Chapter 646 The conversation that night
“Dressed so formally...”
Kudo Shinichi, who was turning his water glass out of boredom, inadvertently looked up and saw Mori in a slim-fitting dress. Lan walked over under the guidance of the waiter, was stunned for a moment, and cleared her throat uncomfortably.
Mao Lilan is beautiful. This is a fact that needs no elaboration, but when she is really dressed up, her skirt is swaying, and she is looking straight at you as you walk over...
"But still It's not because you chose this place." Mao Lilan looked at him and became uncomfortable. "I asked Yuanzi and found out that this seems to be a very high-end restaurant, and the cost is high."
She complained on her lips, but was also subtly flustered in her heart.
Talking to her best friend’s instructions, well, Yuanzi did ask her to dress up well. Although she could explain her clothes, she knew it very well.
——She came to such a solemn occasion just to see him and to hear what he wanted to say to her.
"Don't worry, I brought my dad's credit card." Half as a joke, and half to divert the strange shyness, Kudo Shinichi took out a credit card from the pocket of his casual suit and held it between his fingers. Wave the tip twice.
...Well, let alone Xiaolan, he himself was the same. He stood in front of the mirror and picked for a long time, specially choosing such a suit that would not be too serious and could support his figure.
His purpose of inviting her to this commemorative restaurant for dinner was very clear, and it was difficult to deceive himself.
A subtle atmosphere spread between the two people.
Mao Lilan couldn't help but dodge the other party's gaze, and complained as if to change the subject: "Take Uncle Yuzu's card to ask a girl out for dinner? Such a prodigal, he sounds like a playboy."< br>
"Parents who leave their sons alone in Japan and live happily abroad all day are more prodigal." Kudo Shinichi thought of his parents whose whereabouts were unknown, and the hand that grabbed the credit card didn't even tremble. .
Well, since he chose this restaurant specifically to imitate his parents, he seems to have no right to say that they wasted money on romance...
"Well, Uncle Yuzu and the others really don't come back often. It's really like Conan. His parents also live and work abroad, so they entrusted him to us." Mao Lilan lightly shrugged, "That's quite true. Interesting. I once thought that Conan and you were the same person."
"Really?" Kudo Shinichi winced, "That's incredible."
"Who knows? There are even monster thieves who can make criminals repent with just their names. There are too many incredible things in this world." Mao Lilan picked up the lemonade on the table and sighed, "You always You will get yourself into all kinds of trouble. What if you make a big enemy and have to find a way to become a child to avoid the spotlight? ..." Kudo Shinichi, who was mostly convinced of the situation, shook his head, "Isn't it easier to just run away than to become a child?"
"That's true. It's not a superhero comic. The hero won't reveal his true form when necessary... Speaking of which, I thought maybe the doctor developed a new strange drug to help you turn into a child or something. "Put the water glass together." When he reached his lips, Mao Lilan laughed twice and slowly took a sip of the cool water.
She wore natural light makeup today, and the bean paste-colored lipstick showed off her complexion, but Kudo Shinichi looked at the red lip lines left on the rim of her cup and swallowed secretly.
Compared to red bean color, it always looks more like dried blood...
The person who came here is not good.
"It's strange. In the past few days since you came back, Conan has suddenly become a lot quieter. With that child's character, after suddenly not talking, he seemed to be a different person." Mao Lilan put down the cup. , he said casually, "I hope his voice will heal soon."
Every sentence is unintentional, but it seems that every sentence is intentional.
If you can no longer hear Mao Lilan's temptation, Kudo Shinichi should stop being a detective.
"Ah, I couldn't help but say something. By the way, what did you want to say when you came to me today?" Mao Lilan stopped talking and looked at Kudo Xin with some seriousness. one.
On the dining table with only two seats, there is no conventional white candle in the middle, but instead a slowly burning scented candle in a hazy glass container.
It’s not strong or overpowering. The faint fragrance spreads warmly under the influence of candlelight, and the atmosphere is just right.
To be chosen as the venue for the proposal by the Kudo couple, who always value ritual and romance, the atmosphere of this observatory restaurant must be first-rate.
The boys and girls who fell into a brief silence in the candlelight were wrapped in this ambiguous atmosphere that seemed very private, and the silence between them was no longer so awkward.
This is undoubtedly a good occasion for heart-to-heart conversations. Whether it is to express our feelings to each other or confess our feelings, it seems to be softened by the scene at this moment, and it does not seem so intense or dazzling.
