Detective Conan: Developing a younger version of Ran Eri, and the stunning Yukiko.

"Little brat, don't underestimate the capabilities of the Suzuki family."

"what!"

As soon as he said that, Conan's forehead began to break out in a cold sweat.

Naoko Takei, who was also of Japanese nobility, had complete faith in Sonoko Suzuki's judgment.

If the Suzuki zaibatsu wanted to find someone, they could be more efficient than the Japanese police. Since Sonoko Suzuki is convinced that Shinichi Kudo has become a ghost, there must be some basis for her belief.

"So, Sonoko, you've already used the Suzuki family's resources to track down Shinichi Kudo?"

“Indeed… At first, I just thought Shinichi Kudo had simply disappeared.” Sonoko Suzuki’s expression was somewhat forlorn, as if she were telling a chilling ghost story. “But then, Shinichi Kudo suddenly appeared without warning, and then vanished just as quickly…”

“At first, I couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard I tried, but now I finally understand completely. Shinichi Kudo must have become a ghost!” Sonoko Suzuki said with certainty, her face full of unwavering belief.

Upon hearing Sonoko Suzuki's words, Naoko Takei turned deathly pale.

"This is terrifying! Kudo-kun has turned into a ghost."

Ran Mouri, who has always been terrified of ghosts, had previously heard Sonoko Suzuki say something similar.

No. .

077 Yuanzi's pink lips, treated with gentleness

Chapter 77

"...I've always wondered why Shinichi always contacts me through anonymous phone calls. Perhaps it's true, as Sonoko said, that Shinichi has become a ghost, so he can only make anonymous calls." Ran Mouri echoed, and coupled with the eerie feeling Shinichi gave her during their last trip, she now truly believed that Shinichi had become a ghost.

"Ran, will Shinichi still call you anonymously?" Naoko Takei asked curiously.

"Yes... but I don't dare answer any anonymous calls anymore," Xiaolan replied with a wry smile.

Conan initially thought that Ran's refusal to answer his anonymous calls was due to Shiraishihara's machinations, but he never expected it to be Sonoko's doing. He couldn't help but curse Sonoko a hundred times in his mind, calling her a "gossip."

"Sonoko-neechan, Shinichi-nii didn't turn into a ghost at all. This is completely a misunderstanding!" Conan was still unwilling to give up and continued to defend himself.

"A misunderstanding?" Sonoko Suzuki sneered. "After Shinichi disappeared, I secretly had people watching him during those two sudden appearances. My people are certain that Shinichi vanished into thin air without any trace in Beika Town!"

Conan's face was filled with helplessness and bitterness; he was utterly speechless in the face of Sonoko Suzuki's words.

In Japan, you may question the capabilities of the Japanese police, but you should never underestimate the power of the Japanese zaibatsu (conglomerates).

Sonoko Suzuki showed no mercy, warning Conan again: "You brat, don't mention Shinichi Kudo in front of me again, you hear me? It's really bad luck!"

Sonoko Suzuki was filled with resentment. For many years, she had been a devoted fan of the Shinichi and Ran pairing, but Shinichi had become a so-called "ghost," while Ran was perfectly fine.

When Shiraishihara saw Conan's ashen face, he almost couldn't help but laugh.

"Hahahaha..." Shiraishi Hara suddenly burst into laughter, "I'm so sorry... this was just too funny, I couldn't help it..."

Conan understood that Shiraishihara was mocking him, since only Shiraishihara knew his true identity.

"Brother Shiraishihara, can't you have a little compassion? I'm already in such a miserable state."

"All I can say is that the more lies you tell, the harder it is to cover them up perfectly."

In the original storyline, Conan constantly deceived and tricked Ran Mouri, who remained oblivious to the truth, which was truly illogical.

"Alright, alright... Stop talking about Shinichi Kudo and get back to rehearsals..."

Sonoko Suzuki, holding a megaphone, urges Shiraishihara and Ran Mouri to return to the "stage" and continue rehearsing their kissing scene...

Upon hearing this, Conan instantly became agitated: "No... absolutely not..."

Sonoko Suzuki glared at him: "You brat, if you cause any more trouble, I'll kick you out."

