I, the Buddhist who raises leopards in the Conan world

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lightning lazily lying beside the sofa, his silver-gray fur shining gorgeously under the light.

This "money-eating beast" had just enjoyed the high-quality steak fed by Gin and was now licking its paws with satisfaction.

Shen Yuan couldn't help but smile bitterly - Lightning's weekly food expenses alone were equivalent to two months' living expenses for an average college student.

Although he still had a considerable amount of money in his bank card, which was the money he earned from selling small inventions during his graduate studies in China, he couldn't just sit back and enjoy the savings. Who knew how long a year would take him in the Conan world, so he had to find a part-time job to make money.

On the computer screen, a dazzling array of part-time job information appeared: [Convenience store night shift] 1100 yen per hour [Tutor] 2500 yen per hour [Chinese translation] starting from 5000 yen per page... Suddenly, a post on a professional internal forum caught his attention: [Urgent recruitment] Research assistant for the quantum computing project Requirements: Physics/mathematics related major, familiar with Python Hourly salary: 20000 yen (negotiable) Contact: Dr. Agasa Shen Yuan's fingertips hovered on the touchpad for a few seconds, his eyes repeatedly scanning the number on the recruitment information - 20,000 yen per hour.

"Dr. Agasa...?" Shen Yuan certainly knew that Dr. Agasa was the magical inventor who made various equipment for Conan. If he worked there part-time, he would inevitably deal with the protagonists and get involved in various incidents, but... this hourly wage really made Shen Yuan very excited.

Lightning came over at some point, his furry head close to the screen, his ice-blue eyes reflecting the recruitment information.

It suddenly stretched out its claws and pressed the contact number precisely, as if making a decision for its owner.

"Do you think we should go too?" Shen Yuan rubbed Cheetah's ears, "But if we go, we'll inevitably have to deal with that 'elementary school detective'..." Lightning tilted his head, making a sound between "meow" and "ow", and then nudged Shen Yuan's phone with his nose.

Outside the window, the night in Tokyo grew darker. Shen Yuan suddenly chuckled: "Forget it, with their tendency to run around everywhere, I'll run into them sooner or later!" He picked up his phone and quickly entered the number on the screen with his slender fingers.

After the bell rang three times, an energetic old man's voice came from the receiver: "Hello! This is Agasa's house!"

"Hello, I'm Shen Yuan who saw the recruitment information.

Graduate student in the Department of Physics at the University of Tokyo, my research direction is..."

"Ah! Mr. Shen!" The other party's voice suddenly became enthusiastic, "I have read the paper on quantum decoherence that you published in Physical Review!" Shen Yuan was a little surprised that such a niche topic could attract the attention of the "great inventor".

"The day after tomorrow is a holiday. Would it be convenient for you to come to my house at noon to discuss in detail?" Dr. Agasa said happily, "I'll send you the address later!" After hanging up the phone, the phone vibrated and a text message popped up: [2-21 Beika-cho.

12: 30.

】

Chapter 8: First Encounter with Huiyuan

At 11:45 am, Shen Yuan stood in front of the door of 2-21 Beika-cho.

He was wearing a pure black sportswear today, and the loose cut made his figure look even more slender.

Her black hair was casually draped over her forehead, and she exuded a casual and refreshing aura.

Shortly after the doorbell rang, a chubby, white-haired old man opened the door with a smile on his face.

"You are Mr. Shen, right? Please come in!" Dr. Agasa waved enthusiastically, "Just in time for the test of my new invention!" Shen Yuan bowed politely: "Sorry to bother you!" His voice was gentle, with the unique rhythm of the flower grower.

As soon as he stepped into the living room, Shen Yuan felt a sharp gaze.

Turning around, he saw a girl with short brown hair standing at the stairs, her ice-blue eyes sizing him up warily.

The girl was about seven or eight years old, but she had a maturity far beyond her appearance.

"Ah, this is my relative's child who is temporarily staying at my house, little Haibara Ai!" Dr. Agasa introduced, "Little Ai, this is Brother Shen Yuan, a graduate student from the University of Tokyo. You can just call him Brother Shen!" Haibara Ai's pupils suddenly contracted when she came into contact with Shen Yuan's black sportswear.

She walked quickly to Dr. Agasa, pulled his sleeve and whispered, "Doctor, where did this person come from? Could he be..."

"It's okay, Ai!" Dr. Agasa knew what Haibara Ai meant and patted her shoulder. "Mr. Shen is a graduate student from the Flower Growing School. He came to the University of Tokyo as an exchange student. He is considered a well-known young genius. He has published many excellent papers and sold small inventions. He is not an unknown person!" Shen Yuan pretended not to notice their whispers. His eyes were attracted by the strange device in the center of the living room - it was a disc made up of various electronic components, with colorful LED lights flashing on it.

