59

"Xiao Guang, I'm back!"

After quickly dealing with the organization's "undercover" and returning to the base to get the medicine, Noel drove back home again. The smell of food in the kitchen made him rush in impatiently, but this time he wisely took off his coat in the car.

Noel figured it out. It must be because Jingguang finally chose to be patient for his own sake. After all, there was still half a year left in the agreed time, although this half a year could be more than 20 years...

Noel has gradually felt that the passage of time is not normal. He just looked at the calendar and it seems that a month has passed, but in his perception, it is only a few days...

"Was the mission completed ahead of schedule?" Morofu Jingguang asked with a smile, but this time he already knew the real situation.

"That's right, not only today, there shouldn't be anything happening for some time!" Noel began to eat skillfully, and this time he chose not to turn on the TV, but just looked at Morobushi Jingguang, as if hinting at something.

"You want to go out tomorrow?"

"Are we going to the art museum, Xiaoguang?" Noel immediately put down his bowl and chopsticks, took out his cell phone and showed a photo, which was a photo of the Rice Flower Art Museum.

———

"I didn't realize that you came to the art museum to sign a contract?" Morofushi Jingguang sat next to Noel, looking at him wearing a gray suit, which was rare for him, and he also took care of his hair. He sat on the sofa and drank tea with a smile. Opposite him was Ochiai, the director of the Beika Art Museum.

"Is this the brother you mentioned?"

"Yes, that's right." Noel, wearing a gray vertical striped suit and with a harmless expression on his face, was chatting and laughing with the director Ochiai, who had already made an appointment in advance. When he saw the other party looking at Morobushi Kagemitsu, he smiled and introduced:

"Natsukawa Hikaru, my younger brother, I brought him here to show him this art museum. This is his first time here."

Director Ochiai was also dressed in a serious suit, with a long white beard that was very carefully groomed. He exuded an elegant temperament that was in perfect harmony with the atmosphere of the entire museum.

"Xiao Guang, this is Director Ochiai. I was able to purchase this art museum thanks to his help."

"Director...hello, Grandpa." Morofu Jingguang was inevitably a little hesitant when addressing him, but he received a hint from Noel's eyes that he was watching a show. However, he did not care about the address, not to mention that considering the age of Director Ochiai, it would be nothing for him to call him Grandpa.

"Is your younger brother also learning to paint?" Director Ochiai looked at Morobushi Kagemitsu with a smile and then asked.

"Xiao Guang seems to like music more." Noel smiled and took a sip of tea, but the bland taste made him feel a little uncomfortable. However, he remained calm and said jokingly, "I am a little regretful about this."

"Well... Grandpa Director, do you know my brother's identity?" Zhu Fujingguang asked casually with a childish smile on his face.

"Are you talking about the manga artist Leon?" Director Ochiai replied, "I certainly didn't expect him to be so young at the time."

Noel first approached the other party as the cartoonist Leon. After all, it was more convenient since they were both related to art. Fortunately, although this curator was traditional, he was not one of those stubborn people in the art world who looked down on comics. The two of them had a pleasant conversation.

"So that's why you're helping your brother?" Morofushi Kagemitsu didn't doubt that Director Ochiai had something to do with Noel Grappa's identity, but he really couldn't understand why Noel suddenly chose to buy an art museum.

"It's better than having it taken away by a bastard," Director Ochiai's expression suddenly turned cold, as if he thought of something disgusting.

"The previous owner of the museum went bankrupt due to the financial crisis, and a boss named Manaka wants to buy the museum..." Noel briefly explained the whole story to Jingguang, but Director Ochiai became a little angry.

"And then that bastard suddenly said he wanted to turn this place into a hotel!" Obviously, although Director Ochiai is very old, he is full of energy. If he hadn't been concerned about the presence of children, he would probably have started to curse.

"This is where my parents first met, so I chose to buy it after I knew about it." Noel added his settings calmly.

"You...are the place where uncle and the others met?" Zhu Fujingguang asked in pretended shock, but he already knew in his heart that this was an excuse made up by Noel.

"Yes, Xiaoguang, I mentioned to you that my father and mother met in the art museum..."

When did you mention that... Morofushi Jingguang asked helplessly, but the other party seemed to be interested and began to tell the story he made up:

"They met under the painting 'Angel of Leisure' in the museum, and then my mother..."

This time the story is actually quite normal? Morobushi Jingguang thought as he listened. After all, with the story of the comic book "Traveler" as the front, Noel's story always turns to a dark and tragic place accidentally.

"It's just that my father was always busy for some reason, and I didn't have the chance to come here with my mother again until he left."

