Conan: I'm a zaibatsu in Tokyo

"Don't you guys go to school?" Zhengyi asked.

Ai and Momiji exchanged a glance and shook their heads in unison.

No, no.

Hongye hugged Ai and said, "Ai invited me to come and play so enthusiastically, how could I refuse?"

Ai nodded, nestled in Momiji's arms.

"Sister Hongye invited me to come and play, how could I refuse?"

Zheng Yi glanced at the two of them.

You're using each other's reasons, right?
Shoichi took a bottle of drink from the refrigerator, and Momiji and Ai continued the game they played before Shoichi returned.

Um, baby's playing whack-a-mole.

A game perfectly suited to the intelligence levels of both players.

Zheng Yi sat down in the chair and asked, "How many days of leave did you take?"

“One week,” Hongye said.

Ai's face showed an expression of envy.

A week-long holiday.

Zhengyi was able to help her get a week off from school.

But the following week, Zheng Yi will definitely throw her into the lab to work.

I envy people who have the freedom during holidays.

Ai asked, "Is it just for fun?"

Hongye nodded.

Ai was so envious that she lost all interest in playing games.

When will she be able to live such a life?

Ai looked at Masakazu.

Zheng Yi ignored Ai's gaze.

He continued, asking Hongye, "Did you take a week off just to come and play with Ai?"

“Yes,” Hongye said.

She knelt on the blanket and tapped the gopher that suddenly popped up with a hammer.

Xiao Ai coughed and cleared her throat.

"Since Sister Hongye came to visit me, I'll take a week off to come and keep her company," Ai said.

She tugged at the arm of the doll in her arms and smacked the groundhog on the head with a hammer.

The red leaves have come from afar; we cannot neglect our distinguished guests.

Masakazu pursed his lips, ignoring Ai, and instead complained:
"Since you like playing with Ai so much, why don't you just transfer to a school in Tokyo and become Ai's classmate?"

"Become Ai's classmate?" Koyo was taken aback.

Then she remembered that Ai was supposed to be a genius, already a high school student at such a young age.

Ai was also taken aback.

She just realized that she seems to be a high school student.

She glanced at the doll in her arms.

Is such a childish toy something a high school girl should like?

Her public persona is very mature; it's inappropriate for her to like such childish things.

Thinking about it, she put the doll on the ground.

Then I thought about how I spent the whole morning playing all sorts of childish games with Hongye.

He coughed once, a look of utter boredom on his face.

"Haha~"

Koyo smiled at Ai's appearance and couldn't help but pat Ai's head.

Ai was naturally unwilling.

She ducked her head and escaped from Hongye's clutches.

Ai's appearance is just like a child pretending to be an adult.

Quite cute.

"I think I'll pass on transferring schools," Hongye said.

I won't say whether my family agrees or not.

The thought of being classmates with Ai made Kouyou feel strange.

She always considered herself to be Ai's older sister.

Masayuki glanced at his watch and said, "What do you want to eat for lunch? I'll ask Ai to make it."

Ai looked up instantly.

You want me to do it?
Masayu winked at Ai, "Don't forget your promise to me."

He mouthed "crazy woman" to Ai, instantly making her angry but unable to speak.

Hongye looked at Ai and Zhengyi strangely.

What secrets are you hiding from me?

Hongye asked, "Why do you want Ai to cook?"

"Because I like cooking," Ai said casually.

Hongye looked at Xiao Ai.

The way you look on with that dark expression doesn't seem like you like it at all.

She was absolutely forced by Zheng Yi.

"How about we go on a picnic?" Hongye said.

"A picnic?" Zheng Yi glanced at his watch again.

It's almost 11 a.m., and you're going on a picnic at this time?
Zheng Yi shook his head and said, "No, no, I'll be starving by the time we get there."

“Oh dear, let’s not go to such a far place,” Hongye said.

Eating at home is so boring.

……

Sunlight filters through the ginkgo trees, casting dappled shadows on the lawn.

A gentle breeze, carrying the warmth of early summer and the fragrance of grass and trees, swept by, and a few butterflies fluttered among the flowers.

Zheng Yi was completely slumped in an expensive outdoor lounge chair, as if he had been forced into the position.

My whole body radiated the message that I was unhappy.

Although he was holding a newly published financial magazine, his gaze never lingered on the dense numbers and charts for more than three seconds.

That magazine was just for fanning the flames.