Huihara Ai still looked at Shen Yuan worriedly.

The man was tall and straight, estimated to be over 1.85 meters tall, with broad shoulders and long legs.

He has a handsome face, with a gentleness unique to Orientals between his eyebrows, but his high nose bridge adds a bit of heroic spirit.

What is most striking is his indifferent temperament - neither as sinister as the members of the organization, nor as impetuous as ordinary students, but an indescribable calmness.

"This is the prototype of the quantum entanglement demonstrator!" Dr. Agasa introduced excitedly, "but there are always problems in the measurement link..." Shen Yuan squatted down to check the equipment, and his slender fingers fiddled with the circuit board flexibly: "The photoelectric coupler here is connected backwards, and..." He took out a multi-function tool knife from his pocket, "This chip needs to be re-soldered!" Huihara Ai looked at Shen Yuan's skillful operation, and her tense shoulders relaxed slightly.

It certainly didn't seem like someone from the organization—those guys wouldn't be so focused on fixing a toy-like device.

In the next three hours, Shen Yuan helped Dr. Agasa solve three technical problems.

He doesn't talk much, but every suggestion he makes hits the mark.

Haibara Ai occasionally peeked out from the second floor and saw the two of them enthusiastically discussing something called the "quantum tunneling effect."

I can only sigh that the doctor has really met a soulmate.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Huiyuan Ai walked into the studio carrying a tea tray: "Doctor, take a break..." Huiyuan looked at Shen Yuan again, and said with a somewhat shy or embarrassed expression: "And Brother Shen!"

"Ah! Xiao Ai is the most thoughtful!" Dr. Agasa took the black tea, "Mr. Shen, try the lemon pie specially made by Xiao Ai, it's super delicious!" Shen Yuan thanked him and picked up a piece.

The dessert was truly outstanding, with the acidity of the lemon and the sweetness of the cream being perfectly balanced.

"Come to think of it," Dr. Agasa took a big bite of the pie, "Why does Mr. Shen need a part-time job? Is there any financial problem?" Haibara Ai pretended to tidy up the tea set, but her ears perked up.

Shen Yuan's fingers gently stroked the edge of the teacup, thinking of the Kobe beef that Lightning had to eat every day.

He sighed, "My parents started their wilderness survival mission when I came to Tokyo. They have no idea when they'll be back, and I can't contact them!" After taking a sip of tea, Shen Yuan continued, "They only left me some emergency living expenses.

He said he wanted to 'cultivate my independence'!" He smiled bitterly, "Not only do I have to support myself, I also have a very picky eater... a big cat!" Huiyuan Ai keenly noticed the subtle pause when he mentioned "cat", but Shen Yuan's expression was too natural - that helpless yet doting look really made him look like a owner who was worried sick about his pet.

"I see!" Dr. Agasa laughed. "My family used to have cats, and they were indeed very expensive!" A gentle smile flashed in Shen Yuan's eyes. "What breed do you have?"

"It's just an ordinary Japanese country cat, named Tiger!" Dr. Agasa gestured, "It's orange in color, and it loves to eat bonito flakes.

Every time I go to the supermarket, he squats next to my shopping bags and watches over me!"

"That one is easy to raise!" Shen Yuan gently stirred the black tea, "The one I raise... is quite picky about food.

We only eat Wagyu beef from specific parts, and even have requirements for fat distribution!" Haibara Ai paused slightly while pouring tea.

This kind of eating habit doesn't sound like that of an ordinary house cat... "Oh, it's really an aristocratic cat!" Dr. Agasa patted his round belly, "I tried to feed tuna sashimi to Xiaohu before, but it just sniffed it and walked away - it insisted that I tear it into small pieces with my hands before eating it!" Shen Yuan chuckled, "My cat has it too.

"Your claws are so flexible, but you insist on waiting for someone to cut the meat into bite-sized pieces!" He paused, "And the temperature is also important. You can't eat it if it's too cold, and you can't eat it if it's too hot!"

"Oh, right," Dr. Agasa suddenly remembered something, "I have a friend who is a veterinarian. If you need anything..."

"Thank you for your kindness!" Shen Yuan declined politely, "He is very healthy, but..." He made a gesture of counting money, "This is demanding. As long as I work hard, he will be healthier!" Dr. Agasa was amused by this statement, and his round belly trembled with laughter.

Halfway through laughing, he suddenly realized: "'He'? Mr. Shen has a male cat?" Shen Yuan nodded, his eyes slightly curved: "It's a young boy!" His tone carried the unique intimacy of an owner talking about his pet.

