Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha lacks motivation.

Why is business getting worse?

The girl next door, with her braided hair, neatly arranged a box of bright yellow fruit. Then, looking up at the deserted doorway, the girl named Uchiha Mieko pouted somewhat dejectedly.

All the fruits sold in their store are qualified products from legitimate channels, especially the lemons, which are highly praised and have several regular customers who come to purchase them regularly.

But recently, for some reason, the store's business has plummeted. Neighbors who used to frequent the store are now deliberately avoiding it, and some older women are pointing and gossiping about her in groups of three or five, leaving the young woman completely bewildered.

"Did someone eat my fruit and get sick?"

Now that things have come to this, Mieko Uchiha would rather suspect that there is a problem with her own product than suspect that someone is sabotaging her.

Just as the young girl was frowning in worry, a swaying figure stopped in front of her shop. Seeing a customer, Mihoko immediately put on a formulaic smile, delivered a classic 90-degree Chinese-style salutation, and let out a sweet, cloying voice unique to girls her age.

"Welcome! What would you like to order?"

However, before the bent-over girl could even straighten up, the familiar loafers that came into view made Mieko recognize the guest's identity.

Mieko straightened up, her formulaic smile transforming into a warm, radiant one. Her dark eyes shone with innocence, and her tone of voice was remarkably familiar.

"Lord Izuna, are you here to buy lemons again?"

Wearing a classic slicked-back outfit, Uchiha Izuna's body stiffened for a second upon seeing the girl's smile, before he reverted to his previous nonchalant demeanor, shaking his head and saying...

"I'm just strolling around~"

Somewhat awkwardly, Uchiha Izuna moved the wallet from his right armpit to his left. He rubbed his nose, his gaze uneasy, unable to meet the girl's eyes.

"I see."

Upon hearing this, a look of disappointment flashed across Mihoko's face. She had thought she could open for business and recoup some of her losses, but it seemed that today's sales would drop to zero.

"Tsk tsk, since we're just strolling around anyway, give me ten pounds of lemons."

Uchiha Izuna caught a glimpse of the girl's fleeting disappointment out of the corner of his eye, then took out a large bill from his black wallet and handed it over. However, his eyes remained fixed on the sky and the ground, never glancing at the youthful-looking Mieko in front of him.

"Please wait a moment!"

The girl jumped for joy upon receiving the money; her charmingly naive appearance amazed Gin and Uchiha, who were secretly watching from a distance.

"So this is the type my little cousin likes. No wonder he didn't even glance at those guys in the family who were practically throwing themselves at him!"

"But Izuna doesn't even care about this!"

Peeking out and seeing his younger brother's evasive gaze, Uchiha Madara, who was squatting nearby, voiced his objection.

"You deserve to be single forever."

Enraged, Uchiha Gin, with a look of disappointment and frustration, gave Uchiha Madara a hard flick on the forehead.

Izuna didn't see it, but he kept it in his heart!

"Ouch."

"Keep quiet! Watch quietly."

Interrupting Madara Uchiha's chanting, Gin Uchiha continued to spy.

"Lord Izuna, you're such a lemon!"

The girl handed the weighed lemons to Uchiha Izuna, her smile undiminished. Uchiha Izuna was her biggest lemon customer, coming to buy lemons almost every one or two days.

But I wonder what Uchiha Izuna intended to do with such a large quantity of lemons.

"Lord Izuna, can you finish all these lemons by yourself?"

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Uchiha Mieko tilted her head in confusion and asked softly.

"I don't eat lemons; this is a gift."

Uchiha Izuna used head-shaking to hide his inner unease.

"Give it away?"

Who needs to eat so much lemon? Aren't they afraid of becoming a lemon spirit?

"That's right, my cousin's favorite is lemons."

Although Uchiha Izuna approached the girl under the guise of buying fruit, his cousin did indeed like lemons, and he never refused when Izuna gave them to him.

"Look, Uchiha Izuna is here to see that little girl again."

