A three-year-old child's mind is sensitive but difficult to control; one moment it's in one place, and the next it has slipped elsewhere.
However, Inoichi Yamanaka had his own methods. Every day after work, he would play special "parent-child games" unique to the Yamanaka Clan with Ino. He would hold a piece of white paper with a black circle drawn on it and wave it in front of Ino's eyes. Ino's attention would be drawn to and focused on the circle, and she would try to grab it with her hands. Alternatively, he would take a small ball, making it disappear and reappear in his hands, guiding his daughter's attention to stay focused on a single target for a long time.
Concentration—it could be said to be the most fundamental and least shortcut-friendly requirement of the Yamanaka Clan's Secret Technique.
It is a "necessary condition."
This kind of "concentration" needs to be taught and guided by parents personally from a very young age, learned through subtle games and study.
Sometimes, Inoichi Yamanaka would choose other, non-traditional methods. For example, he would hold little Ino in his arms and let her watch him draw on paper... At these times, little Ino would always watch curiously without even blinking.
Ino's gaze would follow Inoichi Yamanaka's brushstrokes, watching with complete absorption... Mrs. Yamanaka also had her own way; she would casually teach Ino the language of flowers, how to arrange them, appreciate them, and admire butterflies.
Appreciating flowers and butterflies is a process of "letting go of distracting thoughts," allowing a person to become calm from the inside out.
Flower arrangement allows one to become even more invested on the basis of that tranquility.
This kind of "foundation" is built through subtle influence!
However, such "accumulation of small steps" doesn't show immediate results—three-year-old Ino didn't show any "extraordinary" traits. Perhaps only when the external environment is so harsh that a young life feels endangered will the crisis of survival force a young child to "mature"—but this kind of false maturity is meaningless! At least for the Yamanaka Clan, false maturity is an obstacle to their Secret Technique.
As a transmigrator who came from "another world" and was "reborn" into a little girl, returning to the age of three—
Ino had to admit the power of "physiology"; it always made her unable to stay serious for more than three seconds before she reverted to her original state!
One moment she was complaining about her own "childishness," and the next she was being heartlessly "childish" herself... She couldn't do much thinking, and all her thoughts were fragmentary.
Every day was spent playing in the courtyard, occasionally learning the pronunciation of "Kana," while Mrs. Yamanaka would look at picture books with her. Every afternoon, she would be taken to the park to play—getting to know some of the village children. The Hokage Rock perched on the cliff would always cause her to have a few seconds of thought about the "future," which would then lead to nothing.
With children her age, or a year or two older or younger, she would despise them one second and be playing with them the next.
A child's world is always so carefree.
As days passed, Ino's attention gradually became more disciplined. She could "think" more than before and began to ponder things in fragments. To address her own shortcomings, she came up with a makeshift solution—using mathematics to focus herself and improve her concentration. She set a very unrealistic goal for herself: to derive and complete a grand edifice of mathematics.
She didn't expect this "mathematical edifice" to actually be completed; she just needed a grander goal!
She was afraid that if the goal was too small, she would rush into Calculus in one go... and then her former academic-slacker self wouldn't be able to continue.
Step one: Addition!
She tried her best to concentrate, performing the calculations in her mind rather than on paper. She also strove to leave a clear trail for every step in her mind.
Step two: Subtraction!
Step three: Multiplication!
Step four: Division!
Ino didn't use the concept of "numbers" to build addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; instead, she used combinations of coordinates and line segments to form a system.
All changes became a form of expansion, contraction, and rotation on a two-dimensional plane, encompassing even the most basic operations.
Since Mrs. Yamanaka spent all day at home with the child, she didn't notice the changes in Ino. But Inoichi Yamanaka, who worked during the day and only returned home at night, clearly felt a change called "growth" in his daughter a month later—especially in her remarkable ability to control Spiritual Energy.
"Focusing" became easier and lasted longer. This made Inoichi Yamanaka incredibly happy, and he became even more enthusiastic about entertaining his child.
On a whim, Inoichi Yamanaka lifted his daughter, letting the little girl ride on his neck, while his hands formed hand signs in front of him:
"Ino, watch Daddy teach you a move that only ninjas can learn. This is the Seal of Rat... like this, like this, and like this!"
"Daddy is amazing!"
Although she didn't see anything impressive appear, Ino was still very supportive. Inoichi Yamanaka laughed heartily and asked, "How about it, daughter? Did you learn it?"
"What is this Seal of Rat for?"
Inoichi Yamanaka hummed and said, "You'll naturally find out when you grow up. It's something that can't be explained easily—practice this sign first. Let's perform a combination Ninjutsu with Daddy... Come on, Rat!"
"Mousey!"
Ino's hands were soft, and she learned it effortlessly. She blurted out "Mousey," instantly dragging the prestige of the hand sign down to rock bottom.
"Rat!"
Inoichi Yamanaka corrected her.
"Mousey!"
Ino didn't budge an inch.
"Mousey, mousey, mousey..."
Ino used the ultimate repeating technique.
Inoichi Yamanaka could only accept it: "Mousey it is then, it's pretty much the same anyway." A victorious Ino tugged at Inoichi Yamanaka's hair, riding this handsome steed as they ran around the room. Only after she played herself out and went to sleep did Inoichi Yamanaka and his wife finally have some "couple time." Inoichi Yamanaka said with a look of happy worry, "Our Ino is a genius—she will definitely be able to carry on the family's Secret Technique in the future."
Mrs. Yamanaka leaned against Inoichi Yamanaka and said softly, "Being a genius is too heavy; there's too much to carry. I just want my Ino to be a young lady—the young lady of the Yamanaka Clan."
"Hmph!" Inoichi Yamanaka snorted. "In the future, my daughter will definitely have her husband move into our house. How could the little princess of the Yamanaka Clan be mistreated? I'd rip his head off and kick it like a ball! Speaking of which... isn't our daughter growing up a bit too fast?"
"Isn't growing up fast a good thing?"