New Year, Vacation, and Overtime

Time flies like water, and in the blink of an eye, it has been 45 years since Konoha was founded. This year, Taiichi is 9 years old, and Yohei and Saori are both 12 years old.

As their bodies entered a period of rapid development, Taiichi could clearly feel that Yohei and Saori's Chakra Quantity were increasing at an alarming rate.

This made Taiichi envious. You see, Taiichi, who originally had a sufficient Chakra Quantity, fell into a predicament of lacking Chakra after developing the Scorch Style: Fire Transformation Technique.

The fact that Chakra is depleted quickly after using a technique not only hinders the development of new techniques but also makes increasing proficiency extremely slow.

Unfortunately, being too young is being too young, and that objective reality cannot be changed. Now, Taiichi can only work harder to improve his physical fitness, hoping to increase his Chakra through physical training.

It is worth mentioning that during this period, Taiichi, Yohei, and Saori maintained a strict training rhythm, carried out various missions, and their strength steadily improved.

Despite not having Captain, the three still worked together seamlessly, and during this period they swept through a large number of C-Rank Mission at an extremely high frequency, gradually making Team 8's reputation known among the Genin of Konoha.

That morning, Taiichi was cultivating by the river as usual when suddenly a long-lost "Jiji" call came from afar.

Taiichi followed the direction of the sound and looked intently, only to see a familiar Asuka flapping its wings and flying towards them.

As they drew closer, Taiichi gradually came to see its appearance clearly.

Wow, it's been so long! I never expected that the chubby bird had actually lost weight. Its plump appearance is gone, and it now looks quite majestic.

Then, after circling above Taiichi's head a few times, Asuka Jiji made a graceful descent, flapping its wings rapidly less than a meter from the ground. The strong wind it generated stirred up a cloud of dust, and it landed lightly on a Taiseki.

However, his cool demeanor lasted only three seconds before a shrill, hoarse voice shattered the illusion. "Jiji, Taiichi, do I look more handsome?"

How come I never noticed how narcissistic this silly bird was before? It seems it knew all along that its chubby appearance had nothing to do with being handsome.

Taiichi ignored its question and said to himself, "Jiji, it's been so long, has Captain Yamaguchi returned?"

"Jiji, yes, Jiji, his long mission is over. Jiji is here to inform everyone to gather at Training Ground 7 at 9:00 AM tomorrow."

Without waiting for Taiichi's reply, he flapped his wings and soared into the sky amidst another cloud of dust, leaving behind only the words, "Jiji, I need to hurry and inform Yohei and Saori, then I have to go find my girlfriend. Jiji, I won't say any more to you, Jiji."

Taiichi was speechless. This silly bird landed, said a couple of words, and then flew away again. It was as if it deliberately landed so Taiichi could see how handsome it was.

However, thinking of the news Jiji brought, Taiichi couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. He was really getting tired of doing C-Rank Mission. If things continued like this, Taiichi wouldn't want to carry out any more missions and would just stay home and focus on cultivation.

With anticipation in his heart, Taiichi arrived at the Training Ground early the next day.

When he arrived, Yohei and Saori were already waiting there, clearly more eager than Taiichi.

The three didn't have to wait long before a tall figure slowly walked into the Training Ground from afar—it was none other than Masasuke Yamaguchi, whom they hadn't seen for a long time.

He was slightly thin, clearly having worked tirelessly on his mission, but he was full of energy and radiant, especially his eyes, which were even more resolute than before.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting." Captain Yamaguchi walked up to the three of them and bowed deeply to them, which completely bewildered them.

Then, Captain Yamaguchi said apologetically, "During this time, I haven't fulfilled my duties as Captain, leaving you all to carry out missions and train on your own. I'm truly sorry!"

Taiichi quickly waved his hand. "Captain, don't say that. It's good enough that you came back safely! Besides, this mission wasn't something you could decide on your own."

Saori nodded in agreement, "We've been eagerly awaiting your return!"

Yohei Ping grinned and said half-jokingly, "Yeah, while you were away, we took on quite a few C-Rank Mission. Now we're pretty well-known in the village."

Captain Yamaguchi smiled with satisfaction and patted Yohei on the shoulder, "I heard about it. You did a great job, even exceeding my expectations. However—"

He paused, then said solemnly, "As compensation, I'll treat you to lunch today. Let's go to Barbecue Restaurant for a good meal and catch up on what's been going on lately."

The three cheered, and Yohei excitedly suggested, "Then I won't be polite! I'll order 10 plates of top-grade Wagyu beef!"

Taiichi smiled and shook his head, "Be careful not to overeat, then don't complain of being tired during training this afternoon."

Saori, head bowed, absentmindedly tapped her fingers as she softly reminded, "Captain, isn't this making you spend too much money?"

