Fine, you're a good person, you can come to my wedding

In the end, old Rogge gave up competing with Sarah for the right to host Li Ke.

But before the party ended and he left, he said a few words to Li Ke, roughly meaning that he hoped Li Ke would visit him when he left Bilgewater, and that he should treat Li Ke well to repay Li Ke's kindness.

But in reality, Li Ke himself didn't care that much. For Li Ke, the old Rogge matter was just a small favor; after all, what difference did it make whose goods he bought?

To put it bluntly, Li Ke was being a bit too kind. He maintained his goodwill without considering his current status or what his kindness might represent.

This is probably because Li Ke and Jinx have spent so much time together?

Bilgewater's Upper City is divided into several areas, and Sarah's territory is quite large, located in the northern part of the Upper City, a magnificent manor.

"Bilgewater has places like this? The greenery here is even more beautiful than Zaun."

Jinx touched her chin, bent over and muttered to herself as she stood in front of the stone tablet, looking at the manor in front of her with a curious expression.

"You like this? Then I'll give it to you." Sarah stood behind her, one hand on her hip, introducing her territory to Li Ke. Upon hearing this, she immediately ignored Li Ke and turned to Jinx to speak.

Li Ke, who was completely ignored by Sarah, simply said, "."

It's hard to believe Jinx is so popular. She was the most popular character back in Zaun, wasn't she?

In Zaun, aside from Vander and Silco, it seems like not many people really like Jinx.

Li Ke smiled as he watched Jinx's annoyed expression. Jinx waved to Sarah, pouted, and blew a strand of hair from her forehead, saying, "I'll say it again, Pirate, I don't like women."

"You seem to have misunderstood something, Jinx. I just wanted to express my gratitude. You fixed my gun, and we'll be business partners in the future. This gift is nothing." Sarah sighed, somewhat speechless at Jinx's wariness of her.

Does she like women?

Of course I like her! Who in this world doesn't like an energetic, cute, and pretty girl?

However, Sarah's feelings of liking were different from Jinx's understanding of liking. She also understood what Jinx meant by liking. Bidao was very open-minded in this regard, with incredibly progressive sexual ideas, but Sarah had no such thoughts.

She's perfectly normal, abnormally normal!

No matter how she explained that she was too excited before kissing Jinx and hoped to gain Jinx's forgiveness, Jinx would always give her a disdainful look.

"Li Ke, I'm hungry, I want to eat dinner!" Jinx ignored Sarah and walked into Sarah's manor.

With her long legs and gliding steps, Jinx acted as if she were in her own home.

"Didn't you just eat a lot of snacks at the tavern?" Li Ke followed and said.

"How can snacks fill me up? I haven't eaten any of your cooking all day. I had two apples on the boat at noon, and some dried meat and salted fish for dinner. Of course I'm hungry!"

"Sarah, where's the kitchen?" Li Ke thought for a moment and realized he had the idea.

Jinx's appetite is inversely proportional to her appearance; she looks thin, but she can actually eat a lot!

Sarah pointed to a spot, and then Jinx and Li Ke walked straight there.

The two walked into the manor's kitchen, acting as if they were at home.

After Sarah and Rafen exchanged a glance, Rafen burst out laughing.

"Looks like there's something fishy about this Zaunite?" The second-in-command pointed to his temple and said with a laugh, "If I remember correctly, this is your house, Captain?"

Sarah laughed, shrugged, and said, "It's alright, I wasn't joking. If she likes this place, I'll give it to her. After all, I'd much rather sleep on my own boat than live in this run-down manor."

"Besides, with our cooperation with Zaun, Rafen, we can speed up what we need to do."

"But we still haven't heard from Gangplank." Rafen's smile faded after hearing Sarah's words.

With Zaun's help, that matter could indeed be carried out.

Funding has always been a major problem for Sarah's team, but if Zaun is willing to sponsor them, they will have no worries.

