Detective Conan: Is Miss Haibara planning to assault a police officer again today?

"This situation is neither caused by you nor by me; it's just a normal stage in the development of our relationship."

"Trust me, we will get through this smoothly. As long as we maintain a good communication attitude during this time, we can be considered an old married couple once we get over this hurdle."

Higashino Ning was speechless. "Sister, do you have to treat me like a complete idiot?"

The little girl instinctively retorted, "You're an idiot, an idiot!"

"Alright, alright," Higashino Ning's tone softened. "Don't worry, I'm just telling you how I feel so you won't misunderstand."

"You underestimate how much I like you. I'll never get tired of you in at least ten or eight years."

Ai Haibara frowned. "And then ten years later you'll get tired of me and want to abandon me? Believe me or not, I'll just turn you into a specimen and keep you at home."

"Love may not have a long shelf life, but with the help of formalin, its shelf life is absolutely reliable."

Higashino Ning: "???"

Alright, so you have a hidden yandere side, huh?

You're quite good at hiding it, only revealing it today!

Oh, my lovely wife must have just been joking with me. I must say, this joke is just as heartwarming as the one with my aunt who passed away years ago.

You know, my aunt was a very kind person. She gave me a lot of care when I was young. She often threatened me with a rattan cane to get me to come to her house for meals, just like my lovely wife now expresses her love in her own way.

ahem...

Dongye Ning touched his nose. "Not at all, never will be. It's getting late, remember to go home early. I'm going to buy some wine now, and I'll be back as soon as I'm done."

After saying that, the phone hung up.

But the image of Ai Haibara saying seriously, "If you dare to run away, I'll turn you into a specimen and keep you with me forever," remains vivid in my mind.

It definitely triggered some associations.

...

In the laboratory.

Ai Haibara is desperately trying to suppress her laughter.

"That idiot was absolutely, positively scared of me, hahaha~~~"

"His tone just now was so timid yet adorable..."

As she spoke, the little girl's expression suddenly turned cold. "I really want to put his face in my hands and pinch it as much as I want!"

Language naturally accompanies action.

The terrifying and ferocious little girl went online on the spot.

As soon as she finished speaking, she couldn't help but laugh again. "I'm dying of laughter. I'm such a good actress. I'll dress up as a ghost and scare Ah Ning tonight."

Haibara laughed for a while before finally stopping. She quickly cleaned up the lab, then went outside to take off her cleanroom suit and greet Professor Agasa.

It's only a few steps to her home, and it will probably be another half hour before Dongye Ning returns—after all, you have to factor in the time it takes to find and buy alcohol.

After thinking it over, the little girl finally cancelled all the dramatic ideas she had come up with on the spur of the moment and chose to wait for Higashino Ning to come home in the most ordinary way.

Before long, Higashino Ning arrived home.

open the door.

Ai Haibara stood at the door, in her familiar pose with her arms outstretched.

“Welcome home~”

Without hesitation, Higashino Ning squatted down and gave Ai Haibara a hug.

"I am back."

(Suddenly, I feel like this is the ending...)

---

I tried my best and managed to finish a chapter this morning.

Chapter 158 It's not that new houses are unaffordable, but rather that haunted houses offer better value for money.

The hug was heartwarming, but nothing came of it.

Overly affectionate interactions seem like a foreign concept to us now.

Dongye Ning took out two bottles of baijiu from his bag. "This is it. I don't understand either. These are all alcohol, so why is it that only baijiu can have a temporary antidote effect?"

Ai Haibara rolled her eyes at him. "I didn't say that only baijiu has this effect. There are so many kinds of alcohol in the world, it shouldn't be that only baijiu can do it."

"Oh..." Higashino Ning began to think, "There are so many kinds of alcohol, how do we choose? Should we have Conan try them one by one?"

You're probably not some kind of demon!

Even if we're going to try it, shouldn't we do it one bite at a time?!

Ai Haibara sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Idiot...wouldn't it be more efficient to find the specific ingredient that works in the baijiu first, and then screen for it?"

"Besides, it doesn't seem like we need to go out of our way to find alcohol; we already have enough baijiu."

