Although Gin was spacing out, his mind was perfectly clear.
A space, neither too large nor too small, was cleared in the corner of the Living room to accommodate the chirping and babbling Owl, the air was filled with the aroma of food, somewhat similar to stewed meat, its subtle scents whetting one's appetite.
The Silver-haired man heard footsteps, so he turned to look at that person walking out of the Kitchen and asked with a tilted head, "Stewed meat?"
"Braised Pork Ribs," Akai Shuichi replied to him.
Gin was not a good cook, Akai Shuichi did not expect him to be, so adding one more person's meals was not much extra work for him, but to make them satisfying, he still had a long way to go.
Akai Shuichi looked at the Owl in the distance; the owl that had been sent over not long ago was very intelligent, at this moment, it was perched quietly in its cage, pretending to be well-behaved.
If he hadn't seen it flapping its wings and flying wildly around the House with his own eyes, Akai Shuichi would have actually believed its act.
“Was this a gift from Ms. Hashimoto?” Akai Shuichi, disguised as Shuichi Akai, turned his head to look at Gin.
It did not surprise Gin that Akai Shuichi had guessed the truth about the gift-giver. The silver-haired man nodded slightly, his gaze sliding from the Owl before meeting Akai Shuichi's eyes.
Green eyes.
Kudo Yukiko's disguise could not change the eyes, so to hide this flaw, Shuichi Akai would squint his eyes most of the time, putting on an elegant appearance.
But there are no outsiders in the Kudo residence now, since the extra tenant knows his identity inside and out, there is naturally no need for Disguise.
Gin leaned back against the sofa, his silver hair tied up roughly with a black rope, falling silently. Some stray bangs still covered half of his eye, making his eyes somewhat indistinct. He seemed to be lost in thought, his gaze drifting vacantly, the former sharpness of his expression somewhat diluted by this distraction.
After a long silence, Gin tilted his head back slightly, causing the loose strands of hair on his forehead to slide down, asked in a low voice, "What did Kudo Shinichi say to you?"
Kanto's famous high school detective is no idiot; Nana's nonsense did indeed fool him, but his actual agreement to let Gin stay was likely due to another reason.
Surveillance.
Gin knew this all too well, yet he remained noncommittal. After all, such things held no deterrent for him, besides, if he were truly determined to leave, Akai Shuichi likely wouldn't be able to stop him.
Akai Shuichi gave a light chuckle, "Haven't you already guessed it all?"
It was obvious that the two shared a tacit understanding and had reached a consensus.
—Lighting a candle for Conan.
However, besides Kudo Shinichi, Akai Shuichi had something else on his mind: "Do you have any idea who sent this owl?"
Gin's stay at the Kudo residence should be a secret. But this Owl, sent almost by name, clearly shows that this secret has been known by someone who shouldn't know it.
It's just.. who is that person?
Glancing at Gin's expressionless face, Akai Shuichi had his answer.
He spoke with certainty: "You have a lead." After a pause, a trace of uninhibitedness curled the corners of Akai Shuichi's lips, making his entire expression appear flamboyant: "Is he someone I can trust?"
Gin nodded slowly, his tone sounding both certain and uncertain: "For now."
The Silver-haired man tilted his head slightly, the Sunlight adding a faint golden rim to him, softening his cold and stern features: "You will probably.. see them very soon."
If things went according to Gin's expectations, Heine would definitely make a visit.
So Akai Shuichi stopped speaking as well.
The aroma of pork ribs, mixed with the sauce aroma of seasoning, filled the entire kitchen; sunlight shone through the glass into the living room, spreading a gentle warmth; not far away, the Owl was napping in its cage, making small noises from time to time.
The two people on the Sofa looked at each other, both seeing a hint of playfulness in each other's eyes.
This kind of peaceful Time was something they, just a few years ago, had never realized could exist.
The sound of a doorbell broke the silence.
..
After Sheila asked the first question, Amuro Tooru decisively took leave.
I'm sorry, but the text provided for translation contains corrupted characters and is unreadable. Please provide a valid Chinese paragraph to proceed with the translation.
Really, it's not like what you're imagining, Ms. Azusa.
And the culprit who caused the misunderstanding was currently sitting in the passenger seat of Amuro Tooru's vehicle, tilting his head as he watched the scenery outside the window.
She only asked one question.
And that single question was enough to shake Amuro Tooru.
Gin, is he with you?
This sentence was only a few short words, yet the amount of information it contained was staggering.
Setting everything else aside, on the surface, Gin is already a Traitor to the Black Organization, while Amuro Tooru is still a "diligent" Member of the Black Organization. Moreover, Sheila didn't say "you," but "you all."
The Blonde-haired youth turned her head, looking at the Black-haired woman's near-perfect profile, her gaze obscure.
Sheila's face was still exquisite, like a work of art carved by the most skilled sculptor, one stroke at a time; even with the superb plastic surgery standards of Japan and South Korea, it would likely be difficult to make a girl look quite like her.