Gangplank's violent rule over Bilgewater is a thing of the past, and thanks to Sarah's efforts, his reputation has been significantly diminished.

If that plan succeeds, then in the future, there will be no more Gangplank in this sea area, and everyone will witness Gangplank's demise. Sarah has been planning for this for several years.

She risked everything, standing on the edge of death countless times, all for this one thing.

Rafen and a group of Sarah's men all knew about this and were willing to risk their lives for this beauty.

"And there's another problem, Captain."

"Explain."

"And what should we do with the true beings of Buhru?" Rafen asked, frowning. He continued, "The relationship between Gangplank and Illaoi is common knowledge."

Sarah fell silent after hearing this.

Rafen is right; many people on Bilgewater know that Gangplank and Illaoi were once lovers.

Gangplank is indeed formidable, ruthless, and cunning, but that alone is not enough to establish himself in Bilgewater and become a sea emperor.

His ability to become a maritime emperor was largely due to the support of the Buhru people behind the scenes.

Illaoi was the highest-ranking True Man among the Buhru.

"Let's take it one step at a time. They were lovers in the past, not necessarily now," Sarah sighed and said.

There's so much to deal with. Looking at it now, it's fucking overwhelming!

Most importantly, Sarah did not believe that Bilgewater would be better off after Gangplank was overthrown.

In the end, she still needs to fight those bastards eager to take over. The real battle for supremacy in Bilgewater is not about overthrowing that bastard king of bandits, but about how to maintain the balance of power in Bilgewater after the king of pirates falls.

Every sailor knows one thing: when a whale dies, the sea doesn't become calm; instead, it becomes restless. Big fish and small fish alike will come to get a piece of the pie, and even the smallest fish will go crazy, seeking opportunities.

Sarah sighed again as she thought about it.

"Alright, stop sighing," Rafen said, amused. "You know what? This is your sixteenth sigh today."

Are there that many?

"I'm your deputy, and I'm watching you closely, more so than ever."

Sarah smiled and said nothing more.

Rafen gave a couple more words of encouragement, and then he left.

Sarah walked towards the kitchen, her hands behind her back and holding two guns.

As she approached, she heard sounds coming from the kitchen.

"Li Ke, can we eat this fish head? It's such a delicate little thing!"

"No, you can only eat the fish meat, why do you want to eat the fish head?"

"I've never eaten this kind of fish before! Look at those eyes, they're like light bulbs, and that mouth, the teeth are really sharp!"

"If you really want to eat it, then I'll make it just for you."

"Oh"

Sarah heard the sound and went into the kitchen.

Then she saw someone holding a fish head, opening the lid of a pot on the stove that was bubbling and turning, and sneakily preparing to put the fish head inside.

"Jinx." Li Ke, of course, noticed Jinx's behavior and called out speechlessly.

Why does Jinx always crave strange and unusual things?

Muddy Frog, Blackwater rat meat, and now this slimy, disgusting-looking fish head.

"I didn't put it in! I just... I just toasted it!" Jinx said defiantly.

Sarah watched this scene with amusement, walked in, and asked, "Mr. Li Ke, is there any dinner for me?"

"I haven't had a hot, cooked meal in ages. Bilgewater people can fill their stomachs just by drinking alcohol."

"This isn't cooking, it's hot pot," Jinx said, holding up a fish head.

"Hot pot?" Sarah raised an eyebrow.

Li Ke, who was preparing vegetables nearby, explained, "It's just about preparing the ingredients, and then you can cook whatever you want to eat."

Sarah nodded, but still didn't understand.

Is there any difference between this and cooking fish normally?

But she soon understood what hot pot meant.

Because Li Ke had already prepared the broth, adding seasonings he brought from Zaun, Li Ke picked up the still-hot pot Sarah, its edges glowing red, and placed it on the stone table in the center. A shelf was built on the stone table using stacked iron sheets.

The pot was placed on a rack, and burning coals were placed inside the iron plate.