Kudou Shin kept looking at Mao Lilan, who was holding his chin in his hands, silently looking at his face that was warmly reflected by the candlelight, and secretly mustered up his courage.
"Well, I do have something to tell you. Actually..."
"Yeah--"
An untimely, or in other words, particularly timely scream rang out just before he finished speaking.
Kudo Shinichi was stunned at first, and instinctively turned his head following the scream, looking in the direction of the source of the sound.
Generally speaking, when you hear a scream of terror at such a decibel, it means that there are some cases surrounding him.
The nature of the detective made him want to stand up, run in the direction of the sound, and get the information on the scene as quickly as possible.
But looking at the girl across the table who was slightly stunned, Kudo Shinichi's thoughts briefly wandered for a few seconds, and then he quickly regained his attention.
It’s decided what we need to explain today. So many arrangements have been made, so many friends have been troubled, just for this moment of honesty.
He must say what needs to be said.
"Xiaolan, what I want to tell you is...that is..."
Noting the shape of his mouth, Mao Lilan's fingertips, which had been waiting for him to speak, trembled twice. He gently retracted the edge of the glass.
"Okay, stop pretending to be a great detective." Before she started, she interrupted Kudo Shinichi and asked, "Isn't it okay if you don't go and take a look?"
"Eh? But..."
"I heard them saying that someone died in the elevator. If you don't go and take a look, you will be uneasy, right? Don't worry, I won't be like someone who suddenly Say goodbye without saying goodbye," she said softly, stirring the lemon slices in the cup with a spoon.
"Xiaolan." The unpretentious relaxed smile on the girl's face was visible. Kudo Shinichi took a deep breath and stood up, "Sorry, I'll be back soon!"
"I wish you all the best, Mr. Detective." Mao Lilan waved to him with a smile and watched his running figure disappear around the corner.
The waiter's dining car arrived belatedly, and the fragrant steak was placed on a silver exquisite dinner plate and served on the table.
"Do you need to wait a while before opening it?" Noticing the empty seat opposite, the waiter who served the dish asked thoughtfully, "Opening the lid now may affect the taste of the food for a while."
"Well, just wait a while, thank you. You." Nodding politely to the other party, Mao Lilan lowered his gaze.
The rounded arched dinner plate cover sealed the hot dishes inside. Mao Lilan used its curvature to look at her slightly deformed self in the reflection.
"This is the last time I will wait for you, Shinichi."
Muttered to herself, she suddenly remembered the conversation she had with Karasawa two nights ago .
————
“Have you heard of undercover, Mr. Lan?”
“Undercover? What kind of person, like in TV movies, someone who lurks into a criminal organization?” Chewed After hearing this unfamiliar vocabulary, Mao Lilan frowned and rubbed the red mark left when she fell asleep while leaning on the table, feeling that she might not be fully awake yet.
What, is Tangze going to use something, undercover, secret missions, etc., to make her give up the investigation?
But she had already made up her mind when she chose to go downstairs and sit here waiting for Tang Ze who did not return late at night. "Answering questions with questions is very cunning, Tang Ze. I just want an answer, is it so difficult?" Mao Lilan pursed her lips and intertwined her hands on the edge of the table.
So many questions, so much anxiety caused by doubts...
A high school student turned into a seven or eight-year-old child, such a whimsical and absurd guess, she didn’t even mention it. , all undecided.
As for the emotions derived from it...
Confusion and fear of the unknown, anger and helplessness at possible deception, sometimes I feel that my guess has been confirmed, sometimes I also feel that my conjecture is too exaggerated...
She held all these messy questions in her arms and didn't even know where to throw them out.
Even if it is to give her a lie, a more subtle lie.
A lie that prevents herself from seeing the flaws, so that she can be at peace with being an ignorant girl, a girl who is dissatisfied but still waiting for the return of her sweetheart with hope.
Waiting for an answer feels like waiting for a hopeless verdict. Every second is torture.
Recognizing her violent emotions at this time, Tang Ze closed his eyes.
"As long as you have heard of undercover." Without looking at Mao Lilan's expression, Tang Ze stated calmly, "Even through a superficial understanding of TV and movies, you should know that becoming an undercover requires paying a price. Compared with the past Life is completely cut off, erasing all traces of the past, and sinking deeply into the sand. This is a job that requires sacrifice."
