Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

Chapter 103 Jealousy

On a typical afternoon after school, heavy snow fell, the swirling flakes decorating the world like a dream. Haibara Ai, Conan, and a few other members of the Junior Detective League were walking happily home from school, the snow squeaking softly beneath their feet.

Suddenly, a low and sinister voice came from behind: "Ah~~~ Shirley..."

Haibara Ai's heart suddenly sank. She turned around and saw Gin pointing a gun at her. His eyes were cold and ruthless, as if he and she were the only two left in the world. Fear instantly gripped her heart, and everything around her disappeared. Only she and the gun pointed at her were left.

"No!" Haibara Ai screamed, waking from her dream, her breathing rapid, her forehead covered in sweat. She was surrounded by familiar rooms, the snow still falling outside the window, quiet and peaceful. She stroked her chest, her heart pounding, and tried to calm herself.

"It was just a nightmare." She smiled bitterly, feeling completely irrational. She was clearly protected by Chen Shuo, the world's most powerful assassin, yet she was still worrying about such meaningless things, unable to shake off the shadow of the past even in her dreams.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Chen Shuo's voice suddenly rang out beside Huiyuan Ai, startling her. She quickly turned her head and saw Chen Shuo looking at her calmly.

Last night, she stayed at Chen Shuo's house until very late, so she simply slept there. This had become a common occurrence, and she even had her own room there. Even Huihara Megumi often teased her about becoming increasingly attached to Chen Shuo. But in reality, it was simply because she felt incredibly safe around him that she couldn't help but subconsciously draw closer to him.

Huiyuan Ai stretched out her hands to Chen Shuo tremblingly. Chen Shuo raised his eyebrows, smiled and picked her up: "It seems that you really had a nightmare, about that organization?"

She nodded silently, feeling a bit heavy in her heart, but she didn't say anything. Chen Shuo sighed softly and carried her back to his room. Mao Lilan was sleeping peacefully beside her, not being disturbed at all. If she was asleep, even someone with an axe next to her couldn't wake her up.

Chen Shuo simply placed Haibara Ai between himself and Mao Lilan, as if building an invisible wall of protection for her. Surrounded by the warmth of the two, Haibara Ai suddenly felt a sense of security, and the tension and anxiety in her heart seemed to disappear in that instant.

"Good night." Chen Shuo said softly, his eyes gentle, as if giving her the best comfort.

In this atmosphere, Huiyuan Ai soon fell into a deep sleep with a peaceful smile on her face. There were no more nightmares in her dreams, only a feeling of warmth and peace of mind.

---

"Eh? Ai?!!!"

After dawn, Huiyuan Ai was awakened by the scream of Mao Lilan, and a curious face appeared in her hazy eyes. Mao Lilan was lying beside her, with doubts in her eyes.

"Ai, are you awake?" Ran Mouri's voice was as clear as a bell, with a hint of curiosity.

Huiyuan Ai was still sleepy at this moment, and her brain was slowly waking up. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, asking confusedly: "Xiaolan, why are you in my room?"

Mao Lilan couldn't help laughing and gently touched Huiyuan Ai's hair, as if teasing a kitten: "This is obviously my room, Ai."

"This girl had a nightmare yesterday and couldn't sleep because of crying, so I brought her here." Chen Shuo's voice sounded from the other side of Huibara Ai, with a hint of sarcasm. Chen Shuo also woke up and was supporting himself with his hands, looking at Huibara Ai with a look of watching the fun.

At that moment, Haibara Ai's mind finally cleared up, and the embarrassing scene from last night instantly flooded back into her mind. Her face flushed red like a ripe tomato, completely unable to bear the memory. Panicked, she instinctively shouted, "You're the one crying, you perverted uncle!" Then, she turned and sprinted back to her room.

"Hey, wait!" Mao Lilan shouted subconsciously, but it was too late. Haibara Ai's figure disappeared at the door, leaving her and Chen Shuo looking at each other in bewilderment.

After a while, Mao Lilan finally understood what happened last night. She sat on the bed, her brows furrowed, her face full of worry. "Brother Shuo, what should we do with Xiao Ai? She's so pitiful." Her voice was low and tinged with uneasiness.

Chen Shuo watched her silently, feeling powerless. That organization was a lingering nightmare for Haibara Ai. Controlled by them since childhood, she held an almost unparalleled fear of their power. Even though they had nearly easily killed her greatest nightmare, Gin, it was clear that this was not something she could let go of anytime soon.

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do about this." Chen Shuo finally spoke, his tone calm. "I think her fear may gradually fade with time, and she needs to learn to face her fear so that she can grow."

Mao Lilan lowered her head, her fingers gently stroking the bed sheet, her heart full of guilt: "I know, but I can feel how scared she is. I just hope I can help her."

"It'll be fine." Chen Shuo reached out and gently held Mao Lilan's hand. Seeing that the atmosphere was a little heavy, he said jokingly: "No matter what, now all we can give her is a safe living environment. It's not good for you to look so sad."

