The blond-haired Hokage, starting from before Hinata's wedding.

Page 3

However, she has no one to share with now. Even if she sees something interesting on TV, she has no one to share it with.

Qiu Xiaoming noticed the gloom on Xiaoying's face, and seeing a vendor selling red bean dumplings nearby, he quickly went over.

He didn't know much about modern television, but he did know a bit about Sakura's past hobbies, so he had to start from that angle.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Sakura called out in confusion when Qiu Xiaoming suddenly walked away.

Soon, Qiu Xiaoming returned with a small bowl containing red bean dumplings and handed it to Xiaoying, saying with a grin, "Sister Xiaoying, try this."

Sakura took the small bowl, and when she saw the red bean dumplings inside, her eyes widened in surprise.

“I remember you loved eating this the most, Sister Xiaoying,” Qiu Xiaoming said with a smile.

Hearing Qiu Xiaoming's words, Xiaoying's heart skipped a beat.

Sasuke couldn't even remember that she liked red bean dumplings, but Qiu Xiaoming remembered it clearly. More importantly, he had never mentioned to Qiu Xiaoming that he liked red bean dumplings.

Sakura paused slightly, opened her mouth, and took her first bite of the red bean glutinous rice ball. The soft, sweet, and smooth texture made her close her eyes and savor it.

"It's really great!" After a moment, Sakura opened her eyes and praised with a smile.

"That's right." Qiu Xiaoming nodded with a smile.

"Let's go, let's continue our stroll," Sakura said, putting down her bowl, wiping her mouth with a tissue.

"Sister Xiaoying, let's go shopping at the mall and buy some clothes or something," Qiu Xiaoming suggested.

"Okay." Sakura nodded, and the two walked towards the mall.

"Sister Xiaoying, try this outfit on, it's beautiful and will definitely suit you." Qiu Xiaoming picked out a white shirt paired with a black skirt, which perfectly matched Xiaoying's current look.

"Hmm, not bad, very pretty." After looking at the clothes and then at Qiu Xiaoming, Xiaoying nodded.

"Hey Sakura, what do you think of these shoes?"

"Sister Xiaoying, this one, this one is also nice."

"Sakura-neechan!"

"..."

In the mall, Qiu Xiaoming accompanied Xiaoying for a stroll, picking out many, many clothes for her, all kinds of styles.

Every time Sakura changed her clothes, Qiu Xiaoming would praise her, making Sakura feel quite flattered, her face beaming with a bright smile.

She never imagined that the first man she would be praised for while shopping would be Qiu Xiaoming.

Sakura was completely immersed in this atmosphere and stopped thinking about other worries.

Before they knew it, it had gotten dark outside after Qiu Xiaoming and Xiaoying left the mall.

"Xiaoming, thank you." Sakura, carrying her shopping bag, turned around, her face beaming with a smile, and said sincerely to Qiu Xiaoming.

"Sister Xiaoying, why are you thanking me?" Qiu Xiaoming scratched the back of his head, looking a little confused, and asked.

"It's nothing." Sakura smiled gently, shook her head, and said, "It's getting late, I should go back."

"Then, Sister Xiaoying..." Qiu Xiaoming hesitated, his mission hadn't made any progress at all!

The mission deadline was just a few hours away.

"Chirp!!!" Just then, a cry of an eagle rang out.

Sakura looked up and saw a huge eagle flying overhead.

Sakura frowned, raised her arm, and the eagle landed on her arm, from which she took a note.

Sakura's expression changed as she looked at the contents of the note.

"Sister Xiaoying, what's wrong?" Qiu Xiaoming asked with concern.

"No, it's nothing," Sakura said, putting the note away and forcing a smile.

"Sister Xiaoying..."

"Xiaoming, I'm feeling a bit down. Can you come with me for a drink?" Xiaoying glanced at Qiu Xiaoming, interrupting him before speaking, and then said.

"Uh..." Qiu Xiaoming was taken aback for a moment, then quickly nodded and replied, "Okay! Of course!"

