Zhang Yu looked up at her.
Ino hurriedly added another sentence.
"I'm not trying to pry into your secrets."
"It's just that my family runs a flower shop, and information like this is really important."
"If I could buy the same set, I'd want one too."
She spoke frankly.
Zhang Yu glanced at the books on the counter and said casually, "You can't buy them."
Ino froze.
"I can't?"
"Yeah."
Zhang Yu closed the flower compendium.
"It's the only set in the Shinobi World."
"A collector's edition that's out of print."
At those words, the anticipation visibly drained from Ino's face.
"The only set?"
"How could that be..."
She looked down at the books, her face full of regret.
For someone who loved flowers, knew flowers, and had been learning flower arranging since childhood, this was unbearable.
The treasure was right before her eyes.
She could look at it.
But she couldn't have it.
It was worse than never having seen it at all.
Ino couldn't help asking again, "There really isn't a second set?"
Zhang Yu's expression didn't change.
"No."
Ino refused to give up.
"What about a copy?"
Zhang Yu put the flower compendium away.
"We'll talk about that later."
Ino looked even more distressed.
She felt as though she had just seen a door to a whole new world, only for Zhang Yu to shut it when she was barely halfway through.
Zhang Yu, however, had no intention of giving her another chance to question him.
He knew full well that, with Ino's personality, the longer they talked, the more questions she would have.
He was here to buy flowers today.
Not to give a lecture on flower arranging.
"Are the flowers wrapped up?"
Ino came back to her senses and hurriedly tied up the last few bunches.
"All done."
"There are seventy-three kinds in total. I've separated them by type and labeled them."
"If I can find the rest, I'll keep an eye out for you."
Zhang Yu nodded in satisfaction and paid.
Then he picked up the wrapped bouquets in one hand and put the flower compendium into his system storage with the other.
Ino's eyes went wide as she watched the books vanish into thin air.
"Wait, you just..."
Zhang Yu turned and walked away.
"We'll talk next time."
"Sir!"
Ino immediately hurried after him for a couple of steps.
"You still haven't told me where you live!"
Zhang Yu didn't look back.
"If fate wills it, we'll meet again."
The little bell at the door jingled.
Zhang Yu had already left the flower shop.
Ino stood at the door, watching his retreating figure, curiosity clawing at her.
If fate willed it, they'd meet again?
What kind of answer was that?
He had brought out such an incredible flower compendium, let her see the beginning, then put it straight back away.
Who could stand that?
She looked back at the flower shop, then toward the direction Zhang Yu had gone.
Normally, once a customer left, she shouldn't interfere.
But the Complete Shinobi World Flower Compendium was simply too tempting.
On top of that, the way Zhang Yu had brought out the books and put them away was strange.
Ino could no longer suppress her curiosity.
"I'll just follow him a little way."
"I'll remember the location and come right back."
She quickly made up her mind, closed the flower shop door, and quietly followed him.
Zhang Yu walked ahead, carrying more than seventy kinds of fresh flowers.
Their fragrance drifted along the street, making quite a few passersby turn their heads.
He didn't look back.
But he had long since sensed the faint Chakra fluctuations behind him with perfect clarity.
With top-tier Chakra sensory ability, he could easily detect someone following him.
Even though Ino was being careful, keeping her distance and using the crowds and stalls for cover, it was no use.
Zhang Yu felt somewhat helpless.
"Kids in the Shinobi World are more precocious than the last."
At twelve or thirteen, many children in his old world were still going to school and doing homework.
But here in Konoha, they already knew how to tail people, sound them out, and gather intelligence.
Even so, he didn't expose her.
Ino meant no harm; she was simply too curious.
Besides, the Undead Tavern was in business.
Having one more potential customer wasn't a bad thing.
He decided to let things take their course.
After making his way through the streets and around several alleys, Zhang Yu returned to the entrance of the Undead Tavern.
Ino stopped some distance away, behind a corner, and peeked out.
"The Undead Tavern?"
She committed the name on the sign to memory.
She hadn't heard the name much before.
But this was where Zhang Yu had gone in.
That out-of-print flower compendium was also very likely connected to the tavern.
Ino looked at the tavern's doors, her curiosity growing even stronger.
"I'll find a chance to come back next time."
She didn't go any closer.
After memorizing the location, she quietly left.
Zhang Yu pushed the door open and entered.
The moment he stepped into the main hall, the relaxed look vanished from his face.
Before the fragrance of the flowers could spread, a strong smell of alcohol hit him.
The hall was a mess.
Tables were askew.
Chairs had fallen over.
Drinking glasses lay on the floor.
Several vodka bottles were empty.
Beer bottles lay scattered around as well.
Most outrageous of all, Hashirama, Madara, Tobirama, and Izuna had all passed out drunk in the hall.
Hashirama lay on his back beside a table, still mumbling something indistinctly.
Madara sat leaning against the wall, somehow still clutching a half-empty glass.
Tobirama was slumped over the bar, with the ledger beside him. The writing in its first half was neat, but in the second half it had begun to slant.
Izuna lay not far from Madara, his cheeks flushed from drinking. He had clearly had too much as well.
Two customers even poked their heads in at the door. They smelled the alcohol filling the place, then saw the four men sprawled around and turned tail in fright.
"Forget it, forget it. This place doesn't seem to be open today."
"The boss isn't even here, and the employees are all passed out. That's terrifying."
Zhang Yu's face darkened by degrees.
No one was running the place.
Customers had been scared away.
The alcohol had been stolen.
Four top-tier employees had all passed out drunk.
Fine.
Very fine.
He carried the flowers into the hall and set them down on the counter.
Bang!
The noise jolted the group mostly awake.
Hashirama opened his eyes groggily.
"Hm? Boss... you're back?"
Madara looked up, and his movements visibly froze.
Tobirama pushed himself upright against the bar, a rare blank look crossing his face for a moment.
Izuna also sobered up a little and instinctively looked at Madara.
Zhang Yu looked at them coldly.
"What did I say before I went out?"
No one in the hall answered.
Zhang Yu walked over to the drinking table, step by step, and picked up an empty vodka bottle.
"Don't touch the vintage liquor."
He picked up a beer bottle.
"Don't touch the vodka."
He pointed toward the underground liquor cellar.
"Don't go into the liquor cellar."
"And what happened?"
"All four of you got this drunk?"
"No one watching the tavern, no one greeting customers, no one clearing the tables-you've stopped doing business altogether?"
Hashirama immediately sat up straight, guilt written on his face.
"Boss, I was wrong."
Madara turned his face away, his voice growing quieter.
"I was the one who suggested getting the alcohol."
Hashirama hurriedly said, "No, I was the one who said I wanted a drink first."
Tobirama rubbed his brow and spoke with difficulty.
"Boss, I'm responsible for this too."
Zhang Yu looked at him and sneered.
"Of course you're responsible."
"I told you to monitor the liquor inventory, and you ended up monitoring yourself?"
Tobirama fell silent.
Izuna said quietly, "Boss, I'm sorry."
As soon as he spoke, Madara's expression grew even worse.
Zhang Yu swept his gaze over the four of them, raising his voice.
"Do you know you scared today's customers away?"
"The Undead Tavern is open for business, not for you to steal liquor and throw a party."