even take it for granted.

Looking at the bright moon in the sky, Yingsheng's thoughts drifted away for a while, and his wandering sight gradually focused after it came into contact with the small newsstand on the side of the road.

"Xiaolan."

"Ok?"

"The police have given up investigating the high-value insurance case. There may be a result in the evening paper. It concerns your parents. Go buy a copy."

Xiaolan looked at Yingsheng who was standing still in the crowd with some surprise, stretched out her hand, and gently pushed him from behind. Yingsheng took two steps along with the force, then sat down directly on a bench by the roadside and smiled:

"Maybe I overexerted myself this afternoon and tore my muscles. Please, I'll sit down for a while."

Xiaolan felt a sense of uneasiness inexplicably: "Suiyue-kun, are you... okay?"

"Of course I'm fine. I feel great both physically and mentally." Yingsheng rubbed his calf gently and said with a smile, "It would be even better if you could read the follow-up of that case for me."

"wait for me."

Xiaolan could not tell that Yingsheng's behavior was any different from before, and thought that the slight uneasiness was just an illusion. She quickly went to the newsstand and bought an evening paper. The front page was the follow-up of the case, and she walked back and read it to Yingsheng.

To the effect:
With a rigorous and responsible work attitude towards citizens, the police, after several days of investigation, finally determined that the death of Masato Yukimatsu was purely accidental; the person involved, Nami Yukimatsu, also solemnly apologized to the police in front of the media, saying that her previous remarks were purely unreasonable and she did not understand the difficulties of the police.

Everyone was happy and it ended perfectly.

"Gone?"

Yingsheng's voice was calm, but the long eyelashes on his tightly closed eyes trembled slightly.

"This case has indeed ended here. What follows is... ah!" Xiaolan suddenly exclaimed when she saw the second page. "Two policemen were attacked and seriously injured. They are still being rescued. The preliminary judgment is that this is an act of revenge by the Nimicide Society."

Two people?

Seriously injured?

"Anything else?" Yingsheng asked.

"Others..." Xiaolan looked up and said, "What exactly do you want to know, Shuiyue-kun?"

"Of course it's about your parents. The other things have nothing to do with me."

"Then no, there is no mention of them in the newspaper." Xiaolan gently placed the back of her hand on Yingsheng's forehead, felt it for a while, and asked worriedly: "Is Shuiyue-kun feeling unwell? Do you want to go to the hospital?"

"To be honest, I was a little upset because I was worried that your father would come out soon."

"Ah?"

"Because you definitely haven't had time to make your comparison table yet. And I've taken up your time today, and the floor in your house hasn't been repaired yet. If your father sees it when he comes back, it will be a bit troublesome."

"is that so……"

Xiaolan pursed her lips slightly and slowly leaned back on the backrest. Dark clouds in the sky obscured the moonlight, making her eyes look a little dim.

"Of course I understand what Suigetsu-kun means, but Dad will probably change after what he's experienced. And he'll definitely feel lonely if he has to face an empty room when he returns home. I... I'm sorry, but I can't just leave him alone, otherwise he'll mess up his life."

"No need to apologize."

"But...I have disappointed Suigetsu-kun again."

"Didn't I tell you not to think too much?"

Yingsheng smiled, opened his eyes, took the newspaper from Xiaolan's hand, and quickly scanned the pages.

Indeed, not.

Qingzi, did you find out?
Ding Dong!

Suddenly, an email was received on the mobile phone. Yingsheng avoided Xiaolan's sight and clicked it. The content was very brief.

【Goodbye, Mr. Hotaru】

(End of this chapter)