Mao Lilan was stunned at first when she heard Chen Shuo's teasing, but then she couldn't help laughing, her eyes curved into crescents: "Yes, what Xiao Ai needs is to live happily every day. We can't have sad faces. But Xiao Ai is really cute. She still has nightmares at such a big age."

Chen Shuo looked at Mao Lilan's smiling face, and his heart warmed. Suddenly, he asked curiously, "You also know the little girl's real age. She has been sticking to me like this lately. Aren't you jealous?"

Ran Mao Li was stunned for a moment, her mind flashing back to the intimate actions of Huihara Emi, Huihara Ai, Pu Si Qinglan, and even Suzuki Sonoko with Chen Shuo. She felt a conflicted feeling. Although she did sometimes feel jealous, she also felt that this was not right. Chen Shuo doted on her deeply, and she knew in her heart that his special care for her was irreplaceable.

"Actually... sometimes I still feel a little..." She whispered, lowering her head slightly, a blush on her face. She felt a little uneasy, but also felt that this was not a good thing.

"But I feel that although they are very close to you, I should occupy the most important position in your heart." Mao Lilan bit her lip, a little shy but straightforward.

"I'm glad you think so." Chen Shuo's tone was gentle. He moved closer to her and said softly, "If you feel uncomfortable, just say it immediately. Don't force yourself. You will always be the woman I love the most."

After hearing this, Mao Lilan's uneasiness seemed to dissipate all at once, and a sweet smile appeared on her face again: "That's good, now I feel relieved."

In the early morning, as sunlight streamed into the room through the curtains, Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan sat quietly on the bed, their eyes meeting, and an ambiguous atmosphere gradually filled the air. Mao Lilan blushed, a soft light flashed in her eyes, and her heartbeat began to accelerate.

Chen Shuo reached out and gently stroked her cheek, his fingertips warm and delicate, as if painting a silent picture. His gaze was deep and gentle, and it made Mao Lilan's heart flutter. She nodded slightly, a faint blush spreading across her face, as if tacitly accepting this intimacy.

"You know what?" Chen Shuo's voice was low and magnetic, with a hint of ambiguity. "In my heart, you will always be the most special."

Mao Lilan's heart warmed, and her eyes showed anticipation. She gently approached, as if asking for more warmth. Chen Shuo looked at her slightly shy appearance and couldn't help but lean down and slowly approach her lips.

Their lips met in mid-air, instantly igniting the air around them. Mao Lilan closed her eyes, feeling the gentle touch, her heart filled with sweetness. Chen Shuo's hands gently wrapped around her waist, his movements gentle but firm, as if conveying his deep emotions.

As the kiss deepened, Chen Shuo's hand slowly slid along her back. Mao Lilan trembled slightly, feeling the warmth surrounding her. Her hand unconsciously touched Chen Shuo's shoulder, tightly grasping his sleeve, her heart filled with happiness and intoxication.

In this quiet and warm moment, it seemed as if they were the only two people left in the world, their breaths blending together, and all their worries and anxieties were thrown away.

In Huiyuan Ai's room, Huiyuan Ai sat on the edge of the bed angrily, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. She kept replaying the scene of last night in her mind, thinking: How embarrassing...

---

At the dining table, sunlight streamed through the window onto Huihara Ai. She looked at Mao Lilan, who was concentrating on her breakfast with her head down and her face flushed, with some confusion. Mao Lilan picked up the fried egg while occasionally glancing at Chen Shuo, the blush on her face never seeming to fade.

"What's going on?" Huiyuan Ai thought to herself, her eyes turning to Chen Shuo, who was as calm as ever. He still had a calm expression, seemingly unaware of the subtle change in the atmosphere around him.

Just over ten minutes ago, she finally got over the shame in her heart. When she walked out of the room, she didn't see the two people who had woken up. She couldn't help feeling confused because usually they would have woken up by this time.

"Could he have fallen asleep again?" she muttered to herself, then gently knocked on their door. She heard Ran Maoli's exclamation, followed by a noise coming from inside the room.

"What happened?" Haibara Ai was puzzled, her brows furrowed slightly. After waiting for a moment, Mao Lilan opened the door with a blushing face and hurried past her to the kitchen. She looked like she was frightened by something, her head lowered, and she didn't even dare to meet Haibara Ai's eyes.

"You have such a lack of vision..." Chen Shuo muttered as he followed Mao Li Ran and walked out slowly. He lowered his head and his resentful look scared Huibara Ai. What was going on?

Back to the present, Huiyuan Ai still couldn't comprehend what had happened. She thought blankly about the scene that had just passed, and her mind seemed to be piecing something together, but she couldn't imagine the story behind it no matter what.

At this moment, she was like an innocent child, spending this somewhat quiet morning in confusion, completely unable to appreciate the ambiguous and subtle atmosphere around her.