Conan: I'm a zaibatsu in Tokyo

"Brother Zhengyi".

"Xiao Lan, please sit down."

"I've come to see Ai," Ran said.

Ai took a year off from school due to health reasons.

Ran, being Ai's classmate, should understand why Ai is like this.

But after arriving at Masayuki's house, Ai sat opposite Ran, but Ran's gaze didn't linger on her. Instead, she looked around as if searching for something.

“Conan isn’t here,” Ai said, holding her cup.

"what?"

Ran was startled at first, then looked at Ai awkwardly and said, "I didn't look for Conan."

Ai held the cup and yawned.

If you know to come here to find Conan, then how come Conan doesn't know that this place is dangerous?
He always looks for Shoichi at Professor Agasa's house; he wouldn't dare come here for fear of being caught by you.

Ran looked at Ai's gaze, gave an awkward smile, and felt a little embarrassed.

Ai put down her water glass and said, "If you're looking for Conan, just look for Conan. Why do you have to say you're here to care about me?"

What if she suddenly becomes unwell and turns into Shiho Miyano, which would force her to come down for a meeting?
"Ahem." Xiaolan coughed, covering her mouth. "I did come to see you. How are you feeling?"

"It's the same as always," Ai said, her mouth full.

When she first dropped out of school, Xiao Lan came to check on her, but Zheng Yi brushed her off.

"Ai, it's time to take your medicine."

Zheng Yi walked in carrying a large cup of black soup.

Ai's face darkened when she saw what Masakazu was holding.

"What is this?" Ai asked.

"Medicine."

Zheng Yi stirred the medicine, scooped a spoonful and brought it to Xiao Ai's lips, "Good girl, take your medicine."

Ai glanced at the soup bowl, then at Shoichi's annoying face.

Why do I need to take this medicine?

It's blacker than your foot bath water.

Looking at Zheng Yi's soup bowl, Xiao Lan asked somewhat fearfully, "Brother Zheng Yi, is this really medicine?"

“That’s right,” Zheng Yi said. “This is traditional Chinese medicine, for Ai to regulate her body.”

"Oh."

Xiaolan nodded.

Although she still found the bowl of food a bit scary, she didn't know much about traditional Chinese medicine, so she didn't offer any opinion.

"I won't eat it!" Ai said angrily.

Zheng Yi, that bastard, is playing tricks on her again.

Who knows what's in this stuff? Drinking it will definitely give you diarrhea.

"Sweetie, the doctor said you need to take your medicine on time so you can get better sooner."

Zheng Yi held up the spoon, blew on it, and then put it back to Ai's mouth.

Ai kept her mouth tightly shut, afraid that Zheng Yi would take advantage of her unpreparedness and shove that thing into her mouth.

It's better to start early!
I wasn't sick to begin with, but eating this black stuff of yours made me sick.

Ai kept her mouth tightly shut and twisted her head. If her legs hadn't been trapped between Zheng Yi's legs, she would have run away long ago.

Ran chuckled as she watched Masakazu feeding Ai the medicine.

This reminded her of Conan.

Although Conan is very mature and usually obedient, he also resists taking medicine when he is sick and confused.

"Ai," Ran chimed in, "you need to take your medicine to get better."

As she spoke, she took a piece of candy out of her pocket and handed it to Ai.

"Here's a piece of candy, so your medicine won't taste so bitter."

Ai looked at the candy in Ran's hand but didn't reach out.

This isn't a question of whether it's bitter or not.

It was Zheng Yi who gave this thing; the question is whether it's edible.

Ai knew better than Masakazu what was in the house; there was absolutely no Chinese medicine there.

This black stuff is either gunpowder or soot; neither of them is drinkable.

Zheng Yi's spoon was practically touching Xiao Ai's face when Xiao Ai glared at him and asked, "I don't remember the doctor prescribing any Chinese medicine for me?"

"Whatever the doctor tells a little kid, I, an adult, can understand," Zheng Yi said.

It's really hard for Ai to lash out.

In other people's eyes, she was just sick and that's why she took a year off from school.

Doctors will not tell a little girl her true condition, and will only instruct adults about medications and other related matters.

"I will not eat!"

Ai can only play a spoiled and disobedient little girl who refuses to drink the weird stuff that Masakazu sends her.

Ai looked at the thing, which was steaming.

I knew Zheng Yi was wicked; he'd been holding back for a long time, just waiting for someone to come and play a trick on her.

That's outrageous.

"Brother Zhengyi, how about I feed Ai?" Xiaolan said.

