Like Smoke Among Cats

The room fell silent for a moment, followed by the low yet gentle response of Uchiha Koh.

"Just leave it by the door; I still wish to speak with them a while longer."

"Very well, Grandfather."

Uchiha Mikoto bowed as instructed, placing the warm teacup softly beside the door.

As she stood up, she couldn't help but add a soft reminder, her tone laced with urged concern.

"Do remember to drink it; I shall come back to check on you later."

Her footsteps faded into the distance, like a wisp of tea fragrance dissipating in the moonlight.

Inside the room, Uchiha Koh shook his head with a helpless yet happy smile.

On the other side, Uchiha Ren leaned against the kitchen doorframe, urging impatiently.

"Daju, pick up the pace."

"I know, meow."

His overly capable ninja cat contract was wearing a custom-made Uchiha clan outfit, the fan crest embroidered on its back swaying with its busy movements.

The chubby orange cat stood on its hind legs, its paw pads weaving hand signs with a dexterity that defied its size.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

With a soft "poof," three identical orange clones wearing clan outfits appeared before the stove.

The original handled the ladle while the clones coordinated in perfect sync: one chopped ingredients with flying speed, one controlled the heat, and the third handled the seasoning.

The iron wok tossed and turned between the cat's paws, flames leaping half a person high, illuminating the orange cat's focused face.

"Sizzle—"

Chili and garlic exploded with fragrance in the hot oil, and a rich aroma instantly filled the entire kitchen.

When it came to his ninja cat being able to cook, Ren had truly not lied to Uchiha Mikoto.

His ninja cat was, quite literally, a master of all housework.

In just a few moments, several Chinese-style stir-fried dishes, complete in color, aroma, and taste, were plated and served.

Daju dispelled its clones, proudly stroked its whiskers, and pushed the final dish of stir-fried beef noodles toward Uchiha Ren with its paw.

"Please enjoy, Young Master Ren."

Its round body stood straight, though its tail wagged happily behind it.

Uchiha Ren sat at the dining table, his gaze sweeping over the dazzling array of dishes—

The shredded pork with green peppers was glistening and fragrant.

The mapo tofu was vibrant red and enticing.

The stir-fried beef noodles were full of wok hei.

Uchiha Ren picked up his chopsticks, plucked a piece of meat coated in sauce, and popped it into his mouth under the cat's nervous gaze.

"Not bad, you've improved. It wasn't in vain that I taught you. Tell me, how should I reward you?"

Upon hearing this, Daju's round body instantly straightened. "Oh no, no, it's all thanks to the Young Master's guidance. Besides, the Young Master has been training hard lately and needs to nourish his body, meow~"

Though it was humble in speech, its fluffy tail had already betrayed its heart, happily drawing circles in the air.

Ren picked up another chopstick of shredded pork and chuckled, "Oh? Is that so? Then we shall save the reward for next time."

Daju's cat ears twitched, its round body froze abruptly, and the tip of its tail hung in mid-air, forgetting to wag.

It rubbed its paw pads against the wooden floorboards in distress, its voice dropping an octave.

"That... actually..."

Ren leisurely picked up another bite of beef noodles, feigning surprise.

"Could it be that you wanted a reward?"

"It's not a reward!"

The orange cat puffed up its fur and jumped onto the table, then hurriedly used its tail to straighten the chopsticks it had knocked askew.

"It's a legitimate right! You promised last time to let Ayan teach me Fire Style ninjutsu..."

It suddenly fell silent, its two front paws nervously folded together.

"So, you wanted to see Ayan."

Ren tapped the tip of the cat's nose with his chopsticks, watching its pupils instantly shrink into vertical slits.

"Why didn't you just say so? I'll have Ayan come over as a teaching assistant tomorrow."

The cat's whiskers trembled in tiny arcs, and the entire creature seemed to glow as if injected with chakra.

It pretended to be calm and licked its paw, though a purring sound rumbled in its throat.

"It's mainly to exchange training insights, meow... it's not like I want to smell her scent or anything."

"I know, I know."

Uchiha Ren smiled.

The Ninken Clan had held a pact with the Uchiha clan for generations; these adorable little creatures were truly something else.

Not only were they the intelligence brokers and arms dealers for the Uchiha, but their soft, sweet "meows" were also the perfect medicine to soothe the sensitive hearts of the Uchiha clansmen.

Ayan was the partner with whom Ren had officially signed a contract on the day he became a genin.

She was a silver-spotted cat with fur like moonlight, a beauty among cats who lived up to her name, Ayan.

As for Daju, he was purely a "bonus" who had followed behind Ayan one day and invited himself in.

Over a decade had passed, and this big orange cat, who had once clung to him so shamelessly, had long since been trained into total submission by Ren.

Ever since Ren moved out of his grandfather's estate to live alone, Daju had been assigned to be the household's all-around handyman—handling everything from laundry to cooking—all so he could spend more time with Ayan.

One could only say he was completely whipped.

After dinner, Daju nimbly cleaned the kitchen until it was spotless.

Then, with a soft "poof," he returned to the territory of the Ninken Clan.

The bathroom was filled with swirling steam, and the air was permeated with the faint, refreshing scent of cypress and medicinal herbs.

Ren submerged himself in the hot water that Daju had prepared in advance.

The perfect water temperature drew a satisfied sigh from the depths of his throat.

"Being a simp is truly useful!"

The fatigue accumulated throughout the day seemed to be drawn out from his limbs and bones, bit by bit, along with the rising steam.

He leaned back, closed his eyes, and let his thoughts drift in the tranquility.

The intermittent chirping of insects outside the window became the most natural lullaby.

Suddenly, a "poof" sounded in the air. Ren opened his eyes to see an elegant figure landing lightly on the edge of the bathtub.

Her fur, a blend of silver-white and light gray, shimmered with a soft luster amidst the swirling steam.

Her long, slender tail wrapped around her paws like mist, the tip adorned with a few star-like silver spots.

A pair of emerald eyes, like cat's-eye gems soaked in a clear spring, shimmered with moisture as they reflected Ren's figure in the tub.

"That silly cat."

She spoke, her voice carrying the soft, melodic tone peculiar to felines.

"He just returned to the clan grounds and spent the whole time hinting at tomorrow's plans."

Ayan's silver-white whiskers twitched slightly, her tone laced with helplessness.

"Fifteen whole years, and this idiot's way of showing affection is still so... troublesome."

"So, do you actually like Daju or not?" Ren asked, half-closing his eyes.

"Young Master is joking again."

"I only see Daju as an older brother," Ayan said, delivering a line that was as "Ayan-esque" as ever.

She flicked her tail elegantly, looked up at the crescent moon outside the window, and spoke with a hint of longing in her voice.

"What I yearn for is the strength of Lady Matatabi—a Tailed Beast Bomb that tears through the long night, and hellfire that burns the firmament."

Ayan added softly, "So, Young Master Ren, please stop trying to set me up with Daju. I don't want Lady Matatabi to misunderstand."

Looking at his own Ninken, who had been poisoned by the cheesy romance novel he had written during a brain-dead moment titled The Overbearing Young Master Falls in Love With Me, Ren was left speechless.