Uchiha Gin and his group weren't the only ones spying. Not far behind them, several middle-aged women eating sunflower seeds hadn't taken their eyes off the fruit shop since Uchiha Izuna appeared.

"Snap! Oh my, Mieko is only fourteen years old this year, and Uchiha Izuna is already..."

Upon hearing that someone dared to gossip about his younger brother, Madara Uchiha, who was squatting in the corner, turned pale and glared at the gossipy old women behind him, preparing to punish them properly later.

"Shh~ Keep your voice down. Izuna-sama is the clan leader's younger brother. Poor Mieko, she'll probably become their plaything soon."

However, what one of the older women said next left Madara Uchiha speechless. How did he end up being dragged into this whole story? He was annoyed and prepared to get up and give her a piece of his mind, but Gin Uchiha grabbed him and pulled him back.

Just take those words as a joke, don't take them to heart.

Uchiha Gin suppressed a laugh and, his face flushed, offered a word of advice.

"That's not all! There's also his cousin, who supposedly lost his job recently and now idles around all day. According to reliable inside information, that curly-haired guy even forcibly took over the mother and daughter at the ice cream shop at the village entrance. He's worse than an animal!"

"Boom!"

The sound of sanity crumbling.

"Calm down! Big cousin! You have to calm down!"

The roles were reversed; Madara Uchiha firmly held down Gin Uchiha, who was about to go berserk, and repeatedly tried to dissuade him, feeling a little smug.

"Alright, I'm going to continue my stroll now~"

Feeling like a mischievous kitten was trapped inside him, Uchiha Izuna thought that if he stayed with the girl for even a second longer, he would die from a heart attack. He then picked up the lemon, turned around, and was about to leave.

"Are you leaving?"

The girl pouted in disappointment, not expecting her only guest to leave so soon. Her small hands twirled nervously, and a hint of pleading flickered in her eyes.

"What happened?"

Sensing that Mieko seemed to want to say something, Uchiha Izuna took a deep breath and asked, seemingly casually but actually deliberately,

"No, it's just that business hasn't been very good at the store lately. I was thinking of asking Izuna-sama to inquire whether there's something wrong with our fruit."

Mieko Uchiha pursed her lips nervously, but finally mustered up the courage to pour out all her thoughts at once.

"Is that so?"

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Izuna frowned, stopped his head-shaking gestures, and a few strands of his uncontrollable aura escaped from his body.

Someone actually dared to sabotage Mieko's business; they deserve to die!

It must have been Tobirama Senju who did it!

"I'm not sure either. Maybe business hasn't been good for everyone lately."

Overwhelmed by the aura emanating from Uchiha Izuna, the girl froze on the spot and hurriedly began to explain cautiously.

"It's alright. I still have some influence in the clan. I'll ask around for you when I get back."

Seeing Mieko's pale face, Uchiha Izuna belatedly realized what was happening and immediately abandoned his imposing manner, patting his chest to assure the girl.

"Thank you so much! Izuna-sama, you're such a kind person~"

Having received the promise, the girl bowed deeply to Uchiha Izuna.

"It's no big deal."

Izuna Uchiha was secretly pleased that he had talked to Mieko more today than he had in the previous period combined. After saying goodbye to the girl, he walked away with an air of indifference.

"Did you figure it out?"

After his younger cousin's figure disappeared around the street corner, Uchiha Gin slowly stood up, patted Uchiha Madara on the shoulder beside him, and asked,

"It's nothing, it's just Izuna buying fruit, right?"

Although he was puzzled by his younger brother's avant-garde attire and strange behavior, Madara Uchiha couldn't say much since Izuna was already an adult.

However, if Madara Uchiha finds out who taught him how to dress, he will definitely make the culprit pay the price!

"idiot!"

Others are already using their ultimate abilities at point-blank range, and you're still here buying equipment.

"Let's go find the person involved!"

Shaking his head, Uchiha Gin led Uchiha Madara in pursuit of his younger cousin.