He was still thinking about how to keep Sakura around to complete the mission, and now that Sakura had brought it up herself, he was naturally more than happy to do so.

More importantly, this is a drinking party! And they're drinking while Sakura is in a bad mood.

Once Sakura gets drunk, she can touch this steamed bun however she wants, right?

"There's a shop over there, let's go there." Sakura smoothed her hair, trying to make her expression normal, and then walked over.

"Okay, Sister Xiaoying, wait for me." Seeing this, Qiu Xiaoming quickly chased after her.

Chapter 6 Confessing to Sakura

When was the last time I met Sasuke?

Sakura has already forgotten.

It's been almost ten years!

Anyway, Sasuke wasn't around when she was pregnant with Sarada.

Sasuke didn't return when Sarada was born.

He didn't come back when the Konoha Twelve got married.

She thought Sasuke would come back for Naruto's wedding, since they were best friends.

She also believed that Sasuke wouldn't come back, since he didn't even return when Sarada was born.

Whether Sasuke returns or not, she will feel surprised and delighted.

She was also fully prepared mentally.

However, when she received Sasuke's clear reply today that he couldn't come back, she still felt an indescribable disappointment and melancholy.

She felt very sad. She looked at her friends and their families and felt envious.

She could only sit alone at home, watching TV, or just staring blankly...

If it weren't for Sarada's existence, she probably wouldn't even think that she was married, had a husband, a man, or a lover.

"Glug glug glug~~~" Disappointment and melancholy made Sakura chug down one glass of wine after another.

"Sister Xiaoying, stop drinking, you're already drunk," Qiu Xiaoming stopped Xiaoying and advised her.

"Drunk? I just want to get drunk!" Xiaoying pushed away Qiu Xiaoming's hand that reached out to grab the bottle, tilted her head back, and drank the last drop of wine in the bottle.

She really wanted to get drunk, to see the man she loved so deeply but could never see in her dreams...

Since we can't see each other in reality, can't we at least see each other in our dreams?

"Sister Xiaoying, what's wrong? Tell me what happened, it'll make you feel much better." Qiu Xiaoming looked at Xiaoying with concern.

Sakura raised her head, her dreamy eyes fixed on Qiu Xiaoming. Seeing his serious gaze, Sakura suddenly smiled bitterly: "Xiaoming, you don't understand."

"Is it because of Sasuke?" Qiu Xiaoming suddenly asked.

Aside from Sasuke, there's no one else who could possibly annoy Sakura like this.

Sakura paused for a moment, then nodded gently.

"Brother Sasuke, after leaving that time, you never came home again?" Qiu Xiaoming continued.

"Home? Is this his home? Does he consider this place his home?" Sakura murmured bitterly, her eyes lowered to hide the sorrow within.

She picked up her glass and downed the drink in one gulp. The spicy liquid flowed down her throat and into her stomach, irritating her digestive system and, more importantly, her soul and heart.

"Sister Xiaoying, please don't drink anymore," Qiu Xiaoming said urgently, trying to stop Xiaoying, but Xiaoying pushed him away.

She poured herself another glass of wine, and just as she was about to gulp it down, she found that Qiu Xiaoming had snatched the glass away.

"Give it to me." Xiaoying reached out to grab the wine glass, then leaned her entire body against Qiu Xiaoming.

Sakura's soft touch and fragrant scent instantly enveloped Qiu Xiaoming, leaving him momentarily stunned.

"Gulp!" Qiu Xiaoming swallowed hard, his other hand hovering in mid-air, hesitating whether to take the opportunity to reach for the steamed bun.

However, just as he hesitated, Sakura had already snatched the wine glass from his hand and removed it from his body.

"Glug glug~" Sakura snatched the wine glass and drank it down in one gulp. Then she put the glass on the table, raised her head, and stared intently at Qiu Xiaoming with her dreamy eyes.

"Sister Xiaoying, you..."

"Why are you so concerned about me?" Sakura tilted her head and looked at Qiu Xiaoming, her red lips slightly upturned.

