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

Volume 1, Chapter 536: The Peach-Altering Sorcerer Was Actually Me

"Sunscreen, snacks, water, tissues... Hmm, Bi Rui and I have bought everything we might need when we go out to play later. We also bought a lot of film for the camera, but there's no bank in town, so we'll probably have to go to Tianshui city to withdraw money... Lexington, Guanghui, is there anything else you need?"

Well, the shops in town don't sell much. The sunscreen was brought from the port area, and the snacks and water, although not many kinds and not all of them seemed to be things Dad would like to eat, were just for emergencies.

We bought a lot of tissues, which are daily necessities. As for film, since Dad is taking everyone out to play, he will definitely take a lot of photos, so we need to prepare some.

Lexington's sister said she didn't have much cash left, but they couldn't find a bank in town where they could withdraw money. They would probably have to wait until they went to Tianshui city to look for one. Anyway, they should have enough cash to last until they got to Tianshui.

A young girl in a Western-style dress stood in front of the door, checking the supplies in the plastic bag. Her pretty white dress, along with her snow-white over-the-knee socks and pink platform sandals, made the already soft-spoken girl look even more adorable and alluring.

The beautiful skirt reached all the way to her knees, and her calves, wrapped in white stockings, were long and graceful. Compared to the short skirts she usually wore only in front of her "dad," its only drawback was that it would never expose her in any situation.

"Well, that's about enough. If there's anything else we need, we can buy it when we get to Tianshui. Thank you for your hard work, Xiaofei."

After checking the supplies Xiaofei had bought, Lexington nodded in satisfaction. After all, they were just going out to play with their beloved husbands, not going camping or going on an adventure, so these things were enough for the time being.

"Sister Lexington, where is the Admiral? Why can't we see him?"

Bi Rui also put down the plastic bag in her hand. Compared to the daily necessities that Xiao Fei bought, the bag in her hand was mostly filled with fruits and snacks.

She was still wearing the clothes Lexington had lent her; the snow-white center-parted trousers accentuated Hiei's perfect leg shape. She looked around but didn't see her admiral in the room, so she asked out of curiosity.

"Yes, my dear, it's right here..."

“I’m here, Hiei.”

The bedroom door creaked open, and before Lexington could answer, the boy, who had finally changed his clothes, sniffed hard and came out of the bedroom next door.

He walked out and stood next to the sofa, wearing a shirt and trousers that his two wives had chosen for him. He answered Hiei's question, and the ship girls around him immediately focused their attention on him.

"Oh my, Admiral, you look so much younger!" Glorious blinked in surprise.

"Yeah, he looks really handsome!" Xiao Fei nodded emphatically.

"You look just like one of those big stars in a poster, Admiral!" Even Hiei showed a rather surprised expression.

"Honey……"

Looking at her husband's seemingly transformed appearance, just like that of the Radiant Sister and Hiei beside her, Lexington's clear eyes widened with a hint of surprise.

My darling is already handsome and cute enough, but I never expected that the clothes that my sister and I chose for him would match his temperament and appearance so well.

Wearing it not only made him look more handsome, but also made him look much younger. Combined with his still somewhat youthful face, he looked so young that he even looked a little bit immature!

Lexington covered her mouth. After the initial surprise, all that remained was pure joy. Her darling's handsome appearance captivated her, and his energetic and adorable demeanor made her ecstatic!

But the most important, and most crucial, thing was that her husband's somewhat youthful appearance touched a nerve in her, making her brain feel hot and she couldn't wait to hug him tightly and rub him against her affectionately.

In that instant, she suddenly felt that she could understand the feelings of those lolicon admirals. Although her darling in her normal state was already enough to make her love him, her darling who seemed to be several years younger had a unique charm.

Hmm? So, does that mean I'm also involved in pedophilia?

Ah this!

Suddenly this thought came to mind, and Lexington choked. She remembered that her husband was only seventeen years old this year, not even an adult yet, and when she married her beloved, he was only fourteen!

Could it be that I've been pedophile all these years?

I always said that my darling was a lolicon, but I never expected that I would be the biggest pedophile in the port. I am the pedophile myself!

Love seemed to flow from her heart, and Lexington blinked her shimmering eyes before firmly grasping her husband's hand.