His complexion was still somewhat pale, as white as the snow and ice that has yet to melt in early spring, which would thaw with just a little more time.
As if sensing something was amiss, the black-haired woman turned her head, meeting Bourbon's blue eyes, gave a soft smile. "Let me go see him."
After a brief pause, she continued, "He should have already received my Gift, he is probably waiting for me now."
In the next second, Sheila was stunned.
Heaven and earth as my witness, the words she spoke were truths even more real than pearls, stated plainly without any emotional coloring, so—
Looking at the youth before him, who had an indifferent expression and thin lips slightly pursed, Sheila could not help but fall into deep thought.
So, that is to say—
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thanks to Naixuemeng Little Angel's landmine, love you mwah~
Thanks to Living is for Dying Little Angel's landmine, love you mwah~
Thank you, Luxian Little Angel, for the mine, love you mwah~
Thanks to Riri Yeye Little Angel for the landmine, love you mwah~
Thank you to the Little Angel who provided [Nutrient solution]:
Boss [male] 20 bottles; Luxian, Ye Ling 10 bottles;
Thank you very much for everyone's support, I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 180: So.. the solution was a success..
Opening the door, one would see a smiling Furoma noodles; out of about ten people, nine would see their Mood up several levels.
However, Akai Shuichi was the one exception among the ten.
He gazed at the newcomer, although he maintained the polite smile of "Shuichi Akai," his gaze carried scrutiny and vigilance.
Sheila blinked, a faint smile appearing on his beautiful face. That smile drifted into one's heart like a blooming peach blossom falling into flowing water, a poetic scene captured in a single smile.
The Black-haired woman's face was pale, looking almost sickly; however, her smile remained vivid and bright, her blue eyes remained clear, devoid of any malice.
"Won't you invite me in?" Sheila spoke, his clear and refreshing voice seemingly capable of cleansing one's soul.
However, Akai Shuichi remained unmoved. He kept one hand on the door, his eyes fixed on Sheila, as if he were weighing exactly how many secrets this boy knew.
His posture appeared casual, but the muscles in his arm were tense, assuming a defensive stance.
Three seconds later, Akai Shuichi shifted his vision, looking toward the 'Flower Protector' behind Sheila.
The Flower Protector—that is, Amuro Tooru—clearly did not look very good either, but the blonde-haired youth did not show excessive vigilance. Seeing Akai Shuichi looking his way, Bourbon, who had always been at odds with Rye, curled his lips slightly and gave his old rival a mocking smile.
Akai Shuichi: …………
Very well, he still has the mood to mock him; it seems it's not a major problem.
However, even so, Akai still had no intention of letting him in. He and Sheila had never had much in common, his understanding of this Black Organization's most beautiful man was limited to what was visible on the surface; he had to consider more.
Although the previous rescue on the Island, as well as Sheila's sudden appearance during Gin's faking death, indicated that these two had a profound relationship with Gin, just how "profound" it went remains an unknown.
Besides, if Amuro Tooru made a mistake in judgment.. he couldn't exactly sacrifice Gin as well.
Sheila's expression shifted slightly.
He had already learned Akai Shuichi's current disguise, but given the current situation, Sheila did not plan to be too explicit with the Japanese Public Security and the FBI.
After all, the fact that the Japanese Public Security undercover was working within the Black Organization was a secret, he had not informed any other "colleagues."
As the standoff continued, a familiar, cool male voice drifted from within the residence, breaking the deadlock.
“Come in, all of you.” Gin appeared at the Entrance, leisurely putting on his slippers.
She tilted her head slightly, the stray hairs on her forehead forming a beautiful arc; her hands were tucked into her pockets, revealing a leisurely posture that looked almost arrogantly condescending.
“What kind of behavior is this, blocking the doorway?"
..
"Why didn't Heine come along?" As soon as he entered, the first thing he was met with was such an ordinary-looking question.
Sheila's eyes flickered, clearly understanding the implication behind Gin's words: Does Heine know about your visit this time? Will the Italian Mafia be involved in what we are discussing?
The black-haired woman shook her head and replied succinctly, "He doesn't know."
Gin's green eyes flickered slightly. "You came alone?"
Are you here today representing only yourself, or are you representing IC. PO?
“That..” Sheila tilted his head, his crow-feather eyelashes fluttering for a moment, revealing a hint of fresh charm: "It depends on the situation."
Gin was lost in thought.
His contemplation lasted no more than three seconds before he naturally introduced the other two guys, who were unaware of the truth, saying, "You should all know this person; he is Sheila."
Of course they knew him; if they didn't know him, they had at least heard of him.
The former Organization's Top Killer didn't waste any more words; after saying that one sentence, he naturally shifted his gaze onto Akai Shuichi: "The people I was just telling you about."
—"You will likely.. see them very soon."
Akai Shuichi's brow twitched; he had clearly thought about what Gin had said ten minutes ago. His gaze revealed a hint of realization mixed with surprise.
Gin remained noncommittal about this.
After all, he hadn't expected Sheila to arrive so quickly.