Nawaki, Don't You Think the House Feels Empty?

Weren't you acting all fierce just now?

Go on, then!

Demand an explanation for your son! The person responsible is here, so why did you back down?

After dealing with the other child's parent, Tsunade beckoned Kushina over to her side.

"Tsunade."

Kushina gave an awkward smile, looking extremely guilty.

I'll deal with you later.

After leaving the teachers' office, Kushina wrapped her arms around Tsunade's arm and shook it.

"I'm sorry, Tsunade. They made fun of my red hair and called me a little chili pepper. I couldn't hold back, so I hit that guy."

"Enough, enough." Tsunade said with a headache. "I knew nothing good would come of you hanging around Jingyi. That kid's mouth is poisonous. Stay away from him in the future."

"Let it go this time. Go back and get some rest, then get up early for class tomorrow. If something like this happens again, don't start fighting during class, understand?"

That wasn't how you hit someone. Beating someone up in class, right in front of the teacher and the whole class—and ambushing him, at that. That was seriously bad, Kushina.

It wouldn't have been nearly as serious if you'd beaten him up after class.

"Mhm, mhm, mhm."

Kushina nodded obediently. "Then can I go to Jingyi's house? He moved into a new home today, and I want to go play."

"Go ahead. As long as you don't find it boring. He won't be home until after work."

Tsunade did not refuse Kushina's request.

Let her play. There was no way classes could continue after what had happened today anyway.

"Yay! Tsunade, you're the best!"

"Cut it out. I was almost mad to death. You listen to and believe everything that bastard Jingyi says more than you listen to me, your sister. He even mocked me. When there's nothing wrong, it's 'Tsunade,' but when there is, I'm not your sister anymore. It's infuriating."

Those words were like a knife viciously stabbing Tsunade in the chest.

They made her furious.

Was I really as awful as she said?

"Really?"

Kushina was shocked. She could not believe Jingyi had talked back to Tsunade like that.

"Why would I lie? That kid dotes on you so much, he practically sprayed me in the face."

Tsunade raised her hand and flicked Kushina's forehead.

"Ow, that hurts."

Kushina covered her forehead pitifully.

"Stop pretending." Tsunade was unmoved, since she had not used any force at all.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"To buy groceries."

Kushina tucked her little hands behind her back. "Jingyi has to work by himself, so he doesn't have time to go to the market. And Tsunade won't help buy things, so I'm going to the market to get groceries."

"..."

Tsunade's face darkened.

That made her sound like someone who freeloaded off others.

Well, Tsunade was a freeloader.

She instinctively touched her pocket. When she found only a few coins inside, she gave up on the thought of paying for groceries.

Her pockets were cleaner than her face. Better to keep freeloading.

"Then be careful. I'm going to work at the Medical Department. There's a pile of crap waiting for me to deal with."

With Anbu members protecting Kushina, there was certainly no issue with her safety. After parting ways with Kushina, Tsunade headed straight to the Medical Department.

As for Konoha Hospital, she did not want to go there for the time being. She was afraid she would not be able to resist beating Jingyi up.

That bastard's words just kept stabbing her right in the heart.

"Didn't I tell you not to buy groceries? There's still so much food at home, and I said I'd go buy it myself."

After work, Jingyi returned home and saw several large bags sitting on the floor.

"Tsunade went to the school and brought me back, so I stopped by the market on the way."

Kushina raised her little fist triumphantly. "That guy mocked me today and called me a little chili pepper. I knocked out one of his front teeth."

"I'm amazing, right?"

"Hahaha, amazing!"

Jingyi burst out laughing and gave Kushina a thumbs-up. "You did great. You were right to hit him. Don't worry about any serious consequences. You need to understand that in Konoha, it's already a good thing if you, Kushina, aren't bullying other people. Who would dare bully you?"

"By the way, Tsunade didn't scold you, did she?"

"No, but Tsunade told me not to listen to you."

