Chapter 484: Jiu Xinnai's Mission

Time flies.

It has been nearly a year since I returned from the Water Country to the Leaf Village.

In the Hokage office, a blond bombshell was frantically busy, handling various documents in her hands.

While stamping, she muttered curses under her breath.

"Yuzhibo Dongshilang, you damn bastard, actually shoved all this paperwork onto me and went out to have fun—you deserve to die!"

She slammed the Hokage seal onto a not-so-important document, Gangshou bit her lower lip, her eyes flashing with menace.

She never imagined she'd end up like this. Originally her plan was to just be a laid-back Hokage aide, which would also fulfill her grandfather's wish.

"Gangshou-sama… this is also the Hokage's trust in you…"

Standing beside Gangshou as well, holding a large stack of documents, Jingyin's expression was relatively calm as she offered two words of comfort.

Compared to wandering around with Gangshou-sama and dodging creditors, she felt it was much more relaxing staying in the village.

Thinking back to those days of hiding east and west, it was hardly a human existence.

"Ah! Finally finished processing~"

About two hours later, after finishing her work, Gangshou looked out the window at the sunset already beginning to slant westward, and stretched lazily.

Jingyin beside her couldn't help but feel envious.

"Jingyin, bring the little pig, let's go gamble a couple rounds!"

She rubbed her hands; Gangshou, who hadn't been to the casino in a long time, could barely control her gambling urge, eyes gleaming as she looked at Jingyin.

"No, this is all we have left for this month's living expenses—if we lose it all…"

She clutched her chest, tightening her grip on her wallet, Jingyin's eyes filled with indignation.

You see, this is the remaining living expense for her and Gangshou-sama this month; even after next month's salary arrives, there's still half a month left—if they lose it all, they'll both be penniless.

"How could it be… I feel really lucky today; I'm sure I can win back all the money I lost before."

As soon as winning money was mentioned, Gangshou clenched her fists, her gaze fierce—especially when her eyes swept over the documents on the table, she gritted her teeth.

"By then I won't have to face these annoying chores every day!"

After saying that, Gangshou lunged at Jingyin, starting to grope her up and down.

"No… Gangshou-sama, if we lose this money again, we won't even have enough to eat!"

Seeing Gangshou still being unreasonable, Jingyin curled up in the office corner, arms desperately shielding her chest, ready to resist to the death.

However, based on Gangshou's experience, this resistance is just a drizzle; Jingyin this girl couldn't last a few rounds.

"Cough! Cough!"

Just as Jingyin was on the verge of despair, the door to the Hokage office was pushed open.

"Hokage!"

Upon seeing the arrival, Jingyin shouted loudly, rushed over to Dong Shilang in a panic, and hid directly behind him.

"Hokage, please quickly persuade Gangshou-sama!"

Upon seeing Dong Shilang, Jingyin felt as if she'd found a savior and began to accuse Gangshou.

"You don't know, when I used to wander with Gangshou-sama, we dodged creditors every day; now that we've barely stabilized, Gangshou-sama's old habits are flaring up again."

As she spoke, Jingyin began to tear up, obviously recalling those unbearable days.

"Um… Gangshou…"

Just after entering and seeing this scene, Dong Shilang also felt somewhat helpless.

"If I remember correctly, the village guaranteed your gambling debt, and there's still a huge hole left unfilled."

"If you have time to go play at the gambling house, you'd be better off training a few more medical ninjas—then I can settle your wages and fill that hole!"

That woman Gangshou, over these years outside, has piled up a mountain of gambling debts; after she settled in the Leaf Village, these people heard the news and came knocking for payment.

For Dong Shilang, this was like a pillow arriving just when he was feeling sleepy.

He was worrying how to keep squeezing Gangshou so that this woman would continue handling his paperwork.

And this excuse just came in handy.

How can you not repay a debt? Isn't that ruining our Leaf Village's reputation?

He directly used the village's finances to help plug that hole, then forced Gangshou to repay the money.

She naturally doesn't have that much money to repay, but as the saying goes, gambling debts are paid with flesh.

Dong Shilang thus had her handle some trifles that required the Hokage's attention, in order to earn wages to fill that hole.

It's just that it's taken quite a while.

"I've already greeted those gambling houses in the village, telling them not to lend you money, yet you actually turned your thoughts to the living expenses—really… incorrigible!"

He rolled his eyes and snapped back. "This woman truly isn't an ordinary gambler."

"You jerk, you came in without knocking!"

Facing Dong Shilang's lecture, Gangshou didn't care, tidied up her clothes a bit, then turned the tables on him.