"But at least, I hope this museum can exist forever as a testament to their love..."

The man in the grey suit gave a somewhat sad smile, and the light from the window shone into his grey-green eyes at the right moment, as if the mist was suddenly dispelled to reveal crystal clear lake water, translucent and warm.

Noel silently gave himself a perfect score for this performance, and as expected, he found that Director Ochiai in front of him looked quite touched, and Xiaoguang...

Why does Xiaoguang look at me strangely?

Zhufu Jingguang, who has raised Noel for such a long time, has seen him act coquettishly, in a dangerous way, in a lazy way, and in a rogue way. He has also seen him be cold and crazy when he was still Grappa. But he has never seen Noel's later appearance after he learned to act and made up stories to deceive people and pretend to be innocent.

In the previous conversation, Noel even squeezed out a few tears when he recalled his parents' scenes, and his eyes were perfectly kept moist and about to fall. With the timely natural lighting, the tears were enough to slide onto the screen. But in Zhu Fu Jingguang's eyes, it was his own naughty child who was making up stories to trick the elderly, which always made him want to call the police.

Director Ochiai would not doubt anything. After all, the museum is a dating destination with a history of fifty years, and it has brought together many couples. Although the story of Natsukawa Sora's parents sounds romantic and touching, it is also in line with the reality.

"Speaking of which, the previous boss Manaka?"

"He seemed to have some problem with financial outflow, which gave me the opportunity to temporarily get this art gallery from him." Noel said it naturally, but he couldn't help but look a little weak in front of his guardian, which was well captured by Morobushi Kagemitsu.

Okay, I get it, you must have done something, Morobushi Jingguang gave him a warning look and changed the subject.

After receiving the warning, Noel felt guilty at first, but then he suddenly thought, he had done all kinds of things. It was just some inappropriate business competition. Thinking of the dark history he uncovered when investigating the boss Zhen Zhong, Noel decided to find an opportunity to hand these things over to the police. This was definitely not a reversal of anger!

"Can the operation of the art museum remain the same as before, Director Ochiai?" Noel looked at the director and suggested.

"Of course." Director Ochiai was obviously very satisfied with Noel's suggestion and seemed to be in a much better mood.

"As long as you guarantee that this art museum can continue to operate."

"Of course." Noel smiled and shook hands with the other party, feeling inwardly that he did not want to be nailed to the painting at night. After all, this old man was definitely an example of someone who was still in good shape.

OK, now that we have no reason why the curator wants to kill Boss Manaka, what will happen to the next art murder case?

By the way, where is the protagonist going?

———

"That's great! It didn't turn into a tragedy..." Xiaolan sighed as she walked on the street. The case they had just experienced was heartbreaking, and everyone in the group was more or less touched.

"Indeed." Uncle Maori was serious for a rare moment. As a father, he couldn't help but sigh.

The three of them reviewed the case, and Conan Edogawa also breathed a sigh of relief and supplemented some questions in the case, but he did not notice Xiaolan's thoughtful eyes.

At night, Conan returned to the Maori Detective Agency and finally had time to open the comic book he had been thinking about. He wanted to read the latest plot, but he heard Xiaolan suddenly ask:

"Does Conan think the Traveler is good-looking?"

"Mr. Leon's clues are still so secretive," Conan responded subconsciously: "Once the clues are not collected completely, it is easy to be misled to infer another answer."

"Only by ensuring that all clues are collected can we get the final truth."

"Then can you find them all?" Xiaolan's tone was natural, as if she was just asking casually.

"Of course, I am..." Conan said confidently, but suddenly he heard a "bang". He turned to look at Mouri Ran and found that she had locked the door.

"What are you?" Xiaolan asked.

"I want to be a detective..." Conan immediately saved the high school detective he almost said.

"I thought you were going to say that you are Kudo Shinichi!" Mao Lilan said with a serious face and sharp eyes.

"Shinichi also likes the manga Traveler, and his evaluation is exactly the same as yours!"

"I've always thought you were weird, you're really Shinichi!"

"I..." Conan stepped back guiltily, but Xiaolan was more certain of her guess, and she said with certainty:

"You'd better tell the truth! Shinichi!!"

"Ding-a-ling--"

The tense atmosphere was broken by a phone call from Dr. Agasa, who was disguised as Kudo Shinichi with a voice-changing bow, and managed to resolve the crisis of being exposed.

Conan wiped a sweat in his heart and lamented the danger this time.

It seems that he should not be so flamboyant next time. Conan reflected on his behavior and silently picked up the comic book.

You still have to read comics.