Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

The Brians' villa wasn't luxurious, but it exuded warmth throughout.

Fresh apples and oranges were laid out on the coffee table in the living room, along with two glasses of chilled lemonade, clearly prepared especially for Lin Xiuyi and Fei Yingli.

The elderly couple arranged a room for the two of them on the second floor, with doors facing each other. The room was small but spotless, and the sheets and blankets were clean and light blue.

Seeing that it was almost noon, Mrs. Brian clapped her hands with a smile: "Please have a seat, I'll go to the kitchen to prepare lunch, it will be ready soon."

After saying that, she tied on her apron, turned around and went into the kitchen. Soon, the sounds of chopping vegetables and the refrigerator door opening could be heard.

Mr. Brian pulled up two chairs and sat down at the coffee table in the living room. Looking at Lin Xiuyi and Fei Yingli, he smiled and started talking: "I heard that you encountered hijackers on your way to Los Angeles? That was really dangerous. It's a blessing from God that you came out safe and sound."

“Yes,” Lin Xiu nodded, without going into too much detail about the thrilling incident, and simply gave a brief account of what happened. “Fortunately, there were many people on the plane who helped, and in the end, they successfully subdued the hijackers and even made an emergency landing at a US military base in the Aleutian Islands.”

He deliberately avoided mentioning the rude treatment and verbal abuse from the U.S. military, not wanting to embarrass Mr. Brian, whom he was meeting for the first time.

"Sigh, it's all because our current president is too weak!"

Mr. Brian suddenly slammed his hand on the coffee table, his face full of annoyance.

"Not only did they occupy the embassy, ​​but they also took diplomats hostage. Now they even dare to hijack a plane. They simply don't respect the United States at all!"

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, his gray eyebrows furrowing into a knot, his tone filled with dissatisfaction with the current government.

Lin Xiu blinked but didn't reply.

He recalled the appearance of the hijackers on the plane; their skin was dark and their facial features were distinct, making them look like people from the Middle East.

However, there were some things he really couldn't say. On the one hand, the hijackers disregarded the safety of others and were indeed heartless and deserving of death.

On the other hand, the United States' long-term involvement in Middle Eastern affairs and its frequent military interventions have caused widespread suffering among the local population, thus exacerbating the conflict.

Such complex issues cannot be explained in a few words, especially since he is a foreign guest; making rash comments would only create more trouble.

Eri Kisaki wisely remained silent, only taking a small sip of her lemonade. Her gaze fell on the American flag hanging on the living room wall, her expression somewhat complicated.

Recalling her experience at the US military base, she couldn't really agree much with Mr. Brian's talk of "American dignity."

Mr. Brian said a few words, but when neither of them responded, he suddenly realized that he had been somewhat out of line.

He smiled awkwardly and waved his hand, "Sorry, sorry, I just get excited when I talk about this. You're still high school students, just arrived in America, and don't know anything about the situation here. Why am I telling you all this?"

To ease the tension, he then began to introduce the local customs and culture of Los Angeles to the two of them.

He spoke enthusiastically about everything from Hollywood's Walk of Fame to Santa Monica's beaches and the unique features of UCLA's campus, his eyes brimming with love for the city.

After chatting for more than ten minutes, the distance between the two gradually closed and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.

Eri hesitated for a long time, then, remembering Yusaku Kudo's earlier reminder, she mustered up her courage and asked, "Mr. Brian, we heard before we came that because of the recent trade conflict between the United States and Japan, some people seem to dislike the Japanese... Will our visit cause you any trouble?" After asking this question, she nervously clenched the hem of her clothes, afraid of getting a bad answer.

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Mr. Brian's face.

He scratched his head and said sincerely, "Recently, there have indeed been a lot of frictions due to trade issues, and some people who are not clear-headed have said some unpleasant things to the Japanese, or even done some extreme things."

"But those are a minority; most Americans still welcome you."

"You don't need to care about what those people think. Feel at home in my house, don't be shy."

His eyes were sincere, without the slightest perfunctoriness, which eased Eri's anxiety a little.

Just then, Mrs. Brian came out of the kitchen, wiped her hands, and said with a smile, "Lunch is ready. Come and eat in the dining room."

Mr. Brian immediately stood up and warmly invited, "Come on, try Nicole's cooking, her sandwiches are my favorite!"

Lin Xiuyi and Fei Yingli followed the elderly couple into the restaurant, and as soon as they sat down, they were stunned by the food on the table.

On the plate were several thick sandwiches, next to a large plate of Italian sausage pizza, a few hot dogs covered in tomato sauce, and a small bowl of vegetable salad.

It was clear that Mrs. Brian had put a lot of thought into the preparations. The sandwiches were filled with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and golden-brown patties, while the pizza was topped with cheese and sausage, making it look incredibly tempting.

However, such a cold lunch was not quite suitable for Eri Kisaki and Hideaki Hayashi, who had not eaten for more than ten hours.

Since it was their first meeting, the two were too embarrassed to be picky and could only pick up the sandwiches and eat them heartily.

"How is it? Nicole's sandwiches taste pretty good, don't they?" Mr. Brian looked at the two of them and praised them proudly. "I've eaten them my whole life and I've never gotten tired of them. When she makes the meat patties, she adds a little black pepper and chopped onions, which makes them especially delicious."

Eri Kisaki took a bite of the sandwich. The meat patty was indeed tender and juicy, but the sandwich was too small. She ate most of it in one bite.

Looking at the small half-eaten sandwich left on her plate, she suddenly realized that her terrible cooking skills might be considered "masterful" if she were in America.

She glanced at Lin Xiuyi and saw that he was also eating quickly, clearly not full like herself.

Fortunately, Mrs. Brian noticed their embarrassment and brought over another plate of sandwiches with a smile: "It's alright, there's more if you need it. There's plenty in the kitchen, so please don't be shy."

Lin Xiuyi and Fei Yingli quickly thanked her and picked up their sandwiches to eat, feeling grateful to the thoughtful old lady.

After lunch, Lin Xiuyi and Fei Yingli got up to say goodbye, wanting to go back to their rooms to rest and adjust to the time difference.

Knowing that they had been on a plane for more than ten hours and had experienced a hijacking incident, the Brians must be very tired, so they quickly got up and led the two up to the second floor.

"Both rooms are ready, you can use them as you like."

Mr. Brian opened the doors to both rooms.
"The room has air conditioning and a wardrobe. Please let us know if you need anything." (End of Chapter)