Chapter 243: If there are legs, how can there be no silk?

Hidden Leaf.

With the influx of ninja clans, the village's development began to stabilize. Everything appeared orderly, and the storefronts that the ninja clans had pre-arranged were opening one after another, with the noise and bustle never ceasing.

At the moment, the hot topic of discussion on the bustling streets was who would eventually end up with the position of Hokage.

In a barbecue restaurant that had just finished its renovation not long ago, several people sat around a grill. Among them, a stout man was impatiently flipping the sizzling meat on the grill, his small eyes filled with anticipation.

The few people beside him were holding tea, chatting idly.

"Shinji, is this the barbecue restaurant you said was delicious to the point of exploding? It doesn't look like it has any special features~"

Shimura Kenichi looked around at the shop's decor, finding nothing special—it was just an ordinary barbecue restaurant, though it did have a few more people than usual.

"You'll know once you taste it in a moment. The barbecue at Boss Da Lang's place is absolutely unique!"

Wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth, Akimichi Shinji, who was staring intently at the barbecue, recommended it strongly.

"Is the boss of this shop an Uchiha?"

Taking a sip of tea, the man with the pineapple-style hair sitting opposite him glanced at the fan hanging on the wall and asked.

"Ah!"

As soon as the pineapple-haired man finished speaking, the woman sitting in the corner screamed as if she had been triggered.

"Minako, this is a public place. Be quiet, I can't even hear the ingredients responding~"

Akimichi Shinji, who was focused on flipping the meat, raised his head helplessly and reminded the decadent woman in the corner who was in a daze.

"My bad, my bad. I forgot this was a forbidden word for Minako."

Rubbing his temples, the pineapple-haired man apologized.

"Sigh... I don't know what's wrong with Uncle Jin Er, actually making us acknowledge that debt."

Whenever the Uchiha were mentioned, Shimura Kenichi felt a belly full of fire. When they were redeeming Shimura Jin Er a while ago, their Shimura clan hadn't spent little money, and in the end, when they really couldn't scrape together the cash, they even signed an IOU.

They had thought that after the elder was rescued, they could appeal and default on the debt. Unexpectedly, the elders who came out of the Uchiha clan's dungeon all tacitly chose to acknowledge the debt and stated they would definitely pay it back with interest.

"Yeah, Minako spent the most. That money... I'm afraid she won't be able to pay it back in this lifetime~"

Akimichi Shinji shook his head sympathetically. Although their Akimichi clan had also spent quite a bit of money, it was still within an acceptable range, unlike the Yamanaka clan, which had spent over a billion, right?

"This money was worth spending."

Sarutobi Sasuke, who had been observing the street outside the window, joined the conversation upon hearing the topic his childhood friends were discussing.

"Teacher Takinosuke, after being captured, once experienced inhuman torture. According to him, his brain had already been damaged at the time, but under the meticulous care of a jailer, his sanity miraculously recovered."

Recalling the experience his teacher had told him about, Sarutobi Sasuke's eyes shimmered, and his gratitude toward someone grew even stronger.

"Grandpa Soichiro is already over seventy, but his body is still very sturdy."

Yamanaka Minako, who had perked up a bit, tidied her withered, yellow hair, and a smile appeared on her pale face.

"Moreover, the clothes I drew in the lottery sold like hotcakes in the capital of the Land of Fire. Many nobles scrambled to buy them, so I managed to recoup quite a bit."

Under Akimichi Shinji's murderous gaze, Yamanaka Minako extended her chopsticks, picked up a piece of golden, fatty-and-lean barbecue, threw it into her mouth, and began to savor it carefully.

"Mmm~ Oishii~"

As the fragrant, tender, and smooth barbecue entered her mouth, a look of surprise lit up Yamanaka Minako's dim eyes. Covering her small mouth, she praised it repeatedly.

"Heh heh~ I told you, this barbecue restaurant is definitely the best in the Ninja World!"

Although his carefully grilled pork belly had been snatched, Akimichi Shinji endured it, considering how unlucky Minako already was.

As long as it wasn't the last piece, it was all good.

"Clatter!"

