"Hehe... Commander, I always stay up late because of playing games or Kumano, so Becky's special refreshing coffee is indispensable!"
"Hmm~ Anything else?"
"If you feel tired during the day, Becky will also prepare a special honey energy drink for the commander~"
"It seems that Guigang's commander is usually very busy."
"Not busy at all, but if Becky hadn't made her nutritious food every day, she would have already -
"Bechi!!!" Wu Mu, who was listening not far away, couldn't bear it anymore and rushed over to shout, interrupting the chattering little figure to prevent his past from being exposed.
"Oh~ The Commander is here." Becky put her hands on her hips and smiled happily, "Look at my Commander, he is so tired after running a few steps. It seems that Becky still needs to catch up~"
Wu Mu, who had just stopped to take a breath, immediately closed his mouth when he heard this and tried to calm his breathing. However, when he saw Xianghe's half-smile, he couldn't hold it in and sighed deeply.
Shokaku: "It seems like you're having a hard time, too."
Wu Mu sighed, "Who says it's not true... I don't think Su Su will be any better than me in the future, right?"
Shokaku: "Hmm... that's possible. Then, can Becky teach me your nourishing menu?"
Becky: "Uh-huh~ Of course~"
Su Xin, who arrived a step late, could only watch as Becky and Shokaku shook hands as if they had reached some kind of consensus, and she was still confused.
Wu Mu looked at Bech, then stretched his head to look into the cafeteria, but didn't find where the other two ship girls were, so he had to ask Bech who was already whispering with Shokaku.
Becky thought for a moment and said, "Let's just chat in the dormitory..."
"Chatting..." Wu Mu was a little worried, "Jamaica won't make the kids here have a second-year syndrome..."
Becky: "Well... Speaking of which, Kumano said she wanted to share her secret of success with the sisters in this port area..."
Wu Mu took a deep breath when he heard that, and immediately rushed out, panting and shouting as he ran:
"Kumano!!!"
"We went the wrong way—" Su Xin jumped on the spot and shouted to Wu Mu, "The dormitory is over here—"
Chapter 214 Change and Invariance
Fang Yan arrived at the port area in the afternoon of the 21st.
She was accompanied by a black-haired girl who looked very happy, and a giant white-haired dog, and met Su Xin who had greeted her and came out to pick her up at the gate of the port area.
Su Xin looked at Fang Yan. After not seeing her for a long time, she seemed to have changed a lot. Her previous lively personality was gone. She looked more like a sad woman with a lot on her mind.
But her skin has become a lot whiter. Although it is not as white as Su Xin's, who looks like she doesn't like to go out, it has at least changed from wheat color to a lighter... wheat color.
The two people behind Fang Yan were easy to recognize. From their hair color and beastly features, Su Xin could tell at a glance that they should be the Shiratsuyu-class destroyers Shigure and Yudachi. Besides, Fang Yan had mentioned the existence of these two to her before.
"Ah...Susu, long time no see." Fang Yan saw Su Xin's eyes light up, and she took two quick steps to hug her friend who seemed to have not changed much, "I really missed you.
"Yeah, long time no see."
Su Xin also returned the hug. Now she was able to express intimacy with familiar people very freely. She herself didn't really notice it, but Fang Yan felt very surprised.
After all, although Su Xin had a good relationship with her in the past, holding hands occasionally was probably the limit. Most of the time, she was the only one talking nonstop, and Su Xin would just listen quietly beside her.
Su Xin and Fang Yan exchanged a few pleasantries, then greeted Shi Yu, who was looking around with his hands on his hips, and Yudachi, who was constantly wrinkling his nose.
Shi Yu introduced himself politely, but Yudachi was very familiar with her. He jumped to Fang Yan's side and grabbed her clothes, then turned to Su Xin and asked:
"Sister, where is the delicious meat?"
"Why do you only know how to eat..." Fang Yan patted the dog's head helplessly, and smiled at Su Xin again, "I'm sorry to trouble you, can we go to the cafeteria first?"
Su Xin felt that something was wrong, but she couldn't remember what it was for the time being. However, she was usually very skilled at feeding the babies.
So Su Xin nodded, took out a small piece of meat from her pocket and handed it to Yuli, whose eyes were shining, and then led the three of them towards the cafeteria.
Neither of them talked much on the way, and it was only then that Su Xin realized the problem. She didn't know why Fang Yan was so quiet. According to her usual personality, Fang Yan should have not stopped talking all the way.
