Ke Xue: Xiaolan delivers goods to your door at the beginning

"So your mother has passed away," Kazuha Toyama said softly.

“Yes, she and my father perished at sea five years ago,” said Kimie Shimabukuro. “Even my grandparents disappeared during a boat trip before I was born.”

"Your entire family died at sea?" Toyama Kazuha asked curiously. "Is there something you don't know? Like, are you cursed for eating mermaid flesh or something?"

"That's impossible!" Shimabukuro Kimie waved her hand with a laugh. "I've been to the main island by boat with Saori before, but nothing happened."

Hattori Heiji noticed the blind spot and pressed, "You're going to talk about the main island with Saori-san? When?"

“Just four days ago…” Shimabukuro-kun recalled, tilting her head back. “I said I needed to see a dentist, so she came with me because there are no dentists on this island.”

"Sister Shrine Maiden, was Saori's emotional state stable at that time?" Conan continued to ask.

Shimabukuro Kimie thought for a moment and then replied, "Saori was very scared because she lost the Dugong Arrow. She even asked me to ask my great-grandmother if there was any way to fix it. Even though I told her that the curse was fake, she still didn't believe me and kept saying that she must have been cursed by a mermaid... It's probably because when I handed over the Dugong Arrow, I told them that legend."

"So, is the curse real or fake?" Lin Xiaofeng looked at Shimabukuro Kimie with curiosity.

Shimabukuro Kimie paused for a moment, met Lin Xiaofeng's gaze, and immediately panicked, explaining, "It's like this. I was worried that those who asked for the arrows would come and complain because they didn't live long, so when I gave them the arrows, I would tell them that if they lost the arrows or didn't believe in the power of the arrows, the mermaids would bring disaster... But that's not true at all."

"Junhui, you're so naive!" A woman in a purple dress stepped forward. "You say that because you don't understand mermaids at all."

"Huh? Ebihara Toshimi..." Shimabukuro Kimie looked at the woman in front of her with a lack of confidence.

“She really did eat mermaid flesh, and she really does possess magical powers,” Ebihara Tomi said, stroking her chin. “You should also know about the mermaid corpse that was discovered three years ago…”

Conan and Heiji Hattori were surprised.

"A human... a mermaid's corpse?!"

Kazuha Toyama suddenly remembered, "Isn't this what was reported three years ago...?"

“If that’s the case, there seems to have been a similar report three years ago,” Yukiko recalled. “That report was quite sensational, saying that a mermaid was discovered on an American island in Japan, and it became international news.”

Ikenami Shizuka also remembered this report: "It seems that a strange, charred corpse was found in the shrine's storeroom, supposedly a real mermaid..."

Lin Xiaofeng looked at the two women in surprise: "Are you two also interested in mermaids?"

Yukiko replied matter-of-factly, "Of course. Every girl is afraid of getting old, so she'll be interested in mermaid meat."

Jinghua echoed, "If mermaid flesh were real, that would be wonderful..."

"Actually, that was just a far-fetched story on TV," Shimabukuro Kimie said with a wry smile. "However, thanks to the reports, American Island has become a popular tourist destination, and some people are even going there to look for mermaids."

“Kimi, you’re lying through your teeth. Didn’t you see it yourself?” Ebihara Toshimi’s expression turned sinister. “The way the mermaid’s bones were broken, that eerie…”

"Sumimi, stop talking!" A man reached out and put his hand on Honohara Sumimi's shoulder to stop him.

Ebihara Hisumi turned around in surprise, "Rokuro?"

“It’s not convenient to say those things in front of outsiders,” Fukuyama Rokuro said, glancing at Lin Xiaofeng and his group before turning and leaving.

"Yes." Ebihara Tomi followed.

Hattori Heiji suddenly remembered the important matter and asked curiously, "Even though Kadokawa Saori has disappeared, why isn't anyone worried about her safety...?"

Kimie Shimabukuro explained, "It's because Ms. Saori Kadowaki and her father often quarrel, and she runs away from home every time they quarrel. This isn't the first time."

Hattori Heiji looked at Lin Xiaofeng: "Lin-kun, should we go to the Kadowaki Saori family and inquire about the servant?"

Lin Xiaofeng replied, "I've already inquired, but there's nothing useful information."

Hattori Heiji chuckled awkwardly and scratched his head: "So you already did your research before coming here..."

“That’s true. I thought Saori might have had a fight with her dad and went somewhere to clear her head,” Shimabukuro Kimie agreed.

239. Heiji and Conan were both killed by Green Mother.

Kimie Shimabukuro didn't pay any attention to Saori Kadowaki and introduced everyone to the evening's festival.

