After Ran hit him with a slipper, Kogoro Mouri sobered up considerably.
He didn't complain at all, tidied his clothes, smoothed his hair, stood up, and extended his hand to Baishi Hui, smiling, "Ah! You must be the Shirashi-kun Ran often talks about!"
"Thank you for taking such good care of my Ran. This child… her personality is a bit rough, so please don't take offense."
"Ran is very gentle, not rough at all." Baishi Hui didn't shake hands; instead, he chose to hand the gift directly to him, saying, "Nice to meet you, this is a welcoming gift for Mr. Mouri."
"Oh? A welcoming gift too? You're much more polite than that brat!" Kogoro Mouri was surprised but didn't forget to disparage Shinichi.
After glancing at the bag, his expression became even happier: "Shirashi-kun, please sit. Ran, quickly get your classmate… Never mind, I'll do it!"
With that, Kogoro Mouri turned and walked towards the pantry.
This scene made Ran speechless, feeling that her father was too materialistic.
As his daughter, she couldn't help but blush.
"I'm sorry, Shirashi-kun. My dad… he drank too much." Ran wanted to say something but didn't know how to explain it, blushing with embarrassment.
Baishi Hui waved his hand, indicating he didn't mind, saying, "Anyway, there's nothing to do at home, a little drink is no big deal… as long as it doesn't delay work."
"Exactly, exactly!" Kogoro Mouri came out of the pantry and said, "There's no work anyway! What's wrong with having a drink?"
"When have I ever delayed work because I drank too much?"
Saying that, he placed a cup of brewed tea in front of Baishi Hui.
Ran wanted to say more, but considering her father's reputation, she closed her mouth and started tidying the office.
Kogoro Mouri took out the bottle of sake and asked, "Shirashi-kun, how long have you been practicing Karate?"
"Hmm, not long." Baishi Hui said after taking a sip of tea.
Ran said while tidying, "Although it hasn't been long, Shirashi-kun is very strong! I'm no match for him! It's a pity he doesn't plan to join the Karate Club, otherwise the main player wouldn't be me."
"That strong?" Kogoro Mouri was surprised while pouring himself half a glass of sake.
"It's alright, not as strong as you, Mr. Mouri." Baishi Hui smiled and said, "Your record of hitting 20 bullseyes in a row at the police academy is still held today."
"Hmm?" Kogoro Mouri had already picked up his wine glass, but upon hearing this, he immediately put it down and looked at Baishi Hui with surprise: "You… you've heard my story?"
"I've heard a little." Baishi Hui said unhurriedly, "I also heard that your Judo skills are incredibly powerful, and almost no one is your opponent."
"It's a pity, Mr. Mouri, that you chose to resign after a certain case… otherwise, you would probably be a famous Criminal Police in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department by now."
Ran, who was tidying the room nearby, heard this and expressed serious doubt: "Shirashi-kun, did you get it wrong? How can my dad be that amazing?!"
"He didn't get it wrong! Your old man was very amazing when I was young!" Kogoro Mouri snorted proudly. He saw Ran about to say more and interrupted, "Alright, alright, it's getting late! Go make dinner quickly."
Ran looked at the wall clock; it was almost six. She quickly said, "Ah, I'll go make dinner now, Dad, you have to entertain Shirashi-kun well!"
After speaking, she picked up the ingredients and hurried to the third floor.
After Ran left, Baishi Hui said, "It must not be easy raising a daughter alone, Mr. Mouri?"
"Isn't it? I don't even know how I've managed to get through these years." Kogoro Mouri shook his head and chugged down his drink.
Then he looked at Baishi Hui with a strange gaze, feeling that he possessed a maturity that didn't match his age!
Baishi Hui had already prepared his explanation, saying, "My parents passed away in a car accident a while ago… I've been taking care of myself during this time."
"It's so difficult for me to take care of myself, let alone for you to take care of such a young child?"
Kogoro Mouri accepted this explanation, as the death of a loved one can indeed make a person mature quickly.
He said nothing, just silently picked up the sake and poured it into Baishi Hui's glass.
However, halfway through pouring, Kogoro Mouri suddenly realized that he was still a student, so he quickly stopped and said, "Ah, sorry, sorry! I forgot you're still studying."
"It's fine, I often drink at home." Baishi Hui picked up the glass and drank without a care.
Kogoro Mouri then remembered that the sake was bought by him.
Since he could buy it, how could he not drink it?
"Heh heh, you kid!" Kogoro Mouri laughed happily. Just as he was about to continue pouring, he became worried again: "No, what if Ran finds out I let you drink…"
"Don't worry, I'll say I wanted to drink it myself." Baishi Hui said, taking the sake and pouring himself a drink.
"Haha, you kid, you're alright! I feel like you're much more pleasing to the eye than that Shinichi guy." Kogoro Mouri laughed heartily. He liked unconventional people like this!
Baishi Hui smiled. Before transmigrating, he had already started working.
He was no longer the clear-eyed college student and couldn't relate to high school students like Ran.
Instead, he found common interests with middle-aged men like Kogoro Mouri, who had been 'poisoned' by society.
——————
After dinner, Baishi Hui said his goodbyes and left.
Kogoro Mouri, rarely finding someone to talk to, couldn't help but say, "Shirashi-kun, come over often when you have time!!"
"Mhm, I will when I have time." Baishi Hui nodded and then took his leave.
Ran watched Baishi Hui walk away without stumbling, then felt relieved enough to let him walk home.
She looked at Kogoro Mouri with some resentment and said crossly, "Dad! How could you let Shirashi-kun drink alcohol? He's not old enough to drink yet!"
"He wanted to drink it himself, what does it have to do with me?" Kogoro Mouri quickly protested and reminded her, "Don't forget, he bought this sake!"
"This…" Ran was momentarily unable to refute.
She felt her father was right.
After all… Shirashi-kun wasn't a good student.
He even thought about kidnapping Sonoko.
Kogoro Mouri stroked his chin and suddenly said, "By the way, Ran. Do you have any thoughts about dating now?"
"Huh? Dad… you… why are you suddenly asking about this?" Ran was a bit flustered by the question.
Kogoro Mouri chuckled and said, "I don't think dating in high school is a big deal… I think your Shirashi-kun is quite good. If you don't act soon, you might not get a chance later!"
"Dad!!" Ran said, blushing, "You don't need to misunderstand, Shirashi-kun and I are just normal friends!! Don't think about it that way?"
Kogoro Mouri persisted, "At least try dating, maybe you'll fall in love? Besides, it's not too late to break up if you don't like him!"
"I think you just want him to drink with you!!" Ran snorted, instantly seeing through Kogoro Mouri's thoughts.
"Heh heh." Kogoro Mouri chuckled awkwardly and said, "It's fine if you don't date, but… you should bring him back for dinner often!"
"Don't you think it's pitiful for him to eat dinner alone at home?"
Ran said crossly, "Shinichi is also alone at home! So, he's also very pitiful."
"Then call him over too, how's that?!" Kogoro Mouri conceded a step.
Ran looked at her father, somewhat speechless, wondering what kind of spell Baishi Hui had cast on him to make her father care about him so much.