Land of Rain, a small country shrouded in rain year-round, appeared particularly vulnerable amidst the smoke of the Second Ninja World War.
Yoshida Kenji and his family—his wife Yuko and young son Feng Xing —are struggling along a rugged mountain path.
The flames of war swept through their homes, forcing them to leave their homes and seek a safe haven.
" Kenji, how far is it to the nearest temporary shelter?" Yuko asked wearily, holding her son Feng Xing.
"Almost there, Yuko, just hang in there a little longer," Kenji comforted her. Although he was also filled with unease and anxiety, as the pillar of the family, he couldn't show it.
As evening fell, the sky was once again shrouded in dark clouds, and a light drizzle began to fall.
Yoshida pointed to a cave in the distance, "Let's rest there today."
He sighed and said, "Although the cave is cold and damp, at least we won't get soaked anymore. If we light a fire, we can dry our clothes so we can continue our journey tomorrow."
As the group walked into the cave, Yuko suddenly stopped and exclaimed in surprise, " Kenji, come and see!"
Kenji rushed over and saw a woman in a dark blue Ninja outfit lying on the ground with multiple injuries, pale lips, and weak breathing, clearly showing signs of excessive blood loss.
Her hands were tightly protecting her bulging belly, clearly indicating that she was pregnant.
"It's Konoha's Ninja!" Kenji said alertly, a hint of hostility flashing in his eyes.
" Kenji, we should save her," Yuko said without hesitation, her eyes filled with pity.
"Save her? Are you crazy? She's Konoha's Ninja, our enemy!"
Kenji retorted excitedly, his voice filled with anger and confusion, his face turning red.
"But at that moment, she was just a mother. I couldn't bear to watch them die, along with their unborn child!"
Yuko insisted, "At least the child is innocent." Her eyes were already brimming with tears.
" Yuko, you're so naive!" Kenji said angrily. "The war has taken our homes and our families away. Think of my brother and his family, they died with their eyes wide open in disbelief! And now, you want to save the life of an enemy!"
" Kenji, I haven't forgotten, I haven't forgotten at all, but the war wasn't her fault. She's just a victim now, just like us… just like us…" Her tears could no longer be held back and slid down her cheeks.
Seeing his wife like this, he swallowed his questions and went over to hug her.
"It's not that I'm unwilling, but have you thought about what would happen after you save her?"
He paused, then continued, "Our food supplies are running low. Feeding two more people would be a huge burden. We're struggling to feed ourselves, how are we supposed to take care of a wounded soldier and an infant?"
" Kenji, I understand your concerns." Yuko tried to keep her tone calm.
"But if we stand by and do nothing, how are we any different from those who start wars? This child is innocent, and he should not pay the price for the mistakes of adults."
He looked at Kenji with almost pleading eyes: "If it's because of food, I can eat less. Besides, summer isn't over yet, we can always find something to eat in the mountains to survive."
Kenji fell silent, looking into his wife's resolute eyes, his heart filled with conflict.
He knew his wife was right, but he also knew that saving the woman and child meant taking on more responsibility and risk.
" Kenji," Yuko called softly, picking up her son Feng Xing. "If we abandon her today, what will our child think? How will he see the world?"
Kenji sighed, looked at the unconscious woman, then at his young son, and finally made a decision.
"Okay, we'll do our best," Kenji finally conceded.
"But we must leave here quickly; we cannot linger here for too long."
...
After handing the baby to Kenji, Yuko went to the unconscious Tatsuki's side to begin the delivery.
He quickly cleared a relatively clean spot, laid out some dry grass and clothing, and moved it onto the ground. Then he took out some basic medical supplies and some medicine for treating minor wounds from his pack; these were all he could rely on now.
" Tatsuki, can you hear me?" Yuko called softly, trying to bring him back to his senses.
Tatsuki finally regained consciousness, opened her eyes slightly, and weakly nodded.
"Your situation can't be delayed any longer, otherwise both you and your child will be in danger!"
Yuko's voice was gentle yet firm; although she was filled with nervousness, she tried her best to keep her voice calm.
Tatsuki gritted her teeth and nodded.
Steam billowed from the pot, and the tense atmosphere filled the small cave. Yuko gave Tatsuki an encouraging look before starting the production.
Yuko, recalling her own experience, instructed Tatsuki on how to exert force and how to adjust her breathing...
She wiped the sweat from Tatsuki's forehead with a clean handkerchief and gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid, we're all here. You and the baby will be alright."
Time ticked by, and Tatsuki's breathing grew increasingly rapid. Her body was exhausted, and only a strong will kept her going. Yuko encouraged her while closely monitoring the baby's condition.
Kenji paced nervously nearby, helping to hand things over when needed, muttering "Don't look at what you shouldn't look at," even though he knew his wife wouldn't care, he still had to block his son's curious gaze.
Finally, after several hours of arduous struggle, the baby's head emerged, followed by the body, and Yuko carefully assisted in the delivery.
Finally, a loud cry cheered everyone up. Yuko carefully wrapped the baby in a clean cloth and wiped away the dirt with a damp cloth.
She held the baby to Tatsuki's side. "It's a boy, Tatsuki, a healthy boy," Yuko said excitedly, tears welling up in her eyes.
However, due to severe bleeding, Tatsuki's body could no longer hold on.
Her breathing grew weaker and weaker, her face as pale as paper. He looked at his child, his eyes filled with maternal love.
"Thank you…you all." Tatsuki said weakly, "This child…I'm entrusting him to you." She took out a scroll and poured Chakra into it.
"Here's some food rations, consider it payment. Could you do me one last favor?"
Yuko nodded vigorously, her eyes full of concern.
Tatsuki took out a special container, reached for his eyes, and removed his two eyeballs one after the other.
"When he grows up, I will give this to him. This is the last thing I can do for him as a mother."
Yuko nodded, holding Tatsuki's increasingly cold hand tightly, but it didn't change anything.
Tatsuki continued talking to herself, a bitter smile appearing on her face.
"His name was given to him by his father. We have been looking forward to it for a long time, but now, I can't be there to watch him grow up. I'm sorry, Mom… I'm so sorry…"
She took out a jade pendant from her bosom, on which Chakra had already engraved the words Feng Shuo, and handed it to Yuko.
"When he grows up, give this to him… Also, please tell him… that his parents love him very much."
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Yoshida and his family, with their newborn son Feng Shuo, resumed their journey, leaving only a small mound of earth behind.
Although Kenji still harbored some resentment, he couldn't change the fact that the child had become part of his family.