Today's tutelary fort remains peaceful.

"Sister Chongqing, is this Sister Yixian's cell phone?" Pinghai didn't care about Chongqing's slap. It didn't hurt anyway. She was more concerned about the content on the phone.

"You saw it all, and you're still asking?" Chongqing said unhappily. After a pause, Chongqing looked out the door and whispered a threat in Pinghai's ear, "I'm warning you, don't tell anyone what you just saw, especially not to Sister Yixian. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, don't worry, Sister Chongqing, I won't tell." Pinghai crossed his index fingers in front of his mouth and nodded quickly. Then he asked curiously, "But why did you pretend to be Sister Yixian to chat with the admiral?"

"Little fool." Chongqing gently tapped Pinghai's forehead with his finger and explained, "Do you want the admiral to visit you more often?"

Ping Hai nodded: "Of course I did."

"So, do you want to have dinner with the Admiral more often? Do you want to drink tea with the Admiral? Do you want the Admiral to play with you?"

Seeing Pinghai nodding repeatedly, Chongqing spread his hands and said, "So, we have to find a way to keep the Admiral with us. Otherwise... Look, the Admiral has been back for so long, and he's only come to our side once. The rest of the time he's been with Lexington and the others. Don't you want to snatch the Admiral away?"

"Isn't this normal?" Ping Hai said hesitantly, "It's only been three days since the Admiral returned. There will be plenty of time and opportunities in the future. Besides, the Admiral doesn't belong to us alone. Isn't this a bad idea?"

"Silly girl, are you really that honest?" Chongqing poked Pinghai's forehead in frustration. "When the admiral is bewitched by those vixens, do you think he'll still remember us? Haven't you heard the saying? Happiness must be earned with your own hands and hard work. It doesn't come for free!"

Seeing Pinghai still looking at her blankly, Chongqing sighed helplessly. After all, he was just a child. Although he looked mature, how could he understand so much? If it were her older sister who matured much more precociously, perhaps she would understand.

Or, could Pinghai watch some palace fighting dramas? An evil thought flashed through Chongqing's mind. She looked down at Pinghai's confused expression and quickly shook her head to drive this terrible idea out of her mind.

How sinful! How could I have such a horrible thought of polluting a pure girl?

After saying something casually to coax Pinghai away, Chongqing tiptoed out of the kitchen and into the living room. Seeing that there was no one around, he put Yixian's phone back on the coffee table.

"Chongqing? What are you doing? Why does it take you so long to find an apron?" At this moment, Yixian suddenly pushed the door open and walked in. The sudden fright almost made Chongqing jump up. Fortunately, she was quick-witted and used her body to cover herself to pick up a handful of candies from the plate on the coffee table. When she turned around again, the expression on her face had returned to calm.

"Sister Yixian, let me get some candy. Danyang will be back for dinner soon."

Yixian looked at the candy in the girl's palm and curled his lips. He said, "Does it take so long to grab a handful of candy?"

Yixian's questioning made Chongqing sweat profusely. Just as she was racking her brains to find an excuse to prevaricate, Yixian burst out laughing: "I think you must have been greedy and ran into the kitchen to eat. Tell me, last time a large piece of braised beef disappeared from my refrigerator, was it you who stole it?"

"No, Sister Yixian, please don't slander me." Chongqing breathed a sigh of relief, put the candy in his pocket, walked to Yixian's side, put his hands on her shoulders, and breathed softly: "If you don't believe me, smell it, I didn't eat it secretly!"

"Okay, stop it." Yixian gently pushed Chongqing away and ruffled her hair lovingly. He felt helpless sometimes towards this girl who had a sister ship but was inexplicably attached to him, but more often than not, he felt the warmth of family. "It's rare that we don't have to cook today, so just make something for lunch. Go to the refrigerator and get some braised pork and cut it up. We'll have noodles with soybean paste for lunch."

"Eating noodles with soybean paste again." Chongqing walked around behind Yixian and hugged her waist, resting his forehead on her back and acting coquettishly: "Sister Yixian, even if you take a break occasionally, don't be lazy. I want to eat..."

Listening to Chongqing announce a series of dishes, Yixian raised an eyebrow in surprise: "Didn't you say you like fried noodles with soybean paste? And it's almost time for lunch. How can we prepare all those big dishes now?"

Chongqing hadn't pinned his hopes on those grand meals. Seeing that Yixian's attitude seemed to have softened, he quickly said, "It's okay if we don't have a grand meal. We can just stir-fry some home-cooked dishes. After all, Sister Yixian's cooking skills are so good that even ordinary stir-fried vegetables are delicious."

"Stop flattering me. I'm not Ninghai or Pinghai." Yixian patted the arm at his waist, signaling Chongqing to let go. He glanced at the coffee table and remembered that he had forgotten to bring his cell phone with him again.

