In Konoha, sunlight poured down over the Uchiha clan grounds, quiet and peaceful.
Inside Uchiha Rengoku's home, Kaori smiled and waved at Ryuri.
"Let's go, Ryuri."
She was holding a huge insulated food container in her hand, clearly filled with carefully prepared dishes.
Ryuri answered brightly, "Coming, Kaori-nee!"
Her hands were not empty either. She carried a basket full of all kinds of pastries and snacks.
The two of them smiled at each other, then held hands and walked together toward Orochimaru's research lab.
They were going to visit Rengoku.
Even though Rengoku himself was not here at the moment, the clone he left behind had become their comfort.
Every other day, Ryuri and Kaori would go together.
Of course, the food they brought was not for Rengoku.
It was meant to feed someone else.
Along the way, the two chatted and laughed as they passed through the lively streets of the Uchiha clan grounds. Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the Uchiha hospital.
After entering the hospital, they passed by the hidden guards concealed in the shadows and made their way to the entrance of Orochimaru's underground lab.
When they first started coming here, they would greet Orochimaru out of courtesy.
But over time, they realized that Orochimaru himself was not interested in such formalities.
So later on, they stopped going out of their way to see him and instead walked straight to the room deep in the basement where Rengoku's clone was placed.
They gently pushed open the door. With a soft sound, a bright and gentle light rushed toward them.
The white lights inside illuminated the entire room like daylight.
Rengoku lay quietly on the wide, comfortable bed, as if he had fallen into a sweet dream.
His eyes were peacefully closed, his breathing steady and soft, just like someone deeply asleep.
Karin, with her full head of red hair, was sitting quietly at a desk not far from the bed, completely focused on the book in her hands.
Her head was slightly lowered, as if she were fully immersed in the world within the pages.
Only when she heard the soft sound at the door did she look up.
The moment she saw Ryuri and Kaori walk in, a smile bloomed across her face.
"Ryuri-nee, Kaori-nee, you're here!"
Ryuri smiled and lifted the bag in her hand, giving it a little shake.
"Karin, look what your Nee-san brought you. They're all your favorite snacks!"
With that, she handed the bag over.
Karin happily took it and eagerly opened it to check all the delicious treats inside.
"Thank you, Ryuri-nee. You understand me the best!"
At the same time, Kaori stepped forward and placed the insulated container on Karin's desk.
Then she quickly tidied up the books and other things that had been scattered across the desk, making it neat and orderly.
After finishing, Kaori turned to Karin and said gently,
"Don't just eat snacks. Come eat while it's still hot."
As she spoke, she lifted the lid of the container. A rich aroma of food instantly filled the air.
Karin scratched her head a little shyly.
"Kaori-nee, you really didn't have to bring me food. Mom makes meals for me every day and sends them over."
Kaori smiled softly and brushed a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. Her eyes were full of care, and her tone remained warm.
"Silly girl, why are you being so polite with your sister? If you like it, just eat more."
"And with your special physique, you don't have to worry about getting fat no matter how much you eat, so stop refusing."
Karin lowered her head slightly, stuck out her tongue to lightly lick her lips, then quickly pulled it back.
When she thought about the unbearable days she had spent in Kusagakure as a child, a wave of bitterness rose in her heart.
Back then, she often went hungry and suffered all kinds of inhuman treatment. That dark life had lasted for years.
If Rengoku-sama had not sent people in time to rescue her and Mio, the two of them would probably have long since turned to dust, with grass already growing tall over their graves.
After coming to Konoha, Karin finally felt long lost care and warmth.
And for her, the greatest joy was tasting all kinds of delicious food.
After all, Konoha was the ninja village of the Land of Fire. The variety of food here was dazzling.
On top of that, when Rengoku left, he had specially told her to take good care of herself and eat well.
So Karin began to enjoy this "eating by imperial order" life without any guilt.
Over time, her originally slender body gradually became a little fuller.
As a descendant of the Uzumaki clan, even though her appetite was astonishing, the extra weight always seemed to settle exactly where it should.
As time passed, not only did her figure not lose shape, it became even more graceful.
Every move she made carried a unique, mature charm.
Ryuri and Kaori stayed and chatted with Karin.
The three of them sat together, sharing recent events and little stories.
About two hours later, Ryuri and Kaori finally got up to leave.
Karin no longer went out on missions.
Although her body had developed ahead of her peers, learning sealing techniques and barrier techniques was never something that could be achieved overnight.
It required years of hard study and accumulated experience.
Because of that, she often sought guidance from Kushina or Miroku.
During her studies, she would also take the initiative to help with simple barrier inspections and maintenance, strengthening her knowledge and practical skills.
Most of the time, Karin stayed here and studied diligently.
If there was a day when she could not see Rengoku, her heart would feel restless.
Ryuri and Kaori had long since vaguely sensed that Karin's feelings toward Rengoku were different.
But since Rengoku was not present, and Karin was still young, even though they understood, they never directly pointed anything out.
Even so, they still treated Karin like family.
Every time they came to see Rengoku, they would bring her some tasty food along the way.
Although Karin spent most of her days here, she did not feel bored at all.
Because every day, people would come one after another to visit Rengoku, and most of them were friends Karin knew well.
Sure enough, not long after Ryuri and Kaori left, Naruto and Sasuke appeared as well.
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