But she couldn't ask about it, so she could only walk along the way, introducing the various facilities in the port area to the three people. Fortunately, there were still many things in the renovated and expanded port area that Fang Yan was not familiar with, so it didn't seem useless.
chat.
Yudachi was originally at the end of the line, chewing on some dried meat while ignoring Shigure who was teasing her. But after finishing the meat in her hand, she licked her lips, sniffed the scent and walked to the front of the line.
Shi Yu was furious when he saw this: "Hey! Don't embarrass us. Although I always call you a dog, you won't really turn into a dog!"
Xili didn't care about all that. Following Fang Yan's helpless smile, he took the lead and quickly moved towards the cafeteria following the smell.
“I smell something delicious up ahead!”
"Stupid dog! Wait for me!"
Su Xin did not stop them. There were little yellow chickens everywhere in the harbor anyway, and the two of them would not get lost. Besides, Yuuichi's sense of smell should not be wrong, so she let them run away. She was a little worried about Fang next to her.
Beautiful.
Fang Yan smiled and gently apologized to Su Xin: "I'm sorry... Yuli is always like this, she gets impatient when she smells food."
"It's okay, they're cute." Su Xin shook her head and turned to look at Fang Yan, who looked puzzled. "Are they your ship girls?"
"Ah... not really, because I'm not the commander yet, and they haven't made it clear, but... if I'm not being too self-indulgent, they should have such an intention."
"That's it."
The two of them were silent for a long while, which was rare, and then Su Xin spoke again.
"You've changed a lot."
"Um...are you saying I'm not as rowdy as I used to be?"
Su Xin nodded, and Fang Yan pursed her lips and smiled. Her originally slightly round cheeks had now become much thinner, and she looked less energetic and agile than before, and seemed a lot more stable.
"Actually, I just feel a little stressed and don't know what to do..."
Su Xin thought about it, then spoke cautiously: "Your father...?"
"Eh? Ah... the old man is fine. He is staying well in his own port area now." Fang Yan curled her lips and didn't care much. "If it weren't for him, he can stay well in the port area now, so I don't have to worry too much."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything else..." Su Xin nodded and apologized. She didn't ask any more questions and just quietly took Fang Yan for a walk on the road in the port area.
Fang Yan was very surprised by this and said unconsciously: "You have changed a lot too."
"Yes, I grew four centimeters taller."
Fang Yan was stunned for a moment, then laughed out loud. What she was referring to was Su Xin's personality, which was a little more lively than before, and she had made a lot of progress in social skills. She knew when to ask questions and what things she shouldn't dig into.
But growing taller...is definitely a good thing.
"Actually..." Fang Yan stretched, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled, "I just feel like I've suddenly shouldered two responsibilities, and I'm a little uncomfortable with it..."
"Um...Shigure and Yudachi?"
"Yeah." Fang Yan nodded. "They came very dramatically. Before I knew it, they were already with me every day."
Su Xin asked her with some confusion, "..They are close to you, isn't that a good thing?"
"Yes, it's a good thing, but it also means new responsibilities, right?" Fang Yan looked up at the chirping birds flying by. "I was too immature before. I did whatever I wanted and said whatever I wanted."
"But now I can't do that anymore. I have to mature."
"Since they are willing to entrust themselves to me, I must show my abilities that match theirs. Only in this way can I live up to their trust in me..."
Su Xin expressed her understanding, but since Fang Yan brought it up, it meant that this matter was not a secret that could not be asked about, so Su Xin began to chat casually with Fang Yan.
Su Xin: "So you can speak normally now."
Fang Yan: "The way I speak is definitely the first step I need to change. How can an adult speak like a pea machine gun?"
Su Xin: "Well...I've become a lot calmer."
Fang Yan: "This is also necessary, okay? I have to give them a sense of security."
Fang Yan: "But...Susu, can you lend me some money?"
Su Xin: "(Take out the money) Did something happen?"
Fang Yan: "No... Because I have to go to class, so there are fewer opportunities to work, and Yudachi likes to eat meat... To be honest, the savings from my previous part-time job are almost used up."
Su Xin: "Well... (puts the money back) I won't lend it to you."
Fang Yan: "Eh? Forget it... I don't want to borrow money from the old man. He has always disliked me going to 'Calling Tide' for classes. If I borrow money from him, it means I have admitted that I lost..."
