He's in Detective Conan, and he's the mastermind behind everything.

"Of course, if you can do it."

So the waiter first made an iced Americano and pushed it to Xiaolan: "This is your iced Americano, sir." He then made another iced Americano and continued to push it to her: "The Qingming Scroll depicts the myriad aspects of human life. This cup, with its slightly sour and bitter aftertaste, is called 'My Image,' and it is by no means inferior to it."

Xiaolan sighed softly, took out a couple's two-tip straw from the paper tube next to her, inserted it upside down into the two cups of coffee, and took a deep breath.

"Then what is this?" she asked, looking up.

The waiter took off his hat and apron, and smiled gently: "You have a good lung capacity."

"..."

Xiaolan was speechless: "Mom's reaction was exactly as you guessed, Shuiyue-jun. I didn't tell her to go home at all. I just cooked with her and made an appointment for the next time. We naturally started talking about the past at the dinner table."

Sigh, Mom really suffered a lot of injustices in the past.

“She doesn’t need your sympathy,” Ying Sheng said.

"Yes, I restrained myself from expressing that aspect. When comforting my mother, I focused more on her strength, which made her very happy. Even her modesty couldn't hide it."

Xiao Lan sighed softly: "When she talked about her current career later, she only stated the facts without mixing in any subjective judgments. It all stemmed from her talent, and you could tell she was very proud of it."

"Feel sorry."

Ying Sheng used small clips to add sugar cubes to Xiao Lan's iced Americano, and said apologetically, "Reconciliation between mother and daughter should be a natural thing, filled with family harmony and warmth, but I have tainted it."

Xiaolan shook her head: "I was worried that I hadn't done a good enough job, which is why I asked Shuiyue to do this. As it turns out, Mom is indeed happier this way than I thought."

"How do you know the result if you haven't even tried your method? It might be even better."

“I was originally planning to mention my dad.”

"Oh, that's definitely a bad idea."

"But Mom later mentioned Dad herself, saying that she had never regretted this relationship or marriage, and that her past family life and Dad were not as bad as we said."

"For example?"

“My mother was indeed a full-time housewife for a few years when I was young, but she gradually started to go back to work before I started first grade. She didn’t completely give up her career.”

"It seems you've been very sensible since you were little, and you don't take up too much of the adults' energy. It's a pity your memory isn't very good. You were there for both this incident and the shooting of Attorney Fei, but you only found out about it from someone else."

Xiaolan blushed and pretended not to hear: "Besides, before my dad became a policeman, he wasn't as slovenly as he is now. At least when my mom talked to him, he would listen to her."

Do you think this part has been embellished by memory?

"I don't know. Anyway, I've given up on the idea of ​​them getting back together. It doesn't matter what impressions they have of each other."

Ying Sheng reached out and touched Xiao Lan's forehead with the back of his hand, then placed the back of his other hand on his own forehead, confirming for a few seconds: "Strange, she doesn't have a fever."

Xiaolan rolled her eyes at him: "Do you think I'll rekindle my fantasies after hearing what Mom said?"

"Don't you have any?" Ying Sheng retorted.

Xiaolan was silent for a few seconds: "Of course I did, and I almost went against Shuiyue-jun's advice and brought it up with my mother."

But at that time, her mother's cat, Kogoro, jumped onto her lap.

I was sitting next to my mother at the time, and I could clearly see the affectionate look in her eyes as she looked at the cat.

But that look didn't appear in her eyes when she mentioned her father to me.

I think Shuiyue-kun was right again.

The person my mother liked was just a pearl polished by time; he wasn't even my father from ten years ago, much less the worse father he is now.

The longer your parents are separated, the greater the gap between the image of that person in your heart and reality will be.

They can never go back to the past.

clang--

The ice cubes collided with the sugar cubes, splashing a bit of bitterness.

The sweetness, of course, has not yet melted.

“Let’s go,” she said.

Chapter 91 Vermouth Comes to See Her Daughter

The first place Ying Sheng took Xiao Lan to was a clothing store.

Pushing open the rather rustic wooden door, a faint fragrance wafts out, and even in the midst of a bustling street, stepping inside creates a tranquil haven.

Jingle Bell--

The copper bell on the door is faded and worn, but its sound is still clear and crisp.

A heavy, dark red curtain unfolded before her eyes, and in a daze, Xiaolan seemed to see a brightly lit stage.

"Welcome, Mr. Liuying, Ms. Lan."

The elderly man with a full head of silver hair, dressed in a suit and tie, bowed slightly behind the curtain. Ying Sheng gently pushed the dazed Xiao Lan on the back, sending Cinderella into the magic wardrobe.

