Natsuhi Grows Up, and Tsunade Learns the Truth with Indifference

Naruto's words might sound a bit saccharine under normal circumstances, but they were just right for Ino at this moment.

The rest of the journey was a silent affair; Ino's ears burned and her heart pounded. Naruto didn't say much either, simply leading her forward.

"That."

"Hmm." Naruto didn't ask her what she wanted to say, he just gave a perfunctory reply.

Ino mumbled a couple of times and then fell silent, probably knowing what was about to happen, and the more she thought about it, the more confused she became. But knowing that this day would come sooner or later, she was reluctant to stop.

Choji and Shikamaru are already married, and she's not completely naive. They've known each other for so long, bickering and teasing each other for so many years; it would be a lie to say she doesn't like him.

She just felt that marriage was still a step away, but she wasn't sure what it was. She always felt that they were both lacking something; she was focused on her career, while Naruto was like a rootless duckweed.

Both of their hearts were adrift, adrift with fervor and openness.

Shikamaru and Choji, however, had made up their minds and planned to take over the clan's affairs, get married, and have children in Konohagakure, repeating their parents' lives. Everything was relatively stable.

She knew she would probably have to take over her father's work and take on family affairs, but not now; she had more important things to do.

Lost in thought for a while, I arrived at my destination without even realizing it.

She was led upstairs, the stairwell somewhat dimly lit. She glanced one last time at the street, and only after confirming no one was watching did she nervously hurry after them.

Naruto was a little surprised, feeling the hand he was holding warm slightly in the darkness, and suddenly remembered something. Ino seemed to like excitement; her eyes would well up with tears when she got nervous.

Suddenly, he wanted to tease Ino, but he was afraid of scaring her away. So he simply shut his mouth, put away his playful mood, and reached out to open the door.

Nine-Tails had just returned when she heard the voices of the two people in the entryway from the balcony, and she immediately stopped in her tracks. She looked up in surprise at the other end of the living room and swallowed hard.

Are you coming again?

Without hesitation, it jumped from the second floor again.

"Sit down first, I'll pour you something. What would you like to drink?" He took a few steps with his slippers on, then looked back at her.

"What else is there besides water and wine?"

"That's all," he said with a smile.

"Then pour me a glass of water." Ino helplessly, looking at him standing there smiling, she just couldn't get angry.

After Naruto went into the kitchen, Ino sat up straight on the sofa. She sat quite a distance from the backrest, looking both reserved and a little nervous.

It feels quite surreal; I've been here twice in one day. It's already midday, and I'm sitting here again, gazing at the familiar living room and bedrooms.

She blinked, a strange sense of relief washing over her. Suddenly, she remembered she had the key. Her grip on the key loosened and loosened again, finally easing her tension.

Naruto, unaware of the girl's inner thoughts, poured two glasses of water and placed them there, then sat down next to her. They casually started a conversation, chatting intermittently.

Ino was also absent-minded, staring at the glass and answering only occasionally. Until she felt two hands climb up her waist, she suddenly clenched them tightly.

"Don't be nervous." He gently pressed Ino down onto the sofa, laying her flat.

Feeling his presence, Ino felt the veins on her neck throbbing. It would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous, but she was also quite bold.

She reached out and hooked her arm around Naruto's neck, pursed her lips, and kissed him.

Only two intertwined figures remained on the sofa; all was silent, and the wind had abruptly stopped.

The gentle, continuous kisses, like fine sand, slowly seeped into her heart, filling the loneliness of many years.

The more intense the emotions, the greater the physical pleasure.

Outside the window, the Nikko was abundant, the summer trees provided ample shade, and everywhere was a lush and verdant scene. Naruto had the curtains drawn, completely covering everything inside and out.

Inside, two people were forcing themselves to play cards, using one deck of cards. Natsuhi fatigue set in, and after a few rounds, they'd only managed to collect a few pairs of bombs, which were quite boring.

In the end, weary birds return to the forest, and fish swim in the deep abyss.

After a long while, with a whoosh, the curtains were pulled open. Naruto, holding a glass of water, stood by the window, staring blankly at the white sky.

It was sunny in the morning, but by noon it looked like it was going to rain. Natsuhi weather is unpredictable; when the temperature gets extremely hot and humid, a torrential downpour can follow.

He stood there for a while, then suddenly remembered that he hadn't eaten lunch and was hungry. He turned to look at Ino, who was fast asleep in the room, and thought he should go downstairs to buy something to eat first.

As he went downstairs, the sky grew increasingly gloomy. Naruto hadn't brought an umbrella, so he quickened his pace. The sense of satisfaction in his heart gradually returned, and his mood involuntarily became cheerful.