'No one will come to me anyway,' Yixian thought to himself, and said to Chongqing, "Since you said you want home-cooked food, then go pick some from the vegetable garden and I'll leave the washing to you."

"Yes, Sister Yixian!"

Seventy-one, free meals

When Xue Cheng arrived at Yixian's farmhouse, he could smell the tempting aroma of food before he even entered the door. The crisp laughter of young girls could be heard faintly in the living room. Xue Cheng pushed open the door and saw Pinghai pressing her sister Ninghai on the sofa and tickling her. Xuefeng, who had light purple hair...oh, should be called Danyang now, was sitting beside them, watching the two sisters playing and smiling faintly.

"Hello, everyone." Xue Cheng walked in and a gust of cool air hit him in the face. The air conditioner hanging on the wall was working, turning the room into a cool world.

"Admiral, it's the Admiral!" Ning Hai exclaimed, and with some strength, he flipped Ping Hai over. Then he skipped over to Xue Cheng, hugged his arm, and said happily, "Why is the Admiral here? You didn't tell me in advance. If I had known the Admiral was coming, I would have cooked two of my specialties."

Didn't Yixian tell them he was coming? Xue Cheng felt a little strange, but it was a small matter after all, so he didn't take it to heart. He helped Ning Hai tidy up a strand of messy hair and said with a smile: "Nothing, I just came to see you and have a meal."

"Hello, Admiral." Danyang greeted timidly. Although he looked about the same age as the Ninghai sisters, he was not as cheerful as them. Instead, he looked a little gloomy.

"Danyang, long time no see." Xue Cheng walked over to her and sat down. Even this simple action frightened the girl so much that her body trembled and her expression became a little more panicked.

Am I that scary? Xue Cheng touched his nose, feeling a little embarrassed. He wanted to get closer to Danyang and soothe his nervousness, but he didn't know whether to say it out loud.

Just as Xue Cheng was struggling with his thoughts, Yixian came out of the kitchen. She was wearing an apron, her long, cloud-like hair tied up on top of her head with a emerald green hairpin. She was not wearing the cheongsam she had seen last time, but a long, pale green dress. Seeing Xue Cheng sizing her up, Yixian took two steps back somewhat embarrassedly, her hands at a loss, as if she wanted to cover herself, her cheeks flushed slightly. "Admiral...don't look at me, it's all Chongqing's fault. I knew this kind of dress wouldn't suit me."

Xue Cheng shook his head. He knew that if he tried to hide her, the girl would probably become even more shy. So he simply looked at Yixian openly: "No, I think she is very beautiful. As expected, Yixian looks good even without wearing cheongsam or Hanfu."

"That's what I mean. Sister Yixian is naturally beautiful. She looks good in anything she wears." Chongqing came out of the kitchen carrying a plate, winked at Xue Cheng, and said, "Actually, I prepared a set of T-shirt and hot pants, but no matter what I said, Sister Yixian just refused to wear it."

"Well, how can I wear such shameless clothes that expose my arms and legs?" Yixian defended with a slightly blushing face.

Chongqing placed the dishes on the table and said with a wry smile, "That's not the case, Sister Yixian, you're too conservative. T-shirts and shorts are a very common outfit these days, and many people in the garrison also wear them. Are we all shameless?"

"No, I didn't mean that!" Yixian's face changed and he quickly explained.

"Okay, I'm just kidding, Sister Yixian, don't take it seriously." Chongqing was shocked by Yixian's reaction. Yixian's overly serious personality sometimes made her care so much about certain things that she couldn't tell whether it was a joke or the truth.

Or maybe, Yixian simply doesn't want to be misunderstood.

Xue Cheng found this amusing and quipped, "Those high-slit cheongsams Yixian wears aren't much different from T-shirts and shorts, right? Why do you care so much?"

"How are those the same?" Yixian rolled his eyes at Xue Cheng.

"Why are those different?" Xue Cheng asked curiously.

Except for the outfit called Bishui Mingsha, the clothes worn by Yixian in the game are no less lethal to ordinary girls than T-shirts and hot pants, and may even be more shameful. However, in Yixian's eyes, ordinary T-shirts and hot pants seem to be even more unacceptable. This strange logic makes Xue Cheng very puzzled.

"..." Yixian hesitated. Could she say that she wore those strange clothes just to please the admiral? She was shy by nature, and only forced herself to wear those embarrassing clothes for the person she liked. When she wasn't with Xue Cheng, Yixian's clothing choices were much more conservative.

"Okay, stop talking. The child is still here." Chongqing noticed Yixian's embarrassment and glared at Xue Cheng, signaling him to pay attention to the occasion. Then he put his hands on Yixian's shoulders and pushed her, saying, "Sister Yixian, go wash your hands. I'm going to starve to death if we don't have dinner."

