A Young Girl's Feelings

Come to think of it, Team 7's lineup was truly a dream team! Kakashi Hatake was a genius jonin, the Copy Ninja, and the Fourth Hokage's student.

Naruto Uzumaki was the Fourth Hokage's son and the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki.

Sasuke Uchiha carried the blood-deep vengeance of the entire Uchiha Clan on his shoulders, and he was equally gifted!

As for Qingchuan Tianming, he possessed Ultimate Chakra! His combat experience was incomparably rich.

With proper training, talents like these would become Konoha's pillars!

"That's enough. Don't act so rashly in the future. Your safe return was a blessing amid misfortune." Hiruzen Sarutobi put away his scolding tone. "Kakashi, train them well and prepare them for the Chunin Exams."

With that, Hiruzen Sarutobi rose and left the hospital room.

"Kakashi-sensei, what are the Chunin Exams?" Naruto Uzumaki asked in confusion.

"They're the exams for genin to advance to chunin, a comprehensive test of a ninja's abilities. They're held twice a year, and all villages with qualified candidates will send people to participate." Kakashi Hatake gave a brief explanation.

"Wow! Then there'll definitely be lots of powerful people!" Naruto Uzumaki could not help getting excited.

"Don't be so optimistic. The Chunin Exams aren't as easy as you imagine," Kakashi Hatake poured cold water on him.

"Hehe!" Naruto Uzumaki scratched his head. "Kakashi-sensei, how did you pass the chunin exam back then?"

"Me?" Kakashi Hatake thought back carefully for a while. "I forgot. After all, I was already a jonin at twelve."

After leaving the ninja hospital, Kakashi Hatake gave Team 7 three days off.

When Tianming returned to the Aokawa Clan home, he saw an unexpected visitor the moment he opened the door.

He saw Hinata Hyuga wiping the floor with a wet towel.

Tianming???

W-What was going on here?

"Tianming, you're back." Hinata Hyuga looked up, her little face wearing a gentle smile.

"Hinata, why are you in my house?" Tianming was genuinely dumbfounded.

"Don't misunderstand! When I saw that you hadn't returned, I took the initiative to ask Kakashi-sensei for the addresses of the Aokawa Clan home and Naruto's home, so I came over to help clean. I didn't touch any of your things..."

As war orphans, they were lucky enough to have a house at all, so naturally it could not compare to other people's homes.

Besides, they had spent nearly half a month on the Land of Waves mission. Without cleaning, it really had become quite dirty.

"Thank you, Hinata." Tianming thanked her.

"No, I should be the one thanking you," Hinata Hyuga said softly. "On the first day of school, you and Naruto helped me out."

"It was nothing." Tianming truly had not taken that little fatty to heart.

"Maybe it was nothing to you, but it was different for me." Hinata Hyuga spoke seriously. "Never mind... I've finished cleaning your house. I'll be leaving now."

With that, Hinata Hyuga left the Aokawa Clan home.

Tianming stood in the entryway without seeing her out, a bold thought forming in his mind.

Why did he feel like Hinata liked him?

This was not baseless speculation. Before transmigrating, Tianming had been a young man in his twenties. How could he not understand matters between men and women?

Hinata Hyuga's hesitation and shyness gave Tianming a wonderful illusion.

"Hinata likes me? No way, right?" Tianming muttered to himself as he stroked his chin.

But on second thought, wasn't a gentle girl like Hinata wonderful? Who would not like someone soft and warm as water?

Tianming admitted that he really liked the gentle type.

Whatever. At this point, it was not like he was stealing the prince's girl, right?

How could using his own ability to flirt with girls be called stealing someone's girl?

After Hinata Hyuga jogged out of the Aokawa Clan home, she ran all the way back to the Hyuga Clan. The blush on her face still had not completely faded.

She had just lied. She had not asked for Naruto's address at all; she had only asked for the Aokawa Clan home's address.

"Stupid Hinata, what are you doing?!" Hinata Hyuga was practically dying of embarrassment!

Ever since the first day of school, when Tianming had stepped in forcefully and driven away those little thugs, Qingchuan Tianming's image had lingered in Hinata Hyuga's heart.

Although she had known Naruto Uzumaki longer, Naruto Uzumaki's way of helping her out usually involved taking a beating.

But Qingchuan Tianming was different. He had driven away a whole group by himself!

And during the Land of Waves mission, when they had been helpless against a chunin—

Qingchuan Tianming had been able to kill a chunin!

From then on, a mysterious and powerful presence took root in Hinata Hyuga's heart.

Perhaps this was what liking someone felt like?

Time flew by. After the Land of Waves mission ended, Team 7 returned to their usual training routine.

Because of the previous incident, Team 7 could not get any missions that required leaving the village.

They could only take on Konoha's chicken-chasing and dog-catching missions.

Naruto Uzumaki complained about boredom all day long. Sasuke Uchiha remained as aloof and arrogant as ever, while Tianming was instead happy to enjoy the leisure.

His Ultimate Chakra gave him an instinctive, precise control over chakra, and he learned ninjutsu at an absurdly fast pace.

Moreover, with no sign-in missions being issued, Tianming was quite happy spending each day leisurely.