Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

“I think so too,” Eri Kisaki put down her teacup, her tone somewhat dismissive. “There are a lot of people with the surname Miyano in Japan. You can find dozens in Tokyo alone, not to mention other cities.”

"Even if the Karasuma Group wants to find someone, they need concrete clues, right?"

"We can't possibly search for everyone in Japan with the surname Miyano just because of one surname; that would be too much work."

She turned to look at Lin Xiuyi and added with a smile, "You're just too cautious. Look how quiet this clinic is, surrounded by ordinary residents. Even if the Karasuma Group is powerful, they wouldn't go to such a small place to investigate an inconspicuous clinic."

"Besides, Dr. Miyano and his wife just want to live and treat patients quietly. They haven't provoked them, so how could they be targeted so easily?"

Eri Kisaki took a bite of the cookie, the crisp sound particularly clear in the quiet clinic.

As a future top lawyer, she has more faith in the protection of the law than in hiding.

Lin Xiuyi remained silent, but still felt somewhat worried.

He knew the Karasuma Group's modus operandi; they were always ruthless in achieving their goals, not to mention that the Miyano couple were involved in their most valued drug research.

Even if there's only the slightest clue, the Karasuma Group will definitely investigate to the end.

But seeing the longing for her husband's hometown in Miyano Elena's eyes, and the innocent smile on Akemi's face, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to say, "The Karasuma Group is far more dangerous than you imagine."

Even if I told them, they certainly wouldn't believe me, and it would only disrupt our peaceful life.

"Big brother, why aren't you eating cookies?"

Xiaoming noticed that Lin Xiuyi hadn't touched the cookies on his plate, so she moved closer to him, tilting her little face up to ask.

"Is it not tasty?"

"No, it's delicious."

Lin Xiuyi snapped out of her daze, smiled, picked up a cookie, and ruffled Xiaomingmei's hair.

"My brother was just thinking about something, it wasn't about the cookies."

Xiaoming nodded as if she understood, then ran over to Furuya Rei and shared her picture book.

"Hey patient, would you like to read a picture book? There are lots of little animals in it!"

Watching the children's innocent interactions, a gentle smile appeared on Elena Miyano's face, and the tension that had arisen earlier because of the "Karasuma Group" dissipated considerably.

Eri gently touched Hideaki Hayashi's arm and whispered, "Don't think so much. Isn't it good as it is now? Instead of worrying about things that haven't happened yet, let's cherish the peace we have now."

Lin Xiuyi looked at the scene before him and finally nodded.

Perhaps I was just too nervous.

He picked up the black tea and took another sip. The aroma of the tea dispelled the worries in his heart and allowed him to temporarily put aside his concerns.

……

After sitting in the clinic for a while, seeing that new patients were coming in, Lin Xiuyi and the other two got up to say goodbye.

The new patient was a middle-aged man clutching his abdomen, pale-faced, clearly enduring severe pain.

Elena Miyano immediately displayed the professionalism of a doctor, quickly and calmly inquiring about the patient's condition, a stark contrast to her previous confused demeanor, where she didn't even know where the tea leaves were.

Elena Miyano went to treat the patient, while Akemi, in place of her mother, saw Lin Xiuyi and the other two out the door.

As they reached the clinic entrance, Xiaomingmei stopped, looked up at Lin Xiuyi, and asked softly, "Big brother, will you come again in the future?"

"Of course I will."

Lin Xiuyi squatted down, smiled, and patted her head, teasing her on purpose, "What, you're already missing us even before we've left?"

Xiaoming's cheeks flushed slightly, but she still nodded earnestly, her voice tinged with a hint of grievance.

"I want to stay at the clinic to help my parents. There are usually very few other children who come to play with me..."

Seeing the loneliness that the little girl couldn't hide in her eyes, before Lin Xiuyi could even speak, Furuya Rei eagerly stepped forward, patting his chest and assuring him...

"Mingmei, my home is nearby! I'll come to play with you every day from now on, read picture books with you, play shuttlecock, and even help you organize your medicine!"

"really?"

Xiaomingmei's eyes lit up instantly as she looked at Furuya Rei with delight.

"Of course it's true! I keep my word!"

Rei Furuya nodded vigorously, as if afraid that Akemi wouldn't believe him, and even held up his little finger.
"Let's pinky swear. If I don't keep my promise, I'll be punished by not being able to eat chocolate for a month!"

Xiaoming happily extended her little finger and hooked it with his, finally revealing a bright smile on her face.

Seeing his apprentice's seemingly ulterior motives, Lin Xiuyi helplessly tapped his head.
"You little rascal, before you promise someone, don't you ever think about whether you have the time?"

Rei Furuya scratched his head, chuckled, but didn't refute.

For him, being able to see Elena Miyano, who was as gentle as a mother, every day was more important than anything else.

Under Xiaomingmei's reluctant gaze, the three turned and left.

After walking a few steps, Lin Xiu turned around and could still see the little girl standing at the clinic entrance, waving her little hand vigorously.

He smiled and waved until his figure was blocked by the street corner.

On the way home, Lin Xiuyi told his apprentice about Ikenami Shizuka's invitation, but the kid refused without even thinking about it.

"I'm sorry, Master, I promised Mingmei that I would go to see him every day."

"You promised to visit Akemi every day, but what about Narumi?" Eri Kisaki teased. "He should be going back to the hospital to recuperate soon, right?"

"This……"

Rei Furuya was immediately in a dilemma, clearly having not considered this situation.

"Don't worry, it's not that complicated," Lin Xiuyi said with a smile. "It's summer vacation now, so Mingmei is staying at the clinic. She should go back to school after summer vacation."

“Yeah,” Rei Furuya patted his forehead, “Akemi still has to go to school, but then, wouldn’t only Elena be left at the clinic…”

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence, realizing he had let something slip, and his cheeks instantly turned bright red.

“Yes, Madam!” Eri Kisaki glared at Rei Furuya with annoyance. “She’s married, and much older than you! Even if Akemi isn’t here, Mr. Miyano is still at the clinic.”

"Sigh," Furuya Rei sighed in disappointment, then angrily kicked a pebble on the side of the road.

Lin Xiuyi looked at his apprentice's dejected expression, feeling both amused and somewhat worried.

Rei Furuya's mother had just passed away, and his special feelings for Elena Miyano were likely a form of emotional transference.

In this situation, forcibly stopping it may backfire.

“Xiao Ling,” Lin Xiuyi softened his tone, “It’s good to care about others, but remember to keep an appropriate distance.”

Rei Furuya nodded silently, but the disappointment in his eyes was still evident. (End of Chapter)