Hearing this, Ai glared at Shoichi.

"Ahem." Zheng Yi coughed and said, "If you feed her, Ai will be shy."

Xiao Lan thought about it and agreed.

Although she is older than Ai, they are classmates after all, so it would be strange for her to give Ai medicine.

Zhengyi would certainly not use Xiaolan's hand.

Of course, I have to do the teasing myself, and I'll do it from beginning to end.

"Sweetie, don't be angry, the medicine will get cold soon," Zheng Yi said.

"Who knows if this is medicine the doctor prescribed for me, or something you're playing on me?" Ai said.

She definitely won't drink it.

"Tsk tsk." Zheng Yi said, "How about this, I'll take a sip, you take a sip, is that alright?"

Xiao Ai looked at Zheng Yi suspiciously, wondering what kind of medicine he was selling.

Without saying a word, Zheng Yi drank a spoonful of the black medicine.

Ai's suspicion deepened.

Could it be that this black thing is really alright?

Although Zheng Yi's face showed no extra expression, she accurately caught the fact that his pupils contracted.

My judgment was correct; this stuff tastes awful.

But Zheng Yi himself drank it, so could it really be drinkable, or just ordinary and unpleasant to drink?

Ai opened her mouth, filled with curiosity.

Seizing the opportunity, Zheng Yi threw away the soup spoon, grabbed Ai's chin, and forcefully poured the soup into Ai's mouth.

After Ai took a big gulp, I immediately covered her mouth to prevent her from spitting it out.

This action left Xiaolan, who was standing next to her, completely dumbfounded.

Masakazu covered Ai's mouth and turned to Ran, saying, "Haha, Ai doesn't want to take her medicine, so I have to use some special methods."

Xiaolan nodded in understanding.

It's all for the good of the children.

But the child didn't seem to appreciate it. Although Zheng Yi covered his mouth so he couldn't curse, he didn't stop punching and kicking Zheng Yi.

Zheng Yi covered Ai's mouth and pressed down on Ai's swollen cheeks to force the medicine inside down.

When he saw Ai's face flatten down and her expression turn utterly lifeless, Masakazu finally let go.

Seeing Ai's ravaged face, Masakazu couldn't laugh too loudly in front of Ran, and could only say softly:

"How are you feeling? Do you feel better after taking the medicine?" Ai looked up at Zheng Yi but ignored him.

Zheng Yi didn't care.

Every time Ai gets teased by him, she's too lazy to talk to him. He's already realized that he'll get used to it after he teases her a few more times.

Once Ai gets annoyed, she'll definitely pay attention to me again.

Xiao Lan looked at the two of them awkwardly, thinking of saying something to ease the tension between them.

"Small……"

"Pfft~"

Before Xiaolan could finish speaking, Xiaoai spat out a mouthful of black soup, which went straight to Zhengyi's face.

Zheng Yi couldn't dodge in time and got half his face soaked.

Seeing that she had successfully gotten revenge on Shoichi, Ai smiled happily, revealing her big black teeth.

That bastard Zheng Yi is getting more and more cunning. This time, in order to trick her, he actually hurt himself as well, and even took a sip himself.

Also, this stuff really is soot!
That brat is so naughty!!

"Ai, you're too naughty," Masaru said expressionlessly.

He picked up the bowl on the table, pinched Ai's chin and said, "Good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the disease. Although the medicine is a bit bitter, you still have to drink it. Look at you, why did you spit it all out? Be good, drink the rest of it."

Ai wouldn't listen obediently; she immediately started arguing with Masakazu.

The two were playfully fighting, spilling the 'medicine soup' from their bowls, leaving their clothes dirty.

Xiaolan looked at the two of them and opened her mouth.

Why did they start fighting when they were just taking their medicine?
The way Zheng Yi and Xiao Ai get along is really unique.

"Please stop fighting," Xiaolan advised.

But Ran's persuasion was useless. Even if Ai gave her face, Shoichi wouldn't give her any.

He first took a big gulp, and then Ai spat all over his face.

Originally, he intended to tease Ai, but now he has suffered a great loss himself, so naturally he is unwilling.

While the two were bickering, Akemi Miyano returned.

As soon as I closed the door, I saw Shoichi and Ai fighting again, with Ran standing nearby trying to break them up.

She rubbed her forehead, walked in front of them to separate them, tidied Ai's hair, and then took out a tissue to wipe Zheng Yi's face.

"Why are you two fighting again?" Mingmei asked.

Those two little devils really never let anyone have a moment's peace.

