Shiraishi Yoshijo settled down in Butterfly Habitat Valley.
The happiest of all was Qingjue, the son he had with Mei. The boy was nine this year, at an age full of energy and mischief, and every day he dragged Shiraishi Yoshijo all over the mountains and plains to play wildly.
As his father, Shiraishi Yoshijo naturally adored Qingjue. Though the boy did not look much like him—no, it would be more accurate to say he looked as if he had been carved from the same mold as Mei.
This proved one thing from the side: he and Mei were still far apart, and at least genetically speaking, he had suffered a crushing defeat.
But it was no big deal. He was his son either way.
Come to think of it, Qingjue was rather pitiful. Mei took a completely hands-off approach with him, neither paying him excessive attention nor deliberately doting on him. Meanwhile, Shiraishi Yoshijo had always stayed in Peach Country, dazzled by its glittering world. How could he have remembered Qingjue?
Without parental restraint, Qingjue lived with extraordinary freedom. It seemed nice, but in reality, everyone in Butterfly Habitat Valley was an oddity. Forget friends—he could not even find a single person to talk to.
And despite being nine years old, he could not even write, because no one had taught him.
Shiraishi Yoshijo did not dare criticize Mei, so he could only quietly find some teaching materials and begin Qingjue's basic education alongside their playtime.
Fortunately, the boy was exceptionally clever and learned everything quickly. Whether it was academic learning or Ninjutsu training, he handled it all with ease, which finally put Shiraishi Yoshijo at ease.
The days passed one after another, and in the blink of an eye, a year went by.
On Qingjue's tenth birthday, Shiraishi