Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

Yeah, why?

Lin Xiuyi stared at the pot of cosmos flowers in front of her, her mind racing.

He can't exactly say, "Because I saw a cheesy joke in my past life," can he? That would be too embarrassing.

Lin Xiuyi coughed lightly, racking his brains to finally come up with an excuse.

"I drink herbal tea occasionally."

He spoke earnestly, trying to make his words sound believable.
"Chrysanthemum tea is delicious; it clears heat and reduces internal fire, which is good for your health. So when I see chrysanthemums, I think of chrysanthemum tea..."

Although this excuse is far-fetched, it is still a reason.

"I've heard of chrysanthemum tea, but I've never tried it."

Midori Orikasa nodded, her eyes searching around the flower shop as if looking for something.

Lin Xiuyi thought the topic was over and was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw Orikasa Midori's eyes light up and she brought out a pot of flowers from the corner.

It was a pot of reddish-purple chrysanthemums, with long, curled petals and a vibrant color that resembled a burning flame.

Unlike common yellow and white chrysanthemums, this chrysanthemum has a rich and vibrant color, making it look more like an ornamental variety.

"Senior, I'll brew it for you right now!" Midori Orisaka said enthusiastically, then picked up the flowerpot and walked to the back.

Lin Xiu was stunned and quickly stopped her: "Well, you can't just brew chrysanthemum tea, can you? Could it be poisonous?"

He was genuinely worried. The chrysanthemum tea he had drunk in his previous life was all dried, and it was always a specific variety.

These reddish-purple chrysanthemums don't look like they're edible. What if they're poisonous?
Midori Orikasa stopped and turned to look at him, a smile on her face that said, "Senpai, how can you be so cute?"

"Don't worry, senior."

She held up the flowerpot in her hand so that Lin Xiu could see it clearly.
"This is a chrysanthemum unique to Yamagata Prefecture, and it has a name called Enmeiraku. Isn't that an interesting name? Enmeiraku means the joy of prolonging life."

She continued, "These chrysanthemums can not only be eaten, but also added directly to food and dishes, and even used to make infused liquor."

"My mom used it to make chrysanthemum salad, and it tasted pretty good. It would definitely be good for making tea too."

After giving her this explanation, Lin Xiuyi finally felt relieved.

Midori Orikasa happily ran into the back room with the flowerpot in her arms, leaving Hideaki Hayashi alone in the flower shop.

He walked alone in the sea of ​​flowers for a while, looking at the roses here and smelling the lilies there, occasionally reaching out to gently touch the petals and feel their soft texture.

The fragrance of flowers surrounding you softens your mood.

A moment later, Midori Orikasa came out smiling, carrying two cups of tea.

The girl walked briskly, a hopeful smile on her face.

The two teacups were white ceramic cups, with wisps of steam rising from their rims.

The tea soup is a pale reddish-purple color, with a few petals floating on top, which is surprisingly pleasing to the eye.

"Senior, please try the flower tea I brewed!" Midori Orikasa handed one of the teacups to Hideaki Hayashi, her face full of anticipation as she awaited his evaluation.

Lin Xiuyi took the teacup and looked down at it.

The tea soup has a beautiful color, a light reddish-purple, like the color of the sunset.

The petals unfurled in the hot water, regaining their full bloom, and floated on the surface of the cup, a truly pleasing sight.

Although he had drunk chrysanthemum tea in his previous life, it was always the kind with bright yellow petals and a pale yellow tea soup.

This was the first time he had ever seen this reddish-purple chrysanthemum tea, and he found it rather strange.

However, unable to resist the girl's expectant gaze, he had no choice but to pick up the teacup, gently blow on it, and then take a sip.

Uh.

This taste...

Lin Xiuyi frowned slightly.

The taste was strange, bitter and astringent, with an indescribable herbal flavor, completely unlike the fragrant and sweet taste of chrysanthemum tea he remembered.

He tried hard to maintain his composure, but the strange smell was so overwhelming that it inevitably showed on his face.

Midori Orikasa had been watching him intently, and naturally caught the fleeting, subtle expression on his face. She immediately understood.

The girl also picked up her teacup and took a small sip.

Immediately, just like Lin Xiuyi, her face showed a look of disgust, and she even clicked her tongue in disdain.

That delicate smiling face instantly crumpled into a frown, as if she had eaten something strange.

"It tastes awful..." she muttered softly, then clicked her tongue, trying to get rid of the strange smell.

Lin Xiuyi couldn't help but laugh when he saw her expression.

He put down his teacup, and looking at the girl's frustrated expression, he felt a warmth in his heart.

"I'm sorry, senior."

Orikasa Midori lowered her head somewhat shyly, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"It seems this kind of chrysanthemum isn't suitable for making tea. I was too presumptuous, assuming that anything edible could be used to make tea..."

Her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a mumble.

Those eyes darted upwards, wanting to see Lin Xiuyi's reaction, but too embarrassed to look directly at her.

Looking at her childlike appearance, as if she had done something wrong, Lin Xiuyi felt a surge of tenderness in her heart.

"It's alright," he said softly. "At least we know this kind of chrysanthemum isn't suitable for making tea. We can try a different kind next time."

Midori Orikasa looked up at his gentle smile, and the disappointment in her eyes was gradually replaced by another emotion.

"Aren't you angry with me, senior?" she asked.

"Why should I blame you?" Lin Xiuyi said with a smile. "You meant well. Besides, it's nothing serious, just a cup of tea."

Midori Orikasa looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"Then wait for me, senior, let me make another cup!" she said, getting up.

Lin Xiuyi quickly stopped her: "No need, no need, this cup is fine."

Midori Orikasa looked at him suspiciously: "Senpai clearly thought it tasted awful..."

"It may taste bad, but it's a token of my affection," Lin Xiuyi said earnestly. "Besides, it's also a fun thing to share a cup of bad tea with you."

He was stunned for a moment when he said those words.

Midori Orikasa was also stunned.

She looked at Lin Xiuyi, and her face turned red again.

This time, the blush was even deeper than before, spreading all the way to the base of her ears.

The flower shop was quiet for a few seconds.

Outside the window, the afternoon sun was still shining brightly.

The fragrance of flowers flowed in the air, lingering between the two.

Midori Orikasa lowered her head, her fingers gently stroking the rim of the teacup.

Her lips curled up slightly, and she couldn't hide her smile.

“Senior,” she said softly.

"Ok?"

"Thank you."

Lin Xiuyi looked at her and smiled.

He knew what she was thanking him for. It wasn't for the awful tea, but for not disliking her clumsiness, for being willing to drink the awful tea with her, and for giving her such a warm afternoon.

Sometimes, the best times are spent doing silly things with the people you most want to see.

Even if that cup of tea was truly bitter and astringent. (End of Chapter)