“I said, Ooka Momiji,” Masakazu said, “do you have some misunderstanding about the word ‘picnic’?”

Upon hearing this, Hongye, who was busy at the oven, paused and turned around.

She was wearing casual clothes that she was clearly not used to, with an apron over them, and her face had a little bit of charcoal ash on it.

"Can you stop wearing your boredom and disgust on your face?" Hongye protested.

"This is an outdoor BBQ that I planned specially!"

"Look, we have a grill, ingredients, and natural scenery. How can this not be considered a picnic?"

Ai was helping with the setup.

She spread a large checkered cloth on the lawn and brought a fruit platter from inside the villa to place on it.

"The scenery?" Zheng Yi scoffed.

You probably have some misunderstanding about the scenery.

The only thing that can be called scenery here is myself.

Zheng Yi used a magazine to shield his eyes from the glaring sun: "You call this making a fire in the yard? I'm worried you'll burn my villa down."

"Not only will you not help, but you also make sarcastic remarks." Hongye was speechless, her cheeks puffed up with anger, like a hamster.

She simply turned around, ignoring Masakazu and focusing her attention on Ai.

Ai had already set out the juice when she realized that Momiji was watching her, and she instinctively took a step back.

Hongye reached out and rubbed Ai's cheek.

"Oops~"

Ai tried to back away, but it was all in vain.

She touched her face where the charcoal had been rubbed and found that her fingers were covered in black charcoal.

"Haha~"

Koyo covered her mouth and chuckled, while Ai glared at Koyo with disdain.

After Hongye finished laughing and put her hands down, it was Xiao Ai's turn to laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Hongye asked, looking at Xiao Ai.

Ai didn't answer, she just kept chuckling to herself. Masakazu glanced over, then closed his eyes to bask in the sun.

Hongye took out a mirror and looked at herself.

It turns out that when she was mocking Ai earlier, some charcoal from her hand got on her red lips.

Now her face and lips are covered in black.

She instinctively tried to wipe it, but the more she wiped, the darker it became.

He opened a magazine and covered his face with it, saying lazily, "Oh~ whose kid climbed out of the chimney?"

"you!"

Enraged by Zheng Yi's mockery, Hong Ye ran to Zheng Yi's recliner and snatched the magazine off his face.

Zhengyi, finding the sunlight a bit too bright, opened his eyes and saw Hongye's dark, tender fingers reaching out.

Before I could even dodge, my face was brushed against by several red leaves.

Even Ai secretly took a piece of charcoal and stuffed it into Momiji's hand.

As you can imagine, Zheng Yi's face was extremely dark.

Shoichi, who was being bullied, didn't put up a strong fight. He just took advantage of the chaos to grope Ai's face a few times.

It also made Ai's face very dirty.

Now, none of the three people's faces are clean.

After bullying Zheng Yi, Hong Ye covered Zheng Yi's face with the magazine again.

They didn't wash their faces and continued preparing for their picnic.

Since we're barbecuing anyway, our hands and faces will get dirty soon, but we can just wash them afterwards.

Hongye squatted in front of the barbecue grill, fan in hand, engaged in a hard-fought tug-of-war with the silent pile of charcoal.

She held her breath and fanned the charcoal stove with all her might, but instead of lighting it, she caused a wisp of thick smoke to blow back with the wind.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Hongye coughed repeatedly from the choking fumes, and tears welled up in her eyes instantly, streaming down her cheeks and leaving two comical mud streaks on her already charcoal-covered face.

She rubbed her eyes while stubbornly trying to stay awake:

"No...it's nothing, it's just...it's to create a smoky flavor, that's how high-end cuisine is done!"

Ai walked over carrying a box of ingredients. Seeing Momiji covered in soot from the smoke, her eyes brimming with tears, yet still stubbornly refusing to admit it, she finally couldn't help but sigh.

"Sister Hongye".

Ai put down her things, walked over, squatted down, and gently poked at the pile of half-burnt charcoal in the stove with a stick.

"You can't light it like that."

"Why can't it light? I'm simmering it over a low flame!"

Hongye sniffed, trying to explain, but then inhaled another puff of smoke and coughed even more violently.

Ai ignored her sophistry and simply picked up the ignition block next to her and stuffed it into the gaps in the charcoal.

Then the angle and intensity of the fan were readjusted.