Shimura Kenichi, who was drinking tea, dropped his teacup upon hearing Yamanaka Minako's words. Even though the scalding tea spilled all over his pants, he didn't notice any pain at all.

After all, it was too small~

"What? Those rags are really that valuable?"

He propped himself up and shouted in disbelief.

One had to know that when he brought back the basket of bizarre clothes he had drawn, he had chosen to use Fire Style on them immediately to avoid the annoyance of looking at them.

"Yeah, especially that kind of underwear and swimwear with very little fabric. Some nobles spent huge sums of money to bid for them~"

Licking her red, oily lips, Yamanaka Minako's eyes flashed with confusion. She still couldn't figure out why someone would spend millions of ryo to buy a bikini only a finger wide.

What was the difference between wearing that and being completely naked?

As she spoke, she extended five slender fingers and said in an inexplicable tone.

"Just that summer limited edition bikini sold for five million ryo~"

"Damn it!"

Feeling like he had missed out on a fortune, Shimura Kenichi slammed the table hard, his narrow heart filled with regret.

Once, a chance to get rich had been placed before him, and he hadn't cherished it. Now, whatever he said was too late...

Wait!

"I remember, the lottery was 168,000 per draw, right?"

After calming down, Shimura Kenichi did some mental math and asked the people before him with a strange expression.

"Yeah, what about it?"

The others were currently calculating how to sell the idle prizes in their families. They weren't as extreme as Shimura Kenichi, who had reduced the clothes to ashes before even getting home.

"Nothing, nothing, I was just asking~"

With cunning light flickering in his eyes and a calm expression, Shimura Kenichi secretly rejoiced in his heart. He had finally found a way to make a fortune.

"Oh, is that so..."

The few who answered all lowered their heads, unable to see each other's expressions, and no one knew what they were thinking at that moment.

The lottery Uchiha Gin had set up before guaranteed a limited edition swimsuit in ten draws. That meant 1.68 million to secure a swimsuit. Take it to the capital of the Land of Fire, run some ads, do some marketing, and selling it for three or four million would be simple.

And so, the guys present, each with their own thoughts, revealed self-satisfied smiles tacitly and began to toast each other, having a great time~

【Today is another day full of hope~】

On the bustling streets of the Hidden Leaf,

Two beautiful figures were walking with joyful steps, engaging in their daily shopping activity on the newly emerged commercial street.

On the left was a tall, curvaceous teenage girl with black and white hair, drawing glances from passersby. A youthful smile hung on her pretty face, and the purple mark on her forehead shimmered in the sunlight.

Walking beside her on the right was a quiet-looking girl with purple hair, cold yet not lacking in charm. Her long, wavy hair made her look like a noble young lady, giving people a sense of being high and unreachable.

On her forehead, there was also a mark identical to the one on the girl beside her, only slightly smaller and lighter in color.

"Sister Uchiha Zhili, why are you out so early?"

Senju Ban-jian, eyes full of curiosity, tilted her head and asked Uchiha Uchiha Zhili, who had a strange expression beside her.

Today was the day the two girls had agreed to go shopping. But usually, Uchiha Uchiha Zhili would come to the appointment after lunch. Today, for some reason, she was quite early.

"Mother said she wasn't cooking lunch and told me to eat outside with you."

Uchiha Uchiha Zhili frowned slightly, recalling the strange look her mother had when she waved goodbye to her, which couldn't help but make her suspicious.

"Uh... that curly-haired baboon said the same thing to me!"

Senju Ban-jian, who was examining the goods on the street, turned her head in confusion upon hearing Uchiha Uchiha Zhili's words. Why did she find this sentence so familiar?

"Mr. Gin said that too?"

Uchiha Uchiha Zhili suddenly stopped in her tracks, her sense of unease growing stronger. How could there be such a coincidence?

"Yeah, he went for a night run again last night, came back and fell asleep immediately, smelling like oysters all over. It was so pungent."

Revealing a look of disgust, Senju Ban-jian recalled the curly-haired man who was drenched in sweat and carried a pungent, salty, fishy smell at midnight last night, and couldn't help but complain.