Knowing that Tang Ze might be tempted to change the topic, I listened to his plain words. With his eloquent tone and strong empathy, Mao Lilan couldn't help but follow his description and imagine the life of such a person.
Then she frowned slightly: "This is too cruel for an individual. If a police officer becomes an undercover agent in order to investigate a criminal, doesn't that mean that he will also become a criminal?"< br>
Going against one's true nature and becoming stained with dark and dirty colors is such a distant and heavy topic for a 17-year-old high school student.
If it were her, it would definitely be difficult to do.
Tang Ze curled his lips: "Yes, it is indeed a cruel thing. To change one's appearance and hide one's name, one will never be able to see the light of day for the rest of his life. Even if he wins in the end, all that will be left behind is an empty monument without words."< br>
Mao Lilan, who only had some vague ideas about this, heard such a clear description for the first time: "Aren't you even allowed to mourn?"
"The power of darkness is so huge, they will never If you give up the opportunity to counterattack, if the undercover's real name is known, it may have serious consequences." Tang Ze shook his head slowly.
Even if I know that what Karasawa is describing may not be a specific person, I still think that at this moment in the world, there is really one, or many, workers like this who are walking on a road full of thorns. , Mao Lilan couldn't bear it.
At the same time, she also understood a little bit what Tang Ze wanted to say.
I just want to enlighten her. Shinichi must have some reasons for doing this. Keeping the secret is for a greater goal, for real happiness and the future...
However, Shinichi is indeed a smart detective, but Like himself, he is just an ordinary high school student. Do we really need to discuss this kind of thing with them?
"...Does it have to be him?" Mao Lilan asked with a pun.
"It's not him, there are others. In the end, it's the same." Tang Ze closed his eyes again and changed his voice, "But undercover agents also have their own lives and their own relatives and friends. For safety , in pursuit of the final victory, they may not know anything. They may lose all his information without knowing it, or even lose him forever.”
Yes, even lose this person forever. Even he himself can never find himself again.
Tangze spread his hands, lowered his gaze, and stared at his slender hands.
These hands belong to an 18-year-old young man. The palm prints are delicate. At first glance, it seems that they have not done any heavy work. Because they have been in school for a short time, the callus on the pen is very slight.
Gazing at these intact palms, Tang Ze seemed to see other traces.
It was not like this before, it was riddled with holes.
Human hands are rich in nerves. Damage to small blood vessels in the hands may ultimately affect fine operations.
Tang Ze is good at using his hands. It should be said that the identity he uses to get close to those people is related to his hands. His new identity was that of a lunatic who started out as a pickpocket, escalated step by step, and finally could easily break any neck and walk out of the slums.
He likes to show he cherishes his hands, because they give him another life and are the basis for his livelihood.
So, his deft hands are the first line of defense they try to destroy.
Fine needles, blades, pokers, screwdrivers...
Clenching his fingers silently, Tang Ze calmed down and continued: "If you were a relative of an undercover agent, would you resent him? Resent him for leaving without saying goodbye, resent him for not even leaving a word of farewell, resent him for leaving a blank space in your life..."
Several familiar faces passed before his eyes, and Tang Ze couldn't help but turn around and glanced at the still-lit signboard of Polo Cafe.
In order to collect information about Zhu Fu Jingguang, he looked so deeply into the entire life trajectory of an undercover agent, watching him walk into darkness, watching him fall into a long sleep...
Okay Well, I have to admit that Tangze thought of some past events again and was a little unnecessarily sentimental.
"...Or should I pity his loneliness and pain, retract your hand silently, and leave everything to reunite at dawn?"
Raising their heads, Tang Ze and Mao Lilan shed tears. Light's eyes stared at each other.
What he meant couldn't be more obvious.
A girl who is delicate and sensitive in emotions can easily feel the meaning of Karasawa's words.
With a little pessimism, a little sadness, but also full of comfort and hope...
Thousands of words can only be summarized in one helpless summary——
"He didn't want to, but he had to." Mao Lilan's eyes flashed with tiny stars. It was unclear whether it was because of the night or because of the tears in her eyes.
She understood.
Sitting in the dark night of the past, Tang Ze gently raised the corners of his mouth.
Just understand.
【rankup! Rank2】
……
————
"This is the last time I'll wait for you, Shinichi."
Using his fingertips, he tapped the silver cover in front of him with two crisp echoes, Mao Lilan Smiling at her shadow.
“Next time, I will catch up myself.”
(End of this chapter)