Fine, let her be a philanderer. Luckily, there's no military police in the Governor's Office targeting ship girl philanderers. After all, my dear is one of a kind, able to become an admiral before adulthood. Just like this little rascal argues, how can the port be prosperous and harmonious without philandering?

"Really? Is it that good-looking? It's just an outfit. It's not much different from the ones I picked out myself."

The amazed expressions on the girls' faces surprised the young man. As the one being tried on clothes, he didn't feel any difference between these clothes and the ones he had chosen. Clothes are just something you can wear, and you don't have to worry about them getting dirty. Why make it so complicated?

"You've changed a lot, Admiral! Hehe, you look much more energetic!"

"Styling is really important, hehe. It seems that I can no longer leave the choice of what to wear to you, Admiral."

"Oh, is it really that exaggerated, Hiei? No, no, don't rush to say that, Madam, I have something more important to tell you."

The boy was shocked. Listening to what they were saying, it seemed like he had really changed a lot. Aren't clothes something that you can just wear by putting black and white together?

He shook his head. Clothes were fine no matter what, but before that, he had something more important to tell his wife and Lasty. He had finally managed to get the information from Xiaorou last night, and he had to tell his wife and them as soon as possible so that they could make plans!

Volume 1, Chapter 537: Don't Be Afraid

"Oh, is it really that exaggerated, Hiei? No, no, don't rush to say that, Madam, I have something more important to tell you."

The boy calmed down, because compared to what he was about to tell his girls, the clothes were a trivial matter. He looked at his wife and Guanghui, who were also looking at him curiously. He frowned, his face showing some hesitation and distress. Seeing their husband's expression, even Xiaofei and Birui couldn't help but fall silent, waiting for the boy to say what he was going to say next.

"Hmm... how should I put it..."

"Honey, what's wrong? Did you run into something difficult? It's okay, Glorious Sister and I are here."

"Yes, I'm here, Admiral. Please speak freely."

The young man frowned, hesitating. This matter was of great importance. If not handled properly, it could become a major headache for both him and his daughter. He was unsure how to bring it up with his wife and the others.

But seemingly sensing the hesitation in her husband's eyes, Lexington and Glorious spoke up together.

With such gentle and considerate words, she encouraged her beloved husband, thinking that he and the Admiral had encountered something that was giving him a headache or even making things difficult for him. With her light-colored eyes full of love, Lexington gently touched his forehead, wanting to comfort her husband.

As for Glorious, seeing the troubled expression on her beloved admiral's face, she felt a pang of heartache and took his hand, placing his warm palm on her pounding chest, wanting to tell him that no matter what happened, they would be with him.

"Admiral? If you've really run into something difficult, it's better to talk about it. We can all help you figure it out and solve it together. It's better than having a headache here all by yourself."

"Yes, yes, Dad, cough, Admiral, let's talk about it and think of a solution together. We don't mind the trouble."

Seeing that even Hiei and Xiaofei beside him were starting to worry about him, the boy nodded as his gentle wife gently touched his forehead like a child, and as Lasty held his hand, feeling the deep valley of her heartbeat that he couldn't feel through the heavy barrier.

It's no use for one person to have a headache, and this is something he can't solve alone. The only way is to rely on the intelligence of his daughters; perhaps they can find a solution.

He paused for a moment, then decided to reveal the matter that might cause a huge uproar.

"Well then, I'm going to tell you what I'm about to say, but please don't be afraid."

"It's alright, darling, we are all your ship girls, we are not afraid."

"Then, do I really have to tell you?"

"Speak quickly, Admiral."

"Actually, it's like this. Last night when you went to stay in town, Xiaorou and I had a good talk, and then I discovered something very serious."

"What is it, Dad?"

"It's like this, Xiaofei, I've realized that I've made a very serious mistake."

"What mistake was it, Admiral?"

As Hiei asked the question, the boy's expression turned serious. His earnest look made the four girls in front of him anxious, fearing that something bad had happened to their admiral or husband.

A gentle breeze blew in through the window, drying the beads of sweat on the boy's nose. He looked out into the courtyard, where Jiajia and Lingbo were watching Marani and the Unicorn braid Xiaorou's hair. He looked away, finally steeling his resolve, and then told the girls what he had been thinking.