"Ahem..." Qiu Xiaoming coughed awkwardly twice, then said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Who told you to be my sister Xiaoying!"

"Heh... Is it really that simple?" Sakura looked at Qiu Xiaoming with a half-smile, her gaze scrutinizing him.

"Of course!" Qiu Xiaoming quickly explained, "If it weren't for you, Sister Xiaoying, I might still be outside the village right now, wondering how to get back!"

"Then how did you know I like red bean dumplings? Why did you come shopping with me?" Xiaoying stared at Qiu Xiaoming aggressively, as if trying to see right through him.

Seeing that he couldn't hide it any longer, Qiu Xiaoming decided to go all out and directly admitted, "Because I've liked you, Sister Xiaoying, for a long time!"

Sakura's beautiful eyes were fixed on Qiu Xiaoming's eyes. Seeing the utmost seriousness in his gaze, her heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly looked away. "You...you stop messing around!"

"I'm not making a fuss!" Qiu Xiaoming grabbed Xiaoying's hand and said firmly.

“You…” Xiaoying stared wide-eyed at Qiu Xiaoming in disbelief.

"I like you. I've had a crush on you since the first time I saw you. It's a pity that you only had eyes for Sasuke back then, and you were already married to him!" Qiu Xiaoming looked at Sakura, his eyes gleaming with passion.

"Sister Xiaoying, I like you!" Qiu Xiaoming said to Xiaoying once again in a serious tone, "I really like you."

Upon hearing Qiu Xiaoming's words, Xiaoying fell silent, her drunken mind finally clearing up a bit.

She felt a little panicked.

For some reason, her heart was beating faster at that moment.

"So what?" After a long silence, Sakura shook her head, sighed, and said, "Xiaoming, I know how you feel, and I'm glad you like me, but..."

"I'm already married..."

A sense of regret suddenly sprouted in Sakura's heart, making her feel that she might have made the wrong choice.

Sasuke, whom she had been pursuing since childhood, could not bring her happiness, but only endless loneliness and solitude.

She suddenly wondered what it would be like if she hadn't gotten married, if she hadn't married Sasuke.

“I know, Sakura.” Qiu Xiaoming gently held Sakura’s shoulders and looked at her seriously. “I won’t interfere with your relationship with Sasuke.”

That's what he said, but that's not what he really thought.

As someone who inherited the prime minister's will, he would not abandon him just because the other party was married.

In fact, it feels even better to pry it open.

"You..." Sakura wanted to say something, but she gently shook her head and then said, "It's getting late, I should go back."

As she spoke, Sakura stood up unsteadily.

But because he had drunk too much, he staggered a few steps and fell on Qiu Xiaoming.

[Ding! The task of touching Sakura's steamed bun is complete. Reward: 300 Affection Points.]

As luck would have it, Qiu Xiaoming's hand just happened to touch the steamed bun.

[Ding! Love Paradise Quest: Kiss Sakura, time remaining: 2 hours, reward: 500 Love Points upon completion.]

Just as he was about to enjoy the delicious steamed bun, the system notification sounded again.

Chapter 7 Sakura, you're drunk.

"You, you help me up!" Xiaoying noticed Qiu Xiaoming's actions, her face flushed red, and she quickly pushed him away, feeling embarrassed and annoyed.

"Oh, okay!" Qiu Xiaoming immediately let go, helped Xiaoying up, and carefully helped her stand up.

Although he really wanted to take the opportunity to kiss Sakura and complete the mission, it was obvious that Sakura was on guard against him. Even if he forced a kiss on her now, it would definitely upset her, and it would be counterproductive.

"Sister Xiaoying, I'll take you home." Qiu Xiaoming paid the bill, led Xiaoying out of the tavern, and said to her.

"Mmm!" Sakura responded softly. She knew that she couldn't go home alone in her current state.

Two hours? Kissing Sakura within two hours? How can two hours be enough?

It only takes twenty or thirty minutes to get to Sakura's house. How could I possibly kiss her in that time?

If a touch can happen by accident, then a kiss must happen by accident too!