This is the first time I've ever seen Sarah eat like this.

Jinx, however, had already taken her seat at the table with practiced ease.

Jinx rarely eats hot pot, because Li Ke only makes it on important holidays. Isha is always very happy when he makes it, and Silco comes over for a free meal after hearing the news.

Vander sometimes wanted to come, but his disheartened little darling Jinx wouldn't allow it.

Because Vander doesn't need to eat!

He was just there to join in the fun. If he was just there to join in the fun, Jinx certainly wouldn't have stopped him from coming, after all, he was her father. But every time Vander came, he would eat a lot of food, saying it was to go with his drinks.

Hateful!

Do you even have a sense of taste?! You're using this as a snack with alcohol?!

You probably only feel dizzy when you drink alcohol, right?!

Perhaps because of Vander, Jinx has a particular fondness for hot pot.

Opening her backpack, Jinx took out her blue cat-themed three-piece set: a blue bowl, a blue plate, and a blue cat-themed water bottle.

She then rummaged inside and took out the cat-ear hat, then walked over to Li Ke and put it on Li Ke.

"Why did you bring so many strange things?" Sarah asked, noticing the beautiful blue kitchenware.

I can't understand

"We're here on vacation, what else would we bring?" Jinx said, clapping her hands as she watched Li Ke obediently put on the cat-ear hat.

Sarah listened, but didn't voice the question she wanted to ask—tourism? Why come to Bilgewater for tourism?

Instead, he went to the stone table and looked up at the boiling pot.

The pot was bubbling away, and under the milky white broth, the bones were being pushed and turned by the bubbles, along with some vegetables and other things.

Sarah twitched her nose, and her eyes lit up.

"It smells so good!"

Jinx glanced at her, then went to help Li Ke, carrying plates piled high with meat and various fruits and vegetables. One plate after another was placed on the table, and Sarah's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Li Ke wiped his hands with a cloth, but they still felt sticky.

But there's no way around it. Freshwater resources in Bilgewater are even more precious than in Zaun. It's obviously impossible to wash your hands with fresh water. After all, Li Ke just checked and there was indeed fresh water in the kitchen water tank, but it was already infested with insects.

Therefore, Li Ke used the drinking water from his backpack to cook.

"Sarah, put whatever you want in. Hot pot is all about being casual, so don't be shy."

"Hmm, but don't I have a plate?" Sarah nodded, took the wooden chopsticks from Li Ke, and then spoke.

"..." Li Ke was taken aback, then laughed. He reached out and pushed his bowl over, then took the blue cat paw plate from Jinx.

Jinx didn't stop her, because she was already doing it. She used chopsticks to pick up slices of fish, put them into the pot to blanch, and after about five or six seconds, she withdrew her hand, blew on the rolled-up fish slices with her small mouth, stuffed them into her mouth, and then made faces.

"It's hot! It's so hot!"

"If it's too hot, can't you let it cool down for a while?" Li Ke said speechlessly.

Table manners are something Jinx has never been involved with in her life; she eats like a starving ghost. Vi and Jinx, these two sisters, are all about following along.

Sarah imitated Jinx's actions, picking up a piece of fish and putting it in the pot to blanch. The fish rolled up, and she picked up her chopsticks, then blew on the fish to cool it down before putting it in her mouth.

As Sarah chewed the fish, her eyes brightened and a smile appeared on her lips. She said, "It's delicious."

The fish fillets were smooth and tender, with a salty-sweet flavor and a hint of spiciness.

Does this contain a lot of special spices?

Sarah thought about it and realized that Jinx was telling the truth.

She and Li Ke were indeed on vacation!

Otherwise, why would they bring so many spices and cooking utensils?

Sarah picked up a piece of vegetable and ate it. With her chopsticks in her mouth, she found that the vegetable seemed to taste better than the fish.

The flavor was even stronger, so she put the chopsticks she had been holding into the pot, preparing to pick up a piece of vegetable.

