Elder brother's garrison

"Yamato, you don't have a grudge against me, do you?" Lexington sighed regretfully. "Sigh... when will we be able to build a bridge of trust between us?"

"When you tricked me into signing a decades-long contract of servitude with the naval base, why didn't you think about trust at all!"

"Sigh, back then, I was a little worried about you because you had just been released from prison—but look, now you're Xiaobai's marriage ship, and your status has completely reversed, putting you in a superior position to me." Lexington gently stroked her cheek, gazing melancholically out the window. "I just wanted to take this opportunity to spend some quality time with you and Dahe, to clear up the misunderstandings we had back then..."

"Ugh—" Upon seeing Lexington's expression, Deep Sea Yamato felt a wave of nausea and discomfort wash over him. "Liar! Absolutely a lie!"

“These are my honest thoughts, you know? Gara can vouch for that.” Lexington reached under the table and pulled Saratoga out, then looked at her with a smile. “Gaga, you agree, right?”

"Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm!" Saratoga, who had been pulled out, stared with innocent big eyes and nodded rapidly.

"Look!" Lexington looked at Deep Sea Yamato with a big smile.

"I don't believe you! When you captured me and brought me to your naval base, you two sisters were the most ruthless! Even now, I sometimes dream that your carrier-based planes are ambushing me in my bed! You think I'll believe you? No way!!"

“I didn’t expect that even Jiajia couldn’t gain your trust, Yamato…” Lexington sighed, then asked, “What about Missouri?”

“Even if Laozi himself came today, he wouldn’t be able to… Hmm? Wait, who did you say?” Deep Sea Yamato was only halfway through her sentence when she suddenly realized that this name was unusual. She quickly stopped talking and then looked at Lexington with a puzzled expression. “Missouri? What about Missouri?”

"Yamato, didn't you know? Missouri will be coming with us too."

"Huh? Missouri too?"

“Because I can’t drive.” Lexington smiled and pointed to herself. “When I asked Missouri if she could be our driver, she said yes.”

"Eh...so there are things in this world that you can't do..." Yamato Akagi looked at Lexington with a curious expression.

"..." Lexington slightly opened her eyes.

"Eek! I didn't say anything! I didn't say anything!" Deep Sea Yamato's face paled. Startled, she quickly lowered her head, grabbed a bun from her bowl, and started biting into it.

However, the next second, a pair of warm hands gently covered Yamato's hands.

Yamato was taken aback. He looked up and saw that Lexington had sat down next to him at some point, holding his hand with sincere eyes.

“Even I… there are many things I’m not good at.” Lexington spoke slowly to Yamato, her gaze gentle as water. “I am Lexington, an aircraft carrier, just an ordinary ship girl. I am not the perfect superman in the eyes of everyone in the naval base, nor am I an all-knowing, all-powerful strategist who can foresee everything. Yamato, I am really just Lexington. I want to get along with you, not as former enemies, but as partners in the same naval base, nothing more.”

"..." Yamato Fukami stared blankly at Lexington.

Deep Sea Yamato seemed to have been caught off guard by Lexington's words.

"Are you...are you serious?"

“I clearly said from the beginning that I was very serious,” Lexington said sincerely.

"But...but I thought...you were the same as before..." Yamato Fukami lowered her head in a flustered manner. She stammered for a while, then asked with a hint of reproach, "But you used to...why didn't you say so sooner..."

"Would you...give me this chance?" Lexington held Deepsea Yamato's hand, her two bright blue eyes seemingly shining with starlight.

"Uh... ah... this..." Yamato Fukami lowered her head, her face flushed, "You... why are you only saying this now... damn it... if you put it that way... well, it's not entirely wrong..."

"Does what you're saying mean you agree?" Lexington asked.

"Hmm... well... considering your good attitude in admitting your mistake and the fact that Missouri is with you, we'll allow you to temporarily become our managers this time." Fukami Yamato nodded.

Speaking of it.

Yamato took a deep breath, and the expression on his face gradually turned joyful.

"Hmph! You should have said that earlier! Well then, you'd better serve us well when we go out later, unlike before..."

Before Yamato Shinkai could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a lightness in his hand.

Looking down, I realized that it was Lexington who had let go of Yamato's hand.

Under everyone's gaze, Lexington withdrew his hand, stood up, and the sincere expression on his face instantly transformed back into a flawless smile.

"Okay, then it's settled. I'm really looking forward to spending time with you guys."

