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

Volume 1, Chapter 139: Determination

"Young Miss...Young Miss? What's wrong? Is something on your mind?"

In the enclosed space filled with the scent of sandalwood, the long-haired girl, sitting in a luxurious leather chair and gazing at the various scenes rushing past the window, gradually snapped out of her reverie when she heard the butler, Uncle Qiu, calling her name.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Uncle Qiu, I was just thinking about something, don't worry about me."

Gently lowering her arm from under her chin, the long-haired girl saw Qiu Bo's worried face in the rearview mirror. She slowly shook her head and smiled slightly at him. But perhaps because she remembered something that bothered her again, she forced a smile to indicate that she was alright, then frowned and lowered her head again.

Seeing the somewhat dazed girl lower her head once more, Qiu Bo, the veteran butler who had cared for his young mistress since birth, was naturally able to tell that the girl was troubled by something. Without saying a word, he gently bent down and pressed a button on the media player, and soft music began to play in the car.

That was the girl's favorite music. Every time she heard it, a look of peace and comfort would involuntarily appear on her face. Although no one except herself knew that it was simply because someone else also happened to like this very soothing music.

However, this time the result disappointed Uncle Qiu. Instead of feeling comfortable as usual after hearing the melodious music, his young lady frowned even more deeply.

Yes, how could the long-haired girl be happy now after hearing her best friend's words at school? Putting aside the fact that the overall somber music kept reminding her of the troubles and dilemmas she was facing in her relationship, just thinking about his face and the distance between them made her heart ache as if something was squeezing it.

Dong Ning was right. Just like the couple in the next class who had already broken up, even if she could make him understand her feelings for him this time, what difference would it make? He had already become an admiral and couldn't possibly stay with her.

Tianshui Town is separated from the distant Jinchuan by thousands of miles. Even though his family agreed to let him visit Jinchuan every now and then, he could only see him for a short period of one or two weeks a year. Compared to the time they spent apart, this period was far too short.

Over such a long period of time, no matter how passionate or steadfast his feelings for himself were, they would gradually cool down over time, not to mention that he also had beautiful beings like ship girls by his side.

The once inseparable relationship turned into a heartless breakup in less than four months. The couple's story and her best friend's words told the long-haired girl what she should be most worried about now.

She sighed with a mix of melancholy and resentment. She had already experienced all the joys and sorrows of love before even starting a relationship. Her vision became a little blurry, and she took out her exquisite diary from her handbag.

Her soft fingers gently stroked the clean and tidy book cover, as if it were some rare treasure. She couldn't help but be careful, and as she gently turned the pages and looked at the contents, her tightly furrowed brows immediately softened with tenderness.

They were exquisite and vivid sketches, carefully drawn by the girl to record every moment she spent with the boy over the past year—whether it was eating together, taking a nap together, or quietly reading together in the garden. Gazing at the boy's face, each stroke brimming with her girlish heart, she smiled and gently closed her eyes.

When will I be able to nestle happily beside the person I love, just like those girls? When will that wish, buried deep in my heart for a year, finally come true? God, if only you could make me never have to leave him again!

But... no matter how much I wallow in self-pity here, it's useless... Just like he said, how can you know how things will turn out if you don't try? For my future happiness, I really should make up my mind now...

The girl, caught in a whirlwind of emotions, found her hands clasped tightly together without her realizing it. But when she opened her deep, twilight-like eyes again, it was as if she had figured something out, and her usual elegance and tranquility returned to her beautiful face once more.

Stroking the face on the drawing paper that had given her courage time and time again, she looked up and whispered to Uncle Qiu, who was focused on driving, "Uncle Qiu, let's not go to Xiaorou's place yet, let's go straight home. I have something very important to tell Dad."

"Okay, Miss."

The car on the highway slowly came to a stop. Perhaps because her mindset had changed, it felt like only a short while had passed before the car, having changed its destination, smoothly drove into the manor that the girl knew so well. Carefully placing her precious diary back into her bag, the girl said "thank you" to Uncle Qiu who had opened the car door for her, and then, after straightening her pink skirt, stepped lightly out of the car.

"Ah, it's Miss. Why are you back so early today?"

The spacious and beautiful courtyard was filled with the fragrance of flowers. Just as she stood still in front of a small fountain, the long-haired girl heard a very enthusiastic female voice. Looking in the direction of the voice, she saw a middle-aged woman watering the tulips in the flower bed.

The speaker was Aunt Rong, who had worked in her home for over ten years. She was the maid her maternal grandfather hired to take care of her when her mother was pregnant with her. However, besides her father, mother, maternal grandfather, and Uncle Qiu, she was the only person who knew about her feelings.

"Yes, godmother, I came back early today because I had something to talk to dad about."