"Speaking of which, is the food at the night market really that delicious? Should we go and try it?"

However, since it could make that guy Uchiha Gin visit multiple times, that seafood restaurant must have some real skills.

"Mr. Gin has also taken a liking to night runs recently?"

Narrowing her beautiful eyes, Uchiha Uchiha Zhili, who felt that things were eleven parts wrong out of ten, asked.

"Anyway, he goes out every few days."

The big-hearted Senju Ban-jian, although suspicious, didn't think too much about it. Anyway, Uchiha Gin didn't stay out all night, so she was very relieved.

"Is that so..."

Looking at the honest and simple best friend before her, Uchiha Uchiha Zhili sighed in her heart.

They say the one close to the water gets the moon first, so why is this silly Ban-jian so unpromising!

If it were her, the child would probably have opened their Sharingan by now~

The carefree Senju Ban-jian didn't notice Uchiha Uchiha Zhili's flushed face at all. The purple-haired girl's cold eyes carried a hint of charm, and the corners of her mouth curled into a not-so-small arc. The thought of "riding the master and destroying the clan" grew even stronger.

Mr. Gin, the Uchiha clan is very good at seizing opportunities~

"Forget it, let's not talk about that curly-haired baboon. I heard a lot of new shops have opened on the commercial street. Let's buy a wave today~"

Seeing Uchiha Uchiha Zhili fall into a strange silence, Senju Ban-jian scratched her head, then grabbed her best friend and walked toward the commercial area newly opened by the ninja clans.

The shops along the way were growing explosively compared to before. Many novel products kept the two girls busy. While shopping, Senju Ban-jian stopped at a stall because she discovered something that interested her.

"Sister Uchiha Zhili, look, there's a cute doll here!"

With stars in her eyes, Senju Ban-jian waved to Uchiha Uchiha Zhili behind her, pointing at the fluffy little fox before her, excited.

"Hmm... it has nine tails, it is indeed a bit cute."

Uchiha Uchiha Zhili walked up, looked at the fiery red little fox on the shelf, and nodded in agreement.

"Boss, how much is this fox doll?"

"Sorry, wait a moment."

The owner of the stall was a red-haired youth with a somewhat green face, looking a bit reserved. He pulled open the curtain behind him and shouted inside.

"Grandpa, how much is that Nine-Tails doll?"

"Phew... is that Gin?"

A loud, resonant voice came from behind the curtain, and an old man with a somewhat hunched figure walked out, his graying hair mixed with a few streaks of bright red.

"Eh... it's actually not~"

The old man who walked out was none other than the nearly seventy-year-old Uzumaki Brother Zhouxuan. Now, he had retired behind the scenes, handing the business over to his grandson to manage. Rubbing his somewhat farsighted eyes, he looked at the two girls in front of the stall and asked with some confusion.

"You're Uncle Brother Zhouxuan, long time no see~"

Senju Ban-jian, who was examining the Nine-Tails doll, asked with surprise upon seeing the old man who had come out from behind.

"Uh... you're the tag-along behind Gin. I remember when I last saw you, you were just like this. Being a ninja is really nice; you age slower than us ordinary people~"

Although Uzumaki Brother Zhouxuan was old, his heart was as clear as a mirror. Looking at Senju Ban-jian, whom he considered an acquaintance, he said with a smile.

"Heh heh, I see your body is still very sturdy, why are you lying flat?"

Not expecting it to be an acquaintance, Senju Ban-jian also wore a smile, pointed at the green youth beside Uzumaki Brother Zhouxuan, and asked.

"Who is this little brother?"

"Zheng-yan, this is an old regular customer of our family. Remember to give them a discount in the future~"

Patting his grandson's head, Uzumaki Brother Zhouxuan reminded him.

"Hello, my name is Uzumaki Zheng-yan. Please take care of our family's business in the future~"

After his grandfather's reminder, the youth tactfully stepped forward to salute.

"I am advanced in age, so the business in the Land of Fire will be managed by my grandson from now on."

"Grandson, huh? No wonder he looks so much like you. Then where is your son?"

Sweeping her gaze over the faces of the old and the young, Senju Ban-jian suddenly realized, then clapped her hands and asked with some confusion.

