Realizing this, Laffey was very happy.
Because if the Commander was no longer as stingy as he had been back at the Port District, didn't that mean her White Eagle sisters who liked the Commander but didn't have rings might also have a chance to receive one from him?
To a Ship-Girl, nothing was happier than receiving a ring from her Commander.
Little Laffey did not yet fully understand what marriage meant, but as a Ship-Girl herself, she understood very well what a ring meant to Ship-Girls.
If one day all the sisters in the Port District who liked the Commander received rings, everyone would be happy. And if everyone was happy, Laffey would be happy too.
Though she occasionally wished that the Commander could spend a little more time with her, sensible Laffey had no desire to keep him all to herself. On the contrary, if she had the chance to help her sisters in the Port District obtain rings, Laffey would definitely be willing to help.
Like Saratoga. As a senior member of the White Eagle, a mainstay of the Port District, and a powerful frontline aircraft carrier, she had been very popular with the Commander when she first arrived at the Port District because of her powerful naval guns and bombing firepower. She had received lots of clothes from him, served as secretary ship for a long time, and never missed a sortie or exercise.
Though she was a senior and a powerful mainstay, Saratoga had none of a senior's airs. She was cheerful, loved joking around, and could play even with little destroyer girls and submarine girls. When faced with the Commander's teasing, she would not swallow her anger like some shy Ship-Girls. She would prank him in return, but she was also bold enough to express the love in her heart.
Yet even such an outstanding Saratoga had failed to receive the Commander's ring. Instead, the always gentle and virtuous Lexington had overtaken her. Less than a month after arriving at the Port District, Lexington had received a wedding ring from the Commander.
Even now, whenever she thought of it—thought of Saratoga's stunned expression when she saw Lexington's wedding ring on her ring finger—Laffey's heart ached for poor Saratoga.
But now, if Saratoga could come to this world and find the Commander, she would definitely receive a ring personally given by him, right?
So Laffey felt that the Commander being willing to give out rings was something worth being happy about no matter how she looked at it.
Laffey was delighted, but the other three were not in nearly such high spirits.
Fu Hua especially. The instant she saw the kiss mark on Ye Ming's face, a terrifying impulse rose in her heart: to simply use the Feather of the Passing World to alter this guy's memories, stuff herself into his mind, and turn him into her little plushie whose head was filled entirely with her.
Of course, an impulse was only an impulse. Fu Hua could not actually do something like that. Otherwise, after accompanying Ye Ming in this world for so many years, she would have done it long ago if she had wanted to. There would have been no need to wait until now.
Unfortunately, Fu Hua still valued memories greatly. As an immortal who had once guarded Shenzhou for a thousand years in accordance with a promise, she had her own pride and principles. She simply disdained to do something as despicable as altering memories.
But disdain was one thing. Seeing the kiss mark on Ye Ming's face, Fu Hua could not help thinking that if the person standing here now were not her, but that person, then she would probably have used the Feather of the Passing World without hesitation to alter Ye Ming's memories the very first time they met.
If that had happened, would the two of them be happy by now? Would they still have ended up in this terrible situation that made no one happy no matter how they looked at it?
Fu Hua did not know. But for the first time, she felt that perhaps being a carefree child was not so bad.
For a time, countless thoughts ran through Fu Hua's mind, and she remained silent for a long while.
While Fu Hua fell silent, Yae Sakura had already gone numb.
She had originally thought that all she needed was to patiently look for opportunities: chance encounters, starting conversations, getting acquainted, then slowly nurturing love through spending day after day together. Finally, with the Shrine Maiden's beauty and wisdom, she could take the initiative to confess and win Ye Ming in one stroke. Yet the romance game that should have been simple enough to clear by steamrolling ahead had suddenly produced competitor after competitor. She had thought Okita Souji and Fu Hua, his childhood friend, were the greatest enemies. But after being apart for only one day, the person she liked had somehow gained a wife without any warning.
The crushing blow plunged Yae Sakura into deep self-doubt.
Compared with Fu Hua's silence and Yae Sakura's self-doubt, Okita Souji's expression was very calm.
As an outstanding swordswoman who had made her way through the bloodshed and chaos of the Bakumatsu, Souji's mental fortitude and ability to withstand blows were absolutely first-rate. Moreover, back in Chaldea, she had already noticed that she was not the only Heroic Spirit who liked Ye Ming. Since she had been prepared, Souji remained relatively calm when she saw the kiss mark on Ye Ming's face.
