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Back at home.
In the bustling kitchen of the Fuyu Shirou household, two figures were busy preparing lunch.
"You're back so soon? Lunch isn't ready yet! And Fuyu Shirou, congratulations on officially becoming a ninja!"
A woman with a gentle demeanor and graceful bearing walked out from the kitchen to congratulate Fuyu Shirou. It was none other than Uchiha Mika, whose appearance and attire were quite different from her girlish look in the past.
She wore a blue floral kimono, her oval face soft and delicate. Her long hair was tied up at the back, her eyes clear and her nose delicate. Her red lips were alluring, and her figure was well-proportioned, typical of a married woman.
Her fine, willow-like eyebrows curved into a crescent moon shape, her eyes full of smiles as she congratulated Fuyu Shirou. As she spoke, she walked up to Fuyu Shirou, hugged him, and gave him a light kiss on the forehead.
"Sister Mika! I'm not a kid anymore, and Big Brother Masahiro is still here!"
"Yes, yes! Fuyu Shirou has become a capable ninja, no longer the little boy who needed to be taken care of, but a big boy now~"
A rich, fragrant scent filled his nostrils, slightly different from the familiar, pleasant aroma of the past. Looking up at the exquisite face so close to him, Fuyu Shirou had no impure thoughts.
After all, he truly regarded Uchiha Mika as a family member.
"Fuyu Shirou is back! Rest for a bit, lunch will be ready soon!"
Hearing the commotion, Uchiha Masahiro poked his head out of the kitchen and greeted Fuyu Shirou. He then returned to his work, ignoring the intimate gesture between his wife and Fuyu Shirou.
This 'brother-in-law' was indeed a warm-hearted man, not only sunny and cheerful but also rare in the male-dominated ninja world for being willing to cook in the kitchen.
No wonder his 'sister' ended up with him.
Stepping back, she stood in front of Fuyu Shirou, her gaze gentle as she examined him from head to toe, finally settling on the Forehead Protector on his left arm.
She took his hand and led him to the shrine altar in the living room. Lighting two incense sticks, she and Fuyu Shirou each offered one, murmuring:
"Sister! Brother-in-law! Did you see? Fuyu Shirou has become a capable ninja! He's grown into a handsome young man!"
As she spoke, a few tears occasionally fell from her exquisite face, her expression a mix of seven parts pride, two parts worry, and one part tenderness.
For this 'little brother' she had cared for for over three years, she felt both pride and a hint of guilt. She was proud of his maturity, steadiness, and reliability at such a young age.
He had successfully become a formal ninja at the age of eight.
But she was also worried about whether he could adapt to being a ninja at such a young age. She felt guilty for not fulfilling her duty as a sister, having married early when he was still under eight, unable to stay by his side longer and provide more family warmth.
"Sister Mika, why are you crying? Today should be a happy day?"
Together with Uchiha Mika, Fuyu Shirou offered incense to his adoptive parents. Seeing her teary-eyed, Fuyu Shirou felt a bit helpless. Women were indeed more emotionally sensitive, easily moved by the scene.
Back then, when she was getting married, he had to do a lot of talking to persuade her to wear the wedding dress. He didn't want her to miss out on the best years of her life and a happy marriage because of him, only to regret it later.
As he spoke, he took out a handkerchief and handed it to her. As for wiping her tears himself! Well, his brother-in-law was still there, and though he was very generous, Fuyu Shirou knew men too well.
"We'll start eating in a moment, Big Brother Masahiro should be here soon!"
At that moment, Uchiha Masahiro, who had prepared a table full of delicious dishes, said, taking off his apron and coming over to comfort his emotionally unstable wife.
"Eh? Is Uncle coming too?"
Hearing this, Fuyu Shirou was quite surprised. His uncle, who was deeply in love, rarely appeared in his life. Apart from work hours, he spent most of his time with his aunt, enjoying their two-person world.
"Of course he will come. Today is a big day for Fuyu Shirou, how could I, his uncle, miss it?"
Turning to the door, Fuyu Shirou saw two figures slowly walking into the living room.
The man had fair skin and a handsome face, looking like a pretty boy. The woman was petite and beautiful, with a delicate and refined air.
At that moment, they were holding hands and entering the living room together.
The man was Fuyu Shirou's uncle, also Uchiha Mika's elder brother, Uchiha Masao. The woman holding his hand was his wife, Uchiha Ayako.
Uchiha Masao, now 25 years old, was different from Fuyu Shirou. He had no talent for being a ninja and was just an ordinary person. Thanks to Sister Mika, he had been managing the production of the Clan Secret Medicine for the past two years.
"Thank you, Uncle!"
Taking the gift from Uchiha Masao, Fuyu Shirou quickly thanked him and invited him to sit down for the meal.
"By the way! We all prepared a gift for Fuyu Shirou!"
Whether it was Sister Mika, Big Brother Masahiro, or Aunt Ayako, they each gave Fuyu Shirou a gift.
The four gifts had no fancy packaging, just plain and simple, landing in his hands.
Sister Mika gave him a set of medical ninja training experience notes, while Big Brother Masahiro gave him a set of exquisite Kunai and Shuriken from Granny Cat.
Uchiha Masao gave him an extra portion of Clan Secret Medicine, and Aunt Ayako's gift was a bit unexpected—a set of clothes, but the material was excellent, suitable for the upcoming training and missions.
The gifts from the four of them were all immediately useful, a characteristic of ninjas. There were no superficial things, everything was practical.
[Indeed, it was right not to isolate myself emotionally like other transmigrants, avoiding too much interaction with the outside world!]
Sitting at the dining table, celebrating with his family, Fuyu Shirou thought to himself. After all, in his past life, he was just an ordinary office worker, not a born warrior or executioner. The care and companionship of his family made his heart more at ease and helped him better integrate into this world.
(End of Chapter)