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【wrong……】
……
Chapter 455 Why are you still looking at me?
"Welcome everyone to Edo Street!"
After passing the tall archway, everyone officially entered this cultural tourism area.
The surroundings are filled with buildings in the style of Japan's Edo period, and the streets are full of pedestrians in kimonos. The ancient style makes people seem to have traveled back to the Edo period.
"Look, Sonoko, is that girl the variety show idol you often see on TV recently?"
Walking on the street, Mao Lilan pointed at the kimono girl in front who was waving to welcome the tourists and said curiously.
It was not only Maori and his group who came to attend the celebration this time, but also other guests who were invited like Maori Kogoro and their family members and friends.
"Hmm?" Suzuki Sonoko turned her head and looked over. "It seems to be her. I remember her name is Ashihara Hozumi. She seems to be a high school idol?"
"Ah! It's Detective Mori?!"
Just as the two were whispering, the high school idol also noticed Mouri Kogoro and his group, and excitedly ran up to Mouri Kogoro.
"You're finally here! I've been waiting for you here for a long time!"
"Ah? Oh, thank you, little girl, you know me..." Feeling a little overwhelmed by the little girl's enthusiasm, Kogoro Mouri scratched his head awkwardly.
"Of course! Who in our Beihua City doesn't know Detective Maori? Are all these people around you your relatives?"
Ashihara Hozumi tilted his head and bent over to look at the people following Maori Kogoro, and said with a smile:
"Please follow me! Ms. Igarashi told me before that when Detective Mori arrives, she will take you directly to the guesthouse!"
Kiyoko Igarashi, the deputy mayor of Beika City, is an elegant, intellectual and mature woman. She is responsible for planning the construction of this cultural tourism area. She was also the one who sent the invitation letter to Kogoro Mori.
"Guest house?" Kogoro Mouri was a little curious.
"Yes! A banquet will be held at the Guest House soon. Ms. Igarashi specifically reminded me to bring you, Detective Mori, over there!" Ashihara Hozumi nodded vigorously.
"I feel like we've been given some special treatment..." Hearing her words, Mao Lilan suddenly became nervous, "Are there any important people in that guesthouse? Is it really okay for us to follow them like this?"
"It's okay, it's okay." Hearing this, Suzuki Sonoko raised her hand and patted her shoulder, smiling and comforting her: "We are all here to have fun anyway, just think of yourself as a celebrity candidate."
"That's right!" The three little ones appeared out of nowhere and nodded repeatedly, "Sister Sonoko is the daughter of the Suzuki Group! She must be the biggest shot!"
[Hey, hey, is there any need to compare such things...]
Haibara Ai, who was wearing a mask, couldn't help but complain silently in her heart.
"Wahaha! You little brats are really good at talking!" Suzuki Sonoko burst into laughter upon hearing that, and was obviously very happy about the flattery of these three little ones.
"Sonoko, pay attention to your image." Seeing her like this, Suzuki Ayako, her elder sister, couldn't help but remind her.
"Yes……"
Laughing and joking all the way, everyone followed Ashihara Hozumi towards the guesthouse.
However, since they were going to attend a banquet, everyone did not go there directly, but went to the special dressing room behind the reception hall first and changed into more suitable dresses.
"By the way..."
On the rest bench in the lobby of the locker room, the rest of the people went in to choose suitable clothes. Only Kogoro Mouri, Shizuka Shizuka and Haibara Ai sat side by side, waiting for them quietly.
"Boy, don't you want to change your clothes?"
Generally speaking, girls always take a long time to change clothes. Compared to Shizuka Shizuka who was leaning on the bench with her eyes closed, Kogoro Mouri could no longer wait.
"Mr. Maori, I feel that this outfit fits me perfectly and there is no need to change." Hearing his words, Qingshui Jing opened her eyes and replied.
He seemed to have been prepared. When he went out today, he wore a well-fitting suit, which was completely sufficient for attending the banquet.
"Yeah, you know what, you look pretty good in a suit. The Suzuki family really found a good son-in-law..." Kogoro Mouri nodded.
There was no need for him to change either. After all, whenever there was an occasion of some importance, Maori Kogoro would definitely wear his familiar light blue suit, which had almost become his unique label...
Then, Kogoro Mouri turned his attention to Haibara Ai who was also sitting on the bench.
"I have a cold." Huibara Ai replied.
"You have a cold but you don't need to rest. You still come out to join in the fun. Really, kids nowadays... well, forget it."
After muttering a few words, Maori Kogoro stood up, patted his butt, and said impatiently:
"Those girls are really slow. I'll go to the guesthouse first. Boy, just wait for them to come together."
"Okay." Qing Shuijing nodded and didn't say much.
After saying that, Kogoro Mouri left the locker room directly, leaving only Shimizu Shizuka and Haibara Ai on the bench.
In the silence, Huibara Ai quietly turned her head and looked at Shizumi Shizuka beside her.
