Chapter 120: Empathy: Neon Traditional Art: Reading the Air. Now this air...
Shiho reached out and took three coffee cups.
A delicate bone china cup, hand-painted with molecular structures, is one of her quirks. Perhaps it's the ultimate romanticism of a science student.
"My personal relationships have nothing to do with academic discussions, Kudo-kun."
Ai-chan: Don’t disturb my world of two (with Sister Bei).
"It's irrelevant" (I bet). The subtext is "If you ask again, I'll kill you."
"When it comes to scientific ethics and potentially dangerous research, it's relevant," Kudo pressed, accepting the coffee she offered but not drinking it. "The APTX project isn't the first of its kind, is it? Your family has been researching cell regeneration and age manipulation for generations."
Shinichi: I'm not here to drink coffee, I'm here to cause trouble.
As expected of a detective, he talks about his profession every three sentences. +1 for being the atmosphere destroyer.
Taking the coffee but not drinking it, is this politeness or distrust? Or is he waiting for the almond flavor to take effect? (A scientific sequelae)
Vermouth's smile remained, but a hint of coldness lingered in her eyes. "Ah, Kudo-kun, you have a truly rich imagination. Have you ever considered that, besides detective work, you also have a talent for writing novels?"
Sister Bei: I'll give you a look and let you experience it yourself. Murder -100%, Taunt +1000%
Is this a hint to Kudo not to make up stories, or is he praising his imagination?
"I prefer facts," Shinichi replied, setting down his cup motionlessly. "For example, Sharon Wynyard hasn't aged noticeably in over twenty years of public appearances. Or, for example, the chemical compositions you displayed at your late-night drag club seem to match the theoretical formulas I saw in the evidence in the organization's case."
A new ball is launched. This is a test of life.
Finally, someone exposed Bayley's age flaw. Unsolved scientific mysteries +1. Bayley has a secret to staying young.
Despite the hissing of the radiator, the temperature in the room seemed to have dropped a few degrees.
Shiho suddenly walked over to the phonograph and picked up the needle.
The sudden silence was terrifying. Physical cooling was the most lethal. This air conditioner was truly effective.
Ai-chan, cut the song to save your life. After all, we are talking about something important.
This silence is more terrifying than a quarrel. Even the record player feels suffocated.
A traditional Neon skill: reading the air. The air right now is as dense as mercury.
"You've crossed a line, Kudo. The theories you've put forward are nothing more than far-fetched speculations without sufficient evidence."
Ai-chan got angry. The consequences were serious. She stopped calling him "Kun" and just "Kudo".
Language is a window to emotions. The disappearance of honorifics is a sign of a loosening of emotional defenses and a shift in relationships.
In Japan, a change in address is a major event. From "Kudo-kun" to "Kudo," there's a sense of distance and a warning between them, as vast as the Pacific Ocean.
Of course, it's also possible that he simply wants to be offensive, and to feel more comfortable doing so. His characteristic of being a troll has not been lost in the two-layer Logos simulation. Or rather, it can't be lost.
"I have proof," he insisted, reaching for his bag. "I have documents linking Miyano's research to the experiments conducted..."
Shinichi: Not only do I want to tell you, I'm also going to show you a PowerPoint presentation. Printed out. Hum.
Expensive high-end leather bag: My turn, draw a card. Duel.
"That's enough."
Vermouth broke the tense atmosphere, her effortless expression vanishing, revealing a hidden danger: "You always think you're a smartass, Silver Bullet-kun."
Bayley finally stopped acting. She shed her mask. The murderous aura overflowed the screen.
The Shura field is about to escalate. Two queens versus a famous detective?
The nickname "Silver Bullet" hung in the air. Shiho turned to Vermouth and narrowed her eyes slightly.
Ai-chan's eyes: Hmm? There's a story here. I smell the scent of JQ. What secrets do you two have behind my back that I don't know? Confess and you'll get leniency, resist and you'll get severity.
Emotions confuse the eyes and make the genius girl with an IQ of 200 jealous.
"How long?" she asked, a question with several layers of meaning.
A sentence that carries a huge amount of information. It has a double entendre, or even triple entendre.
