Jiraiya looked at the two heavy stacks of "trust" in his palm, and a warm current welled up in his heart. He scratched his head, a big, heartfelt smile blooming on his face: "Don't worry! Leave it to me! Starting tomorrow, I'll make sure you two eat well every day, with a different dish for every meal!" With this "angel investment," he could finally unleash his full potential!
Happy times always flew by quickly. The dismissal bell rang, and the setting sun once again gilded Konoha. After bidding farewell to Orochimaru, Jiraiya, full of vigor, headed straight for the bustling commercial district. Shopping! A big shopping spree was a must! He wanted to open the eyes of those two picky eaters!
Half an hour later, at the entrance of Jiraiya's small courtyard.
"Huff... Little Jiraiya, this is the right place, isn't it?" Two sturdy middle-aged men, each carrying a bulging sack, asked breathlessly. Jiraiya himself was laden with large and small bags, almost submerged in various ingredients.
"Yes, yes, yes! This is it! Thank you, uncles! Just put them in the courtyard!" Jiraiya quickly directed.
"Haha, alright! Little Jiraiya, we'll be going now. Welcome to patronize us again next time!" The two men put down their sacks, wiped their sweat, and left with smiles.
Jiraiya struggled to move the items in his hands into the house, then exerted great effort to drag the two large sacks from the courtyard inside. This time, he had really gone all out: chicken wings, drumsticks, spare ribs, pork legs, pork loin, pork belly... various meats filled the sacks; there were also staples like flour and noodles; the bags he carried contained fresh green vegetables, tender tofu, and various seasonings. The entire refrigerator was packed to the brim, leaving no gaps.
It took him over half an hour to sort the ingredients, and Jiraiya collapsed onto the sofa, panting. After resting for more than twenty minutes, he struggled to get up and prepare dinner—still braised spare ribs (a generous portion this time), plus new dishes: braised chicken wings and spicy tofu. He deliberately made extra, setting aside portions for Tsunade and Orochimaru for tomorrow before enjoying his own dinner.
After a short post-meal stroll, Jiraiya once again stepped into the small courtyard. The Gekko was like water, illuminating the focused figure of the young Ninja. Taijutsu training—horse stance punches, bow stance hooks, kicks and stomps... every movement strove for perfection, and sweat quickly soaked his clothes. Next was hand seal practice, his ten fingers flying and changing under the Gekko, his focused expression a stark contrast to his daytime demeanor. This was the unshakeable training regimen he had set for himself. Laying a good foundation was the only way to turn the world upside down in the future!
After training, though his body was tired, his spirit was exceptionally high. Back in his room, he spread out the manuscript paper, dipped his brush in ink. Under the dim lamplight, the brush tip once again danced across the clean white paper, continuing to write the thrilling story, "young dong dong (title of a story)". The plot deepened, the descriptions became bolder and more intricate... "Ha—ah—" A jarring yawn broke the morning's tranquility.
Jiraiya, with heavy dark circles under his eyes, stumbled into the toilet with unsteady steps. The young Ninja in the mirror looked haggard, with deep eye bags, like he had been drained of his essence. Last night, he had a burst of inspiration and wrote until two in the morning! The first part of "young dong dong (title of a story)", a full fifty pages of "pocket-sized treasure" (the kind that fits perfectly into a Ninja tool pouch), was fresh off the press! He looked at his reflection in the mirror, grinned, and a mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes: "Hehe, when I have time, I'll take it to a bookstore to test the waters... If it's well-received, wealth and prosperity are right around the corner!" He rinsed his mouth and splashed cold water on his face, trying to wake himself up. A new day, a day full of delicious temptations (and possible drowsiness), had begun!
Konoha Ninja Academy, Morning
The morning air carried the cool dampness of dew. Jiraiya, with his bulging backpack and clutching a cartoon-patterned insulated lunchbox, sped like a gust of wind down the quiet street in front of Orochimaru's house.
"Huff... huff... 7 o'clock sharp!" He slammed to a halt at the door, panting slightly, a hint of smugness on his face as he looked at the familiar figure at the entrance.
Orochimaru was already standing there, holding his meticulously neat purple bento bag. Seeing Jiraiya's breathless yet punctual appearance, a barely perceptible upward tug at the corner of his perpetually icy lips, a rare sight, and a flicker of subtle satisfaction crossed his golden pupils. "Hm," he said in his usual flat tone, "Let's go."
The two walked side by side towards the Ninja Academy. Jiraiya noticed Orochimaru's gaze subtly sweeping over the lunchbox in his hand, and he immediately grinned, revealing a row of small white teeth: "Hehe, today is the main event! Just wait and see at lunchtime!"
Classroom, Perfect Sunshine
As soon as he stepped into the classroom, a scorching gaze immediately "swished" and fixed on Jiraiya's... lunchbox. Tsunade was like a young deer waiting to be fed, her beautiful brown eyes shining astonishingly bright, filled with undisguised anticipation. "Jiraiya! Jiraiya!" She excitedly lowered her voice, but it still carried a joyful lilt, "What delicious food did you bring today? Is there... is there yesterday's... that red, soft, sticky... braised spare ribs?!"
Although Tsunade's voice was deliberately lowered, her eagerness and desire were incredibly clear. Orochimaru, seemingly organizing his books nearby, subtly twitched his ear, clearly also holding his breath, waiting for the answer.
"Hahahahaha!" Jiraiya thumped the lunchbox onto the table, hands on his hips, his pride evident, "Do you even need to ask? Of course there is! And not just that! Today there are new variations too, guaranteed to make you swallow your tongues!" He deliberately kept them in suspense, laughing heartily at Tsunade's adorable, almost pouncing, appearance.
"Really? That's great!" Tsunade's cheer almost broke through the confines of her throat.
"Ding-a-ling-ling—" The class bell rang just in time, and Sarutobi Ueda walked in, holding his textbook. Tsunade and Orochimaru could only temporarily suppress their craving for delicious food and return to their seats. As for Jiraiya... amidst the teacher's melodious lecture, he familiar tilted his head and quickly drifted into sweet dreams, a satisfied smile on his lips—perhaps dreaming of money, perhaps of delicious food.
Time quickly reached noon!
The rooftop at lunchtime was still cozy. A pile of braised spare ribs, along with tempting braised chicken wings and spicy tofu, lay in Jiraiya's lunchbox, emitting an enchanting aroma. Tsunade and Orochimaru could no longer hold back; the moment the food entered their mouths, happiness and satisfaction once again overwhelmed them.