Conan: Ran turns into an elementary school student and calls me dad.

Chapter 116 The Halo of Death

"Ayako-nee seems to be thinking about something too, she looks so preoccupied," Sonoko said with a sigh. "It seems like I'm the dumbest one in the whole family, I don't know anything."

"You're not stupid, you just have an optimistic attitude and don't like to think about those annoying little things," Lin Xiuyi put down her chopsticks and gently comforted Yuanzi.

Seeing the girl's dejected look, he couldn't help but gently rub her hair.

Sonoko has always been carefree and easygoing, so this pure optimism is quite rare.

"That's true!"

Upon hearing this, Sonoko's disappointment vanished instantly.

She patted her cheeks and immediately regained her usual liveliness.

But the next second, the girl suddenly leaned closer to Lin Xiuyi, her body slightly forward, her hands cupped around her mouth, a mysterious expression on her face, and her voice extremely low.

"Oh, right, uncle, do you remember the Beika University student I told you about yesterday, the one who hit on me and Ran on Valentine's Day? The really handsome and charismatic Mr. Minagawa!"

"I remember, so what?"

Lin Xiuyi frowned, not understanding why Sonoko suddenly brought up this matter so mysteriously. Could it be some kind of gossip?

"Sigh, don't even mention it, it's such a pity..."

Sonoko's smile vanished instantly, replaced by deep disappointment and regret.

She sighed softly, her shoulders slumped slightly, and said in a heavy tone,

"I heard about it this morning. Yesterday afternoon, when they were having their Valentine's Day party, Mr. Minagawa was suddenly murdered."

As Sonoko spoke, she couldn't help but shake her head, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"He was so handsome and seemed to have a gentle personality, how could he have died so suddenly? It's such a pity that the heavens are jealous of talent."

Upon hearing Sonoko's words, Lin Xiuyi's eyes flickered slightly, and a vague memory flashed through his mind.

In the original timeline, there was indeed such a case.

It seems that the murderer, having lost his family business, coveted his nephew's fortune and poisoned Mr. Minagawa.

Lin Xiuyi put down her chopsticks, a look of curiosity on her face, and couldn't help but ask:

"By the way, who solved this case in the end? The Metropolitan Police Department probably didn't catch the culprit so quickly, right?"

Without that brat Conan, Shinichi Kudo can't possibly always be so coincidentally at the crime scene, right?

If that's the case, given the level of expertise of the police in this world's Metropolitan Police Department, wouldn't the crime-solving rate plummet, and many cases become unsolved mysteries?

"Who else could it be but that idiot who only knows how to deduce, Shinichi Kudo!"

The moment Shinichi Kudo was mentioned, Sonoko's face darkened instantly, her tone filled with dissatisfaction and sarcasm.

"I heard that after school yesterday, he was bored and took a walk on the street. He happened to see a police car responding to a call, so he immediately chased after it and ended up helping the Metropolitan Police Department solve the case."

Holy crap! This works?!

Lin Xiuyi couldn't help but curse in his mind.

He really didn't expect that Shinichi Kudo would happen to be at the crime scene again and successfully solve the case.

This guy is practically a walking case magnet, even more outrageous than Conan. Could this be the power of the protagonist's halo?

"Sigh, I don't know what's so good about that guy that makes Xiaolan keep thinking about him."

Sonoko's anger hadn't subsided, and her tone became aggrieved and indignant as she complained, her cheeks puffed out.

"Xiaolan has been abroad for so long and hasn't called me once, hasn't confided a single word to me, yet she secretly called that clueless idiot to ask if he was alright. It's just too much!"

"And that clueless idiot, he came to school this morning and deliberately bragged about it to me in class, saying that Xiaolan called him first, and how gentle and caring she was. I was so angry I almost got into a fight with him right there!"

Sonoko grew angrier and angrier as she spoke, and her tone became increasingly urgent.

"Xiaolan is really something! She's obviously forgotten her best friend now that she has a man. That's so unfair!"

Don't worry, that call wasn't made by Xiaolan.

Lin Xiuyi sat to the side, secretly amused.

However, when I have some free time, I really should call Sonoko for Ran.

Friendship, like romantic relationships, needs regular maintenance; it requires contact and care from both sides.

If this drags on, Sonoko's resentment will only grow, and Ran might really lose Sonoko, her good sister who is truly devoted to her and always thinks of her.

……

Lunch break flew by, and before we knew it, the bell rang for class.

Sonoko tidied up the lunchboxes on the table, waved to Lin Xiuyi, and said in her usual cheerful tone, "Uncle, I'm going back to class now. I'll bring you something delicious tomorrow!"

After saying that, the girl rushed out of the office.

Lin Xiuyi tidied up the things on the table and walked out of the counseling room at Teitan High School with Judy, preparing to drive to Teitan Elementary School.

As the two walked out of the school gate and were about to head to the parking area, a six or seven-year-old boy suddenly ran out from behind a tree and quickly blocked Lin Xiuyi's way.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Lin Xiuyi?"

Lin Xiuyi stopped, bent down slightly, and smiled kindly.

"That's right, I am Lin Xiuyi. Little friend, what do you need me for?"

"There is an older sister who asked me to give you a letter."

The little boy's tension lessened somewhat after hearing Lin Xiuyi's words.

He carefully took a white envelope from his pocket. The envelope was clean and without any writing on it.

The boy held the envelope in both hands and gently handed it to Lin Xiuyi.

"My older sister said she insisted on giving it to you personally."

Lin Xiuyi reached out and took the envelope. It felt thin, and there seemed to be only a single sheet of paper inside.

"Okay, thank you, little one."

The little boy shook his head, a shy smile appearing on his face, revealing two small canine teeth: "It's no trouble at all. The big sister gave me a piece of fruit candy, it's so sweet."

After saying that, the little boy nodded to Lin Xiu, turned around and ran away quickly, disappearing around the corner of the street.

"Boss, it's best not to open letters from unknown sources easily."

Judy frowned, her tone tinged with worry and wariness. She instinctively stepped in front of Lin Xiuyi, her eyes scanning the surroundings cautiously, as if afraid of anything unusual.

"If there's anything dangerous inside, like poison powder or a bomb, then we'll be in trouble."