Yet beneath that outward calm, Souji's hands resting on her lap had unconsciously clenched, as though gripping a sword about to leave its sheath. Her knuckles had turned slightly white from the force.
The three women in the living room each had their own thoughts and remained silent. For a moment, the atmosphere in the living room grew somewhat heavy.
"Commander, hug Laffey."
Laffey broke the silence.
Climbing down from Fu Hua's lap, Laffey tugged at the bunny ears atop her head. The bunny ears that had been drooping listlessly sprang upright with a burst of energy as soon as she tugged and released them.
Laffey ran to Ye Ming, grabbed his hand, and shook it hard. "Commander, Commander, Laffey wants to sleep with the Commander tonight. Laffey wants to hear a story! Can the Commander tell stories?"
Adorable Laffey, angelic Laffey, the Commander's thoughtful little darling.
How could Ye Ming possibly refuse a request from such an adorable Laffey?
"I can! Of course the Commander can tell stories!"
Ye Ming picked Laffey up and readily agreed.
"Then Laffey wants to hear one now!" Laffey was delighted. "Laffey and Sister Fu Hua waited a long time for the Commander. Laffey is already very sleepy. Let's go to the bedroom."
As she spoke, Laffey wriggled in Ye Ming's arms, turned toward the three women in the living room, and waved. "Laffey is going to sleep first. Sister Fu Hua, Sister Yae Sakura, Sister Okita, see you tomorrow."
After saying that, Laffey turned back, squeezed Ye Ming's nose hard, and said seriously, "The Commander has to apologize to Sister Fu Hua tomorrow. You came back so late without even sending a message, and you made Sister Fu Hua worry the whole time."
As she spoke, Laffey yawned. "Mmm~ Commander, hurry back to the bedroom. Laffey is so sleepy."
What could Ye Ming even say?
Laffey truly was an adorable little angel.
Holding little Laffey, Ye Ming was deeply moved.
But it was still so awkward.
Ye Ming raised a hand and wiped away the kiss mark on his face. Thinking of Keqing's farewell kiss outside the hotel, he felt both annoyed and amused.
Keqing, you really outdid yourself!
P.S. Third update complete. Please vote! (Pretending this is a bonus update.)
P.S. 2: Some details were already hinted at in earlier chapters, so don't just make up settings on your own!
Let's Look Through Every Game
Since he had already showered at Keqing's place before returning home, there was no need to wash up again. Ye Ming directly carried Laffey to the guest bedroom, shut the door, and blocked the three women's gazes outside.
The moment the door closed, Ye Ming immediately felt more relaxed.
To be honest, he still felt a little awkward around Fu Hua. It would have been fine if they had talked things through, but Fu Hua's ambiguous answer had left Ye Ming genuinely unsure of what to do. When he told her over the phone earlier that he was with his wife Keqing, he had appeared calm on the surface, but in truth, he had worked up a great deal of courage.
However, that ease was only temporary. Once the two outsiders in the living room, Yae Sakura and the pink-haired girl, had left, Ye Ming still needed to talk with Fu Hua. Since he and Keqing had already confirmed their relationship, and Keqing was willing to come live here, Ye Ming naturally needed to give Keqing an answer and make arrangements in advance.
Avoiding a problem might bring temporary relief, but only facing it and solving it would let him live with peace of mind.
Ye Ming had always believed that.
So Ye Ming decided that after Laffey fell asleep tonight, he would go knock on Fu Hua's door and tell her in her room that Keqing would be coming over. And if possible, Ye Ming also intended to test Fu Hua's attitude again and try to get a clear response.
The atmosphere might be a little awkward then, but they were both adults, and they were childhood friends who knew each other deeply. They both understood how to conduct themselves and act with restraint. Even if they could not reach an agreement, they could probably still tacitly leave each other room to maneuver, and nothing unexpected would happen.
When it came down to it, feelings were all about mutual affection and mutual willingness. Fu Hua might be quite strong, but she was still only an ordinary person. She could not possibly alter his memories with the Feather of the Passing World like Fu Hua in the game, could she?
Then again, even Fu Hua from the game would basically never do something like that. Only Senti could pull something like that off.
"Commander, tell story. Sleep."
