I'm in Conan, I'm not a gangster

Chapter 688 Dining at Yingli's House (1st Update)
The misty steam and brief chatter seemed to be shut out from the heavy automatic doors of the laboratory.

Mary, dressed in simple casual clothes with her hair still slightly damp, followed Akemi into the state-of-the-art laboratory in the basement of the Miyano mansion.

The air was filled with a faint smell of disinfectant and the cold, metallic scent of electronic instruments.

In the center of the laboratory, Ai and Elena Miyano were ready.

Various sophisticated probes, sensors, and instruments connected to complex displays flashed indicator lights of different colors, creating a serious and professional atmosphere.

Seeing Mary enter, Ai, who was already in work mode, didn't say much. She simply raised her eyelids and gestured with her eyes to the laboratory chair that looked like a dental chair but was obviously much more complicated.

Elena Miyano gave her an encouraging smile, though a hint of nervousness was hidden in that smile.

Mary didn't ask any more questions and lay down on the cold laboratory chair as instructed.

The chair back automatically adjusts to a suitable angle for detection according to the program.

She felt the cool sensor patches being carefully applied to her forehead, temples, wrists, and chest, and heard faint electrical hums and the low buzzing of the instruments in her ears.

She didn't know what the mother and daughter were planning to do, nor what the complex data and waveforms on the screens meant, but out of her last trust in her loved ones, she chose to remain silent and cooperate, only occasionally letting out a muffled cough that was particularly clear in the quiet laboratory.

Ai's expression remained focused and stern throughout. Her fingers flew across the tablet and control panel, accessing various programs and recording data changes.

Elena Miyano assisted from the side, sometimes handing over tools, sometimes adjusting the instrument parameters. The mother and daughter worked together seamlessly, clearly this was not their first time collaborating.

The entire process lasted about an hour, during which there were only the faint sounds of the instruments running and brief exchanges of technical terms that only they could understand.

Mary slowly sat up after the final scanning procedure was completed, the instrument stopped running, and the sensors were removed one by one.

She stretched her stiff neck, looked at the two solemn-looking "scientists" in front of her, and asked directly, "What exactly is wrong with my body?"

Ai didn't answer immediately. She simply picked up the tablet that recorded the core data, walked over to Elena Miyano, and the two talked, argued, and reached a consensus in hushed tones. This process lasted for more than ten minutes.

Finally, Elena Miyano walked over with a smile on her face and said, "Mary, let's try taking this stage of the medication and see how it goes."

“This is an inhibitor designed for abnormal lung inflammation and a neurogenic cough reflex, which may relieve your cough symptoms…” Her tone was somewhat hesitant, as if she was laying the groundwork for something.

Mary, being the person she was, immediately discerned the truth from her sister's less-than-stellar attempt at concealment and Ai's earlier analysis.

She interrupted Elena, her tone calm yet incisive: "If it doesn't get better, then it's safe to say that this cough isn't a simple aftereffect, but a side effect of the drug you developed, right? It's a problem caused by APTX4869 itself."

A fleeting look of embarrassment and bitterness crossed Elena Miyano's face. She gave a helpless, bitter laugh. "Sigh... you really can't hide anything from me. Yes, this is one of the possibilities we're most worried about right now." Her voice was filled with guilt.

Upon hearing this, Mary's face instead showed a relieved expression of "I knew it."

She showed no anger, no accusation, but simply nodded with unusual calm, as if she had long been prepared to accept any bad news.

“Then let’s do it.” She said decisively, taking the bottle of potion from Elena’s hand. “Just do what needs to be done, don’t overthink it.”

For the next period of time, Mary stayed at the Miyano residence, undergoing drug treatment.

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The evening glow shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the high-rise apartment, casting a warm hue over Eri Kisaki's neat but slightly austere living room.

The air was filled with the enticing aroma of food as Ran brought the last dish of miso soup to the table. Today, she had specially invited E Shiraishi and Kogoro Mouri to have dinner with her at her mother's house, trying her best to maintain a "family" atmosphere.

Kogoro Mouri was initially extremely reluctant, grumbling the whole way, until Ran used her trump card, threatening in a low voice, "Dad, if you don't finish your meal before you leave today, I might have to reconsider your allowance next month, and the month after that, okay?"

The thought of losing horse racing and beer made Kogoro Mouri feel like his life was being squeezed, and he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

At the dinner table, Xiaolan excitedly shared her recent plans: "Mom, Aunt Yukiko is going to Los Angeles for a film festival in a while. I think she was nominated for Best New Director! She invited me to come and broaden my horizons. I really want to go!"

Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, and then she looked earnestly at Eri Kisaki: "Mom, why don't you take a break from your work and relax with us? Just think of it as a vacation."

Eri Kisaki put down her chopsticks, elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth, and gave a slightly apologetic and helpless smile: "Ran, Mom really wants to go with you. But I really have a few cases on my hands right now and I can't get away. The cases involving the parties involved are all quite urgent, and the trial dates are approaching."

Upon hearing this, Xiaolan sighed softly and advised, "Mom, we don't actually lack money now. You really don't need to work so hard. Your health is the most important thing."

Eri Kisaki shook her head, her eyes gentle yet firm: "Most of these cases are rather tricky civil lawsuits, and they don't make much money. Those clients only came to me when they were desperate. I can't abandon them at this time."

Upon hearing that her mother was helping vulnerable groups, Xiaolan understood and carefully instructed, "Okay... then Mom, you must take care of yourself, don't overwork yourself, remember to eat on time, and get plenty of rest."

"Yes, I will, don't worry," Eri replied with a smile.

The atmosphere of the casual conversation was initially quite harmonious until Kogoro Mouri's phone suddenly rang.

He answered the phone, said a few "uh-huhs," and then his expression became somewhat urgent. He quickly finished the rest of his rice, stood up, and said, "Um... something important has come up, I have to go over there!"

Without waiting for a response, he grabbed his coat and hurried toward the door.

Ran watched as Kogoro Mouri left without saying a word since he came in, and couldn't help but complain, "Seriously... can't he even have time to eat a peaceful dinner? Cases can be dealt with anytime."

Eiji Shiraishi was also somewhat surprised, not expecting Kogoro Mouri to be so busy.

However, he can't be lecherous now, so what can he be busy with?

Eri Kisaki, on the other hand, seemed quite calm, not even glancing at the doorway. She simply said, "Forget it, let him go. Anyway, he's just sitting here feeling uneasy, and everyone's uncomfortable."

Her tone was devoid of emotion, as if she were stating a perfectly ordinary fact.

Xiaolan looked at her mother's calm profile, opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something to ease the tension, but in the end she only let out a soft sigh and swallowed her words back.

The atmosphere at the dinner table fell silent for a moment.

Eri Kisaki broke the silence, turning her gaze to Emi Shiraishi, who was eating quietly, and naturally changed the subject: "Ran, will Shiraishi-kun be going to Los Angeles with you this time?"

"Yes, that's right!" Ran nodded immediately, her smile returning. "Emi will be going with us. Sonoko is going too! She said she'll be our sponsor and tour guide!"

Upon hearing this, Eri Kisaki's face showed genuine relaxation and relief. She nodded and said, "In that case, I'm truly relieved. With Shiraishi-kun and Sonoko-san here, I have nothing to worry about regarding your safety and itinerary." She seemed to have an extraordinary level of trust in Shiraishi E's abilities.

After dinner, Ran quickly helped Eri put away the dishes and utensils in the kitchen and made sure they were washed clean.

After everything was settled, she and Eri Shiraishi said goodbye to Eri.

(End of this chapter)