Higashino Ning: "......"

Suddenly I feel like my IQ has been ground to dust.

"I'm going to take a shower, don't peek." He hesitated for a moment before running away.

Ai Haibara turned her head and spat, "Who wants to peek at you taking a bath!"

That's what she said, but some images had already begun to automatically generate in her mind and quickly assemble into animations at an ultra-high frame rate.

Megalophobia...it's back again.

Done!

How did she become such a lecher?!

...

A new day is coming soon.

Higashino Ning's schedule is actually quite regular now.

He went back to his room after taking a shower last night, but for some reason, Ai Haibara insisted on waiting another half hour before taking a shower herself.

I feel refreshed after a good night's sleep.

Time to go to work!

As soon as Dongye Ning arrived downstairs, she heard noises coming from the kitchen.

Today marks the official end of Ai Haibara's vacation. The little girl who doesn't get a vacation doesn't like to stay in bed at all.

"What are we eating today?" Dongye Ning leaned against the door, his tone leisurely, like an old man listening to gossip.

Ai Haibara's outfit today is quite simple: a white t-shirt with a light gray thin shirt over it, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, making her look energetic and capable.

She turned her head slightly and said, "Eating the white food you hate the most is fine. Tomorrow you can try something different. You can also try bringing your own lunch to the Metropolitan Police Department."

"We just got back from a trip, and with all sorts of miscellaneous expenses, it's better to live frugally for now."

Higashino Ning had money he couldn't use, like wearing fine clothes in the dark.

Mr. Ke, hurry up and get discharged from the hospital so you can give me and Takagi two big cases!

Although Inspector Higashino Ning is no longer qualified to compete for the prize money, Takagi Wataru is.

Whether it's a lot of money or a little, it's not the main thing. The important thing is to have a reason to take out the money and spend it openly and legitimately.

Higashino Ning walked up behind Ai Haibara and said, "There's no need to be so frugal. The police inspector's salary is quite high, 35 yen a month, plus various performance-based benefits. It's not a small amount all together."

"But we'll have to wait until you get your salary first," Ai Haibara said slowly as she fried her bacon. "Besides, we can't live here forever; we need to save up to buy a house eventually."

"Once I develop the antidote and find a way to make money, my life will be a little easier."

She's so kind; she genuinely wants to have a home with me.

Higashino Ning chuckled, "I've already made plans for the house."

Ai Haibara was quite surprised. "Oh? I'd like to hear more about it."

His plan was simple and in line with future market trends: buy haunted houses.

If Conan continues his rampage like this, it's almost inevitable that Beika Town will become filled with haunted houses in the future.

Aside from the fact that someone died inside, a haunted house is no different from a regular second-hand house, but its price is 50% or even 30% of that of a normal second-hand house!

Others might find it taboo and hesitate to buy it, but Higashino Ning doesn't care.

He wasn't afraid of the living, let alone the dead.

What haunted house couldn't a righteous policeman like him ward off?

If the original owner fanned him by the bedside in the summer, that would be quite nice, at least it would keep him cool.

Try fanning yourself in winter.

If you get even a little bit cold, my buddy, I'll turn you to ashes!

Furthermore, the claim of buying a haunted house was only meant for Ai Haibara's ears.

Wouldn't it be better to have a detached house with a parking space for 20 reward points at my beloved's place?

"Wait a minute... my dear, your house is so cheap, could it be a haunted house?!"

[Absolutely not! The property listings are clear, transparent, and notarized; the registration is verifiable. Buying a property includes a full set of Conan-themed services. Safe and reliable, please rest assured!]

De-Conanization...

I didn't expect my beloved concubine to be so good at making sarcastic remarks.

Higashino Ning was relieved; from now on, he could just ask his beloved concubine for help when buying a house.

Ai Haibara is a scientist, and she doesn't believe in superstitions at all. She's also seen body parts and bloodstains frequently before.

After listening to Higashino Ning's words, she also seriously considered it and felt that buying a haunted house was really cost-effective.

However, these are things for later; it's too early to consider them now.