The cross-dressing master in the world of Detective Conan

After some trouble, the three Mori finally managed to board the Hatamoto family's cruise ship. Fortunately, the annoying Hatamoto Akie didn't show up, otherwise it would have been even more chaotic.

"Wow, the sunset is so beautiful from here, Conan, don't you think?"

After the three Mori members boarded the ship, Kogoro Mori immediately collapsed onto a nearby deck chair.

He looked completely drunk, and it seemed that the reason he missed the last ship back to Tokyo was probably because of a hangover.

Conan and Ran joined the group enjoying the scenery. It was almost evening, and they were just in time for the sunset. The golden sunset spread across the sea, and even the occasional crashing waves shimmered with golden light.

"The sunset is infinitely beautiful, but it is nearing dusk."

Looking at the boundless golden sea, Kaoru Kazama suddenly remembered this poem, which added a touch of melancholy to his mood. He then shook his head. When had he ever been sentimental? He should have been asleep by now.

As a true lazy bum, he naturally spent this wonderful time sleeping. Usually, Sato would wake him up, or his hungry stomach would wake him up.

"Xia Jiang, where is your fiancé Xiao Wu? I haven't seen him for so long. Doesn't he need to stay with you?"

Seeing that Xiaowu still hadn't appeared even though it was almost dinner time, Kazama Kaoru thought to himself, "Could this guy be a yuri fan and just gave up on me because he saw how well I was getting along with his fiancée?"

Of course, only Kaoru Kazama's brain could come up with such a ridiculous idea.

If narcissism is a disease, then Kaoru Kazama is probably beyond cure.

"Didn't we already charter this ship? How could you let outsiders on board? It's outrageous!"

As they were talking, an angry voice rang out on the deck. The old man's hair and beard were already white, but he still looked very robust. Strangely, the old man seemed to have long hair.

"I'm sorry, Dad, I felt sorry for him, so I just..."

The man being reprimanded was a Mediterranean man, whom Kaoru Kazama had met when he boarded the ship. He was the son-in-law of Hatamoto Gozo, but since he was a live-in son-in-law, he basically had no status, as evidenced by the trembling look on his face when he was being reprimanded.

"Hmph, so you dare to make decisions without my permission? You're quite bold, aren't you?"

Upon hearing this, the old man narrowed his eyes and glanced at Conan and Ran, who were admiring the scenery on the deck. The two were startled by the old man's tough demeanor and fierce gaze, and almost jumped off the deck.

"Grandpa, this isn't Uncle's fault. It was my own decision. They missed the last ferry, and if we hadn't helped them, they might have had to spend the night on a deserted island. That's why I..."

"If that's the case, then forget it. But don't let it happen again, Xia Jiang."

When Hatamoto Natsue saw her grandfather getting angry, she quickly went to persuade him. When she heard that it was her beloved granddaughter Natsue's idea, the old man was not so angry anymore. He just said a few words and let it go, which was completely different from his attitude just now.

Before leaving, however, he glared at the balding man, who was also Natsue Hatamoto's uncle, with a look of blatant disdain that Kaoru Kazama could clearly see.

"Hey, leave a way out for others, so you can meet again in the future. If this oppression continues, it's no wonder that problems will arise in the family."

Kaoru Kazama sighed softly and looked at the timid Chinese man. Being a live-in son-in-law is really not easy. Is it really worth living like a servant for a few dollars?

Only he himself can probably answer this question. People often sacrifice one thing to exchange for another, and after getting it, they miss what they lost. Humans are such greedy creatures.

"I'm so sorry, my grandfather has a bad temper. I apologize on his behalf."

"Oh, no, no, Miss Xia Jiang is already very grateful for the ride. It's nothing. And Sister Xun, we are so grateful to have met you this time, otherwise we really wouldn't know what to do."

Compared to Ran and Conan's anxiety, the uncle, who had been sleeping soundly, seemed carefree. Just now, Gozo Hatamoto had been throwing a tantrum nearby, but the uncle didn't react at all. It's hard to tell whether he was sleeping soundly or pretending not to know.

However, after this incident, Xiaolan and Xia Jiang quickly became close, and the two young girls always had endless topics to talk about.