Su Xin stopped and looked at her friend who also stopped with a puzzled look on his face. After thinking for a while, she reached out her hand, and when the other person subconsciously closed his eyes, she tapped him twice on the forehead, neither lightly nor heavily.
Fang Yan: "Ugh... it hurts."
Su Xin: "Why don't you ask them what they think?"
Fang Yan: "Huh? What do you want to ask?"
Su Xin: "Since you have formed a group, everyone's opinions must be taken into consideration, right?"
Fang Yan: "But... these are the responsibilities that the commander needs to bear."
Su Xin: "But you are not a commander yet, right? Commanders receive a monthly subsidy, and they also let ship girls take on commissions to earn commissions."
Su Xin: "You can't just make decisions for them without saying anything. If there is anything, you should discuss it together."
Su Xin: "Just like spending money, they may not like to spend your savings. In fact, many ship girls have their own savings. You don't have to worry about this kind of thing."
Fang Yan: "Although it was indeed me who insisted on paying, but... it is only natural to spend money on my own ship girls, right? And becoming mature and able to stand on my own is also what I should do, right?"
Su Xin: "We have to seek truth from facts. You are just trying to be brave. Besides, becoming mature doesn't necessarily mean changing yourself."
Su Xin: "Mature is just an adjective. It doesn't represent a stereotype. Even if you act like a fool on weekdays, as long as you can stand up when they need you, you are a person worthy of trust."
Fang Yan: "...You are the idiot."
Su Xin: "They decided to follow you because they liked you. Before they followed you, they liked you the way you were. You're thinking too much."
"...You can actually say so many great truths now." Fang Yan complained, and then thought carefully, "What am I...like?"
Fang Yan stood there in a daze. Su Xin did not disturb her. She just stood with her in the middle of the road, quietly watching the girl who was lost in thought.
Fang Yan thought for a long time, but before she could figure it out, she heard Xili's voice coming from afar.
"Ayan Ayan
Fang Yan looked up and saw a white-haired dog holding a shiny duck leg in each hand, rushing towards her happily in two or three steps.
"Ayan, Ayan, this restaurant is delicious! The buns are delicious! The duck legs are delicious too! Why don't you try it!"
Fang Yan looked at the girl with red eyes who raised her hand and brought the marinated duck leg to her mouth. Her white little hand was covered with sauce and looked a little greasy.
She smiled helplessly, lowered her head and took a small bite from Yuudachi's hand. It was indeed delicious. The sauce on the duck leg was excellent, the meat was not dry but very elastic, very tasty and full of fragrance.
"It's delicious, thank you Yudachi."
"Hey - if it's delicious, Yan will talk more~"
Fang Yan was stunned. She looked at Xili who was pouting his shiny little mouth, then turned to look at Su Xin who was giving her an unnatural smile. At that moment, she felt as if she had suddenly become a lot lighter.
"Okay...Ayan doesn't want to talk about it, then-
"Thank you, Yuli." Fang Yan lowered her body slightly, and regardless of the greasy duck legs in Yuli's hands, she just hugged the puppy in her arms.
"It's my brain that's the problem. It's all my fault. Yudachi is so good to me, like a little angel. Of course, it would be even better if you could pay attention to hygiene. I will talk to Yudachi a lot in the future. Don't worry, Yudachi.
Do you think I'm annoying?"
“Oh oh—” Yudachi’s eyes sparkled, “Ayan said a lot of things today~ Um heh heh… But it’s not that Yudachi is unhygienic, it’s just that the duck legs are so delicious… Heh heh heh…”
"Hey! Slow down, Xi Yiyi." Shi Yu paused in the distance, looked at the two people who were hugging each other and grinning, then looked at Su Xin who was looking at him, thought for a moment and then gently bent down and bowed to the other party.
Then he raised his voice and moved closer again.
"Hey, stupid dog! I told you to bring a bowl over here. If you really can't help it, wear gloves! Aren't you embarrassing me, Shi Yu?!"
“Wow wow wow——Ayan, Shigure is so mean to me——”
"Don't complain! I'm your sister, you have to listen to me!"
"I won't listen to you. You always lie to me like a dog barking. A-Yan is much better than you! She just said I look like an angel!"
"You, you, you, I am your sister!"
"Ayan is!"
"I am!"
"Ayan is!"
