When Third knocked on the door, Nagato and Konan happened to be coming from the street corner carrying vegetable baskets.
Nagato is still wearing plain dark casual clothes. Red Eyes's hair looks a little dry in the sun. He is silent Earth Flow behind him, carrying a cloth bag filled with vegetables and fresh meat.
The Rinnegan he has been using before is still being studied by Orochimaru. At this time, he replaced it with a pair of ordinary Red Eyes eyes.
He looks like an ordinary person who is a bit sickly.
Konan walked in front, her light blue Purple Eyes hair was combed meticulously, and her white Paper Flowers hairpin was slanted on her temples. When she saw Third standing at the door, she was slightly startled, then smiled politely.
"Lord Third, are you here to see Miwakan again?"
Konan quickly stepped forward and opened the door with a gentle tone.
Third nodded with a smile, gently placed the bag of baby supplies in his hand on the shoe cabinet in the entrance, then bent down and started changing shoes.
"Yes, this child is much more sensible than Konohamaru was when he was a child. He is quiet and lovable."
"Konohamaru is also a very sensible child," Konan shook his head, his smile not reaching his eyes, "He is just a little more lively."
No matter how naughty Konohamaru is, he is still the biological grandson of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
And no matter how well-behaved Miwakan is, he is just his apprentice's child.
She had already learned to appreciate these subtle feelings of alienation during the days she lived in Konoha.
Nagato never spoke.
He nodded to Third as a greeting, and walked straight into the kitchen carrying the vegetable basket.
In order to minimize contact with Konoha people, and to make Konan feel more relaxed, he specially asked Karin to learn how to cook not long ago.
Karin learned his cooking skills from Naruto and Kushina. Whenever he gets along with Karin, Nagato always feels a long-lost sense of closeness.
Although the relationship between the two may be very distant, Nagato still treats her as a relative Niece in his heart.
If Konoha's light hadn't been good at cooking, I guess Karin would have brought Big Yellow here to eat.
The rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables soon came from the kitchen.
Konan carried Miwakan out of the back room.
The child had just woken up, with a pink face and a pair of big clear eyes looking at Third curiously.
Third took Miwakan, gently teased his chin with his fingertips, and the child grinned and giggled.
After teasing the child for a while, Third handed Miwakan back to Konan, leaned back on the chair seemingly casually, took a sip of the tea Konan had just brewed.
Although he ran here this time to avoid Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, he also thought about the topics to talk about when he got here while shopping on the way.
As a master, it's normal to care about your disciples!
"I heard Jiraiya talk about it before, are you all over thirty this year?"
Konan was lowering his head to tidy up Miwakan's swaddling clothes, and paused after hearing this.
"Well, I'm already thirty-two, and Nagato will be thirty-two in two months."
The three little frogs of Jiraiya's frog team were born in the same year. Konan and Yahiko were both born on February 20th, and Nagato was born on September 19th. In other words, Nagato is the youngest among the three of them.
In the past, Yahiko would also take great care of the two of them.
"Not too young either."
Third put down the teacup and spoke in a gentle tone with the concern of an elder.
"Have you ever thought about getting married?"
"Cough cough cough..."
Several muffled coughs came from the kitchen, and the sound of chopping vegetables suddenly stopped.
Konan's cheeks turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye, all the way to the roots of her ears.
She opened her mouth and was speechless for a moment. "I... we are not in a hurry... we are not in a hurry..."
Third didn't seem to notice her embarrassment and sighed to herself, looking out the window as if recalling the distant past.
"Oh, I was born Warring States Period. At that time, it was normal for people in their thirties or under forties to have grandchildren.
You're not married yet, it's a bit late!"
Konoha was founded when Third was seven or eight years old. Currently, the three Shinobi World wars have been completed and the results can be checked.
"..."
Konan's fingers unconsciously tightened on the edge of Miwakan's swaddling clothes, his eyes drifted towards the kitchen, and then quickly returned.
She is really not good at dealing with this kind of topic.
Third suddenly lowered his voice, leaned forward, and his expression became a little serious. "Oh, is it that Nagato's child hasn't recovered well yet?"
"Ah?"
Konan was stunned for a moment, unable to follow this jumping train of thought.
"I've heard it all."
Third shook his head, his eyebrows furrowed deeply.
"You and Nagato went to the Medical Department for a physical examination a few days ago. Nagato weighs only eighty pounds.
How can he be so light for his size?
