Chapter 9: Don't Do This, I'm a Bit Scared
After arriving at the Konoha outpost, Uzumaki Huiyi felt a sense of novelty toward everything around her.
Uchiha Inaka and Uchiha Tetsuka were a bit overly enthusiastic.
Especially Uchiha Tetsuka—he was somewhat of a chatterbox, and the questions he asked always carried a hint of awkwardness.
"Sister-in-law, how did you and Sanpō-niisan meet? He's usually so cold and distant—we all thought he'd spend his whole life with ninjutsu scrolls!"
"We met in the Land of Grass!"
"Sister-in-law, so how did you and Sanpō-niisan get together?"
This question was a bit embarrassing. After all, she had been knocked unconscious and kidnapped by Uchiha Sanpō before they properly "met," so she didn't really want to answer.
Seeing that Uchiha Sanpō still hadn't returned, she said: "Tetsuka-kun, could you take me to Sanpō's room?"
"Sure thing, sister-in-law! Follow me."
He agreed readily and led Uzumaki Huiyi forward.
Entering the room, Uzumaki Huiyi looked around.
The room wasn't large—about 16 square meters—but it was neatly arranged. A single bed stood in the corner, next to a wardrobe, and beside that was a desk and chair.
Uzumaki Huiyi gently picked up a wooden basin and smiled as she asked: "Tetsuka, I want to clean the room. Where can I get water?"
Uchiha Tetsuka politely replied: "Sister-in-law, I'll take you. Go out and turn left—there's a shared well in the middle. We usually draw water from there."
With that, he led Uzumaki Huiyi to the well.
Nearby Uchiha clansmen, seeing Tetsuka with an Uzumaki woman, felt a bit surprised. Ever since Hiruzen Sarutobi betrayed the alliance and caused the fall of the Land of Whirlpools, they rarely saw any Uzumaki clansmen.
A woman in her thirties smiled and said: "Tetsuka, so you like older-type girlfriends, huh!"
Uchiha Tetsuka awkwardly replied: "Misaka-neesan, don't tease! She's Sanpō-niisan's girlfriend—you guys better not bully her!"
Another woman laughed: "Haha, little Tetsuka, we're just saying she's cute and chatting a bit. How could we bear to bully her!"
Though she knew they were teasing, Uzumaki Huiyi didn't sense any malice. This relaxed atmosphere actually made her feel a little uncomfortable. After filling the basin, she lowered her head and left quickly!
Uchiha Tetsuka seemed to notice her unease and hurried after her.
"Sister-in-law, don't be upset—they mean no harm. They may laugh all the time, but it's just making the best of a bad situation. Take Misaka-neesan, for example—her husband and son have both already died in battle."
Uzumaki Huiyi slightly raised her head, eyes softening with emotion, and said softly: "I'm not angry... I'm just not used to this kind of atmosphere... Thank you, Tetsuka-kun. You can go back to your duties now—I can manage alone."
Sensing she was politely asking him to leave (thinking she was shy), Uchiha Tetsuka nodded: "Sister-in-law, if you need help, come find me anytime. If you can't find me, you can ask Misaka-neesan—she's very helpful too!"
"Alright, if I need anything, I'll ask her for help!"
Hearing this, Uchiha Tetsuka tactfully left the room.
A short while later, the door opened again. Uchiha Sanpō entered carrying a bundle. Seeing the room now spotlessly clean, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. He casually closed the door and locked it from the inside.
Seeing him lock the door as soon as he entered, Uzumaki Huiyi, who had been sitting on the chair, instinctively stood up.
He advanced... she retreated. In the small 16-square-meter room, she quickly had nowhere left to go.
Uzumaki Huiyi leaned backward until she fell onto the bed. The soft touch of the mattress made her think of something—she jolted upright again and quickly drew a kunai, thrusting it forward.
Uchiha Sanpō caught her wrist and looked down at her: "What are you trying to do?"
The moment her wrist was grabbed, Uzumaki Huiyi's mind went blank. She didn't dare meet his gaze.
Seeing her lower her head in silence, Uchiha Sanpō released her arm and handed over the bundle.
"I just came back from the battlefield—we both stink of sweat. There are clothes inside that should fit you. In a bit, I'll take you to the women's bath. After you wash up and come back, I'll bring lunch for you."
With that, he opened the nearby wardrobe and took out a fresh set of clothes for himself.
"Stand up. Come with me to wash up."
Uzumaki Huiyi stood mechanically and followed behind him.
"Sorry... I was a little scared just now."
Uchiha Sanpō reopened the door and said: "I didn't take it to heart. But you're destined to be my woman—what's there to be afraid of!"
At these words, Uzumaki Huiyi's body trembled slightly—whether from shyness or fear of the future, or perhaps both.
The frontline outpost was, after all, a military base—many daily facilities were quite basic. It took them over a minute to reach the women's bath.
Looking at the large characters "Women's Bath" written on the wall ahead,
Uchiha Sanpō said calmly: "I can only escort you this far. Go in and wash up yourself."
Uzumaki Huiyi gave a slight nod, murmured "Mm," hugged the clothes, and walked inside.
The men's bath was about 60 meters from the women's. After seeing her enter, Uchiha Sanpō headed to the men's side.
Because the Iwagakure female jōnin Aoyama Yui had left some intimate marks on his body last night, while cleaning them off, he thought of that woman again—and that part of him actually stiffened once more.
But Aoyama Yui was far away and an enemy, so his thoughts turned to Uzumaki Huiyi. The more he thought, the hotter his body felt.
After bathing, he went to the mess hall, grabbed some food, and brought it back to his room.
A short while later, Uzumaki Huiyi returned wearing the clothes he had given her.
A white long-sleeved shirt paired with a pink dress—she looked full of youthful vitality.
Uchiha Sanpō smiled and said: "Supplies have been tight at the outpost lately—I only managed to get three dishes and one soup. Once we return to Konoha, I'll take you to eat something really good."
Seeing his intense gaze, she shyly walked to the table and sat lightly in the chair: "It's fine... this is already very good!"
Uchiha Sanpō picked up his chopsticks and urged: "Then let's eat. The food will get cold soon."
The two took over twenty minutes to finish lunch.
Uzumaki Huiyi stood up: "I'll go clean the dishes!"
Uchiha Sanpō grabbed her arm: "No rush—we can do it later."
"Huiyi, don't move—it's me!"
With that, he used Body Flicker Technique to appear at the door and locked it again.
Seeing him lock the door once more, Uzumaki Huiyi's heart pounded like a drum: "Don't do this... I'm a bit scared!"
Uchiha Sanpō walked over, bent his index finger, and gently traced it down the bridge of her nose: "Some people, upon first meeting, it's love at first sight for eternity. Some feelings, once they begin, cannot be taken back."
With that, he extended both arms and forcibly pulled Uzumaki Huiyi into an embrace.
Uzumaki Huiyi's body trembled slightly, her breathing becoming uneven. Her voice was as faint as a mosquito: "I... am willing to become your woman... Please give me a little time... I will slowly accept it..."
If you enjoyed this chapter, thank you so much for reading! Translating these stories takes a lot of time and effort, and your support really helps me keep going and release more regularly.
If you'd like to read a few chapters ahead (or just want to help fuel more translations), consider checking out my Patreon: Patreon.com/arthursink