So the question isn't: what are you doing, but rather: how long have you been working on the same project my family has been doing.
Shiho reviewed the timeline in her mind and felt that it didn't match the time of the story of Eleanor and Charlotte that she had told before.
“Does it matter?” Vermouth retorted, her gaze meeting Shiho’s without flinching. “The question isn’t how long I’ve known it, but how long you’ve been studying it.”
Bayonetta counterattacks. This queen aura is so cool.
What she meant was that her timeline was correct. Ever since she learned the family secret, she had started investigating this matter. However, Miyano Shiho had never told her that her grandfather had already started researching related biochemistry topics.
All along, Shiho Miyano has always acted as if she is just a female college student who is curious about cell regeneration research.
The family history was never mentioned.
White Lotus Shiho style.
Then, as luck would have it, Kudo Shinichi, who should have been on her side, exposed her secret with a manuscript.
The masters fight, each move is deadly. The dialogue is like practicing Tai Chi, all about internal strength.
Bei Jie: Only children ask about time, adults only look at feelings. Baby, do you feel my love? (Nonsense)
Q: If someone were to time travel to this scene, as a bystander, how would they break this ambiguous and tense atmosphere?
A. "Is there an option to add sugar to the coffee? The atmosphere is a bit bitter."
B. "Would you like me to play 'A Thousand Years of Waiting'? It would instantly change the atmosphere."
C. "Scientists, please, after this discussion, can you please help me make a rejuvenation package?"
D. "Sorry, your paper's citation formatting is a bit messy. I'd like some help in marking it up."
For those who chose C, rejuvenation is the ultimate dream of Beika Town (laughs).
Shinichi watched this scene, and realization dawned on him. "You both understand. This isn't manipulation, it's collusion."
At the science scene, even dog food has to be deduced to find the truth.
Shinichi: I'm good at solving crimes, but I'm a bit confused when it comes to solving love cases.
The heavy snow gently and softly covered the window, casting a few shadows.
The snowflakes are quiet, like a world holding its breath.
Shiho leaned against the window, with a literary, half-worn gray knitted cardigan draped over her shoulders, which seemed to carry the warmth of the time her family, Eleanor, and Charlotte had gone through.
"Kudou-kun, your romantic obsession with heroes and villains will probably never go away."
Philosophy is online.
She didn't look back, but Kudo behind her frowned.
Shiho's smile was something between gentleness and alertness—a fleeting smile, with the blade hidden in the petals.
It was Shirley, not Haibara. At this moment, she was the feared scientist in the organization.
She seemed to be talking to herself, but every word made people ponder: "The world will not always live in your black and white. It has another name, called 'gray'."
The "Gray" in Haibara Ai?
Shinichi's worldview: It's either black or white, there is only one truth.
Shiho's worldview: Actually, everything is gray, and there are several versions of the truth.
Is this the core conflict of Conan's world? In the clash between Red and Black, there's always the ambiguous Vermouth.
So, does this "gray" refer to Haibara, or does it refer to the gray area woman in Vermouth? (Only children make choices; adults want them all.)
Slightly turning sideways, the delicate and pretty little face was hidden in the light and shadow.
She took a few steps toward the window, her fingertips running across the frost on the window, and her voice gradually became lower.
"My grandfather's research...wasn't stolen, nor was it bought. He simply chose clean hands to entrust it to. Those who protect it don't want scientific research to be weaponized, but rather ensure its findings aren't exploited by short-sighted individuals."
"A pair of clean hands"? ? ? Does this species even exist in the scientific world?
Multiple Choice:
What are the "clean hands" that Shiho mentioned that her grandfather could entrust her with research? (Single choice)
A. Dr. Agasa (after all, he even dared to take in the inventor of the medicine that can make people grow and shrink)
B. Yusaku Kudo (high IQ and connections in the US)
C. Vermouth (The other side of the Hollywood enchantress? The miraculous moment of overwhelming protectiveness?)
D. Akai Mary (MI6 agent's hands are clean enough, but... does Shiho know?)
Kudo Shinichi narrowed his eyes slightly; he could hear the hidden meaning behind the words—not just a debate about scientific ethics, but an important mission that her family had kept secret for many years.
