Chapter 36 Sixteen Years Old (Part 4)
Regarding the blessing of Yokohama and the fact that he suddenly had a house, even though Yokawa Rei himself did not make it public, Edogawa Ranpo guessed everything when he went to the detective agency the next day.
The detective brushed it off lightly, focusing instead on the matter of leaving the room.
"You're showing favoritism, and Lord Ranpo is angry."
He chewed on some coarse pastries and turned his chair around so his back was to her.
Therefore, Yao Chuanling did not see the dangerous look in his slightly open green eyes.
Dazai Osamu is indeed a formidable opponent not to be underestimated.
"But I did reserve a room for Ranpo."
Yao Chuanling understood the meaning behind his words, and pulled over his chair and started spinning around.
That despicable Ranpo, how dare he slander Lord Ling!
With a burst of strength, Edogawa Ranpo could only grip the handrail tightly, spinning like a top.
"That despicable detective."
When he finally stopped, Edogawa Ranpo had become a disheveled cat; his hat had fallen off, his hair was a mess, and his glasses were askew.
Yao Chuanling leaned closer and pinched his cheek.
He looked young, with soft flesh on his face, which felt great to pinch.
Edogawa Ranpo's resistance was futile, and he could only let her do as she pleased.
"Hmm? Are there any for me?"
Yosano Akiko happened to pass by and overheard their conversation, so she grabbed a file folder and joined the fray.
Her timely arrival saved the ravaged detective. Yao Chuanling rushed into the little doctor's arms, hugging her sweetly like a marshmallow.
"Of course!"
Little Marshmallow spoke up.
She prepared a private room for each of her friends, but only Dazai Osamu's room was furnished.
"Xiao Ling is so nice."
Yosano Akiko held the file folder in one hand and ruffled her hair with the other.
She had a place to stay and never expected to receive a positive answer. Upon hearing this, a piece of an unknown corner of her heart collapsed.
Yao Chuanling rubbed her palm, looked up at her and smiled brightly: "Of course, so Jingzi, hurry up and be my number one friend in the world."
Few can resist her smile, not even the two who are used to it.
"If I don't have you as my best friend, who else would I be best friends with?"
Yosano Akiko was the first to be defeated, and she hugged Yokawa Rei helplessly.
Yao Chuanling is a sweet girl who makes people's teeth hurt, and she is willing to accept it.
She ignored the detective's indignant gaze and smiled.
Edogawa Ranpo pulled her out of Yosano Akiko's arms and pinched her cheek in a huff.
"Besides me, you have quite a few other things that make you the best in the world."
With Yosano Akiko, Dazai Osamu, Nakahara Chuuya, and his former friends whose names he doesn't know.
But none of that matters.
He scrunched up her face: "How long has it been since you last came to play with us?"
This was their first meeting since the Dragon Head War.
Although online communication continues, it can never match the impact of a face-to-face meeting.
After months of war, seeing her in person, alive and well, Edogawa Ranpo's sense of unreality finally subsided.
"Now I'd like to invite you all out to have some fun."
Yao Chuanling stopped him and spoke up to make amends.
Edogawa Ranpo had this idea in mind and readily agreed. Yosano Akiko waved the file folder in her hand, regretfully declining her invitation.
Countless people were injured in the Dragon Head War, and many of them sought help from the detective agency. With her permission, the agency's president accepted these cases.
"Then we'll come with you. It's tiring for Akiko to work alone."
The elf, who also possessed healing abilities, decisively abandoned the travel plans.
Looking at the file folder in Yosano Akiko's hand, Yokawa Rei estimated it to be a large project, so he offered to help her with some of the work.
It was just an ordinary residential area. As they walked by, Yao Chuanling saw the convenience store she frequented.
The shop owner sat idly at the counter, fiddling with the lighter over and over again.
He caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, his eyes narrowed, and only softened when he realized it was her.
"Oh, it's Xiaoling. We haven't had any new products lately, but we still have a few of your favorite vanilla puddings."
He pointed to the freezer next to him, on which were a few pudding cups scattered about.
Their vanilla pudding is their signature dish, and Yao Chuanling always buys a lot whenever he comes, hence his saying.
"We're here to treat Keiko."
The store manager's youngest daughter is the same age as her. When she sees her after school, she likes to chat with her and secretly slip her some snacks.
Keiko Aoyama was accidentally hit by a bomb on her way home and lost her left arm, remaining in a coma ever since.
Unable to get an appointment at the hospital, Genichiro Aoyama reluctantly submitted a request to the detective agency, and to his surprise, someone arrived so quickly.
"Great! Huizi is saved!" He slammed his lighter on the counter and excitedly led them upstairs. "Please follow me."
They lived upstairs; the second floor was where the couple lived, while Aoyama Keiko and her sister Aoyama Yuzuru lived on the third floor.
The third floor was quiet. Huizi's mother sat on the edge of the bed, holding her hand and sobbing uncontrollably. Her older sister stood silently beside her, looking at a photo of the family of four.
Edogawa Ranpo looked around, and his gaze paused when he saw Aoyama Yuuji.