Seeing that Haibara Ai was listening attentively, Shen Yuan turned to her with a calm look: "Does Haibara like cats too?" The sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting tiny golden spots in Shen Yuan's deep eyes.

Haibara Ai suddenly discovered that this person's eyes would appear almost amber-colored and transparent under the light, which was completely different from the dark pupils of the organization members that were always bottomless.

"It's... it's okay!" She lowered her head and pretended to tidy up the tea set, "I just think cats are very elegant!" After afternoon tea, Shen Yuan and Dr. Agasa began to talk about the progress of quantum computing again.

Haibara Ai listened quietly and found that this young man's understanding of cutting-edge technology far exceeded that of ordinary graduate students.

What is even more rare is that he has no intention of showing off, but just calmly states the facts.

As the setting sun streamed into the studio through the window, Shen Yuan declined the invitation to dinner.

"I'll come again tomorrow!" he said as he packed up his tools, "I already have an idea of ​​how to improve the photon detector!" Dr. Agasa enthusiastically sent him to the door: "Thank you so much! By the way..." He lowered his voice, "Ai is a little shy, thank you for your tolerance today!" Shen Yuan shook his head to indicate that he didn't mind.

Chapter 9: A murder caused by misunderstanding

5:30 in the evening, Rice Flower Central Supermarket.

Shen Yuan pushed the shopping cart and selected ingredients in the fresh food area.

His slender fingers gently pressed the texture of a piece of Kobe steak, and his silver-gray watch shone coldly under the supermarket lights.

There were already some vegetables and a bottle of red wine in the shopping cart - today's part-time job was fruitful, and he planned to make a good meal tonight to reward himself and Lightning.

"Mr. Shen?" A familiar voice came from behind.

Shen Yuan turned around and saw Maori Ran waving at him, with Maori Kogoro and Conan standing beside her.

"What a coincidence!" Mao Lilan smiled, "Are you here to buy groceries too?" Shen Yuan nodded: "Yes, I'm preparing dinner!" His eyes swept over the instant noodles and beer in the shopping basket in Mao Li Kogoro's hand, and then looked at the price tag of the high-end steak in his car - 3980 yen/100g.

Maori Kogoro noticed the contrast and said sourly, "International students these days are so rich, they can afford such expensive steaks!"

"Dad!" Mao Lilan tugged at her father's sleeve awkwardly.

Conan's gaze moved back and forth between Shen Yuan's shopping cart and his expression, his eyes behind the lenses flashing with inquiry.

Just as he was about to say something, a scream suddenly came from the other end of the supermarket: "Ah! Someone fell down!" Professional instinct made Kogoro Mouri and Conan immediately run towards the source of the sound.

Shen Yuan originally wanted to leave here, but when he saw Mao Lilan waiting beside him, with her eyes saying I will go with you, so Shen Yuan still followed with the shopping cart.

In the fresh food tasting area, a young man fell to the ground, foaming at the mouth, with a few pieces of sushi still remaining on the overturned tasting plate next to him.

Three young people were standing around, each with a different look on their face—two girls and a boy.

"I'm a detective! Get out of the way!" Kogoro Mouri checked it carefully and his face suddenly changed, "It's hopeless... Call the police!" Soon, Inspector Megure arrived at the scene with the people from the Investigation Division.

After preliminary investigation, three suspects were identified: Sato Yuki (the deceased's girlfriend, 25 years old), a beautiful woman with exquisite makeup.

Misaki Takahashi (Yuki's best friend, 24 years old), a capable career woman with short hair.

Kenta Yamamoto (product salesman, 28 years old) is promoting products in a supermarket.

"The deceased, Shota Takeuchi, was 26 years old and a company employee!" Officer Takagi reported. "The preliminary cause of death is cyanide poisoning, and the source is likely the sushi in the tasting area!" Upon hearing this, Maori Kogoro immediately puffed out his chest and pointed his index finger at Yamamoto Kenta, who was wearing a salesman's uniform. "The murderer must be you! It was you who sold the poisoned sushi to the deceased!" Yamamoto Kenta's face turned pale. "Are you kidding me? I don't even know this customer!"

"Dad!" Mao Lilan hurriedly grabbed her father, "There is no evidence yet..."

"Hmph!" Maori Kogoro shook off his daughter's hand. "This kind of salesman is the most suspicious! They'll do anything for sales!" Shen Yuan almost laughed when he heard this. Could the motive for the murder be to get zero negative reviews? He stood on the outskirts of the crowd, his eyes scanning the expressions of the three suspects.

