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

Yi Xian's words weighed heavily on the young man, making the bewildered Su Yuchen feel suffocated. Indeed, none of Yi Xian's descriptions of his characteristics were wrong: he was 17, his blood type was AB, he had a birthmark on his forehead known only to his parents in another world, his younger sister, and Guanghui, and he did indeed have a scar on the lower side of his left arm from a childhood cut. But…

But... these are things only people very close to you should know, right?! How come Yixian knows everything? Could it be that I really am her admiral?! No, that can't be!

His heart pounded uncontrollably. The boy clutched his chest, desperately trying to process why Yi Xian knew him. He instinctively glanced back at the dozens of Oath Rings in the safe behind him, and a bold thought suddenly flashed through his mind: Could it be… could this be my game's garrison?!

I remember spending a lot of money on rings before I transmigrated, and the quantity was about the same... Come to think of it, wasn't this garrison abandoned exactly a year ago?! And then there's Yixian talking about the internet. This world's technological development is so backward that even personal computers haven't been invented yet, how could the internet possibly exist?!

After much deliberation, both the information gleaned from Yi Xian and the findings he himself had gathered pointed to an unbelievable truth: this naval base truly was his own? In other words, the admiral here hadn't perished in battle? Rather…

No, it's not that it's unbelievable, after all, I myself experienced something like time travel...

Having sorted out his mind, which had been overwhelmed by too much information, Su Yuchen, sweating profusely, looked at Yi Xian before him. Although he knew that Yi Xian wasn't furious with him for his inexplicable disappearance of over a year, he was still the legendary admiral of the naval base, plus that scumbag admiral from Leipzig who abandoned his ship girl in the air and went missing...

This was truly unacceptable! With a trembling voice, the boy swallowed hard and slowly raised his head to ask Yi Xian, who was smiling and waiting for his response, "Then... Yi, Yi Xian, if... I mean if... if I really were your admiral, then how... how did I disappear back then?"

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Volume 1, Chapter 98: The War Begins

"So you're finally willing to admit it, Admiral?" Hearing the boy's stuttering yet reassuring voice, Yi Xian's delicate and graceful face immediately lit up with a joyful expression.

Perhaps because she was too overjoyed, she couldn't help but take the boy's hands, which she didn't know where to put, and place them on her chest. However, when she thought of the reason why the boy disappeared a year ago, her face suddenly turned somewhat gloomy.

"The reason for your disappearance... you probably don't remember the abyssal attack a year ago, right? That time, they launched a surprise attack on our naval base under the cover of night. One of the abyssal destroyers that slipped through the net attacked your residence with its own guns. Although we successfully repelled them afterward, when we came to your residence to look for you, we found that you were gone, and we lost track of you ever since..."

"Now it seems you were injured in the shelling and lost your memory, and then you got separated from us... I'm sorry, Admiral, if we had been stronger and more cautious back then, perhaps we could have prevented this from happening..."

So that's how it is? Ignoring the exquisite touch of Yi Xian's soft hand, the calmed-down boy silently nodded, stroking his chin with his remaining hand. Although he didn't know if the two events were related, he had indeed felt his bed suddenly shake before he transmigrated, and then he fell off the bed. When he woke up, he found himself in this world…

If that shaking corresponds to my dwelling, in some unknown form in this world, being bombarded by deep-sea artillery, then perhaps that's why I transmigrated? ...

After secretly analyzing the information provided by Yi Xian, the young man sorted out his thoughts. He looked up at Yi Xian's somewhat disappointed face, and waved to her with a mix of shame and unease.

"...It's alright, Yixian, it's not your fault, and...you've already found me, and I'm back, right?" Even though I was missing for over a year due to unforeseen circumstances, the fact remains that my ship girls also disappeared. During that year, heaven knows how much suffering and exhaustion they endured searching for me...

Although the boy's forced smile seemed somewhat strained, it was enough to reassure Yixian, a ship girl deeply devoted to her admiral. Holding his hand tightly, Yixian's voice softened with tenderness, "You're right, Admiral. Now that you're back by our side, there's no need to dwell on the past. With you by my side, everything will be alright..."

Feeling a pang of guilt at Yi Xian's bright smile, and marveling at how ship girls truly are the most beautiful treasures bestowed upon humanity by heaven, the boy pursed his lips and sighed softly. He then inquired about the whereabouts of the other ship girls. After all, besides Yi Xian, he had hundreds of ship girls of all sizes in his naval base in the game. "Then... where are the others? Yi Xian, where did they go?"

