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

She had reason to believe that if she ever really had a moment of despair and wanted to leave her brother, she would be the one who went crazy first. Not to mention actually doing it, just thinking about leaving her brother and living alone made her incredibly scared.

At first, she was a little resentful towards her brother for bringing back so many ship girls, but now she couldn't be angry at all. She was just afraid that her brother would really be deceived by his ship girls and abandon her. Not only that, she was also finding excuses for herself not to be angry. Bringing back so many ship girls wasn't her brother's fault. After all, her brother used to be an admiral, but he just had amnesia and didn't know it.

She was a little scared, a little terrified. To prevent the possibility that her brother might actually leave her and treat her like a dispensable sister, she worried that if she continued like this, she might act impulsively and do something terrible to him. Of course, she wouldn't do anything to hurt him, but what if it was something her brother didn't want to see… like… cough…

That wasn't out of the question, but she didn't want to do it except at the last minute, because she felt like she was forcing her brother. Right now, at least for now, she wanted to find another way to solve the problem, a way that wouldn't make her feel bad and would be easier for her brother to accept. She also wanted to find someone who shared a similar stance with her, someone who could stand on the same side and work together with her. And Zhuo Yuelin was naturally the best choice.

One person is weak and alone, but two people are at least there are more people, so they can contribute their strength.

"Honey, have you decided where we'll stay tonight? Are there any extra beds available?"

Before the girl could come to a conclusion, after clearing away the dishes, Lexington, Glorious, and Hiei, who was also busy, came out of the kitchen together. Hearing Lexington's voice, the girl looked up at her...

Volume 1, Chapter 515: Sleeping Separately

"Honey, have you decided where we'll stay tonight? Are there any extra beds available?"

Lexington came out of the kitchen, wiping the water droplets from her hands with a towel and taking off the apron she was wearing. She approached her husband, who was sitting in the living room talking to several little girls and her younger sister, Xiaorou.

Since she had already promised Xiaorou before dinner, she couldn't go back on her word. She had already discussed it with Guanghui and Birui while dealing with the kitchen waste. Solving Xiaorou's problem was the most important goal for them here, and it was something that had to be resolved for the sake of harmony in their port area. Although this might mean that she would have to live separately from her husband for the next few days, they understood and she easily gained their support.

"Hmm? Why don't we just stay at home? If there are no beds available, I'll go to Aunt Zhang's house later and borrow two bamboo mats so we can sleep on the floor, okay?"

As he was holding the unicorn sister's incredibly soft palm, the boy turned his head away in surprise upon hearing his wife's words.

Hadn't he already discussed it with them before? He had asked them before if they wanted to stay at a hotel in town, but they all said no. Why was his wife asking him this question again now?

"Brother, big brother, it's a little itchy, hee hee..."

The boy scratched the little girl's white palm beside him, causing the unicorn sitting next to him to chuckle shyly. Faced with her husband's question, Lexington pursed her lips helplessly, her clear eyes looking meaningfully at her little sister, Xiaorou, who was also looking at her beside her husband. She gently shook her head.

"Hmm~ Darling, I've changed my mind, okay? I don't really want to sleep on the floor, alright, darling~"

"Um?!"

The young man blinked in surprise at his wife's slightly reproachful voice. In all these days, this was the first time he had ever heard his wife speak to him in such a coquettish tone.

Because normally, no matter what the big or small matter is, the all-around capable wife can handle it perfectly, almost leaving him, the admiral, with no opportunity to use his skills. Watching her gracefully walk towards him, put her hands on his shoulders, and reveal a radiant smile, it was rare to have such a wife acting coquettishly towards him, so the young man naturally nodded without thinking.

"Okay, of course, that's no problem. The town isn't far from here; it's only a twenty-minute walk. It's not too late to go now. But, Madam, why the sudden change of heart?"

"Yeah, sister! Didn't we agree to sleep on the floor together? I don't want to stay in a hotel, because then I can't stay with my brother-in-law! Marani and Xiaofei, you don't want to go either, right?"

