Chapter 57 The Sunflower
Haruko arrived at the hospital in a state of constant anxiety. After asking the nurses, she hurried to the ward.
"Little Li!"
Haruko opened the door in the morning and panicked when she saw the empty hospital bed. She rushed into the room to look for him and found Rock Lee doing push-ups by the window.
When she ran downstairs to the open space, she saw Lee Rock struggling to support himself, sweating profusely.
"Do 200 one-handed push-ups, or 100 one-legged squats if you can't do that!"
Words fail to describe the impact on Haruko Hayama. She murmured, "Li..."
Hearing his name called, Rock Lee stopped what he was doing, took a few breaths, and then looked up at her, forcing a smile. "It's Haruko... What brings you here?"
I came to see you...
Fearing he might collapse to the ground at any moment, Haruko's voice was tinged with anxiety, "Why don't you get up first?"
"It's okay, I... I'll definitely finish these!"
Looking into his resolute eyes, Haruko Hayama stopped trying to dissuade him and stood quietly by his side, watching him rise and fall. Finally, when Rock Lee could no longer hold on and collapsed, Haruko Hayama immediately stepped forward and caught him.
When Lee Locke opened his eyes again, all he saw was pure white. After thinking about it for a while, he belatedly realized that he had returned to the ward.
Has Haruko already gone back...?
As if sensing something, Rock Lee turned his head slightly and saw Haruko Hayama standing in front of the bedside table, fiddling with a vase.
A bunch of sunflowers, bathed in the bright sunlight, are placed in a pristine, simple, round vase, facing the gentle-looking Haruko Hayama. The whole scene is serene and beautiful.
Isn't it beautiful?
Upon discovering that he was awake, Haruko stroked the sunflower's stamen and said, "Don't you think this sunflower looks a lot like Li?"
“Just like me…?” Rock Lee murmured.
Seeing the blank look on his face, Haruko smiled and brought the vase to his eyes.
"Look at it, its stem stands upright and its leaves grow alternately, just like the vigorous growth of Xiao Li, tenacious and unyielding."
"Xiao Li is clear-headed and sunny. He is never afraid of difficulties and has put in dozens of times more effort than others. He has always strived to become an excellent ninja."
"I think Xiao Li will definitely be the most dazzling sunflower!"
Before him were sunflowers in full bloom, and behind them stood a bright young girl whose gaze was filled with trust as she looked at him.
"I really..."
Am I really that good?
When Lee Rock met Haruko's gentle eyes, he felt as if he were instantly immersed in a sea of green grass illuminated by the rising sun, feeling warm and at ease.
Suddenly, he remembered his early days at the Ninja Academy. Because he lacked the talent for ninjutsu, he was often ridiculed by the other kids for being a loser, who said that someone who couldn't use ninjutsu could never become a ninja.
He refused to believe it and tried his best, but he couldn't see any light ahead.
Fortunately, he met Guy, who didn't look down on him for his lack of talent and did his best to teach him powerful taijutsu, rekindling his hope of becoming a ninja.
He persevered through the repetitive training every day and every year.
Because he lacked talent, he had to work harder than others; because he wanted to become a ninja, he trained relentlessly; because he wanted to surpass those who mocked him, he couldn't give up even when he was exhausted and crying after hitting a tree.
But all his efforts and tears were pitifully insignificant in the face of fate, and he lost the right to become a ninja.
Some people mocked him, some sympathized with him, and some encouraged him, but no one said anything like Haruko Hayama, "Richie will definitely be the most dazzling sunflower."
It had nothing to do with anything else; it was simply a firm belief in his future.
Lee Rock fought back his tears, "Haruko... thank you!"
His life gained another person who recognized him, believed in him, and supported him, shining like the sun, stirring his heart and inspiring him to pursue his dreams with unwavering determination.
If he is a sunflower, then his only sun is her without exception.
*
Haruko's nightmare has begun again. Who can understand the pain she suffers every morning at four o'clock, having to see Might Guy's greasy expression?
It's a double torment of body and mind!
However, hard work always pays off. (If there is no reward, Haruko Hayama will die right in front of that super thick eyebrow!) Haruko Hayama was originally a fragile mage, but now she can withstand melee attacks.
Thus, Haruko Hayama, who had just begun to achieve success, was arranged by Might Guy to move on to the next step—training against Neji Hyuga and Tenten.
Haruko was initially puzzled. Wasn't this considered stealing someone's technique and learning their opponent's secret moves in advance?
Then, after enduring Neji Hyuga's Byakugan and Tenten's unerring attacks, Haruko Hayama silently collapsed to the ground, without even having a chance to form hand seals.
Is there some great taboo about having one more genius like her in the world?!
Haruko got angry in the morning.
In order to resist such inhumane torture, Haruko Hayama decides to... turn Tenten against her!
"Ten—Ten—!" Haruko Hayama, who had been brutally beaten to the ground by Neji Hyuga once again, got up and quickly threw herself into Tenten's arms while crying.
"Okay, okay, it's over." Tian Tian patted her head skillfully.
Haruko suddenly pointed at Neji Hyuga, who was waiting expectantly opposite her, and complained in a disheveled manner: "He's not even human! Doesn't he dare to give me a chance to use my genjutsu!"
It's just like a child who's been bullied by other kids and runs to their mother to complain.
Neji Hyuga scoffed, "Do you think the enemy on the battlefield will give you time to cast a genjutsu?"
"...You see him every day!"
Feeling that she had encountered someone even more cruel than Uchiha Sasuke, Haruko decided to turn a blind eye and buried her head in Tenten's arms, while urging Tenten to issue a judgment.
She found it funny, but considering her feelings, Tian Tian held back.
"That's right, Neji went too far! He should at least have taken a look at Haruko's moves, right? He has no sportsmanship at all!"
Saying things like that only makes me look weaker!
Unable to bear watching the two of them being so lovey-dovey, Hyuga Neji stepped forward and pulled Hayama Haruko out of Tenten's arms. He found that Haruko had dodged away while holding Tenten, and her hand, which was hanging in the air, was full of anger.
Hyuga Neji immediately closed in and used Baguazhang techniques to catch her. Under her tearful pleas, he inhumanely issued a notice.
"Hurry up, let's continue with the next match."
Hyuga Neji, you great demon king!
The abyss not only called out to her but also suddenly pulled her in. Haruko quickly grasped her last hope. Her soft-hearted god Tenten would definitely save her, right?
Then, under Tian Tian's apologetic gaze, her hand was helped away.
"day by day--!"
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