He didn't interrupt, just waited.
At this time, keeping your mouth shut is the best option, otherwise you will be easily criticized. This is a rare time when Kudo's emotional intelligence is online.
He was waiting for a reasonable explanation, but what Shiho was going to give next might be a story that, upon closer inspection, did not make sense.
She didn't look back, but was organizing her words.
"Kudo-san," she changed her address, with a subtle sense of distance.
The name changed from "Kudo-kun" to "Kudo-san".
"Jun" is a term of address between peers, with a touch of youthfulness. "Sang" is a term of address between adults, creating distance but also acknowledging the other person's maturity.
This means: The following words are not said by the little child Haibara Ai to Edogawa Conan, but by the scientist Miyano Shiho to the detective Kudo Shinichi.
"I've never told you about my family's history. We're not a wealthy family. When my great-grandfather went to America, he only had a suitcase."
"And then?" he asked subconsciously, but he also knew that this question was too simple.
"Survival and ideals." She paused. Shirley's language art: using the lightest tone to pierce the cruelest heart.
This, perhaps, is the lifelong theme of Miyano Elena and Atsushi, as well as Shiho and Akemi: survival and ideals.
Sometimes, the most dangerous place is actually the only safe that can protect your ideals. And right now, Vermouth might be the most dangerous thief guarding that safe.
Shiho's eyes drifted to the vast expanse of snow in the distance. Her voice, slightly tinged with the traces of time, seemed to be retelling a past event that she had memorized by heart but still stung:
Chinese translation: I'm going to start talking louder now, so everyone listen carefully.
"Eastchester. That was the starting point for the first generation of immigrants—close to the edge of dreams, but far from romance. On the surface, they were an ordinary first-generation immigrant family in the United States in the early 20th century: the man worked hard to make money, the woman was a full-time housewife, and their life was decent, but monotonous as a blank sheet of paper. But my grandfather was not that kind of person... They said that Manhattan at that time was gold under the steel, but what he remembered was the cold rain at five in the morning, and the 7 o'clock train that he waited for after wearing a thick woolen coat and walking through the biting streets for fifteen minutes."
Chinese translation: "Eastchester" - the New York version of Yanjiao, Hebei, a place for the first generation of "New York immigrants" to build their dreams (or have their dreams shattered).
"Close to the edge of dreams, but far away from romance", translated into human language means: two-hour commute, half-price salary, and living in the urban-rural fringe.
"Twenty years." Shiho was describing someone else's life, but it felt like he was reminiscing. "Through cold winters and scorching summers, wind, snow, and thunderstorms, he never stopped."
Chinese translation: My great-grandfather was a man who received many perfect attendance awards.
The Miyano family's stubbornness is etched in their DNA.
Shiho knew that for the most handsome boys in the aristocratic boys' school, the lowest level of suffering they could perceive was sympathy for the working class, because after all, aristocratic children were picked up and dropped off by their family drivers.
Occasionally, by listening to the conversations of the servants at home, one can get a general idea of the living conditions of the working class. If they are servants with whom one has a good relationship, one may even feel a brief moment of sympathy.
However, if we go down one level and talk about the so-called suffering of the lower classes, he will not be able to perceive it.
People can generally only feel one level, or at most two levels, of other people's suffering. Beyond two levels, it feels like a story.
The peasants in feudal society thought that the emperor was using a golden hoe, while the emperor wondered why the peasants did not drink meat porridge.
The class and living conditions are so different that empathy is often impossible.
However, students at Kudo, an aristocratic boys' school, can still imagine the living conditions of salarymen who commute by train or subway every day.
After all, sometimes he went out to play with his classmates and didn't want his family to know, so when he wasn't riding in his family's Rolls-Royce, he would still ride the British train, which has a lot of historical heritage.
"He insists on studying so hard... why?" Shinichi's voice dropped to a low pitch, the flame from the fireplace beside him casting a flickering shadow on his handsome face with distinct contours.
The detective's ultimate question revealed a deeper motive behind the story.
At this moment, he was not listening to a story, but reasoning about people's hearts.
Shiho looked back at him, a slightly sarcastic smile on her lips, then slipped into the darkness of the night.