The girl smiled and waved at her. She had originally wanted to go over and help her water the garden, but thinking about her own plans, she had to give up the idea. Her father's words were fine, but if her mother disagreed, who knew how long it would take to convince her? She hoped her father could cover for her.

"Alright! By the way, Miss, are you coming to study tonight too? Tonight's menu is the child's favorite potato stew with meat, braised pork ribs, and some other dishes."

"Yes! Of course, godmother! Wait for me a moment, I'll go to the kitchen after I finish talking to dad!"

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Volume 1, Chapter 140: Spoiling

The spacious and clean study was filled with the fresh scent of ink and brushes. Several bookshelves along the walls were filled with all sorts of books. Bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun that shone in the hallway, the long-haired girl pushed open the heavy door and found her loving parents standing before her.

The middle-aged man with a buzz cut and a square face was his father. As usual, after returning from town, he liked to practice calligraphy in his study as a way to relax after work.

Beside him stood a beautiful woman with a face very similar to his own, smiling as she ground ink for her father. This was his mother. Although they had been married for nearly twenty years, their relationship remained as harmonious and loving as ever.

The girl's light footsteps echoed through the heavy door and into the quiet study. But before she could call out to her parents, a black-haired woman with a much more mature air than the naive girl had already noticed her daughter's figure by the large desk.

"Oh? My darling daughter's back. Why are you home so early today? Didn't you go to your little sister Rou's house to play?... Hmm? What's wrong? You look so worried. Is something on your mind, Linlin?"

Lifting up the enormous breasts that seemed to be inherited from her, the black-haired woman put down the ink stick in her hand and smiled as she looked at her daughter standing by the door. A trace of affection unconsciously appeared on her face, which was almost identical to the girl's.

Upon hearing his beloved wife's words, the middle-aged man put down his calligraphy brush in surprise and looked towards the door. His daughter usually came back from Yu Chen's house very late, so why was she back so early today?

Her parents, who were quite old but still constantly showing affection, both looked at her. Standing by the study door, the girl, who had made up her mind to tell them her plans, frowned slightly.

She had originally planned to tell her easy-going father about her plans first, and then let him persuade her stubborn mother. However, she didn't expect that her husband, who usually liked to watch opera on the black and white TV, would be in the study today.

Thinking about her mother's personality, she thought this would be a bit difficult, but having already made up her mind and afraid of missing the opportunity, the girl still slowly walked towards her father's desk. Perhaps noticing her beloved daughter's absent-minded and somewhat strange expression, the middle-aged man, somewhat puzzled, spoke softly.

"What's wrong, Linlin? Is there something you need from your father?"

The confused voice reached the girl's ears, causing her to pause slightly. She took a deep breath, recalling the scene she had imagined of going to Tsugawa with him, and calmed her heart, which was both nervous and excited. She looked up at her parents, who were also a little confused.

"Dad, I've made up my mind about what I told you before."

The middle-aged man was somewhat surprised, having never seen his daughter speak to him with such a serious expression before. However, after hearing the girl's words, he remembered what his beloved daughter had said to him a couple of days ago.

He immediately understood and couldn't help but shake his head, lamenting that daughters grow up and leave home; after raising his daughter for so many years, she would eventually belong to someone else. With a wry smile, he nodded affectionately.

"That matter... alright, since I've already promised you, don't worry, I'll take care of talking to your mother and grandfather."

"Oh? Really! You're the best, Dad! Then I'll go learn cooking with my godmother first. I'm counting on you for everything, Dad!" She never expected things to go so smoothly. She thought that even if her father was very understanding, he would hesitate for his daughter's safety. But to her surprise, he not only didn't stop her, but even helped her convince her mother and grandfather. The girl's perfect face immediately showed a look of great surprise.

With delight, she glanced at her mother's puzzled face, afraid that her mother would stop her and ask what was wrong. The girl took a step forward and ran out of the study before her mother could react.

The girl, who brought a fragrant breeze, was like a beautiful butterfly, leaving only a happy silhouette for the parents. The black-haired woman, who had been watching the father and daughter playing a riddle, looked down at her husband beside her in great confusion.

"What are you talking about, honey? What did Linlin say to you before? What did you promise her that made her so happy?"

"Ah, actually, Linlin told me a couple of days ago that she wanted to go to Jinchuan to study with Yuchen after he came back. You know her personality, and I couldn't persuade her otherwise, so I agreed."

Looking at his wife's incredibly curious face, the middle-aged man picked up a brush and wrote a large character "婿" (son-in-law) on the supple rice paper.

"What? When? How come I didn't know? Why didn't you discuss this with me? Don't you know it's dangerous to send two little kids to Tsugawa together, honey?"

"What if something happens to them over there?"

Just as the girl had imagined, the black-haired woman was indeed surprised to hear about the agreement her husband and daughter had made behind her back. She patted her husband's back lightly, seemingly expressing her displeasure with their behavior.

