Envy-inducing red-haired brat (Seeking recommendation votes, seeking monthly votes at the beginning of the month)

The early morning hour, the night at its deepest.

The once-pouring rain had quieted down considerably, leaving only a faintly thickening fog rising in its wake.

A massive pitch-black ship cut through the river mist and gradually came to a halt at the port.

The woman on duty at the harbor merely glanced over from a distance, seeming to recognize the vessel's owner. She offered an ordinary smile, didn't even bother to approach for questions or inspection, and simply waved them through.

But just as she turned to leave, a shout rang out from the ship.

"Zhouyu!"

The woman called Zhouyu stopped in her tracks, turning to look at the two figures approaching from afar.

Especially when she spotted the little girl toddling toward her on short legs.

Without thinking, she opened her arms.

"Auntie Zhouyu! Hug!"

Pfft! Pfft!

Little Rain dove straight into the woman's embrace, nuzzling vigorously, burying her small face in the softness and whining in a babyish voice.

"Hey! Little Rain?"

The woman's face softened into a gentle smile. She looked up at the man approaching and said in surprise, "Plum Rain-kun, weren't you out stocking up? How are you back so soon?"

"Ah, ran into a bunch of Water Bandits on the way. Bad luck, really."

Plum Rain stopped, scratching his head with a simple, honest grin. He sat down beside the woman with easy familiarity and said in an envious tone, "Speaking of which, your life here sure is carefree."

"A woman nobody wants like me can only drift through life like this," the woman said, covering her mouth with a light laugh, as if mocking herself. But the look she gave Plum Rain carried a hint of reproach.

"...Do you have time right now?"

Plum Rain scratched his head again, hesitated for a moment, then seemed to make up his mind. He suggested, "Want to grab a drink? I'm friends with the owner of that new Izakaya next door. The food and Sake there are pretty good."

Hearing this, the woman raised an eyebrow, surprised by his initiative today. She asked teasingly, "Is today some kind of holiday? I don't remember your birthday or Little Rain's being today, right?"

"I just got a good scolding, that's all."

Plum Rain sighed, recalling the conversation on the ship.

"Forgive my bluntness, but as far as I know, your wife passed away three years ago."

Yun Chuan's tone was full of pity. "For reasons I may not know, last night Little Rain had a nightmare. She kept calling for her mother. I woke her up, held her in my arms, and told her a story before she fell asleep."

"No need to be so polite. Little Rain really is adorable, well-behaved, and sensible. I like her too. But sometimes, her maturity breaks my heart. If I remember correctly, she's only three years old."

"So she died at the hands of Water Bandits... I see. Truly regrettable. Still, though it may sound presumptuous of me to say this, for Little Rain's sake, I hope you can move on."

"...Wait, what kind of image do you have of me in your head?"

"Don't treat me like some bastard who deserves to be strung up on a lamppost. I consider myself a man of high morals, a leader who cares about his people."

"I've told you all many times: under me, as long as it doesn't affect the big picture, you're free to choose your own life."

"Of course, when I truly need you, I won't hesitate. In fact, you'd better be prepared to be dragged out of your little paradise when I call. I hope you won't hold a grudge against me then."

Yun Chuan's troubled expression still echoed in his mind, and Uncle Plum Rain couldn't help shaking his head with a wry laugh.

Then he snapped back to the present and looked at the woman before him.

This woman who had waited for him for three years, who stood at the harbor day and night waiting for him.

He had known the answer all along, hadn't he?

"Damn, damn! He really saw right through me, hahaha!"

Plum Rain laughed heartily, scratching his head. He looked at the confused woman in front of him, reached out, and took her hand. "Sorry for making you wait so long."

For an instant, the woman froze. When she came to her senses, a flush crept across her pale face.

"S-So even the slow-witted Plum Rain-kun can be this forward!"

She instinctively jabbed at him, but didn't pull her hand away.

They gazed at each other, the atmosphere gradually growing warm and intimate.

Until a faint giggle reached her ears. The woman jolted awake, pulled her hand back, and looked down with reddened cheeks at the little girl snickering in her arms.

"Does that mean I can change what I call you now?" Little Rain blinked, speaking slowly and deliberately with a grin. "Auntie Zhouyu... no, I should say, Mama."

At those words, the woman's face flushed even deeper. She put on a fierce expression, kneading Little Rain's chubby cheeks as she said, "That's right! From now on, I'm your wicked stepmother! You'd better be ready!"

With that, she turned to Plum Rain, who was smiling beside her, and said with forced calm, "Plum Rain-kun, I'll take Little Rain to change into some dry clothes first. Excuse me for a moment."

She stood up and took a step, then suddenly paused. In a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, she added, "If it's not too much trouble, please thank Lord Yun Chuan for me. Otherwise, I don't know how much longer I'd have to wait to hear you say those words."

Watching the two figures—one big, one small—gradually walk away, Plum Rain instinctively pulled a rolled cigarette from his pocket. The smile on his face slowly faded, replaced by a somber expression.

"Land of Rain, Wind Country, Earth Country, Water Country, Land of Fire, Land of Whirlpools, Lightning Country... war. That detestable war is coming again."

He was already old.

Too old to work on the front lines anymore.

And his only daughter had no talent for becoming a Ninja whatsoever.

"Although Lord Yun Chuan gives us the choice to find a way of living that suits us, and although I don't want my own daughter to pick the most dangerous frontline work either..."

As he thought, Baiyu suddenly let out a sigh. "But when I think about dying in bed of old age someday, instead of dying on the road chasing peace, and my daughter not being able to take up my responsibility... it feels a bit unsatisfying."

Lost in thought, raindrops the size of beans struck the fingers holding his cigarette.

He snapped back to the present, looked up at the night sky still thick with dark clouds, then turned his head toward the room where faint sounds of scuffling and laughter drifted out.

After a moment of silence, Baiyu tucked the cigarette back into his chest and put his smile back on.

Yes, war. Loathsome war...

But to protect everything they had barely managed to hold onto, there was no choice but to keep walking this path. Otherwise, just like three years ago, he would only watch helplessly as everything he had was taken away, his complete and happy family shattered to pieces.

So that his daughter could have the chance to choose her own life in the future, and to achieve the most noble of goals, he and his comrades were willing to use the most despicable means.

Even if that despicable means was the war they detested!

Baiyu believed that every old comrade gathered around Lord Yun Chuan shared this resolve.

"Right, speaking of which, Lord Yun Chuan also brought back a red-haired brat before."

He suddenly recalled a striking flash of red, narrowed his eyes slightly, and muttered to himself, "I wonder if the few children brought back this time can match that little one in talent?"

That little one whose talent in both ninjutsu and Assassination Art was so enviable, even jealousy-inducing.

That red-haired brat fortunate enough to be granted a surname by Lord Yun Chuan.