"That rebellious son, Jingtong, has too impatient a temper, so I let him watch the shop back home. Zhengyan, this kid, has been smart since he was little, so I let him come to the Land of Fire to gain some experience so he can inherit my family business in the future."

Whenever his son was mentioned, Uzumaki Brother Zhouxuan felt a belly full of anger. That brat didn't do a good business and, at his age, still thought about being a ninja every day. He was truly hopeless, so he'd better cultivate his grandson.

"Oh, oh, oh... then this doll?"

Since it was family business, Senju Ban-jian didn't continue to ask, then pointed at the cute Nine-Tails doll, having a few ideas in her heart.

"9,000 ryo~"

"Give me two!"

"Alright~"

After the two girls holding the Nine-Tails dolls walked far away, Uzumaki Zheng-yan, who had an inexplicable expression, was filled with conflict. Looking at his grandfather, who was happily counting the banknotes, he finally made up his mind and asked.

"Grandpa, I just checked the cargo list, that doll should only be 900 ryo, right?"

"Cough, cough, cough... Zheng-yan, today Grandpa will teach you the most important lesson in doing business."

Uzumaki Brother Zhouxuan, holding the banknotes, felt his breath catch upon hearing his grandson's words. But considering the other party was young and ignorant, he still chose to pass on the business experience he had realized over many years.

And so, under Uzumaki Zheng-yan's expectant gaze, Uzumaki Brother Zhouxuan, who had put away the banknotes, sat upright and said slowly with a profound look.

"Kill the familiar; the more familiar they are, the more you have to slaughter them~"

"."

"Heh heh~ finally gathered them all. That curly-haired baboon will definitely be very happy~"

Not caring about how much the Tailed Beast doll was actually worth, Senju Ban-jian, holding the cute Nine-Tails doll, celebrated happily.

"Mr. Gin actually likes this kind of creature?"

Stroking the Nine-Tails doll gifted by Senju Ban-jian, Uchiha Uchiha Zhili asked in an inexplicable tone. In her eyes, this kind of strange Tailed Beast doll shouldn't be in Uchiha Gin's aesthetic, right?

"That's right, that guy often stands in front of the display cabinet, sighing about why the Tailed Beasts haven't been gathered yet."

Rubbing the little chubby face of the Nine-Tails doll, Senju Ban-jian had a thoughtful look in her eyes, then exposed Uchiha Gin's strange behavior.

"Is that so... Mr. Gin likes collecting Tailed Beasts, huh..."

Also pinching the little round face of the Nine-Tails doll, Uchiha Uchiha Zhili had an inexplicable look in her eyes, then turned to ask Senju Ban-jian beside her. If Mr. Gin really liked it so much, then she...

"I heard that Senju Hashirama and the Clan Leader are having a Tailed Beast capture competition. I wonder what the true form of the Tailed Beast is like?"

Uchiha Uchiha Zhili's knowledge of Tailed Beasts was limited to the level of the Tailed Beast doll in her hand. As for how big the real Tailed Beast was and how strong it was, she had no idea.

"Hmm... I heard that Big Brother has already caught two Tailed Beasts and placed them in the forest, but that place has already been put under martial law by Second Brother, so you can't see them."

Knowing that her identity had been exposed, Senju Ban-jian didn't hide anything and poured all the inside information she knew to her best friend.

Having played with Tailed Beast dolls for so many years, it would be a lie to say Senju Ban-jian wasn't interested in real Tailed Beasts. A few days ago, while chatting with Second Brother, she had already learned the news that Senju Hashirama had caught Tailed Beasts.

She had immediately proposed to go and observe them, but was cruelly rejected by Senju Tobirama on the grounds of danger.

"Stingy! It's a pity the Clan Leader hasn't had any news yet. If he caught them, he would definitely let us watch them up close~"

Hearing this, Uchiha Uchiha Zhili slandered softly, then brought up Uchiha Madara again. Although the Clan Leader had a cold face, he was a warm-hearted person and loved to show off. If it were a Tailed Beast he caught, he would definitely ride it and circle the Hidden Leaf for three days and three nights before being willing to stop.