As the curtain fell, Xiaolan finally came to her senses and turned around, her eyes filled with hesitation as she looked at Yingsheng. Yingsheng smiled slightly:

"Don't worry, Mr. Alex is a great technician."

The curtain falls.

Ying Sheng knew that wasn't what Xiao Lan wanted to say, and Xiao Lan knew that Ying Sheng knew too, so the answer was obvious. But Xiao Lan hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at Alex, her eyes somewhat cautious, about to speak…

"Miss Lan, are you asking how many female companions Mr. Liuying has brought here?"

Perhaps Xiaolan had hesitated for too long, because Alex, with the wise smile unique to an old man, spoke up understandingly.

Xiaolan actually wanted to ask Yingsheng if he had paid in advance again and couldn't get a refund... but after hearing Alex's words, she quickly nodded, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Mr. Liuying has indeed had several evening gowns made from me, but you are the first person to personally bring someone here."

Feeling inexplicably uplifted, Xiaolan was about to speak again when she saw Alex look around, muttering something in confusion:

"Strange, where did Diana go?"

He turned to Xiaolan and said, "Please have a seat. I'll go find my female assistant to take your measurements."

Xiao Lan nodded, then looked around.

The store is not large, but it is arranged in an orderly manner. Several simple and bright decorative paintings hang on the walls, and rows of carefully tailored clothes are hung on the solid wood clothes racks on the red carpet, from soft cashmere coats to silky satin dresses, each exuding an elegant temperament.

Xiaolan suddenly felt out of place here, but this feeling disappeared when she sat on the heavy leather sofa.

She is here right now, without a doubt.

Alex pushed open a small wooden door at the back and went out. A short while later, a tall, blonde, blue-eyed young woman pushed open the door and appeared in front of Xiaolan.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Miss Lan. I’m Mr. Alex’s assistant. You can call me Diana. I just had to return a phone call.”

Diana wore a bright red dress, her long, wavy blonde hair shone as she walked gracefully, and the few freckles on her cheeks did not diminish her feminine charm at all.

Xiao Lan inexplicably felt that she should be walking the red carpet in Hollywood instead of staying in a clothing store.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with ready-made clothing stores.

Hollywood, however, has greater potential for development.

Diana held a small round tray with two steaming cups of black tea on it. She placed one cup on the small round table next to Xiaolan, with several fashion magazines underneath.

She picked up another glass, sat down on the sofa next to Xiaolan, and said with a smile, "Before taking your measurements, I need to find out what style you prefer."

Xiao Lan didn't understand these things, so upon hearing this, she quickly sat up straight and turned to face her, saying, "Okay, please ask."

Diana gently shook her head: "The customer is always right. You don't need to be so reserved. The money that Mr. Firefly outside paid is enough to make even a villain smile."

Xiaolan finally found an opportunity to ask that question...

"No refunds."

Then it was interrupted again.

"..."

Xiaolan was speechless. Was she really that shallow? It was one thing for Shuiyue-jun, but even Miss Diana, whom she had just met, saw through her thoughts at a glance.

Diana covered her mouth and chuckled: "That Mr. Firefly doesn't care about money. If you refuse his kindness, he will probably be even more unhappy."

Xiaolan sighed softly, "I know, but..."

"Feeling a little unaccustomed?"

Xiaolan nodded, then shook her head: "Since we're already here, I didn't mean to be pretentious. Sorry, just consider my previous question as something I asked unconsciously, I didn't mean anything by it. Please ask your question."

A glint of interest flashed in Diana's eyes: "Are you seeing Mr. Firefly, who is waiting outside?"

"Eh???"

Xiaolan was taken aback at first, then blushed and her eyes darted around, unable to stop looking.

"Dating... Miss Diana, why are you asking this? Is it necessary?"

Diana nodded quite seriously: "This involves some small design details, and Mr. Firefly has also hired a makeup artist for you, so we need to find out more about that as well."

Does makeup and styling have anything to do with whether or not you are dating?

It couldn't possibly be the hairstyle, could it?

As strange thoughts inexplicably came to mind, Xiaolan's cheeks flushed even more, and steam seemed to rise from her head.

However, seeing Diana's smiling face, she quickly realized what she meant and gave a soft hum.

"I bet that's not true. Miss Diana must be playing a trick on me."

"Oh?"

Diana asked in surprise, "Why do you say that?"

"Because he wouldn't do that."

Xiao Lan picked up the black tea beside her, gently blew on it to warm it, watched the ripples on the amber-colored lake surface, smelled the faint fragrance, and her expression gradually calmed down.

"Mr. Shuiyue never makes things difficult for anyone, and he is very straightforward in expressing his emotions. In any case, the situation that Miss Diana mentioned will never happen."

"Really, we've been found out."

Diana shook her head, seemingly disappointed, but then looked at her with a smile in her eyes.