Laffey's voice in his arms brought Ye Ming back to himself. Temporarily setting his worries aside, he lowered his head and rubbed against Laffey's soft little cheek, smiling. "All right. Once I change into my pajamas, I'll tell Laffey a story."
"Mm."
Laffey nodded. Without Ye Ming needing to say anything else, she obediently climbed down from his arms, crawled onto the bed by herself, lay down, and looked at him with expectant eyes.
Ye Ming turned off the lights, changed into pajamas, lay down on the bed, and asked Laffey, "What story does Laffey want to hear?"
"A scary story."
Laffey curled up in Ye Ming's arms. Her eyes sparkled, and she had clearly thought it through long ago. "After Laffey hears it, when Nimi disturbs Laffey's sleep in the future, Laffey will tell it to Nimi."
Nimi was one of Azure Lane's Big Four, an Iron Blood destroyer with the personality of a very serious little adult.
"Sure!"
After thinking for only a moment, Ye Ming came up with suitable material and began slowly. "Then the Commander will tell you about Eren eating... forget it, that's too disgusting. The Commander will tell you a scary story about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs instead."
"Legend has it that a very, very long time ago, in a forest, there lived..."
Though she had said she wanted to hear a story, how could a sleepy little girl properly listen through an entire one? Before Ye Ming had even told half the story, Laffey in his arms had closed her eyes at some point. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed evenly.
Little sleeping Laffey looked so peaceful, and her sleeping face was indescribably adorable.
Holding Laffey, Ye Ming, who was not even officially married yet, somehow felt as though he were raising a daughter.
Carefully lifting Laffey off himself and placing her on the bed, Ye Ming tucked her in. Looking at the little girl's innocent sleeping face and recalling what had happened in the living room, he felt deeply moved.
Laffey was still only a little girl. Usually, she always looked dazed and unmotivated, and in many matters she was as ignorant as girls her age. For example, she had hidden Chocolate against her chest and secretly climbed onto the Commander's bed in the middle of the night to tempt him into eating the Chocolate and Laffey together. But Laffey had only done such things after learning them from other Ship-Girls. As for what those actions truly meant and what would happen afterward, Laffey was utterly clueless.
Yet muddleheaded, innocent Laffey could always help the Commander out at crucial moments. For instance, after Fu Hua confessed and Ye Ming made his stance clear the day before yesterday, it was Laffey who appeared in time and broke the awkward atmosphere.
And tonight, Laffey had helped Ye Ming out again.
So even now, Ye Ming was not quite sure whether Laffey was truly muddleheaded or only pretending to be. Was little Laffey really a confused little girl who understood nothing, or a clever little girl who understood everything perfectly?
Those two seemingly mismatched traits, muddleheadedness and cleverness, somehow did not feel out of place on Laffey at all. Ye Ming felt that no matter what kind of Laffey she was, she was his little princess—the most adorable Laffey.
Ye Ming gently kissed Laffey's cheek, sat up, felt around for the phone on the bedside table, and turned it on.
It was fully charged, and the three games he had started downloading before telling Laffey her story had all finished downloading.
Ye Ming opened Genshin Impact first, entered his account, and tapped log in. Sure enough, he encountered the same situation as with Azure Lane—his account did not exist.
After checking carefully, he found that all his past spending records had been replaced with other purchases, while the screenshots he had previously posted online had all disappeared.
Ye Ming had expected this long ago, so he was not surprised. After exiting Genshin Impact's login screen, he opened the Honkai Gakuen client again—his account was still there.
To be honest, after Laffey and Keqing appeared one after another, Ye Ming had once suspected that Fu Hua and Yae Sakura, especially Yae Sakura who had suddenly appeared, might be connected to the Yae Sakura from the game. But the untouched Honkai Gakuen account proved that he had indeed been overthinking things.
Since the account was still there, Ye Ming lost interest in looking further. He logged out, uninstalled Genshin Impact and Honkai Gakuen, then opened the final downloaded game—Fate/Grand Order.
He entered his account and password and logged in successfully. Ye Ming let out a sigh of relief, but also felt somewhat disappointed.
Had only the girls from Azure Lane and Genshin Impact crossed over?
Remembering the fleeting suspicion he had felt when he saw the pink-haired girl who seemed to be Okita Souji in the living room upon returning home, Ye Ming sighed.
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