At that moment, Summer Li suspected that Sinai had brought him out just to show off. Didn't he see how much happier she got every time she ran into someone she knew?
Summer Li sighed. Oh well—he didn't enjoy it, but as long as his mother was happy, that was enough.
Summer Li didn't know how much time had passed. The day felt long, but it should be over soon, right? Sinai had probably met everyone she needed to by now. He forced a smile, though his facial muscles were almost stiff with effort!
Of course, he had run into some classmates during the day, but he usually ignored them. On the contrary, other students would often approach Summer Li, letting Sinai watch with delight.
Most of the children visiting Summer Li were girls, which made Sinai even happier. Of course, her son was still handsome, but his attitude troubled her. Such disrespect was truly disheartening.
Surprisingly, the girls didn't seem upset. They were used to being treated this way and still wanted to greet him today.
So what was there to be sad about? They just hadn't had as much fun.
Most importantly, Summer Li suddenly realized that in this outfit, he looked incredibly handsome—almost as cool as Sasuke!
"Little Summer Li, you can't keep doing this!" Sinai said after seeing another child leave. "At this rate, when will I ever find a daughter-in-law for you?"
Summer Li was speechless. Pointing at himself, he said, "Mom, I'm only six years old. Almost seven, but still too young."
"What's too young? Your father started chasing me when I was in third grade. Starting early isn't a problem," Sinai said with some regret.
Summer Li remained silent. When he watched Naruto, he already felt the characters in that world were a little precocious—but he hadn't imagined it could be this extreme.
"Summer Li!"
Suddenly, a familiar voice reached Summer Li's ears.
Sinai also heard it and turned to see a girl with light blonde hair. She looked familiar, but Sinai sensed she might not be entirely trustworthy—and in this, her son wasn't as perceptive as she was.
"Ino, Happy New Year!"
Sinai didn't expect her son to respond differently this time. Unlike usual, he didn't simply reply and stop the conversation. He seemed to treat her as someone familiar, though… he appeared to have run into some trouble.
Sinai's eyes lit up.
"Hey, I'm Sinai. Long time no see," a voice spoke. Sinai noticed an adult standing next to the little girl, and the girl was greeting him.
"Haichi? Is that you? And this must be Mrs. Yamanaka. Happy New Year," Sinai said after recognizing Haichi. No wonder the girl looked so familiar—she was the Yamanaka daughter.
"Happy New Year," Mrs. Yamanaka and Haichi also responded, watching their daughter run over to Summer Li.
Haichi looked a little disappointed—his winter jacket seemed to have gone missing—but Mrs. Yamanaka was pleased. Unlike Haichi, she always kept an eye on school matters.
She had already heard about Summer Li's reputation. Even as a first grader, he had shown extraordinary talent.
Mrs. Yamanaka was initially impressed with Summer Li, knowing him to be well-behaved and filial. Learning of his abilities only strengthened that impression.
Mrs. Yamanaka glanced at Sinai, and their eyes met. They then both glanced at Summer Li and Ino, as if sharing a silent understanding.
They exchanged looks and smiled, greeting Summer Li and Ino.
"I haven't seen an old classmate in a long time. I want to chat for a while. You can take the little girl to play. Take some money for her to buy whatever she wants. Don't worry about it!" Sinai said.
Summer Li was speechless. Didn't he know what his mother was planning? Still, he agreed.
Mrs. Yamanaka said to Ino, "Ino, your father is catching up with an old classmate. You can go play with your friends if you want."
Haichi wanted to say something, but Mrs. Yamanaka's glance silenced him. He still had matters to discuss with Sinai anyway.
Ino didn't think much of it. She just wanted to find Summer Li, so she agreed.
Thus, Summer Li, originally intending to stay with his mother, left with Ino after arrangements were made.
Chapter 44 – Fireworks, Summoners, and Targets
Summer Li and Ino walked side by side down the street.
"So it really is Summer Li. I almost didn't recognize you," Ino said, glancing at him. Today, Summer Li wore the special New Year outfit, making him look exceptionally stylish—almost too handsome.
"Hmm, you recognized me, huh?" Summer Li said, feeling helpless.
Although he had agreed to go with Sinai, he hadn't entertained any thoughts about Ino. Besides, she was too young—immature for any such notions. He would have felt guilty if he had.
"Do you want to play something or eat something?" Summer Li asked.
"Hm… that," Ino replied, pointing at the takoyaki stand. She had wanted it earlier but hadn't been allowed by her family. Now, Summer Li asked, so she pointed eagerly, eyes shining.
"Wait here. I'll get it for you," Summer Li said, noticing the long line, and joined the back of the queue.
Ino found a nearby bench, rested her chin on her hands, and watched Summer Li with a smile.
After dressing up, he looked so handsome—so impressive. More importantly, he usually didn't pay attention to other girls, only himself.
The girl blushed, lost in this pleasant fantasy.
If Summer Li knew what Ino was thinking, he would tell her she was imagining too much. If they hadn't met while buying flowers earlier, he'd treat her like any other classmate.
But since they knew each other now, it couldn't be ignored. Summer Li was nothing special; he usually just talked to people he knew.
