Encountering Anko, The Taste of Being an Old Father

Ye Yuexin didn't stand on ceremony with Mitarashi Anko, plopping himself down right beside her.

He pulled Itachi Uchiha down with him, turning his head to say, "You don't need to pay today. Big brother is treating, so keep your money." The air of a wealthy tycoon instantly radiated from his tone.

He then called out, "Boss, bring us twenty skewers of that new flavor to try." Twenty skewers wasn't actually that many; the dumplings in this island nation were quite small, with only three to a stick. If you didn't order enough, they'd be gone in a few bites.

Especially with two little gluttons who loved dumplings sitting on either side of him.

However, upon hearing Ye Yuexin's words, Anko's eyes visibly brightened.

She looked at Ye Yuexin with pleasant surprise and said, "They released a new flavor? I just got back, so I didn't know. Haha, I'm so excited!" She looked exactly like a hyperactive husky.

Watching Anko's uninhibited behavior, Ye Yuexin clearly felt that his "Raising a Lady" project had failed.

It seemed the personality of a character from the original story wasn't so easily changed after all.

He had tried his best to change Anko, but the results were negligible.

"I won't stand on ceremony with you, but did you bring enough money?" Ye Yuexin said to Anko, speechless.

Hearing this, Anko immediately tapped the small pouch slung across her waist.

She placed it on the table, patted it twice, and said proudly, "Don't worry, I'm the 'rich woman' you keep talking about now."

She paused for a moment before continuing, "By the way, how is your food budget? I'll split this mission's pay with you."

To tell the truth, seeing Anko like this gave Ye Yuexin a real sense of accomplishment.

It was no exaggeration to say that Anko had been raised by Ye Yuexin.

He had met her right after his deadbeat father passed away.

He found her next to a trash can. At the time, Ye Yuexin never imagined that in a place with such superior conditions as Konoha, there would still be people scavenging for food.

And she was such a thin, small child.

Perhaps because he was feeling abandoned himself, Ye Yuexin had approached that dirty, pitiful, and scrawny child.

Only after interacting with her did he learn that the child was named Mitarashi Anko.

The twilight light shone on the little girl's face.

At first, Ye Yuexin thought she was a little boy. With her short hair and that thin frame, she was no different from a boy.

There was no hint of the magnificent figure she would have in the future.

Honestly, in the original story, Ye Yuexin had quite liked the character of Anko.

And so, the money his deadbeat father left behind went from supporting one person to two.

With the soul of an adult, Ye Yuexin knew how to take care of a child. From that point on, he began managing Anko's daily life. He bought all her clothes.

Even after helping Anko get into the Ninja Academy, it was Ye Yuexin who bought her training gear like kunai and shuriken, not to mention her lunch bento every day.

Back then, aside from his own training, this was all Ye Yuexin did. To be honest, through his own immersion, Ye Yuexin fully experienced the feeling of being a father. The pressure was immense.

While he was lost in memory, the dumplings were served.

Anko immediately picked one up and handed it to him. This was a habit she had developed since childhood; no matter what food Ye Yuexin gave her, she always insisted on giving him the first one.

Ye Yuexin didn't stand on ceremony and started munching away. Itachi had met Anko before, so he didn't hold back either. After a polite "Thank you, Senior," he began to eat as well. The allure of the dumplings was quite strong for them.

Itachi Uchiha remained silent throughout the meal.

As they ate, Ye Yuexin asked, "Why are you back? Is the war ending soon?"

Hearing this, Anko swallowed a dumpling and said, "No, it's still very intense. We genin are only responsible for logistics. I was protecting a medical team for a while." "The medical team is rotating out now, so we escorted them back. We have to escort the next batch tomorrow."

Hearing this, although Ye Yuexin knew the outcome, he still felt a bit worried. "Alright, you be careful out there. With your third-rate skills, don't try to be a hero. You can't even..."

"I can't even touch the hem of your clothes," Anko finished the sentence for him.

Ye Yuexin felt a bit awkward, his pride taking a hit. "I..."

"Alright, I'm full. I have to meet up with my teammates to discuss tomorrow's mission, so I'm off." Perhaps guessing what Ye Yuexin was going to say, Anko was already at the door before she finished speaking. Then, she vanished.

Looking at the 50,000 ryo she had left on the table, Ye Yuexin clutched his forehead, a vein slightly bulging.

He sighed, consoling himself that she had grown up and was starting to fly on her own. However, the next time they met, she definitely wouldn't escape a "fist of love."

Honestly, Ye Yuexin didn't have much to worry about regarding Anko. It was just because of that "Cold-Blooded" reputation at the border. Just like in the original story, Anko had become Orochimaru's student after graduating.

Although Ye Yuexin couldn't see what merits Anko had that would catch Orochimaru's eye, that was simply the reality.

"Damn it, leave some for me!" Ye Yuexin was still lost in thought when he glanced at the plate. He suddenly realized the dumplings that had just been served were almost gone and shouted.

Without even glancing at him, Itachi Uchiha reached for another skewer as usual.

He gave Ye Yuexin the impression of being extremely "cool and reserved." Only after truly getting to know him did one realize that Itachi Uchiha's persona wasn't as perfect as the websites from his past life had advertised.

Sometimes he was as stubborn as a mule.

The two of them polished off a huge pile of sticks. When they checked the bill, it had cost over 20,000 ryo.

Ye Yuexin had originally planned to go train after eating, but now, he suddenly just wanted to go home.

He wondered if Anko would come looking for him later. After all, it had been quite a while since they last met.

Stepping out of the shop, he found the street lined with Japanese-style architecture even more crowded than when he had arrived. It must have been time for people to get off work.

Ye Yuexin waved his hand and started walking toward home. "What are you doing tomorrow, Ye Yue?" Itachi Uchiha suddenly called out to stop him.

"Ye Yue" was how Itachi Uchiha addressed him. Ye Yue was his surname, and Xin was his given name. Being addressed so directly by his surname still felt quite awkward to Ye Yuexin.

However, Itachi had been calling him that for two years now.

To be honest, Ye Yuexin hadn't really thought about what he would be doing tomorrow. He gave a casual, perfunctory reply, "We'll talk about tomorrow when it comes. Right now, I just want to get some rest. Let's meet again when we have time tomorrow."

[New book is out... I suggest adding it to your library first... let it grow before you binge-read. I need your support. Thank you, everyone.]