Chapter 22: Reunion with Naruto, My First Friend

  "This voice sounds like...". Meng Ling looked back in puzzlement and saw this scene.

  "Get out of here, you freak."

  "How did he get out again? Didn't the Council of Elders say they would lock him up?"

  "Let's hurry up, this is an ominous thing."

  ……

  On the street, a large crowd of people were standing around a blonde-haired child about two years old, constantly discussing and even pointing at him, throwing small stones at him.

  "This isn't..." In the gaps between the crowds, Meng Ling looked at the situation on the street and saw a blonde boy crying in the gap between the people. When she saw the little boy, Meng Ling was immediately surprised and stood up straight. Indeed, she saw a very familiar thin figure, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt with flame patterns, black shorts, and three pairs of extremely eye-catching "cat whiskers" on his face. No mistake, this child is the future main character of Naruto - Uzumaki Naruto.

  "Sigh, compared to his current state, it seems that my situation back then was still much better. At least there weren't those adults who treated me like a monster." Meng Ling let out a soft sigh and slowly walked into the crowd.

  It's also true that in the past, Meng Ling was as lonely as Naruto is now, but he didn't consider himself a "god of calamity". Although life was tough, he managed to hold on, at least without having to suffer from others' cold stares or being pointed and laughed at whenever he went out.

  “Woo...” The little Miao Ren was still sobbing uncontrollably in the crowd. Meng Ling had originally wanted to greet him immediately, but after careful consideration, she gave up on that decision. She knew that there were definitely good people in this crowd, it's just that the incident of Konohagakure being attacked by the Nine-Tails left an indelible mark on everyone's hearts. So when facing the so-called "Nine-Tails' incarnation" Miao Ren, even a kind-hearted person would have the same initial reaction - the child in front of them was a monster.

  "A loud, abrupt sound rang out in front of Meng Leng, and before he could even react, a small stone with a few streaks of blood on it landed at his feet. Looking forward, he saw that Xiao Mingren's head had been smashed open. But strangely, the people around him didn't stop discussing the matter because of this, and some were even cheering."

  "Wooo..." Seeing himself still being pointed at by the people around him, Xiao Ming pushed through the crowd and ran away, disappearing into the streets in no time.

  After Xiao Mingren left, it took only a few minutes for the crowd to disperse. At this time, Meng Ling returned to Yile Lamen shop again.

  "Shanpu sister, who was that little boy just now? Why is he disliked by everyone? Is there something different about him?" Meng Ling asked with feigned ignorance.

  "Are you talking about that just now? Ah, it's a pity to say, his name is Naruto..." At this point, Shikamaru immediately leaned in close to Temari's ear. "I heard that the little boy's body has the Nine-Tails Fox Spirit that attacked the village two years ago, so the villagers dislike him and call him a monster. Right, you mustn't spread these words around, the Third Hokage has rules, absolutely cannot let Naruto know that he is the Nine-Tails." Shikamaru said mysteriously.

  "So that's how it is. What does Sister Irises think? Does that little boy look like a monster to you?" asked Meng Ling with a smile.

  "Personally, I don't think that little boy is a monster, but now almost everyone in the village dislikes him, so I'd better not say anything more. Alas, it's really pitiful. He's still so young..." Hu Die said somewhat absent-mindedly.

  "Haha, I didn't expect that Sister Ayame still has a broad-minded and chivalrous heart, tsk tsk." Meng Ling placed her index finger in front of Ayame's eyes and wiggled it back and forth as she spoke with a smile.

  "It's less now, to be honest, I think it's because our family's luck is better. If my relatives had died at the hands of the nine-tailed fox spirit, I might have hated that little boy too. Ah, ah, never mind, I still have things to do, I won't keep you company for now." Hu Die smiled and waved her hand, then walked into the kitchen.

  "Finally, I should be able to take a good look at Naruto now. It seems like I haven't seen him since that one time I hugged him. I wonder if he's still living in that building in Konoha Village. Anyway, let me go check it out." With that thought, Meng Lin thanked Ramen Ichiraku and immediately left the shop, heading straight for the place where Naruto lived in the original Naruto series.