Having already figured out what his wife was thinking and could guess what she would say, the middle-aged man put down his pen and touched her hand.

"I can't help it if you say that, Jingyi. It's your fault for always telling Linlin that girls should be reserved and that being too proactive will make people look down on you. It's made her afraid to talk to you about anything."

"Besides, Linlin is practically a carbon copy of you when you were young. If I don't agree to her request, what if she gets angry and elopes with Yu Chen like you did when you were young? You don't want to come back and see her holding a bunch of chubby little boys but refusing to let you hold any, do you?"

"Um...that is..." Speechless after her husband's words, the black-haired woman's cheeks flushed slightly. Thinking back to when she was young, she had run away from home with her current husband in a fit of anger because her father disagreed with her. When she returned, she was not only married, but also pregnant with Yuelin.

Thinking about her daughter's personality, which was exactly the same as her own when she was young, and even more stubborn, she was really a little scared. It was one thing for Linlin to elope with Yuchen, but if she really had a grandchild and Linlin didn't let her hold her, that would be too terrible!

"So there's no need to worry so much, Jingyi. Yuchen is a very sensible child. I feel at ease knowing he's taking care of Linlin. Besides, don't you like to brag to the old folks in town all day long that Yuchen is your chosen son-in-law? Wouldn't it be perfect to let Linlin go with you? Maybe it won't be long before you can hold your long-awaited grandson."

"That's different. You know how much we suffered when we gave birth to Linlin. What if Linlin follows in my footsteps without me by her side? It would be great if she could be safe and sound, but what if she ruins her health for the sake of the child like I did?"

"So we can't stop her even more. If you let Linlin go, at least she'll tell us if anything happens. If you don't let Linlin go, and she goes by herself, we probably won't even be able to find her."

"Sigh...that's true...Alright, you two can do whatever you want, but at least Linlin should come back once every two months, that's the bare minimum."

"So, Jingyi, you agree? Then the only thing left is your father-in-law. Because you eloped with him when we were young, our relationship isn't particularly good. It's really a headache figuring out how to talk to him."

Seeing her husband scratching his head in a pained expression, the black-haired woman covered her mouth and gave a pitying, wry smile.

At times like this, Linlin should definitely go and talk to her father herself. Given how much he dotes on her, if she just throws a little bit of a sweet talk, he'll probably have no choice but to give in. Besides, what you don't know is that, unlike you and me when we were young, perhaps because he loves everything about her, your father is extremely satisfied with Yu Chen. How could he possibly disappoint our little princess?

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Volume 1, Chapter 141: The Marriage Contract

"Admiral... Senior Lexington... Is what she said true?"

A trembling voice, filled with confusion and helplessness, entered the boy's ears one word at a time. Looking at the slightly pale face in front of him, which, in the boy's eyes, was full of helplessness and unease, the boy, whose mouth tasted bitter, felt a pang of heartache and guilt.

His right hand, resting on his thigh, unconsciously tightened, leaving a deep red mark without him noticing. For the first time since birth, he felt such disgust for himself. The boy reached out and pulled Guanghui, whose shapely body trembled despite it being summer, into his arms. Feeling that body was much cooler than the previous night, he forcefully rested his chin on Guanghui's smooth, silver hair.

“It’s true, it’s glorious… I don’t want to lie to you, Lexington is right, I do indeed have many married ships… I’m sorry…”

All plans were disrupted by the sudden turn of events. He didn't know how to comfort Guanghui, nor how to make up for the harm he had caused to the unsuspecting Guanghui. But he knew that his feelings for Guanghui were genuine. All he could do was hold her tightly, warm her with his body heat, let her feel his love for her, and let her know that even though he had a wife, he would not abandon her. He was even prepared to be scolded by Guanghui and to bear the wrath of a regular aircraft carrier with his own body.

"Sir Admiral...Sir Admiral..."

Everything seemed to have returned to that afternoon the day before yesterday, only this time, the two of them were in the opposite position. She was being held tightly in her own Admiral's arms. Perhaps because she had found a safe place by the boy's side, she kept calling out to her own Admiral while wrapping her arms around the boy's familiar waist. She buried her face in the boy's chest.

She wasn't afraid of not being the Admiral's first ship girl, nor did she care whether she could become the Admiral's secretary ship. Even if the Admiral did have other ship girl wives, she could pretend not to care and try her best to get along with them amicably.

However, the Admiral's wives are Lexington, Saratoga, and so many other beautiful and powerful ship girls. She is not afraid that the Admiral's heart will be taken away by other ship girl sisters, because as a ship girl, she has been prepared for this from the beginning. But when she thinks about how much support the Admiral can give her with so many dazzling ship girl wives, and whether the Admiral will stop paying attention to her because of other sisters, she feels as if she has fallen into an ice cave and her hands and feet are ice cold.

