Yes, the Hokage

"So, you're planning to live apart after marriage?" There was a hint of annoyance in Mei Terumi's voice, whether from a lack of acceptance of her or from Feng Lan's plans.

“You will not be controlled by me. You can do what you should do in Kirigakure, and I will do what I should do in Konoha. We will each maintain our own positions, but in public, we are one. This in itself is a deterrent.”

Feng Lan's voice was calm, even somewhat cold: "I'm not interested in giving you the things girls crave—romantic moments, candlelight dinners, romantic weddings—but I can give you what you need."

“Sunagakure is a vassal of Konoha, Amegakure is nothing more than a black glove, and our marriage is at least a relatively respectable form of alliance. In theory, Kirigakure is still equal to Konoha. As long as you continue to cooperate with me to gain benefits, Kirigakure can develop and grow under Konoha’s protection.”

"Then... what good will it do you?" Mei Terumi didn't respond to the other person's question, but instead changed the subject.

“As long as you’re alive, Kirigakure is essentially just a resource point for me,” Feng Lan said calmly. “As my wife, it’s actually more convenient for you to do many things because you don’t need to avoid suspicion. In front of Konoha, Kirigakure can only bow down. Many times, your words are even more effective than Kisame’s.”

"For example, right now Kirigakure is full of ruins. I can send my construction crew over to make a killing. You probably don't know this, but I'm the biggest real estate developer in the Land of Fire."

Before the other person could speak, he added, "Don't tell me that Kirigakure has no money. Pakura told me that Yagura left his entire estate to you before he died."

“Fenglan, you…” Terumi Mei remained silent for a long time, “You’re such a bastard.”

“I know, many people say that,” Feng Lan said dismissively. “But at least this bastard will give you a choice.”

"What do you mean?"

“When I came here, I said that based on your answer, I would decide whether you could continue to be of use to me or send you on your final journey.” Feng Lan’s tone was completely calm. “Although I am also trying my best to reduce other options and create a situation where you only have one solution, I will not force you to take this path.”

“If you choose to die a glorious death, I will respect that and rule Kirigakure in a different way. Whatever happens then will be none of your business. You have already done your best.”

"If you choose to live, all the conditions I promised will remain in effect, and I will continue to use you to infiltrate Kirigakure. In return, you can use Konoha's protection to fight against me and protect your village until Kirigakure grows back into one of the Five Great Nations."

“From the moment we met, I never gave you the power to choose, but I choose to respect your life. A person should at least be able to control their own life.”

Mei Terumi had fallen silent for countless times. From the Five Kage Summit onward, she had been sent away by Yagura, forced to negotiate, accepted oppressive treaties, and offered a marriage alliance. She had always been chosen, arranged, and exchanged. She had always accepted the conditions and had never made any decisions on her own initiative.

She had thought that at least she could decide her own death, but she didn't expect Feng Lan to come again. At that moment, Mei Terumi's thoughts were a mix of emotions, and among these emotions was a trace of annoyance—does this mean I can't even decide my own death?

This time, however, Feng Lan didn't make any decision for her. He simply offered his own conditions and then... respected her choice.

The room fell silent again, quieter than ever before; you could barely hear the two of them breathing.

Then Mei Terumi slowly stood up from her chair, walked across the table, and came to Feng Lan.

Through the darkness, Feng Lan couldn't see her expression, and she couldn't see Feng Lan's either.

She reached out and checked Feng Lan's chest, then said, "Feng Lan, I'll say it again, you're a real bastard."

"My answer remains unchanged, and many people say the same thing..."

The moment Feng Lan opened his mouth, something warm, delicate, and tinged with the salty taste of tears touched his lips. In that instant, the eloquent and kind-hearted Feng Lan fell silent.

Everything he did was calculated. Proposing a marriage was a calculation, saving her was a calculation, and giving her the choice was also part of the calculation. However, it was the most classic example of using retreat as a means of advancement.

But when Mei Terumi's kiss landed, he realized something was beyond his calculations.

This woman, who has always struggled with herself through words and intellect, chose to answer herself with silence and actions this time. This speaks volumes more than any words and fulfills the contract better than any transaction.

