Unexpected

"Itachi?" Uchiha Yan repeated.

He feigned confusion and asked, "Clan Head Fugaku, didn't Itachi go on a mission with Shisui? Why?"

Fugaku sighed softly and said, "But Itachi has been missing for so long, and I can't help but worry."

He looked at Uchiha Yan, his eyes filled with a hint of pleading. "Yan, just consider this helping out a father."

"As the head of the clan, I truly cannot get away."

Uchiha Yan sighed lightly, nodded solemnly, and said, "Rest assured, Clan Head Fugaku, I will do my utmost. Besides, Itachi went on the mission with Shisui; are you still worried with Shisui there?"

He spoke with hypocritical comfort.

Hearing Uchiha Yan's words, the worried expression on Fugaku's face eased slightly.

He nodded and said, "That's true, what do I have to fear with Shisui there? Still, I must trouble you to put in the effort, Yan."

Uchiha Yan nodded and downed the tea on the table in one gulp.

"Don't worry, Clan Head Fugaku, leave it to me."

With that, he turned and left.

Just as Uchiha Yan stepped out of the room, a little one bumped into his leg.

Uchiha Yan looked down and discovered it was Sasuke.

Soon after, a gentle reprimand followed.

"Sasuke, why are you being reckless again?"

The person speaking was none other than Uchiha Mikoto. After speaking, she walked in front of Uchiha Yan and bowed slightly. "My apologies."

Uchiha Yan waved his hand and then patted Sasuke on the head. "It's fine, it's normal for a child to have some energy."

Having said that, he turned and left.

Watching his back, Uchiha Mikoto signaled for Sasuke to go play on his own.

Sasuke pouted at this moment and asked, "Mom, when is big brother coming back?"

Uchiha Mikoto's expression stiffened, but she quickly forced a smile.

She crouched down halfway and said, "Itachi went to carry out a mission; he will be back soon."

Sasuke pursed his lips but still nodded.

He went to the back, focused on practicing his shuriken jutsu.

Mikoto walked into the room and looked at Fugaku, asking, "How did it go?"

Fugaku nodded. "I have already entrusted this to Yan. I want to see him alive, or see his corpse if he is dead."

Mikoto sighed heavily.

While they were immersed in sorrow, Uchiha Yan had already returned home.

He froze slightly upon seeing that the door lock had clearly been tampered with.

He quickly pushed the door open without changing his expression.

Then, he closed his eyes and sensed his surroundings carefully.

After sensing a familiar chakra, Uchiha Yan almost laughed out loud; it was Izumi.

He already knew what Izumi was planning to do.

She was likely hiding in his bedroom, waiting to scare him once he entered.

Thinking of this, he sat directly on the sofa and crossed his legs.

He picked up an apple and began to munch on it.

Meanwhile, Izumi was already getting impatient in the bedroom.

Because, based on Uchiha Yan's usual habits, he would definitely lie on the bed to rest for a while after returning home.

However, as time ticked by, Izumi hadn't expected that guy Uchiha Yan to still be sitting in the living room.

Her calves were even starting to ache.

Finally, Uchiha Yan felt he had teased his childhood sweetheart enough.

He strolled slowly toward the bedroom.

Uchiha Yan deliberately slowed his pace, and the moment he opened the door, the door creaked.

At that moment, Izumi, who had been poised and ready, jumped out.

"Prepare to die, Yan!"

Izumi held her hands in the shape of tiger claws, deliberately putting on a fierce expression.

In Uchiha Yan's eyes, however, she looked more like a little kitten with zero intimidation factor.

Still, Uchiha Yan played along by jumping backward, nearly dropping the apple in his hand.

"You scared me, Izumi. What are you doing?"

Seeing Uchiha Yan's reaction, Izumi lifted her chin triumphantly and said, "Yan, your sensory abilities need some work. How could you even... mmmph!"

Uchiha Yan couldn't be bothered to entertain her and shoved the apple directly into Izumi's mouth.

He then reached out with his wicked hands and thoroughly ruffled her hair.

After taking a bite of the apple, Izumi set it aside and attempted to fight back.

In the end, she was ruthlessly suppressed by Uchiha Yan, who lightly tickled her sides and asked, "Well? Do you surrender?"

Touched on her sensitive spots, Izumi shuddered like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, squirming restlessly in Uchiha Yan's arms.

"Ha... haha! Stop, stop it... Yan, you're playing dirty!"

Izumi was laughing so hard tears were welling up, and she could only push weakly against Uchiha Yan's chest.

Seeing this, Uchiha Yan neatly turned his hands and pinned the "assassin" down onto the bedroom tatami.

"Do you surrender? Do you still dare to attempt an assassination in my room?"

"I surrender, I surrender! Please let me go, Lord Yan," Izumi pleaded, breathless, her eyes misty.

Due to the intense scuffle, Izumi's clothes had become a complete mess.

The collar had shifted to one side during the struggle, revealing her delicate collarbone and even a glimpse of the dark mesh armor typically worn by Uchiha clansmen, which clung tightly to the girl's budding curves.

Izumi's cheeks were a soft pink from the exertion and embarrassment, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, with a few stray locks of hair sticking to her neck, revealing a charm that was never seen on her in daily life.

Uchiha Yan glanced at her inadvertently, and then, as if his gaze had been auto-locked, he naturally...

Izumi noticed Uchiha Yan's strange behavior and quickly adjusted her clothes, saying, "W-what are you looking at?"

Uchiha Yan said awkwardly, "I'm not looking at anything."

Izumi rolled her eyes at him and gave him a light shove. "Get out already. Besides, the kunai in your pocket is poking me."

Uchiha Yan froze. Where would a kunai have come from in his pocket?

Izumi quickly realized what had happened, and her earlobes turned so red they looked like they might bleed.

She said indignantly, "Pervert."

Uchiha Yan explained awkwardly, "That—that was an accident, purely an accident."

With that, he took the opportunity to sit on the other side.

Izumi was busy tidying her clothes on the opposite side.

Although Uchiha Yan's name had long been carved into her heart, the scene that had just unfolded was far too shocking for her.

Izumi asked, "Do you often bully others with these kinds of 'accidents'?"

Uchiha Yan suddenly thought of Kurenai.

However, telling the truth at a time like this would be the most foolish choice imaginable.

He reached out to stroke Izumi's messy hair and said, "Besides you, who else would be silly enough to hide behind a door to scare someone, only to get caught instead?"

Izumi leaned into Uchiha Yan's large hand.

By now, the flush on her face had faded quite a bit.

She rolled her eyes at him and said, "Fine, I forgive you. But as compensation for this accident, you have to buy me a new apple."