The young commander felt the same way and simply suggested, "Well, how about I help you?"
San Juan waved his hands and refused, "No, no, I just came out for a walk because the event hasn't started yet and I have nothing to do. I won't waste your time."
"Okay... Oh, by the way, there will be cold drinks distributed at the center of the village at noon. Just consider it a welcome gift. Thank you for helping to clean the village. It's a good opportunity to meet Santiago. She's really not as noisy as you think."
San Juan: "This... How can I be so embarrassed... Uh, never mind, I will go. Anyway, thank you in advance, Commander Su."
"You're welcome. The temperature is rising. You can rest now. I'll go tell the others the news first. Bye~"
"Ah, bye, bye..."
San Juan, carrying the bag, watched the three people leave, shook his head and was about to continue strolling when he saw the handkerchief left at his feet.
"........."
"Oh... How careless. Never mind. I'll just bring this to her later."
"The... master?"
"Hmm? What's the matter?"
This time, Dido was the one who was puzzled. "Didn't you say before... that you wanted to leave a good impression? Then why did you deliberately mess up your clothes and hair just now?"
Su Xin tied her hair into a ponytail and said, "Because she is the type who likes to worry about others."
"But if they find that your behavior is inconsistent during the conversation, then what should we do...?"
"Hmm? It doesn't matter. Being shy but brave, careless but friendly, these are not contradictory. As long as the overall performance is good, it's fine. Just like Sister Beifa, although she doesn't praise others, she is always serious and responsible."
Upon hearing this, Little Beifa smiled in agreement and showed even more respect for the commander.
The young commander, who had changed his speeches twice, was now adjusting his mentality and greeting the third wandering ship girl.
"Good morning, I'm Su Xin, the temporary commander of this event. You can just call me by my name. Nice to meet you~"
PS: The well-mannered little commander is growing up. He is not a hypocritical deceiver, but a real and clever man. His love for KanColle will not change, so you can rest assured!
Chapter 888 It Should Be So
Judging from the number of people who arrived at noon, a small number of ship girls did not show up. It is estimated that they have not yet figured out the situation and dare not accept other people's kindness.
Most of the ship girls who had talked to Su Xin were here, including Pennsylvania who promised to come and see, and San Juan who picked up the handkerchief.
The former was the first person to come forward to receive cold drinks and snacks. In the slightly stunned eyes of the wandering ship girls, she also grabbed Su Xin's head twice.
"Thank you. You should know where I live. If you need help, just find me there."
Commander Su didn't show any impatience at all. On the contrary, he looked quite happy. "Yeah, I understand. Are those enough? How about I--"
"No, no, we don't need these anyway, we just don't buy them normally." Pennsylvania took a sip of fat house water, "Then I won't take up a seat, shall I leave first?"
"Okay, bye~"
"Hahaha, goodbye little guy."
After bidding farewell to Pennsylvania, who left gracefully, San Juan hesitated for a moment, then followed the crowd forward, looked at Su Xin who was smiling, and sighed helplessly:
"Alas... I was originally hesitant about whether to come, but I just advised you to pay more attention, and the next thing you did was you left your things with me..."
"Huh? Did I drop something? No...?" The young commander felt his pockets, but didn't seem to notice anything was missing.
San Juan took out the handkerchief and said, "Here, it has your word 'Su' embroidered on it. I helped you wash it if it got a little dusty. You... don't have any obsessive-compulsive disorder like [must use a specific brand of laundry detergent], right?"
"Ah, it's a handkerchief?" Su Xin happily took it and shook her head. "How could it be? Thank you for returning it to me. Um... these are for you. Also, where is Santiago?"
"Hmm? Uh... Is there something wrong with her eyes...?"
"Will she? Actually, ever since I mentioned you to her, she has been looking forward to meeting you. Why don't you stay for dinner later? She must have a lot to say to you."
The suggestion to stay for dinner was a bit too quick, and San Juan was about to shake his head to refuse, but unexpectedly the third sister with twin ponytails suddenly pounced on him.
Santiago: "San Juan, San Juan! You don't know how lonely I am. I talk to Indy every day in Portland. I'm so bored. You must have a wonderful life out there. Tell me, tell me!"
"Wow... you, you, don't get so close, it's hot." San Juan held the other's chin with both hands, and after a stalemate of more than ten seconds, he reluctantly agreed, "I know, I know, you let go first."
"Hey, hey, come on, let me show you where I live. It's very beautifully decorated by Portland! You're sure to like it!"
"...Why should I like it? And why are you so proud..."
The outgoing elder sister and the caring younger sister left while talking, leaving a very harmonious atmosphere for everyone else. This made the ship girls who were still watching gradually put their minds at ease and stepped forward one after another.
Shipgirl A: "Commander Su, are you really going to give these to me? It's very troublesome to buy things here, right...?"
Su Xin: "It's okay. Thank you in advance for your care. If you need any daily necessities, you can look for my Ming Miao. She has brought a lot of things to the store, and the prices are not inflated."