Before this kiss, the person before him was Kirigakure's advisor, his collaborator, and a pawn he manipulated.

But at the moment that kiss landed, she was Mei Terumi. Although she would revert to the aforementioned identity afterward, in that instant, she made Feng Lan feel out of control. Although he acknowledged that she was a chess player, Feng Lan had always been confident that he could control everything, but Mei Terumi's actions were something he had not anticipated.

So at this moment, Fenglan didn't know what to say, and couldn't say anything.

It sounds like a long time, but it actually only took a few seconds. Mei Terumi had already moved her lips away and chuckled: "...But they didn't say 'so awful that I don't even mind,' right?"

Chapter 174 The only one

After the brief kiss, devoid of any sweetness and more like a contractual one, the room fell silent again.

Because of the darkness, he couldn't see her disheveled face from crying, and she couldn't see his somewhat flustered expression from wavering. But he could taste the saltiness of her tears on his lips, and he could feel her slightly accelerated heartbeat as she placed her hand on his chest.

After an unknown amount of time, Feng Lan slowly spoke: "I should have said that you are not suitable for using a honey trap."

"Is this how you treat a girl's first kiss?" Mei Terumi scoffed, then grabbed Feng Lan's collar, pulling them closer again. "How about we do it again, so you can see if I'm suitable?"

She was originally an aggressive personality, taking the initiative in negotiations, taking risks on the battlefield, and actively arranging her own fate in death plans. And now... the two have a completely new relationship. They are still a demon and a contractor, but also husband and wife.

Therefore, the clever Mei Terumi played to her strengths and avoided her weaknesses, launching her attack not as a contractor, but as his wife.

But Feng Lan naturally wouldn't sit idly by. After a moment of losing his composure, his intelligence regained its footing: "Stop with the act. No matter how much you sacrifice your looks, I won't back down any further. You're only worth this much."

He tried to steer the conversation back to his area of ​​expertise: contracts and transactions, but Mei Terumi wasn't about to let him succeed: "Is this something you should say to your fiancée?"

"It might be a bit much for your fiancée, but it's just right for you."

"Heh, you're right." Mei Terumi decided to stop while she was ahead. "I should be flattered that you're willing to give up so much of your interests."

"I'll make you earn even more for me later." Feng Lan's slightly accelerated heartbeat gradually calmed down.

"Hey, I'll make the most of the generous offers you've made." Mei Terumi was smiling, but her tone was full of barbs.

The tone and content of their conversation hardly suggested they were engaged; they seemed more like adversaries engaged in a heated debate at a negotiating table. Yet, their posture was incredibly ambiguous. Feng Lan stood firmly against the wall, while Zhao Mei leaned forward, pressing most of her body against him, as if she had received some unusual support that gave the girl the confidence to live on.

If the room weren't dark, one would notice that both of them had a slight upturn at the corners of their mouths. It wasn't the fake smile they wore in public, nor was it a genuine, hearty laugh. Instead, it was a smile of excitement mixed with malice and calculation, a smile that came from encountering an opponent.

They both know what roles they are playing, and they both know that the other knows. This tacit understanding of each other constitutes the most unique quality of their relationship.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense, a sudden sound broke the silence.

"Gurgle—!"

Mei Terumi's body stiffened instantly, seemingly somewhat embarrassed.

"Hmm, you've been suppressing your emotions by dealing with government affairs, so you probably don't even have an appetite or time to eat," Feng Lan casually invited. "Want to go get something to eat together? I'm hungry too."

“Yes.” Mei Terumi quickly regained her composure. “Tonight, we should let as many people as possible see us together. This will help spread the rumor tomorrow that Feng Lan only compromised the treaty because of Mei Terumi. Then our marriage won’t seem too sudden.”

"That's not a rumor. I only compromised because of you."

"Yes, yes, I will remember your great kindness." Mei Terumi gracefully left in front of Feng Lan, and turned on the light in the room. The sudden light made the two of them squint.

She quickly turned around, her back to Feng Lan, so that he wouldn't see the expression on her face, and picked up a small mirror from the desk to carefully wipe her face.

Fenglan waited silently, like a patient boyfriend.

