It's time to give out the rings, Admiral!

After much effort and spending a lot of local specialties as gifts, the young man finally managed to escape from the crowd of onlookers. He was no longer bombarded with all sorts of ridiculous questions and finally had the chance to lead his girls back into the village.

During the interrogation that lasted for more than half an hour, the boy, as the backbone of the group, naturally received the most questions. However, since it was also the first time that the village had seen such a young and beautiful girl, who was also a magical and kind ship girl, the excited aunties and grandmas naturally subjected their own girls to a lot of questions as well.

"Yeah, yeah, being surrounded by so many people made me a little nervous, but I got a lot of snacks from my brother-in-law's elders in Tianshui, hehe, brother-in-law, ah~"

"Really? But I think it's alright. The dear elders are all very nice people. I've benefited a lot from talking to them. It's just a pity that it's getting a little late, otherwise we could have talked a little longer."

"Sis, are you trying to talk to someone? You're just envious of your brother-in-law's elders' knowledge! My sister, on the other hand, has been talking to others about being pregnant for so long, but we're not like her. We're getting so annoyed, thinking about this all the time. My brother-in-law hasn't even thought about having a baby yet... No, it's nothing, sis! I was just joking!"

Perhaps it was because the sky had cleared up and the rain had stopped, or perhaps it was because she was too excited about seeing her little sister Xiaorou, but just as Lexington finished talking to her husband with a smile, Jiajia, carrying a big bag of snacks, blurted out the complaints she wanted to make to her sister without thinking.

But after she finished speaking, she realized what a foolish thing she had just done. In an instant, she felt a chill run down her spine. She seemed to see a fleeting glint of cold light in her sister's eyes. The blonde girl, covered in cold sweat, immediately covered her mouth in fear and hid behind the boy.

"Jiajia is talking nonsense again, desu."

"Haha, well, there's no way around it, Ayanami. Jiajia-nee must have been too excited to say that, right, Xiaofei-nee?"

"I don't know, but judging from Lexington's expression just now, Jiajia is definitely going to get scolded again tonight."

The three destroyer girls were walking together, whispering to each other. But the boy overheard their conversation and couldn't help but laugh. He sniffed and started talking.

"Well, it's understandable that the villagers are a little excited, since it's the first time they've seen such beautiful girls, especially ship girls. It just shows how charming they are. But you guys are alright, you can still talk to others quite a bit. Jiajia and Xiaofei even got a lot of snacks from Uncle Wang and the others. But Unicorn was a little scared, she wouldn't let go of my hand just now."

"Brother, brother..."

Finally back in the familiar environment he had lived in for over a year, the boy could feel himself relaxing a little. He temporarily put aside the slight annoyance and apology he felt because of Yue Lin. Looking at the unicorn beside him with her cheeks flushed from shyness, the happy boy affectionately rubbed her little head.

Her beautiful long purple hair was smooth and flowing, just like a cute and pretty little princess. He couldn't help but pick up the unicorn sister, who was wearing a purple dress and light white stockings and looked so pure and lovely. Feeling the girl's blushing face and her soft, boneless body and light weight like a rag doll, the girl was startled and embarrassed, so she buried her little head in her brother's neck.

The boy's chest warmth made the girl's lovely face flush, but it also made her chest feel as sweet as if she had drunk honey. However, before the girl could enjoy the feeling of being held by her brother, the other two younger sisters behind the boy started making a ruckus.

"Ah, Admiral, pick up the unicorn!"

"Dad... has never held Xiaofei like this before. I'm a little envious."

Well, the boy hadn't expected that hugging the unicorn sister would elicit such a strong reaction from Marani and Xiaofei. Anyway, it was just a hug. He promised to give them a chance to be lifted up high in the future, so he put the unicorn down. As for why he didn't keep his promise now, it was because he had already caught a glimpse of that familiar little courtyard out of the corner of his eye. He and Xiaorou had arrived at their home.

The not-so-high courtyard wall was still covered with lush green ivy, and the gate, weathered by wind and rain, was covered with thick rust. Seeing their admiral and husband stop in front of this small courtyard, the girls all understood in unison that this was where the admiral and Xiao Rou had been staying for the past year.