I bought a bowl of ramen and some fried food to go. When I got back, it had started to drizzle. He went upstairs and took out his keys to open the door.

He heard a rustling sound coming from inside the room. He couldn't help but push open the door. The room was dimly lit because the curtains were drawn.

Ino had woken up sometime earlier, her soft blonde hair draped over her shoulders. She looked at him blankly for a moment before realizing what was happening and said something in a pitiful tone.

"Hungry."

Upon hearing this, Naruto chuckled.

"I just bought some food, I'll make do with this."

The two of them shared their food by the bedside, taking turns eating, which was quite pleasant. As evening approached, it did indeed start to rain outside.

The rain was pouring down, and the rain was hitting... well, I can't say.

That evening, Ino had no choice but to drag her tired body back home. Naruto escorted her to the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Ino tried her best to act as if nothing had happened.

She just glanced back at him, her gaze sharp and piercing.

Naruto felt a slight chill run down his spine, thinking to himself that he hoped things would go smoothly from now on. However, after turning around and taking a few steps, he couldn't help but laugh. Today was unexpected; he had thought this matter would be much more complicated.

But life's surprises come unexpectedly, and after many twists and turns, I finally managed to fulfill my wish.

Over the next few days, Naruto was immersed in the bliss of newlywed life. He met with Ino frequently, and their feelings for each other intensified rapidly.

Naruto hasn't been idle these past few days.

He met with Kiba Inuzuka and probed into whether the Inuzuka Clan's leak of secrets was indeed related to Root. However, he couldn't go into details and could only arrange another time to discuss it.

Ino didn't indulge in the sweet romance; after a few days of intimacy, she returned to work seriously. Naruto, having some free time, went to find Tsunade.

This was the first time he had sought out Tsunade since returning from his mission, intending to finalize the funding for the communicator. Konohagakure couldn't very well ignore the question of where such a large sum of money came from, Naruto ultimately couldn't provide a clear explanation.

Only if Tsunade were to come up with this money would it be reasonable, and no one would question the Senju Clan's resources. His purpose was simply to give Tsunade a heads-up and to obtain the money in her name.

Knock, knock, knock. In the Shizune office, he chose to show respect.

"Go in." It was Tsunade's voice, somewhat languid.

Naruto pushed open the door and went inside. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly saw Tsunade look up at him. Her eyes were filled with resentment, carrying a hint of restrained anger, which instantly sent chills down his spine.

"Hey, Lord Tsunade, what are you doing?" He couldn't help but take two steps back.

"Oh, it's you." Tsunade seemed to have mistaken someone for someone else, and her expression turned indifferent again.

Naruto was terrified. He clearly saw that Tsunade had seen him clearly before giving him that look, which was somewhat eerie, as if she harbored some deep-seated hatred.

But seeing her calm demeanor now, he didn't press her for an answer. After a long moment of hesitation, Naruto finally asked tentatively.

"Is Lord Tsunade busy right now?"

"I'm not busy, is there something you need?"

"Yes." He scratched his face, preparing to speak.

With a whoosh, Tsunade stood up abruptly, about to walk out. She glanced at Naruto one last time, saying casually.

"Wait for me a moment, I have something to do."

Naruto: "."

If he couldn't see anything wrong, he might as well feed his eyes to a dog. Tsunade's attitude clearly meant to make things difficult for him, but damn it...

He was bewildered himself; everything had been fine just two weeks ago. This cunning fat sheep had even made some sordid agreement with him—a topic for adults.

The two were planning to work together to deal with Danzo, with Tsunade being the main person in charge, and he was at most just someone who charged into battle and spread rumors.

Regardless, they were teammates on the same front. Close partners, even if their relationship wasn't the best, at least they were trustworthy and reliable.

Naruto was genuinely confused by Tsunade's situation. He sat in his chair, racking his brains to recall everything, but he was still bewildered. He couldn't believe he had offended her.

Not daring to speak, I could only sit quietly in the chair and wait.

After waiting for ages, Tsunade seemed to have returned. Naruto got up, about to speak, but Tsunade ignored him and prepared to leave again. Naruto nearly choked with anger.

"Lord Tsunade, what have I done to offend you?"

"No, why are you saying that?" Tsunade looked at him with a puzzled expression and explained, "I've been quite busy lately, don't misunderstand, wait for me a little longer."

With that, Tsunade left again.

Naruto waited from morning until noon, then went out for lunch and came back to take a nap at the table, waiting from noon until the afternoon. During this time, Tsunade never showed up.

"Damn it! That woman was just playing me!" He gritted his teeth, secretly vowing that revenge would bring him much worse consequences.