"Although it is a sacrificial ceremony, it is actually just a lottery. If the number card that the guests bought in advance matches the number burned on the door by the great-grandmother, they can get the Dugong Arrow."

As he spoke, he took out two wooden plaques with numbers written on them, gave one to Lin Xiaofeng, and the other to Yuanshan and Ye.

"Why don't you two give it a try? An elderly couple cancelled their appointment this morning, so we have two extra number plates now. You can't really believe in fortune telling, but maybe, like they say, you can gain eternal youth and beauty!"

Kazuha Toyama took the sign and glanced at Lin Xiaofeng, who had also taken a sign beside her, and immediately blushed.

"Oh no, did the shrine maiden make a mistake?"

Lin Xiaofeng, however, handed the plaque he had received to Chi Bojinghua, thus defusing the awkward situation.

"Jinghua, take this piece. Maybe it will grant you eternal youth and beauty?"

"what……"

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Ikeba Shizuka accepted the plaque.

Upon seeing this, Yukiko couldn't help but pout: "Kaze, you're being unfair."

　123 Lin Xiaofeng tilted his head: "What? Yukiko. Do you also want to stay young and beautiful forever?"

Yukiko shook her head: "I don't want it. It's because I already have it."

Yukiko has been continuously irrigated by Lin Xiaofeng with scalding hot... water, and has thus gained eternal youth and beauty.

When Conan and Heiji Hattori saw their mother being so affectionate with Lin Xiaofeng, they couldn't help but have strange expressions and felt uncomfortable.

Conan is alright, he knows the truth, but Heiji Hattori is completely kept in the dark.

……

At dusk, red flames danced on torches on the stage outside the shrine.

Three villagers beat drums in a rhythmic, rapid beat, while other villagers and tourists chatted and laughed in hushed tones as they gathered from all directions toward the stage for the festival outside the shrine.

The short, old woman, with her back to the crowd, picked up a long pole from the wooden frame, turned around, walked towards the shrine gate, and then went to the festival stage.

"It's the Longevity Lady."

"The Longevity Granny has appeared..."

Villagers nearby were whispering among themselves.

"So this is the Longevity Granny..." Conan, perched on Heiji Hattori's shoulders, stared at her speechlessly.

Hattori Heiji's crescent-shaped eyes: "She's just an old woman with heavy makeup..."

"The old woman's face looks so scary." Kazuha felt that the old woman's face was very eerie. She was so scared that she subconsciously grabbed one of her hands. She was completely unaware of it. Just as she was about to let go, her hand was grabbed tightly by the other person.

"Miss Toyama, don't be afraid."

Kazuha Toyama initially thought it was Heiji Hattori, but when he turned around, he realized it was Lin Xiaofeng, the most handsome man in the world.

"Lin-kun..." Toyama Kazuha and Lin Xiaofeng locked eyes, their fair, pretty faces instantly turning bright red. "I...I..."

Kazuha Toyama's language is ambiguous; I want to explain, but I don't know how.

"Miss Toyama, look ahead, it has already started."

"Yes." Toyama Kazuha had no choice but to let Lin Xiaofeng hold her hand, and then turned her gaze to the stage.

On the steps of the wooden house, the old woman reached out and placed a long pole over the torch, preparing to light it.

The next second, the flames suddenly went out.

The noisy crowd fell silent, staring blankly at the long pole suspended above the extinguished torch.

What happened when such a big flame suddenly went out?

Hattori Heiji couldn't help but ask Lin Xiaofeng if he would show surprise, and the result...

Seriously? What are Lin Xiaofeng and He Ye doing? Holding hands, their fingers intertwined, what's going on?

"Lin-kun, you and Kazuha..." Hattori Heiji couldn't help but ask.

Upon hearing this, Toyama Kazuha quickly shook off Lin Xiaofeng's hand and desperately explained, "I just saw that Granny Changshou was scared, so I subconsciously grabbed Lin-kun's hand. It has nothing to do with Lin-kun."

Upon hearing Kazuha's explanation, Heiji Hattori immediately relaxed: "What? Kazuha, you're such a coward!"

"Hmph! I'm a coward, laugh at me if you want."

"I'm so disappointed in myself," said Kazuha Toyama in despair. She was utterly disappointed in her childhood sweetheart. If Lin Xiaofeng hadn't already been taken, she would have fallen for someone else.

Yukiko and Shizuka, who were standing next to Lin Xiaofeng, were completely captivated by the old woman and did not notice the subtle actions of Lin Xiaofeng and Toyama Kazuha.

Then, the old woman moved her long pole to the torch on the right. The next second, the torch on the right went out as well.

Then, a miracle happened: the long pole of the old woman suddenly caught fire. The torches on either side followed suit.