Mei Terumi quickly cleaned up the marks, making herself look less like she had been crying, and even slightly treated the dark circles under her eyes caused by continuous high-intensity work.

"Let's go." She turned around and smiled sweetly. "Since I'm the host, I'll treat you today. When we get to Konoha, you have to treat me to some delicious food there."

Although it was a disguise, Mei Terumi acted like a girl in love, grabbing Feng Lan's arm and pulling him outside.

Feng Lan cooperated fully with her in this act, and the two of them went to the only remaining restaurant in the village—which has now been converted into a canteen to provide meals for a large number of ninjas and villagers whose homes were destroyed.

The moment the two pushed open the door, Feng Lan's hand wrapped around Terumi Mei's waist, but it was just a perfunctory gesture, and his fingers didn't even touch her clothes. Even so, it was enough to attract a lot of attention.

Those ninjas who were originally dissatisfied with Mei Terumi couldn't help but look puzzled when they saw this scene. The villagers, on the other hand, were more curious than hostile towards the people from other villages. The fact that Mei Terumi had started a "relationship" with a high-ranking official from another village so quickly made many people gossip.

The Akatsuki members exchanged bewildered glances. Most of them knew that Feng Lan was the real mastermind, and they couldn't help but wonder what this was all about.

"Hey, isn't that Feng Lan?" Konan whispered from the far corner. "Is he on a date with Mei Terumi?"

If Feng Lan's acting was somewhat affected and exaggerated, then Terumi Mei's performance was definitely worthy of an Oscar nomination. She leaned her whole body on Feng Lan's arm, her face showing the joy and excitement unique to young girls, with her cheeks slightly flushed.

From Xiao Nan's perspective, which is also that of a young girl in love, this is exactly like a date with her boyfriend.

Yahiko and Nagato exchanged a glance: "No, absolutely not."

They found it hard to imagine that someone like Feng Lan, whose mind was full of schemes and plots, would settle down and go on a date like an ordinary man, especially in a place like Wuyin that he was planning to control. Dating a pawn seemed like he was plotting something.

While they were whispering, Feng Lan and Terumi Mei had already sat down. The food they were eating was just ordinary cafeteria food, but judging from the girl's expression, it was as if she were sitting in a private room of the most upscale restaurant, enjoying a candlelight dinner with her lover.

She scooped up a spoonful of food, caught it with her other hand, and brought it to Feng Lan's lips: "Ah~~"

"Cough, cough!" Upon seeing this, Yahiko choked, and Nagato quickly patted his back.

"Wow~~" Xiao Nan was completely stunned.

Feng Lan frowned slightly, as if to say that she was overacting a bit, but then he noticed that Terumi Mei was giving him a provocative look, implying that this twenty-something-year-old man was pretending to be an innocent young man.

【cut.】

Feng Lan snorted inwardly, opened her mouth and ate it. Then she felt a hot, spicy sensation rush to the top of her head. She had just eaten a big mouthful of chili pepper.

[Damn, there's even a private revenge element.] He rolled his eyes at Mei Terumi, only to find her smiling. However, she didn't push her luck and they finished their meal peacefully.

After finishing their meal, Mei Terumi left arm in arm with Feng Lan in full view of everyone. The effect was excellent. As soon as the two left, the dining hall was filled with discussion: the villagers were mostly curious and excited about the outsiders, while the ninjas were divided into two camps. Some felt that she had disgraced the village by selling her body to outsiders, while others felt that she must have done this for the sake of the village's diplomacy. After all, the new Kirigakure was in dire need of reconstruction, and if it could get support from Konoha, it could definitely complete its reconstruction and development quickly.

Soon, the two returned to the building below Terumi Mei's office. Once there, she finally let go of Feng Lan's hand, and the expression on her face gradually disappeared.

"Alright, go upstairs and get some rest. You probably haven't slept much these past few days." Feng Lan calmly withdrew her arm. "We have a meeting tomorrow. Although the diplomatic treaty between the two villages has been finalized, we still have to go through the motions."

"Hmm," Mei Terumi responded softly, looking at him with a somewhat peculiar gaze.