Lexington and Radiant simultaneously grasped the boy's hand. Although they had heard how turbulent their husbands' lives had been this past year, they still felt a pang of heartache looking at the old courtyard, which seemed to be swaying like an old man in the sunset. Compared to their own lives in Tsugawa Port, living in such a place, even though their beloved said it was easy, who knew how many troubles and inconveniences they would encounter.

Once again, the young man was held by the hands of the ladies, who looked at him with such tender and loving eyes. He stood at the gate of the courtyard, thinking that as long as he opened the door, he could give Xiao Rou a surprise and see her surprised and happy face. Suddenly, he heard two somewhat familiar voices coming from the courtyard.

"Wang Jing, why won't you let me go find my brother? Didn't you just say that he was already at the village entrance?"

"Yes, but I only heard about it from Aunt Wang. I don't know which village entrance it is. What if you and Yu Chen miss it if we go to look for it now?"

"But what if that vixen Zhuo Yuelin beats us to it?"

"Hey, what time is it already, Xiaorou? You've been changing clothes for half an hour. If Zhuo Yuelin wanted to get there first, she would have done it already. So we might as well wait here for Brother Yuchen to come back."

"But I want to go out and welcome my brother back myself..."

Volume 1, Chapter 501: Did You Miss Me?

The girl was frantically preparing her appearance and demeanor for her upcoming meeting with her brother. In order to leave a deep impression on him, it took her more than half an hour to finally manage to change into the outfit she had prepared. At this moment, only half of the fiery red sunset was still lying on the western sea.

Wang Jing sighed deeply, as if taking care of a helpless child. It took her a long time to help Xiao Rou, who seemed to be stunned when she heard the news of Yu Chen's return, to tidy herself up. The short-haired girl immediately reached out and grabbed her best friend's arm, who was about to run out of the yard.

"Xiaorou, where are you going? Isn't it getting too late to go out now, Xiaorou?"

Her long, black hair was tied into two cute braids and hung in front of her chest. She wore a beige vest with a long dress decorated with many lace flowers, plus a pair of cute little sandals and silk stockings as delicate as goose feathers. In the words of Miss Zhuo Yuelin, this was indeed the most popular and fashionable outfit among the rich young ladies in the city.

She changed her original coarse cloth clothes into brand new dresses, as if she had been reborn. She had transformed from a fisherman's daughter into a young lady, and the temperament of a future virtuous wife and loving mother was immediately highlighted. She sighed that her best friend was really like a little princess who could only appear in fairy tales or on the screen. Grabbing her best friend's arm that was about to break free, the girl with a face full of anxiety turned her head to look at her in confusion.

"Wang Jing, what's wrong? Why won't you let me go find my brother? Didn't you just say he was already at the village entrance?"

The girl was very anxious. The thought of her brother being at the village entrance made her wish she could grow wings right now and fly there to see him without stopping.

Zhuo Yuelin, that vixen, must have already found out about her brother's return through various means. She is a rich young lady with such good information. What if she sees her brother before she does and, while she is away, tries to drug him with her seductive charms and trick him? Wouldn't she be furious?

She said that since they had already formed an alliance, she would sacrifice a little, and the two of them would take turns being the head of the household, so that they could all happily build a wonderful family together.

That vixen's words were so deceptive! If I hadn't realized something was wrong in time, I probably would have been completely fooled. Why should we take turns being the boss? Even if we're going to have a boss, it should be me being the boss and her being the subordinate... Ugh, no, no! My brother belongs only to me, I won't share him with anyone else!

Just then, without saying a word, the girl tried to pull her best friend's arm off her arm. Seeing the girl's irrational behavior, Wang Jing had no choice but to immediately explain his intentions.

"Yes, but I only heard about it from Aunt Wang. I don't know which village entrance it is. What if you and Yu Chen miss it if we go to look for it now?"

Upon hearing this, the girl frowned her pretty and cute brows. What Wang Jing said made sense. There were several village entrances, and she didn't know which one it was. What if she went to the wrong one and missed her brother? Wouldn't it be even later before she could see him?

"But what if that vixen Zhuo Yuelin beats us to it?"

"Hey, what time is it already, Xiaorou? You've been changing clothes for half an hour. If Zhuo Yuelin wanted to get there first, she would have done it already. So we might as well wait here for Brother Yuchen to come back."