"Madam, I've noticed that Xiaorou might not be very welcoming to you all. She seems a little uncomfortable with so many more people in the house all of a sudden, including her sister-in-law and such!"

"........."

"........."

"........."

"........."

After listening and worrying for so long, the four girls, young and old, immediately exchanged bewildered glances upon hearing this sentence from their husbands, the Admiral, or their fathers. At first, seeing the boy's serious expression, they genuinely thought something new had happened. But it turned out to be just this?

After a moment of looking at each other in bewilderment, even Hiei, who had only recently become a member of the family, found it somewhat amusing.

As a ship girl with great potential to become a wife, even if she really didn't know anything, she could tell when she arrived yesterday that Xiao Rou didn't welcome them at all. Not to mention, she had already guessed this from various details while they were still on the passenger ship. Even Lexington had come to discuss with her how to handle this matter!

So, as the person involved, Admiral, you only just realized this now? How long have you been out of touch with reality?

"What's wrong, Madam? You don't seem surprised at all? Xiaorou doesn't welcome you at all. I had a headache for ages last night!"

"Uh... cough, no, darling, actually we're also having a headache, but we've probably already guessed it. I told you before we were getting ready to disembark that Xiao Rou might not be able to adapt to having so many more people in her home all of a sudden."

Coming to her senses, Lexington immediately coughed and composed herself to comfort her husband. This silly boy had only just realized it! But at least he'd made some progress; at least he noticed the problem, so she wouldn't expect more from him.

"Yesterday, Xiao Rou was still lukewarm towards us, which we could feel. But this morning, she was able to talk to us normally. This is all thanks to you, Admiral, so there's no need to worry about it so much, Admiral."

"But why? Xiaorou isn't usually such a hostile girl. I really don't understand."

"Dad, have you ever thought about how Xiaorou feels?"

"Yes, Admiral, you still have us, but for Xiao Rou, you are her only family. We are just a group of strangers to her, at least for now. You are so close to us, have you ever thought that Xiao Rou might worry that we will take you away?"

Although it's been so long since they arrived on Mars, they still act like it's the latest news, which makes the ship want to laugh a little. But they're their own admiral, so they still have to pamper him.

They carefully and meticulously explained to the boy why Xiao Rou didn't welcome them, or at least a small part of the reasons. After they finished speaking, the four girls smiled at each other.

Although this matter concerns them, all they can do is gradually break down Xiaorou's defenses and let her integrate into their lives. The most crucial issue remains the relationship between Xiaorou and that little rascal: is it siblinghood, or will it evolve into something else entirely?

Volume 1, Chapter 538: Sacrifice

Tianshui's prosperity is not like that of Jinchuan, which exudes a vibrant and thriving atmosphere. It is like an elder who has entered middle age. Although its development has slowed down, it still has its own unique characteristics and culture after years of accumulation.

The morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, casting rays of light onto the lush green grass. Every now and then, a gentle breeze would blow, causing the surrounding banyan trees to rustle softly.

This is a cemetery located not far from Tianshui Town. To be precise, it is a quiet and lush woodland. Because of its beautiful environment and the dense banyan trees growing everywhere, this woodland exudes a serene and solemn atmosphere. Therefore, it has been regarded by the locals as a place to bury the deceased and remember them.

The bright summer sun seemed to have no effect on this place; walking along the forest path, one could even sense a slight chill in the air.

The light rains that fell a few days ago caused some pale yellow flowers to bloom among the grass. When the breeze blew, they were like an innocent and romantic little girl dancing gracefully. The dark green leaves were thin and long, stretching out like ribbons on fairies, and bringing a faint fragrance.

After finishing breakfast and playing around at home for a while, the young man brought his girls to this place before heading to Tianshui city. He had originally planned to bring Xiaorou here this morning to pay respects to Uncle Su and Aunt Su, and also to let them get to know these girls who belonged only to him.

Holding his younger sister's hand, the boy carried several tied-up crabs. These used to be Uncle Su and Aunt Su's favorite food, but because of the family's tight livelihood, the crabs they caught at sea were always taken to the market to sell as soon as possible. Only during festivals would they be willing to keep two for cooking, and they even saved them for themselves and Xiao Rou.

"Uncle Su, Aunt Su, I've brought Xiaorou to visit you. I've also brought you your favorite swimming crabs."