"You mean the other sisters? Since you disappeared, everyone has scattered all over the world to search for you, Admiral. Because I was responsible for staying behind in Tsugawa, you were able to see me first... Ah, but don't worry, if those sisters hear that you have returned, they will definitely rush back as quickly as possible."

Hearing the boy's words, Yi Xian, whose mood became increasingly lighter, immediately answered his question, her lips curving slightly. But as if she had thought of something, she continued to say to the boy, "Lexington and Saratoga have recently returned to Tsugawa, but they have some things to attend to and cannot come over right now, so if you want to see them, you will have to wait until tomorrow."

I'm sorry, Lexington. Although I know you're just as eager as many of the other sisters to see the Admiral, if you come, his attention will probably be focused on you again, just like before. So, for today, please allow me to have the Admiral all to myself for the time being.

As you probably already anticipated, from the moment we found the Admiral, this war without gunpowder, and whose duration is unknown, had already begun. After all... the ship girls in our naval base who harbor feelings of liking and love for the Admiral are so numerous that you could easily scatter a handful of pebbles and hit a whole bunch of them.

After experiencing something like this, I imagine many of my sisters who haven't had a chance to try it yet have started to realize their own feelings, just like me. Happiness doesn't just come to you by waiting quietly. I made this mistake before, and now I can only look at other people's rings and sigh silently...

However, I will not make this mistake again! Only by relying on my own efforts can I make that blockhead admiral realize my feelings, and only then can I obtain my own happiness and the admiral's favor... This is also thanks to the monarch for informing me first, since I happened to be at the naval base, which allowed me to gain the upper hand in this war that is bound to be protracted.

Unaware of what terrifying thoughts were swirling in Yi Xian's mind, Su Yuchen, standing before her, frowned upon hearing her answer, realizing that things were not as simple as she had imagined.

If, as Yi Xian said, Lexington is also in Tsugawa, then the Lexington that I met with Glorious at the academy was actually my ship girl? She's a legendary ship girl that only one can be created at a time... But... she already has a ring on her left ring finger, she's already married! Could it be that, could it be that while I was away, I was tragically NTR'd by someone?!

For a moment, the boy, completely oblivious to the outrageous things he had done in the game, blurted out his inner thoughts to Yixian, "Yixian, the Lexington I saw at the academy was wearing a diamond ring on her ring finger. Could it be that while I was away... she married someone else?..."

While pondering how to increase the admiral's favorability towards her, Yi Xian's face immediately contorted with a strange expression upon hearing the boy's sudden remark. "Huh? What are you talking about, Admiral? Isn't Lexington your first married ship? Of course she should be wearing the wedding ring you gave her on her ring finger..."

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Book 1, Chapter 99: Nice Boat

"This is the Navy Merit Medal, awarded by the Governor-General's Office to recognize your outstanding contributions to the Navy and the Naval Base." Following Yi Xian, who offered to show him around to see if he could recall anything, the boy went downstairs. In the reception room on the first floor, he listened silently as Yi Xian introduced him to the various medals he had earned in the game.

Although she wore a proud and self-satisfied expression every time she introduced a different medal, Su Yuchen felt no emotion whatsoever when she looked at these souvenirs that represented such great achievements in the eyes of others.

After all, these are just medals obtained in a game. Even if they are so precious that they can leave countless admirals speechless when displayed, without experiencing the effort and struggle to obtain them in real life, it is difficult for the young man to regard them as the glory he has achieved.

Lost in thought as he listened, the young man stared blankly at Yi Xian's beautiful face as she introduced the next medal.

In just one morning, he went from a lowly trainee admiral to a powerful admiral with several married ships and even a huge port with hundreds of ship girls. Even though he knew this was the port he used to play in the game, the boy still felt like he was dreaming.

Having been in this world for over a year, he had already begun to get used to his current pace of life. But on an ordinary morning, a ship girl he had never met before appeared in front of him without warning and told him that she was his ship girl, and that she also had many sisters.

Faced with such a situation, let alone calmly analyzing and drawing conclusions, the fact that the boy didn't mistake the other party for a cunning swindler was largely due to his absolute trust in the ship girl.

