Conan: When Shinjiu and Maolilan swap bodies

The faint sound of a car came from the street corner, and the wind blew the tassels of her hair and scarf.

The world kept turning, but at this moment, Ran felt extremely quiet all around her. She could only hear her own heart pounding and his breathing so close to hers.

Then she smiled.

The corners of her mouth curved up slightly, and the light in her eyes was almost overflowing.

She squeezed Qingze's hand tightly, which he hadn't let go of, her voice clear and firm, carrying an undeniable promise:

"From then on, we would take walks together, enjoy the breeze, and watch the sunset."

Each word was like a tiny seed, gently falling into the softest part of his heart.

Qingze gazed at her, raised his free hand, and gently brushed her slightly disheveled hair with his fingertips, tucking it behind her ear.

"Ah."

He responded softly, a simple syllable, yet it seemed to carry immense weight.

The two continued walking forward, and before they knew it, they were almost at the Mori Office.

"I'll treat you to dinner tomorrow night."

Qingze tilted his head. "Why are you inviting me to dinner?"

"You said it, December 20th."

Qingze blinked, searching his memory for the meaning of this date.

A few seconds later, he suddenly realized, his eyebrows lifted slightly, and the doubt he had felt turned into a slight pleasure.

“Oh—” he drawled, the corners of his mouth widening, “Then… I’ll trouble Miss Mori to spend the money.”

He readily agreed, taking the invitation for granted, and making no attempt to hide his good mood.

What would you like to eat?

Qingze pretended to think for a moment, but in reality, he answered almost without hesitation:

"Cake, I guess. I haven't had a proper cake since I lost my memory."

"What about the main meal?"

"You decide on the main meal. But the cake is a must."

What flavor would you like?

"Chocolate, or something bitter."

As he watched Ran Mouri go upstairs to go home, Qingze's smile never faded.

Tomorrow is something to look forward to.

……

In the bedroom.

Ran Mouri lay on the bed, scrolling through restaurant recommendations on her phone.

This is Qingze's first birthday in over a decade, and she wanted to give him a special celebration, so she was very careful in choosing the restaurant.

Soon, she saw the rooftop restaurant of the Tokyo Skytree.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up.

The restaurant has private rooms with large floor-to-ceiling windows that offer panoramic views of Tokyo, and on a clear day you can even see Mount Fuji.

I checked the price, and it's quite high.

She threw back the covers, got out of bed, found her wallet, and counted the money.

Although she managed the money when she lived with her father, she saved most of it and only kept a small amount of pocket money each month.

Most of my allowance this month went to buying gifts for Qingze, so I'm still far from having enough to eat there.

After thinking for a moment, she put on her coat and prepared to ask her mother for help.

Eri Kisaki was the only one in the living room at the moment, sitting and watching the news, while Kogoro Mouri was washing up in the bathroom, preparing to rest.

"Mom." Ran Mouri sat down next to me.

"What's wrong, Xiaolan? Didn't you go to rest?"

Seeing her mother, she felt a little embarrassed to speak.

Asking her mom for money to celebrate her boyfriend's birthday...

I feel so guilty...

Eri looked at her daughter with a puzzled expression, hesitant to speak.

Under her mother's questioning gaze, Ran Mouri blushed and said, "Um... Mom, I want to talk to you about something."

"Go ahead."

"I...I'd like to ask for a little more pocket money."

Eri Kisaki raised an eyebrow slightly.

Under her mother's gaze, Ran's voice trailed off, "Tomorrow is Aze's birthday, and I'd like to invite him to dinner at the restaurant on the Tokyo Skytree..."

"Oh?" Eri Kisaki raised her eyebrows even higher. "You should have already prepared a gift for him, right? Now you're going to take him to such an expensive restaurant?"

Ran Mouri nodded, then quickly explained:

“The restaurant has a really beautiful night view. I think it should have a bit of a special occasion for my birthday... He usually treats me to meals, so I wanted to treat him properly this time.”

Qingze bought her and her parents a lot of gifts, but she never did anything substantial for Qingze, let alone treat him to a meal.

Since it was a rare opportunity for her to celebrate Qingze's birthday, she wanted to give him a special celebration.

Eri Kisaki didn't answer immediately, but stared at her for a few seconds, making Ran Mouri feel a little guilty.

"What about your own allowance?" she asked.

"I've spent most of my allowance this month on gifts for him..." Ran Mouri whispered. "I'm still a little short on the restaurant."

"How much less?" Eri Kisaki pressed.

Ran Mouri gave a number, and Eri Kisaki sighed softly after hearing it.