The young man slowly squatted down, touching the heavy tombstone in front of him. His wife and the others gathered around, watching their husband's figure. They placed the crabs they were holding in front of the tombstone. The young man took a few incense sticks from Xiao Rou beside him, lit them, and placed them in front of the tombstone.

This banyan grove is located on a high slope not far from the sea. Uncle Su and Aunt Su's graves are in a good location, and you can see the ever-flowing sea in the distance, the life source of countless fishermen. A thin layer of grass grows on top of the grave mounds, showing signs of being trimmed, because the boy once asked the old man who manages the place to take care of it.

"Oh, right, I haven't had a chance to tell you this good news yet, Uncle Su and Aunt Su. I have successfully become an admiral. I just came back from Tsugawa yesterday. Now, you don't have to worry about Xiaorou's future anymore. With me here, I will definitely not let her suffer even the slightest grievance."

"Brother...Brother..."

"Do you see these beautiful girls around me? They are all my ship girls, all very gentle and cute girls. So it's not just me, they will also help me take care of Xiaorou, so you don't have to worry at all."

"I...I don't need them to take care of me. I only need my brother...(whispering)"

"However, there is something I need to ask of you." Ignoring his younger sister's nagging, the boy spoke slowly. As the elders who truly treated him as family after he came into this world, the boy's respect for Uncle Su and Aunt Su was naturally beyond words. If everything hadn't come so suddenly, perhaps one day he would have called them Dad and Mom, just like Xiao Rou.

“I plan to bring Xiaorou to Jinchuan, because my port area is there. I plan to let Aunt Zhang manage our house, so that when I bring Xiaorou back to visit during holidays, we will have a place to stay.”

"Jinchuan is really far from Tianshui, so far that even telegrams are not easy to deliver. I know you may be worried about Xiaorou's life there after she comes with me, but I can guarantee that I will take care of her for the rest of my life and do everything I can to make her happy. After all, she is my most important sister."

"I believe you can understand me. I'm going to take Xiaorou to Tianshui City later. Xiaorou seems to have a lot to say to you, so I won't waste any more time saying anything. I'll come back again before I leave for Jinchuan with Xiaorou. I'll bring Xiaorou back to see you more often in the future. You don't need to worry that Xiaorou has forgotten her roots. Well, let Xiaorou talk to you now."

"Honey……"

The boy stood up. His legs were getting numb from squatting for so long. Seeing the boy stand up unsteadily, Lexington, who was standing closest to him behind him, quickly supported her husband's arm.

To be honest, the boy wasn't very good at this kind of thing. He was clumsy with words. Before he came here, he had a lot to say to Uncle Su and Aunt Su, but once he arrived, he didn't know what to say. In the other world, when he went to pay respects to his elders with his parents, he would burn some paper money. But it seems that there is no such custom in this world.

“I’m fine, madam, it’s just that my legs are numb. Xiaorou, didn’t you say you had something to say to Uncle Su and Aunt Su? I’ll take Lexington and the others outside for a while, and you can say whatever you want.”

"elder brother……"

Watching her brother leave the woods with his group of ship girls, the girl stood alone, pouting as she watched their retreating figures. She had long wanted her brother to call her "Dad" and "Mom" like she did. Even if he wasn't now, he definitely would be in a while!

But my brother just wouldn't agree. He said something like, "Ah, Uncle Su and Aunt Su might not agree, so let's just call them that as before." Honestly, my brother is just too shy. He'll definitely call Xiaorou "Dad" and "Mom" when they get married... cough hum, he'll definitely do it then too. Why not just call them that now, as practice?

The girl touched her lips, which had involuntarily curved into a smile, where she had been intimately touched by her brother the night before.

The things her brother had just said to their parents—like taking care of her for the rest of her life and bringing her happiness—it was practically like he was proposing to her in front of them! It made her feel exceptionally good, so just this once, she decided not to hold these little things against her brother anymore.

Volume 1, Chapter 539: Support Me!

Touching the rough marble tombstone in front of her, the girl slowly squatted down in front of her parents' gravestone. Her light-colored pupils held a trace of lingering longing and remembrance. Her fingers touched the inscriptions that recorded her parents' lives, and the girl blinked gently.