Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

Before Ruri could finish speaking, Kogoro Mori quickly patted his chest and assured her, his voice so loud that the entire carriage could hear it.

"Don't worry, that will never happen!"

He spoke so loudly that it attracted the attention of the surrounding passengers.

Ruri's face flushed red instantly, and she playfully punched Kogoro Mouri in embarrassment: "Keep your voice down! Aren't you ashamed!"

Kogoro Mouri chuckled, rubbing the spot where he had been punched, but he felt a sense of relief; the crisis was finally over.

He lost interest in watching the spectacle and exchanged a silent glance with Lin Xiuyi.

Two brothers in the same boat saw a shared plight in each other's eyes.

……

The train continued its journey, and the scenery outside the window gradually changed from city buildings to suburban fields, and then to rolling mountains.

The several-hour drive passed quietly while chatting, taking naps, reading, and enjoying the scenery.

When the announcement "Next stop, Beika Station" came over the loudspeaker, everyone realized that they had returned to Tokyo.

"Finally home!" Yukiko stretched and began packing her belongings.

Eri Kisaki closed the magazine and looked out the window at the increasingly familiar street scene.

Lingzi excitedly leaned against the window, looking around.

A sense of warmth welled up in Lin Xiuyi's heart. No matter how far you go, home is always the most reassuring place.

The train slowly pulled into Mihana Station, the doors opened, and people carrying their luggage disembarked, joining the flow of people exiting the station.

In the station hall, everyone said a brief goodbye and went home.

Finally, only Hayashi Hideichi, Reiko, and Mouri Kogoro remained, and they walked together toward the izakaya.

Familiar streets, familiar smells, familiar night view.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, they arrived at the familiar three-story building.

"Finally home!"

Looking at the izakaya in front of her, Reiko cheered excitedly, put down her small suitcase, and immediately ran upstairs.

"Be careful, don't fall!" Lin Xiuyi quickly reminded him.

Kogoro Mouri smiled as he looked at the izakaya sign: "It's so nice to be home. Osaka is nice, but it doesn't feel as comfortable as here. By the way, the izakaya probably won't be open tonight, right?"

"No, let's rest for a day and talk about it tomorrow," Lin Xiuyi replied.

After such a long drive, everyone was tired, and the izakaya also needed to be cleaned before it could open for business.

"That's good," Kogoro Mouri stretched, his bones cracking. "After sitting on the train for most of the day, my back is aching. I need to go upstairs and lie down for a while."

"Don't forget to come down for dinner when it's time tonight," Lin Xiuyi reminded him. "You don't have to eat yourself, but don't forget to bring your aunt's food up with you."

"Don't worry, how could I forget about eating?" Kogoro Mouri laughed. "I'll go upstairs now."

He carried his luggage and went upstairs.

Lin Xiuyi did not immediately return to his home on the second floor, but instead opened the door of the izakaya and went inside.

Although Mrs. Mori had been helping to look after him during this time, he still felt somewhat uneasy without seeing it for himself.

Everything in the izakaya was as usual; the tables and chairs were neatly arranged, the bar was spotless, and the bottles of liquor were neatly arranged on the shelves. Only, there was a hint of dust in the air, the result of a long period of poor ventilation.

There was some dust on the floor; after all, it had been more than ten days since I left, so it was inevitable.

Lin Xiu opened all the windows to let the wind in and dispel the stuffiness in the room.

He glanced at the calendar on the wall, stopping at the date they left.

Lin Xiuyi stepped forward and turned the calendar to today.

Then, he picked up the mop in the corner and prepared to do a quick clean.

Although we're not open for business today, we still need to do some basic cleaning.

Just then, the door of the izakaya was suddenly pushed open.

A small head with golden hair peeked in, cautiously peering inside.

Upon seeing Lin Xiuyi inside the house, the little boy, Furuya Rei, had his eyes light up and excitedly ran inside.

"Master, you're finally back! It wasn't for nothing that I waited here every day..."

His voice was filled with exaggerated surprise and grievance, like a puppy waiting for its owner to come home.

But Lin Xiuyi wasn't buying it and smacked his dramatic apprentice on the head.

"Don't give me that!" Lin Xiuyi said irritably. "Didn't I call you last night and say I'd be back today? I even gave you the approximate time. Why do you need to 'wait every day'?"

Rei Furuya rubbed the spot where he'd been hit, chuckling dryly, "Hehe, I was just expressing my longing for my master..."

Seeing that Lin Xiuyi had picked up the mop to mop the floor, Furuya Rei's eyes lit up and he immediately reached out and snatched the mop away.

"Sir, you must be tired after a long day, having just returned from the train. Please sit down and rest. This is nothing, I can handle it!"

After grabbing the mop, Furuya Rei really started mopping the floor seriously.

Judging from his skillful movements, he clearly does a lot of housework at home.

Lin Xiuyi carefully washed the teapot, brewed a pot of tea with freshly boiled water, and then sat down on a chair by the window with his teacup in hand. He watched Furuya Rei diligently wielding the mop, occasionally offering a few words of advice such as "Be careful in the corners" and "Don't forget under the bar."

Rei Furuya started working with great enthusiasm, but after only ten minutes or so, his movements slowed down noticeably, and the sound of the mop rubbing against the floor became drawn out.

"master……"

The boy straightened up, wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, and looked over expectantly.
"You're not really planning to let me clean the whole izakaya by myself, are you?"

"How could it be my 'plan'?" Lin Xiuyi slowly sipped his tea. "Wasn't it a good disciple who 'volunteered' for this? How could I, as his master, refuse such filial piety?"

"Master!" Furuya Rei said with a bitter face, slamming the mop handle on the ground with a muffled thud.

"Alright." Lin Xiu put down her teacup and looked over with a half-smile. "'Unsolicited kindness is either a sign of ulterior motives or theft.' You've offered your kindness and mopped most of the floor. Now, tell me, what do you want from me?"

Rei Furuya's eyes lit up, and he immediately took a few steps closer, a fawning smile plastered on his face.
"Hehe, Master is indeed very perceptive. I knew I couldn't hide anything from you!"

He rubbed his hands together, his expression suddenly becoming somewhat embarrassed, and his voice lowered.
"Is that so... Master, do you remember Matsuda Jinpei? His father was a boxer!"

"I remember him, he's that arrogant kid," Lin Xiu nodded. "What's wrong, is he in trouble?"

“It’s no trouble,” Furuya Rei chuckled. “It’s his birthday the day after tomorrow, and he invited me to his house.”

"That's great," Lin Xiuyi said, somewhat surprised. "Is there a problem?" (End of Chapter)