Conan was quite frightened by Sonoko Suzuki's fierce gaze and dared not utter another word. He knew in his heart that Sonoko Suzuki was not just scaring him, and he might really be kicked out.

Shiraishi Hara and Mouri Ran return to the "stage".

Ran Mouri blushed with nervousness.

Seeing Ran Mouri so shy, Shiraishihara couldn't help but hesitate.

"Xiao Lan, if you feel it's too difficult, then forget it..."

"No, it's okay."

Ran Mouri said softly, without any sign of resistance.

Sonoko Suzuki and Naoko Takei, standing to the side, were filled with anticipation. Unable to ship Shinichi and Ran, they opted to ship Hara and Ran instead. Conan, on the other hand, was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, but his anxiety was futile. Since he couldn't stop Ran's first kiss from being taken away, he at least had to watch it happen with his own eyes.

"Xiao Lan, I'm going to kiss you."

"Well, come on."

Ran Mouri tilted her head slightly, and Shiraishi Haru looked at her delicate pink lips and kissed her passionately.

Because the script required the kiss to be portrayed as passionate, even though the two weren't actually lovers, they had to act out the feeling of a couple deeply in love.

"Mmm, mmm..."

"Mmm, uh..."

"Woo-woo, meow..."

The two shared a passionate kiss, and Sonoko Suzuki and Naoko Takei were also caught up in the atmosphere, blushing.

Conan clutched his chest tightly with both hands, his heart aching unbearably!

……

After the rehearsal, Conan seized the opportunity to confront Sonoko Suzuki about why she had arranged such a scene.

"Sonoko-neechan, haven't you always supported Ran-neechan and Shinichi-nii being together? Why are you doing this?!"

"But there's no hope for Shinichi and Ran anymore, right? So I switched to shipping the original Ran and Shinichi. Conan, do you think I did anything wrong?"

"Are you doing this to get revenge on Shinichi-nii?"

"It's not about revenge, it's just that I feel resentful. I tried so hard to bring Shinichi and Ran together, but in the end, nothing came of it. Now I've suddenly realized that the original Ran pairing is quite interesting, so I'll switch to shipping the original Ran pairing."

"Sonoko-neechan, you're completely bewitched!"

"Hahaha... I was just obsessed. I was even hoping that Shinichi Kudo would suddenly appear and stop Shiraishihara and Ran Mouri. Hmm... it seems I was overthinking it."

"I'm tired, let's just destroy it."

Seeing Sonoko Suzuki acting like she'd gone mad, Conan was so angry he wished the US would drop a hundred more atomic bombs on Japan.

……

In the evening, everyone enjoyed dinner at the Suzuki family home. The high-end cuisine was meticulously prepared by the Suzuki family's professional chefs, and professional housekeepers were on hand to serve them. The level of luxury was beyond imagination.

Suzuki Sonoko's extravagance opened Shiraishihara's eyes to a whole new level.

As for Naoko Takei, Ran Mouri, and Conan, it wasn't their first time visiting the Suzuki family, so they seemed quite calm.

"By the way, everyone will stay here tonight, and we'll continue rehearsals tomorrow."

During the meal, Sonoko Suzuki reminded everyone.

Everyone agreed that the school festival was next week, and this weekend was the only time they could rehearse and perform.

……

In the evening, Sonoko Suzuki gave everyone a tour of her large house, and then arranged guest rooms for each person.

"Sonoko, why do Naoko and Conan have their own rooms, but Shiraishihara and I are assigned to the same room?"

Ran Mouri was incredibly shy. The daring scenes during the afternoon rehearsal had already made her heart race, and now there was something even more outrageous to come.

"You and Shiraishi were originally the male and female leads, playing a couple who went through many ups and downs. Trying to sleep in the same bed can make you feel more like lovers, and the performance will be more wonderful."

"What! Shiraishi-kun and I are going to have to sleep in the same bed?"

Ran Mouri felt like she was about to faint.

"Protest! Protest! Protest!"

Conan protested vehemently; he was nearly driven mad by Sonoko.

While Shiraishihara may not be entirely innocent, he at least wouldn't do anything too outrageous to Ran. Sonoko's arrangement clearly aims to foster a closer relationship between Shiraishihara and Ran.