  After about ten or so minutes, Meng Ling finally arrived at the location where Naruto lived. Looking around at the surroundings, Meng Ling suddenly discovered that in the building where Naruto lived, there was indeed someone living there. However, Meng Ling only saw a place with some small clothes drying, and it was clear that this place now had only one person living there - Little Naruto. As for why? It could only be said that the villagers of Konoha didn't want to live together with what they called 'monsters'. Thinking to himself, Meng Ling still walked up to the door of Naruto's house.

  "Knock knock knock..." She lightly knocked on the door of Ming Ren's house, but Dreaming found that there was no reaction inside the room.

  "Isn't he at home? Where did he go at this time?" Meng Ling was somewhat puzzled. She turned around and prepared to leave.

  "Huh? Who's that..." Turning her head for a casual glance, Meng Leng discovered that on the rooftop of the building directly across from where she was standing, there was a slender figure. At this moment, he was blankly staring at the group of children below who were immersed in laughter and chatter. His golden short hair, white short sleeves with flame patterns, and those few unusual thin mustaches made him look so lonely, so helpless.

  Naruto, before he was twelve years old, had a very difficult life. Even after becoming a Konoha ninja and experiencing many life-or-death battles, he still couldn't compare to the cold gaze of the villagers. However, despite this, he didn't become isolated or give up; instead, he continued to strive towards his goal with perseverance. In her previous world, Hinata had been deeply influenced by Naruto's spirit from a young age and had walked step by step in his footsteps. Now that she finally saw the real Naruto of her impression, she was still somewhat excited.

  "We are both people who have fallen to the ends of the earth, why must we have met before!" Meng Ling let out a soft sigh and in an instant appeared on the rooftop across from him.

  "It seems that there is still a hidden presence watching Naruto, and this feeling, it's the Third Hokage's crystal ball used for spying. Feeling something unusual around him, Mugen shook his head and let out a long sigh. Then he slowly approached behind little Naruto."

  "Are you human?" Meng Ling asked softly.

  "Who are you?"

  "My name is Meng Ling, like the moon's dreamy wings. Nice to meet you, please advise me." Looking at Naruto who was staring at her in shock, Meng Ling couldn't help but smile a little. 'Maybe I'm the first person to actively talk to him.' Meng Ling thought to herself.

  "Uh, that, you're good......" Xiao Ming was at a loss and scratched his head, responding vaguely.

  "Hey, when someone tells you their name, shouldn't you tell them yours in return? How rude." Meng Ling said with a pretended tone of anger.

  "That, I am Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto replied honestly.

  "Hmm, that's right. I'm asking you, what are you doing here all alone? Why don't you go play with them?" Meng Ling pointed to the group of kids downstairs playing "Ninja" and asked.

  "I? No way, I've tried several times already, but every time I was rejected." Naruto said this, his expression becoming somewhat bewildered.

  "Oh? You're a person too, that's great. I'm also a person. Why don't we become friends?" Meng Ling smiled and extended her right hand.

  "Huh?" Minato looked at Mu Leng in front of him with a surprised face. He himself knew that he had been living in a house somewhere unknown before, and it was only last week that he finally came out and got his own house. But here in Tianmin, Minato had never succeeded in making friends once, let alone someone like Muleng who took the initiative to talk to him today, not to mention it was a girl who actively asked to be friends with him.

  "What's wrong? You'd better answer me." Meng Ling was getting impatient, but she knew that Minato, this big fool, had a reputation in the Ninja World as the "most likely to be involved in unexpected events" - No. 1 Ninja of Unexpected Events.

  "Ah, thank you for your guidance." Naruto, feeling a bit embarrassed, stretched out his right hand and grasped Mei Ling's delicate jade-like hand. Suddenly, his palm felt an extremely soft sensation. Even little Naruto couldn't help but squeeze it a few times.

  "Hey, what are you doing?" Looking at Naruto hesitantly holding onto his own hand and not letting go, Mengying felt a bit embarrassed. He immediately pulled his right hand back.

  "That's, sorry." Naruto is still a bit timid now.

  "Never mind, let's not talk about that for now. Since we're already friends, come with me and I'll give you something." Before Naruto could react, Meng Leng pulled him towards the back mountain of Konoha Village...

  In the Fire Shadow Hall, the Third Fire Shadow was leisurely smoking his pipe, gazing at the scene in his crystal ball, and his mouth curled up slightly, bringing a faint smile.

  "It seems that Naruto has finally found his own friends, he must be very happy now, don't you think, Fourth Hokage." The Third Hokage said with a smile as he looked at a portrait on the wall.