The problem was, among the girls he knew, only Ino and Hinata were girls he interacted with. Hinata had met him when Naruto was bullied, but Naruto's personality meant he wouldn't seek out Summer Li. He only focused on himself. If he had gone to Naruto, it would be even less likely for Summer Li to meet her.
Thus, the current situation arose. From Ino's perspective, he seemed to treat her merely as a girl, nothing more.
The vendor moved quickly, and the line passed swiftly. Summer Li handed a box of takoyaki to Ino, who had been hesitating.
"What are you thinking about? Daydreaming again?" Summer Li patted her head as she came back to her senses.
"Nothing," Ino said, cheeks flushed. She didn't want him to know what she had been thinking. She picked up a takoyaki and prepared to eat it.
"Careful, it's hot," Summer Li warned, though perhaps a bit late.
Ino burned her mouth and quickly inhaled through it to relieve the pain. Even so, she refused to spit it out.
Summer Li sighed. "Take your time. No one's going to steal it."
Ino nodded and waited until it cooled slightly before taking a bite. Her eyes brightened as she recalled Summer Li's words, and she couldn't help asking,
"Summer Li, aren't you eating?"
"I don't eat this stuff," he said.
"Okay… how much? I'll pay."
"No, it's just takoyaki. I can pay for it myself," Summer Li said.
"Well, I'll pay. Here's the money my mom gave me. If you don't believe me, check," Ino said, opening her small wallet. Summer Li was surprised at the amount—she really did look wealthy.
Even so, Summer Li had no intention of taking money. "Even if I treated you, I wouldn't ask for money. Don't overthink it. Just enjoy it. The fireworks will start soon. Come, I'll take you somewhere good to watch them."
"Okay," Ino nodded, putting her wallet away and nibbling on her takoyaki.
Summer Li thought about finding a spot that wasn't crowded but offered a good view of the fireworks. Luckily, he remembered a good spot nearby from when he trained as a child.
"I'm done," Ino said after a while.
"Wipe your hands," Summer Li said, handing her a napkin from the stall.
Ino realized her hands and mouth were oily, blushing as she wiped them.
"I know a good spot. Follow me," Summer Li said, leading the way.
"Oh, okay," Ino replied, following him.
The two children were quite inconspicuous in the crowd. Several times, people walked between them, almost separating them. To prevent this, Summer Li held Ino's hand as they moved forward.
Ino blushed slightly but smiled at the gesture.
Soon, Summer Li led Ino to a less crowded area. It was slightly elevated and near the street, providing a good view of the fireworks. Some people had already claimed prime spots.
As expected, they weren't the only ones who thought of this place. Summer Li nodded and found a patch of grass for them to sit.
"Ino, after the fireworks, we'll head back," Summer Li said.
"Okay," Ino replied happily.
A beam of light exploded into the night sky, and a sea of fireworks blossomed overhead. Ino's eyes sparkled with delight, fully absorbed.
Summer Li also looked up at the fireworks. In his previous life, as a child, he often watched fireworks during festivals. Unfortunately, after growing up, fireworks had been largely banned.
He gazed at the dazzling display for a long moment before turning his attention back to Ino, still mesmerized.
Honestly, Ino's round, slightly chubby face was adorable, and Summer Li wanted to poke it—but such an action was far too intimate, so he refrained.
He remembered wishing for a daughter in his previous life—one who would never grow up. After all, children were so charming and obedient.
If she never grew up, she could always be his little one. No need to worry about being left behind or bringing home a boy when older.
Unfortunately, she would inevitably grow up. And in his previous life, he hadn't even had a girlfriend, so such thoughts were futile.
"What are you thinking about?" Ino noticed his gaze and asked curiously.
"Oh, I was just thinking… it'd be nice to have a daughter like you someday," Summer Li replied instinctively.
Ino's face turned even redder, though she felt a hint of curiosity: Why did he want a daughter? Why not a girlfriend?
"Alright, let's head back," Summer Li said, noticing the fireworks show had ended.
"Okay," Ino nodded and took Summer Li's hand as they navigated through the crowd, keeping it firmly held even after leaving the busy area.
...
After the New Year, Summer Li returned to the training ground as usual.
However, he couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. After leaving the crowd, he forgot to let go of Ino's hand, which was seen by Sinai and the Yamanaka couple.
Summer Li had to face Haichi's piercing gaze, and the satisfaction of Haichi's wife and Sinai.
Sinai always looked at Summer Li as if to say, "I didn't see anything—I'm really yours."
The problem was, Summer Li couldn't explain anything. Did Ino volunteer an explanation? And she still wouldn't let go? Summer Li could only stay silent.
He recalled that Ino had blushed intensely. Could she really have those thoughts?
Summer Li considered it plausible. Characters in Naruto matured quickly, likely due to the short average lifespan of ninja. If life were like his previous world, people could marry and have children later…
But in the ninja world, many died young in battle. Perhaps in his previous life, many never even married. Six years old was still too young, right?
Summer Li sighed. Though Ino's impression of him—both now and in the original story—was quite good, cute even, she was just a child. Cute or not, he had no interest in a six-year-old.
At such an age, how could he be interested? From Summer Li's perspective, older girls were more suitable—but his body didn't allow it.
It seemed he could only take things one step at a time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
for 30 advanced chapter, visit my patreon
'patreon.com/fatimasoomro123'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"