Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

Xiaolan won the championship in the karate competition with great strength, which won the applause of the whole audience. After the game, the crowd outside the venue was crowded, including Maori Kogoro, Kisaki Eri, Chen Shuo and Suzuki Sonoko, who came forward to congratulate Xiaolan.

"Ran! You're awesome!" Suzuki Sonoko was the first to rush forward, almost jumping up in excitement, "I knew you would win!"

Maori Kogoro also smiled from ear to ear, his eyes full of pride: "She is worthy of being my precious daughter, Maori Kogoro. All these years of hard training have finally paid off!"

Kisaki Eri looked at her daughter tenderly, her eyes revealing a hint of satisfaction: "Ran, you performed very well today. You must continue to work hard in the future and be neither arrogant nor impatient."

Chen Shuo smiled slightly, his eyes showing admiration: "Xiaolan, you have completely surpassed yourself today. With that firm look in your eyes and decisive actions, it is really hard to believe that you are just a high school student."

Xiaolan smiled shyly and scratched her head gently: "Thank you everyone... Actually, I was very nervous today, but I didn't want to let everyone down, so I gritted my teeth and persevered."

"In that case, how can we not celebrate?" Suzuki Sonoko suggested loudly, "I know there's a new luxury restaurant in Beika Town. I heard the food is great. Let's go there today and have a big meal to celebrate for Xiaolan!"

---

After discussing it, the group decided to celebrate Xiaolan's victory with dinner at the most luxurious restaurant in Beika Town. Chen Shuo's black Jaguar XK120 caught everyone's attention. Its streamlined design, retro yet elegant, resembled a proud black horse, drawing frequent pause and admiration from passersby.

Suzuki Sonoko's eyes lit up: "Wow! Brother Shuo's car is so cool! This is a Jaguar XK120, a limited edition model. It's really a top-notch collection. Even my family doesn't have one!"

Maori Kogoro was like a proud rooster at this moment, with his chest puffed out and his head held high: "Hahaha! Isn't it amazing? This car feels different to ride in!"

Kisaki Eri rolled her eyes at Maori Kogoro and said, "What does this have to do with you? It's not your car." Then she looked at the Jaguar and smiled, shaking her head. "But this car can only seat two people. We can't fit in it."

"Then I'll sign up first!" Sonoko raised her hands and was about to climb onto the Jaguar, but then she paused, as if she had thought of something. She smiled and took Ran Maoli's hand: "Ran, today is your celebration party, and you are the star! It's more prestigious to ride in Shuo's car! Besides, it would be a waste if you don't ride in such a luxurious car once!"

Before Xiaolan could react, she was pushed to the door of the Jaguar. A blush appeared on her face: "Ah? This...but..."

"It's okay!" Sonoko pushed her into the passenger seat without saying a word, then turned around and jumped towards Eri Kisaki's BMW Mini, waving and saying with a smile, "I won't bother you. Today I'm going to ride in the same car with Uncle Mori and Aunt Kisaki. Let's go!" After that, Sonoko Suzuki took the Mori couple and walked towards Eri Kisaki's car.

Mao Lilan obviously didn't understand the situation. She looked at her parents and Sonoko's backs with confused eyes, and then looked at Chen Shuo: "Brother Shuo, this..."

Chen Shuo realized something and chuckled and shook his head: "Yuanzi, that girl... Forget it, Xiaolan, get in the car. Don't fall too far behind them, and fasten your seat belts!"

"Ah good!"

Well done, Yuanzi! I'll keep an eye on that dark-skinned young man for you!

---

Inside Beika Town's most luxurious restaurant, the lights were ablaze, crystal chandeliers illuminating the space like daylight. The surroundings were resplendent with lavish decor. Marble tables were covered with exquisite lace tablecloths, and the tables were laden with a variety of delicacies, the aromas filling the air. Tender steaks sliced ​​as thin as cicada wings and premium sashimi were translucent, creating a feast for both the eyes and the palate. However, the atmosphere was somewhat subdued.

Ran held the knife, her mind wandering. She'd thought Shinichi would come and celebrate the karate tournament victory with her, but until now, there had been no news from Kudo Shinichi. It seemed that in his eyes, the case was more important than anything else. Looking at the now-empty table, a flicker of disappointment crossed Ran's eyes, her lips drooping slightly as her fork unconsciously poked at a piece of steak on the plate.

"Shinichi, this guy is always like this!" Seeing her best friend's depressed look, Suzuki Sonoko shouted indignantly: "You clearly said you would come to celebrate, but as soon as you got the case, you ran away! Really, what is more important, friends or solving the case!"

Maori Kogoro was also a little dissatisfied. He picked up a piece of sea urchin with chopsticks and put it in his mouth: "Humph, this brat! He actually stood up my Xiaolan. It's really outrageous!"

Looking at her daughter's lost expression, Hibiki Eri sighed softly, "Alright, husband, that guy made his own choice, and we can't be angry with him. Lan, this meal is to celebrate you, don't let these things affect your mood."

