"You... what did you just say?" Tsunade asked again.
"Didn't hear me clearly?" Orochimaru smiled. "I said, his only miscalculation was that he truly fell in love with you. Is that clear enough?"
"You… you're serious?" Tsunade was already visibly uneasy.
Although she had always hoped this was true, she had never received any confirmation from anyone.
As for Shin... That guy was such a good liar that she didn't dare believe it. But now, hearing it from Orochimaru, every cell in her body felt awakened.
"Is anyone truly without feelings?" Orochimaru nodded and affirmed, "Precisely because his situation is so dangerous, so full of schemes and manipulation... His yearning for genuine affection far exceeds that of an ordinary person, because he wasn't born a schemer. He longed for someone who could treat him with complete sincerity, and who he could love in the same way. And it just so happens, Tsunade, that your personality is straightforward and honest. Again and again, you moved him."
It all made sense now.
Perfectly matched.
Tsunade believed him, because everything he said was logical, even clearing up so many of her inner doubts. She hadn't expected that these questions, which Shin never answered for her, would be explained by Orochimaru instead.
"You said you'd help me…" She couldn't help but ask eagerly.
"Haha, if it weren't for this conversation, I never would've realized how deeply you've fallen!"
"Spit it out already! Stop beating around the bush!" Seeing Orochimaru dodge the question again, her temper flared up.
What she hated most about him was his love for speaking in riddles. A simple thing he could explain in one sentence, yet he always danced around it. How could someone with her straightforward nature possibly put up with that?
"Alright then!" Orochimaru's expression didn't change in the slightest as he explained, "I'm afraid even Shin himself isn't fully aware that his love for you goes beyond what he imagined. The reason he still hasn't accepted you… is more because he can't accept himself."
"Just speak clearly!" Tsunade was so mad she slammed the table, demanding, "Can you stop going in circles for once?!"
"Haha!" Orochimaru couldn't help but burst into laughter again. "He refuses you because he feels guilty. Because he's been using you all along. But he doesn't dare be honest with you, afraid you'll hate him, or feel resentful. It's hard to imagine someone as rational as him being so emotionally conflicted. That's why I always say, love makes people lose their minds. He is the perfect proof of that. And that's exactly why I think love is a completely unnecessary thing."
Tsunade sat back down angrily. "Why would I ever really blame him? He could've just told me everything! I've been miserable for so long because of this!"
"Because he cares, so he's afraid," Orochimaru concluded. Another sentence that struck straight into Tsunade's heart. This whole conversation made her feel that Orochimaru had never looked more agreeable.
"So what's this help you mentioned?" she asked again.
The corners of Orochimaru's mouth curled into a sly smile, he didn't lick his lips for once, but said nothing.
"You weirdo! Why are you smiling like that? Speak up already!" If it weren't for how good he was at talking today, she'd have probably hit him by now.
So damn frustrating!
"Have you ever heard... that a drunk woman is the most troublesome?" Orochimaru simply sipped his tea and smiled.
"Shin didn't like me drinking, so I haven't had alcohol in a long time," Tsunade said a bit wistfully.
"Tsunade, oh Tsunade, I didn't expect you to be so reasonable for once. That's not like you at all." Orochimaru shook his head and said, "I think what he meant by not liking you drinking was that he didn't like you drinking excessively like you used to. He wouldn't be bothered by you having a small drink every now and then, there's a big difference."
Hearing that, Tsunade blushed slightly. In the past, she did tend to drink at the drop of a hat, and her so-called "a couple of drinks" often meant getting completely drunk.
Although underage ninjas weren't supposed to drink, who would know if she drank in the Senju compound? And even if they knew, who would stop her? It was all because she secretly drank some of her grandfather's sake back then!
"Normally, if you ask Shin to drink with you, he'd definitely refuse," Orochimaru continued, still playing the role of advisor. "But what if you were really heartbroken and insisted on drinking?"
"Heartbroken? What could I possibly be that heartbroken about?"
Orochimaru was speechless. Tsunade wasn't usually this dense. She must really be panicking now, so much so that she couldn't even think straight.
Truly, love makes women lose their brains.
"I heard that your grandmother's health has been getting worse lately," Orochimaru reminded her.
Tsunade's expression darkened. "How could I use my health as an excuse?"
"How is that an excuse?" Orochimaru shook his head. "If her health is declining, wouldn't you be heartbroken?"
"Of course I would be heartbroken!" Tsunade replied without hesitation.
"So if you want to have a drink to ease your sorrow, is that too much?"
"Um… not too much."
"And if Shin happens to be there keeping you company while you drink, would that be unreasonable?"
"Not at all. That would be perfectly reasonable..."
Guided by Orochimaru's words, her eyes lit up more and more. Yes, she thought, I'm not faking it. I'm genuinely upset.
"Thank you!" She finally knew what to do and, for once, sincerely thanked Orochimaru.
"As long as I could help." Orochimaru nodded in satisfaction.
He had really gone all out today, saying only the things she wanted to hear, and now he was finally reaping the rewards.
Once Tsunade gave Shin a little pillow talk, there was a high chance he'd agree to Orochimaru's request.
"So, about that introduction I asked for…" he reminded her.
"You tell me first, why are you so determined to meet him?" Although Tsunade had a much better impression of him now, when it came to Shin, she still asked cautiously.
"I want to invite him to participate in one of my research projects," Orochimaru replied frankly.
"What kind of research?" Tsunade pressed.
"Genetics," Orochimaru said. "The study requires a deep understanding of medical knowledge, and no one is more suitable than him."
"And what, you're just tossing me aside now?" Tsunade said, dissatisfied. "I want to participate too!"
"If you can join, that would be ideal. But can you actually sit through it patiently?" Orochimaru asked with hesitation.
"Who says I can't be patient?" Tsunade strongly objected.
Orochimaru was speechless, clearly, she just didn't want to be apart from Shin. Did she really want him to point that out?
"I'll talk to him about this, and I'll help you persuade him. But I have two conditions," Tsunade said seriously after the deal was nearly sealed.
"Name them."
"First, I want you to do everything you can to keep him in Konoha," Tsunade said solemnly.