Lexington stood up, gently brushed her long hair behind her head under Yamato's dazed gaze, then winked at everyone and left the hall.

"Huh?" Yamato Akagi stared blankly at Lexington's departing figure, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"Someone's been tricked," Pachina said, biting into a steamed bun.

"Huh?!" Yamato Shinkai looked at Pachina.

"Hahaha, Yamato, you're too easy to fool." Deep Sea Ryujo laughed loudly.

"Huh??!" Yamato Akami stared wide-eyed at Ryujo Akami.

"Yamato-nee, it's okay, it's okay." Super Yamato patted Deepsea Yamato on the shoulder, comforting her.

The other deep-sea deans all stared at Deep-Sea Yamato with sympathetic eyes.

"Why??!!!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Lexington—you actually—you bastard who toyed with the ship's heart! Aaaaaah!"

Yamato's furious shouts echoed through the villa.

Outside the villa.

Hearing the howling of Deep Sea Yamato behind him, Lexington, standing outside the gate, put his hands behind his back, stuck out his tongue at the clear sky, and gave a playful smile.

Chapter 2471 Another Missouri Round

Missouri is today's breakfast chef.

There are quite a few people living in the villa now, and the daily food consumption is quite staggering. So, in order to ensure that everyone can have a high-quality breakfast on time, Missouri and Akagi, the only two people in the family who are good at cooking, decided last night to take turns being in charge of the kitchen in the morning.

Before dawn, when most of the people in the villa were still asleep, Missouri had already gotten up by herself with a nightlight and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for everyone.

As the ship girls in the villa gradually woke up, got dressed, and washed up, they came to the living room to see what they could eat. The kitchen was already filled with steamers of fragrant steamed buns and dumplings, pots of egg drop soup and rice porridge that were just boiling, and various pickled vegetables that were like colorful flowers adorning the table.

While the ship girls and the abyssal deans were enjoying Missouri's gifts, their eyes often filled with tears of gratitude, the accomplished Missouri had already quietly returned to her room and gone back to sleep.

After breakfast, Xiaobai went to Missouri's room.

The door opened, and Missouri, who was in the room, had just gotten up.

On the spacious bed, Missouri, dressed in a flesh-colored sheer nightgown, nestled among the blankets. She yawned and stretched, her slender arms outstretched to the sides. The spectacular view of her chest stretched the loose fabric of the nightgown into an unusually tight arc, as if it were about to burst open at any moment.

"Hmm————" Missouri squinted and stretched, then relaxed and rubbed the corners of her eyes. Only then did she notice Xiaobai who had just entered. Missouri gave Xiaobai a lazy smile and greeted her, "Oh... did the Admiral come to visit Missouri? Missouri greets you."

Morning light streamed through the narrow openings of the curtains, illuminating Missouri's flawless form. Dust motes floated in the air, creating a scene as beautiful as a painting.

Xiaobai gently closed Missouri's door behind her.

"Missouri, um... good morning." Little White walked towards Missouri's bed, asking as she went, "Um... did you just wake up?"

Missouri has been awake for some time now.

"Oh……"

"How was the breakfast Missouri made?" Missouri asked with a smile.

"It's delicious!" Xiaobai nodded.

"I see." Missouri's smile seemed to brighten even more at this moment. "I'm quite content to receive praise from the Admiral."

"Missouri, what time do you get up to cook?"

"Three o'clock in the morning."

"Sigh... so early..." Xiaobai felt a pang of heartache. She sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at Missouri with concern. "How about we start ordering takeout from tomorrow?"

“Admiral, this is nothing to Missouri.” Missouri shook her head and smiled at Xiaobai. “Being able to eat food made by Missouri herself and hear the Admiral praising Missouri’s cooking skills is already a great satisfaction for Missouri. In fact, that’s why Missouri is willing to prepare breakfast for the seniors of the naval base.”

"Well……"

“More than that,” Missouri clasped her hands together and gently brought them to her cheek, “Admiral, coming to Missouri’s room alone so early… what are you planning to do?”

"Huh?" Xiaobai was taken aback, her gaze instinctively sweeping over Missouri's body before her face flushed red, and she quickly shook her head, "Oh no, no, no, it's not that..."

"Has the Admiral grown tired of Missouri...?" Missouri looked sad, gently touching her chest and sighing softly.

"Missouri, I'm going to get angry." Little White pouted.