Jinx, seeing this, started grumbling. "Please don't hold chopsticks in your mouth, or use a different pair of chopsticks when you pick up food!"

"Huh?" Sarah asked, puzzled.

"What are you humming about? Your saliva's all in the pot! Do you want us to eat your saliva?" Jinx said, looking at Sarah with a serious expression.

Li Ke was listening nearby, glanced at the pot and then at Sarah.

Because of the heat and the need to bend down to eat, Sarah tied her red hair back.

Sarah, without her coat, is undoubtedly the epitome of sexiness. Putting aside her stunning figure, her pretty face, the few messy tufts of hair on her snow-white neck, and her delicate collarbone alone are enough to evoke endless fantasies.

To be honest, Li Ke doesn't seem to mind at all.

Although Jinx learned this phrase from him, because once when Malson came to his house for a meal, Li Ke told him to use two pairs of chopsticks, because that guy liked to make noise while eating and especially liked to hold chopsticks in his mouth.

Well, in the end, it's all because of our looks.

Of course, Li Ke wouldn't say this out loud, otherwise Jinx would cause trouble again.

She's a typical jealous person, easily getting upset over the smallest things, but who can blame her for making that choice?

Li Ke thought to himself with amusement.

Sarah blushed slightly after Jinx said that, and apologetically put away her chopsticks. She picked up another pair of chopsticks and did exactly as Jinx said.

"I'm not very familiar with these rules, and this is my first time eating like this," Sarah said with a smile. "It's really delicious, and it feels nice to eat together as a group."

"Hot pot is best enjoyed in a lively and bustling atmosphere," Li Ke said, picking up a piece of mutton.

"Sarah, you can send someone to Zaun later. Silco will understand once he sees the letter."

"Okay, sure." Sarah nodded, then put down her chopsticks and asked, "Li Ke, how long do you and Jinx plan to stay in Bilgewater?"

"We'll leave in a few days. Bilgewater isn't our destination; we're going to Ionia then," Li Ke said.

Sarah frowned slightly upon hearing this. "Ionia?"

"That place has just finished a war, and according to my information, the locals are extremely xenophobic now. You can go, but the people on the island hate outsiders."

"War destroyed their homes and changed them, Ionia. Many people no longer cherish peace but instead pursue violence."

She picked up a piece of meat and continued, "Ionia have been coming to Bilgewater frequently lately, and there are quite a few Ionia working at the Slaughter Docks."

"It's okay, we don't need to interact with the locals. We're just going to see the sights, take care of some business, and have some fun."

"Do you need me to send someone to take you there?" Sarah asked.

She asked Li Ke when he was leaving because after Li Ke and Jinx left, Zaun's money would arrive, and she would begin her operation.

If possible, Sarah would rather not involve Zaun, especially Jinx.

Going to war with Gangplank would throw Bilgewater into chaos, leaving her vulnerable and unable to send anyone to protect Li Ke and Jinx.

Sarah actually had another question she really wanted to ask: how did these two dare to go out alone?

Noxus still has many soldiers left behind in Ionia. Although there is no longer large-scale warfare there, small-scale fighting continues. It would be very dangerous for Li Ke and Jinx to go there, wouldn't it?

But now, hearing that Li Ke and Jinx would be leaving Bilgewater in a few days, Sarah breathed a sigh of relief.

She was worried that the two of them planned to stay on the island for a long time.

She smiled and said, "Then I hope you have a great time."

Hearing Sarah say that, Jinx, who had some reservations about Sarah, lowered her head, then looked up and said, "Okay, I don't really like you, but you're actually quite nice."

Sarah offered to give Jinx a house and lend her a kitchen, and Sarah's actions made Jinx feel a bit like Vi.

Another point is that Jinx discovers Sarah genuinely had no intention of seducing Li Ke.

So she chose to forgive this impulsive woman for kissing her!