"Today is a good day~"

Humming a little tune, Uchiha Izuna's strolling became increasingly practiced; anyone who didn't know him would immediately recognize him as a serious stroller.

Just as Uchiha Izuna was savoring the moment he had spoken with Mieko, a large hand quietly patted his shoulder, startling him so much that he almost peed himself.

As is well known, Madara Uchiha's family had problems with their ability to determine what's behind them, leaving them completely unprepared for sudden attacks from behind.

"Who is it? Don't you know where I work? My brother is going to be Hokage, huh?"

Uchiha Izuna, his virginity fantasy shattered, turned around angrily, ready to teach the offender behind him a lesson.

Upon seeing two familiar figures staring intently at him, Uchiha Izuna immediately cowered, a fawning smile plastered on his face.

"What a coincidence, aren't these the guys? Out for a stroll too?"

The spirited young man from the Uchiha clan immediately stood at attention, but the outfit made him look rather comical.

"You brat, dressing like this and parading around like this is a disgrace to the family!"

As expected of the clan leader, Madara Uchiha immediately went to extremes, accusing him of disgracing the clan.

"No! I'm innocent!"

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Izuna immediately scratched his head in frustration.

"Still trying to deny it? Where did you learn this style of dressing? Confess right now!"

Madara Uchiha gave his younger brother's smart suit a disapproving look. Upon closer inspection, he felt that it had a similar feel to the suit, but he didn't say anything for the time being, maintaining a businesslike demeanor.

Uchiha Gin, standing to the side, couldn't help but marvel. His cousin spoke so eloquently; it seemed he had indeed learned a lot as an intern in the Hokage's office.

"Hey! Big brother, can you explain this to me? Wasn't this outfit your recommendation?"

"ha?"

Uchiha Gin, who was watching the spectacle, was completely dumbfounded. He looked Uchiha Izuna up and down with a strange look in his eyes.

It seems there really is such a thing, right?

"Stop talking nonsense! Don't think you can do whatever you want just because your older cousin spoils you!"

After hearing Izuna's explanation, Madara Uchiha scoffed. He didn't believe for a second that this matter had anything to do with Gin Uchiha.

"Ahem. Let's put aside the matter of clothing for now; what's important right now is Izuna's personal situation."

Knowing he was in the wrong, Uchiha Gin coughed twice to change the subject, then turned his gaze to Uchiha Izuna, whose face was filled with timidity, and said earnestly,

"Personal problem? His behavior, which disgraces the family, is the biggest personal problem!"

Madara Uchiha remained relentless. Even though Gin Uchiha's pleas were futile, he was determined to find out the origin of the outfit so he could have it custom-made.

"Big cousin, what are you saying? I don't understand!"

Feeling uncomfortable under Gin Uchiha's teasing gaze, Izuna Uchiha turned his head away, pretending he knew nothing.

"Hmph~ Still playing dumb. Your deeds have been the talk of the entire clan. Do you still think you're hiding your true feelings well?"

Gin gave Uchiha Izuna a light tap on the head, and amidst Izuna's puzzled look, he recounted the recent gossip.

Uchiha Izuna, the second-in-command of the Uchiha clan, relied on his power to try to seize the daughter of the Uchiha Fruit Shop owner, causing widespread resentment among the neighbors.

"ha?"

Madara Uchiha's reaction was even more intense than that of Izuna Uchiha, the person involved. His eyes were wide open in astonishment, and his mouth was agape enough to fit three lemons.

"I didn't! I'm not! Don't talk nonsense!"

Unexpectedly, their story became widely known. The person involved, who had been kept in the dark, immediately jumped up and down, her face flushed, and loudly accused others.

"Oh? So the rumors are false? Then we'll go back and issue a statement to clear your name."

"Autumn beans and burlap sacks! Not all of them are fake."

Upon hearing that Uchiha Gin was going to make this public, Uchiha Izuna's expression became somewhat awkward, his voice lost its previous assertiveness, and he dared not look directly into his older brother's righteous eyes.