Yuki bit her lower lip hard, and her carefully manicured nails dug deep into her palms; Takahashi Misaki stared at Yuki with red eyes; and Yamamoto Kenta was frantically explaining his alibi.

Based on the micro-expressions, we identified the suspect. The murderer is Ms. Yuki, there is no way she can escape.

Conan squatted beside the corpse and carefully observed the deceased's lips - there was a faint nail mark at the corner of the mouth, which was a tiny curved nail mark of a woman.

A flash of light passed through his glasses.

"Hey, Yuki," Conan asked in an innocent voice, "Did you wipe Shota's mouth just now?" Yuki's face changed: "Yes, yes... He always gets his mouth corners dirty when he eats..." Inspector Megure has begun to question the three about their recent whereabouts.

When Takahashi Misaki mentioned that she and Takeuchi went shopping alone last week, Yuki's face turned pale instantly.

"Sure enough!" Yuki suddenly shouted hysterically, "You two are having an affair! I knew it!"

"No!" Takahashi explained anxiously, "That day, Takeuchi said he wanted to buy you a proposal gift and asked me to give him some advice..." Yuki was struck by lightning and froze in place.

Takahashi trembled as he took out a small blue Tiffany box from his bag.

After opening it, there was a dazzling diamond ring inside with the words "Yuki Forever" engraved on the inner ring.

Yuki collapsed to the ground as if struck by lightning: "No... Impossible..."

"Takeuchi-kun specially chose your birthday... Look! The purchase date was last Wednesday, and the invoice even says 'engagement ring'!" Takahashi realized that something was wrong and burst into tears, "He even practiced the proposal words for several days..." Yuki stared blankly at her boyfriend's body, and suddenly let out a heart-wrenching wail.

She grabbed her hair frantically, and her carefully styled curls became messy in an instant.

"What did I do...what did I do!" She turned to Inspector Megure, her makeup was messed up by tears. "No...no need to investigate, it's me...I just...I just saw them shopping together..." Yuki knelt on the ground, her tears washed away her delicate makeup. "I thought...he betrayed me...so I killed him!" Takahashi Misaki cried and hugged her: "Silly! Why didn't you ask?" The case ended with the murderer surrendering himself, and even the sleeping Kogoro was of no use.

Shen Yuan looked at Yuki who was being taken away. She was tightly clutching the diamond ring that she could never give away, and shook her head with a frown on her face - this was indeed the characteristic of Conan's world, where deaths could occur at any time due to a misunderstanding.

When Conan came to his senses and looked for Xiaolan, he saw Shen Yuan and Xiaolan talking and laughing, and he didn't know what they were talking about. He immediately ran over jealously, "Sister Xiaolan! What are you talking about?" Conan squeezed in between the two of them, with a strange light flashing in his glasses.

"We're talking about the big cat at Shen Jun's house!" Mao Lilan smiled and rubbed Conan's hair, "I just wanted to invite Shen Jun to dinner, but Shen Jun said he has a big cat that is picky about food, and he wants to go over and cook dinner for the big cat!" Shen Yuan glanced at his watch: "Yeah, if I don't go back, it will destroy the house!" He shook the Kobe steak in the shopping bag, "Let's talk about it next time we meet!" When walking out of the supermarket, Shen Yuan felt two burning gazes behind him - one from the jealous "elementary school student", and the other... He turned his head to look at the parking lot, and a faint silver reflection flashed by.

Chapter 10: Elevator Encounter and Dinner

At 6:40 in the evening, Shen Yuan walked into the apartment lobby carrying a supermarket shopping bag.

The automatic door slowly closed behind me, blocking out the cool early autumn breeze.

He pressed the up button and the elevator began to rise from the second underground floor.

When the number jumped to "1", the elevator door slid open silently.

Just as Shen Yuan was about to take a step, he suddenly froze in place—in the elevator, Gin was standing against the metal wall.

The silver-haired man was rarely wearing a windbreaker today. Instead, he wore a black turtleneck sweater, which made his skin look even colder and paler.

Between her slender fingers was a folder with the logo of a pharmaceutical company printed on it.

The moment their eyes met, the air seemed to freeze.

Gin obviously didn't expect to meet his neighbors here.

He frowned slightly and put the folder behind him.

The unique cold atmosphere of the underground parking lot emanated from him, mixed with the faint smell of leather and gunpowder.

"What a coincidence!" Shen Yuan broke the silence first, walked into the elevator and pressed the floor button.

The elevator door slowly closed, trapping the two people in this small metal space.

Gin didn't respond, but Shen Yuan noticed the convenience store plastic bag in his left hand - there was a rice ball lying alone in it, and the label "Special price 698 yen" on the packaging was particularly eye-catching.