Jinx's personality is such that if you treat her well, she will treat you well in return. Even if the whole world is against you, she will come to your side, pick up Fishbones, and fight the world for you.

As for why she's making enemies of the whole world, well, don't ask. It's definitely not Jinx's fault.

Anyway, the blue-haired little madwoman's world is really small, small enough to hold just one person, and that person becomes her whole world.

Now, Jinx plans to bring Sarah in as her first friend during her travels!

"I'll allow you to attend my wedding with Li Ke," Jinx said earnestly, putting down her bowl.

Li Ke, standing to the side, covered his face with his hand, amused and exasperated.

Ever since Jinx treated the trip she took out as a honeymoon, she's been talking about marriage all the time.

She was as if she was afraid Li Ke wouldn't marry her. But if Li Ke didn't marry her, who could he marry?

They've already kissed, and touched everything that was supposed to be touched. It's not large, but it's round and bouncy; saying it's nice to touch isn't an exaggeration. Besides, didn't Jinx also touch Li Ke all over?

"When is the wedding?" Sarah nodded and asked.

Will she attend the wedding? If she's still alive by then, then she will.

Jinx fixed her gun, so she's already a benefactor to Sarah. Sarah is the kind of person who always repays kindness, which is why her men are willing to risk their lives for her.

Because Sarah wouldn't let them suffer; even if they died, Sarah would avenge them.

"When Li Ke and I get back to Zaun," Jinx said.

That's right, in Xiao Jin's mind, the day she returns to Zaun after her trip is the day she gets married!

But the problem is, who gets married right after their honeymoon?

Aren't they all married and then enjoying their time as a couple?

Ultimately, Jinx still doesn't understand these principles.

Li Ke ate his food without saying a word, but his silence was his answer.

"Then, I'll wait~" Sarah said with a smile.

Sarah was very happy today; she felt she had to go to the dock to offer sacrifices to the Bearded Lady and give thanks for the good fortune it had brought.

Today is truly her lucky day.

The funding problem was solved, the mother's belongings were restored, and we were even able to enjoy such delicious meals.

Thinking it over, Sarah got up, walked out of the kitchen, and came back carrying two bottles of liquor. With a smile, she said, "Consider this my early congratulations on your marriage. Besides, such a delicious meal wouldn't be complete without some drinks. The stuff you get at Blackfire Stone isn't real liquor. Try mine! Tonight, we won't leave until we're drunk!"

"Me too?" Jinx looked at Li Ke and pointed to her own face.

"Don't drink too much," Li Ke said after thinking for a moment.

"Oh, great!" Jinx jumped up, ran to Sarah, and snatched the drink.

Sarah set the glass down and began pouring the wine.

She felt something was off as she picked up the drink; she was a very cautious person, otherwise she wouldn't have survived in Bilgewater this long, but she didn't know why.

She simply found Li Ke agreeable and felt Li Ke was someone she could trust and get along with. For some inexplicable reason, she developed a strong liking for Li Ke, even though she actually disliked men. And when she looked at Jinx, she saw a reflection of herself in Jinx – her fiery, fearless nature – which led her to develop feelings for Jinx.

In conclusion

Sarah suddenly realized something: getting to know someone, forming a friendship, isn't about timing, but about first impressions.

Because when fate brings you together, then time and such things become completely unimportant.

And now, the time has come.

Sarah smiled as she drank her wine, ate the meat that had just been put back into the pot, and even downed a bowl of thick, white soup.

Bearded Lady, you've taken my offerings; I hope you can do something in return.

Let me win this war, so that we can meet again in the future.

"May fate bring you together," Sarah said loudly, raising her glass.

"Oh!" Jinx didn't care about fate, but when it came to drinks, she was really good at supporting the party.

In the night breeze of Bigilwater, in the dark manor, an oil lamp was lit in the kitchen, casting a warm glow.

The sea breeze was salty and foul-smelling, but the house was filled with warmth and fragrance.