"But I want to go out and welcome my brother back myself..."

Staring at her best friend with a complaining gaze, the girl did feel a little guilty. After calming down, she looked back at her behavior and realized that she had indeed been incredibly foolish, causing Wang Jing so much trouble. But what could she do? She had suddenly heard the news that her brother was back! It wasn't her fault that she had acted impulsively and refused to let him use her.

The girl realized she was wrong, and with a slightly flushed face, she sat down with Wang Jing on the small stool by the door. Although she knew she would see her brother soon if she just waited at home, the thought of him being at the village entrance made every minute and second feel unbearable.

Unable to wait any longer, the girl had no choice but to shift her attention once again, hoping that this unbearable time would pass quickly.

Fantasizing about what she should say to her brother when she sees him to express how much she has missed him these past few days, or whether she should first give him a sweet kiss from his beloved little sister, suddenly, a loud "bang" startled the girl.

………………

"But what if that vixen Zhuo Yuelin beats us to it?"

"Hey, what time is it already, Xiaorou? You've been changing clothes for half an hour. If Zhuo Yuelin wanted to get there first, she would have done it already. So we might as well wait here for Brother Yuchen to come back."

"But I want to go out and welcome my brother back myself..."

Two familiar voices came from one end of the courtyard; they were clearly the voices of Xiaorou and her good friend Wang Jing, whom he was thinking about.

The boy couldn't help but grin. Hearing Xiaorou's voice, he truly felt like he was home. Tsugawa's port area was home, of course, but perhaps because the time had been too short, he always felt like he was dreaming when he was there. He was afraid that one day he would wake up and find that meeting his wife and all the girls in the port area was just a beautiful dream.

And now, he can be 100% sure that this is not a dream!

He tightly grasped the soft, boneless hands of his wife and Lasty, nodded to them, and gestured for them to be quiet. He wondered what kind of excited expression Xiaorou would have when she found out that he had brought back so many sisters-in-law for her and given her such a big surprise. He suddenly reached out and forcefully pushed open the rusty iron gate of the house.

With a loud "bang" from the iron gate, he immediately saw Xiao Rou and Wang Jing sitting in the middle of the courtyard. Seeing their startled expressions, he smiled and shouted at the girls.

"I'm back, Xiaorou. Did you miss me?"

Volume 1, Chapter 502: Brother and Sister Reunion

"I'm back, Xiaorou. Did you miss me?"

The boy's voice echoed in the courtyard, which was bathed in the red glow of the setting sun. The winding ivy and the green moss in the corner of the wall intertwined with the fiery red of the sunset, making the whole courtyard seem to become colorful in an instant.

The girl was startled by the boy's voice and almost fell off the bench. But when she heard that familiar voice that had occupied her heart for a long time, her clear vision blurred in an instant. With great effort, she brushed aside the hair that was blocking her vision and looked at the figure standing at the door. Su Yuru sat there dumbfounded, then opened her eyes wide.

After nearly a month and a half, she saw her brother again after a long separation. It felt like an eternity. The girl, whose heart was racing, suddenly felt as if the world before her had come alive, so vibrant and colorful.

"elder brother…………!!"

The girl murmured, only realizing how precious the time spent with her brother was when they were apart. Only when she was not by his side did she know how unbearable it was to miss him day and night while also worrying that he might be seduced by other girls. She stood up with all her might, her slightly trembling fingers still tightly clenched together, and tears that seemed to be full of sweetness slid uncontrollably down her fair face.

Her pretty face scrunched up in a disgraceful frown. The moment she saw her brother's reassuring face, she completely forgot all the words she had planned to say to him. Her lips trembled, and she looked as aggrieved as a wife who had been abandoned by her husband for so long and had finally won him back. The girl then rushed over and threw herself into the boy's arms like a swallow returning to its nest.

"Brother!!! Waaah..."

The boy was bumped into by the girl and caught his sister, who was wearing high-heeled sandals and insisted on running. She almost fell. The boy, who was also immersed in the joy of returning home, hugged his sister's delicate and boneless body after a long time.

Smelling the delicate lavender scent emanating from the girl, touching her incredibly soft and irresistible black hair, and seeing her desperately wiping her tears onto his clothes while nestled in his arms, the boy weighed his younger sister in his arms and immediately put on a stern face.

