Liuyun spent the entire morning training hard at the open-air training ground.
Might Duy, after saying goodbye, left for the Hokage Building—he had missions to complete to earn money.
"997... 998... 999... 1000!"
Gritting his teeth, Liuyun forced himself through 1000 frog jumps before collapsing onto the ground, unable to continue.
Under normal circumstances, his physical endurance wouldn't have been enough to complete this level of training. However, by enhancing his legs with chakra, he had managed to push through.
Frog jumps primarily trained leg explosiveness, allowing blood and chakra toremain concentrated in the legs for extended periods. This nourished muscle activity, ensuring that power could be released at any moment when needed. It was an essential exercise for mastering Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique).
Having already gained fine control over his chakra, Liuyun could efficiently direct it into his legs. This allowed him to start on the training regimen Might Duy had taught him ahead of schedule.
Might Duy, however, was unaware of this. He didn't believe a mere academy student could have such precise chakra control. Nor did he think Liuyun had enough chakra to sustain such rigorous training.
After lying on the ground for over ten minutes, Liuyun finally pushed himself up, forcing his aching legs to carry him home.
By noon, Liuyun found himself staring at the food inside his bento box, silent.
Rice balls, sashimi, meatballs, and vegetables—it was a well-balanced meal, carefully prepared by his mother, Asuka.
It was also identical to the school lunch.
Since Asuka worked during the day, she usually didn't return home for lunch. She prepared Liuyun's meals early in the morning, leaving him with cold food every day.
His past self had deeply resented this.
Suppressing his frustration, Liuyun closed the bento box. Then, after grabbing some pocket money, he stepped out of the house.
"I need something warm for a change."
However, his family wasn't wealthy, and his pocket money was limited. He had to be mindful of what he bought.
In the end, he settled on a few eggs, a large but inexpensive taro, and, after some hesitation, splurged a little on some crab rolls.
Back home, after some effort in the kitchen, he successfully prepared two dishes:
Steamed Crab Egg Custard
Sugar-Glazed Taro
Cooking these dishes required a bit of skill—something most people wouldn't be able to do without knowing the right techniques.
Sitting down to eat, Liuyun enjoyed his meal, pairing it with the rice balls from his bento. Before long, he had finished half of it, his stomach now full.
The other half, which he had set aside in advance, was neatly packed into a lunchbox.
With that, he stepped out again, heading toward his mother's workplace.
Although Liuyun knew his behavior was out of character for his past self—something that might raise Asuka's suspicions—he didn't care.
Spending every day with her, he couldn't completely hide the changes in his personality.
Besides, home was a place to relax.
He didn't want to keep pretending, wearing a mask even here. That would be far too exhausting.
He might not act exactly like the original Uchiha Liuyun, but as long as he recognized Asuka as his mother, nothing else mattered.
Asuka worked tirelessly to support them both, juggling her job while still taking care of his daily meals. Life wasn't easy for her.
The least he could do was not become an extra burden.
At that moment, Asuka was just about to eat her own lunch—a cold meal, exactly the same as Liuyun's.
Before she could take a bite, a loud voice rang out.
"Asuka, come out quickly! Your son brought you food!"
A female coworker shouted across the factory floor.
"What!?"
Asuka froze, stunned.
Her son brought her food?
But… she already had food.
What could he possibly have brought her?
Shoving her chopsticks down, Asuka rushed to the entrance.
There, she found Liuyun standing outside, lunchbox in hand.
"Mom, you haven't eaten yet, right?" Liuyun said, holding out the box. "I made a couple of dishes—I want you to try them."
Asuka stared at him, wide-eyed.
"You… made these?"
She opened the box, revealing the food inside.
Liuyun nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I followed a recipe. Try it!"
Nearby, another woman gasped.
"Asuka, isn't your son still in the Academy? He can already cook!?"
"Oh my God, what a thoughtful child!"
More and more of Asuka's coworkers gathered, drawn in by the commotion.
"Such a responsible, filial son… Asuka, how did you raise him?"
The voices of admiration echoed around them.
But Asuka barely heard them.
The midsummer sun burned down on the factory, making the air thick with heat.
Yet, looking at her son—drenched in sweat, standing before her with a hopeful expression—Asuka felt a lump form in her throat.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she covered her mouth, struggling to hold back her emotions.
Had she suspected someone else had replaced her child?
Yes.
Liuyun's recent behavior was far too mature—too different. She would have been a fool not to notice.
But standing before her was her son.
This pure, unfiltered affection wasn't something that could be faked.
Especially the look in his eyes—a child longing for his mother's approval.
That gaze alone erased any doubts.
This was Uchiha Liuyun.
A mother always recognized her child.
From this moment on, Asuka would no longer question the changes in him. She would simply believe her son had grown up overnight.
Wiping her tears, Asuka took the lunchbox and, in the next moment, pulled Liuyun into a tight embrace.
"Thank you, my son!"
Her voice trembled with emotion.
Liuyun stood there, frozen for a long moment before finally breaking free from her grip.
"Mom, you should eat first. I'm heading home now."
The summer heat was unbearable, and with a group of women crowding around, the atmosphere was suffocating.
"Alright..." Asuka replied absentmindedly.
Then, just as he turned to leave—
"Wait!"
Liuyun stopped.
Asuka quickly reached into her pocket, pulled out a banknote, and pressed it into his hand.
"It's too hot today. Go buy yourself some ice cream or a cold drink, okay?"
Liuyun blinked, momentarily surprised, before breaking into a smile.
"Thanks, Mom!"
With that, he turned and waved as he walked away.
"I'm going now—make sure you eat while it's still warm!"
"I will! And don't go running around too much in this heat!" Asuka called after him.
"Got it!"
Asuka watched his small figure disappear down the road, standing still for a long time.
It wasn't until a coworker snatched the lunchbox from her hands with a teasing grin that she snapped out of her daze.
She laughed, wiped her eyes again, and finally sat down to eat.
For the first time in a long while—her lunch wasn't cold.