Chapter 260 Overlapping Timelines
In the winter of Konoha, snow piled up everywhere. Kushina rubbed her hands together, breathing out warm air, and walked into the hospital.
I walked up the stairs, making a winding path, and stopped at the door of the ward. I felt the chill on my body had dissipated a bit before I put down the handle and went inside.
"Today is better than yesterday; it didn't snow on the roads. How are you feeling?"
Sitting on the bed, Takeuchi Mirei touched her swollen belly and smiled faintly at her, "Still the same, no special feeling."
After taking off her outer garment, Kushina carefully sat down next to her, smiling as she watched her constantly stroking her belly.
"A child born in this kind of weather would definitely be a lovely snow sprite, but I don't know if it's a boy or a girl."
“It’s a girl, and a very beautiful girl.” Takeuchi Mirei lowered her eyelashes, but could not hide the affection in her eyes.
Kushina asked curiously, "How can you be so sure?"
"Perhaps...it's because I'm a mother."
Previously, her wish in the Dark Division was to live an interesting life, but she never imagined that one day she would not only meet her lover, but also receive a gift from heaven.
It always struck me as amazing that another life could exist in such a small place.
This is her child, her daughter.
For some reason, she was certain that she would have a daughter, and a gentle, beautiful, funny, and strong daughter.
"You two were supposed to have the wedding after the baby was born, right?" Kushina recalled. "Why did you decide to postpone it until after the baby was born?"
"Originally, I wanted to wait until she finished doing what she wanted to do, so that she could see it."
"Her? Who is she?"
Mirei Takeuchi gently shook her head. "I don't remember."
Kushina skipped over the topic, seemingly understanding but not quite, and took out the nourishing soup she had made for her from the basket she had brought. "Here, drink it while it's hot."
After taking the soup from her, Takeuchi Mirei thanked her, scooped some into the bowl, and then ate it with the spoon.
When she noticed that a few strands of her black hair almost fell into the soup when she looked down, Kushina took out a hair tie from her pocket, went around to her back, and tied her hair up.
"Your hair has grown a lot. Do you want me to cut it shorter for you?"
"I'll keep it, I want to grow my hair long."
"Didn't you say short hair would be more convenient? Why did you suddenly change your mind?"
"I feel that having long hair makes her look more like a daughter."
Hearing her words, Kushina couldn't help but laugh. "It should be that the daughter looks like you, not the other way around."
Takeuchi Mirei couldn't help but smile, but didn't answer her question.
Out of the corner of her eye, Mirei Takeuchi glanced at the scattered snowflakes and turned her head to look out the window. Thin snowflakes danced down to earth, as pure and flawless as if they were newly born.
Kushina's exclamation rang in my ears, "It's snowing."
＊
With the active promotion of the Fourth Hokage, the reforms proceeded smoothly and achieved initial success.
The once tense relationships between the various families are now gradually becoming more harmonious, and the phenomena of unilateral arrogance and fixed cliques are beginning to be replaced by mutual cooperation.
The Uchiha's attitude towards Konoha improved, and they no longer felt aversion to Konoha's affairs and policies.
The villagers noticed a significant decrease in the sharpness of the Uchiha clan members, and the patrolling police officers were more friendly and offered assistance, leading to a much better impression of the Uchiha.
The biggest change was made to the Hyuga clan, with the clan head's decision to officially abolish the control over the Caged Bird Seal of the branch family.
Although this move did not completely erase the boundaries between the main family and the branch families, it resolved the biggest conflict within the clan, and other conflicts could then be addressed gradually.
In terms of job assignments, the Hyuga clan participated in the management of the Konoha Heavy Prison.
The "Caged Bird" method, through a high-level decision, was chosen to be used on prisoners. This not only ensured the prisoners' obedience during their imprisonment but also reduced the crime rate in the village, thus finding a positive use for the "Caged Bird" method.
After Hiruko's mechanical technology and Orochimaru's biotechnology research were applied, Konoha's technological development was greatly improved.
Compared to Hiruko's departure from the village despite his attempts to persuade her to stay, Orochimaru's idea of establishing a research base outside the village seemed much more benign.