Captain Yamaguchi's smile froze. Despite Yohei's boastful claim of ordering 10 plates, he was actually quite capable of eating half of them. But this quiet young girl in front of him had an appetite that was completely disproportionate to her appearance.

"It's alright, eat your fill. I've been on a lot of high-level Captain lately, so my wallet's full."

With the Captain's return, Team 8 is finally complete again and can now take on more advanced missions.

That evening, Taiichi wrote a letter directly to Tsunade through Shikkotsu Forest to tell her about it. After all, he had complained more than once that the current mission was too easy and had no challenge at all.

At the same time, Taiichi also consulted Tsunade about where there were any good houses for sale. After all, she had lived in Konoha for so many years, and her understanding of Konoha was far superior to that of the Taiichi Taichi.

As the perfect day came to an end, just as Taiichi and the others were looking forward to starting to take on B-rank, or even A-rank Mission the next day, reality slapped them in the face.

"What! The Mission Hall is closed for the holidays!" Yohei's exclamation echoed at the entrance of the Mission Hall, and Taiichi and Saori looked at each other in surprise.

"You guys in Team 8 have gone crazy from doing missions!" The staff member looked at Yohei with surprise, then glanced at everyone behind him. "You're the Captain, right? This is the first time I've seen you."

One sentence left Captain Yamaguchi utterly humiliated. It seemed the staff knew Team 8 so well, yet they didn't recognize their Captain. But what the staff said next made Captain Yamaguchi even more embarrassed.

"Their children have forgotten the date, how come you, the Captain, don't remember either?" The staff member looked distressed. "New Year, New Year, it's the New Year holiday now. Except for the tasks assigned by the village, all other tasks are suspended. We'll come back in three days."

"New Year!" Captain Yamaguchi slapped his forehead. "How could I forget something so important!"

"I was wondering why there were so many people on the street today. Oh, it's because of the Lunar New Year holiday!" Taiichi realized at that moment.

"Then what about us?" Yohei tentatively asked.

"Of course everyone goes home for the New Year!" Captain Yamaguchi said definitively.

At that moment, he also remembered the look his wife gave him when he left home earlier that day, as if she were looking at him like he was an idiot. It turned out that she knew then that she would definitely come back.

"Great!" Yohei cheered immediately, completely unlike his dejected look when he couldn't get the mission. After all, the New Year is a time for joy.

They all agreed to meet again after the New Year and then hurried home without looking back.

As for Taiichi, he naturally had his own destination, but the first thing he needed to do was to hurry to the street to buy New Year's gifts.

The streets were brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, creating a festive atmosphere. Taiichi was puzzled; how come he hadn't remembered it was New Year's Day? Had he really gone mad from doing so many missions?

Taiichi weaved through the crowd, carefully selecting gifts. He prepared different things for each child: small Ninja Tool models for boys, hair accessories and dolls for girls, and books and stationery for older children.

Finally, he specially picked out a warm scarf for Nonō, with an elegant color but a soft texture that felt especially gentle against her skin, suiting her gentle personality.

Once everything was ready, Taiichi, carrying bags of gifts, headed towards the Orphanage.

Pushing open the Orphanage gate, the sound of children's laughter immediately filled the air. Grandma Keiko was leading them in decorating for the New Year. Upon seeing Taiichi, she smiled kindly and said, "Taiichi, I thought you weren't coming this year!"

"Sorry, I almost forgot it's New Year's Day." Taiichi scratched his head sheepishly. "Grandma Keiko, where's Sister Nonō?"

"She's just like you!" Grandma Keiko sighed. "She really forgot it was New Year's Day and went straight to the hospital to work overtime."

Nonō is now a full-time doctor at Konoha Hospital. This year, during the Lunar New Year, the hospital arranged for staff to work in shifts, Nonō happened to be assigned to be on duty for these two days.

At this moment, the children in the yard noticed Taiichi's arrival and cheered as they surrounded him. Taiichi patiently distributed gifts to them.

"Yami, this is the little bear hair clip you've been wanting for so long! Look how pretty it is!"

"Jiangtai, this is your Kunai toy. Remember, don't throw it at your Companions, it's for you to protect them!"

"Chine, these dolls are for you and your sister. Look, one is red and one is blue. Make sure you can tell them apart!"

Seeing their excited expressions after receiving the gifts, Taiichi felt a warm glow in his heart.

While their attention was focused on their respective gifts, Taiichi Hand Seals and created a Shadow Clone to continue playing with the children. His main body, however, took the gift he had bought especially for Grandma Keiko and went over to her.

"Grandma, these knee braces were specially chosen for you. It's getting cold, and your legs aren't feeling well, so wearing them will make you much more comfortable."

--

Grandma Keiko paused for a moment, then smiled gently. "Thank you, Taiichi!" She stroked the gift softly, her eyes filled with satisfaction. "Good child, you're always so thoughtful."

