Chapter 222: The Good Child Li Jiexuan
Ten days later, Konoha Village…
After escaping from the Land of Rain, the Allied Shinobi Forces had already gone their separate ways, each returning to their own villages to recover. But there was still one matter that, for Tsunade, remained far from resolved.
"Why?"
Tsunade gritted her teeth, arguing forcefully with the Third Hokage: "Why can't little Jiexuan stay in Konoha to live? I'm willing to raise him myself."
"This has nothing to do with your personal wishes, Tsunade!"
The Third Hokage let out a long sigh. "You need to understand—every household in Konoha Village settled here during times of chaos. Their ancestors made countless sacrifices for this village to earn the life we have today…"
"Precisely because of that, I cannot betray their sacrifices." The Third Hokage shook his head with a bitter smile and firmly refused. "There's no room for negotiation on this matter!"
After a long silence, Tsunade clenched her teeth and nodded. "At the very least, I must heal his leg injury!"
...
Konoha Hospital. Lying in the familiar hospital room, Li Jiexuan felt a moment of daze. Over more than ten years, some things had not changed. But some people… were no longer the same familiar ones.
"Creak…"
Tsunade pushed the door open and walked in, her face carrying a forced smile. "Little Jiexuan, how are you feeling? Can your legs move now?"
Li Jiexuan put on the adorable demeanor of a white cat and nodded gently. "Mm, after yesterday's surgery, I can feel my legs again."
As he spoke, Li Jiexuan tried to move his legs to show Tsunade.
He slowly shifted his legs, but suddenly, as if touching the wound, he clenched his teeth. Beads of sweat the size of soybeans formed on his forehead. Yet even with his face pale, he still smiled to reassure Tsunade: "Sister Tsunade, see? I'm already better…"
There's a saying: the more well-behaved a child is, the more it makes people ache for them!
Seeing this, Tsunade's eyes reddened. She pulled Li Jiexuan into her arms and choked out an apology: "Little Jiexuan, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"
"It's okay." Li Jiexuan smiled as he gently stroked Tsunade's hair. "You've already been very good to me, Sister. I'll cherish it."
What a sensible child!
Hearing this, Tsunade couldn't even speak anymore. Li Jiexuan carefully raised a finger. "I just have a small wish."
"Go ahead." Tsunade wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and looked at Li Jiexuan seriously. As long as it was something she could do, she would absolutely not refuse.
"I really like Sister's slug!" Li Jiexuan grinned. "When my legs are healed, I want to go to the slug's home and take a look."
Such innocent, childlike words!
Tsunade barely hesitated and nodded immediately. "Alright, when your legs are healed, I'll take you to see it!"
Li Jiexuan broke into a bright smile…
"What a cute, innocent child!" Tsunade was so moved that tears welled up in her eyes again. Ever since meeting Li Jiexuan, she had cried more than she had in her entire life.
In the time that followed, as more and more wounded returned from the front lines, Tsunade became so busy that she had no time to take care of Li Jiexuan. Fortunately, Li Jiexuan remained extremely obedient and sensible…
The hospital nurses all spoke highly of him: "That child is really well-behaved. Every time we change his dressings, he never cries—he even smiles and says it doesn't hurt." "Yeah, some shinobi howl in pain, but he can endure it. He's truly a thoughtful, good child."
Li Jiexuan wheeled himself past the nurses with a smile. "Nurse sisters, I'm going to the forest to play…"
"Go ahead, go ahead!" A child this reassuring naturally earned a few privileges.
For example, going alone into the forest to play…