"Xiaorou, did you not eat properly while I was away? You don't feel as heavy as before when I hold you."

Being held in her brother's arms and receiving such care from him, feeling the deep concern in his words, the girl felt as sweet as if she had drunk honey.

Hugging her brother tightly around the waist, burying her face in his chest, and desperately inhaling the unique scent of her brother that always put her at ease, the girl, who had been through tears, shook her head vigorously.

"No, that's not true! It's just that you haven't hugged me in a long time, that's why you think that. I've been eating well these past few days, and Aunt Zhang even said I've gained weight!"

Yes, even though she missed her brother so much that she sometimes couldn't sleep, the girl never let herself go hungry in the past month.

She is still in the growth stage, and in order to become a graceful and beautiful young woman, to become a wife that her brother can be proud of, and even more so for those two little white buns on her chest, in order to satisfy her brother and not let her brother, her and her brother's baby go hungry, nutrition and balance are very, very important things, and she has never missed a single thing!

"Really? But I feel like you've gotten a lot lighter, Xiaorou. Look, your face isn't as round as it used to be."

The boy pinched the girl's soft cheek, which made her puff out her cheeks in displeasure. What do you mean her cheeks aren't as round as before? It means she's growing up and trying to become the kind of girl her brother likes, okay? "A girl changes a lot as she grows up," that's a saying you used to say yourself, brother!

"No, that's not true! Brother, you're mistaken!"

"Haha, Wang Jing, you're here too! Perfect timing! I brought you a gift from Jinchuan. Don't you like sweets? This time I brought you a lot of special snacks from Jinchuan, enough for you to eat for quite a while."

Wang Jing, who remained steadfastly by her side, watched the beautiful scene of the siblings' reunion with a sense of joy for her best friend. She knew exactly how Xiao Rou had managed to get through the past month or so in a daze.

A nightmare every three days, insomnia every two days—seeing Xiaorou's usual sweet and adorable smile again, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. If this continued, not only would her best friend eventually go insane from all the torment, but she herself might also suffer a nervous breakdown from Xiaorou's actions. It was all because every time Xiaorou worried or had a nightmare, she would come and pour out her troubles and anxieties to her for half a day. It was truly fortunate that Brother Yuchen returned before this incident occurred!

Wang Jing had thought that he was done for the day and that the next thing he would do was enjoy a happy reunion with his sister, or rather, a beautiful scene of the "brother" and "sister" meeting after crossing mountains and rivers. However, Wang Jing did not expect that Yu Chen would suddenly call out to him and say that he had brought him a gift.

"This whole bag is enough for you and Xiaorou to eat for a long time."

"call!!"

As a die-hard sweet tooth, Wang Jing would even use the white sugar at home to satisfy her cravings when she didn't have any sweets. After taking the huge black plastic bag from Yu Chen, and looking at the various beautifully packaged desserts and even small cakes inside, Wang Jing couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

She had originally intended to kindly remind her best friend, Yu Chen, that it seemed she had brought back more than just two ship girls, so she could be prepared. However, she was now completely captivated by the delicious-looking snacks, and had completely forgotten about her best friend. Overwhelmed with emotion, Wang Jing immediately shouted, "Thank you, Yu Chen!"

She used to envy Yu Chen for having such a capable and virtuous younger sister as Xiao Rou, but now she wished she could take Xiao Rou's place. Why wasn't she the one who took Yu Chen in? Otherwise, wouldn't she be able to go to Jinchuan with Yu Chen and enjoy countless delicious sweets and desserts there?

She was filled with regret.

Volume 1, Chapter 503: Xiaorou: I Died On the Spot

Of course, her regret was just talk. Even if she envied Xiaorou for having such a good brother as Yu Chen, she wouldn't go so far as to compete with her best friend for him, especially since...

Eagerly tearing open the wrapper of a chocolate donut, Wang Jing savored the sweetness that went straight to her heart. With an expression of enjoyment and happiness on her face, she tilted her head and glanced at the little girl behind Yu Chen who was peeking at Xiao Rou nestled in Yu Chen's arms, and the three elegant and graceful young women who looked like fairies descended from heaven.

