Lin Yu never expected that the squinting youth before him would become the future "Otsutsuki Ichiraku"! He was currently working a part-time job here, his name was Teuchi, and he was undoubtedly making ramen.
"Really? Little girl, do you really like the ramen I make?" The young Uncle Teuchi squinted, looking somewhat excited.
"Mhm!" Kushina nodded emphatically. She was extremely satisfied with this ramen!
"That's wonderful! I've finally taken another step forward on the path of a ramen master!"
Teuchi, his eyes squinting and tears streaming down his face, felt that having his ramen recognized by customers was the greatest praise for him.
Wiping away his tears, Teuchi said to the middle-aged woman, "Auntie, I want to go out and open my own shop. I want to open a ramen shop!" Opening his own ramen shop had always been Uncle Teuchi's dream, and making customers fall in love with his ramen was his ideal!
The middle-aged woman's happy face changed slightly. She wasn't trying to stop Teuchi from opening a ramen shop, but opening a shop involved many considerations. The choice of location, the high prices of streets with heavy foot traffic, and what was most important for a shop?
Was it the taste and quality of the noodles? No, Teuchi could already achieve that. What was most important for Teuchi now was customers, the flow of people. Currently, very few people in Konoha had eaten his ramen, and without any connections, starting a business like this was prone to failure.
Teuchi's aunt looked troubled. Her plan was for Teuchi to gain some fame at her place, then save money to rent a shop, and then start his own ramen business, taking it step by step. This was the most stable approach.
Currently, Teuchi's aunt advised, "Teuchi, you are still young. I won't comment on the ramen you make for now, but you lack both the capital and the connections, which are crucial for opening a shop. The choice of location affects the future survival of the shop. Auntie suggests you save more money, get your name out there first, and in a few years, when Auntie's steamed bun shop is no longer operating, I'll give you the capital to open your shop."
Teuchi also knew that opening a ramen shop in his current situation was not optimistic. Even if it tasted good, no one would know, and he wouldn't even be able to recoup his costs.
However, he was unwilling. Opening a ramen shop had always been his dream. He had already worked hard to make the ramen the best it could be, yet he still had to wait three to four years.
Lin Yu, listening to the gossip from the side, felt that Teuchi's aunt was very right. Uncle Teuchi was at most in his early twenties now. Saving for three to four years and then leveraging the fame he built up during those years, his shop would surely be a huge success the moment it opened.
He remembered in the original work's flashbacks, Kakashi, Obito, and Minato Namikaze had all come to support Uncle Teuchi's grand opening, forming a long queue.
However, he, Lin Yu, had connections! Even if they were few, he could use Uncle Teuchi's ramen to get acquainted with many of Konoha's rising stars.
For instance, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, the Hyuga brothers, the little sun Minato Namikaze, and so on. What did it take to become friends? Just a meal, and if the meal was delicious? Then you'd become sworn brothers!
Of course, this only applied to the gluttons of the Akimichi clan.
Lin Yu's recent plan was to win over, no, to befriend the future pillars of Konoha, even the Hokage candidates. To make friends, one needed a place to chat, and wouldn't Uncle Teuchi's ramen shop be the best venue?
As for money? He, Lin Yu, had none! But Kushina did, she was a little rich girl!
This morning, the spoils of war from the three Cloud Village ninja Lin Yu had captured were once again pocketed by Kushina's mischievous little hands. He didn't have a single cent on him now, and even eating required Kushina to pay.
Lin Yu pondered for a moment and then spoke, "Uncle Teuchi... uh, Brother Teuchi! I know many friends, and I can introduce them all to you. With the taste of your ramen, you will surely conquer them."
"Really? But how do you know the taste can conquer them if you haven't even eaten my ramen? Tsk tsk." Teuchi looked at the steamed dumplings in front of Lin Yu with a hint of disdain, thinking Lin Yu was trying to fool his youth!
Lin Yu gave an embarrassed smile and said, "Ah ha, I believe in my sister Kushina's 'taste buds'. Look at her, she's already eaten five large bowls. This can only mean that your skills, Brother Teuchi, are excellent!"
Teuchi squinted and smiled, "Well, that's true, hahaha."
"So, if Brother Teuchi wants to open a shop, we might be able to help you," Lin Yu stated his purpose.
Teuchi seemed eager, but he touched his pockets, feeling the lack of funds, and said, "Thank you for your kindness, but I don't have enough capital..."
Lin Yu winked at Kushina. Kushina's big eyes rolled, and her little hand gestured a '3' in a place only Lin Yu could see. Her lips moved slightly: I can help, but you have to serve me for three days!
Lin Yu's face darkened. He took my money and now I have to serve you? What a wicked old landlord!
Lin Yu nodded with a dark expression. Uncle Teuchi, you don't know how much I'm sacrificing for your career!
"Ahem, leave this little matter to me, Kushina! I can lend money to Brother Teuchi," Kushina declared, slapping the table with her little hand, sounding rather mature.
"You?" Teuchi and his aunt looked at Kushina, who appeared to be a mere child, with disbelief.
Teuchi said, "I don't accept. I want to open my own ramen shop, and others..."
Lin Yu quickly interrupted him, "Uncle Teuchi, listen to us. We're not lending you money. We're planning to pay for fifty years of ramen fees in advance. That's not considered borrowing money, right?"
Teuchi's head spun. Paying fifty years of ramen fees in advance? Such a scheme? He was completely confused and could only mumble, "That, that's not borrowing money."
"Then it's settled! It's decided! Kushina, pay!"
"Hmph!" Kushina, somewhat unwillingly, reached into her bag. Another large sum of money flowed from her claws, but as she thought about fifty years of free ramen, her mouth began to water!
Lin Yu did some calculations in his mind. An average bowl of ramen was 80 ryo, with extra toppings, let's say 100 ryo. Three bowls a day, 365 days a year. For 50 years, that would be... over 5 million ryo!
And that was for two people! That would be 10 million ryo, of course, with him eating one bowl and Kushina eating five! Lin Yu leaned closer to Kushina's ear and whispered the calculated cost.
"Whoa! That expensive?" Kushina pinched Lin Yu's thigh, looking quite angry. She, Kushina, had never spent so much money before!
"Fifty years of free ramen, you know! All-you-can-eat!" Lin Yu tempted her.
Kushina's little face showed some struggle, but she, Kushina, would never go back on her word! It's just 10 million ryo, isn't it? She, Kushina, had plenty of money!
Her little hand pulled out a sealing scroll from her bag. With a *bang*, a large box appeared out of nowhere. Teuchi and his aunt were somewhat surprised. Were these two children ninjas? They no longer dared to underestimate them, their expressions becoming solemn.
*Rustle, rustle.*
Kushina poured out a pile of crisp silver notes and pushed them towards Teuchi, acting like a rich benefactor. "This is my ramen fee for fifty years. Please accept it!"