Thanks to the high concentration of motivational chicken soup in Jiang Xia's words, Suzuki Sonoko and Ran Mouri were successfully persuaded. In fact, they were even a little moved, thinking Jiang Xia was trying to comfort them.
Sonoko clenched her teeth and made a secret resolution: she would definitely keep going on dates from now on. At the same time, she hugged Ran's arm tightly.
Ran has always had absurdly good luck—there's no way it would run out suddenly. This has to be the last time she runs into a dead body.
Next time, for sure, I'll be able to enjoy my date in peace!
…
The villa trip ended, and everyone returned to Tokyo.
Takahashi Ryoichi's "hidden head" method only got halfway through, but his intentions were clear. After his arrest, the case, unsurprisingly, made it into the newspapers.
Thus, Jiang Xia's collection of "murder cases" gained a new addition. He also earned a bit of buzz in a corner of Kyoto.
Back at the detective agency, Jiang Xia filed the newspaper clipping, checked the time, and got ready to head home to grab his cat and go hunt for bad guys.
But on the way back—with cat in hand—his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen: the caller ID read "Yoko Kinoshita."
They didn't talk much. After the stalker incident, their only contact was the occasional exchange of signed photo albums. So this direct call… could it be a new case?
Yoko's "murder magnetism" wasn't particularly strong, but it existed. A little. Jiang Xia answered the call with anticipation.
Unfortunately, it wasn't a case.
Yoko Kinoshita had called to ask if he'd be interested in appearing on a variety show.
—Some time ago, Yoko had seen a newspaper article about Jiang Xia that a colleague had subscribed to. Curious, she started subscribing to several more papers.
Now, whenever a new article popped up about him solving a case, she'd cut it out and keep it. On one hand, seeing his face reminded her of the time he flung someone into her house, which she thought helped repel evil spirits. On the other hand, there was the wholesome satisfaction of watching a "former stray teen she personally helped guide back onto the right path" grow up. Classic cloud parenting vibes.
After reading enough of those articles, Yoko picked up on the fact that Jiang Xia never dodged interviews and didn't seem to mind a little publicity.
And in this detective-infested world, there were quite a few shows that revolved around the sleuthing business.
So, Yoko asked her manager to keep an eye out for suitable programs.
Her manager had mixed feelings about Jiang Xia, but he still obeyed the request of his precious idol—and sure enough, he found a good fit.
Jiang Xia was a little disappointed to find it wasn't a commission. But as soon as he heard the show's name, he perked up.
The program was called Perspective Detective Agency, a weekly live broadcast.
In the past, it had only invited seasoned detectives with long, glimmering résumés.
Jiang Xia had wanted to join before, but he didn't quite have the "heat" yet—sure, he'd been involved in some pretty weird cases, but not nearly enough to compete with the hundreds racked up by the big-name detectives.
But where there are people, there is py (networking, clout, hype). Yoko Kinoshita personally negotiated with the producers. She promised that if they invited Jiang Xia on the show, she'd appear as a guest assistant for that episode.
The producers had been looking to add some beauty appeal to boost ratings and freshen up the format, so both sides instantly clicked.
Jiang Xia had no objections to interviews or TV appearances. He'd heard that if you wanted to get in on good cases, you needed the right amount of fame.
He asked about the producer and host. When he learned their names—Suwa Michihiko and Matsuo Takashi—he immediately said yes.
So all three parties hit it off without a hitch.
After everything was set, Jiang Xia hung up the phone, privately noting that Yoko Kinoshita really was his lucky star. First, she brought him his very first ghost child. Now, she was handing him an opportunity to boost his fame—and with it, more cases.
…
After deciding to appear on the show, Jiang Xia tracked down footage from previous episodes of Perspective Detective Agency to get a feel for the flow and possible questions.
More than a month passed, and the day of the broadcast finally arrived. The show aired in the afternoon, so he had to leave early.
Unfortunately, it was deep winter by then. Jiang Xia had to abandon the outfit he'd already picked out and go rummage through his closet again for something warmer.
While he was debating which scarf to wear, Xiaobai—his ghost baby—was lounging on the balcony and made a dramatic noise, clearly signaling that something entertaining was happening.
Curious, Jiang Xia walked over, pulled the curtain aside a little, and peeked outside.
On the street a few dozen meters away, Conan was standing in thin home pajamas, head poking out from around the corner. He was out in the cold wind and heavy snow, sneakily watching this way.
He kept looking between Dr. Agasa's house and Jiang Xia's door, like he couldn't decide where to go.
Just then, a chubby woman approached from behind Conan.
She was dressed entirely in black, had goofy short hair, wore a pair of bizarre glasses perched on her nose, and her whole vibe practically screamed "I am a suspicious villain!"
Her actions didn't disappoint either—she pulled out a handkerchief soaked in some kind of anesthetic, clamped it over Conan's mouth from behind, flipped him around, and carried him off like a sack of potatoes.
Jiang Xia: "…"
Miyano Akemi's little ghost form smacked against the window and grabbed Jiang Xia's finger, visibly panicking—right there, in broad daylight, a child was being kidnapped! And that child had even helped her in the past!
Xiaobai remained calm, but stared at the woman's stride with narrowed eyes. Something about her gait felt weirdly familiar. He tugged on Jiang Xia's other finger, trying to confirm his suspicions.
"It's fine," Jiang Xia said, letting go of the curtain and returning to his scarf dilemma without another glance at the abducted neighbor.
Just a little drama in the house next door…
If I'm not mistaken, the person who just kidnapped Conan wasn't a suspicious villain at all—it was his mom, Yukiko Kudo.
*Goal #1: Top 200 fanfics published within the last 30 days by POWER STONES.
Progress: 33/50(approx) for 10 BONUS CHAPTERS*
Glossary:
Chicken soup – Emotional encouragement or motivational talk (from "chicken soup for the soul").
Cloud parenting – Feeling proud from a distance, as if you're responsible for someone's growth even if you're not directly involved.
Py – Internet slang referring to networking or clout (short for "piao," related to popularity).