"Why are you at my house?" Ino was quite puzzled. Usually, at this time, Hinata, who was like a good girl, would be practicing her punches at home.
Hinata looked at her with the gaze one would give a terminally ill patient, that air of 'You're so pitiful, but for your sake, I can't say it out loud' completely bewildered Ino.
"You really don't take care of your body at all. Auntie told me everything. Seriously, you've been hiding it from me."
The more she spoke, the more confused Ino became. What did I hide from you?
She hadn't drunk that much this afternoon, had she? Why couldn't she keep up with Hinata's rhythm now?
Yamanaka Rino didn't mention anything about kidney deficiency. She just said that she met Hinata while buying groceries at the market today, and the two chatted, finding they had an unexpected affinity. After talking for a while, they ended up coming home. Since she had cooked a lot of food today, she invited Hinata to stay for dinner.
Was it really like that?
Ino scratched her head, feeling they weren't telling the truth, but she didn't dwell on it.
Yamanaka Inoichi had been working overtime at the interrogation department for half a month straight due to the Akatsuki Organization's affairs, so it was just the three of them for dinner.
Normally, the Yamanaka Clan ate in silence, but today, with Hinata as a guest, Ino felt it was inappropriate to remain silent, so she tried to find a topic.
She brought up the Akatsuki Organization.
Yamanaka Rino nodded gently: "Mm-hmm, it's truly terrifying. Come, have a piece of yam, isn't it especially sweet? This piece was made by Hinata, her cooking is excellent."
Ino looked suspicious, then mechanically talked for a while about the nature transformation of Fire Style Chakra.
Hinata: "Oh, oh, I understand, I understand. Have some soup, Auntie simmered this pot for a long time."
Ino: "..."
Your attitudes are too perfunctory!
During dinner, the two kept urging her to eat mushrooms and yams. After the meal, Yamanaka Rino brought out a longan and goji berry porridge that had been simmering all afternoon, while Hinata served a pot of donkey-hide gelatin and glutinous rice porridge. "Drink! You can't leave until you finish it!"
After drinking all afternoon, she hadn't eaten much at home, and then she drank two large pots of porridge, which made her stomach churn with acid. Ino almost had to lean on the wall to leave the dining room.
Watching her go back to her room to rest, Yamanaka Rino's face was filled with bitterness.
"This child reeks of alcohol... Drinking heavily is very damaging to the body."
She was quite puzzled. Her daughter was so young, how did she become an alcoholic? Where did she pick up such a habit?
Hinata nodded like a pecking chick: "That's right, Ino always drinks a lot, and she even tries to make me drink. It's a really bad habit, so harmful to the body."
The two exchanged glances and nodded in unison.
Your body is already so weak, and you're still drinking? No more talk, quit drinking!
Both knew that Ino was very strong-willed, and it was usually difficult for others to dissuade her from something she had decided to do. However, they also had a solution: when in trouble, find the Hokage.
From the First Hokage onwards, no matter who held the position of Hokage, as the Kage of the Village, the Hokage was always able to patiently listen to the villagers' requests. The Second Hokage was wary of the Uchiha Clan, but had no issues with other villagers. The Third Hokage even spoke of Konoha as one big family. The Fourth Hokage, and now the Fifth Hokage, have all been commendable in their approachability.
Jiraiya himself came from a commoner background, so he didn't have many rules; anyone could go to his office to see him.
When Yamanaka Rino and Hinata arrived at the Hokage's office, Shikaku didn't know how the two of them had gotten together. When Rino said it was a private matter, he didn't ask.
At this time, Naruto, wearing large glasses, looked like a blonde Detective Conan. He was reciting from a book in the corridor of the Hokage's office. Jiraiya had bought him new clothes, and with the book and glasses covering most of his face, Hinata didn't recognize who he was when they passed by.
Inside the office, Jiraiya was discussing Sasori's poisons with Tsunade. Asuma had collected some poisoned blades and needles used by human puppets on the battlefield. After analysis, they found the toxins used were extremely potent. Without some quick and effective antidotes, Konoha Ninja would definitely suffer greatly when facing Sasori.
While the two were researching, Yamanaka Rino and Hinata arrived.
Rino appeared to be a housewife, but as Inoichi's wife and Ino's mother, she certainly couldn't be treated as a commoner. Plus, with Hinata, the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Main Family, both Jiraiya and Tsunade thought something major had happened, and they approached the conversation with a very serious attitude.
The content of the conversation was something they hadn't expected.
Rino babbled on about her intentions, finally saying very earnestly: "Hokage-sama, Ino is still young. Please make sure to assign someone to supervise her during daily missions, so she doesn't drink so much alcohol anymore. She came home this afternoon reeking of alcohol. Children at this age have the worst self-control, and such heavy drinking is really bad for her health."
Hinata also bowed beside her: "Yes, please, Hokage-sama, make sure to assign someone to supervise her well."
Then, seeing Tsunade, the idol of Female Ninja, she bowed to Lady Tsunade with particular sincerity: "Please, Lady Tsunade, supervise her as well."
Yamanaka Rino was a little sad: "Ino was a very well-behaved child when she was little, but recently, I don't know what happened, her personality has become wilder and wilder, and many times, she doesn't listen to me anymore."
Jiraiya →_→ Tsunade
Tsunade (´д｀)
After Rino and Hinata left, Jiraiya and Tsunade both wiped sweat from their brows.
To prevent her image in the hearts of Konoha Ninja from completely collapsing, Tsunade stormed off: "I'm going to talk to Ino! No, I'm going to supervise her, ahem, that's right, we'll talk about Sasori's matter later!"
There are priorities, and Sasori hasn't attacked yet, has he? The antidote can wait a couple of days. Jiraiya waved his hand, "You go ahead and be busy, I'm not in a hurry here..."
To give Ino no excuse to drink, Tsunade decided to quit alcohol, at least for the next few days in the Village. 'I, an old woman, am setting an example, and you still drink? Do you not want to get along?'
"Drinking seriously interferes with things, so don't drink for now!" Tsunade declared decisively.
Senior Sister Shizune and Tonton were one hundred and twenty percent in agreement. Ino was bewildered, not knowing why Tsunade suddenly quit drinking.
She asked: "Don't we always make Jiraiya-sama pay for our drinks? Are we really not drinking anymore?"
Tsunade closed her eyes, nodding as if she had made a huge decision.
Ino felt very surprised, and seeing that Tonton was also nodding, she didn't have much objection. If they weren't drinking, then they weren't drinking.
While Ino successfully quit drinking, after three Root Ninja died, Orochimaru no longer summoned the Shinigami, but instead researched ways to break the Dead Demon Consuming Seal in secret.
Her own cell division had long exceeded the Hayflick limit, and she didn't need to give gifts to the Shinigami. Ino's recovery ability was strong, and her complexion gradually became rosy. Rino and Hinata both felt that their efforts had paid off, and they were exceptionally happy.
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"