Zhou Cheng reached the school gates just as classes let out.
Students streamed out of the school in twos and threes.
Xingyu had been about to go inside to look for Naruto, Haku, and the others when he saw Naruto leading them out.
Naruto was wrapped in bandages, but they did not seem to affect his walking.
Seeing him, Zhou Cheng marveled inwardly. He really was one of the Konoha 12-nothing could keep him down!
He waved to Naruto, and Naruto and the others waved back as they walked toward Zhou Cheng.
Ino claimed one of Zhou Cheng's arms again. Unable to pull free, he could only let her have her way.
He pointed at Naruto's bandages and asked a question he already knew the answer to:
"What happened?"
"Weren't you fine yesterday?"
Naruto gave an awkward smile and tried to scratch his head, only to gasp in pain as soon as he raised his arm.
"Ouch, that really hurts!"
"I don't know how to explain it. Third Grandpa told me not to go around telling people!"
He wanted to keep talking, but Zhou Cheng cut him off.
"In that case, I won't ask any more!"
"Come on, let's go home!"
He took the lead and walked a few steps before suddenly turning back toward Shikamaru and Choji. He had almost forgotten them. Since he was treating everyone, he might as well invite them all.
"Shikamaru, Choji, come over to my place for dinner tonight!"
"Bring your other friends, too!"
Then he turned to Hinata.
"Hinata, could you go invite Neji?"
Hinata looked up, her wide eyes filled with disbelief. Didn't Zhou Cheng and Neji dislike each other? Why would he invite him?
But when she saw the sincerity in Zhou Cheng's eyes, she nodded in agreement, then turned and went to find Neji.
Zhou Cheng turned toward Ino, who had been clinging to his arm all this time, feeling rather helpless. Are you a koala?
"Ino, could you go find Sakura and ask her to bring Sasuke over to our place?"
Zhou Cheng had chosen his words carefully. He knew getting Ino to seek out Sakura would be difficult, but adding "our place" made her heart bloom with joy.
For a moment, she forgot her conflict with Sakura and ran straight off.
Watching Ino leave, Zhou Cheng shook his head with a wry smile. In truth, once Ino had decided to stop pursuing Sasuke, there had no longer been any conflict between the girls.
They just needed an excuse to make up without losing face.
So Zhou Cheng would give them that excuse!
Then Zhou Cheng created two Shadow Clones and sent them to the market to buy different ingredients. Multiple Shadow Clone really was incredibly useful in certain ways!
As evening approached, three Zhou Chengs returned home carrying all kinds of ingredients.
Most of the guests had already arrived and were gathered together, laughing and chatting.
When Haku saw that Zhou Cheng needed Shadow Clones just to carry all the ingredients home, he immediately came over to help.
The girls hurried over as well.
"Don't lift a finger. What kind of host makes his guests do the work? I've got Shadow Clones, so I can manage. Just wait for the food!"
The girls were skeptical. Could a boy like Zhou Cheng really cook?
Hopefully, he would not make something inedible!
Zhou Cheng merely gave a mysterious smile and carried the ingredients into the kitchen.
The girls failed to notice that all the boys had frozen in stunned silence.
Three Zhou Chengs?
The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique?
How did he know a forbidden technique?
Although the technique was no great secret among the major clans, Zhou Cheng was just a civilian shinobi from elsewhere. Where had he learned it?
Naruto was especially shocked. The first thing he had seen upon opening the Scroll of Seals was the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, but Iruka-sensei had interrupted him just as he was about to read further.
A forbidden technique!
Zhou Cheng actually knew a forbidden technique!
The boys exchanged glances, seeing the same deep confusion in one another's eyes.
They planned to ask him about it over dinner.
While Zhou Cheng was busy in the kitchen, Neji and Sasuke arrived as well.
Naturally, the last to arrive was Kakashi, who loved being late.
When he entered the courtyard and saw only boys and no girls, he assumed Zhou Cheng had invited only boys for an all-male gathering.
He simply greeted the children, then went to watch Zhou Cheng cook.
He still did not believe Zhou Cheng could cook. Even if he could, the food surely would not taste very good.
When he reached the kitchen, Kakashi discovered that all the girls were gathered outside it.
They craned their necks to peek inside, occasionally letting out cries of amazement.
"Ah, he's so handsome even when he's cooking! That's my man!"
"Ah, what kind of cooking technique is that? How can he toss the pan like that without the food flying out? Is there cooking ninjutsu, too?"
"Mmm, it smells so good! I want to eat right now!"
"It smells even better than my mom's cooking. How does he do it?"
Kakashi walked up behind the girls, took one look into the kitchen, and froze.
Three Zhou Chengs? The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique?
When did he learn that?
Did the Third Generation teach it to him?
If he'd used Multiple Shadow Clone earlier today, he could have held out for a few more minutes.
Heh, so he hadn't even shown his full strength!
Who knows how much more he's hiding!
Before long, Zhou Cheng had prepared a table full of delicious dishes.
Every dish looked, smelled, and tasted wonderful!
He also set up a grill in the courtyard and started barbecuing.
Many seasonings were unavailable in this world, but with Zhou Cheng's careful combinations, the flavor was still enough to put every other barbecue in this world to shame!
For a while, the courtyard was filled with nothing but the clatter of dishes. No one spoke.
Everyone had their head down, savoring the food, their mouths stuffed full!
Seeing them like this, Zhou Cheng smiled knowingly. Wasn't this the happiest moment for any cook?
Eat up. Have some more. Once I win your stomachs, I'll have won you over!
How could you not like me after this?
Only then did Uzuki Yugao arrive.
Seeing the scene in the courtyard, she would have thought she had entered a refugee camp if she had not been in Konoha.
Had these people gone all day without eating just to wait for this meal?
Zhou Cheng had not forgotten her, of course, and had already set aside some dishes for her.
Uzuki Yugao looked at the ravenous crowd. They had not even noticed another person arriving.
Was it really that good?
Uzuki Yugao took a skeptical bite, and her eyes instantly widened.
This... it really was that delicious!
She had never tasted food this good!
Then she joined the battle for the food.
Watching the scene, which resembled a battlefield, Zhou Cheng shook his head with a wry smile.
He remembered the days when he had lived alone in his previous life.
To save money, he had bought groceries and cooked for himself, developing excellent cooking skills in the process.
Half an hour later, everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, rubbing their bulging bellies in satisfaction.
"That was so, so, so good!" Naruto shouted.
"This is bad! What am I going to do if I can't eat food this good again?"
"I admit it. I've fallen! My taste buds have been conquered!"
"I want to eat Zhou Cheng's cooking every day. I'm done for, totally done for!"
Kakashi came over from the other side, pulling his mask back on.
The look in his eyes made his satisfaction clear.
He was obviously very pleased with the meal.
He flashed Zhou Cheng a V sign, then leaped onto the roof and vanished!