"Hmph~ Big Brother would definitely let me ride the Tailed Beast to play, unlike Second Brother who is so rigid."

Hearing this, Senju Ban-jian pouted and slandered Senju Tobirama angrily.

Both girls had been kicked out before mealtime. After shopping for a while, they felt hungry, so they entered a newly opened restaurant and began their lunch time.

"Let's not talk about it, let's order first!"

The dazzling array of dishes on the menu made them dizzy. Touching her own shriveled little belly, Senju Ban-jian smiled and raised her head, saying to the chubby waiter.

"Give me one!"

As a member of the Akimichi clan, the waiter looked surprised. Looking at the slim Senju Ban-jian, he subconsciously confirmed.

"Guest, our shop's main feature is affordability, you..."

"Two!"

After the rich dishes were served on the table, the two girls actually felt a sense of guilt. They were eating so sumptuously outside, while they didn't know what their families were eating.

"I wonder what Mother/Curly-haired baboon ate for lunch?"

"Pop~"

Accompanied by a heavy panting sound, in a room filled with seductive purple, a sound similar to opening a bottle of red wine rang out.

"Gulp... Gin-san is still as enduring as ever, my chin is almost dislocated~"

Hearing a gulp, Lady Aunt Yongmei, drenched in fragrant sweat, lowered her head, her purple hair scattering. She licked her red, plump lips, looked at the man before her with watery eyes, and said coquettishly with a thick nasal tone.

"Sorry, I've been a bit busy lately and neglected you."

Uchiha Gin, who had just released a wave, reached out to stroke the white, tender face of the beautiful woman before him, his tone filled with deep apology.

"It's okay, as long as Gin-san still remembers me, I'm already very happy."

The woman narrowed her eyes, enjoying Uchiha Gin's caress, and replied with great relief.

Uchiha Gin, who had been easily handled by the lady, didn't stand on ceremony anymore. He lowered his head and stared fixedly at Uchiha Aunt Yongmei's watery eyes. Amidst the affection, he resolutely embarked on the journey.

"Lady, you maintain yourself quite well, you even smell fragrant~"

"I have cleaned myself very seriously, you know~"

"Heh heh~"

Ps: Several words omitted here~

"Phew... Gin-san, little Uchiha Zhili seems to have become smarter recently, actually starting to suspect me."

After the clouds and rain, Uchiha Aunt Yongmei, who was weak all over, had eyes filled with satisfaction. She stuck to Uchiha Gin's side, a pair of beautiful feet adorned with purple nail polish shaking mischievously.

"Our relationship, hiding it like this isn't a solution. Should we tell little Uchiha Zhili?"

The movement of the woman in his arms suddenly paused.

"Wait a bit longer, I'm afraid little Uchiha Zhili won't be able to accept it for a while."

Stroking Uchiha Aunt Yongmei's purple hair, Uchiha Gin smacked his lips somewhat unnaturally. Feeling the faint fragrance in his mouth, he asked with a strange expression.

"Lady, you shouldn't have athlete's foot caused by fungi, right?"

"Hmph... I am very attentive to dietary safety. How could anything that can enter Gin-san's mouth carry germs~"

Hearing Uchiha Gin's questioning, Uchiha Aunt Yongmei beside him immediately exerted force with her beautiful feet and protested with great dissatisfaction.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, I know, I know~"

Uchiha Gin couldn't help but gasp. Looking at the white jailer filled with charm, he said with some embarrassment.

"It's not like I came over without eating lunch. Who told you, this jailer, to look so delicious, making people unable to help but taste it."

Uchiha Aunt Yongmei, who was somewhat shy and annoyed, stretched out her legs and placed her jade feet up, displaying them before Uchiha Gin, and slandered coquettishly.

The snow-white beautiful feet, matched with the charming purple nail polish, made Uchiha Gin unable to help but feel his appetite stirred again.

How could such a delicacy be without the seasoning of Balenciaga? He then shifted his gaze, smiled, and said.

"Heh heh, next time I'll bring some small gifts for you, Lady. Having feet without silk always feels a bit bland."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 244 =====