Xiaolan forced a smile and shook her head: "It's okay, Mom. Shinichi... this is his hobby, I understand."

Seeing the awkward situation, Chen Shuo smiled slightly, coughed lightly, and changed the subject: "Xiaolan, although Kudo-kun couldn't come, I just happened to have a surprise for you. I hope I can make up for it a little."

Everyone turned to look at Chen Shuo. Yuanzi's eyes lit up and she asked curiously, "Oh, what's the surprise? It's not some super rare gift, is it?"

Mao Lilan also showed an anticipation. She had exploded today just for this "surprise"! Therefore, she was particularly looking forward to the "surprise" that Chen Shuo mentioned.

Chen Shuo smiled mysteriously, pulled out a few exquisite tickets from his pocket, and gently placed them on the table. "These are VIP tickets to Dorobiga Paradise. My friend gave them to me. I thought you'd have a hard time competing this time, so it's a good time to relax. You can go and have fun with everyone this weekend."

"VIP tickets to Dorobiga Land!" Suzuki Sonoko's eyes lit up when she heard this, and she practically jumped out of her chair. "Oh my god, Brother Shuo, you're so awesome! Are you talking about that new amusement park? They say it's super fun there! VIP tickets like this are hard to come by even if you have money!"

Hibiki Eri also looked at the tickets in surprise: "These kinds of tickets are hard to get, Chen Shuo, how did you get them?"

Chen Shuo smiled slightly and explained gently, "It's nothing, actually. It was given to me by a friend who's an investor. He happens to be involved in the development of the theme park. I know Lan has been busy training lately and hasn't had much time to relax, so I thought if she can win this competition, I'd give her a little surprise."

Xiaolan looked at the tickets, a hint of joy flashing in her eyes, but more of hesitation: "Brother Shuo... this gift is too expensive, I..."

"No need to refuse!" Chen Shuo interrupted Mao Lilan's hesitation: "Traveling together can not only relax our mood, but also enhance our relationship." After saying that, Chen Shuo glanced at the Mao Li couple.

"That's right! You're welcome, Xiaolan!" Suzuki Sonoko interrupted her, grabbed the tickets, and said excitedly, "This is a kind gift from Brother Shuo! Besides, we haven't been out together for a long time, so this is a good opportunity to relax! Don't refuse this time!"

Maori Kogoro also agreed with a smile: "That's right, Ran, let's go out and have fun together, it's a good time to relax. You've been training too hard recently, you should enjoy yourself."

"Yes, Lan," Hibiki Eiri patted her daughter's shoulder gently. "Everyone has seen your recent efforts. It's rare for Chen Shuo to show such kindness, so don't let him down."

Mao Lilan finally smiled brightly after receiving Chen Shuo's hint. The disappointment in her eyes was gradually replaced by anticipation and joy. "Thank you, Brother Shuo. I won't hold you back then. Let's go out and play together this weekend!"

Seeing this, Chen Shuo smiled slightly and said in a gentle voice, "That's right, Xiaolan. Life is not just about training and competition, it also needs a little fun. I hope you have fun this weekend!"

Mao Lilan heard this and hurriedly grabbed Chen Shuo's hand: "Hey, Brother Shuo, do you mean you're not going? It would be such a shame if you didn't go with us. It would definitely be more fun if you were here!"

"That's right," Suzuki Sonoko was still cheering on the side, "You are the sponsor of this trip to the theme park, how can you be absent?"

Chen Shuo shrugged helplessly. Although he instinctively didn't like the crowded environment of an amusement park, he didn't want to spoil everyone's fun, so he could only agree reluctantly.

Laughter rang out from the table, finally breaking the somewhat depressed atmosphere. Everyone chatted and laughed, enjoying the delicious food. The slight sense of loss had long been diluted by the warm atmosphere.

That night, they talked about a lot, from the highlights of Xiaolan's competition, to the hardships of her daily training, to Xiaolan talking about various embarrassing things about Maori Kogoro, and the Maori couple's reserved bickering program. Everyone relaxed, as if all their worries were left behind.

---

"Okay, everyone had a great time today. I think it's getting late, so let's go home first." It was late at night, and Hibiki Eri interrupted everyone's laughter. She looked at her daughter gently, her eyes full of doting, "Lan, go home and have a good rest tonight. Don't think about those unpleasant things anymore."

Xiaolan nodded heavily, with gratitude in her eyes: "Thank you, Mom, thank you everyone... I am really happy today."

"As long as she's happy!" Maori Kogoro laughed heartily, "This is my precious daughter!"

Suzuki Sonoko also came over happily: "That's right, Xiaolan, nothing else matters, you are our protagonist today!"

"Alright, Yuanzi, stop making trouble." Chen Shuo stood up with a smile, "Everyone is tired after a day, let's go back and rest early."

Everyone stood up and walked out of the restaurant. Under the night sky, the streets were ablaze with neon lights and a bustling bustle of traffic. Beika-cho's nights were always bustling and lively. The lights of cars intertwined in the night, seemingly illuminating Ran's victory night.