The letter that Yu Chen sent back previously only mentioned two ship girls, the two standing together. One was a gentle ship girl with long flaxen hair, and the other was a ship girl with silver hair and such a high chest. But now there are suddenly eight. I don't know where Yu Chen got so many ship girls from. Aren't ship girls supposed to be very rare?

I wonder if Xiaorou will be able to handle it once she finds out...

Sigh... Poor Xiaorou, the number of enemies has suddenly increased several times, and they are all such powerful enemies! That's why I said that she should have mustered up the courage to express her feelings to Yu Chen before he left. At that time, she was too shy and didn't want to listen to herself. Now look what happened?

But none of this concerns me anymore! Yu Chen is back, I'm sure he can handle everything!

The girl was so overjoyed at reuniting with her brother that she completely forgot about the problems she had been worrying about these past few days. She hugged her brother's waist and snuggled against his chest like a spoiled child, enjoying the embrace she had finally been able to enjoy. She tugged at the boy's sleeve.

"Brother, you prepared a gift for Wong Jing, but didn't you prepare a gift for me too?"

"Huh? I'm just a gift, aren't I? You've already seen me, do you need any other gifts?"

Hearing his younger sister's sweet, coquettish words, the boy chuckled and patted her head. His gesture made her pout. "Brother is so annoying! I don't want such an annoying gift!" she thought. "Even if my brother really wanted to be a gift, that wouldn't be bad. He could just pack himself up and give the rest of his life to Xiaorou! Xiaorou wouldn't mind accepting such a gift!"

"But speaking of gifts, although I didn't prepare one for you, someone else did."

Imagining her brother wrapping her up with ribbons and packing her like a gift, the girl grinned and chuckled softly. But as she looked up, she suddenly saw her brother pinching her chin and giving her a slightly malicious smile. Before she could ask her brother who it was, another youthful, lovely, and melodious voice suddenly came from beside her.

"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, is this Xiaorou, my little sister?"

Upon hearing a girl's voice, the girl's wary heart instinctively tightened, but upon hearing that voice, she couldn't help but feel momentarily confused. Brother-in-law? What brother-in-law? I don't have a sister! Why would someone call someone "brother-in-law"?

Her smile vanished instantly. She turned her head to look at the boy's side, where she saw a beautiful, youthful, and lively girl with a head of long blond hair. Most importantly, this girl, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, was actually clinging to her brother's arm, her chest, which was probably a tiny bit bigger than her own, shamelessly rubbing against his arm! They looked incredibly intimate with each other!

Could it be that while she was away, her brother had not only seduced his ship girl but also other girls, and even brought her back? Alarm bells rang in her mind. The thought of this possibility instantly raised the girl's vigilance level several notches towards this lively girl who was no less vixen than herself and Zhuo Yuelin.

After all, my brother is a normal boy. He's been holding back for over a year, so it's normal for him to have those kinds of needs... It's okay, Su Yuru. Once I give myself to my brother and make my move, everything will be alright!

"Yes, Jiajia, this is Xiaorou, my proud little sister. Isn't she adorable?"

"Hmm! Brother-in-law! Hello, little Rou! My name is Saratoga, and I'm your most, most, most, most beloved sister-in-law, hehe. You can just call me Jiajia, or you can call me sister-in-law too~"

Facing the golden retriever's performance, the girl, who had let go of her brother, grew increasingly cold. "Hmph! This guy, whoever he is, tries to steal my brother and wants me to call him sister-in-law? And this 'my brother's most, most, most beloved little sister-in-law'? I don't think you understand anything! I don't think you take me, Su Yuru, seriously at all!" As for why her brother was also cooperating with the golden retriever, it was definitely because he had been deceived by this shameless golden retriever!

"Oh, this must be Xiaorou, she looks so pretty. Hello, Xiaorou, my name is Malani."

"Marani, don't be in such a hurry. Hello, little Rou. My name is Phelps, and I'm Dad's... Ah, the Admiral's ship girl. It's nice to meet you, little Rou."

"The Admiral's sister? Hello, Desu. My name is Ayanami, Desu."

"Since everyone has introduced themselves, let me introduce myself too. Hello, little Rou, my name is Hiei. I'm a ship girl who recently joined your brother's port. Let's get along well from now on."