"Sonoko... if you arrange things like this, I won't be able to control myself..."

Shiraishi was quite frank; even if Sonoko had confidence in his character, he had little confidence in his own.

"You won't be able to control yourself... What do you want to do to Xiaolan?"

"..." Shiraishihara looked embarrassed, unsure how to answer Sonoko.

"I believe in Shiraishi-kun." Ran's face lit up with a smile, as if all her previous shyness had been swept away by the smile. "Shiraishi-kun, don't worry about it. We just shared a room at Sonoko's villa in the mountains before."

"What!" Conan's heart ached even more when he heard Ran's words.

With a gentle smile, Shiraishi Hara raised his hand and gently patted Conan's head, speaking in a soothing tone:

"Relax. Now that you're living as a primary school student, enjoy this moment to the fullest and don't add too many worries to your life."

After calming Conan down, Shiraishi and Ran headed towards the guest room together.

The guest rooms in Sonoko Suzuki's home are decorated with extreme luxury, comparable to the deluxe suites of top hotels.

The bed was spacious and soft, with a high-end mattress on it, and the whole room was filled with a warm and pleasant atmosphere.

"Wow, this room is so spacious! I feel like even if several people lived together, it wouldn't feel cramped."

Xiao Lan's face was full of innocence, and she looked incredibly cute.

Shiraishi knew in his heart that tonight would undoubtedly be a unique test for him.

"I'm going to take a shower first."

Shiraishi greeted Ran, then turned and left the room, heading towards the bathroom.

Recalling the last time he was in the mountain villa, he and Xiaolan shared a room. There were two beds then, so he didn't feel awkward at all.

However, this time the situation was very different, and Shiraishihara clearly felt his heart beating faster involuntarily.

Shiraishi quickly finished showering and changed into disposable pajamas specially prepared by the Suzuki family.

After Shiraishihara finished washing up, Ran went to take a bath.

Shiraishi sat on the edge of the bed, a sense of unease inevitably rising in his heart.

He tried to distract himself by playing on his phone, but his mind kept wandering to what kind of captivating Xiaolan would look like after her shower.

What on earth am I thinking?

He tried to emulate the male protagonists in Japanese anime who possessed extraordinary composure, trying to remain calm, but he still felt a little nervous inside.

"How about using the 'Sandman' ability from the demon mask to fall into a deep sleep?"

He considered using this method to get through the somewhat agonizing night, but then he thought it might be impolite to do so. "Just going to sleep like this doesn't seem quite right. I should give up on this idea."

So he pretended to be nonchalant and picked up his phone to fiddle with it, but deep down he was still hoping for Xiaolan's return.

Not long after, Ran changed into the disposable pajamas prepared by the Suzuki family, walked back to the guest room, and came to Shiraishihara's side.

"Shiraishi-kun, I'm going to take a break too."

"Okay!" Shiraishi looked up at Ran. At that moment, she was fresh and natural, just like a beautiful flower quietly blooming in spring.

Xiao Lan moved with light, graceful steps, her figure elegant and beautiful.

Her bright eyes shone like stars in the night sky; her long, jet-black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, with the ends playfully curling up slightly.

A faint blush graced her fair cheeks, adding to her delicate shyness.

Her slender, long fingers exude youthful vitality with every movement.

Looking at Ran, Shiraishihara couldn't help but admire her inwardly. Ran was not only kind but also incredibly cute. He quickly looked away and quietly slipped into bed, silently telling himself not to let his mind wander.

"Goodnight, Shiraishi-kun," Ran whispered softly, her voice gentle and melodious, as pleasant as a spring breeze.

"Good night..." Shiraishihara's heart skipped a beat, and his body stiffened instantly.

Meanwhile, in the monitoring room...

Sonoko Suzuki and Naoko Takei were intently watching the monitor screen, eagerly anticipating seeing something special.

However, what is shown in the picture is just a plain scene of a man and a woman getting into bed one after another and sleeping quietly back to back, with nothing special about it.

"How boring... She just slept so quietly. I was hoping something different would happen," Sonoko Suzuki said with a hint of disappointment.