Solving cases with Detective Conan's science? No, I'm a cultivator!

Ikeba Shizuka nodded silently.

Kogoro Mouri let out a strange cry, his face turning green.

"Excuse me, Ms. Ikebami, how many years ago was that photo taken?"

After thinking for a moment, Ikebab Shizuka said, "About 30 years ago."

Kogoro Mouri was completely disheartened. He was in junior high school 30 years ago, and he would be at least 40 years old now.

Ran exclaimed "Impossible!" and, for the first time ever, pointed at Hattori Heiji and stammered, "Your...skin is so dark!"

Kitagawa Taki deeply agreed. When Hattori Heiji and Ikenami Shizuka stood together, the contrast was stark; he looked like a lump of coal.

"That's a really hurtful thing to say! My skin color is just inherited from my grandfather! Besides, I'm not that dark-skinned!" Hattori Heiji hurriedly explained.

Kazuha Toyama covered her mouth and chuckled to herself.

"Hey, Kazuha, is it that funny? Am I really that dark?" Hattori Heiji asked Toyama Kazuha, full of resentment, pointing at his own face.

"Yes, yes!" Toyama Kazuha added mercilessly.

"Heiji, you guys are here so early, you probably haven't eaten yet. Let's all go have dinner together!"

Chibo Jinghua glanced at the time and tried to smooth things over.

Heiji Hattori was the one she had asked to pick her up, but he arrived much earlier than she had expected.

……

As they walked, Xiaolan hadn't forgotten her question from earlier, so she shook Kitagawa Taki's arm and asked it again.

“Oh, this,” Kitagawa Taki said with a smile. “Because the lady said she couldn’t cook because she injured her finger, but I found out she wasn’t injured at all. Besides, didn’t she recognize the fish and meat on the table at the Shibata’s house at a glance?”

Xiao Lan, though confused, nodded.

Kazuha Toyama, holding Ran's hand, chuckled, "Aunt Jinghua's cooking skills are top-notch."

"Kazuha, please stop praising me. My cooking skills are only so-so." After a moment of modesty, Ikenami Shizuka pressed Kitagawa Taki for an answer: "Then how did Mr. Kitagawa discover that my finger wasn't actually injured?"

Kitagawa Taki frankly admitted, "I could tell."

Hattori Heiji recalled that he had given Kitagawa Taki the same answer when he asked him before, and he curled his lip, saying, "You figured it out again? Are your eyes supernatural or something?"

Kitagawa Taki laughed heartily: "That's far from it, not even close."

Kogoro Mouri couldn't hold back any longer and interjected, "Um, I also have a question. Why did you come here to hide your identity, Madam?"

Keep in mind that Hattori Heizo is the head of the Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters; if he wanted to investigate someone, he could do it much faster than Hattori Heizo.

Ikenami Shizuka explained, "I've often heard about Mr. Mori from Heiji, so I wanted to come and see him."

Kogoro Mouri scratched his head in confusion and didn't ask any more questions.

Heiji Hattori, upon hearing this, inwardly scoffed, since he often mentioned Kitagawa Taki and Kudo Shinichi.

Remembering Shinichi Kudo, he realized Conan wasn't there, so he asked, "By the way, Uncle Mori, where's that brat Conan who's been staying at your house?"

Kogoro Mouri casually remarked, "Him? He has relatives who have returned to Japan, so he's staying at their house."

"Relatives? Where exactly are they?"

Kogoro Mouri looked at him suspiciously: "Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Uh... I'd like to hang out with him sometimes," Hattori Heiji casually offered as an excuse.

"Looking for Conan to play with?" Kitagawa Taki's lips curled up as he teased, "Hattori, you still have a childlike heart!"

Kazuha Toyama teased, "Heiji doesn't seem to like children much, but he gets along surprisingly well with Conan."

Hattori Heiji's face darkened, and he was speechless for a moment.

Ran smiled and explained, "Because Shinichi's mother went back to her country, Conan went to stay at her house."

"Oh, I see." Hattori Heiji got the answer he wanted, rubbing his chin. So Kudo Shinichi had run back to his own house.

The reason he sought out Shinichi Kudo was not only because one was a famous detective from Kansai and the other from Kanto, but also because of the mystery of Shinichi Kudo's shrinking.

Last time, Conan was vague, and he didn't get anything out of him.

While quietly listening to the group's jokes, Shizuka Ikenami suddenly interjected, "That kid named Conan must be very smart, right?"

She knew Hattori Heiji very well; just as Toyama Kazuha said, he didn't like playing with children at all.

Xiaolan nodded and said, "Yes, he often says surprising things, and he often mentions key points when my dad is solving cases!"

"Oh?" Ikeba Shizuka seemed to be thinking.

……

As they talked, the group found a restaurant.

After ordering the food, several people sat together.

"By the way, I wonder if you guys are free for the next few days?" Ikeba Shizuka asked Kitagawa Taki and the others after taking a sip of tea.

Kitagawa Taki and Mori Kogoro are naturally no problem.