Shipgirl B: "I... May I ask, are you really from Donghuang? I haven't been there yet..."
Su Xin: "Yes, if you have any questions about Donghuang, you can come to me at any time. I will tell you everything I know."
KanColle C: "Can Coke be replaced with milk...?"
Su Xin: "Of course, but the milk is not iced, but it tastes good. It is specially made by Du Ye, and the shelf life is relatively short. If you can't finish it right away, remember to store it in the space, okay?"
KanColle D: "Excuse me, I want to ask...Do you have Pepsi? Preferably sugar-free, because I——"
Su Xin: "Yes, Ming Miao bought a lot of them before. Um, there are also raspberry flavors? Although they don't recommend them very much..."
The maids from the port area, including Belfa, Dido, Sheffield, Edinburgh and the apprentice maid Little Belfa, stood in a row behind a long table, providing snacks and drinks for everyone.
The little commander who was protected in the middle spoke to every ship girl who came forward. She remembered everyone's name and called them without hesitation.
As time went on, Su Xin's excellent memory and correct attitude began to surprise the ship girls behind her.
After all, there are at least eighty ship girls collecting supplies in the front, and it is actually very difficult to call out everyone's name correctly, or even say them out loud.
Even though the presence of a ship with the same name slightly reduced the burden on their memory, they could not deny that the little girl in front of them was special.
What's more, compared to the meaningless act of distributing snacks and drinks for free, the recognition that "she remembered everyone's name" made the ship girls feel respected.
This means that as time goes by and the sun rises higher, the atmosphere, which should have gradually become quieter, rises steadily like green bamboo.
"Well...it's almost as expected." Tiancheng looked at Su Xin, whose face was flushed and hair was wet with sweat, with helplessness and expectation in his eyes.
Yixian stood beside her holding an umbrella, looking at Lieyang, a little worried, "Is it okay? I thought it would be over in half an hour."
"Half an hour? I guess today's lunch will have to be postponed..." Tiancheng looked into the distance, "A large number of praises will definitely push those who are still hesitating to move forward, so the number of people will increase."
"I see... But come to think of it, did you teach her all this?"
"Haha, that's not true. I usually deal with documents, so how could I have the opportunity to teach her these things? I don't know where she learned them from."
Tiancheng paused after he finished speaking, and looked at Yixian with amusement, "What's wrong? You teased me last time, is it your turn to be jealous this time?"
"No, I'm just worried..." Yixian looked at the strange ship girls who were full of emotion, "...if she continues to do this, will she be able to handle the problems that arise in the future?"
Tiancheng understood what she meant, and gently squeezed under Yixian's umbrella and explained: "Don't worry, they are used to wandering, and their situation is different from ours. They may be moved, but rationality will prevail in the end."
Yixian paused, "...Unless someone can stand in their shoes and change the status quo?"
Tiancheng chuckled, "Unless someone can stand in their shoes and change the status quo."
Su Xin, who was chatting and laughing not far away, seemed to sense the sight. She wiped the sweat off her face and turned her head to look over. She saw two people standing as gracefully as lotus flowers under the plum blossom umbrella.
She was stunned for a moment, then gave the two wedding ships a more genuine and affectionate smile, and then asked Ming Miao and Shiranui to set up a sunshade on the spot.
Seeing this, Tiancheng's smile deepened, "Haha... I have confidence in her, and the same goes for me."
Yixian nodded approvingly, "It should be so."
Chapter 889: Duty
Just as Amagi had expected, the large-scale fan meeting that was originally planned to end at around twelve o'clock was delayed to one o'clock because of the ship girls who came to support after hearing the news.
When the endless line was finally cleared out, Su Xin, who was sweating profusely, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the awning was set up early to block the sun for her and the ship girls, the hot weather and crowded environment, coupled with the sea breeze blocked by the houses and the crowd, were not comfortable at all.
"Fortunately, it's finally over..." Su Xin took off her hat and hairband, letting her sweaty hair fall in strands, "It feels a lot cooler..."
"Master, Master...are you okay? I have some warm water. Do you need me to pour you a glass?" Dido asked with concern.
Su Xin nodded, took the towel handed to her by Beifa and wiped the back of her neck hastily. When she looked up, she saw Xingzi hiding in the shadow of the awning with a smile on her face.
"Xin-chan? Are you okay? You've worked so hard."
"Well, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern." The little commander was not as polite as before when facing the equally beautiful Xiao Ye Xing. "What can I do for you?"
Xingzi put her hands behind her back, took out something, and handed it to Su Xin with its own sound effects, "Dangdangdang~Xinjiang, it's a small manual fan? I couldn't squeeze in just now, sorry, I can only give it to you now..."
Mingmao sells this thing, but Su Xin is not very willing to use it. First, the speed depends entirely on manual pressing, and second, the noise is a little loud, and the effect is very average. It is better to rely on natural wind.