"Izuna, this is a crime!"

Even if Madara Uchiha was slow-witted, he could roughly guess what his younger brother was thinking. He immediately closed his wide-open mouth, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, and earnestly advised him...

Calculating their ages, his younger brother is almost thirty, while that little girl at the fruit shop is probably only half Izuna's age. If he really makes a move on a little girl, Uchiha Izuna's life will become more and more promising.

"I didn't have those thoughts, I just wanted to..."

Seeing that his older brother had misunderstood, Uchiha Izuna quickly shook his head vigorously. He had never imagined that he would have close contact with Uchiha Mieko at this stage.

Don't even think about it!

As the vice-head of the Uchiha clan, it's unacceptable for him to harbor thoughts about a young girl, even if it's just a fleeting fantasy.

"Big brother!"

With his eyes bloodshot with anxiety, Uchiha Izuna uncontrollably unleashed a fierce aura, confronting the aggressive Uchiha Madara head-on.

"You still show no remorse!"

Madara Uchiha was heartbroken to find that his younger brother, who had always been obedient to him, had turned against him for a woman.

He simply couldn't understand what was so great about women that made him want to go to such lengths for them.

Fearing the situation would escalate, Uchiha Gin silently separated the two, and looking at the pointing and whispering passersby, he spoke up.

"You two calm down. This isn't the place to talk. Let's go home and discuss it first."

After saying that, he pulled the two of them toward the clan chief's residence.

Throughout the journey, Izuna Uchiha did not say another word to Madara Uchiha. Both of them were holding back their anger, feeling that they had not done anything wrong.

Upon returning to the clan head's residence, Uchiha Yinping dismissed the servants, and the three sat around the table. He, the eldest brother, spoke first.

"Izuna, apologize to your older brother first."

Just now on the street, Uchiha Izuna contradicted Uchiha Madara for the first time in his life. In a time when there is a strict hierarchy of seniority, this was undoubtedly a rebellious act. Therefore, Uchiha Gin made his youngest cousin apologize first.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have raised my voice at my older brother."

Having calmed down, Uchiha Izuna lowered his head and spoke to the gloomy-faced Uchiha Madara.

"Hmph~ If I didn't know better, I'd think you were the Hokage!"

Seeing that his younger brother's attitude of admitting his mistake was sincere, Madara Uchiha's anger subsided. However, the mouths of the Uchiha clan were as arrogant as if they had eaten three pounds of Kugimiya Rie, which was terrifying.

"Alright, alright, let's get down to business and talk about my little cousin's problem now~"

Uchiha Gin couldn't stand seeing Madara get away with it, so he immediately waved his hand to stop him from continuing his arrogant act.

"Izuna, don't blame your brother for being so blunt, but that girl's age is indeed a bit too much."

After calming the two down, Uchiha Gin spoke first.

"I can wait!"

I never expected him to be a Genji.

"No, when I looked at your spellcasting materials before, they were all mature types. How come you changed your taste in reality?"

Unable to fathom his younger cousin's preferences, Uchiha Gin, recalling Uchiha Izuna's previous stockpile, immediately asked in bewilderment,

"!!!"

"Don't be surprised, all your spellcasting materials were handled by me."

Seeing his younger cousin's shocked expression, Uchiha Gin gently shook his head and told Uchiha Izuna the secret that had been hidden for many years.

That's right, all of Uchiha Izuna's spellcasting materials came from Uchiha Jiro, and all the "little princes" that Jiro collected were discarded by Uchiha Gin and given to Uchiha Taro, which is why he was able to know the specific details of those "little princes".

The disclosure of sexual fetishes can be even more shameful than physical exposure.

Uchiha Izuna, his entire body flushed red, tremblingly stretched out his hand, pointing at Uchiha Gin, unable to utter a word for a long time.

"you"

"Just confess honestly~"

"Phew, that's the feeling of being moved."

Feeling completely exposed, Uchiha Izuna decided to stop hiding and openly follow his heart.

