The sun was setting.
Roshi said, "Training officially starts tomorrow.
Before dinner, I'll test you again."
He marked a stone, showed it to them, then threw it off the cliff.
"Tonight, whoever brings back that stone gets dinner."
All three rushed off.
Soon Goku returned with the stone, Chi-Chi beside him.
Goku said, "Chi-Chi, you're still growing.
You shouldn't go hungry. Take the stone and eat."
Chi-Chi shook her head hard.
"No! You eat so much, and you found it.
You need dinner more."
"Then you eat."
"No. If I eat, you won't.
I won't eat if you don't."
She looked ready to endure hunger with him.
Kid Chi-Chi was so pure and sweet it was hard to reconcile with her future self.
Goku couldn't help thinking about adult Chi-Chi yelling at him.
He also thought of his parents from his previous life.
Not as extreme as Chi-Chi, but the same vibe.
Every day: homework, meals, strict rules, no playing with "bad influence" kids…
He knew they meant well.
But growing up under constant scolding felt awful.
It made him timid and withdrawn.
Thankfully, this life was different.
He'd become Son Goku—his favorite hot-blooded hero.
Grandpa Gohan was kind, never harsh, always encouraging.
Sure, he'd carry the burden of protecting Earth someday.
He still had to train hard.
But from childhood to now, he'd been genuinely happy.
Praise and affirmation really did make people more confident.
Chi-Chi's voice pulled him back.
"Goku, what are you thinking about?"
"N-nothing."
Chi-Chi blushed, then asked softly,
"Are you moved by me?"
"If you want to thank me, then… promise to marry me when we grow up…"
Her cheeks went red again.
Goku suddenly remembered something.
"Chi-Chi, what did Launch cook just now? Did you see?"
Chi-Chi blinked out of her blush, thought, and nodded.
"Yeah. When I went to get Master a drink, I saw Launch killing a fish.
Then she sneezed, turned blonde, and chased me."
"What kind of fish?"
Chi-Chi stared at the sky, thinking. "I don't know…"
Goku muttered to himself.
Even though the timeline had changed, he remembered Launch's first meal.
Maybe it was pufferfish.
He said, "Then I won't eat dinner either.
I'll stay hungry with you."
Chi-Chi brightened.
"Goku, you're starving with me? You're so good to me!"
She leaned her head against his face.
Goku smiled lightly. "Since we're sharing hardship…
should I just throw this stone away?"
Chi-Chi grabbed his hand. "No! You worked so hard for it!
If neither of us eats, give it to Krillin!"
Goku hesitated. "I think we should throw it away."
Right then, Krillin came back after trying to fake a stone and getting kicked out.
He saw Goku holding the real one, the two of them hesitating back and forth.
Krillin's face twisted into a mischievous grin.
He dashed over, snatched the stone, and bolted.
Goku blinked. "Hey! Krillin! You stole my stone!"
"Bleh-bleh-bleh!" Krillin stuck out his tongue and sprinted back to Kame House.
Chi-Chi flared. "Urgh! Krillin stole your stone!
And I was about to tell you to give it to him.
Goku, tonight we'll catch him and beat him up!"
Goku shrugged.
"Don't be so violent.
We were going to toss it anyway."
If that fish really was pufferfish, Krillin and Roshi were about to suffer way worse than a beating.
Soon dinner started inside.
Krillin ate Launch's fish and smugly glanced out the window at Goku.
Roshi praised, "Wow, Launch, this fish is delicious!"
Krillin poured him more wine. "Here you go, Master!"
Launch smiled. "Thanks. I bought it fresh at the island market."
Krillin chewed and peeked outside again.
"Too bad Goku and Chi-Chi didn't get to eat this amazing fish…"
Around ten o'clock, Roshi and Krillin suddenly clutched their stomachs.
Roshi groaned, "Launch… what fish was that?"
"Pufferfish…"
Their faces went pale green on the spot.