Saratoga had no idea what had gotten into her older sister this time, as she suddenly decided to stay at a hotel in town. She jumped up from the old sofa. Although she didn't really want to sleep on the cold, hard floor, it was still better than sleeping separately from her brother-in-law, right? She had already planned to crawl into her brother-in-law's bed in the middle of the night. What was wrong with her sister all of a sudden?

"Wow, Jiajia, you're sitting on my lap! Don't get so excited."

"What's wrong, Sister Lexington? Has something happened?"

"It's nothing, Xiaofei. Jiajia, don't mess around, I'm talking to your brother-in-law about serious matters."

Seeing that her younger sister had even dragged Xiaofei and Marani into the picture, Lexington suddenly felt a headache coming on. After all, she had personally refused her husband's suggestion to take them to stay at a hotel in town. Now, because she had promised Xiaorou, she had to go back on her word with her husband, and she felt quite embarrassed.

"If there's any problem, you can speak up, madam. This is my home, so it's your home too. Just say what you need to say."

The young man said frankly that he seemed to have noticed something unspeakable about his wife's dislike of sleeping on the floor. He didn't believe that his wife, who was so virtuous and kind, would suddenly change her mind and sleep in a hotel in town just because sleeping on the floor was uncomfortable. There must be some other reason.

"Honey……"

Lexington felt a small surge of joy at her husband's words, but what could she say? Could she tell him it was because his wives were fighting over his beloved sister?

She had just finished discussing things with Guanghui and the others when she came out to tell her husband her plans. She hadn't even had time to come up with a reason yet. It seems she was being a bit too hasty in trying to resolve Xiaorou's matter as quickly as possible.

"Admiral, it's not actually a problem with Sister Lexington. It's that we want to stay at a hotel in town."

Fortunately, after washing the dishes and pots, Glorious and Hiei, also from the girls' group, came out of the kitchen to help Lexington out of the predicament. If it wasn't just Lexington's idea, but everyone's, then the Admiral probably wouldn't have investigated further, right? And he wouldn't have discovered that Little Rou actually... at least not yet...

"Huh? Is this the idea of ​​yours together? Lasty, are you and Hiei also thinking of staying at the hotel in town?"

"Well, Admiral, the room at home is too small. It would be a little inconvenient to sleep on the floor. Besides... this way, we can leave more space for you and Xiaorou. Admiral hasn't seen Xiaorou for over a month, and you must have a lot to say to her. Anyway, it's only for a few nights. You'll see Admiral again tomorrow morning."

"Hehe, yes, Admiral, what Radiant Sister said is right. This is what we all want. It's not just us. It seems that Little Rou wants to do the same. It's been so long since we've seen you. I think that not only you, but she must have a lot to say to you alone."

"I see." After listening to the two young ladies' words, the young man stroked his chin with understanding. In fact, he also sensed that Xiao Rou seemed to have something on her mind. Perhaps she was not used to having so many people in the house all of a sudden, including several sisters-in-law. When she was with Jia Jia and during dinner just now, he could feel that Xiao Rou seemed to be less talkative than before. Moreover, he really should have a good talk with Xiao Rou. Moving to Jinchuan was not just his own business, and he should talk to Xiao Rou properly to understand her thoughts.

"Alright then, since you've said that, take the toiletries you bought and I'll take you to the hotel in town. It's getting late. Okay, Jiajia, stop hugging me. You should go to the hotel with your wife and the others. Sleeping on the floor is really uncomfortable."

"But brother-in-law..."

"Go sleep with your wife. Tomorrow I'll take you to the amusement park in Tianshui, okay?..."

Volume 1, Chapter 516: The Path

The evenings in the fishing village are always very leisurely and peaceful, far away from the hustle and bustle of the big city at night. It seems that the whole village is shrouded in a peaceful atmosphere.

Around nine o'clock in the evening, the sky was dotted with stars, and the chirping of crickets filled the cool grass along the uneven dirt road. There wasn't a single cloud in the bright night sky, and it looked like tomorrow would be another good day.

At this moment, the young man was leading his girls along this not-so-smooth rural road. This was the road that the villagers most often took to go to the neighboring town. The small fishing village was very close to Tianshui Town. Even if they walked, it would only take a little over half an hour to go back and forth.

