Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

"You mean..." Kogoro Mouri's voice became tense, "Mr. Arai is lying?"

“That’s possible,” Lin Xiu nodded. “But he could also have been forced to say that.”

"Forced? Forced by whom?" Kogoro Mouri hadn't even reacted yet.

"Kidnappers."

The moment Lin Xiuyi uttered those two words, Kogoro Mouri was jolted awake.
"Think about it, if it really were a kidnapping, the kidnappers would definitely threaten the family not to call the police or make a sound. Once they do, they would kill the hostage immediately."

“In this situation, Mr. Arai would definitely be shocked to learn that Ruri is helping to find someone. He can’t let Ruri continue searching. If the police are alerted, or if the matter gets out to the media, the kidnappers might really kill her.”

He paused, then continued,
"Therefore, he must make Ruri stop searching. The best way is to make up a lie and say that Mrs. Arai is alright and went to a friend's house on her own. That way, Ruri will stop looking and things will calm down."

Kogoro Mouri was dumbfounded.

"Huh? How come I didn't think of that!"

He slapped his head hard, making a crisp sound.
"I'll call Liuli right now!"

He stood up and was about to rush toward the phone, but Lin Xiuyi grabbed him.

"...Forget it." Lin Xiuyi shook his head, but his grip remained steady. "What's the point of telling her? It will only make Liuli worry."

“But…” Kogoro Mori said anxiously, “What if it really is a kidnapping? Wouldn’t Mrs. Arai be in great danger? We can’t just stand by and watch her die!”

"What can Liuli do if you tell her?" Lin Xiuyi retorted. "Rush over to question Mr. Arai? Or go and investigate herself? What if she really angers the kidnappers and the hostage is killed? Who will take responsibility for that?"

Kogoro Mouri was speechless when asked the question.

"So we're just going to do nothing?" he asked, unwilling to give up. "That's not a good idea. What if something happens? How could I live with myself?"

“There’s nothing good or bad about it.” Lin Xiuyi shook his head and let go of his arm. “Since Mr. Arai told Ruri that his wife is alright, it means that he has most likely decided to agree to the kidnappers’ demands and is prepared to pay the ransom to exchange her. He is doing this to ensure his wife’s safety; it is his choice.”

He paused, then continued,
“Even if we go there, he definitely won’t believe us. In his eyes, we are just outsiders, a threat that could kill his wife.”

“He won’t believe us. He’ll just kick us out and maybe even warn us to mind our own business.”

"Besides, these are just our guesses. Maybe Mrs. Arai is really alright."

Lin Xiuyi concluded, but his tone lacked much conviction.

Kogoro Mouri stood there, his expression changing several times.

Finally, he slumped back onto the stool and let out a long sigh.

"Alright, I'll listen to you," he said in a muffled voice. "I hope I'm just overthinking it, and Mrs. Arai is really alright."

Lin Xiu looked at him but didn't say anything more.

He patted his good friend on the shoulder and turned to continue his work at the shop.

...Around 11 o'clock, the last customer paid and left, and the izakaya finally came to an end after a busy day and returned to peace.

Hideaki Hayashi, Kogoro Mouri, Eri Kisaki, Yukiko, and Midori Orikasa worked together to clean up the izakaya, tidying up the rooms, washing the dishes, and arranging the tables and chairs in an orderly manner.

As Eri tidied up the cash register, she glanced at Hideaki every now and then, her eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and worry.
She could sense that Lin Xiuyi was acting strangely today; he seemed preoccupied.
Moreover, she had just overheard some of the conversation between Kogoro Mouri and Shuichi Hayashi, and vaguely knew that something seemed to have happened, but she didn't know the specifics.

By the time they finished packing, it was almost midnight.

Exhausted from a long day of running around and being busy, Kogoro Mouri leaned back in his chair, feeling drowsy.

Yukiko showed no signs of fatigue. She quickly walked to Hayashi Shuichi's side, put her hands on her hips, and looked at him with curiosity.
"Shuichi, which of Kogoro's friends is in trouble? What happened?"

Her curiosity, which she had been holding back all night, finally burst forth, and a series of questions came out of her mouth.

Just now, she sensed something was wrong. Kogoro Mouri's disheveled appearance, Shuichi Hayashi's solemn expression, and Midori Orikasa's anxious manner while answering the phone all made her feel that something serious must have happened.

Lin Xiuyi hadn't said anything, and she didn't want to ask too much. Now that the izakaya was closed and everyone was free, she could finally ask him for clarification.

After cleaning up the cash register, Eri Kisaki came over and leaned against the table next to her.

Although she didn't directly press for answers like Yukiko did, the expression on her face clearly showed that she also wanted to know what had happened.

Midori Orikasa also came over and stood aside, silently watching Hayashi Hideichi.

She was also eager to know what Lin Xiuyi was worried about, and what news the phone call had brought.

Lin Xiuyi looked at the three girls in front of him and knew that he could not hide this matter from them in the end, so he briefly told them about the disappearance of Mrs. Arai, Liuli's neighbor.

After listening to Lin Xiuyi's story, the girls fell silent.

Inside the izakaya, all was quiet, save for the sound of a few people breathing; the atmosphere grew heavy once more.

Yukiko's curiosity was instantly replaced by worry, and she murmured, "What if Mrs. Arai really has been kidnapped?"

Eri Kisaki frowned deeply, her eyes serious, and said in a heavy tone, "If it really is a kidnapping case, then things are going to be troublesome."

"Kidnappers usually want a ransom, but even after receiving it, they might not release the hostage. If Mrs. Arai saw their faces, she would probably be even more..."

Midori Orikasa clasped her hands together and prayed softly, "I hope Mrs. Arai will be safe and sound, and that the kidnappers will release her soon so she can return to her daughter."

Seeing the worried expressions on the three girls' faces, Lin Xiuyi smiled and comforted them.

"Don't overthink it, these could all just be my guesses."

“How about,” Eri suggested, “we go see Ruri together tomorrow? I haven’t been to Ruri’s new house since she moved, and we can also check on Mrs. Arai’s situation?”

After she finished speaking, the others all turned their gazes to Lin Xiuyi, waiting for his decision. (End of Chapter)