In Hinata's courtyard, a large, old-fashioned rocking chair was swaying with an extremely gentle rhythm, emitting a faint "creaking" sound.
Hinata was wearing a simple, light blue lounge kimono, half-reclining and leaning against the rocking chair, her eyes slightly closed, long and dense eyelashes casting faint shadows on her cheeks, her expression one of complete, relaxed tranquility.
Her smooth, long hair was not tied up but left to drape casually over her shoulders and the back of the chair, flowing slightly with the rocking of the chair.
At this moment, a smaller figure was nestled completely in her arms.
Hanabi was wearing a goose-yellow dress, and with her cute hairstyle, she looked like a kitten that had found the most comfortable spot, shrinking her whole body into her sister's arms, her little head resting on a soft "pillow".
She held a small glutinous rice ball printed with a rabbit pattern in one hand, eating it in tiny, precious bites, while her other hand reached cautiously toward her sister's left wrist, which was hanging by her side.
There, the Little White Snake was sleeping; apart from eating, it almost always stayed curled up on Hinata to sleep.
It was also enjoying itself, eyes half-closed, the tip of its tail twitching ever so slightly with the rhythm of the rocking chair.
Hanabi's finger was stained with a bit of sweet red bean paste, and she tentatively extended her fingertip toward its little head.
The Little White Snake's nose twitched slightly, then it raised its head, extended its forked, pink, delicate little tongue, and licked the red bean paste off Hanabi's fingertip with extreme gentleness, before shaking its head in satisfaction and lying back down.
"Hee hee..." Hanabi, tickled by the Little White Snake, couldn't help but let out a small, crisp laugh, quickly covering her mouth for fear of disturbing her sister, who seemed to be asleep.
She looked up, stealing a glance at Hinata's peaceful sleeping face, then lowered her head again to look at the docile Little White Snake on her wrist, her large eyes filled with curiosity and affection.
She extended a clean finger and, with extreme gentleness, used her fingertip to stroke the cool, white scales, her movements cautious, afraid of hurting this delicate and beautiful little creature.
"Sister..." Hanabi finished the rice ball and licked the corner of her mouth, suddenly speaking in a very low, milky, and dependent voice, so light it was as if she were afraid of disturbing the dust motes in the sunlight.
"The Little White Snake is so well-behaved... cool and smooth." As she spoke, she relaxed even more and snuggled further into Hinata's arms, her little face subconsciously rubbing against the fabric on Hinata's chest.
Hinata wasn't truly asleep; she was just immersed in this state of complete relaxation, where no thinking was required.
Hearing her sister's voice, she slowly opened her eyes. In her pure white eyes, there was none of the usual cold depth, only a layer of near-lazy softness.
She lowered her head, looking at her sister, who was rubbing against her like a small animal, her eyes full of smiles.
"Hmm, it likes quiet." Hinata's voice was also very soft, carrying a gentle tone.
Hanabi shifted again, adjusting to a more comfortable position, her entire body almost sinking into her sister's soft and warm embrace.
She suddenly exclaimed in a low voice.
"Sister, you're awake! You're so soft and smell so nice... it's so comfortable." As she said this, she rubbed her little head against her again, like a spoiled kitten, "It's even more comfortable than my bed!"
Hinata was slightly stunned, then the smile in her eyes deepened. She raised her free right hand, gently placing it on Hanabi's soft hair, stroking it, and then reached out to pinch Hanabi's chubby cheek.
"Hanabi is soft too." She responded softly, her tone filled with doting affection.
Sunlight filtered through the bamboo curtains, casting light on the sisters, while the rocking chair continued to emit its rhythmic "creaking" sound, making one feel drowsy.
In the rhythm of her sister's stroking and her warm embrace, Hanabi gradually grew sleepy, her large eyes beginning to blink as they fought the drowsiness.
She let out a small yawn, her little hand subconsciously grabbing a corner of Hinata's clothing.
Soon, the sound of Hanabi's steady, faint breathing could be heard. Amidst the sunlight, the breeze, her sister's warm embrace, and the gentle swaying of the rocking chair, she drifted into a sweet dream, a satisfied smile still lingering on the corner of her mouth.
Hinata stopped her stroking, just quietly watching her sister's peaceful sleeping face in her arms.
On her wrist, the Little White Snake also seemed to be asleep, motionless.
There were no dark schemes, no crises existed; here, there was only sunlight, the rocking chair, a sleeping sister, and a quiet little snake.
The gentle creaking of the rocking chair seemed to carry a certain soothing rhythm.
Hinata's eyes gazed quietly at the neatly trimmed garden scenery outside the eaves, but her thoughts, like a silent stream, flowed slowly toward deeper and more distant places.
She had been in this world for quite some time now.
She had witnessed many things and intervened in some, but most of the time, she acted as an observer, quietly watching the river of fate collide, divert, or stir up ripples between its established course and unexpected stones.
The points granted by the System, her interference and corrections to the plot—these were frameworks and motivations for her actions, but not all of them.
She was very strong now, strong enough to walk sideways across this world, and could easily influence the destiny of many people, just like plucking the strings of a musical instrument.
Protecting Hanabi, protecting the Hyuga Clan, and shielding Konoha were all very simple for her.
Hinata's gaze fell, landing on Hanabi's defenseless sleeping face, landing on her young face as it rose and fell slightly with her breathing.
She could keep Hanabi under her wings forever; with her ability, building an absolutely safe barrier to isolate all dangers was not impossible.
But if that were the case, Hanabi would forever remain a protected flower, never seeing the true storms, and would never possess the strength to face the world and choose her own path.
Hinata's fingertips subconsciously and extremely gently combed through Hanabi's soft hair.
In the original story, Hanabi grew up safely, but now with her as a variable, anything could happen.
So, what should she do?
Merely relying on the Hyuga Clan's techniques might be a bit weak; Hanabi should be able to learn them without any effort now. Hanabi's body was already much stronger than before, thanks to that rice bowl of hers.
Cultivation...
This thought clearly emerged.
Although this path is difficult to enter, its Foundation is solid, its potential is profound, and it particularly emphasizes the cultivation of Heart-Nature and Comprehension Ability. It has advantages that the Chakra System cannot match in terms of elevating the essence of life and dealing with various forms of crises, including those at the Soul level.
More importantly, the path of Cultivation is more independent and focuses more on inward exploration.
Once a practitioner enters, they are like someone who has grasped the key to self-evolution, with their future depending more on their own perseverance, Comprehension Ability, and Opportunity.
Teaching Hanabi Cultivation might be a good choice.
Of course, one cannot be too hasty; first, the matter of the Spiritual Root must be resolved, as this is the Foundation of everything.
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