The next day at noon, the sun was shining brightly.

Uchiha Chiye stood at the entrance of the barbecue restaurant, and after confirming it was the right place, he pushed the door open and entered.

The interior was filled with the aroma of barbecue.

There were not many guests, but the atmosphere was cozy.

He chose a seat by the window and sat down, ordered a cup of green tea, and quietly waited for Tsunade's arrival.

Not long after, Tsunade's figure appeared at the entrance.

Today, she had changed into casual clothes, and her light green kimono made her skin look as white as snow.

Her long golden hair was tied casually behind her head.

It lacked a bit of the fierceness from the battlefield, adding a touch of gentleness.

"Have you been waiting long?"

Seeing Uchiha Chiye, Tsunade strode over to the table and smiled slightly.

Qianye stood up and pulled out the chair for her.

"I just arrived not long ago. Please sit."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"You are quite a gentleman."

Qianye smiled and didn't take up the conversation, simply pouring her a cup of tea.

Tsunade took the teacup, her gaze lingering on Qianye's face for a moment.

The Qianye before her was composed in his demeanor, and his speech exuded a maturity beyond his age, which made her somewhat curious.

"Are you always like this usually?"

Tsunade suddenly asked.

"Like what?"

Qianye retorted.

"Just... like an Old man, so solemn and proper."

Tsunade teased.

"Maybe it's because I've experienced a lot. War forces people to grow up early."

Hearing this, Tsunade's gaze dimmed slightly.

She lowered her head to take a sip of tea and said no more.

The waiter served the barbecue, sake, and side dishes, and the temperature of the charcoal fire gradually warmed up the atmosphere at the table.

Qianye skillfully laid the slices of meat on the grill pan, the fat sizzling and the aroma overflowing.

"Try this. The meat at this shop is very fresh."

Qianye picked up a piece of grilled meat and placed it on the plate in front of Tsunade.

Tsunade nodded, picked up the meat slice, and put it into her mouth. The tender texture made her eyes light up.

"It's indeed not bad."

"As long as you like it."

Qianye picked up a few more slices for her, his movements as natural as a habit of many years.

Watching his actions, a strange feeling welled up in Tsunade's heart.

As the granddaughter of the 'God of Shinobi', Senju Hashirama, and also the princess of the Land of Fire, she was respected on ordinary days.

But the feeling of being cared for so attentively like this was something she rarely experienced.

"Do you... often take care of others like this?"

Tsunade couldn't help asking.

Qianye looked up at her; that near-perfect face carried a hint of curiosity.

Her skin was as white as snow, exuding a healthy, rosy glow, delicate and flawless like fine porcelain.

"I just felt that you should relax properly. Recent events must have made you very tired."

Tsunade was slightly stunned.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Although you hide it very well, your eyes can't deceive people."

Tsunade was silent for a moment and sighed softly.

"Nawaki... and the other comrades who died in this war, they really make me feel a bit breathless."

Qianye didn't rush to comfort her; instead, he poured her a cup of sake.

"Sometimes, drinking a little alcohol will make you feel a bit better."

Tsunade took the wine glass and drank it in one gulp.

The burning sensation of the alcohol spread from her throat to her chest, temporarily diluting the depression in her heart.

"You know what?"

She put down the wine glass, her voice somewhat low.

"I've always been thinking, if Nawaki's squad had a Medical Ninja at that time, maybe he wouldn't have..."

"There are no ifs in the world."

Qianye interrupted her, his tone gentle yet firm.

"All we can do is to ensure the same tragedy doesn't happen again."

Tsunade looked up at him in a daze, her gaze complex.

She had expected to hear comfort such as 'This is not your fault', but she hadn't expected Qianye's answer to be so direct and mature.

"You're right."

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions.

"That's why I must promote the Medical Ninja training program and not let more people sacrifice themselves in vain."

Qianye nodded.

