Chapter 237: Lord Ban Is Looking for You

The bakery's oven exuded a sweet scent, causing Lian Ye to involuntarily take a deep breath.

This smell is really fragrant!

His fingers lightly tapped the counter, calculating how many portions would be suitable to bring home?

Customer, what would you like—

The clerk hadn't finished speaking when Lian Ye's peripheral vision suddenly caught a familiar figure hurrying across the street.

Yuanfei Rizhan, looking anxious, walked toward the distance, not noticing Lian Ye watching him at all.

Strange, why does this guy look so anxious?

It feels to him like he's late for a date.

Wait, late for a date?

Lian Ye instantly guessed the reason for his haste.

It really is that he's late for a date!

Yuanfei Rizhan is indeed at the age to look for a partner, and now should be doing so.

In the original story, Ri Zhan and Tuan Cang, such old bachelors, are different; he is married and even has two sons…

The second son Asma's head alone is worth thirty million taels.

Yuanfei Rizhan not only became Hokage, but also enjoys a happy marriage—truly a winner in life.

The old bachelor Tuan Cang is almost crying with jealousy.

However, Ri Zhan's wife was casually killed by Uchiha Obito during the Nine-Tails Incident.

It is unknown whether Ri Zhan's current date is his wife from the original story.

"Customer?" the clerk's words interrupted his thoughts.

Lian Ye looked at the assorted sweets in the display case, subconsciously swallowed his saliva, and decisively slapped down a stack of cash.

All of them, please, thank you.

Three minutes later, he carried a bulging bag of desserts, placed it into a Storage Scroll, and then silently followed Ri Zhan.

Yuanfei Rizhan hurried along, completely unaware that a tail had appeared behind him.

……

"Sorry, I'm late," Yuanfei Rizhan panted heavily, looking at the girl before him with guilt.

It was hard enough to finally get the other person to agree to a date, only to be late by mistake.

Hope Lake Biwa isn't angry because of that, right?

Lian Ye hid in the corner, opened his Sharingan to secretly watch, and indeed he was guessed.

Ri Zhan really did come over for the date.

"It's okay, Ri Zhan."

The speaker was a girl in a light purple kimono, and she wasn't angry about Ri Zhan's tardiness.

The two had met by chance some time ago and instantly clicked.

Otherwise Ri Zhan wouldn't have been able to invite Lake Biwa out alone so quickly.

The two walked shoulder‑to‑shoulder, keeping a perfectly balanced distance—neither distant nor overly close.

Yuanfei Rizhan seemed a bit nervous; his gaze drifted involuntarily while Lake Biwa lowered their head slightly, a faint smile at the corners of their mouth.

Lian Ye's Sharingan captured both of their actions, and Ri Zhan truly had terrible luck, finding a partner so quickly.

He kept sneaking peeks while eating the sweets he bought.

Although he has no intention of courting anyone, spying on others' romance is rather entertaining.

Lian Ye followed behind, listening with great interest.

Does Ri Zhan also feel embarrassed?

Unfortunately Tuan Cang isn't here; otherwise he could have seen this scene.

He bit into a dumpling; the sweet red‑bean filling melted in his mouth, and his mood became inexplicably pleasant.

The two stopped in front of a Tea House.

Ri Zhan hesitated, then mustered the courage to say, "Um… would you like to go in and sit? Their Red Tea tastes good."

Lake Biwa lightly nodded, "Sure."

"Actually… I've always wanted to ask you…"

Lian Ye swallowed the dumpling in one bite and promptly perked up his ears.

Is Ri Zhan about to confess?

"For the next memorial… shall we go watch the fireworks together?"

Lian Ye: "…"

All that fuss for this—does Ri Zhan even work out?

After a brief silence, Lake Biwa's voice, tinged with a smile, said, "Sure."

The two chatted as they walked shoulder‑to‑shoulder into the Tea House.

……

"Lord Ban is looking for you, meow."

As Lian Ye contemplated whether to follow inside, a plump Ninja Cat swaggered up in front of him.

Lian Ye: "Lord Ban is looking for me?"

No need to think; everyone knows what Madara Uchiha would summon him for.

It's nothing more than to come over as a chef.

"Exactly, Lord Ban sent me to bring you over," the plump Ninja Cat said, lazily licking its paw.

"I understand." Lian Ye nodded in agreement.

There's still some time before noon, so we can first go cook for Madara Uchiha, then rush back to cook for Qianshou Feijian.

As long as nothing unexpected happens en route, it'll be perfectly on time.

This way it's a win‑win and we don't have to worry about being discovered.

Lian Ye couldn't help but think to himself that he's practically a master of time management!

"Fat Cat, has Lord Ban prepared the ingredients?" Lian Ye asked.

The moment those words left his mouth, the plump Ninja Cat flared up instantly, "You're the Fat Cat, your whole family are Fat Cats, I am Dao Ba!"

Lian Ye stared at Dao Ba's round, plump figure, his mouth twitching.

With that looks, still called Dao Ba, he'd be better off called Fat Cat.

"Dao Ba, has Lord Ban prepared the ingredients?"

"Lord Ban's cave has nothing at all; he wants you to bring a few more salmon over, meow," Dao Ba said.

"There must be some pots and pans, right?" Lian Ye, despite his lingering doubt, asked persistently.

"Didn't I say, meow, the cave has nothing," Dao Ba replied irritably.

Lian Ye: "……"

At last, his hanging heart finally died.

The mighty Ninja World Asura and God of Ninja, calling Chu Zi to the door is one thing, but they don't even prepare ingredients or cookware.

Honestly, they don't even want to take this order.

"What are you daydreaming about? If you don't hurry, Lord Ban will be waiting anxiously," Dao Ba urged.

"Got it," Lian Ye sighed helplessly.

First he went to the market to buy fresh ingredients, then to a kitchenware shop to purchase pots and pans.

This delay brought the mealtime even closer.

Lian Ye hurriedly followed Dao Ba out of the Village.

To prevent the matter from being exposed, he must rush back before noon to cook for Qianshou Feijian.

He originally considered leaving a Shadow Clone Jutsu at home to cook, but recalling the issues with his clones, he ultimately abandoned the idea.

……

A cave in Fire Country.

"Why hasn't Lian Ye arrived yet?" Senju Hashirama stood at the cave entrance, anxiously scratching his head.

He hasn't had Lian Ye's cooking for some time, so he pesters Madara to summon Lian Ye over.

Madara Uchiha liked the idea, so he summoned a Ninja Cat to go find Lian Ye.

Ever since tasting Lian Ye's dishes, he has lost interest in any other food.

Madara's thought of whisking Lian Ye away grew stronger in his mind.

A child of the Uchiha Clan should follow Madara Uchiha; what does it mean to follow Qianshou Feijian?

Those who don't know would think the Uchiha were exterminated.

No, he must find a way to trick this kid into following him.

Madara Uchiha arrived at the cave entrance, gazed at the distant mountains, pondering how to make Lian Ye willingly follow him.

He will claim this kid's guardianship!

No one who arrives can stop it…

ps: Hehe, thanks for the gifts from everyone, love you all, yīng yīng yīng…