"…Alright, no more small talk—I've come this time with actual business to attend to."

Ignoring Gangshou, this woman actually had the nerve to say one needs to knock before entering the Hokage office? I don't know who it is, but every time someone enters the Hokage office they just barge in without restraint.

While saying that, Dong Shilang walked to the desk, took out a mission scroll, and stamped it with the Hokage seal.

"What is this?"

Seeing Dong Shilang take out the mission scroll, Gangshou felt a bit odd.

Looking at the scroll's style, Gangshou knew it was a mission directly issued by the Hokage, and its rank wasn't low either.

Since Dong Shilang became Hokage, he seems not to have issued many missions of this type.

"This is a mission for Senior Jiu Xinnai!"

After briefly explaining a sentence, Dong Shilang directly turned and left the Hokage building; as for whether Gangshou would continue to go gambling, what does that have to do with him?

On his way home, he happened to meet Bai, who had just gotten out of school, and Dong Shilang asked about his situation at the ninja academy.

"Bai, are you getting along well with the teachers and classmates at school?"

After bringing Bai back to Leaf Village, he directly had people help him with basic literacy and ninja training, and Bai completed all of this perfectly.

However, Dong Shilang did not directly make him a ninja; instead, he placed him in the ninja academy so he could grow up normally like an ordinary child.

"Very good… it's just… the classmates are a little too enthusiastic!"

Upon hearing Dong Shilang's words, Bai turned his head to look at the girls still waving goodbye to him, and the corner of his mouth revealed his usual clean smile.

"That's good!"

At first, Dong Shilang was worried that this child would receive treatment like Kushina's, but he hadn't expected that he would adapt very well to life at the ninja academy.

But after just a short two or three days, he basically integrated into the new class, and his female classmates helped him a lot.

As for the other stories that arose from this, Bai resolved them all quite well.

He didn't have the idea of raising Bai as a tool; letting this child have a happy childhood is also not bad.

"Do you understand the medical ninjutsu-related materials I gave you?"

This child's thoughts are clear, somewhat compassionate and soft-hearted; Dong Shilang intends to make him a medical ninja, which would also be a good thing for him.

"Although it's somewhat difficult, … I can generally understand it!"

While saying this, Bai raised his hands to show Dong Shilang; slowly, a soft light‑green glow appeared on them.

As this green light appeared, Bai looked up at Dong Shilang with an expectant face.

"He really is a genius!"

He ruffled Bai's head, and Dong Shilang laughed while giving him praise.

This child can, relying only on some materials, self‑taughtly condense medical chakra; truly not an ordinary talent.

But having reference to the original work, such performance is not unreasonable.

After returning home, Dong Shilang ate a dinner prepared by Chie, and while enjoying a cup of hot tea, an unexpected guest arrived, disturbing his tranquility.

"Hokage‑sama, sorry to bother you; I don't know why you summoned me, what is the matter?"

The red‑haired Kushina took the hot tea Bai offered and gave the other person a kind smile.

Her chakra perception is keen; Bai gave her a feeling of being very clean and pure, and from the first time she saw him, she has liked this child very much.

"Speaking of which, I'm the one who disrupted Kushina's life; I don't know if life in the Uchiha residence has been comfortable for you lately."

Looking at Kushina, Dong Shilang took a sip of his hot tea and began to make small talk with her.

Speaking of which, although she was living fine at home, I, in order to avoid letting the Third Hokage exert too much influence on Kushina and Naruto, forcibly required her to move to live in the Uchiha clan's territory.

Afterward, I paid no attention to them mother and son, which really makes me a bit embarrassed.

"Thank you, Hokage‑sama, for your concern; the Uchiha clan members are all very enthusiastic, and I am also good friends with Mikoto, living here very happily."

"Moreover, Naruto has also made very good friends here."

The Uchiha clan members all basically know Kushina's identity, and regarding Dong Shilang letting Kushina reside in their territory, they have maintained a welcoming attitude.

They take very good care of her, and moreover, Naruto has also adapted well here.

But…

Just thinking about Naruto and Sasuke, those two noisy lovebirds, she inexplicably gets a headache.

Although both are kids who mutually recognize each other very much, for some reason they always end up awkwardly bickering for no apparent reason.

This makes both her and Mikoto very troubled.

"That's good!"

Seeing that Kushina wasn't too opposed to this move, Dong Shilang didn't say anything more.

"I have a mission here to give you; I imagine you will gladly accept it!"

While saying this, Dong Shilang took out the mission scroll he had just prepared in the Hokage office and handed it to Kushina.

This was specially prepared by him for Kushina.