Chizhao carefully picked up the medicinal porridge made by Haku and slowly walked towards Zabuza's bed, whispering softly:
"I didn't do anything, so don't worry."
She handed the warm bowl to Zabuza: "It's medicinal porridge made by Haku. Eat it and you'll get better faster."
Zabuza lay on the bed, glancing sideways at the familiar medicinal porridge, and let out a cold snort from his nose:
"How do I know if you put anything strange in it?"
Facing his wary expression, Chizhao had no choice but to raise the bowl to her lips and take a small sip to show her innocence:
"Hmm... I already had a bowl just now, and it still tastes pretty good."
Zabuza remained silent, only frowning deeply, scrutinizing her with piercing eyes.
Then he slowly propped himself up and sat, Chizhao put down the bowl and wanted to help, but he stopped her with a cold voice.
"Don't touch me, or I'll kill you."
Looking at his fierce eyes, Chizhao shrugged and withdrew her hand, sitting obediently on the stool by the bed:
"Okay, I won't touch you. You should be able to eat by yourself, right?"
"I'm just injured, not crippled," Zabuza said unhappily, extending his open palm towards her.
Chizhao's gaze fell on Zabuza's large and thick palm. The clear palm lines and slightly protruding calluses all demonstrated the man's strength and toughness.
She subconsciously compared it to her own palm and found that although her hand also had thin calluses, it seemed much more tender.
She, as if by a ghost, grasped Zabuza's palm, and the rough sensation came from her fingertips. She secretly marveled in her heart:
This is too amazing.
But this action was like an electric shock, causing Zabuza to quickly withdraw his hand. He tightly gripped a Kunai, holding it between them, his eyes flashing with cold light, his voice as icy as winter:
"Are you trying to die?"
Chizhao immediately raised her hands in surrender, her face full of apology: "Sorry, I was curious about the calluses on your hand from holding a blade, and I couldn't help but want to see..."
Zabuza glanced at her, scoffed disdainfully, and put away the Kunai:
"These hands have taken many lives. I advise you to curb your curiosity."
Chizhao awkwardly lowered her hands and handed him the medicinal porridge again.
Just as he was about to pull off the bandages on his face, his gaze inadvertently fell on Chizhao: "How long do you plan to stay here?"
Seeing that he was about to dismiss her, Chizhao immediately moved the stool further away from the bed and smiled at him:
"You don't need to mind me, just pretend I'm not here."
Seeing her sitting there primly with a kind expression, Zabuza's eye twitched, a rare sight for him.
How could anyone not mind that?
He sighed and put down the bowl in his hand: "Are you asking me what I've decided?"
Chizhao nodded noncommittally.
Zabuza pulled off his bandages, spooned a mouthful of medicinal porridge into his mouth, and said softly, without looking away:
"Then come closer, and I'll tell you."
The porcelain bowl on the table was empty. Chizhao sat quietly by Zabuza's bed, watching him re-wrap his bandages, which reminded her of Kakashi.
Neither of them could make a single mouth.
"I thought about it all night and have a question for you."
Chizhao came back to her senses, sat up straight, and looked at him seriously: "Ask away."
"What good does all this do for you?"
The distance between them was very close. Zabuza gazed at the girl in front of him, his seemingly perpetually furrowed brow tightening even more:
"If you were simply completing a mission, you could have killed Gato at any time. Why bother coming to me seeking cooperation?"
Chizhao sighed softly, pointed to her forehead protector, and patiently explained:
"First, I am a Konoha Ninja, and the people protecting Tazuna's team are important to me; I don't want you to hurt them. Second, Gato is your employer. You are working with him for money. Imagine if I killed him and cut off your source of income, wouldn't you seek revenge on us?"
"And also..."
Seeing that the girl had no further explanation, Zabuza pressed: "And what else?"
And I don't want to see you all die.
Chizhao swallowed her true thoughts and offered another reason: "And also, as I said at the beginning, to save the people on this island."
Zabuza listened, then a continuous laugh escaped his nose, and his body trembled slightly.
Finally, it escalated into hearty laughter, as if he had encountered something joyful, and the laughter filled the entire room.
"At first, I was very suspicious, thinking you had some other conspiracy, but it turns out it's as boring as I thought."
Zabuza's eyes, now devoid of laughter, sparkled with excitement: "Last question, why did you choose me?"
Chizhao paused. Although she knew Zabuza's grand ideals, telling him directly would seem too abrupt, so she borrowed Haku's name:
"At first, I was just gambling, but after hearing about your dream from Haku yesterday, I felt I had made the right bet."
"Haku, that guy, told you all that?" Zabuza seemed slightly surprised.
"That's right."
Sorry, Haku, to make my reasons seem plausible, I can only inconvenience you.
Chizhao silently apologized in her heart, her gaze fixed on Zabuza in front of her. Zabuza also looked directly into her eyes, as if still trying to discern something different within them.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds, then Zabuza's gaze softened, and he leaned back against the headboard, as if relaxing.
"Alright, then as you wish, entrust the Land of Waves to me. I will make it prosper and find peace again."
"But I have one condition."
Zabuza tilted his head towards her, signaling her to continue.
"On this island, besides the security forces, there can be no Ninja armed forces. Prosperity and peace can only be achieved through economy and policy. Can you do that?"
"You, are you asking me to build a utopia without Ninja?"
Chizhao smiled playfully: "It's not that extreme, but you have all the assets of the richest man! As long as it's planned properly, these should be easy to achieve, right?"
At least before changing the Land of Water, you have a lot to do.
A ray of sunlight quietly streamed into the room through the window, adding a soft filter to the slightly heavy atmosphere.
Zabuza silently watched the girl in front of him, an indescribable feeling welling up in his heart.
Her advanced thinking and courage to challenge the rules of the Ninja world made him feel as if she didn't belong to this world.
However, this also perfectly aligned with his ideal of peace.
So Zabuza's mouth, hidden beneath the bandages, curved into a smile. He looked at Chizhao with appreciation and extended his right hand:
"It's crazy, but I can try."
As the soft, hazy light from outside permeated, Chizhao gently took his hand.
Zabuza's rough, large hand was covered in thick calluses, but it was also filled with a reassuring strength.
"Then, it's a pleasure to cooperate, Zabuza."
Chizhao smiled brightly, and at that moment, the dimness in the room was dispelled by her radiance.
Zabuza's tightly knit brows, for the first time in a long while, relaxed. The soft touch in his palm made him unconsciously tighten his grip a little more.
Shiratori Chichao.
Watching that gentle smile, he silently repeated her name in his heart.
I think I understand why you trust her so much, Haku.