Fearing that another technical talent might also leave, the higher-ups rushed to build a base for him.
After being discharged from the hospital, Tsunade no longer idled away her time, but instead began to study medicine with her two apprentices.
Rin Nohara became the most popular medical ninja among the wounded due to her gentle personality and outstanding medical skills, and everyone was guessing how long it would take for her to become the second medical master in the ninja world.
After returning to the village from his spiritual journey, Jiraiya devoted himself to writing his novel.
The manga "Make-Out Paradise" became an instant hit in Konoha.
Unable to bear watching his passionate creative desires, Obito Uchiha decided to go see Kakashi Hatake.
Sensing the palpable murderous aura emanating from Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha couldn't understand how he had become so lifeless in just a few years.
Overwhelmed with a sense of responsibility, Obito Uchiha immediately pestered him to leave the Anbu.
In order to restore him to his former self, Obito Uchiha often dragged him along on missions, and would also occasionally invite Rin Nohara, who was free at the time.
As disciples of the legendary Sannin and students of the Fourth Hokage, coupled with their formidable strength, the three of them became renowned and were hailed as the new generation of the "Three Legendary Sannin."
As the years passed, Konoha Ninja Academy enrolled a new batch of students.
"Did you hear me? You'd better behave yourself once you get to school, and stop causing trouble all the time!"
Kushina stood with her hands on her hips, earnestly instructing her troublesome son.
Naruto Uzumaki rested his hands on his head, dismissively giving a perfunctory reply.
"Okay, okay."
Suddenly sensing the murderous aura, Naruto Uzumaki shuddered and skillfully hid behind his father, pushing Minato Namikaze to face the terror of the Red Hot Chili Pepper.
Minato Namikaze: ...
Kushina's forehead veins throbbed, and she only managed to withdraw her fist after being gently persuaded by Minato Namikaze.
"Isn't this the Hokage?"
The deep voices stopped their family dispute. When Kushina saw Fugaku and Mikoto leading the child over, she quickly put on a gentle smile.
"Dad, Mom is so good at changing her expression!"
Shh! Don't let your mother hear.
The rustling sounds from the father and son beside her successfully cracked Kushina's smile.
Noticing that she was about to lose her amiable expression, Minato Namikaze coughed lightly to greet Fugaku Uchiha and the others, then squatted down and pushed Naruto Uzumaki in front of their child.
"You're Sasuke from the Uchiha clan, right?"
Minato Namikaze smiled at the cold-faced child in front of him. "If you'd like, would you like to be friends with our Naruto?"
Uchiha Sasuke looked up at his father, and only after meeting his calm gaze did he reluctantly nod.
He really didn't want to be friends with this dim-witted guy...
Unaware that he was being disliked, Naruto Uzumaki laughed heartily, pointing to himself with his thumb and saying, "I'll protect you!"
"..."
Uchiha Sasuke pursed his lips and looked up at his father again, his confused eyes seeming to say: Does he really want to be friends with this guy?
Amused by her youngest son's expression, Uchiha Mikoto stroked his soft black hair. "You should get along well with him, Sasuke."
Standing up, Minato noticed his wife looking around. He asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Not seeing any familiar figures, Kushina looked away, her tone somewhat regretful, "I wanted to see if Mirei had arrived, but I didn't see her."
"They've probably already gone in."
"Perhaps..."
Seeing two heads of golden hair in the distance, Haruko stopped in her tracks, pulling her mother along.
Seeing the Fourth Hokage and the Uchiha clan head, Mirei lowered her head and shook the hand that was holding hers, "Why aren't you leaving, Haruko?"
Haruko waved slightly to her, signaling her to squat down, before leaning close to her ear and asking, "Mom, is that the Hokage?"
"Yes, what's wrong?"
"Is that smiling child the Hokage's child?"
"That's right, his name is Naruto Uzumaki."
In the morning, Meiling glanced at the lively blond child in the distance and asked softly, "Does Xiaoqingzi want to be friends with him?"
Under Mirei's surprised gaze, Haruko shook her head and uttered in her childish voice, "I don't want to."
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