Ino's eyes widened on the spot.
"You're really giving it to us?"
"Mm."
Zhang Yu nodded.
"The system... ahem, everything my shop makes has a consistent taste."
"And you don't have to worry about gaining weight."
"It only replenishes fluids. It won't make you put on weight."
At that, Ino's expression changed instantly.
"It won't make us gain weight?"
She stared at the cola, her gaze suddenly serious.
"Boss Zhang Yu, are you sure?"
Zhang Yu smiled. "I'm sure."
"Drink as much as you like."
Ino immediately hugged the bottle to her chest.
She moved so fast it was as if she feared Zhang Yu would change his mind.
"Then I'll take it!"
Hinata was taken aback, too.
What girl didn't care about these things?
The cola tasted so good and was ice-cold, yet it wouldn't make them gain weight. It only replenished fluids.
That made it far better than ordinary drinks.
She carefully picked up the other bottle and gave Zhang Yu a small, earnest bow.
"Thank you..."
Zhang Yu was quite pleased to see how happy the two were.
The task required him to make them so delighted they wouldn't want to leave.
Snacks and cola alone weren't enough.
He had to draw in the spending potential behind them, too.
Behind Ino Yamanaka was the Yamanaka Clan.
Behind Hinata Hyuga was the Hyuga Clan.
One ran a flower shop, and her family had plenty of business.
The other was the eldest daughter of the Main Family, and her family had even more money to spare.
What did that make them?
High-quality, long-term customers.
He had to let them simmer slowly.
With that thought, Zhang Yu turned and took two more bottles of Erguotou from beneath the counter.
The moment he set out the clear bottles, Ino stared in surprise.
"What's this?"
"Liquor."
Zhang Yu pushed a bottle of Erguotou in front of each of them.
"This isn't for you to drink."
"Take it home to your fathers."
Ino looked surprised.
"For my dad?"
Hinata was a little flustered, too.
"F-for Father?"
Zhang Yu nodded.
"That's right."
"The Yamanaka Clan and the Hyuga Clan are both well-known families in Konoha."
"You helped me deliver flowers today, and that was a big help."
"Consider these two bottles a thank-you gift."
Ino looked at the bottle, then at Zhang Yu.
"Is this liquor expensive?"
Zhang Yu replied calmly, "It isn't cheap."
Ino's mouth twitched.
"And you're giving it away?"
"It's worth giving to customers who deserve it."
That made Ino feel good.
She was lively by nature, and after receiving such praise, her smile grew even brighter.
"Boss Zhang Yu, you're actually pretty nice."
Hinata, on the other hand, hesitated.
"But... something so valuable..."
Zhang Yu pushed the bottle a little closer to her.
"Go on, take it."
"When you get home, tell your father this liquor is from the Undead Tavern."
"If he likes it, he can come and see the shop for himself."
Hinata hesitated for a moment, but eventually accepted it with both hands.
"I'll tell Father."
Ino, meanwhile, had already accepted hers without hesitation.
"My dad will definitely be curious."
"I'll get him to come take a look."
Zhang Yu nodded in satisfaction.
First, he had secured Inoichi Yamanaka and Hyuga Hiashi.
Two bottles of Erguotou in exchange for potential customers from two clans.
Worth it.
This was called playing the long game.
Slowly simmering until the sauce reduced.
Once the snacks, cola, and liquor had made their way into their social circles, would he have to worry about a lack of customers?
Ino and Hinata sat for quite a while longer before finally getting up, reluctant to leave.
Hugging her cola and Erguotou, Ino walked to the door and glanced back.
"Boss Zhang Yu, I'll come again."
"Next time, you have to let me see the flower catalogue."
Zhang Yu smiled. "That depends on how you behave."
Ino gave a little huff.
"Haven't I behaved well enough?"
"Very well."
"Then it's a deal!"
Hinata stood beside her and bowed her head slightly as well.
"Thank you... for having us today."
"The snacks and cola were both very good."
Zhang Yu waved.
"You're welcome to come again."
Only then did the two girls leave the Undead Tavern.
Outside, the summer heat washed over them again.
But with the chilled cola in her arms, Ino was in an exceptionally good mood.
She couldn't resist looking back at the tavern's sign.
"Hinata, I'm telling you, this place is amazing."
"The snacks are delicious, and the cola tastes great too."
"The boss is pretty gentle, too."
Hinata nodded softly, her cheeks a little red.
"Mm... Boss Zhang Yu is very nice."
Ino blinked, then suddenly smiled and leaned closer.
"And he's pretty handsome too, right?"
Hinata's face grew even redder.
"I-Ino..."
Ino burst out laughing.
"Why are you so embarrassed? I was just saying."
"But he said we can come back again."
"Next time, we have to drink that cola again!"
Hinata looked down at the bottle in her arms and spoke softly.
"I want to come again too."
The two chatted as they walked, soon disappearing around the corner.
At the tavern entrance, Zhang Yu watched them leave in quite a good mood.
He had successfully cultivated some high-quality customers.
Wasn't this better than ordinary drunkards?
He returned behind the bar and lightly tapped his fingers on the counter.
"Slowly simmer until the sauce reduces."
"First, get the two girls to fall in love with the snacks and cola, then have them take the liquor home."
"Once Inoichi Yamanaka and Hyuga Hiashi have a taste, heh heh."
Tobirama looked up at him.
"Boss, what did you just say?"
Izuna also poked his head out of the kitchen.
"Slowly simmer... until the sauce reduces?"
Tobirama frowned.
"Boss, what kind of stew do you want to eat?"
Izuna gave it some serious thought.
"There's still meat in the kitchen, but no frogs."
Zhang Yu's expression froze.
"Who said I wanted to eat frogs?"
Tobirama was expressionless.
"You just mentioned slow simmering."
Izuna added, "Reducing the sauce generally refers to cooking."
Zhang Yu waved a hand.
"Forget it. You two don't understand."
Tobirama lowered his head and went back to keeping the accounts.
Izuna silently made a note of it, then returned to the kitchen to see if there were any ingredients suitable for slow simmering.
Zhang Yu couldn't be bothered to explain.
He sat behind the bar, waiting for the next development in the system task.
By all rights, Ino and Hinata had both made it clear that they wanted to come back.
They also had a strong favorable impression of the place.
The task should be close to completion.
But the system still hadn't made a sound.
Zhang Yu was wondering whether their favorable impression still fell a little short when the Undead Tavern Work Group in his mind suddenly went wild.
[Hashirama Senju: Boss!] [Hashirama Senju: Boss, boss, boss!] [Hashirama Senju: Come out, quick!]
Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow.
"What happened to Hashirama?"
The next second, another message popped up.
[Hashirama Senju: I can hardly hold Madara back anymore!]
Zhang Yu sat up straight.
[Zhang Yu: What happened?]
Before Hashirama could reply, Madara's messages popped up.
[Madara Uchiha: Kirigakure.]
[Madara Uchiha: It should be wiped out.]
Zhang Yu: "..."
Good grief.
How long had they even been gone?
Why were they talking about wiping out another village?
When Izuna saw the group messages, he immediately sent one of his own.
[Uchiha Izuna: You're going to wipe out Kirigakure, brother? I support you.]
The corner of Zhang Yu's mouth twitched.
[Zhang Yu: Izuna, hold off on the support for now.]
[Zhang Yu: Hashirama, explain yourself. What exactly happened?]
Hashirama seemed to be in a hurry.
[Hashirama Senju: Well... it's a little complicated.]
[Hashirama Senju: Madara is very angry right now.]
[Madara Uchiha: Hashirama.]
[Madara Uchiha: If you dare say a single word, I'll fight you first.]