What kind of hard life did you have in Land of Rain?"
When he said this, there was real regret in his tone.
A man who once owned Rinnegan, actually controlled Amegakure, and was strong enough to become Kage Level, is nearly 1.8 meters tall, but weighs less than 100 kilograms.
It's almost a skeleton wrapped in skin.
Nagato is even lighter than Konan, who looks slender next to him. This cannot be explained by ordinary circumstances.
If it wasn't clear that the two of them were not married yet, Third would have wondered whether Konan was too powerful at night, causing Nagato to suffer like this.
There was absolutely no sound in the kitchen.
Nagato stood in front of the chopping board holding a kitchen knife, the blade hanging in mid-air, not falling for a long time.
Originally, Nagato's body had almost recovered, but his current physical condition was actually related to Obito. This was the backhand left by Obito on him. When he transplanted Hashirama Cells into him, the other party also left some tricks.
If Orochimaru hadn't treated him in time, I'm afraid he would have died.
Even though Uzumaki Bloodline has a strong physique, Nagato's body will also take a long time to recover.
The wind blew outside the window, and the leaves in the courtyard rustled, creating a subtle silence in the house.
Konan's face turned redder, but this time it was mixed with a bit of embarrassment and distress.
She opened her mouth, but in the end she just lowered her head and gently stroked Miwakan's soft hair, saying nothing.
Seeing Konan's appearance, Third also planned to give up as soon as it was good, and then left with a few symbolic words of advice to Nagato.
These two children are not Orochimaru. Although you will be happy if you tease them, they won't have the same feeling as when you tease Orochimaru.
You know, just looking at the expression of the villain who wants to kill you but can only grit his teeth and let him see you off when he fails to carry out Konoha Crush Plan and is captured, Third never gets tired of seeing it several times.
But when facing Nagato and Konan, who are not very familiar with each other, making too many jokes would make Third seem old and disrespectful.
So he coughed lightly and stood up.
"I'm going to say a few words to Nagato." His tone was as natural as if it was just a common occurrence.
Konan raised his head, a slight nervousness flashed in his eyes.
Third waved his hand to indicate that she did not have to follow him, then walked slowly into the kitchen with his hands behind his back.
The kitchen is brightly lit, and there are two potted plants grown by Konan on the windowsill, full of life.
Nagato has cut the vegetables neatly and put them on the white porcelain plate, and the meat slices have been spread evenly on another plate.
He was wiping the kitchen knife with his eyes lowered when he heard the footsteps of Third. He did not stop, but turned sideways to make some space.
Third came close to him, not looking at the work in his hands, but looking at the lush trees outside the window. He lowered his voice and spoke slowly at a volume that only two people could hear clearly:
"You are an honest child."
"Don't blame me for talking too much, old man."
Nagato paused slightly while wiping the blade, and pinched the cotton cloth tightly with his fingertips.
"You two have been dependent on each other for many years."
Third's voice is softer.
"Without that marriage certificate, it really won't affect the relationship between you.
I have lived to this age to understand this truth."
He turned his face sideways and his eyes fell on Nagato's thin but straight profile. The protruding shoulder blades and too slender wrists made him sigh again.
"But, Nagato."
Third's voice was a little more comforting.
"Konan has been with you through thick and thin, for so many years, and I still don't have a formal title.
As a man, you should take the initiative to express your opinions.
The feelings are real, but the reassurance and explanation that should be given must also be given.
You have to give people an explanation, a solid destination, right?"
Nagato's Adam's apple rolled almost imperceptibly, and he remained silent, but the knuckles of his fingers holding the handle of the knife turned slightly white.
Third patted his thin shoulder with a very light force, as if he was afraid of breaking up the frame.
"These days, the world has changed, and Girl's thoughts are also different from those during the Warring States Period.
People at that time believed that they would just have to wait a lifetime.
Times are better now and there are more choices."
He didn't finish his words, but he left enough room for people to think deeply.
"You also have to eat well, take good care of your body, and be healthy to support others, right?"
After saying this, Third said no more, turned around and walked out of the kitchen slowly.
Nagato was left standing alone in front of the cooking table, with the leaves rustling outside the window and the sun shining through the glass, casting a bright but silent spot of light at his feet.
A ray of cold light flashed across the blade, reflecting his drooping red hair.
The voices of Third and Konan came from outside the kitchen.
"Then I'll leave first. I'll take Konohamaru to see Miwakan after Konohamaru's vacation."
"You walk slowly."