"Xiaolan," her tone turned serious, "do you know that the price of one meal at that restaurant is equivalent to several months of your allowance?"

Ran Mouri paused for a moment, then said softly, "I know... but his birthday only comes once a year."

Ran Mouri silently added in her mind.

It's not once a year.

This is the first time in thirteen years.

Chapter 467 Don't pursue romance beyond your capabilities

Eri Kisaki looked at her daughter, who seemed to be caught up in formalism, and spoke in a gentle yet earnest tone:

"Birthdays only happen once a year, that's right."

"But you are still a student and have no income. Your money comes from your parents."

"Have you ever thought that spending several months' worth of your allowance on a single meal, and then having to ask me for extra money, isn't that a bit excessive?"

Ran Mouri opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but couldn't say a word.

“I know you value Qingze a lot and want to give him an unforgettable birthday, and Mom doesn’t object to that. But—”

Eri Kisaki paused, her tone becoming serious:

“You must remember that it is his business to have money. You cannot treat his money as your own, and you cannot do things beyond your ability in order to keep up with his spending level.”

"I didn't mean to spend his money..." Ran Mouri hurriedly said, "I just wanted to treat him to a meal."

Eri Kisaki spoke earnestly:

"It is precisely because you are paying for it yourself that I need to remind you."

"You are spending your parents' money now, and your parents' money is also earned through hard work."

"You can use it to learn, improve yourself, and enjoy life appropriately, but you can't force yourself to consume things you can't afford just for the sake of 'face' and 'a sense of ritual'."

Ran Mouri lowered her head, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes.

Eri gently patted her head, her tone softening:

"What do you think Qingze would think if he knew that you spent several months' worth of allowance to treat him to a meal, and even had to ask me for extra money?"

Ran Mouri thought about it seriously for a moment, "He... I guess he won't be very happy."

"You know he'll be unhappy."

"Your spending level is different from his, just like your spending level is different from Sonoko's."

"The reason you and Sonoko have been able to remain good friends is because you don't take on things you can't afford just because you want to give her a gift."

"She feels relaxed and carefree when she's with you."

"You're the same as Qingze."

"If you force him to do things beyond his capabilities, he will feel burdened."

He'll wonder if he's putting too much pressure on you, if he'll have to be extra careful when going out with you in the future, afraid that you'll spend too much money on hospitality or return gifts...

"In that case, will you two still be able to relax together?"

Ran Mouri looked up, her eyes somewhat confused.

What my mother said seems to be true.

She is not someone who accepts expensive gifts easily; even if she does, she will find a way to reciprocate.

However, things were complicated when she was with Qingze.

Their identities were confused, so even if they spent money on clothes, it was for both of them, and they would both wear them. Therefore, she felt no guilt when swiping Qingze's card.

Although Qingze felt the gifts she bought for her parents were expensive, she accepted them because she tacitly agreed that they would be together and start a family in the future.

But upon closer reflection, we're actually far from that point.

Seeing her daughter looking lost, Eri Kisaki reached out and poked her forehead.

"You, you're so knowledgeable when you're with Sonoko, how come you go astray when it comes to romance?"

Ran Mouri covered her forehead and stuck out her tongue.

It wasn't that she went astray; it was just that she and Qingze had the kind of relationship where they could switch bodies at any time, and now that they were officially together, the boundaries were even more blurred.

"I just wanted to be nicer to him..."

She wanted to give Qingze the best she could.

Eri Kisaki shook her head. "Being good to him doesn't necessarily have to be measured in money."

“You can bake him a cake by hand, start preparing gifts well in advance, and write him a heartfelt letter with everything you want to say to him…”

“These things are more appealing than an expensive dinner.”

"Moreover, people who truly care about you won't feel that you don't value them just because you treat them to a roadside restaurant."

"On the contrary, if he is unhappy because you did not take him to a fancy restaurant, then you should think carefully about whether he likes you as a person or the 'face' you can bring him."

Ran Mouri was silent for a moment, then said, "I think I'm... a little too concerned about formalities."

"It's good that you're aware of this."

Seeing that her daughter had come to her senses, Eri Kisaki nodded in satisfaction.

"How about this, Mom can give you some money so you can arrange a birthday date that's neither shabby nor overly extravagant, within your means."

"You can choose a reasonably priced restaurant with a nice atmosphere, or cook a simple dinner at home and then take him to see the night view."

"This way, you won't have too much financial pressure, and you can also let him feel your sincerity."

Ran Mouri thought for a moment, then nodded, "Let's skip the restaurant at the Skytree for now..."

"It's not too late to go when you have your own income later."

"At that time, you can confidently say that you earned this meal through your own hard work."