"The Medical Ninja training program is indeed imperative, and I will fully support you. Just tell me if you need anything."

"Right, speaking of which, for supporting me at the meeting yesterday, weren't you blamed by your clansmen after going back?"

Qianye shrugged.

"I was called in for a talk, but it's not a big problem."

"The Uchiha needs to change, and I just took a step forward in advance."

Tsunade looked at him thoughtfully, cannot help feeling a bit of admiration in her heart.

"You are much more capable than I imagined."

"Likewise."

Qianye smiled.

"You are the first one who dared to slam the table at the meeting."

Tsunade was amused by his words and couldn't help laughing out loud.

"You brat!"

The atmosphere between the two instantly became much more relaxed.

After three rounds of drinks, the topic gradually turned to the current battle situation.

"The Hidden Rain Village is coming aggressively this time, and that old fellow Hanzou is no pushover."

Tsunade frowned slightly.

"Konoha's pressure is huge."

"Is it because of Hanzou?"

"Yeah."

Qianye pondered, recalling the information about Hanzou in Hokage.

"Hanzou, known as the demigod, is proficient in poisonous arts, Water Style, and Fire Style. The most threatening and lethal among them are the first two."

Speaking up to this point, Qianye's face was full of seriousness.

"As long as Konoha can crack his poison and develop an antidote, Hanzou's threat will be drastically reduced."

"In addition, it is also necessary to equip some targeted medical supplies like gas masks and oxygen hoods; in this way, casualties should be able to be reduced somewhat."

"Objectively speaking, that's pretty much it."

"Hanzou's strength is indeed not to be underestimated; however, Konoha is not without a chance of winning."

"The rest depends on whether we can unite as one and unleash our maximum power."

"Unite?"

Tsunade sneered.

"In Konoha right now, internal conflicts are even more troublesome than external enemies."

Qianye didn't refute, just said softly.

"Precisely because of this, we need to work even harder."

"You are of the Senju Clan, and I am an Uchiha. If we can join hands, perhaps it can become the turning point to change this war."

Tsunade gazed at him, a trace of unusual emotion flashing in her eyes.

"You are truly very special, Uchiha Chiye."

Qianye smiled slightly.

"I just did what I thought was right."

Their gazes intersected in the air, and for a moment neither of them spoke.

The aroma of the barbecue and the warmth of the charcoal fire enveloped them, as if temporarily isolating the outside disturbances.

"Let's not talk about that for now. Eat meat!"

Uchiha Chiye calmly held the tongs, flipped the barbecue again, and delivered the grilled meat into Tsunade's bowl.

"You eat too!"

Tsunade didn't act coy and directly started eating.

The two ate for a full forty-plus minutes.

"It's getting late. I have a mission tomorrow, so I should go."

Qianye stood up.

"I'll see you off."

Tsunade shook her head.

"No need, I can manage on my own."

Qianye didn't force it, just nodded.

"Then see you tomorrow."

Tsunade turned around, seeming to remember something.

She took Uchiha Chiye's previous jacket out of the bag she was carrying.

"Your jacket!"

She placed it beside Uchiha Chiye.

She left briskly, her retreating figure pulling out a long shadow under the setting sun.

Qianye watched her leave, only withdrawing his gaze after her figure disappeared around the street corner.

He sat back down at the table, poured himself a glass of wine, and drank it in one gulp.

Regarding today's conversation, Qianye was quite satisfied.

He could clearly see that Tsunade no longer had much guard against him, and their relationship had grown much closer.

Qianye's gaze fell upon the table.

Having barbecue could also be considered a rather bold and intimate affair, exchanging cups, coming and going...

There is a saying that goes like this.

There is nothing that a meal of barbecue cannot solve.

If there is, then make it two meals.

"The first step of intercepting Tsunade can be considered as having been taken..."

A trace of a smile flashed in his eyes.

"The interception has not yet succeeded; I still need to work hard!"