Even if he believed Yi Xian, he had to admit that this was the garrison he owned in the game. However, there were still many other troublesome problems facing the young man.

Let me tell you how I went from a newbie who just became an admiral and started dating to a "big shot" who's married and has multiple ship girls all by myself overnight. I just finished off Glorious last night. Am I supposed to go back and tell her today that her husband has other ship girls on the side? And a lot of them... If it were me, I'd probably be tempted to kill that heartless man!

And then there are the ship girls. I abandoned them for no reason, causing them to wander for over a year searching for me. Even if there were unavoidable circumstances, I'm sure many ship girls are still angry with me for this... like... well... a certain Washington who wishes to remain anonymous...

Thinking back on it so carefully, the Washington that Mentor Junquan encountered must have been one of my ship girls... Ah... Back then, I swore to Illustrious and Mentor Junquan that I absolutely did not know Washington... Oh no, now I'm afraid I'm really going to be branded a heartless man...

With a barely perceptible sigh, the boy rubbed his head, looking somewhat troubled. He should be overjoyed and happy to have acquired such a powerful garrison, so why did he have so many worries? Was this a case of misfortunes never coming singly?

Having already noticed the boy's absent-mindedness, Yi Xian stopped speaking and gently stroked his slightly furrowed brow. Perhaps guessing the reason for the boy's distress, she spoke softly to him like a caring older sister, "Admiral, are you worried about how to face the other sisters?"

Yi Xian's words reached Su Yuchen's ears, causing the young man to nod with a conflicted expression. Although what Yi Xian said was only a part of the problems that were troubling him, it was indeed one of the most troubling issues for him.

It's like the saying, "The closer you get to home, the more timid you become." He knew they all wanted to see him, and he wanted to see them alive, but filled with guilt and unease, he didn't know how to face them. Besides... among them were women he had already married...

No, my hands weren't shaking! And I wasn't sweating! I was just worried that if my wife saw Guanghui, and Guanghui saw my wife, they might fight—I really wasn't thinking about anything like that, like knives! Besides! I love my wife so much! How could she possibly let me sit on a nice boat!

"Actually, Admiral, you don't need to worry about these things at all." However, looking at Yi Xian's gentle, spring-like smile, the young man, who was worried about what would happen tomorrow, heard her say a conclusion that was both expected and unexpected: "Being missing for more than a year isn't your fault, and everyone likes you and trusts you so much, so you just need to treat them with your usual attitude. Or rather... cough cough, it's just that this time, they might be a little bit more enthusiastic than before..."

A chill ran down his spine for no apparent reason. Looking at Yi Xian's somewhat helpless smile at the end of his sentence, the boy felt a sudden shiver run down his spine. He suddenly felt like a pitiful little lamb thrown into a pack of wolves. He turned around, trying to find out what gave him this strange feeling, but he couldn't find anything.

He glanced up casually and saw that the hour hand of the quartz clock hanging in the meeting room was almost pointing to six. He was amazed that he had unknowingly chatted with Yixian for so long. Putting his previous thoughts aside, he was a little worried that Guanghui and Unicorn, who were staying in the dormitory, might be getting impatient waiting for him.

"It's already past six! It's so late! Glorious and Unicorn are still waiting for me in the dorm. I need to hurry back, I can't keep them waiting... Ah, that's my newly built ship girl. Yixian, do you have somewhere to go? Why don't you come back to the dorm with me?"

Volume 1, Chapter 100: In a sorry state

Seeing the slightly anxious look on the boy's face as he stared at the clock, Yi Xian, standing before him, smiled gently, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. "Though you've lost your memories, your personality remains unchanged, Admiral..."

The beautiful Yi Xian let out a soft breath, then, with her naturally graceful face, she put on a melancholy expression and said to the young man, "Admiral, are you in such a hurry to go back? Even if you have new sisters, you can't forget us old friends... You left us and disappeared for more than a year. Can't you stay with me a little longer?"

"No! I didn't!" Yi Xian's deliberately feigned disappointed voice reached the boy's ears, like a snake caught in its Achilles' heel. Startled and flustered, Su Yuchen stammered awkwardly, "Eh?!...How could that be? I, I didn't mean that! Yi Xian...it's just...it's just a little..."

"Hehe...Alright, Admiral, you don't need to be so nervous. I was just joking with you. Actually, before you came here, I already asked the head of the academy to tell the new girls that you have a mission and might not be able to go back today...So, would you like to stay here a little longer? Or are you not willing?"