A short while later, a wisp of orange-red flame quietly rose from the middle of the previously lifeless pile of charcoal.

It then spread rapidly, crackling and popping.

"you you……"

Hongye looked at the raging flames, then at her own eyes, which were red from the smoke, and her hands, which were covered in soot.

He looked incredulous.

Ai turned her head and looked at Momiji's disheveled appearance, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Ai, you're amazing!"

Hongye reached out and cupped Ai's head in her hands.

He planted a big kiss on the still-clean spot on her face.

Then, that clean spot became unclean.

Ai rubbed the spot where Momiji had kissed her, looking at her with a hint of resentment.

A woman who lacks a sense of boundaries.

Seeing Ai's adorable little face, Kouyou wanted to tease her again.

Fortunately, Ai ran fast enough this time.

"I'm going to wash my face!"

Ai ran towards the villa with her short legs.

Zheng Yi, lying on the recliner, said without even lifting his eyelids:
"Look how disgusted Ai is with you. She went to wash her face immediately after you kissed her."

Hongye glared at Zhengyi.

She sniffed, trying to salvage the last shred of her dignity as a young lady, but instead inhaled a lot of smoke and dust.

“Ahem…!!”

While coughing, I could also hear laughter coming from Zheng Yi's side.

"Sumitomo Shoichi!" Momiji shouted, "You're not allowed to eat anything I bake later!"

After setting up the fire, Hongye washed her face.

Then we started grilling.

After a flurry of activity, accompanied by Momiji's intermittent coughs and Ai's calm instructions.

The charcoal fire on the grill finally turned from red to white, radiating an even temperature.

The first batch of barbecue was finally completed amidst great anticipation (mainly due to Hongye's self-satisfaction).

At this moment, Zheng Yi, having washed his face and hands, sat down next to Hongye with a drink in hand.

With a faint smile on his face, he waited to eat.

Hongye turned her body to the side, blocking Zhengyi's outstretched claw.

Then her face instantly lit up with a smile as she knelt on the checkered cloth.

He held the skewer, which smelled strangely burnt and had an overly sweet sauce, to Ai's lips.

"Come on, try my special extra spicy red leaf sauce grilled meat."

"This sauce is made by me, based on the secret recipes of several famous restaurants in Kyoto! I'm sure you'll love it!"

“Um… Sister Hongye,” Ai subconsciously shrank back.

"I...I just drank a lot of juice, and my stomach is a little bloated."

"The doctor said... the doctor said my stomach isn't suited to eating these kinds of high-fat, high-salt, and spicy foods..."

"How about we leave it for Zheng Yi? He has a good appetite."

Hongye glanced at Zheng Yidao with disdain: "Don't give him any."

Then he held the skewer to Ai's mouth and said, "Oh, it's okay, it's just a small bite. Come on, open your mouth, ah—"

Ai was forced into a retreat, and in a moment of carelessness, she fell to the ground on the lawn.

As the skewers drew closer, Ai opened her mouth in fear.

Then, a piece of meat was stuffed into my mouth.

Seeing this, Hongye revealed a victorious smile.

Ai chews very slowly, very slowly.

Her expression froze the moment she took the first bite.

Her little face instantly scrunched up.

But looking into Momiji's expectant eyes, Ai forced back the tears that were about to burst forth.

She forced herself to chew, suppressing the churning in her stomach, and then swallowed.

"how is it going?"

Hongye pressed on impatiently, her eyes filled with hope.

Ai did not respond verbally.

She quickly grabbed another skewer of grilled meat from the plate that looked slightly more normal, turned around, and pounced on Zheng Yi.

"Zhengyi, you've worked hard too. Come and try Sister Hongye's cooking. This was all prepared with care for you!"

Seeing Ai's expression, Masakazu instinctively leaned back.

It doesn't look very appetizing.

"No need," Zheng Yi said, not making his dislike obvious.

Actually, I'm not that hungry.

Ai wouldn't give up, and jumped right into Zheng Yi's arms, clinging to him like a koala, not letting him escape.

"Come on, just one bite! Sister Hongye's eyes were watering from the smoke while grilling this skewer of meat, how can you bear to disappoint her?"

Hongye was crossing her arms, saying, "I won't give him any."

But his eyes kept glancing over, and his ears were perked up, waiting for feedback.

Ai quickly pried open Masakazu's lips and stuffed the piece of grilled meat inside. (End of Chapter)