Shino's mother was not mentioned in the original work, but seeing the identical hooded figure with sunglasses attire, one knows she is a native of the Aburame Clan.
Thinking about it, it makes sense. Leaving aside whether they intermarry with other clans, just the Aburame Clan's characteristic of raising insects would make countless women keep their distance.
Besides marrying within their own clan, what else could they do?
Fortunately, although Shino's parents looked difficult to approach, they were actually very warm and hospitable, especially because Xia Mu and Tenten were Shino's good friends, so they were a little overly enthusiastic.
Crucially, Shino's mother also liked to tease Xia Mu and Tenten, saying they were a good match and such, and even worried about whether Shino would find a partner in the future. Her words made Shino blush instantly, and Xia Mu and Tenten awkwardly scratched the soles of their shoes.
Xia Mu could only use the topic-shifting technique to steer the conversation towards the food.
"Wow! Auntie, this dish is so delicious, how did you make it?"
"Wow! This winter melon soup is really tasty. No wonder Shino likes winter melon so much. It's really thanks to your cooking skills, Auntie!"
"Auntie, I saw you also planted pumpkins in your yard. Pumpkin flowers and pumpkin vines can also be cooked, you know. Just peel off the skin of the vine and stir-fry it with lean meat, and it's great. Oh, and pumpkin flowers can also be made into tempura..."
For a while, Xia Mu and Shino's mother chatted non-stop. As expected, two cooks have plenty to talk about.
By the end of the meal, Shino and Tenten felt physically and mentally exhausted.
Xia Mu, however, learned many cooking tips. Before leaving, Shino's mother even gave him two baskets of vegetables. Her enthusiasm was truly a bit overwhelming.
Xia Mu carried the two baskets of vegetables and returned home with Tenten.
As soon as they got home, Tenten couldn't help but laugh, "Xia Mu, I didn't expect you to be so good at chatting with Auntie. Shino and I couldn't handle it."
Xia Mu didn't think so, "Middle-aged aunties are all like that. Just go along with their topic and then change the subject. Auntie usually cooks alone at home, so it's rare to have someone to share cooking skills with. Naturally, she'll talk non-stop. It's better than being teased by her about us."
Tenten thought of Shino's mother praising them as a good match and blushed a little again.
Xia Mu, meanwhile, rummaged through the baskets and found many pumpkin vines and pumpkin flowers at the bottom, his eyes lighting up.
"Tenten, Auntie gave us pumpkin flowers and pumpkin vines. Tonight, let's make pumpkin vine and meat soup at your place. I guarantee your dad will like it. Oh, can you make tempura? You can make some with the pumpkin flowers then. It's really delicious."
"Tempura, huh? I can make it."
Tenten was also drawn in by Xia Mu's topic and started rummaging through the baskets.
In the evening, the two of them carried a basket of vegetables back to Tenten's house and started getting busy.
Seeing this, the Shopkeeper Uncle was beaming with joy. He didn't dislike Xia Mu anymore; instead, he usually had a feeling of looking at a son-in-law and was even a little anxious when he learned that the two weren't dating yet.
In this day and age, geniuses are coveted. This son-in-law mustn't run away.
At dinner that night, the pumpkin vine and lean meat soup and pumpkin flower tempura were unanimously praised. Xia Mu and Tenten even thought about asking Shino to bring more next time.
After dinner, the Ninjutsu Shop Owner looked at the darkening sky outside and, for the first time, said, "It's getting late. Your house is far away, and it's not safe to go home at night. Stay here tonight."
Xia Mu was stunned, "Shopkeeper Uncle, are you serious?"
The Ninjutsu Shop Owner's face immediately darkened, "Do I need to say it a second time? Kid, I'm worried about you being kidnapped. The Village hasn't been peaceful lately, so you'd best be careful. But I'm warning you, don't even think about sneaking into Tenten's room. If I catch you, I'll break your legs!"
After saying that, he turned around to close the shop door and went back inside.
Xia Mu and Tenten were left standing there, staring at each other, feeling awkward and a little ambiguous.
However, the Ninjutsu Shop Owner was actually right.
Recently, the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the Village's higher-ups seemed to be getting more unstable, like an Exploding Tag about to be detonated. Even ordinary villagers felt the oppressive atmosphere. According to some gossiping villagers, the Village seemed to have sent Ninja specifically to monitor the Uchiha Clan's compound, and the Uchiha Ninja had been recalled and wouldn't be assigned missions outside the Village.
This was the rhythm of a fight about to break out!
They just didn't know if Uchiha Shisui was dead yet.
In such a situation, Xia Mu really shouldn't walk home at night. It wouldn't be good if he got caught up in it. Who knew when that weasel would make a move?
"Xia Mu? Xia Mu! What are you spacing out for? I'll take you to your room."
Tenten brought Xia Mu back to his senses, then led him to an empty room and thoughtfully helped him make the bed.
However, Tenten kept blushing, probably thinking about Xia Mu staying at her house and feeling shy, but the girl quickly became more composed, arranging everything in an orderly manner.
Xia Mu didn't stand on ceremony. After washing up, he lay down.
However, not long after, a small figure cautiously pushed open the door in the darkness, holding a small lamp, and slowly walked in.
The small lamp was turned on, revealing the unmistakable figure of Tenten with twin buns.
"Tenten..."
"Shh! Keep it down, don't let my dad hear."
Tenten closed the door carefully like a thief, then sat down on the edge of the bed, looking hesitant, but didn't say anything for a long time.
Xia Mu glanced at Tenten's pajamas and said something astonishing, "Tenten, aren't we developing a bit too quickly?"
Tenten's face instantly turned bright red, and she pouted, "You wish! I came to tell you some secrets, about training. I just didn't know where to start, so don't think wrong!"
You come over in your pajamas late at night, twisting and turning, how can I not think wrong?
If it weren't for being young and unable to do anything, I'm afraid I wouldn't just be thinking wrong!
Fortunately, Tenten quickly organized her thoughts, "Xia Mu, I've been training under your guidance for a few months. My physical strength has indeed increased, and although my Chakra growth is slow, it is indeed growing. My control over Chakra is also more precise, and I've learned some of your Ninjutsu. Most importantly, I've become proficient in the Summoning Technique, and I've mastered several types of Ninja Tools..."
Xia Mu listened quietly, not in a hurry, waiting for Tenten to finish her preamble.
"But, I feel like I've hit a bottleneck. I'm still young and don't dare to train intensely, so my Chakra is stagnant. And you, you're getting better and better. I feel like I'm going to be left far behind you. I, I don't want to be like this. I want to stand by your side, but my strength is really not enough. Can you think of a way..."
Xia Mu understood.
Tenten was feeling anxious.
Even though she often trained hard with her two friends, her own progress was slow, while her two friends were advancing by leaps and bounds, the distance between them growing wider and wider. Especially with Xia Mu performing better and better, Tenten even felt like she was about to lose sight of Xia Mu's back. It would be strange if she wasn't anxious.
But she also had no choice. Now, she could only ask Xia Mu for help.