"I'll beat you to death! How dare you have those kinds of thoughts about a little girl! Give birth! Give birth!"

Seeing that Uchiha Izuna had so openly admitted it, Uchiha Madara was so angry that he grabbed a stool and was about to kill his own family member, but was stopped by Uchiha Gin who was quick-witted and agile.

"Mieko is already fourteen years old. If this were before, she could have gotten married long ago!"

In order to defend his love, Uchiha Izuna decided to fight to the end, and even brought out the old almanac from the Warring States period to prove the legitimacy of his actions.

"Tsk tsk tsk, little cousin, listen to what you're saying, are you even speaking human language?"

Uchiha Gin shook his head and said,

"The past is the past, the present is the present."

Indeed, after the establishment of Konoha, Hashirama Senju enacted numerous laws in the first year, including detailed regulations concerning marriage between men and women.

It clearly states that women must be at least sixteen years old to get married, so according to current laws, my younger cousin is fully qualified to serve time in jail.

"I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush."

"I wasn't in a hurry, it was my older brother who got anxious first!"

"Try saying another word back?"

"You really like that Mieko?"

Scratching his cheek, Uchiha Gin confirmed again.

"That's right, I won't marry anyone but her!"

My younger cousin, completely blinded by love, was banging his head against the wall.

"Does she like you and want to marry you?"

Uchiha Gin threw out a soul-searching question,

"this"

"Then let me ask you again, does she know you like her and want to marry her?"

"."

A barrage of questions left Uchiha Izuna speechless. After holding it in for a long time, his face turned bright red, but he didn't utter a single word.

"Hehe, so it's just unrequited love~"

This finally gave Madara Uchiha a point to criticize, and he immediately started making sarcastic remarks.

You have no right to mock others. At least your little cousin is thinking about a woman, but you're thinking about a wooden doll.

"I'm still in the process of getting to know them, you know~"

Recalling Uchiha Mieko's radiant smile, Uchiha Izuna, as if injected with adrenaline, stubbornly argued,

"I'm confident that with my charm, I can win her over in no time!"

After saying that, Uchiha Izuna made a gesture of flipping his hair, but combined with his smart young man's outfit, Uchiha Gin couldn't feel a trace of the charm of cheerful Sasuke.

It's too sugary! Quick, get my insulin!

"Phew~ As long as you don't resort to underhanded methods, I can support you in this matter."

After calming his blood sugar levels, Uchiha Gin looked at his younger brother's handsome face, which was filled with determination, sighed, and slowly nodded.

"Huh? Big brother, no!"

Just as he was preparing to see how Uchiha Gin would punish Uchiha Izuna's older cousin, he was so shocked that he stood up and instantly transformed into a scarlet Sharingan. He looked his older cousin up and down, fearing that someone else might be impersonating him.

"Cousin, as long as Izuna doesn't do anything outrageous, it would be a blessing for our family if he could win over that girl."

"What do you mean?"

Unexpectedly, the topic suddenly escalated. Madara Uchiha frowned, unable to understand how Izuna's pedophilia could be considered a family honor.

"That's a long story."

With a hint of melancholy on his face, Uchiha Gin raised his head, as if reminiscing about something. After a few breaths, he slowly spoke.

"Before my uncle passed away, he specifically instructed me to keep a close eye on your marriage."

Upon hearing their father's name, the two brothers, who had just been at odds, both showed a hint of sadness. Uchiha Gin looked at them, his gaze sweeping over Uchiha Madara, and continued,

"So many years have passed, little cousin... I'll leave that aside for now."

My younger cousin's current ability to be interested in normal women is entirely thanks to Uchiha Gin's strategic planning and foresight.

If all the children born are like Nantong, then my uncle will have to swim all the way from the Land of Waves in the middle of the night to give him a good beating.

"My little cousin can fall for someone now, even a woman, and even if she's a bit young, it's no big deal. Like he said, we can wait."

Most girls eventually grow into outstanding women, but wooden girls won't! (End of Chapter)