Right as they were talking, someone walked in. Kushina's jaw practically hit the floor.
Even Xin was surprised.
It was none other than the Third Hokage.
"I heard that Kushina and Xin had teamed up to open a hotpot restaurant, and since I'm off today, I thought I'd bring my wife and son to check it out," Hiruzen said with a warm smile. Behind him were his wife, Biwako, and his son, Sarutobi Asuma.
"Hokage-sama, please, come in! It's on the house today-everything's free, my treat!" Kushina was over the moon, thrilled that the Hokage himself had come to support their opening. She immediately offered them a free meal.
"Well then, I won't refuse," Hiruzen said with a chuckle as he led his family upstairs to one of the private rooms.
"Was that really the Hokage?"
"He came here to support their hotpot restaurant?"
"Maybe that means the food here is really good."
"Let's give it a try!"
Seeing the Hokage's visit, people passing by started murmuring in curiosity. Soon, several onlookers decided to come in and try the place for themselves.
Hotpot did exist in the ninja world, but its flavors were... hard to describe.
Xin shuddered just thinking about it.
Imagine boiling meat in plain water and then dipping it in wasabi. The taste would make anyone's soul ascend. Or worse, you might get a milk hotpot, where everything tasted overwhelmingly like dairy.
After experiencing that once, Xin had sworn off this world's version of hotpot.
But with the Hokage's arrival, it was like they had been given free advertising. More and more villagers and ninja started pouring in, eager to try the food. Soon, the place was buzzing with activity.
Despite most customers opting for simple bone broth, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive, with people leaving stuffed and satisfied.
"What exactly are you up to?" Biwako shot Hiruzen a suspicious look.
Feeling her gaze, Hiruzen cleared his throat, a bit uncomfortable under his wife's scrutiny. "Well, Mito-sama asked us to keep an eye on Kushina. I figured supporting her restaurant was a good way to help out-and maybe advertise it a bit."
But of course, Hiruzen's real reason had little to do with Kushina.
He had come to gauge Xin's reaction after handing him that peculiar mix of students.
Would Xin be furious? Angry enough to come asking for replacements?
It turned out Hiruzen had overestimated things. Xin was entirely unfazed, as though nothing had happened.
Maybe I was overthinking it, Hiruzen mused.
In truth, the restaurant's location on Konoha's most luxurious street would have guaranteed business sooner or later. As long as the food was good, they would eventually build a reputation, and the restaurant would be a hit.
The Hokage's impromptu visit had simply sped things up.