Perhaps it was because of her admiral's extremely troubled appearance that the gentle Yixian couldn't bear to tease him any further. Before the poor man could even stammer and try to sort out his thoughts and express that he didn't mean it that way, Yixian, who was always so soft-hearted towards her admiral, had already casually changed the subject for him: "By the way, admiral, I haven't had a chance to ask you yet, which new sisters did you bring back for us this time?"

Since Yixian knows that's not what I meant, then you don't need to tease me like this anymore, right? Although this is practically our first meeting, we're both family, how am I supposed to choose?! You're really giving me a heart attack!

He chuckled awkwardly, wiping the fine sweat from his brow. Feeling embarrassed, the boy glanced down at his toes. Hearing that Yi Xian wasn't going to press him on the matter, he involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief. Composing himself, and certain that she wouldn't blame him for his momentary "mistake," the boy looked up at Yi Xian's face, which was even more beautiful and graceful than her small character portrait in the game.

However, isn't the current Yi Xian a little different from the Yi Xian I remember? Given the elegant and serene nature of the Yi Xian in the game, she wouldn't be teasing me like this, would she? Slightly puzzled and lost in thought, the boy absentmindedly told Yi Xian about creating Illustrious and Unicorn. "Uh… my newly created ship girls… they are Illustrious and Unicorn…"

Hearing the boy's explosive remark, enough to shock almost all his peers, Yi Xian, seemingly used to it, calmly smoothed a lock of hair that fell beside her ear. Noticing the strange look in the other person's eyes as he spoke to her, Yi Xian smiled and gently curved her delicate, willow-leaf-like eyebrows.

Your expression is still so easy to read, Admiral. The reason I'm being so proactive is all because of you! After such a painful lesson, if I don't do something now, who knows when this blockhead will finally understand my feelings, or when he'll be the one to seduce me? I really can't bear the shock of you disappearing again one day.

"Illustrious and Unicorn? Admiral, are you referring to those two aircraft carriers of the British Royal Navy?" Despite having a thousand thoughts in her mind, Yi Xian pursed her lips slightly, showing no sign of helplessness.

Sure enough, no matter where you are or whether you've lost your memory, you're still the same person you always were. You'll inexplicably be followed by new ship girls wherever you go.

So, does this mean I have two more potential rivals? No, maybe they've already become "enemies," after all, that person is an admiral... But... in any case, this is not an excuse to be discouraged. Since I've already made up my mind to compete, I have to do my best.

But... Illustrious and Unicorn? Hmm... I remember our naval base already has two ship girls, Illustrious and Unicorn, right? One is a mature woman with long blonde hair, always very proactive towards the admiral, their formidable and tenacious older sister; the other is a silver-haired girl who likes to play the harp. But why did the admiral say he built another one? Logically speaking, isn't it impossible for an admiral to acquire two or more ships with the same name at the same time?

Could it be that they were actually sisters from the naval base? But if they were sisters from the naval base, why didn't they tell the admiral about the original naval base? Or are they just different ships that happen to share the same names as the two sisters from the naval base?

Confused by her admiral's answer, Yi Xian, who had never considered doubting whether the boy was lying, frowned and pondered. After giving herself a seemingly reasonable answer, she heard the boy's puzzled voice in her ear, "What's wrong? Yi Xian? You seem troubled?"

That unforgettable voice immediately brought Yi Xian back to her senses. Turning around to look at her admiral's questioning gaze, she chuckled and shook her head.

"It's nothing, Admiral. I was just thinking about the new sisters you mentioned. With their addition, our naval base will definitely become stronger and stronger, right? Hehe, but before that, we still need our backbone, Admiral. Without your command, we'd feel uneasy even when we're at sea, let alone defeat any deep-sea flagships like before. Hmm? Why are you blushing?"

Of course! After hearing Yi Xian's words, which seemed completely genuine and heartfelt, Su Yuchen, blushing, turned her head to the side and grinned awkwardly.

Don't flatter me like that, Yixian! I'm not as amazing as you make me out to be! All that so-called commanding before was just me tapping a few buttons on my phone! Don't make it sound so confident! It's putting pressure on me! Right now, I don't even know how to be a proper admiral, let alone command such a large group of ship girls!