There is indeed a hotel in the town, but it's really just a small inn. Like the fishing village where the boy and his sister lived, Tianshui Town is not prosperous. Apart from the sea that is everywhere and a few barren hills behind it, there are really no tourist attractions here, and it is hard for any traveler to want to go here.

As night deepened, the road, which had been baked by the strong sun all day, still emitted a little heat, but it was dissipated by the sea breeze, leaving only a little bit of comfortable coolness.

"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, is Tianshui as bustling as Jinchuan? Where are you planning to take us tomorrow? I wonder if the amusement park in Tianshui is as fun as the one you took me to before."

The blonde girl held the boy's hand and skipped happily along the dirt road. She had been unwilling to sleep separately from her brother-in-law, but after her sister's persuasion and her brother-in-law's promise to take them to Tianshui City the next day, the girl finally reluctantly agreed to stay at a hotel with her sister.

"Jinchuan is an international metropolis, how can Tianshui, a local city, compare to Jinchuan? But Jiajia, don't worry, Tianshui is a pretty good city with its own unique characteristics, enough to keep you entertained for the next few days."

"Yes, Jiajia-nee, different cities have different customs and cultures. It's going to be a lot of fun to go to the city with the Admiral tomorrow. How about it, Ayanami, are you also looking forward to the Admiral taking us out to play tomorrow?"

"Hmm, I'd like to see what amusement parks in big cities look like."

"Ahaha, I forgot, this is Ayanami's first time in the city, right? She was on the ship when the Admiral rescued her and didn't even have a chance to see the land. But it's also my first time going to an amusement park with the Admiral. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow! Unicorn Sister, you feel the same way, right?"

"Hmm...I want to go play with my brother, hehe..."

"That's great! Tomorrow I'll be your tour guide and show you around Tianshui properly. But there's no rush. It's not like we're only staying for one day. We can take our time and enjoy the sights."

"Admiral... well, I don't quite understand the point... but I'm kind of happy (rubs against someone)."

A cool evening breeze blew gently, and with several lovely girls around him saying some cheerful things, the boy, who had been walking for almost half a day, felt his body, which had been on a boat for more than ten days, gradually relax.

Touching Ayanami's little head, which was adorned with a bunny-like headdress, made her feel both confused and inexplicably happy. She then rubbed against the palm of her admiral's hand that was resting on her head. Watching their interaction, Lexington and Illustrious, who were walking beside their husbands, smiled slightly.

The young girls are really looking forward to tomorrow's outing, but who says the mature and composed young ladies aren't? Hearing that the Admiral is taking everyone out, whether it's the wife, Lasty, or Hiei who recently joined the port with Ayanami, everyone is looking forward to tomorrow's trip.

As Glorious held the unicorn's hand, she was reminded of the trip she took with the Admiral before she met Sister Lexington. Although it was just a trip to the zoo and Tsugawa's haven with the unicorn, she could never forget the happiness and joy she felt then.

"I've heard there are many mountains around Tianshui. Admiral, if you have the chance, would you like to take a look?"

"Mountains? Great! There are a few nice mountains around Tianshui that we can climb. If we can buy tents and other equipment tomorrow, we can even take you camping on the mountain! Unicorns like climbing mountains too, right? I'll see if I can buy some tomorrow, and I'll take you to the mountain in a couple of days."

"Mmm! Brother! Hehe."

"By the way, darling, since you know so much about Tianshui, could you recommend some local specialties to buy here? When we go back, we should bring back some souvenirs for Yixian and the others, otherwise, Yixian will definitely say that I've been so busy playing with you that I've forgotten all about them~"

Lexington was equally delighted. Her little sister's situation had troubled her for a while, but she didn't want to waste this precious opportunity to happily accompany her beloved husband on a trip because of these worries.

The wife's gentle, doting voice drifted into the boy's ears on the evening breeze. The sweetness in it made the boy's ears go weak. He rubbed his chin and thought for a moment, then glanced at the wife's clothes that Hiei was still wearing beside him, and subtly glanced at her long, beautiful legs and feet. The boy tapped his palms.

