Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

"Could he have... gone to deliver money to the kidnappers?"

Yukiko's eyes widened, and she instinctively covered her mouth, lowering her voice in surprise.
"Isn't that how kidnapping cases are always portrayed on TV? The family secretly takes the ransom and goes to make a deal with the kidnappers."

Lin Xiuyi gently shook her head, her tone quite certain: "It shouldn't be."

"First, he was carrying a small briefcase, which is not very big and can't hold much cash. It's impossible for a kidnapper to kidnap a wealthy person's family member for just a small amount of money."

"Secondly, and most importantly, when that man went out, got into the car, and left, I kept staring at his expression and demeanor. I couldn't see much anxiety on his face, let alone any tension, panic, or unease."

“If it really is a case of a wife being kidnapped and the husband having to pay for her ransom, as a husband, even if he tries to pretend, it is impossible to remain so calm. He would definitely feel very anxious and flustered, and his footsteps and eyes would not be able to hide it.”

“But when Mr. Arai left just now, he looked very natural, just like when he went to work, and there was no sign of him being in a hurry.”

These words surprised everyone even more.

Eri Kisaki frowned and couldn't help but ask, "Shuichi, are you sure you didn't see wrong? How could a husband not be worried at all when his wife is in an accident and goes missing? Unless... their relationship isn't good?"

As she finished speaking, she subconsciously turned to look at Liuli.

After all, Ruri is a neighbor and has the most contact with him, so she should be the most qualified to speak about the relationship between Arai and his wife.

Liuli paused for a moment, carefully recalling the scenes she had usually witnessed, and shook her head uncertainly.
"Well, I'm not really sure... I haven't been here for very long."

"However, every time I see Mrs. Arai, she is always impeccably dressed, with a gentle smile and a kind demeanor. She seems to be quite happy, doesn't she?"

She simply couldn't reconcile the image of the gentle and kind Mrs. Arai with the idea of ​​marital discord.

However, regardless of what everyone was speculating, Mr. Arai had already driven away.

According to Liuli, their daughter was sent to a relative's house to be cared for as early as yesterday.

In other words, the Arai family home is now completely empty.

Even if Liuli wanted to go and find out more information now, there was no one she could ask.

With things having come to this point, there was nothing else they could do but abandon their plans and return to the living room to chat and wait.

Everyone deliberately avoided mentioning Mrs. Arai, afraid of making Ruri even more worried.

But everyone still has a stone hanging over their heart.

Time passed little by little, and before we knew it, it was noon.

Ruri and Yukiko went into the kitchen to prepare lunch, and Hayashi Hideichi also went in to lend a hand.

Just as everyone was about to put aside their morning doubts, Kogoro Mouri's urgent shouts suddenly came from the living room.

"Shuichi! Come quick! There's movement at the Arai family's residence!"

That sound instantly invigorated everyone.

Lin Xiuyi paused in her movements, immediately put down the cleaver, and quickly walked out of the kitchen.

Eri, Ruri, Yukiko, and Midori Orikasa also put down what they were holding and joined the others, all crowding around the window, holding their breath, and looking towards the Arai family's house across the street.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, an inconspicuous white van slowly pulled up in front of the Arai family's house.

The car door opened, and a man and a woman stepped out one after the other. The woman appeared to be in her thirties, wearing an elegant dress, with slightly wavy long hair, a pretty face, and a gentle demeanor.

She looked slightly tired, but her spirits were still good. She didn't appear flustered or disheveled from being coerced.

After getting out of the car, she and the stranger next to the driver's seat stood at the door and exchanged a few words. Their voices were not loud, and no one could hear what they said because of the distance between them.

However, judging from their expressions and actions, it seemed more like a normal farewell than a standoff between kidnappers and hostages.

After a few words, the man nodded to the woman, got back into the van, closed the door, and quickly drove away.

The woman turned around and walked naturally into her yard, took out her key, opened the gate, and slowly went inside.

The entire set of movements was calm and natural, without the slightest abnormality.

"That's Mrs. Arai!" Ruri exclaimed in a low voice, her eyes widening slightly in surprise.

The person who had been hanging in her heart all night was finally back safely. Her first reaction was to breathe a sigh of relief, but she also felt a little incredulous.

As Eri watched Mrs. Arai calmly walk into the house, a hint of doubt appeared on her face. She couldn't help but say, "Judging from the way she was talking to that man just now, she didn't seem like she had been kidnapped..."

"Could it be that Mr. Arai wasn't lying after all, and that his wife really did leave home without saying goodbye because she was too busy?"

Yukiko nodded in agreement, looking enlightened: "It seems we were overthinking it. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding. Mrs. Arai was just helping a friend temporarily and left in such a hurry that she didn't have time to contact her family."

A relieved smile appeared on everyone's face.

It was a false alarm, but the scare has finally come to an end.

Kogoro Mouri laughed heartily and patted Shuichi Hayashi on the shoulder: "See, see, I told you he should be alright! Shuichi, you were wrong this time! Anyway, it's good that everyone's alright, that's more important than anything else!"

Lin Xiuyi stared at the tightly closed gate of the Arai family's residence, remained silent for a few seconds, his face expressionless, and simply shook his head slightly.

"Hmm, maybe I really misjudged it, and I made a mountain out of a molehill."

Although he said that, the faint sense of unease in his heart did not completely disappear.

However, the person has returned home safely, and there is nothing unusual about their demeanor or behavior.
If he persists in his doubts, he's really being overly pessimistic.

"Thank goodness, it's so good that Mrs. Arai is alright!"

A genuine smile appeared on Liuli's face, sweeping away her previous worries and fatigue.

She turned to the crowd and said, "I'm going to see Mrs. Arai, say hello to her, and ask her where she's been these past few days."

After saying that, without waiting for anyone's response, she quickly walked out of the room, carrying the warmth and care of a neighbor girl, and headed towards the Arai family next door.

Lin Xiuyi stood by the window, watching Liuli's light and agile figure, then glanced at the quiet gate of the Arai family's house.
Is it really... just a misunderstanding?

He didn't speak again, but silently withdrew his gaze.

In any case, the best outcome is that everyone is safe and sound.

As for that lingering sense of unease, perhaps it's because he's been too stressed lately about the Black Organization, and is being overly sensitive. (End of Chapter)