Moreover, she had no intention of making friends with the other party and only wanted to maintain a superficial relationship temporarily. If it were Fang Yan or Wu Mu, she would have taken out a cold drink and stuffed it in their mouths long ago.
Therefore, Su Xin shook her head and declined, "Well, thank you, I'm going to take a shower soon, I don't think I will need this."
Xingzi didn't look disappointed, and nodded as if she had expected it. "Actually, I mainly want to buy some ingredients from you. There is no food store here..."
"Hmm? Last time I went to support the operation, the guides there had a retail store. Didn't the authorities arrange one for you this time?"
"Well, volunteering is an opportunity to exercise, so they won't provide anything. We have to figure out how to get everything ourselves... just like the fruit last night." Xingzi smiled softly.
It was the first time that Su Xin heard of such a free-range policy. According to this trend, Xiao Yexing might have only eaten fruits last night, and probably the same thing this morning, and it was not even certain whether she had breakfast or not.
Although she needed to be careful, Su Xin really couldn't bear to refuse such a simple request as "buy ingredients", so she shook her head.
"What, what's wrong? Is it not possible? Then...then I'll try fishing." Xingzi lowered her eyes and rubbed the ground lightly with her feet, showing a posture of complete obedience.
The little commander was helpless. "Our tastes are different. You may not be used to what I eat, but if it's just ingredients, I can give it to you directly.
"Xin-chan, can I have dinner with you?" Xingzi clasped her hands together and smiled, "Thank you so much! I've wanted to try Donghuang's cuisine for a long time. I'm used to eating from Sakura... Thank you, Xin-chan!"
"Uh, I mean--
"How about lunch? Ah, I can make sashimi, and my knife skills are pretty good. If you want to try, I will try my best to prepare it for you."
Being stared at by the expectant eyes, Su Xin couldn't refuse and acquiesced to the other party's behavior of climbing up the ladder, "...No need, maybe next time."
Ono Anzi stuck out her tongue happily, "Yeah, ok, thank you very much. I will do anything for food, okay? So please feel free to order Anzi around!"
Su Xin: "...No need, why don't you go in first? Sister Yixian should be getting ready."
"Okay! I'll go help!" Xingzi said as she trotted into the second floor of the "mansion" and almost bumped into Dido who was carrying water. "Ah, I'm sorry!"
The maid managed to keep the tray steady. She watched with confusion as Xingzi, who was smiling, entered the room. Then she walked up to the commander and said, "Master, the water... um, a little bit of it was spilled..."
"It's okay, you didn't sprain your ankle, did you?"
"No…"
"That's good." Su Xin picked up the cup and took a few sips, then said something inexplicable, "...Am I too easy to talk to?"
Dido, who was not present just now, and the young apprentice maid obviously didn't understand. Sheffield glanced at her and said sarcastically, "It's rare that you still have self-awareness."
Beifa shook his head. "Commander, Xie Fei means that you are indeed too easy-going. After all, her performance in front of you will not be acceptable."
Su Xin knew that the "pass" that the head maid meant was her habit of categorizing people into categories: friends and relatives, strangers, suspicious, safe, etc. There were many labels.
She used to label ship girls, but after being scolded by the upset Taihou, she changed her habit. However, the bad habit of labeling strangers still exists.
This is a kind of early warning mechanism for her, so that she doesn't have too high expectations of anyone. The reason why she didn't change her bad habits towards her peers is simply because she doesn't want to do so.
If you insist, this is different treatment. As a human being, she undoubtedly prefers KanColle. As for why she gave Ono An a chance...
".She really has no ill intentions, but she always deliberately gets close to me. I think she...may have some difficulties?"
To the perfect head maid, these words sounded wrong in every way. She didn't think her commander needed to worry about others, as she didn't owe them anything.
But this was the commander's decision. As someone who served Commander Su wholeheartedly, she would not deliberately question the other party's decision, but would only give her support silently.
So Befa didn't say much, but nodded with a smile, "Befa understands, you don't need to worry too much about it, no matter what you want to do, Befa will arrange everything for you."
Su Xin raised her hands and grasped her long hair and shook it to cool her head. "It's not that serious...but thank you anyway. Um, thank you Sister Sheffield too."
"...If it's a tongue twister, it's a bit too simple. If it's just stuttering, you might as well try holding some stones in your mouth. I can prepare them for you."
"Ahahaha... forget it, I don't want to eat that, let's go back and eat."
Beifa bowed and said, "If you don't need anything else, please come in earlier. Dido and little Beifa will accompany you, and we will clean up the place."
The little commander pouted, "Well, well, actually it's okay to let Ming Miao clean it up... after all, she has been paid."
"...We'll take care of it. Master, you'd better go in and take a shower. Miss Yubari has already installed the water heater for you. If you don't hurry up, you'll smell like a wild animal."
"Eh? Really?!" Su Xin put aside her worries and felt much happier. "Then I'm going to take a shower. When you're done, come in and eat."