"Yes, Sister Yixian." The naughty Pinghai cooperated by lying on the armrest of the sofa and making faces: "I'm so hungry."

After watching Yixian leave, Chongqing put one hand on his waist and gestured to the rest of the people in the living room, "And the Admiral, what are you standing there for? Go wash your hands. You three kids, go to the kitchen and wash them. We're getting ready for dinner."

Arriving at the bathroom, Xue Cheng washed his hands under Yixian's guidance, wiped them with a lightly scented towel, and said, "Why are you the only ones here today?"

Yixian took off her apron and set it aside. She took the towel that Xue Cheng handed back and said, "Actually, we don't all eat together every meal. After all, even the most delicious food will get boring if you eat too much. So occasionally, some people will go to the cafeteria when the other factions are cooking, or they will go to the restaurant run by everyone to eat."

"No, Yixian's dishes are so delicious. I will never get tired of eating them for the rest of my life."

"Don't talk nonsense. The admiral just loves to make people happy." Although Yixian said that, his face showed a happy expression.

"Come to think of it, the British chef is in charge today." Yixian's words made Xue Cheng's face change. Yixian was stunned for a moment before he figured out why the admiral had such an expression. He covered his mouth with his hands and chuckled, "Don't worry, admiral. Reputation and Counterattack are in charge of cooking. No one will allow London and Houston to be the chefs."

"That's good." Xue Cheng patted his chest with lingering fear. Although Chongqing had proved to him with facts last time that British cuisine is not just dark cuisine, he didn't know whether it was the malice of the will of the universe or something else. In addition to the catastrophic dark cuisine king like London, the British cuisine also has Houston, Shropshire and other dragons and phoenixes.

In comparison, Chongqing, which broke away from the British system and joined the Chinese nationality, is simply a culinary god. As for the handsome maid reputation and the sister counterattack who are good at cooking, they are actually alternative existences.

It has to be said that even if Chongqing used his culinary skills, which had been cultivated to the extreme, to prove to Xue Cheng that Britain was not the country of dark cuisine as it was said to be, as soon as London's name came out, the concept that had been reversed with great difficulty would instantly collapse.

72. A Delicate Balance

Today's lunch was very ordinary, consisting of some home-cooked dishes. Yixian did not deliberately prepare a fine banquet just for Xue Cheng's arrival, which made Xue Cheng feel relieved. Compared to being treated as a guest of honor, he still felt that such ordinary interactions were more comfortable.

The atmosphere at the table was warm and inviting. The lively Pinghai spoke enthusiastically. Ninghai, much calmer than her younger sister, sat beside her, occasionally taking on the role of older sister, calming down the overly excited Pinghai. Chongqing ate in silence, seemingly downplaying his presence, occasionally casting an eerie glance at Xue Cheng and Yixian, then shaking his head secretly.

Danyang sat there quietly, her eating movements as elegant as a lady from a noble family, which was pleasing to the eye, but lacking a bit of casualness. She looked very proper, as if she was dining in a formal occasion. Compared with the Ninghai sisters, Danyang seemed too silent. She would only respond with a faint smile when Pinghai asked her about it.

Xue Cheng frowned.

In history, Danyang was extremely lucky during a period called Xuefeng. Coupled with the high quality of the crew, they were able to escape unscathed from every battle, and even the casualties on board were very few.

In contrast, teammates escorted by Yukikaze often encounter misfortune, so many people regard Yukikaze as a disaster star and a symbol of misfortune.

As a ship girl, Yukikaze seems to be very self-conscious about her own high luck, as can be seen from her game lines. She thinks that she will bring misfortune to others. Her own skills can indeed absorb the luck of her teammates to enhance her own avoidance rate, which further solidifies her title of jinx.

Fortunately, after the transformation into Danyang, she seemed to have gotten over her inner problems and become stronger. She also gained skills that could benefit her teammates. There was no longer that feeling of melancholy and inferiority in her lines, and she became more positive.

But what was going on with the girl sitting next to him? She lacked the cheerfulness and energy expected of a girl her age. She was cautious in every way, like a heroine in a TV drama being bullied by her vicious stepmother.

Yixian and Chongqing are obviously not vicious people, so the problem may lie with Danyang himself.

Xue Cheng observed calmly, his mind full of thoughts, his hands mechanically stuffing food into his mouth. The obviously delicious food now seemed like chewing wax.

"Admiral, try this stir-fried shrimp." Yixian's call brought Xue Cheng back from his thoughts. He picked up the bowl and took the shrimp that Yixian handed over. It was indeed delicious.

"I must be so happy if I can eat the dishes cooked by Yixian every day." Xue Cheng couldn't help but sigh. In fact, he was not picky about food. For example, he always avoided common household ingredients such as green peppers, cabbage, and tomatoes. However, in Yixian's hands, these ingredients could be transformed into delicacies that even he could not refuse.