Upon seeing this, both villagers and tourists cheered, all feeling that the Longevity Granny was extraordinary, having eaten mermaid flesh and possessing magical powers.

The old woman calmly continued to use her flaming pole to light the paper on the door. In the flames, three burning numbers appeared on the paper.

Three, one hundred seventeen, eighteen...

Behind them, Ebihara Shouju exclaimed with joy, "Great! I won!"

Kazuha Toyama glanced at the sign in his hand: "Ah! I didn't win, what a pity."

"Jinghua! You won!" Yukiko exclaimed excitedly, pointing to the number on the sign in Jinghua's hand.

"Ah... I've been hit, Yukiko." Shizuka smiled, perhaps the Dugong Arrow really could bring her eternal beauty.

After completing this series of rituals, the longevity woman returned to the shrine.

After some time, Kimie Shimabukuro, dressed as a shrine maiden, emerged from the shrine and stood on the stage outside the shrine gate with a serious expression.

"Now, please proceed to Mermaid Falls, where the Dugong's Arrow will be fired."

240. Kazuha Toyama falls in love with someone else.

It was almost dark.

On the rocky beach in front of Mermaid Falls, two torches were lit in a frame that had been erected.

"Now, please come forward if you have drawn a number," said Kimie Shimabukuro, standing in the center of the torch.

"Ah, okay," Kazuha Toyama said with a smile, as she crawled inside after pulling up the rope. "I'm going to get it now!"

Beside them, a short-haired woman with a cold expression also tugged at the string, put her hands in her pockets, and walked over.

"Hmm?" Shimabukuro Kimie looked around and asked loudly, "There's one more person, the last one isn't here—?"

The last person to win a number was Kadowaki Saori's father, Kadowaki Benzo.

Kadowaki Benzo pulled the rope and went inside, his face still showing signs of drunkenness. "It's me!"

"Huh?" Hattori Heiji asked in confusion. "That's strange. I thought it was Kotobuki who won."

Conan looked around, "but there's no sign of her anywhere."

"That uncle is Miss Kadowaki's father," Lin Xiaofeng said.

After the three dugong arrows were fired, some villagers lit fireworks.

Fireworks rose into the sky, illuminating the vertically falling waterfall, and also illuminating Sumi Ebihara, who was hanging in the waterfall and being washed by the water like a mermaid swimming upstream.

Conan was startled and immediately stepped forward, grabbing the sleeve of Shimabukuro Kimie's shrine maiden outfit. "Sister, you're very familiar with the environment in this mountain, aren't you? Could you take us there?"

"Ah, please wait a moment..." The short-haired woman who had drawn the Dugong Arrow earlier also followed.

"Kimi, what happened?" Fukuyama Rokuro asked from the crowd.

In the end, the people who went to the forest above the waterfall together included Conan, Heiji Hattori, Kimie Shimabukuro, Rokuro Fukuyama, and three locals: Naoko Kuroe, a short-haired woman.

Lin Xiaofeng didn't go; instead, he took out his phone and looked down at it.

"Huh?" Yuanshan Kazuha then noticed that Lin Xiaofeng was still standing next to him. "Lin-kun, aren't you going to go and see him?"

"I don't need to go, I already know the outcome," Lin Xiaofeng said calmly.

"Lin Jun, did you stay behind on purpose because you were worried I'd be scared?" Yuanshan and Ye cautiously probed.

"Hmm. If that's what you think, I won't deny it." Lin Xiaofeng said with a smile.

"Ah...it's so wonderful, just like this (or is it Lin Jun's) gentle and tender ah." 罒远I山X和叶心_想是⑧服部平(次有林君小风一羊半体贴好。

Just as the atmosphere became ambiguous, Lin Xiaofeng was pulled aside by Chi Bojinghua, while Yuanshan Heye was completely bewildered.

Ikeba Shizuka sternly warned Lin Xiaofeng: "Lin Xiaofeng... I felt something was off before. Have you become interested in Toyama Kazuha? I'm warning you, you're not allowed to do that."

"Sister Jinghua, you're overthinking it. I was just talking to Miss Yuanshan for a few minutes. Is it really that serious?" Lin Xiaofeng really didn't have any improper thoughts about Yuanshan and Ye. It was just that Hattori Heiji always gave him opportunities, and he, being a scumbag at heart, was also in a dilemma.

Yukiko also supports Shizuka Ikenami in this regard.

"Xiao Feng, you stole my son's childhood sweetheart, and it's my son's own fault. If you also steal Jinghua's son's childhood sweetheart, I won't let you off the hook either."

Lin Xiaofeng's forehead was sweating, and he quickly agreed, not wanting to upset the woman he loved.