Taiichi smiled, chatted with the old lady for a while, then stood up and said, "Grandma Keiko, I'm going to the hospital to see Sister Nonō. I'll leave Shadow Clone here to continue taking care of the children. If you need anything, just let him do it."

"Okay, okay!" Grandma Keiko smiled and urged Taiichi, "Go quickly, go quickly, you have to work overtime during the New Year, you can go and keep her company."

Hospitals are always bustling with people. Even though it's a holiday, standing outside the hospital and looking at the bustling entrance, the crowds haven't decreased at all because of the New Year. Taiichi sighed, no wonder they still have to schedule overtime at this time.

Taiichi walked into the hospital, through the crowded corridor, and into the busy emergency room, where the smell of disinfectant mixed with the groans rising and falling.

During the New Year holiday, other departments may see a decrease in patients, but the emergency room will not only not see a decrease, but will actually see an increase.

The most common ailments during this period are those caused by improper diet leading to gastrointestinal discomfort, injuries from fireworks and firecrackers, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases triggered by emotional excitement.

Sure enough, from afar, Taiichi saw that Nonō was bending over to clean the wound of a child whose hand had been injured by a firecracker. Her light brown long hair was hurriedly tied into a ponytail, and despite the cold weather, her forehead was still covered in sweat, showing how busy she was.

Taiichi walked behind Nonō and quietly watched her focus on giving the child the final bandages. Only after she finished did she struggle to stand up.

Perhaps she had been squatting for too long, or perhaps she was too tired, but after standing up, Nonō swayed involuntarily. Seeing that she was about to fall, Taiichi quickly stepped forward and supported her arm. "Sister Nonō, take a rest."

Having regained her balance, Nonō's eyes lit up when she saw that it was Taiichi who had supported her, and a smile bloomed on her face, "Taiichi, what brings you here? Didn't you go to the Orphanage?"

"Of course I went! And now I'm at the hospital with you!" Seeing Nonō's exhausted expression, Taiichi felt sorry for her. "Sister, you should rest. Were you about to faint?"

"No, this New Year has brought a flu outbreak, plus other illnesses, and hospitals are severely understaffed everywhere these days—"

Before she could finish speaking, the sound of footsteps approached from afar, along with shouts from other nurses, "Dr. Nonō, come quick! There's an acute gastrointestinal problem here."

"Sorry, I can't stay with you, I have to go now." Before she could finish speaking, Nonō turned and ran away.

Watching Nonō leave, Taiichi felt helpless. This must be the trouble of having such a responsible and loving older sister!

Taiichi looked around and saw busy figures everywhere. Taiichi, he remembered that he still had a work ID card at the hospital that he hadn't picked up yet!

When Director Fujita invited Taiichi to work at the hospital, although he declined, the chief promised to get Taiichi a work permit so he could help out at the hospital in his spare time. Now is the perfect opportunity to put that work permit to good use!

Thinking this, Taiichi immediately turned around and walked towards Director Fujita's office.

Unexpectedly, before even reaching the director's office, Taiichi was caught red-handed while passing by the Trauma Department.

Compared to the busy emergency room, the Trauma Department also has a lot of patients, most of whom have already received initial treatment in the emergency room and are now receiving further treatment here.

As Taiichi passed by the entrance of the Trauma Department, he was spotted by Director Fujita as he came out. The editor-in-chief's expression at that moment was priceless, like Hisakura, a resentful wife at home, suddenly seeing her husband returning home, looking utterly wistful.

"Director—I've come to check on my work ID—how's it going?"

Director Fujita, and he Taiichi started to stutter.

"Hey, isn't this Taichi Matsushita? You still remember you have a work ID here? I thought Matsushita-kun had long forgotten about it?" Director Fujita said sarcastically, clearly annoyed that Taichi had stood him up for so Taiichi.

Well, look how angry the director is, he even used the respectful title "Matsushita-kun".

"Director, please don't say that!" Taiichi quickly clasped his hands together and apologized repeatedly. "I just saw how busy the hospital has been these past few days, so I thought I'd come and help out."

Director Fujita stared into Taiichi's eyes for a long time, as if to confirm whether he was lying. "Let's go, everything's taken care of."

As she spoke, she turned around, led Taiichi to the office, took out a pre-prepared work ID from the desk drawer, and handed it to Taiichi: "Here, put it on and go help out in the Trauma Department; they're short-staffed."

Taiichi happily accepted the work badge, pinned it to his left breast, and then took a white coat from Director Fujita and put it on before walking out at a leisurely pace.

Just as he was closing the door, he seemed to remember something and turned back to say, "Director, thank you. Also, the Emergency Department seems really busy. I'll go help out there!"

Director Fujita was stunned for a moment, his mind racing through the situation in the Emergency Department before he finally understood everything. A roar echoed throughout the office, even reaching the soundproof doorway. "Taichi Matsushita, you just wait!"