"Of course there are local specialties. Tianshui pancakes, for example, are a very good food. Tianshui is also famous for its jade, but I don't know much about it. Yuelin gave me a very beautiful jade pendant before, and I heard it was quite expensive. If I could bring Yuelin along, she would definitely know more about it. It's just a pity..."

"No problem, Admiral. As long as you explain it properly, Miss Yuelin should understand."

"Sigh...you're right, but I still need to apologize properly tomorrow...Let's not talk about that. I need to buy some clothes for Hiei and Ayanami tomorrow. It's not good for them to always wear their mother's clothes. Hiei, do you have any requirements for clothing?"

"Me? Hehe~ I like any clothes that the Admiral buys for me, no matter what they are."

Hiei smiled gently, somewhat surprised that the admiral would bring up this matter. She was very happy that the admiral thought of her and cared about her, and felt a little excited. But as expected, she received the same answer again, and the boy shook his head helplessly.

"In that case, let's go shopping together tomorrow. Pick out whatever clothes you like, and we can buy everyone a few new outfits too. Hmm... we've arrived at the hotel in Tianshui Town. Luckily, it looks like it's still open. Let's go in and see if there are any rooms you like..."

Volume 1, Chapter 517: Moonlit Night

"Brother-in-law! Come early tomorrow! Let's go to Tianshui City together!"

"Jiajia, you're too excited, Admiral. You need to get some rest and get plenty of sleep so we can have fun together tomorrow."

"Um, Dad, cough... Admiral, you should get some rest."

"Admiral, sleep is very important, desu."

Goodnight, brother~

"Timely rest is essential for better performance tomorrow, Admiral. Please get some rest tonight~ If you can't wake up, I can come and wake you up tomorrow morning~"

Good night, Admiral, sweet dreams.

Standing in front of the hotel in town, the young man was talking to his girls. They had successfully rented a room. To be precise, it was impossible for Tianshui Town, which hardly had any travelers, not to have a room available for his girls.

Under the hotel owner's amazed and surprised gaze, the girls, young and old, said goodnight to their departing admiral. It was already late, and they had wasted some time looking at rooms, so it was already past the time when the port area would usually turn off the lights and go to sleep.

"Honey, be careful on your way back, don't make me worry~ When you get back, have a good chat with Xiaorou, I'm sure she'll have a lot to say to you. So, goodnight, honey~"

Lexington was the last to say goodbye to her husband. She had been thinking a lot on the way home, and as her husband was about to leave, she gave him a special reminder: that he should talk to Xiaorou more when he got back. This was not only to comfort Xiaorou, but also to give her silly husband a heads-up about any possible situations that might arise in the future.

She kissed her husband's forehead, held the boy's head, and inhaled the comforting scent emanating from him. It was so late, and she was very worried about letting her husband walk home alone at night. In fact, if she could, she wished she could keep her eyes on her husband, whom she had recently lost and found again, all the time.

She didn't intend to send him back, but fearing that her beloved might encounter something on the way, she decided to secretly release a carrier-based aircraft to quietly follow her husband back. With the carrier-based aircraft's ability to return safely, even without escorting him, she could be assured of her husband's safety.

"Yes, I understand, madam. You two should get some rest and have sweet dreams."

The young man didn't mince words. He nodded to indicate that he understood, waved to the girls who were lined up in front of him and couldn't bear to go upstairs before he left, and then walked back along the way he came. A small carrier-based aircraft slowly circled overhead, but he didn't notice. With the gentle sea breeze blowing, he soon returned to the house with a small courtyard where he and Xiao Rou had always lived.

The moonlight illuminated the vine-covered wall, and in the quiet night air, only the chirping of crickets echoed. The boy did not rush in, but stood at the door and looked around carefully. Although he had only lived here for a little over a year, he was about to leave, and he felt a little reluctant.

This is where his life in this world began, recording every little detail of his life since he came into this world. It also holds many memories and fun stories of him and Xiaorou together. Moreover, there are many kind elders here who have taken care of him. Even though the boy is not a very nostalgic person, he can't help but feel a little sentimental now.

"Try to bring Xiaorou back to visit more often in the future. This is Xiaorou's home, and she must be very reluctant to leave."

