"You like Lin Xinyi?"
Kudo Shinichi had really wanted to make a snarky remark, but the photo in the newspaper left him so depressed he nearly shut down.
Because that photo from the scene had caught him in it too.
And at the time, he had been helplessly rubbing his forehead because of Ishikawa's wild shouting. Frozen in that photograph, he looked as though he were covering his face in shame after realizing he had made a mistake in his deductions.
What a genius photographer.
Seeing the spirited Lin Xinyi in the photo and his own "too ashamed to face anyone" appearance, Detective Kudo felt even more depressed.
He remained silent as gold, naturally leaving the snarky remarks to Mouri Ran.
"Hey, Sonoko."
"You've never even met Mr. Lin, have you?"
"That doesn't matter."
Suzuki Sonoko pointed at Lin Xinyi's handsome face in the photo and said solemnly,
"He looks like someone worth dating."
"Don't judge whether someone is worth dating based solely on their face," Ran added helplessly.
"Not just his face."
Suzuki Sonoko gently held the newspaper, like a fangirl carefully protecting a poster of her idol.
"I read everything written in the newspaper carefully."
"A man who feels the deceased's pain with sincerity, uses science to convey the deceased's voice to the living world, and lets the deceased rest in peace through the truth—how could he possibly be a bad person?"
Clearly, Miss Suzuki had been drawn in by the "perfect version" of Lin Xinyi portrayed in the news article through its style of praising one while putting another down.
Still, even if the article had embellished Lin Xinyi's image considerably, Mouri Ran, who had been at the scene herself, had to admit,
"Mr. Lin really is a very kind person."
"Exactly!"
Sonoko knew that any man Ran thought well of could not possibly be bad.
"You like 'Shinichi,' and I like 'Xinyi.'"
"The Xinyi you like is a detective, while the Xinyi I like is a medical practitioner even better than a detective!"
"This must be the destined bond between us sisters!"
"W-What are you talking about?"
"I don't like any Shinichi!"
Sure enough, as always, Mouri Ran blushed on her own, completely ignoring the point of the conversation.
"Don't worry about that."
"Ran, since you met Mr. Lin twice yesterday, you must have his contact information, right?"
"Tell me quickly. After I watch the competition today, I'll ask him out to dinner!"
Suzuki Sonoko said with sparkling eyes.
Her unmatched decisiveness was on display once again.
"Hurry, Ran, give me Mr. Lin's number!"
"My lifelong happiness might start with you, you know~"
"Uh..." Ran's expression turned a little strange.
"What's wrong?" Sonoko asked in confusion.
"You don't need to ask for his number."
Ran smiled meaningfully and looked past Sonoko.
"Because he's right behind you now."
"Huh?" Suzuki Sonoko abruptly turned around. "M-Mr. Lin?!"
Yes, the living Lin Xinyi was standing right there.
He had originally arranged to meet Kudo and Ran here, then take the train together to the karate tournament venue.
But unexpectedly, Lin Xinyi had only just arrived when he discovered...
Someone was lusting after him behind his back.
"Is this world's obsession with 'detectives' really that exaggerated?"
"Just two simple cases made me famous, and in less than half a day, I already have female fans who want to chase me?"
Lin Xinyi could not help feeling shocked, but at the same time, he was somewhat touched.
After all, forensic doctors in the real world had a hard time in the dating market.
Whenever he had been set up on blind dates before, the moment he mentioned his profession, the girl's expression would become somewhat subtle.
When she asked about his salary, her smile would become even more forced.
And once he brought up the intensity of his work and how few days a year he could spend at home, she would suddenly claim something had come up at her company, hurriedly settle the bill, and leave.
That was only because Lin Xinyi had looks to support him. Otherwise, the girl probably would not even have lasted that long.
But in this world, after linking the most basic work of a forensic doctor with "detective culture," Lin Xinyi was actually receiving the same social treatment as a popular celebrity.
"Hello, I'm Lin Xinyi."
"I'm here to watch Miss Mouri Ran's karate competition too."
Though he could not possibly accept the affection of a girl he did not know at all, Lin Xinyi still expressed goodwill toward his female fan, somewhat touched.
"Wow, it really is you!"
Suzuki Sonoko's face reddened slightly, seemingly embarrassed that the person involved had heard what she had just said.
But that embarrassment lasted only a moment, because taking the initiative was her style.
"So the friend Ran said would be coming along was Mr. Lin!"
"Hello, my name is Suzuki Sonoko."
