He could see it now-Sarutobi trying to provoke him into holding a grudge against Uchiha Ryoji, hoping it would exacerbate the existing tension between him and the Uchiha clan.
Meanwhile, Hyuga Rinon's inclusion was meant to tie Xin's hands, preventing him from taking any reckless actions. If something happened to someone from the Hyuga main family, it would cause a massive headache.
As for Ryoji, the Hokage probably hoped he would clash with Xin, leading to even more friction between him and the Uchiha clan.
Sarutobi Hiruzen clearly had no faith that Xin would ever reconcile with the Uchiha if things got worse.
It was a cunning move, Xin realized. The Third Hokage was playing dirty, targeting him from all angles.
Before, Xin had suspected that the Hokage wasn't as altruistic as he seemed. Now, after thinking it through, it was clear the old man had pulled a devious trick.
"Ryoji better keep his arrogance in check," Xin muttered. "Otherwise, he's going to regret it."
But were there even any Uchiha who weren't arrogant?
When Mikoto considered that, she had nothing more to say. Her hopeful idea that Ryoji wouldn't cause problems seemed far-fetched. She figured it was more realistic to hope that Xin wouldn't bother giving him the time of day.
And so, a simple little hotpot restaurant quietly opened its doors on the luxurious streets of Konoha.
Since they didn't do any advertising, the restaurant didn't see much business at first, making Kushina's clan members and Sayuri Uchiha, who had been helping out, a bit anxious.
Once again, Xin found himself yanked out of bed at the crack of dawn, dragged by Kushina to sit with her at the restaurant.
She claimed she was too nervous to handle the grand opening alone and needed someone to keep her company.
Looking around at the empty dining area and seeing the worried faces of Kushina's clan and Sayuri Uchiha, even Kushina started to lose confidence.
Tugging on Xin's sleeve, she whispered in his ear, "Xin, don't you think we should do some advertising?"
"Nope," Xin replied with a big yawn, showing no concern. "The village's economy has taken a hit because of the war. It's not like during peaceful times. Advertising right now might send the wrong message."
He stretched and added, "Take it slow. If the food is good, word will spread. Besides, we're in the fanciest part of town. It's not like there won't be customers eventually."
"I'm just nervous," Kushina admitted. She wasn't worried about losing money-what could a little hotpot restaurant really cost her? It was more about the expectations of her clan members and Sayuri Uchiha.
"Relax. Once people start talking, business will pick up."
"Hokage-sama?"