"Baishi Hui, eat more!!"
"This is the sweet and sour pork ribs you love."
"And Mapo Tofu, with Sichuan peppercorns!"
"......"
Inside the office, Ran, in a great mood, prepared a sumptuous Chinese meal to treat Baishi Hui.
Baishi Hui coolly dug in!!
Although Akemi's Japanese cooking was quite good, it ultimately didn't suit his taste.
Only Ran's Chinese cooking could truly whet his appetite.
Ran was very happy watching. As a cook, the happiest thing is seeing your work completely devoured!
Not only Baishi Hui, but even Conan was eating heartily.
This gave her a great sense of accomplishment.
"It's delicious, Xiao Lan..." Conan mumbled while stuffing rice into his mouth, "No wonder Shirashi wants to eat dinner here!"
He remembered the 'white people food' Yukiko had been making for him lately, which was just boiled with a little salt.
Some vegetables were even just rinsed twice before being served!
This filled Conan with immense grief and indignation!
It's fine if you want to diet to maintain your figure, but why drag me into it?
I'm in the middle of a growth spurt!!!
"Eat slowly, Conan! No need to rush, there's plenty more." Ran looked at Conan with some concern, surprised that the child was so starved.
Baishi Hui looked at Conan's ravenous eating and asked, "Ran, did you save dinner for Mouri Detective?"
Mouri Kogoro was drunk again and was still snoring in his room.
"Yes, I've saved some!" Just as Ran said this, the doorbell rang.
"Just a moment." She put down her chopsticks and bowl, got up, and went to open the door.
Seeing a middle-aged couple standing at the door, she politely invited them in, while she went to pour tea and water.
Baishi Hui also stopped eating, sat opposite the couple, and said, "Excuse me, but Mouri Detective is out on an investigation."
As soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged woman opposite him said, "We came specifically to find you, Detective Shiraishi."
"Me?" Baishi Hui was startled, not expecting his reputation to spread so quickly.
"Yes," the middle-aged woman said, taking out her business card. "My name is Hatamoto Mariko, and this is my husband, Hatamoto Kitano."
After taking the business card, Baishi Hui looked at the middle-aged couple with surprise, not expecting them to seek him out?!
"May I ask what this is about?" He already had some idea of their purpose.
"It's like this, I'd like to ask you to investigate my niece's fiancé." Hatamoto Mariko sighed, saying with a worried expression, "My Brother and his wife passed away in a car accident long ago, leaving behind his two daughters."
"I treat these nieces of mine as my own daughters. Her getting married was originally a very happy occasion."
"At the time, we felt that her fiancé Xiao Wu's intentions seemed impure, and that he was only approaching Natsue for the Hatamoto family's wealth."
"But that child has been blinded by love, and she doesn't believe anything we say."
"For the sake of her happiness... we would like to ask you, Detective Shiraishi, to investigate his background!"
After hearing this, Baishi Hui stared at the couple with a strange expression.
You really just make things up... If I hadn't watched the anime, I really would have been fooled by you.
Ran brought the tea at this moment and couldn't help but exclaim after hearing this, "Miss Hatamoto, you're so kind, thinking so much for your niece!!"
Baishi Hui glanced at Ran... Someone had already fallen for the trick.
However, he didn't agree immediately, but instead asked, "When should the investigation begin? How much time do I have?"
"The investigation starts tonight. You'll get on the ship with us. You need to find out the results before they go back to the island for the wedding!" Hatamoto Mariko said.
"Tonight? Isn't the timing a bit too rushed?" Conan wasn't stupid; he immediately sensed something was wrong.
If they truly cared about their niece, why would they only think of investigating just before the wedding?
Baishi Hui ignored Conan's words and said without hesitation, "Okay!!"
The reason he agreed so quickly was precisely because the timing was rushed!
While Mouri Kogoro was still snoring, he could rightfully take Ran onto the ship!
Thinking of this, Baishi Hui continued, "For the convenience of the investigation, it's not suitable for me to board as a Detective. It would be best to pretend to be your distant relative."
"That's fine." Hatamoto Mariko agreed without thinking, as the old man didn't like Detectives.
"As for which relative... let me think." She frowned slightly and began recalling her distant relatives.
Hatamoto Kitano on the side spoke up, "I don't remember many male relatives, but there is one girl. After that child went to New York with her parents when she was young, she never came back... What was her name again?"
"Ah! I remember, Hatamoto Akane!" Hatamoto Mariko remembered and said, "That child was quite introverted... Calculating now, she should be roughly college-aged. But the problem is... she's a girl!"
Upon hearing this, Baishi Hui was delighted and said, "In that case, do you think it's suitable for Ran to pretend to be this relative?"
"Huh? Me?" Ran was startled, not expecting to be involved in this.
Hatamoto Mariko frowned and said, "That child was just a child when she left; I don't know what she looks like now!"
"Not knowing is exactly right!" Baishi Hui smiled slightly and said, "Since you've all forgotten, most other people likely don't remember either. Let's decide this way: Ran will impersonate Hatamoto Akane, and as for me... I can't be the father, so I'll get on the ship as her boyfriend!"
The Hatamoto couple had no objections to this proposal.
Baishi Hui looked at Ran and said, "Ran, can you help out?"
"That's no problem." Ran certainly wouldn't refuse, as this was their own business.
She hesitated, "But... I still have school tomorrow."
"Just ask the Teacher for a sick leave later." Baishi Hui said without thinking.
"Okay... okay then." Ran thought about it and nodded in agreement.
Afterwards, Baishi Hui finalized the fees with the Hatamoto couple. They readily paid the deposit and said, "In an hour, I will send someone to pick you up."
"Okay, please take care." Baishi Hui saw them downstairs and only returned to the office after seeing them get into their car.
As soon as he returned to the office, he heard Conan trying to convince Ran: "Xiao Lan, I want to go too!!!"
"Alright, you can pretend to be Ran's and my son and get on the ship together!" Baishi Hui walked in and said.
"Huh? Our... child?" After hearing this, Ran was stunned for a moment, then her face turned red.
After hearing this suggestion, Conan hesitated.
If he agreed to this, wouldn't he have to call Baishi Hui Dad?
This guy wants to take advantage of me!
But when he thought about the two of them being together, he felt a strange sense of unwillingness inside!
Yes, he had said that before solving the problem with his body, he didn't want to worry too much about relationship matters!
But Ran is only sixteen years old now!
What if Baishi Hui suddenly turns into a beast and stops being a human? Wouldn't Ran be in trouble then?
As a friend, he couldn't stand by and watch Ran be harmed like this!!
Thinking this, Conan gritted his teeth and said, "Okay! No problem!!"
Hearing this, Baishi Hui chuckled softly, rubbed Conan's head, and teased, "If you were Ran's and my child... wouldn't that mean Ran gave birth to you when she was around ten years old?"
"You're usually so smart, how can you be so silly at a time like this?"
"Uh..." Conan was stunned. Only then did he realize the age issue!!
"Alright, alright, don't think too much. See, you're thinking too much, and your brain isn't working properly. Hurry up and eat, and when you're full, go home, wash up, and sleep!" Baishi Hui pinched Conan's cheek, signaling that he shouldn't expect to go along.
"Right... Conan, hurry and eat your fill then go home. I'll go upstairs to pack some luggage first!" Ran didn't bother finishing her dinner and happily went upstairs.