No!

Ye Ning actually wanted to splash a cup of water on Tsunade to wake her up, but he feared that if her violent temper flared up upon regaining consciousness, she would grab him and beat him to a pulp. After weighing the pros and cons, he decided it was best not to court death.

Ye Ning vaguely remembered a meeting from many years ago. He had just transmigrated back then, and in a state of mental confusion, he had muttered "Benbo'erba" out loud. As a result, Tsunade chased him for three whole streets!

He was eventually caught when he ran out of stamina. Although Tsunade didn't go for the kill considering his young age, he still received a few painful knocks to the head.

With a cup of cold water in her stomach, Tsunade finally sobered up. Her eyes landed naturally on Ye Ning, her expression one of astonishment:

"Ye Ning?"

Her tone held a hint of hesitation.

Her impression of Ye Ning was still stuck on the last time she visited the capital of the Land of Fire. At that time, the lecherous little brat only knew how to stare at her massive melons, leaving a deep impression on her. To think that after a few years, his appearance had changed so drastically.

Even with a critical eye, Tsunade had to admit that the little brat from back then had grown into a very handsome youth.

And before she knew it, this brat had even grown taller than her...

"I say, Tsunade, you finally remembered. I was just thinking that if you didn't recall who I was, I would have turned around and left."

Ye Ning curled his lip, clearly dissatisfied with Tsunade's earlier performance.

"You brat! You should call me big sister!"

Tsunade gritted her teeth, looking thoroughly annoyed under Ye Ning's nagging, and instinctively wanted to use her fists to solve the problem.

However, just as she raised her hand, Ye Ning stepped back as if he had foreseen it, giving Tsunade no chance to strike.

"Tch, someone almost forgot me, and she still wants me to call her big sister? Keep dreaming!"

"You brat! Do you have any respect for your elders at all?"

"Elder? An elder I've only met twice since I was born? Oh right, this is the third time."

"Even if we've only met three times, I am still your big sister!"

"Fine, Tsunade."

"Aaaaaah! You brat, are you trying to piss me off to death!"

The brat before her always seemed to know how to get under her skin; a simple sentence or two was enough to drive her mad. At this moment, she grabbed her own hair as if venting, treating her locks as if they were Ye Ning himself.

Her golden hair became disheveled under Tsunade's tugging, and Ye Ning watched with a racing heart.

Ninjas are truly strange; her hair quality is amazing. Even with such forceful pulling, there isn't a single sign of her going bald.

Although her consciousness had cleared, the aftereffects of the hangover remained. Tsunade felt limp and powerless, and after venting, she slumped lazily onto the ground, sprawled out in a star shape.

Normally, those two massive melons would definitely sag under such circumstances, but Tsunade's pair defied the laws of physics, remaining firm and upright, even swaying due to the intensity of her movements.

A wave of dizziness washed over him.

Ye Ning's gaze faltered, quickly shifting away, only to be drawn back by some strange impulse, before shifting away again.

Tsunade, completely oblivious to the change in Ye Ning's expression, closed her eyes and focused:

"Why aren't you staying properly in the capital of the Land of Fire? What are you doing running all the way here? The Daimyo actually let you out? Wait, you didn't sneak out, did you?"

Ye Ning's mouth twitched again, and he suddenly felt the urge to slap Tsunade.

Why...

Why is she always so infuriating when she speaks!

I really want to smack her.

Is that really the image you have of me?

Ye Ning huffed and pulled the newly acquired ninja headband from his pouch, tossing it over from his vantage point.

The headband landed dead center.

Tsunade, who had been looking lazy just a moment ago, sat bolt upright. Her eyes snapped open, but when she saw the headband, she froze in place, her expression turning increasingly strange.

"Forgot to tell you, I'm a ninja of Konoha now. The old man knows about this too; I didn't sneak out."

Ye Ning didn't notice Tsunade's expression, his mind preoccupied with how to broach the subject.

The strangeness of that Senju ninja from earlier still lingered in his heart. Coupled with the fact that he had only seen this one Senju ninja on his way here, he was filled with curiosity and wanted to get to the bottom of it with Tsunade, yet he feared that a blunt question might touch a sore spot.

Huh? Why isn't Tsunade reacting?

Ye Ning looked up, feeling a bit strange, and immediately noticed that Tsunade's emotions were off.

What... is wrong?

Did he say something wrong just now?

It doesn't seem like it?

Why does she look so flushed and pained, as if she's about to cry?

Ye Ning lowered himself in a panic and hurriedly raised his hands:

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Hey, Tsunade, you aren't actually crying, are you..."

"No!"

The sudden voice startled Ye Ning, a look of bewilderment appearing on his face: "What do you mean, 'no'?"

"I said, I do not agree to you becoming a ninja! Absolutely not!"

Tsunade's composure collapsed in an instant, and in her desperation, she shouted directly at Ye Ning:

"You brat, you've lived in the capital of the Land of Fire your whole life, living in the lap of luxury. What do you think being a ninja is? Playing house? Ninjas die! You don't understand anything at all!"

So that was it...

Ye Ning sighed inwardly.

Was it because she had lost her brother, her lover, and so many of her clansmen in succession that she couldn't suppress her emotions and didn't want him to become a ninja too?

Or perhaps, Tsunade had come to view him as someone she cherished, and she didn't want him to follow in the footsteps of Nawaki?

But if he didn't become a ninja, he would never have the ability to protect himself.

In this situation, Ye Ning didn't know how to soothe Tsunade's emotions. He moved closer, intending to pat her back to comfort her, but as soon as he touched her soft skin, he recoiled as if electrocuted:

"Becoming a ninja is a decision I've thought through carefully, and Father has already agreed. I also know that ninjas inevitably have to face death..."

"You don't know a damn thing!"

Tsunade lifted her flushed face, a few crystalline teardrops hanging on her fair cheeks: "You have no idea what a ninja actually has to face. Nawaki is dead! He's dead! He didn't even leave behind a complete corpse; I didn't even get to see him one last time! Why aren't you just waiting to inherit the title of Daimyo instead of coming here to mess around!"

Ye Ning opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Any words at this moment seemed exceptionally pale.

Tsunade was slicing open the most painful scars in her heart, one by one, bloody and blindingly raw.