With weekends and school holidays, Xiaolan also had time.

Ikenami Shizuka smiled and said, "Then why don't we all come to Osaka together? Heiji and Kazuha can show you around. You're also welcome to come to my house. You didn't come to my house when you came to Osaka before."

Kitagawa Taki nodded.

Kogoro Mouri gladly accepted the invitation, saying that it would be even better if he could visit the home of the Osaka Prefectural Police Chief and get to know him better.

Seeing that the two of them had agreed, Xiaolan thanked Chibo Jinghua and said, "Aunt Jinghua, then we'll be sorry to have bothered you."

"It's alright." Ikeba Shizuka smiled as she looked at Ran and Toyama Kazuha, who seemed like sisters. Both girls were quite lovely.

At this time, Hattori Heiji interrupted and said, "Uncle Maori, can you take Conan with you?"

Chibo Jinghua narrowed her eyes slightly, wanting to see what was so unusual about the child.

Kogoro Mouri paused for a moment, then said, "No problem."

Although there are no cases, bringing Conan along is not a problem, since there's room fee to cover it.

Kazuha Toyama laughed and said, "Kitagawa, remember to invite Miho and Ai too!"

"sure."

Chapter 273 Trip to Osaka

the next day.

Kitagawa Taki and Mouri Kogoro each drove a car, taking everyone to Osaka.

After arriving in Osaka, following the address given by Hattori Heiji, the group drove directly to the Hattori residence.

Looking at the vast traditional courtyard house before him, Kogoro Mori clicked his tongue in amazement and said, "No wonder it's the home of the Osaka Prefectural Governor!"

The Hattori family home is in a Japanese style, with a distinctly antique feel.

Heiji Hattori, Shizuka Ikenami, and Kazuha Toyama were already waiting at the door.

"Welcome everyone!" Ikenami Shizuka was wearing a navy blue kimono today. She seemed to have a fondness for this kind of dark, plain-colored kimono, which gave people a low-key and reserved feeling.

Kazuha Toyama wore a T-shirt and a floral mini skirt, emphasizing a youthful and energetic vibe.

She helped greet the girls.

Heiji Hattori grinned, showing off his bright white teeth, and greeted Conan.

Conan rolled his eyes. He knew from Kogoro Mouri that Heiji Hattori had specifically asked him to come.

He would have been happy to go out with Ran in the past, but now he only wants to focus on solving the case, especially knowing that Kitagawa Taki is also going.

But when Kogoro Mouri learned from Conan that Yukiko Fujimine had temporarily gone to America, he grabbed her and put her in the car without saying a word.

As a result, Conan was forced to come to Osaka.

Shizuka Ikemura's gaze also shifted to Conan. Conan felt uneasy under her stare and gave an innocent smile.

Shizuka Ikenami smiled faintly, withdrew her gaze, and continued to greet Taki Kitagawa and Kogoro Mouri.

"Is this beautiful young lady Mr. Kitagawa's girlfriend?" Shizuka Ikenami asked, glancing at Akemi Miyano.

Akemi Miyano quickly explained, "You misunderstand. My name is Miyazaki Miho, and I'm Taki-kun's assistant."

"I'm sorry," Ikeba Shizuka said apologetically.

Then, she leaned down slightly to look at Ai Haibara and said, "So this little girl must be Ai?"

"Hello, my name is Ai Haibara."

Perhaps because Shizuka Ikenami praised Akemi Miyano, Ai Haibara, contrary to her usual self, showed a sweet smile and greeted Shizuka Ikenami.

"Ai really likes you, Aunt Shizuka!" This was the first time Kazuha Toyama had ever seen Ai Haibara smile like this.

Xiaolan was also a little surprised, and at the same time felt a little disappointed.

She could tell that Kitagawa Taki really liked Haibara Ai, her "little sister," and she wanted Haibara Ai's approval, but Haibara Ai didn't seem to like her that much.

It was fine at first, but then I felt something had changed, although it wasn't very obvious, and I don't know why.

Noticing that Xiaolan seemed a little absent-minded, Yuanshan Kazuha shook Xiaolan's arm and asked with concern, "Xiaolan, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Ran snapped out of her reverie, shook her head, and changed the subject, saying, "The Hattori family is really impressive!"

Kazuha Toyama laughed and said, "Heiji's house is really big. I even got lost here when I was a kid!"

……

Led by Ikenami Shizuka, the group arrived at the living room.

Seeing that Hattori Heizo didn't seem to be at home, Maori Kogoro asked: "Madam, I wonder if Chief Hattori..."

While making tea for the group, Chibo Jinghua explained, "There was a recent case of a body being burned, and he's still busy. He won't be back until tonight."

Conan's expression shifted upon hearing about the murder case.

Hattori Heiji scoffed and said, "He might not even be back at night; he's always busy, busy, busy!"

It wasn't that he had lost interest in solving cases; it was just that he couldn't get involved in cases his father handled personally, as they were solved in no time.

However, Hattori Heiji's words left everyone speechless.