"No, let's not talk about that... It's almost evening now. Yixian, is there anywhere you can go? Didn't you tell me not to go back for the time being? Actually, I also want to learn more about the real you guys. Ah... I mean, if I talk to you more, maybe I'll remember something..." Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead once again, the boy pretended to be calm and looked at the quartz clock on the wall that seemed to never stop.

"Ah, I forgot. Admiral, you must be hungry too, right? Then come with me. I'll take you to my dormitory. There are some ingredients that I left over when Chongqing and the others came to clean yesterday. Come to think of it, it's been a long time since you've had any of my cooking."

Well, ever since you married Lexington…

Volume 1, Chapter 101: Issues of Relationships

Yi Xian's residence is located in the ship girl dormitory building not far from the two-story building. It is a quiet room filled with Chinese style. In the spacious living room behind the main door, several wooden antique-style tables and chairs are neatly arranged. On the spotless tabletop, there is a celadon vase with orchids.

The setting sun shone through the beautiful carvings on the window into the room, leaving a hazy patch of light on the dark red floor. The boy, who had been led by Yixian, who was already preparing dinner, to a wooden chair on the left side of the main hall, suddenly felt as if he had returned to ancient times and become the patriarch of a family.

Sipping the tea that Yi Xian had brought him, Su Yuchen slowly relaxed, perhaps because the environment was so comfortable. The boy, who had been on edge all afternoon because of everything that had happened, began to unwind. Quietly watching Xiu Hui's back as Yi Xian busied herself in the kitchen, Su Yuchen, filled with mixed emotions, finally couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

"Sigh... I really am as Yuan Ye said, a person whose happiness is so great that it makes others jealous. But why can't I be happy? I wonder what tomorrow will bring..."

The boy's voice, tinged with an unknown emotion, echoed in the living room. He rubbed his temples slightly, then looked up and stared blankly at the beautiful wind chimes hanging from the ceiling.

No matter what, I should be considered a top-tier admiral in this world now, with hundreds of ship girls, a lot of high-performance equipment, and resources that are unbelievably abundant. No wonder this place is known as the legendary naval base... But why do I feel a faint sense of loss now? Is it because I obtained everything so easily without any struggle?

However, perhaps it was more guilt... Not just guilt towards Radiant who had just expressed her feelings to him, but more guilt towards the other ship girls... Thinking back, he had married several wives in the game, such as the most memorable wife and sister-in-law, as well as the gluttonous Akagi and the young Shirayuki, and several other ship girls...

Although it used to be just a game, giving rings to virtual characters in the game was completely stress-free, but... now they've all become living, breathing people... I didn't give them a wedding, and even the so-called vow rings I gave them weren't entirely out of love for them; the main reason was simply because their character designs were attractive enough...

I restricted their lives with a so-called ring and a so-called marriage contract just for this reason... Even though they, as ship girls, do not regret it, how can I, as an ordinary person, not feel guilty towards them?

So, how should I compensate them? Although they are nominally my wives, my feelings for them are only based on a game. Perhaps their feelings for me are genuine, but if I compensate them with such false feelings, wouldn't that be unfair in another sense?

"Sigh... I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow. If my wife and the others really don't want to or regret it, canceling this ridiculous engagement before I do anything might not be a bad idea..."

Staring at the ceiling, Su Yuchen, troubled by her feelings for her ship girl, bit her lip in a conflicted manner. Although they were her favorite wives and sisters-in-law, she couldn't ignore their feelings just because of her own desires.

Just as the young man was pondering his romantic problems with a sense of unease, Yi Xian, who had unknowingly prepared a sumptuous dinner for her admiral, appeared behind him. Hearing the word "engagement" vaguely in the young man's slightly melancholic voice, Yi Xian, surprised, gently asked him a question.

"A marriage contract? Admiral, I think I heard you say the word 'marriage contract.' Have you become engaged to someone again?"

Yi Xian's voice, which had inexplicably become somewhat anxious, reached the boy's ears, startling Su Yuchen, who had been concentrating. She turned her head and saw Yi Xian's delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed. Thinking that she had misunderstood his words, the boy quickly waved his hand at her.

"Ah? No, Yixian, I'm not engaged to anyone. You've misunderstood. It's just that my wife... it's just that a friend recently invited me to their wedding..."