"Many people commute for a salary, for their families. But he's different. He even has to rely on a lottery every year to get a parking space at the station. That one-hour commute is to make a living, but also to prove one thing: his research, his ideals, should not be forgotten."
The ultimate stubbornness of the Miyano family, "I have the final say in my research," has been passed down from generation to generation.
The detail that "parking spaces are allocated by lottery" sounded too real to Kudo, and he was instantly pulled back from the legendary story of a mad scientist in Manhattan (the conspiracy version) to the trivialities of real life for first-generation immigrants.
Although the Kudo family's cars, including various Rolls-Royces and Aston Martins, naturally never require a lottery.
However, I have heard some trivial things related to middle-class life from chatting with classmates.
A gust of wind, wrapped in snowflakes, hit the window glass.
Shinichi slowly stood up straight. For the first time, he heard gentle stubbornness and painful persistence in Miyano Shiho's story.
It makes me sad that the middle class lives such a hard life.
The CPU of the washing machine of the upper class of leisure and wealth has dried up, and it is switching from "case information" mode to "aristocratic boy's deep empathy with the next class" mode.
He whispered, "So you're not doing this just for the sake of closing a case, achieving results, or getting a collaboration authorization from a university."
"In those days, there were carts selling alcohol on the train platform, selling it to tired people coming home from get off work, allowing them to numb the hard work of the day with alcohol. But what my grandfather wanted was not the escape of a bottle of wine, but to leave something behind in the development of science - even if it was just a formula, a line of code, a chart... As long as it was his own, it was enough."
While others use alcohol to numb their nerves, he uses dopamine (referring to the joy of scientific research) to motivate life.
But here, there is a slip of the tongue, it is great-grandfather, not grandfather. (Don't pay attention to the details)
To Kudo, the phrase "as long as it's his own" carries too much weight. This explains the underlying logic behind the actions of the Miyano family, Eleanor, Charlotte, and Shiho—as individuals who weren't part of the upper class at a certain time, they struggled to defend their "self-will" and "pure ideals."
After hearing this, Vermouth's charming mouth corners curled up slightly. Then she went to the cupboard, silently poured a glass of sherry, and drank it quietly.
Kudo Shinichi did not take his eyes off Shiho. He saw something in her eyes - not the creator of APTX4869, not a calm researcher, but an ordinary person who had been getting up early and squeezing into the train every day for twenty years in order to "leave a line of words" in the history of scientific development.
He thought of his father Yusaku's words when he stayed up late to write a mystery novel: The greatest persistence often comes from the simplest obsession.
At the beginning of the 20th century, in the steel jungle of New York, some people used alcohol to extinguish their souls, while others used commuting to ignite the spark of science.
The so-called inheritance is nothing more than engraving the academic stubbornness of "not wanting to be forgotten" into the bones and blood of the next generation.
Looking out the window, Kudo Shinichi, at this moment, seemed to see the phantom of Miyano's great-grandfather driving a carriage in the wind and snow (empathy MAX)
Vermouth, in the shadows beneath the lamp, lit a small cigar, her blond hair fluttering slightly, still silent.
Q: Vermouth, after hearing this, what is her most likely reaction?
A. chuckled and said to Shinichi, "It seems my little detective knows things he shouldn't know."
B. walked silently behind Shiho and put his cashmere sweater on her without saying anything.
C. lit a cigarette and slowly blew out smoke rings: "What a...heartbreaking and fascinating story, Shirley."
D. All of the above, with a meaningful look that makes the only straight man present (Shinichi) feel redundant.
At this moment, the ceiling of brokenness in Kudo Shinichi's heart was filled with the heartbreaking feeling of Miyano Shiho.
In the corner, Queen Vermouth, who was observing everything silently, just took another sip of sherry, slowly exhaled a puff of cigar smoke, and looked at Shiho with complicated eyes, as if there was a little bit of appreciation.
I don’t know whether to appreciate her beauty on such a romantic snowy night, or to appreciate her pursuit of academics.
Kudo looked at her and thought to himself: Humph, it's rare that this cold-blooded, ruthless, sinister and cunning witch can actually empathize. Haha.
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