From this perspective, Ran is far superior to Kazama Kaoru, who's a fake best friend but a cross-dressing master.

"Ah, Miss Xia Jiang, is this your engagement ceremony today? Congratulations! It's such a pity I didn't get to see it."

When Xiaolan heard that Hatamoto Natsue had just held an engagement ceremony on the island today, she was stunned. She offered her congratulations repeatedly and looked at Hatamoto Natsue, who was showing off her happiness, with a look of longing. Her girlish mentality was on full display.

Of course, Conan, standing to the side, remained oblivious, glancing here and there without showing any interest. People like that deserve to be single.

"Hey, Uncle Xiang Er 1"

A middle-aged man in a white suit with a small mustache walked up to them. This man was Hatamoto Shoji, the second son of Hatamoto Gozo and the second uncle of Hatamoto Natsue. He was a chef at a Western restaurant.

“I knew Dad hated Western food, but why did he get so angry? Looks like my cooking skills aren’t good enough.”

The man with the mustache shrugged self-deprecatingly. It wasn't just the son-in-law who married into the family; his son, who was considered a good-for-nothing by the old man, was also looked down upon.

It turns out that the reason why Hatamoto Gozo was so angry was also related to the Western food he had eaten earlier. The bald guy who was scolded so badly was the scapegoat for him.

"Uncle, we all really enjoy the Western food you make. That's not true at all."

Kaoru Kazama nodded in agreement. Compared to those terrible relatives from before, this Shoji Hatamoto, who was obsessed with cooking, was not bad, at least on the surface.

As for the internal affairs, Kaoru Kazama didn't want to get caught up in them. Even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes, let alone those of such a large family.

Things become quite complicated once money is involved; it's much easier to be penniless and have no money at all.

Let Hatamoto Gozo worry about this himself; Kazama Kaoru just wants to be a carefree couch potato, eating well and having fun.

Just then, Shoji Hatamoto's Western-style meal was ready. No matter how much the old man disliked it, Kaoru Kazama was quite satisfied with the meal. After all, he came from a large family, and even the chefs there were far superior to ordinary people due to the resources and training they received.

While the conversation was going smoothly, the old man's angry roar came from the other side of the deck. It seemed to be that timid and cowardly Hatakemoto Ichiro, who had been secretly drawing a portrait of Hatakemoto Natsue all day, and was being scolded by the old man along with his father.

This family is actually quite talented, with some in painting and others in cooking, but none of them are good at business. If things continue like this, the family will eventually go bankrupt. Kazama Kaoru suddenly understood why the old man was so irritable all the time.

Chapter 60 Xiaolan and Xia Jiang's Mutual Flattery

Looking at the family who were being scolded and meekly obeying, Kaoru Kazama gently shook his head. This old man's temper was too volatile. He would either explode in silence or perish in silence. Even a cornered dog will jump over a wall, let alone a person who considers himself the most intelligent of all beings.

He always felt that the old man might not only have a bad temper, but also a bit of arrogance.

The difference in how he treats Xia Jiang compared to others shows that it's not just out of affection, but also because Xia Jiang has managed the company very well for him, making her worthy of being called his business successor.

Compared to them, their own good-for-nothing children naturally seemed quite an eyesore, and given the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren, it's not surprising that they would treat them so differently.

"He never does anything productive all day, just burying his head in his paintbrush, and you, as his father, don't even say anything to him."

"Uh, yes, yes."

The Mediterranean man could only bow repeatedly in apology, his face drenched in cold sweat, looking like a mouse that had just seen a cat.

However, Kazama Kaoru saw a hint of madness in Hatamoto Ichiro's eyes, but he just kept his head down in silence, his side-parted hair perfectly concealing his expression.

Despite being subjected to constant scolding and reprimands from Hatamoto Gozo, he only tightened his grip on the drawing board, as if that would give him strength.

"Xia Jiang!"

"Uh, yes."

Hatamoto Natsue, who was just watching the drama unfold, was startled when the old man called her name.

Even though she knew that the old man loved her and rarely scolded her, she was still unsure whether she would be the target of his anger in this atmosphere.

"When you see Xiaowu later, tell him to come into my room. I have something to say to him."

After saying that, old man Hatamoto Gozo went back to his room in a huff.