"Is there anything else you want to say?" But Feng Lan's thoughts had already shifted to other things, such as the Akatsuki organization she had just seen.

“I guess you could call this a date?” Mei Terumi said, her hands behind her back, her boots rubbing lightly against the stone slabs beneath her feet.

"I suppose so," Feng Lan replied casually. "If you're not happy about this, we can find time for a real date after Kirigakure is rebuilt."

"Then forget it, we'll both be very busy then." Mei Terumi chuckled. "What I wanted to say was... although it's not romantic at all, I'm still very happy. And, um... thank you."

After saying that, she disappeared into the doorway in a flash, covering her chest with both hands, holding her breath and not daring to make a sound for a long time.

Only after confirming that the other party had left did Terumi Mei let out a long breath and slowly slumped down against the wall. As mentioned earlier, although she appeared frivolous and charming, she was actually a very traditional woman. Even she herself had not expected that she would make such an intimate move to Feng Lan just now.

Is it because...he's already someone special to me?

Although she felt a mix of emotions, Mei Terumi remained calm. She was certain that these feelings were not romantic attraction, but Feng Lan had indeed taken root firmly in her heart.

He was the only one who saw through her willingness to sacrifice herself during the negotiations.

He was the only one who pulled her back after she had made up her mind to die.

He was the only person she felt she could accept being used.

This feeling has no name. It is not friendship, not love, not worship, not hatred. It is "the only person in the world with whom you can be completely honest," because you don't need to hide anything from him. He has already seen you at your most desperate, most pathetic, and most struggling.

She had no secrets from him anymore.

He will be the only person in her life from now on who is willing to sit down and have a good cup of tea without saying a word.

Chapter 175 Pakula's Wavering

Fenglan returned to her room at the inn and gently closed the door.

Minato jumped to his feet: "How was it? How was it?"

"What do you mean, how is it?" Feng Lan said as she walked inside, pressing the large golden retriever that had come closer back down.

"You just went to propose, didn't you? You definitely went to propose!"

Just then, Feng Lan sat down at the table. Pakula, who had come over to pour tea, paused upon hearing this.

"Oh, it's a proposal." Feng Lan rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Seriously, what's with all the excitement? Was it me proposing or you?"

“Great job, Fenglan.” Shuimen excitedly circled around the table. “I thought you were the kind of person who was completely clueless about romance, plain-looking, and destined to live a lonely life.”

"I'm really sorry about my plain looks," Feng Lan retorted with dead fish eyes. "So what's so exciting about my proposal to you guys?"

He said "you guys," and it was clear that Minato wasn't the only one excited in the room. After being told that, Obito and Shisui, who had just turned to gossip, quickly turned back around, and Pakura, who was still in mid-air, continued to pour water.

"How could I not be excited!" Only Minato was still jumping around, looking like he had evolved from a blond-haired man into a golden monkey. "By the way, what about the woman? What did she say to you?"

"Um, I didn't really answer." Feng Lan hesitated for a moment, which was rare for her.

“Stare…” Minato cast a righteous gaze.

“Alright,” Feng Lan quickly gave in. “She didn’t answer with words.”

"Could it be..." Minato, being an experienced man, wore an ambiguous expression, "that she used actions..."

"Ah, she kissed me," Feng Lan answered very frankly.

"Whoa! Woohoo!" Minato excitedly put his hands on his hips, assumed a horse stance, and roared to the sky, looking like he was about to transform into a Super Saiyan. "Whoa~~~"

"Alright, stop howling." Feng Lan said irritably, "No matter how much you yell with that hairstyle, you'll never reach Super Saiyan 3, you'll be at most Super Saiyan 2."

Shisui and Obito, who had just turned around, couldn't help but turn back, their faces full of gossip. Although they didn't dare to be as exaggerated as Minato, they were still beaming with excitement and full of morbid curiosity.

As for Pakula...

"Hot! Hot! Hot!"

She poured water so much that it overflowed the teacup.

"No, I'm so sorry." Pakula finally came to her senses and hurriedly apologized.

"It's nothing, it's nothing." Feng Lan grimaced as she withdrew her hand. "Seriously, aren't you guys overreacting? This is just a diplomatic incident, after all."