It wasn't until evening that Lord Tsunade, who was rarely seen, finally appeared. She was slightly taken aback when she saw Naruto, and her first words almost gave Naruto a stroke.

What are you doing here?

With a snap, Naruto stood up abruptly, his fingers trembling as he said to Tsunade, "Lord Tsunade, you definitely did this on purpose, didn't you?"

"No." Tsunade a step in her high-heeled sandals, and something wobbled as if an avalanche was about to occur.

"Why did Lord Tsunade ignore me? Three times!! Three whole times!" Naruto was slightly excited and was about to lean forward.

"I didn't leave you hanging, I already told you I've been too busy."

"I'm not stupid, I'm busy with all sorts of things," Naruto said. "Lord Tsunade, I haven't offended you recently, is there any need for this?"

"How do you know you haven't offended me?" Tsunade crossed her arms and looked at him.

Naruto suddenly realized something and felt incredibly guilty. The situation was slightly awkward, and he was now considering leaving, with a vague sense of foreboding.

"You remembered?" Tsunade sneered, staring straight at him. "What? Is it fun? Naruto Uzumaki."

"It's not fun." Naruto took a few steps back, his face slightly embarrassed. "So, Lord Tsunade, you knew all along that I was going to travel through time?"

"I don't know. To be precise, I only fully understood from the moment you finished your mission." Tsunade stared at him intently, her fists clenched, already harboring murderous intent.

"Wait, wait, Lord Tsunade, calm down, calm down." He said as he backed away, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

It's all Danzo's Danzo. Otherwise, I wouldn't have accumulated conflicts with Tsunade. If I hadn't accumulated conflicts with Tsunade, I wouldn't have thought of traveling through time to take revenge on her.

Now he's caught red-handed, there's no way to deny it anymore. He was a little embarrassed, wringing his hands, unsure what to do. An apology? It didn't seem to be of much use.

It was purely a rash decision made in the moment, without considering the consequences. Now, thinking about it carefully, damn it, it's terrifying to think about. I'm the one who turned Tsunade into a gambling prey.

Now look what's happened, he's finally met the real target, and he deliberately played Tsunade first.

"Calm down? You want me to calm down?" Tsunade grabbed Naruto by the collar, lifted him up, brought her face very close to his, and said fiercely, slamming her nose against his.

"Naruto Uzumaki, you deserve to die!"

"I was wrong, Lord Tsunade." Naruto's teeth were chattering; it was clear that Tsunade was truly enraged.

"You've got some nerve, Naruto Uzumaki, trying to take advantage of me?" Tsunade said fiercely. "Hmm!? You think I'm easy to fool because I'm all alone?"

"How many truths do you ever tell? Huh? Speak up, Naruto Uzumaki. Weren't you always so eloquent? Let's play one more round, why aren't you playing anymore?"

"I'm too scared to play anymore," he said sheepishly.

"Huh? Aren't you supposed to be pretty bold?" Tsunade was furious. "There's something you wouldn't dare to do, huh? You said you'd see me again, is this how you say goodbye? Huh? Say something."

Naruto was truly like a little chick this time, being held up by Tsunade and not daring to lift his head. Oh no, he'd been caught red-handed for being so impulsive. He was incredibly anxious, terrified of getting a beating.

Fortunately, Tsunade didn't actually beat him up. She simply threw him out and lay down on a chair to rest. Her eyes were indifferent as she glanced at Naruto, who had just gotten up.

Twenty years had passed, so even the last glimmer of hope in my heart slowly died at this moment. Life is like a farce, destined to end in absurdity.

"Is there anything else?" Tsunade, rubbing her temples.

"Uh, it's gone, it's gone." Naruto hesitated for a moment, knowing that Tsunade and it wasn't the time to talk, so he decisively slipped away.

"Lord Tsunade, I'm going back now." With that, he immediately slipped away.

Tsunade sat alone in the large office, watching the light gradually dim, her eyes staring blankly at the desk, lost in thought.

Occasionally, a soft, rustling sound would drift out, startling birds flying in the treetops.

Outside, the Natsuhi blazes, and life is peaceful. Inside, however, spring thunder rumbles, chaos reigns, and the gentle breezes and light of spring, which once held all the tenderness of love, now seem to be lost in the warmth of spring.

When emotions run deep, calling out "sister" a couple of times to comfort him is understandable, since Ino was indeed born half a month before him. But once they stepped out of that door, he wouldn't acknowledge her anymore.

Youth is passionate and fiery, as if it has been waiting for a long time. There is no feeling of stuffiness or fatigue.

Like Ying'er in Gu Cheng's writing, like Watanabe and Naoko in Norwegian Wood, like Eileen Chang's exquisite descriptions in Red Rose, White Rose.