Akemi threw the toilet paper into the trash can and then ruffled Ai's hair.

My younger sister must be well-behaved and calm, all thanks to Zheng Yi's influence.

"I was trying to be kind and feed her the medicine, but she spat it all out in my face," Zhengyi said indignantly.

Mingmei looked at Zhengyi's face, her nose twitched, and she smelled the odor of soot from a pot, which told her the whole story.

Masaru must have realized that Ran was there and that Ai wouldn't be able to admit she wasn't sick, so he prepared some 'medicine' to play a trick on Ai. Then Ai spat it in his face, and they started fighting.

Akemi sighed.

They're so old, yet still so childish; it's really worrying.

"Okay, go wash up first, then change your clothes," Mingmei said to Zhengyi.

She then looked at Ai and said, "Why don't you go brush your teeth first?"

She started to laugh as she looked at it.

Ai's teeth were black, which looked quite comical.

Ai snorted at Masakazu and turned to leave. Masakazu didn't argue with her and went back to wash up and change his clothes.

After seeing the two off, Akemi started chatting with Ran.

The two chatted quite pleasantly. When it was time for dinner, Mingmei invited Xiaolan to stay for dinner, and Xiaolan couldn't refuse, so she agreed.

When Zheng Yi and Xiao Ai returned, the group had dinner together.

Xiaolan just felt something was off.

Akemi acted like the head of the household, taking care of everything from entertaining him to Shoichi and Ai.

Moreover, Akemi changed her clothes; it seems she lives in this house.

After dinner, Xiaolan carefully ate the fruit.

She knew this person was Zheng Yi's employee and Ai's older sister, but her relationship with Zheng Yi was unusually close.

Ai and Shoichi live together. Since Ai is just a child, there won't be any gossip.

Xiaolan didn't feel comfortable asking, but her gaze towards Zhengyi and Mingmei held a hint of ambiguity.

Ai also felt that Ran was acting strangely.

While eating, his eyes started wandering, and he would glance at his sister every now and then, especially at her clothes.

Ai thought Ran was also interested in clothes and so on, so she gave her a few magazines.

"Brother Zhengyi, hasn't Conan ever been here?"

Ran suppressed the rumors about Masakazu and started asking Conan why she had come here.

“I’ve been here before,” Zheng Yi said.

Xiao Lan's eyes lit up.

“But he’s already gone,” Zheng Yi added.

"Where did he go?" Xiaolan pressed.

“Conan said he’s going back to America,” Shoichi said.

"what?"

Xiaolan didn't really believe it.

Conan meant that he had a conflict with his family and ran away to Japan.

Xiaolan didn't really believe this reason.

The idea that Conan is going to America again seems incredibly vague and doesn't make any sense.

But since Conan had already made up his mind, Shoichi naturally had no interest in giving him a reason: "This is what Conan said when he came to see me last time. I think it was a plane ticket from yesterday or the day before yesterday, but I forgot."

Zheng Yi tapped his head, thought for a moment, but still couldn't remember.

"Really?" Xiaolan asked suspiciously.

"I don't know, that's what Conan said anyway." Shoichi couldn't guarantee anything.

Ran said, "Could you help me find Conan and see if he's still in Japan?"

She looked at Zheng Yi expectantly, knowing that her brother Zheng Yi had the ability.

As long as Conan is still in Japan, he will definitely be able to find him.

Zheng Yi hesitated for a moment.

Conan is his beloved friend and brother, who helped him kill so many people. He is not an ungrateful person.

“Okay, I’ll try my best to look into it for you,” Zheng Yi said.

But Kogoro also helped him a lot, and he still bears the reputation of being his lackey.

His daughter made the request, and he couldn't refuse to help.

Both sides are equally dear to Zheng Yi, making things very difficult for him.

Zheng Yi pondered for a long time before finally making up his mind.

I can't let both sides feel disheartened, so I can only ask Conan to kill a few more people for me. When I leave Japan, I'll tell Ran where he is.

"Thank you, Brother Zhengyi," Xiaolan said.

Having received Zheng Yi's promise, Xiao Lan breathed a sigh of relief.

If even with Zheng Yi's help, he still can't find Conan, then no matter what he does, he won't be able to find him.

"Then I'll be leaving now."

Ran stood up and said, "I'm going to Professor Agasa's house to see if Conan went there."

"Okay." Zheng Yi nodded.

Shoichi, Ai, and Akemi saw Ran to the door. After Ran left, Shoichi turned to Ai and said:

"Ai, it's time to go back and take your medicine." (End of Chapter)