"Xiaoling, please, Auntie begs you, you must save Huizi. She's so young..."
The shop manager, an older woman, recognized her and grabbed her hand like a drowning person clinging to a piece of driftwood, looking pitiful and helpless.
"I will."
Yao Chuanling gently patted her hand and walked to the bedside.
Noriko Aoyama is known for being stingy, but Rei Yokawa knows that she secretly sent bread and milk to the orphanage.
Keiko was seriously injured, but treating her was not a difficult task for the elf. As long as she was not dead, she could pull her back even if she was halfway to death.
But revival...
Edogawa Ranpo tugged at her sleeve and said in a low but serious voice, "Don't do that."
The world of superpowers has its own rules. Perhaps some people's superpowers are about resurrection, but the famous detective can see that the rules applicable to her are different, which is forbidden for her.
The fairy was treating Keiko Aoyama, and hesitated to respond while diverting a bit of her attention.
"Probably not?"
She is not selfless and would not risk her life for strangers.
The treatment was over quickly. When Yokawa Rei saw that Aoyama Keiko moved her eyes almost imperceptibly, she took the initiative to pull Edogawa Ranpo away, leaving the space to her family.
As if making up her mind, Yu Aoyama put down the photo frame and followed him out.
"You want to open a welfare home, but you're worried about funding. You just happened to see Xiaoling today, so you're looking for her sponsorship, right?"
As the famous detective unwrapped the lollipop, he casually pointed out her thoughts.
Yaochuan Ling often comes to buy things, and sometimes she will run into Qingshan Yu. A woman with good observation skills will naturally know that she is soft-hearted and rich.
“Mr. Edogawa is right.” Her thoughts were exposed, and she blushed slightly, but then her expression hardened. “I will never misuse it. I swear that every penny will be used for the orphanage.”
Yu Aoyama loves children and studied early childhood education in college. She wants to remain unmarried for life and open a welfare home to provide shelter for children.
"Sister You, I can sense how you feel."
The fairy took her hand, placed a card on it, and smiled sweetly, her eyes crinkling like ripples on spring water. She offered her heartfelt wish: "May all your wishes come true, and may everything go smoothly."
She wholeheartedly supported this sentiment.
Yokawa Rei has three cards: one was given to her by Hibari Kyoya, one was given to her by Nakahara Chuuya, and the other is her own.
Backed by the port mafia, even unregistered elves can get bank cards, and she gave hers to Yu Aoyama.
Aoyama Yu's eyes were slightly red, and he gave her a brief, firm but restrained hug.
"Thanks."
She whispered in her ear, her voice slightly choked with emotion.
This decision was so unconventional that even the Aoyama couple, who always doted on their daughter, disagreed. They were deadlocked for a long time before finally relenting and saying that if she could find a way to open an orphanage herself, they would let her go.
"I will definitely live up to your expectations."
She really did it.
Years later, Aoyama Yu's orphanage became the best in all of Yokohama, and everyone knew of her virtuous reputation.
This was just a minor incident, and Yokawa Rei and Edogawa Ranpo continued on to the next place.
"How could a master detective like that notice something?"
She glanced at him sideways.
If Edogawa Ranpo hadn't directly confronted him, Aoyama Yu probably wouldn't have dared to speak up.
"I'm the world's number one detective, don't underestimate me, okay?"
The young detective raised his eyebrows, exuding confidence and high spirits.
"Alright, alright, what else did the detective discover?"
"Well... your wish will come true."
Since it was Yokawa Rei's wish, he would do his best to make it come true. Therefore, when Aoyama Yu approached the detective agency a few years later, he took the initiative to accept the case.
Edogawa Ranpo walked leisurely beside her, his hands folded behind his head.
He accompanied her through the streets and alleys until the sun set, and the power of attorney sheets grew thinner and thinner.
Meanwhile, Yosano Akiko had also finished her mission and was on her way to join them.
"Thank you both for your hard work. I'll treat you to dinner."
The young doctor looked tired and rubbed his temples.
She used up too much of her supernatural power and will need some time to recover.
Even the usually energetic spirit was a little tired. She hugged Yosano Akiko in a daze, resting her chin on her shoulder.
"You've worked hard too."
She said softly.
She had Ranpo to talk to, and Akiko couldn't imagine how boring and tedious it would be to be alone.
But it's worth it.
The elf treated a wounded man who had been blinded by an explosion. He had actually accepted the reality of the situation, and when Yao Chuanling arrived, he said with relief.
"After last night, I suddenly felt at peace with the fact that I could no longer see, and we began to believe that everything was getting better."
Days will pass, and everything will slowly get better.
Let bygones be bygones.
"You two should go and rest first. The famous detective is worried that you'll fall asleep halfway through your meal."
As the person with the most relaxed time on the trip, Edogawa Ranpo dragged one of them back with each hand.
Yokawa Rei could still vaguely give him directions, while Yosano Akiko gave up struggling and went with him directly.
"Both of you should treat the famous detective to dinner."
He mumbled, slightly out of breath.
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