"What's wrong?" Qingshui Jing suddenly turned around and looked at her and asked.
"No, nothing..." Haibara Ai quickly looked away. She thought she had been very careful, but she didn't expect to be noticed.
However, although she withdrew her gaze, Qingshui Jing's gaze still remained on her.
"Did you catch a cold yesterday?" Qingshui Jing suddenly asked.
"Well, I was infected by Conan-kun after returning from the amusement park yesterday, but I'm much better this morning, so don't worry..."
Huibara Ai nodded, her hands on her thighs, her back straight, seeming a little nervous.
"Is there something special about wearing so many clothes?" Qingshui Jing's words seemed to show concern for her.
"The doctor said that if you wear more clothes and sweat, your cold will heal faster." Haibara Ai replied truthfully.
[Are you sweating...?]
Upon hearing this, Shizuka Shizuka looked at Haibara Ai's delicate little face, which did not show any sweat.
It was clearly just a normal conversation, but for some reason the atmosphere between the two of them felt inexplicably tense.
Haibara Ai clearly felt that her heart rate had been increasing since then.
"Boom! Boom!"
【Why are you still looking at me? 】
The sound of the heartbeat seemed to vibrate the eardrums. Haibara Ai subconsciously clenched her thighs with both hands. She even wondered if Shizuka Shizuka had noticed her abnormality?
"Yohoo! Brother-in-law! We're coming!"
At this moment, Suzuki Sonoko's unique and energetic voice was heard from the locker room behind the two of them.
Chapter 456: Prelude
"Hey? Where's Uncle Maori? Where did he go?"
Just when Haibara Ai was about to be unable to bear it and was almost collapsed by her inner tension and anxiety, Suzuki Sonoko walked out of the locker room behind them, pulling Suzuki Ayako and Mouri Ran.
"Mr. Maori has gone to the reception hall first." Upon hearing this, Qingshui Jing stood up, turned to the three people and said with a smile.
"Huh...Huh..." As he stood up, Huibara Ai, who was sitting next to him, suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.
[This person has such a strong aura...]
Only then did she notice that a lot of sweat had seeped out of her palms.
"Hey - uncle is really impatient..." Not noticing anything unusual, Suzuki Sonoko complained a little.
At this time, the three of them had each changed into a beautiful dress. Among them, Suzuki Ayako was the most dignified, Suzuki Sonoko was the most conservative, and as for Mouri Ran, she was tricked by Suzuki Sonoko into wearing a low-cut dress that best reflected her charm.
"How about it, brother-in-law? Looks good, right?" Suzuki Sonoko raised her hand and turned around in front of Shizuka Shizuka with a smile.
"Well, it's beautiful."
After giving a very perfunctory answer in a serious tone, Shizuka Shizuka turned to look at Suzuki Ayako who was standing next to her. Their eyes met, and they each saw the smile in the other's eyes.
"Tsk! That's too perfunctory!"
After sticking out her tongue at him, Suzuki Sonoko shifted her gaze to the still somewhat shy Mouri Ran beside her and nodded with satisfaction.
"Well, our Xiaolan is indeed the prettiest..."
"Really? Really?" Maybe because she was wearing something more revealing than usual, Mao Lilan felt very shy.
"Haha! It's okay! Xiaolan, you have a great figure! It's a pity for your 'husband'. If he were here now, he would also be able to see such a cute Ran-chan!" Suzuki Sonoko teased.
"There's no such thing as a husband. Sonoko, don't talk nonsense..." Knowing who she was referring to, Mao Lilan's face turned red instantly.
"Hmm? What nonsense did I say? Did I remember the wrong person? How about Xiaolan, can you tell me about it?"
"You go away..."
"Jingjun, where are the three children?"
Suzuki Ayako, who was standing by, suddenly noticed that the three little members of the Junior Detective Team seemed to be missing.
"They came out earlier than you and ran out to play by themselves." Qingshui Jing explained.
"If we let these three children run away like this, will it be possible that..."
"Don't worry. Miss Ashihara told me before that there are security guards everywhere in this cultural tourism area to maintain law and order. They will be fine."
Having said that, Qing Shuijing looked at the others and said with a smile: "Well, it's almost time, let's go to the guest house together?"
"it is good!"
At this time in the reception hall, although the banquet had not yet officially started, quite a few people had already gathered in the hall.
Everyone was dressed in gorgeous clothes, gathered in groups of three or four, and chatted harmoniously with each other.
"Really..."
The only one was Kogoro Mouri, who didn't know anyone present. He could only stand alone in the corner with a glass of red wine.
"How long will those little brats take? They're really taking their time..."
"Are you Mr. Maori?"
Just as Kogoro Mori was complaining, a beautiful woman suddenly walked up to him.
The woman has short black curly hair and is wearing a black dress. She is very beautiful and looks very intellectual.