The group was left staring at each other on the deck. Of course, Kaoru Kazama, as a bystander, said he was quite engrossed in this family drama, which was much more relatable than any melodramatic soap opera.

"Darling, just be patient a little longer. He's not young anymore, he won't live much longer. Once he's gone, the entire Hatamoto Group, the entire Hatamoto family, will be yours."

The speaker was Hatakemoto Gozo's eldest daughter, Hatakemoto Mariko, who was also Mediterranean's wife. She watched her father's departing figure, but her eyes were filled with fantasy. It seemed that in her eyes, she wished that her father, who had given birth to her, would just die.

Before anyone else could react, Akie Hatamoto, who was standing to the side, spoke up:

"Haha, Aunt, you're oversimplifying things."

"What do you mean by that? What else do you know?"

These words were like a hammer shattering illusions, abruptly pulling Mariko Hatamoto out of her beautiful fantasies and filling her with a hysterical rage.

Staring wide-eyed at Akie Hatamoto, her expression ferocious and her eyes fierce, it was as if the person standing in front of her was not her niece, but an enemy, an enemy that had to be defeated.

Upon hearing Mariko Hatamoto's words, Akie Hatamoto's eyes showed a hint of envy. She glanced at Natsue Hatamoto standing to the side, then leaned close to Mariko Hatamoto's ear and whispered something.

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"These people are the direct blood relatives of the Hatamoto family; there are nine of them in total."

Sitting in the restaurant, Hatamoto Natsue drew a bloodline chart of the Hatamoto family for everyone and then pointed it out to them one by one.

Wow, your family is really large!

Xiao Lan was giving them her usual business compliments. Both of them are gentle and kind girls, and they could probably keep doing this kind of mutual flattery all day without getting tired.

"By the way, Xiaolan, do you have someone you like?"

The most classic question between girls has emerged. When Natsue Hatamoto said this, Ran and Conan became instant sensations.

"Xiao Lan is still a child, how could this be!"

Kogoro Mouri, who is obsessed with his daughter, immediately dismissed the idea, attempting to nip it in the bud.

"Hmph, who said I don't have someone I like? You don't understand at all."

"Really? What kind of person are you?"

Now it was Xia Jiang's turn to flatter Xiao Lan, looking at her with an expectant expression, fully supporting her.

Ran, whose rebellious streak had been provoked by Uncle Mori, surprisingly overcame her shyness and even began listing the detective's various merits:

For example, he's good at soccer, handsome, and reliable. These words made Conan chuckle to himself, and he even started to...

Kaoru Kazama was a bit confused. Ran blushing could be due to shyness, but why was Conan blushing? Was he afraid people wouldn't know he was Shinichi Kudo?

"They're talking about Xiaolan, why are you blushing? Are all kids this precocious these days?"

Kazama Kaoru's seemingly casual words caused Conan's face to instantly turn into a mixed bag of colors, red, yellow, blue, and green.

"No, no, it's just because it's a bit hot here."

Conan waved his hands up and down, making up some flimsy excuses, but the only ones who would believe him were probably the Mori father and daughter. Even Natsue looked at Kazama Kaoru with a strange expression.

"You brat, the sea breeze is making me shiver, and you still dare to tell me it's hot? You're just spouting nonsense."

As it turns out, perhaps because Kaoru Kazama's question came too suddenly, Conan suddenly lost his mind and came up with such a lame excuse, allowing Kogoro Mouri to take the opportunity to deliver a powerful blow.

"Dad, you can't treat Conan like that, he's still young."

The same old scene played out again. These kinds of funny everyday events always happen at the Mori family's house, but it's quite painful for Conan, the person involved. Who knows if his erratic behavior and decreased IQ are just aftereffects of being beaten up by Kogoro Mori.

There will always be some people who can bring their opponent's intelligence down to their own level, and then defeat them with their rich combat experience.

"Honestly, why isn't Dad here yet?"

Akie Hatamoto complained, looking somewhat impatient.

Before they knew it, they had been sitting in the restaurant for almost an hour. However, since Hatamoto Gozo had not yet shown up, everyone could only endure their hunger and stare longingly at the restaurant entrance.

"Ah, so Uncle Mori is a detective?"