"I see." Hearing the boy's explanation, Yi Xian's lips curved slightly, and she gently patted her chest. She had initially thought that one of her sisters would try to get to her first, but it turned out she had only worried unnecessarily. "Admiral, dinner is ready. I made it according to your preferred taste. Would you like to try it?"

It has to be said that the C-class ship girls are really good at cooking. Of all the meals I've ever tasted, the only ones that can compare to, or even slightly surpass, those of Illustrious are the huge pile of Chinese dishes that Yi Xian has prepared in front of me. Looking at the dishes in front of him, which he probably couldn't even name, the boy, who hadn't felt hungry at all because he had eaten too much at his mentor Jun Quan's house at noon, soon started to devour them like someone who hadn't eaten for days.

Only after plate after plate of delicious food had been stuffed into his stomach, leaving him so full he could barely walk, did the boy glance at Yi Xian's satisfied and happy smile as she sat to his right. It was then that the boy suddenly remembered the Chinese restaurant he and Yuan Ye had eaten at in the city center. Yuan Ye had said the owner was a ship girl, and Yi Xian had said she stayed in Jinchuan. Could that restaurant be Yi Xian's?

"By the way, Yixian, do you know that Chinese restaurant in the city center?" The somewhat hesitant boy asked. He wasn't sure if his guess was accurate, since the food he ate at the restaurant back then, while delicious, was clearly not as good as what Yixian was making now.

However, the boy quickly received a reply from Yi Xian. Looking at the boy's youthful face, Yi Xian, who sat gracefully on the wooden chair like a well-bred young lady, smiled and nodded at him. "You mean Chenyu Restaurant? Admiral? That restaurant was actually opened by Ning Hai and me. At first, we just wanted to earn some money to supplement the daily expenses of the naval base, but we didn't expect it to become so popular. The restaurant is even named after you."

"Speaking of which, Admiral, you had dinner at our restaurant before, right? That day, Zhao told me that she saw a trainee admiral who looked a lot like you at the restaurant. That must have been you, right? I went downstairs to look for you, but you had already finished eating and left. Later, following Chongqing's suggestion, we even held a half-price event, hoping to get you to come to our restaurant again, but you never came in the end."

That restaurant really was owned by Yixian! So the boy who looked so much like a girl that I saw in the restaurant back then was Zhaohe? No wonder I had a strange sense of familiarity. But if I had been recognized back then, maybe Yixian and the others wouldn't have had to wait until now.

Hearing Yi Xian's words, the boy felt a pang of regret for having missed his chance with her. But before he could ask Yi Xian any more questions about his garrison, he heard Yi Xian gently take his hand and speak beside him.

"Admiral, it's still early. Would you like to go for a walk with me? The night view of the naval base is quite beautiful."

Volume 1, Chapter 102: Night Tour

"Admiral, it's still early. Would you like to come for a walk with me? The night view of the naval base is quite beautiful."

As Yi Xian's clear, melodious voice, like a nightingale's song, reached the young man's ears, he gazed at the pair of watery eyes that held a myriad of emotions and the flawless beauty of her face. He couldn't help but nod at her, somewhat dazed.

Although she was surrounded by beauties like Glorious and Unicorn Sister every day, whose beauty could amaze anyone, Yi Xian's gentle and graceful Eastern womanly temperament could undoubtedly make any man's heart flutter.

Perhaps because he had been deeply influenced by Eastern culture since childhood, the boy, whose aesthetic sense was already more inclined towards the East, was quietly led out of the ship girl dormitory building by the smiling Yixian.

Outside the building, the crimson sunset had already set, replaced by a bright, ethereal moon. The tranquil night enveloped the boundless sky, and the twinkling stars, like sparkling jewels, hung silently in the serene sky, quietly releasing their brilliance. The gentle evening breeze swept away the daytime hustle and bustle, and even the air seemed to become much cooler and cleaner.

He accompanied Yixian downstairs, but before the young man could even savor the relaxing summer night air, Yixian stopped as if she had remembered something, turning back to look at him curiously. He couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong, Yixian?"

Faced with the boy's question, Yi Xian beside him simply shook her head gently. Seemingly reluctant, she slowly withdrew her hand, which had been gripping the boy's right hand, and then chuckled as she spoke to him.

"It's nothing, Admiral. Can you wait here for me for a while? I'll go back and get you a coat. Even though it's summer, it can still get a bit chilly at night."