He muttered something to himself as a reminder, then pushed open the half-closed door. Looking around, the courtyard was still the same familiar scene, unchanged from when he left for Jinchuan a little over a month ago. The only change was that the leaves of the elm tree that he and Xiaorou had planted in the corner of the wall had become greener and more lush.

The young man tiptoed into the courtyard. Usually, he would tell Xiaorou to go to bed at this time. Thinking that the girl might already be in bed, he looked up and suddenly saw his younger sister standing in the middle of the courtyard, facing away from him and looking at the bright moon hanging high on the sea.

For some reason, the boy could always sense a trace of loneliness in his younger sister's beautiful figure. He frowned in confusion and slowly approached the girl, wanting to ask her what was wrong, why she was still awake so late, and why she seemed a little unhappy. However, before he could even open his mouth, he swallowed back the words he was about to say.

He saw his younger sister wipe her eyes with her back to him. In the bright moonlight, the boy could clearly see the glistening tears that had gathered on his sister's beautiful face.

The hand that was about to touch the girl's forehead paused. Looking at his younger sister like that, the boy, who had felt that his sister was a little unhappy since dinner and was not like his usual lively and cute Xiao Rou, suddenly felt a little guilty.

He felt that he had been neglecting his younger sister's thoughts too much. Whether it was the upcoming move away from the hometown where she had lived for so many years, or his own decision to become an admiral, he had never discussed with the girl whether she wanted to do it or not. He just thought it was better for both him and Xiaorou, so he did it on his own without ever asking Xiaorou for her opinion.

She had only lived there for a little over a year, yet she was already very reluctant to leave the lovely little fishing village. Xiao Rou, on the other hand, had lived there for over ten years. This place had long been her unchangeable home. It was easy to imagine how reluctant Xiao Rou would be to leave so abruptly.

"Brother? You're back."

The boy's self-reproach made his movements slightly noisy, which caught the attention of the girl beside him. She turned her head and saw her brother's familiar face. She hurriedly wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face because of her sadness, and then forced a smile at her brother.

One should press on with one effort, but the momentum wanes with each attempt, and exhausts itself with each subsequent one. Ever since her brother took his ship girls to town to find them a place to stay, the poor girl left alone could no longer suppress the emotions in her heart. Her brother had brought back so many ship girls, and even though she had accepted this reality, the trauma it caused her still pierced her heart.

When her brother's ship girls were still around, she managed to maintain a semblance of composure thanks to her indomitable spirit, her determination not to be outdone by them, and her refusal to show weakness in front of these "bad women." However, once her brother's ship girls were gone and she lost the support of those emotions, the girl instantly began to break down.

She forced a smile, not wanting her brother to see her tear-streaked face, looking like an ugly little kitten. Somewhat timid and cowardly, she looked at her brother's furrowed brows, who seemed a little angry, and timidly asked the boy.

"W-what's wrong, brother?"

Why am I sad? (Chapter 518 of Volume 1)

"W-what's wrong, brother?"

The girl's somewhat weak voice made the boy frown, and her forced smile made him feel even more guilty. He felt that he was a really bad older brother, unable to even perceive Xiao Rou's thoughts. He shook his head, trying to make his face look as calm as possible.

"Xiaorou, are you crying?"

The young man asked in a soft voice. His words reached the girl's ears, startling her. She immediately raised her arm and vigorously wiped her reddened eyes again.

"No, no, brother, I'm just happy to see you back."

"I'm sorry, Xiaorou."

Her eyes were red, but the girl still managed to smile at the boy. She denied that she had cried, saying that she was just happy to see him, but he knew clearly that his sister was lying. Those tears and her previous forlorn expression didn't seem fake at all. The boy touched the girl's smooth, fair forehead. Seeing the girl's expression of surprise at her brother's words, the boy reached out and hugged the girl in front of him.

"elder brother?"

The girl was clearly taken aback by her brother's actions, but being held in his arms and feeling the familiar warmth of his embrace, she immediately felt at ease. She pressed her cheek against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, and couldn't help but raise her arms to wrap around her brother's waist.

"I'm sorry, Xiaorou, I've made you suffer..."

"Brother... Waaah..."