His tolerance and understanding eased Mei Terumi's embarrassment slightly, but his heart beat faster and the heat on his face lingered.
In the following time, the atmosphere between the two became a little subtle.
This simple lunch ended in Mei Terumi's panic and Shaoyu's gentle silence.
When leaving the shop, Mei Terumi insisted on paying the bill. Shaoyu did not refuse too much, but solemnly thanked him again.
When they said goodbye, Mei Terumi looked at Shaoyu's pair of gray-blue eyes that seemed particularly clear and calm when saying goodbye, and his heart was filled with reluctance and an unprecedented palpitating feeling.
She secretly made up her mind to care more about him and help him more in the future to make him feel warm...
Shaoyu is also gone. He still has a lot of things to do at Kirigakure...
One year is enough to change many things.
Kirigakure is still shrouded in thick fog that persists all year round and under increasingly severe Blood Mist Policy high pressure.
But there are some changes.
For example, the once timid and introverted medical apprentice "Mizunotsuki Uha" with a miserable life experience has now become a trusted young medical patient in Kirigakure Hospital.
The love relationship between him and Mei Terumi, the proud daughter of the younger generation of Kirigakure and the heir of the Terumi Clan, is almost known to everyone.
At this moment, in the staff resting courtyard behind the hospital, Mei Terumi was holding Shaoyu's arm tightly and resting her head gently on his shoulder.
Away from his usual bright and capable appearance outside, there was a heavy layer of worry and depression between his brows and eyes.
She had just come out of a Kirigakure jounin-level meeting, with a chill still lingering on her body.
"Yu..."
Her voice was a little muffled, and her fingers unconsciously tightened and grasped the sleeves of Shaoyu's kimono.
"Just now... at the meeting... another blood family was suspected of rebellion, the clan leader was executed, and the clan members were monitored and exiled...
Shaoyu let her lean on him and didn't speak immediately. He just used his other free hand to gently cover the back of her hand that was tightly grasping her sleeve.
His palms were warm and dry, with thin calluses, yet strangely able to convey a sense of stability.
After a year of getting along day and night, the young man in front of me is no longer the apprentice who seemed fragile and in need of protection when they first met.
He became more calm and reserved, with superb medical skills, and had a deeper understanding of the darkness and cruelty of Kirigakure.
Shaoyu's attitude towards her is complicated and difficult to describe.
Mei Terumi is not completely naive, she can feel that Yu's enthusiasm for her is not unreserved.
He has his secrets and past shadows that he doesn't want to mention. Sometimes he is inexplicably Earth Flow. When his eyes look into the distance, they reveal a depth that she cannot touch.
But more often than not, he is considerate and patient. He will listen carefully to her troubles, prepare soothing tea for her when she is tired, and when she is injured due to training or tasks, he will use his stable and magical hands to treat her carefully without leaving a trace of scars.
It was a bunch of carefully woven falsehoods, and at some point, a trace of sincerity was quietly mixed in that even Shaoyu himself may not be clearly aware of.
The use was true, the calculation was true, but how could this living and warm body, which had devoted all its trust and love to him, and its companionship and dependence over the past year, be regarded as a prop?
"Is it really a rebellion..."
"Excuse! Absolutely an excuse!"
Mei Terumi raised his head suddenly, his eyes burning with flames of anger and fear.
"He just wants to eliminate all possible threats! All the blood successor forces that do not obey absolutely! Yu, I am so scared..."
"Will the next one be our Terumi Clan family? Boil Release and Lava Release... in the eyes of those people, they are also objects that need to be vigilant and eliminated!"
Her voice was trembling, and she held Shaoyu's arm tightly, as if he was the only driftwood she could rely on in the vast blood mist.
"Kirigakure If this continues, it will be completely destroyed! Blood Mist Policy... When will it end? We... our future..."
Shaoyu did not say any empty words of comfort. He just turned around and looked at Mei Terumi head-on. He held her cold cheeks with both hands and gently stroked her frowning eyebrows and red eyes with his thumbs.
His movements were gentle, but his eyes were extremely calm, as if he could absorb all her uneasiness.
"Ming," Shaoyu called her name.
"It's normal to be afraid. But fear can't solve the problem."
His voice was smooth and clear, like a stream washing over gravel.
"Terumi Clan has a deep foundation and your own strength is superior, which cannot be easily shaken. Mizukage's madness... may not last long."
"Not everyone in the village agrees with his actions. Remember, the more times this happens, the more calm you must be to protect yourself and your family."
Mei Terumi Looking at his handsome face so close, full of concentration and worry, and listening to his calm analysis and implicit encouragement, the panic in his heart miraculously subsided.
He was always like this. When she was emotional, he could calm her down with the calmest words and calm attitude.
"Yeah... I know."
She nodded slightly and brought her face closer to his warm palm, absorbing the reassuring warmth.
"I will be careful. I will also remind my father about the family. But... when I think of those families being purged and the disaster that may befall me, I..."
She didn't finish her words, because Shaoyu had lowered her head and pressed a soft and warm kiss on her slightly trembling lips.
There was no lust in this kiss, it was more like a silent promise and comfort.
It was short-lived, but it was enough to make Mei Terumi forget all his worries in an instant. His mind went blank, leaving only the soft and warm touch on his lips and the refreshing breath of Yu that was close at hand.
After a kiss, Shaoyu's forehead was gently pressed against hers, his gray-blue eyes looked deeply into her somewhat hazy eyes, and his voice was low and gentle.
"Don't think too much, Ming. No matter what happens, I'm here."
Mei Terumi's cheeks turned red instantly, like the sunset on the horizon, and her heart beat like a drum.
She buried her face in Shaoyu's chest, hugged him tightly, and gave a muffled "hmm". Her heart was filled with sweetness and dependence, as if as long as he was by her side, no matter how thick the blood mist was, it would eventually dissipate.
The night is as dark as ink, and the fog is deeper.
During the day, the chill caused by Third Mizukage's ruthless purge of yet another small clan seemed to seep into every crevice of Kirigakure.
When Mei Terumi left the hospital with a little peace of mind and more complex emotions after Shaoyu's comfort and gentle kiss.
Shaoyu did not return to the east courtyard of Mizunotsuki Clan Grounds as usual.
He put on dark clothes that were suitable for walking at night, and his face became even more stern due to the darkness and fine-tuning of camouflage.