Missouri's sadness vanished instantly, and she smiled and stuck out her pink tongue at Little White.

Xiaobai bent down, took off her shoes, and then climbed onto the bed.

Missouri understood immediately, pushed aside the blankets, and stretched out her arms to Little White.

Little White climbed into Missouri's arms, nestled in her embrace, and gently wrapped his hands around Missouri's waist, placing them slightly above her hips.

Missouri and Little White remained in that position, neither of them speaking or moving, but quietly closing their eyes.

A sense of tranquility permeated the air.

After a few minutes.

Missouri finally spoke up.

Missouri felt... it had been a long time since she had hugged the Admiral like this.

"I've only been away from the naval base for two months... and you didn't even return it before you left..."

"For Missouri, every day without the Admiral is like an eternity."

"..." Xiaobai blinked, gently rubbed against Missouri's collarbone, opened her eyes and asked, "Then why didn't you come to Yuncheng with me?"

“Well…” Missouri smiled, “As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder… Just kidding. Actually, Missouri wanted to give herself some time to get used to the newly modified ship equipment.”

"Missiles?"

"Yes."

"Do I still need to get used to that?"

"Yes."

"Hmm... I saw that you were already quite skilled at using missiles before?" Xiaobai thought for a while and asked Missouri with some curiosity, "Even Frederick the Great, who was so good at dodging, was chased all over the map by your missile tracking technology and still couldn't dodge it."

"...Actually, Missouri is still far from it." When Missouri heard Xiaobai mention Frederick the Great, a slight sadness flashed in her smiling eyes, but it was quickly concealed, so much so that Xiaobai didn't even notice it. "Missouri didn't even unleash one percent of the true power of the missile ship's equipment in that battle."

"Huh? So awesome?"

“Impressive.” Missouri smiled at Xiaobai. “That’s why I didn’t come to Cloud City with you, Admiral. I’ve been staying at the naval base all this time, exchanging missile insights with Senior Changchun. I’ve really benefited a lot.”

"Is Missouri's current fighting strength several times greater than it was in Chapter Eight?"

"I don't know about that." Missouri thought for a moment and gave Xiaobai a smile that she wasn't entirely sure about either. "After all, Missouri hasn't had any real combat experience since that incident."

"Hmm... then we can find an opportunity to retest you later," Xiaobai said to Missouri. "How about it?"

Missouri smiled noncommittally.

Missouri released her arms from Xiaobai and said to Xiaobai, "So, what exactly does the Admiral want to do in Missouri's room at this time that could easily be misunderstood?"

"Ah... well..." Xiaobai was a little embarrassed. She let go of her hand and scratched her head. "Actually, I wanted Missouri to do me a favor."

"What kind of help is it?"

"Um... what I mean is," Xiaobai thought for a moment, then clasped her hands together in front of Missouri, "Could you please... do my makeup?"

Missouri was stunned.

……

Ten minutes later, at Missouri's dressing table.

"I see, it's a date with senior Veneto." Missouri, who had already changed her clothes, stood behind Xiaobai, gently lifting Xiaobai's long hair and saying with a smile.

"Um... well, Missouri, you know how many people in human society recognize me. If I go out without a hat and mask, it'll be troublesome if they recognize me..." Little White, sitting in the chair, looked at herself in the mirror and said nervously, "It doesn't affect my daily life much, but if I'm going out with Veneto, wearing a hat and mask would be a bit inconvenient. So, Missouri, could you please do my makeup like before, so that most people wouldn't recognize me?"

"I see, Missouri understands." Missouri nodded, let down Xiaobai's long hair, and just as she picked up the scissors beside her, she suddenly sighed.

"Missouri, what's wrong?"

"Sigh," Missouri said regretfully, "In the Admiral's eyes, has Missouri always seemed very magnanimous?"

"...?"

"The Admiral is going on a date with the other seniors at the naval base, and Missouri is, after all, the Admiral's wedding ship." Missouri held a pair of scissors, bent down gently, and placed the blade against Xiaobai's face. "Usually, Missouri has a hard time even keeping a smile when she sees the Admiral being affectionate with other seniors... and yet the Admiral actually had Missouri do your makeup... Does the Admiral think Missouri is the type who would never feel jealous?"

The blades of the scissors were so sharp that they felt icy cold when they touched Xiaobai's cheek.

Xiao Bai's entire body stiffened instantly in the chair.

"Hey, hey... Missouri..."