Excellent cooking skills can turn decay into magic. Xue Cheng didn't know the meaning of this sentence before. Although he learned cooking skills while living alone, he didn't study it carefully due to limited time and energy. Therefore, his level can only be called average. Even the dishes he often cooks are of a relatively low standard.

Yixian smiled faintly. She had been in charge of the cafeteria for so long that she had received so many compliments that they could fill a wall. She had become numb to the compliments she heard on ordinary days, but when she received the admiral's recognition, the joy that came from the heart made her intoxicated.

Chongqing looked at Yixian's shy and happy expression and struck while the iron was hot: "As long as the Admiral wants, you can come back to eat anytime. But the Admiral's residence seems a bit too far away, and it's very troublesome to walk. Otherwise, why not just move back and live with Sister Yixian."

"..." Xue Cheng stuffed food into her mouth silently, as if she didn't hear anything, while Yixian gave her a reproachful look.

"Tsk." Chongqing curled her lips. She also knew that her proposal was not very realistic. Recently, the admiral changed his lazy style and looked eager to make a career. He even started to stay in the garrison permanently, which made many people have some concerns.

At present, the garrison can still maintain superficial calm. On the one hand, it is because the admiral has only been here for a short time and everyone is still unsure of his intentions. On the other hand, it is because the admiral has not deliberately favored any side.

This can be seen from the fact that the admiral still lives in his own villa instead of moving to a ship girl's house to live together.

However, if he really lived in someone's house openly, then this behavior would be like a signal, and the radical ship girls would definitely start an open and secret struggle to compete for the admiral.

For example, the straightforward faction led by Kongo, South Dakota, and Mutsu will inevitably turn the naval base upside down. At that time, Yixian, who has a relatively passive personality, will be at a disadvantage.

Chongqing remembers that there is a saying in Chinese that goes, "It's easy for a woman to pursue a man." There are definitely quite a few women in the garrison who want to actively pursue the admiral. If it really comes to that, how can the admiral, who is surrounded by women, still remember who Yixian is who is waiting for him silently?

"So, before Sister Yixian becomes proactive or makes any progress with the Admiral, we should not go too far." Chongqing thought with lingering fear.

After lunch, Chongqing took the initiative to take on the task of clearing the dishes, hoping to leave more time for Yixian and the Admiral to spend together. However, Yixian did not do as she wished. Seeing Danyang politely bid her farewell, Yixian rarely took the initiative to lean over to Xue Cheng's ear and whispered, "Admiral, what are you looking at? Go after him quickly."

"What?" Xue Cheng was a little confused.

"Still pretending." Yixian rolled her eyes. This action, which was originally a bit awkward, looked quite charming on her. "The Admiral was looking at Danyang the whole time during the meal, right?"

"Danyang is still a child." Xue Cheng touched his nose and said awkwardly, "Isn't this bad?"

Yixian was stunned for a moment, then suddenly blushed. He reached out and pinched Xue Cheng's waist fiercely, then glared at him and whispered, "Admiral! Can you please be serious?"

"Alright, alright, no more jokes." Xue Cheng begged for mercy. He hadn't expected that even the gentle and charming Yixian would naturally pinch people when angry. He stood up and looked at the Ninghai sisters who were busy following Chongqing. He whispered, "Danyang's child's condition is indeed worrying. I'll go check it out."

"Admiral, go ahead." Yixian sighed softly, "I've talked to her before. Although she's become more cheerful later, I still hope... Admiral can help her think things through."

"Then I'll go first." Xue Cheng said hello and walked out the door.

Seventy-three, Danyang

After talking to Yixian for a while, Xue Cheng was worried that Danyang had gone far away, so he rushed out of the courtyard and ran towards the street outside. However, before he ran far, a light voice suddenly came from behind him: "Admiral, you are so slow."

Xue Cheng slammed on the brakes and nearly fell to the ground due to inertia. When he finally managed to steady himself and turned around to look for the owner of the voice, he found a girl with long lavender hair standing next to Yixian Courtyard, with her hands behind her back and a shy smile on her face.

"Danyang?" Xue Cheng rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Hadn't she left long ago? Why was she still here? Was she waiting for him?

"It's Danyang." The girl put her hands behind her back and walked briskly to Xue Cheng's side. She winked at him and said, "Admiral, you're running so fast. Are you looking for me?"

Danyang was no longer as reserved as she had been at Yixian's house. Although she was still not cheerful and lively, she had become like an ordinary girl. Xue Cheng asked curiously, "How did Danyang know I was looking for you?"

"Because the Admiral kept looking at me while we were eating just now." Danyang looked at Xue Cheng's surprised expression, as if he had thought of something, and said, "Ah, so that's how it is. Did the Admiral think I didn't notice?"