"Don't listen to... Cough, cough. Kushina, what do you want to eat? How about noodles tonight?"

Jingyi had been about to complain when he noticed someone arriving, so he changed the subject.

"Dinner isn't ready yet?"

Tsunade felt so dizzy and exhausted that she felt half-dead. The moment she walked into the house, she collapsed gracelessly onto the sofa.

"Uh... Kushina and I were planning to have ramen."

Was teaching students really that exhausting?

"Make three portions for me. I'm going to have a proper meal."

Tsunade still sounded weak and lifeless.

"Tsunade, are you okay?" Kushina asked worriedly.

"Don't mention it." Tsunade suppressed the anger in her heart. "I've never seen students this stupid. I taught them all day, and they couldn't learn a single thing. Aaaah, I'm so mad!!"

Tsunade had never been a patient person.

On the contrary, she was impatient and even hot-tempered.

Making her patiently teach students was fine if things went smoothly. If they did not, things would veer in another direction.

Poor Lady Tsunade.

After observing a moment of silence for Tsunade, Jingyi picked up the bags from the floor and went into the kitchen. After hesitating for a moment, Kushina followed Jingyi in.

She felt that Tsunade should be allowed to calm down.

Getting close to her right now was somewhat dangerous.

Among the future Three Sannin, Jiraiya was the most patient when teaching disciples. It was hard to imagine that Jiraiya, who was usually so unreliable and useless at everything, could become a good teacher.

Orochimaru also possessed considerable talent for teaching, but his methods were as frightening as his personality.

That was after Nawaki's death, though. Before Nawaki died, Orochimaru had not yet completely stepped into the darkness.

At Jingyi's house, the three of them sat together and devoured their noodles with gusto.

At the Senju ancestral residence, Mito Uzumaki looked at the empty dining table and could not help sighing.

"Grandma, what's wrong?"

Nawaki, who had been shoveling rice into his mouth, paused and looked at his grandmother in confusion when she had not touched her chopsticks.

"Nawaki, don't you think mealtimes feel a little empty?" As she grew older, Mito Uzumaki still longed for the feeling of being surrounded by her grandchildren.

Yet lately, Tsunade often did not come home for meals, and neither did Kushina.

"Do they?"

Nawaki picked up a chicken drumstick, his eyes clear and foolishly innocent. "No. When my sister isn't around, no one fights me for the tasty food."

Mito Uzumaki: "..."

There was a reason your sister called you stupid and beat you up so often.

If Mito Uzumaki had been a few years younger, she would have dragged this grandson over and beaten him first.

"Kushina doesn't come home to eat either. She said Hyuga Jingyi's cooking is delicious. I have to go try it someday." Nawaki kept babbling on.

Mito Uzumaki felt even more stifled after hearing that.

The old woman thought the house felt empty without her granddaughter, and now her grandson wanted to run off too?

It seemed she needed to have a talk with Tsunade.

That night.

The forced-to-work-overtime Tsunade dragged her exhausted body home. To her surprise, her grandmother, Mito Uzumaki, had not gone to bed yet.

"Grandma, can't you sleep?"

Mito Uzumaki glanced at her granddaughter. "With only that foolish boy Nawaki left to keep this old woman company, how could I sleep?"

"Uh..."

Was it because I came home too late?

"Grandma, I'll definitely come back early tomorrow to keep you company."

"No need. Just have that child Jingyi come over tomorrow."

Mito Uzumaki's tone became somewhat stiff.

You and Kushina liked mooching meals?

Fine. This old woman would cut off your path to free meals and see whether you came home.

If Jingyi was not home, Kushina would definitely stay home obediently.

As for Tsunade... she had gambled away her previous paycheck, leaving her pockets completely empty. If she did not come home to eat, she would go hungry. Mito Uzumaki believed her granddaughter would obediently return home for meals.

Watching her grandmother's departing figure, Tsunade asked in confusion, "Did I say something wrong?"