Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 378 Wood

Ju Xilin gently scooped out a corner of the flame-shaped mousse cake with a small silver spoon and put it in her mouth.

The silky cream melted instantly, and the rich sweetness exploded on the taste buds, gently soothing the fatigue brought from the hospital.

She squinted her eyes contentedly.

"Mikoto, is Brother Fugaku still promoting that civilized policing policy?"

Mentioning this, Uchiha Mikoto paused slightly in her teacup, then sat down with a hint of helplessness, resting her elbows on the smooth wooden table.

"Don't even mention it."

She sighed softly, as if complaining, but a hint of a smile lingered in the corner of her eye.

"The Hokage gave him a new work manual, which highlighted in red that he must maintain a smile throughout his patrols. Can you imagine? Fugaku's naturally serious face, forced into a smile..."

"puff--"

Kushina Uzumaki almost spat out the tricolor dumpling she had just put in her mouth. She slapped the table and laughed so hard she almost fell over, the bamboo skewer in her hand waving wildly in the air.

"I've seen it! I really have!"

She laughed so hard that tears almost came out.

"That day, he helped an old lady cross the street at an intersection, and that smile... I think that smile was scarier than when he activated his Sharingan! The old lady was so scared that she almost threw the basket of tomatoes she had just bought at his head!"

Mikoto finally couldn't help but laugh out loud. She raised her hand and tucked a stray strand of black hair behind her ear, a beautiful blush rising on her cheeks.

"He's just a blockhead."

Ju Xilin covered her mouth with a handkerchief, her shoulders trembling as she let out suppressed giggles.

"Actually... Brother Fugaku was also doing it for the village. I heard that he was the one who spearheaded the overall security plan for this winter festival and expo."

Kushina's laughter ceased, and she immediately moved closer to Mikoto, her purple eyes gleaming with a dazzling light that seemed to radiate gossip.

"Mikoto, Mikoto, when are you planning to have Fugaku propose? I heard from a rumor that he's saved up a lot of mission bonuses lately!"

Minato Namikaze, who had been quietly drinking his tea, put down his cup. He seemed to notice the fleeting, subtle change in Mikoto's expression and added a comment in a low voice at just the right moment.

"Um... I did see Fugaku looking at some jewelry store flyers for new products."

boom!

Mikoto's cheeks flushed instantly. She fumbled with the empty tray on the table in a flustered manner, her eyes darting around.

"Him? If he could figure these things out on his own, the sun would rise in the west."

She stubbornly retorted, but her voice was eight octaves lower than usual.

"It's probably Lord Kagami or... the Hokage who gave him advice behind the scenes."

The snow outside the window seems to be falling even harder.

Under the warm glow of the streetlights, snowflakes seemed to come alive, dancing and swirling in groups, like a grand and silent dance of white fireflies.

The store was well-heated, and Ju Xilin leaned back comfortably in her chair. Looking at the lively and warm scene before her, the softest part of her heart was gently touched.

“That’s great…”

She exclaimed sincerely.

"Back when I was stationed at the border, I always thought winter meant getting frostbite and those ration pills that never got warm and had a strange smell."

Her gaze fell on Kushina and Minato, who were still quietly arguing about whether the drainage ditch could be used as a slide, their faces beaming with carefree joy.

"Now, winter tastes like bone broth ramen, like mousse cake, like... happiness."

Kushina seemed completely oblivious to these sentiments. She grabbed Mikoto's hand and excitedly announced...

"Mikoto! On the day of the expo, let's form the Konoha Beautiful Girls Invincible Foodie Squad and eat our way from one end of the street to the other, eating our way down the entire Hokage Avenue!"

Mikoto smiled and nodded gently, but then she winked mischievously and changed the subject.

"Sure, of course!"

She deliberately drew out her words, her gaze darting back and forth between Kushina and Minato.

"As long as, when the time comes, no one gets so easily pulled by Minato's hand that they... can't walk anymore?"

Kushina's face instantly turned as red as a ripe tomato, the color spreading from her cheeks all the way to the base of her neck.

She released her grip on the water gate as if electrocuted, and stammered in rebuttal:

"Who...who can't walk anymore! I...I was just...I was checking if the bricks on the ground were laid firmly enough!"

Inside the store, another burst of good-natured and joyful laughter erupted.