Chapter 9: Playing

After lunch at noon, he took a one‑hour nap. He then practiced swordsmanship and shuriken throwing for one hour.

Yuzhibo Dongshilang planned to go out for a stroll.

Having promised Yuzhibo Meixiang to spend more time playing with his companions, he also had no intention of going back on his word.

It's nothing special—just a way to pass the time. Otherwise each day would be either reading or training, which is so dull.

Isn't that even more extravagant than the old 996, 007 schedule?

Well… balancing work and rest is still necessary. Otherwise, training desperately at such a young age would wear out his body, and then everything would be over! You have to eat bite by bite and walk step by step. He still understands this simple truth.

As for playing with little kids, he had no choice either. He's just a four‑year‑old child, so he can't hang out with adults. Those colorful magazines, casinos, Kabuki Town, bars and the like are off‑limits to him.

"Where there's demand, there's service!" Recalling the occasional glimpses of those "social venues" while strolling around Leaf Village these past two months, the more something is forbidden, the better the business.

It seemed as if he had thought of something, and Yuzhibo Dongshilang silently muttered a complaint.

In the ninja world, adults' pastimes are just this plain and unadorned.

"I'm heading out." He said it habitually, not minding that the house was empty. Yuzhibo Dongshilang wore a dark‑blue high‑collar long‑sleeve, white loose trousers on the lower half, with a lollipop stuck in his mouth, hands clasped behind his head, and stepped out swaying with each step.

"Dong Shilang~ over here!" From far away, a childish voice reached Yuzhibo Dongshilang's ears.

He turned his head and saw a boy about his own age, dressed in Yuzhibo‑style children's clothes, loudly calling to him while waving his arms to signal him to come over quickly.

Around him, seven or eight peers of the same age, both boys and girls, were sitting or standing. They were all contemporaries who had joined the clan's training together with Yuzhibo Dongshilang.

Now is the peaceful period between World War II and World War III. Whether ninja clans or villages, the upbringing of children is not so urgent; most adopt a laissez‑faire attitude, letting these kids enjoy the joys of childhood.

The one who called out to Dong Shilang was named Yuzhibo Longhuo. He had a head of short brown hair, was fairly good‑looking, though a bit rough‑and‑tumble.

"Dong Shilang, you've come just in time—you can join us in playing ninja games."

"Hey! Ninja games again? Why don't we switch it up and play ghost‑catching this time?" Before he could finish speaking, a little girl beside him interjected.

The one who interrupted Yuzhibo Longhuo's speech was a little girl named Yuzhibo Yan. Her hair, slightly yellowish, was tied into a cute high ponytail. Her brows and eyes were clear, her nose pert and upturned. She had the pure, cute look typical of girls her age.

This little girl was a genius who, during this clan's training, managed to extract chakra in just one night. It's said she is the daughter of a prominent figure in the First Squad, and both her parents are powerful ninjas.

Upon hearing the different options, the eight or nine kids gathered here split into two factions—some wanted to play ninja games, others wanted to play ghost‑catching. Unable to agree, they argued loudly and the scene grew noisy.

This place is inside the Yuzhibo compound, specially set aside for clansmen to rest, stroll, and for children to play. The children gathered here all bear the Yuzhibo clan's flame‑fan crest and are young Yuzhibo members.

At this point the relationship between the clan and the village had not yet deteriorated to the freezing point after the Nine‑Tails Night. Although the clan's interaction with the villagers was not completely nonexistent, it was still very sparse.

Just like the world he lived in in his previous life.

Whether it's the Provincial Committee compound or the military dependents community, these places with guards standing watch and a slightly solemn atmosphere always invisibly block ordinary people's steps—let alone children. Those so‑called aristocratic brats usually keep to themselves, interacting with ordinary kids only rarely.

Even if occasionally a Yuzhibo child is willing to leave the clan's compound and play with ordinary kids.

But as children of law‑enforcers, that label sticks firmly to them, making many parents wary and thus affecting the kids.

Meanwhile, some children of ninja families have, since the Second Generation, experienced the village's isolation and exclusion of the Yuzhibo.

After all, one side is the village, the other side is the Yuzhibo; anyone with sound judgment knows which to choose.

"No! These games are too childish and outdated. Let's play a new game!" Since we're out to kill time, we should have the attitude of killing time. We can't change the fact that they're a bunch of immature brats, but we can change them so they don't play such childish games.

"A new game? Won't it just be hide‑and‑seek or skipping stones or something like that? If so, we might as well play ninja games." Yuzhibo Longhuo looked at him with a puzzled expression.

At this point, both sides of the argument also abandoned their original goals. Unanimously they turned their heads, fixing their gazes on Yuzhibo Dongshilang, demanding a reasonable explanation from him.

There was no tension. Yuzhibo Dongshilang pulled a deck of playing cards from his pocket, saw the wide‑eyed, stunned looks of the surrounding kids, and gave a knowing smile.

"Dong Shilang~ you jerk! You're not going to drag us into gambling, are you? Around here, word would get out before we even get home tonight—we'd be dead meat!" Yuzhibo Longhuo stared at him, eyes wide, while speaking and glancing left and right, as if he were up to something shady, afraid of being caught by adults.

Meanwhile, Yuzhibo Yan showed a completely different expression: her mouth slightly open, her round eyes rolling around, a look of eager anticipation.

Looking at her expression, Yuzhibo Dongshilang raised an eyebrow. What's this eager‑to‑try look? Has she awakened some strange talent? Aren't Yuzhibo girls supposed to be the paragon of grace and intellect?

And the others—Yuzhibo Yan, Yuzhibo Zhaoxia, Yuzhibo Táilang, and so on—each displayed a different expression.

There were excited, curious, fearful looks and so on, but most wore an eager‑to‑act expression. It seems that if it weren't for this public setting, these kids would have no qualms about giving it a try.

"How about we first mess around with a game of flush or something like that!" He dismissed the random thought that had popped into his head, and gave Yuzhibo Longhuo a sharp glance.

"What are you thinking? How could this be gambling? It's just a prop for the new game."

"Exactly! This deck of playing cards is just a gambling tool, right?" The yellow‑haired girl with a ponytail narrowed her eyes and added.

"Well, it doesn't seem to be what I imagined. But Dong Shilang's so‑called new game ought to be fun, right?" Yuzhibo Yan smiled slightly and looked at him, waiting for the answer to be revealed.