Fortunately, this time it was her turn to listen to her admiral's heartbeat. Her admiral's heartbeat was so strong and powerful, and every "thump-thump" seemed to resonate in her heart, making her feel the admiral's respect and affection for her.

Relieved, Radiant heard a melodious voice that sounded like a murmur or a dream. Feeling the boy's warm touch and loving embrace, she didn't know how much time had passed before her trembling heart finally began to calm down. She raised her hand and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Once again, she looked up at her admiral.

"Hehe... You don't need to apologize to me, it wasn't your fault. I'm sorry... Admiral, for making you see Glorious looking so bad, but Glorious is alright now... Ah, lunch is getting cold! Admiral, you must be very hungry, right? Why don't we eat first?"

After a brief period of sadness and grief, she had to accept reality. This experience, ironically, made her feel even closer to the Admiral. The boy's embrace restored her spirits, and she smiled gently at him before sitting up. She no longer held the title of the Admiral's first ship girl, nor the imagined status of being his first married ship. It didn't matter. From the beginning, these empty titles weren't what she wanted. As long as she could still feel the Admiral's love, care, and attention, she had the courage to face everything!

She smiled gently, worried that the admiral, who hadn't returned all day, might be hungry. Her first thought was of the young man beside her, and she thought of getting up to bring out the lunch she had prepared with such anticipation and happiness. Although it was a little cold, she felt that the food had become more meaningful than before. However, before she could even stand up, the young man, whose gloomy face made her uneasy, suddenly pulled her back.

Already feeling incredibly guilty, after hearing Glorious's words, the boy even had the urge to strangle himself. He felt so terrible for hurting a ship girl who, even though she was heartbroken, still wholeheartedly cared for him.

He reached out and grabbed Guanghui's warm wrist, then pulled her back forcefully. The young man made the somewhat surprised Guanghui sit on his lap without any room for argument.

"I don't want to hear you say sorry, Glorious, because the one who should be saying sorry is me!"

He held her soft, slender waist tightly in his arms and shouted loudly in Guanghui's ear. Ignoring Guanghui's surprised expression and timid look, like a small animal frightened by its master, the boy, who had never felt so conflicted, kissed Guanghui's soft lips.

He felt the woman in his arms initially stiffen with surprise, then relax her body with peace of mind, and finally respond to him with her tongue, releasing her soft, sweet lips. He raised his head and gazed into Guanghui's beautiful, azure eyes.

"Although I used to have many ship girls, for me now, only Illustrious is my initial ship, and only Illustrious is the first ship girl in my memory."

Facing his admiral's extremely serious expression, the boy's voice, word by word, entered Hikari's ears, whose face was slightly flushed from the kiss. Hearing those resounding words, Hikari, who hadn't expected the boy to say such things to him, was momentarily stunned.

She didn't know how to respond, because she didn't want the boy to think she still coveted Lexington's position, but her heart, which was starting to pound, was eager for her to say something.

But soon, she no longer needed to say anything, because the boy, having gritted his teeth and made up his mind, had already placed her on the sofa.

Excited yet incredibly calm, the boy gripped the precious jewelry box in his pocket tightly. Facing the bewildered look on Guanghui's face, he first stood up and then knelt down on one knee.

So what if he's a scumbag? As long as it means my ship girls don't have to keep being so heartbroken, even just a little comfort is enough. That's what he thought.

With his knees pressed against the hard floor, he watched as Guanghui, perhaps guessing what he was about to say, covered her mouth in surprise. He reached out and grasped her soft hand, gazing into her sparkling eyes, and with all his might, he uttered those words to her.

"Glory... I love you, will you marry me?"

Unexpectedly, happiness came to her so suddenly. She thought that after this incident, she would probably become the Admiral's wife and stay by his side for a long time. But then, unexpectedly, she heard the words that her Admiral had been longing for for so long. She covered her mouth and almost fainted from excitement.

Is this really a good idea? Won't doing this cause trouble for the Admiral? With tears welling in her eyes, Glorious nodded vigorously.

Even though she knew it was wrong to do this, and that it would put the Admiral in a difficult position, she couldn't refuse the young man's marriage proposal, and she couldn't bear to refuse her beloved Admiral's proposal.

"Ok!"

Feeling the warmth of the Admiral's palm, Glorious nodded shyly yet firmly. However, before she could resist the urge to snuggle into the boy's chest, a dazzling blue light suddenly enveloped her curvaceous body in the next second.

Volume 1, Chapter 142: Radiance and the Wedding Dress

"Ok!"

For a ship girl, receiving a marriage proposal from her beloved admiral is undoubtedly the most important and precious moment in her life.