Sonoko introduced herself openly, then got straight to the point.
"Mr. Lin, do you have a girlfriend?"
That direct?
Lin Xinyi paused slightly. He had truly never encountered this kind of approach before.
After thinking for a moment, he answered honestly, "No."
"That's great!"
Suzuki Sonoko smiled happily and became even more proactive.
"In that case, you heard what I said earlier too, right?"
"Would you be interested in having dinner with me?"
As she spoke, she naturally leaned closer, closing the distance between them.
"Uh... sorry."
Lin Xinyi rejected her decisively.
Even if a fairy invited him to dinner right then, he would not agree.
The reason was simple: he had no money and could not afford to eat at a restaurant.
And honestly, he was not very good at dealing with girls this forward.
So before Suzuki Sonoko could launch another attack, Lin Xinyi took the initiative to change the subject.
"Waiting for me this time must have delayed everyone quite a bit."
"Miss Mouri Ran needs to get to the venue early to prepare, so let's just take the train now."
Everyone agreed with the suggestion.
They quickly became wrapped up in the dense crowd, slowly squeezing into the train station, buying tickets, passing through the gates, and descending to the underground platform.
There were many people on the platform, and the next train had not arrived yet.
Lin Xinyi and the others could only find a relatively open spot amid the sea of people and wait for the next train.
"Um, everyone, could you please wait for me a moment?"
Suzuki Sonoko suddenly said somewhat embarrassedly.
"I'm going to the restroom to touch up my makeup."
"Huh?" Mouri Ran paused, then carefully looked over her best friend. "Don't you usually hardly wear makeup? Why all of a sudden..."
"Well..."
Miss Suzuki stated her thoughts without any attempt to hide them.
"I didn't expect to run into Mr. Lin here!"
"If I'm going to take the initiative, of course I have to present myself in my most perfect state."
"Please wait for me, everyone~ I'll be back as soon as I can."
As she spoke, she even gave Lin Xinyi a special smile.
Then, without even waiting for Lin Xinyi to react, Suzuki Sonoko grabbed her exquisite little handbag and dashed toward the restroom at the edge of the platform.
"Mm..."
Watching Miss Suzuki's retreating figure, Lin Xinyi's expression became somewhat complicated.
"Has Miss Suzuki always been this enthusiastic?"
"Yeah."
Kudo Shinichi instinctively began to snark.
"Sonoko's enthusiasm for handsome guys is an emotion even more terrifying than a detective's persistence in chasing criminals!"
"Except detectives always catch the criminals, while Sonoko never catches the handsome guys."
"And what's worrying is that she always picks bad guys who are all looks and nothing else. That's troublesome."
"Uh... every time?"
Lin Xinyi's expression turned strange.
So he was merely one of the many targets Miss Suzuki had pursued.
"Don't talk about Sonoko like that!"
Mouri Ran pouted at Kudo with some dissatisfaction.
"Just like cases always happen around you..."
"Handsome playboys always appear in front of Sonoko. That's not her fault either!"
As she spoke, she even explained things to Lin Xinyi on behalf of her best friend.
"Mr. Lin, don't misunderstand. Sonoko is actually a very devoted girl."
"It's just that the people she likes always turn out to be somewhat unreliable."
"But if it's Mr. Lin, I believe the outcome will be very good."
Between her words, Mouri Ran was already quietly trying to match Lin Xinyi with Suzuki Sonoko.
Because she had discovered that Lin Xinyi was handsome, single, capable, highly educated, knowledgeable, kind, and had a respectable job—
So far, he was the most reliable target her best friend had found.
But Lin Xinyi was not paying attention to romance right now.
He had keenly caught something Mouri Ran had said.
"Cases always happen around Kudo?"
"What does that mean?"
"Uh, well..." Kudo Shinichi scratched his head somewhat awkwardly. "Maybe it's fate calling me."
"Ever since I became a detective, cases have often happened around me."
"Sometimes I run into one every few days, and sometimes several happen in a single day."
"That really happens?"
Lin Xinyi found it hard to believe in such mystical matters.
Though he had personally experienced a fulfilling day with two murder cases yesterday, he still instinctively felt that had merely been an accident and coincidence.
"No way. Is there really such a thing as people dying everywhere you go?"
"How are you supposed to live like that?"
Lin Xinyi asked curiously and skeptically.
And just then, as soon as his words fell—
A terrified scream suddenly came from the distant restroom.
It was Suzuki Sonoko's voice.
"Help! M-M-Murder!!"
Before you continue