95: Chapter 95 Hello, Cano

It was another evening.

Li Ming could already see the returning fleet from a distance.

The blue-haired Ship Girl reflected an orange-red glow under the setting sun.

She was a quite energetic girl, reminding him of Leica, though she seemed much more active than Leica.

“Hello, I am Li Ming. May I ask your name, miss?” Li Ming took the initiative to step forward and extend his hand.

“Hello...” Although she was a bit flattered, she quickly reached out and shook Li Ming's hand. “My name is Kano, the super cruiser Kano. I don't have a surname.”

“Um... by 'may I ask your name,' I just meant what is your name,” Li Ming explained.

On him, Kano smelled a scent... like someone who had just spent time in a kitchen, mixed with the fragrant aroma of food.

“Commander Li Ming, have you already eaten?”

“Not yet... I was waiting for you and Z23 to arrive.” Li Ming shook his head. “Since you're back, we can naturally start dinner.”

“Eh... wait, waiting for me?” Kano was somewhat surprised.

Z23 had just finished coordinating the fleet's entry into the port and was only now stepping onto the breakwater.

“Commander, I'm back!”

“Welcome back, my Nimi!” Li Ming's attention was immediately drawn to Z23. “Dinner is almost ready, go wash your hands.”

“Okay, then I'll have to trouble the Commander.”

So, was Commander Li Ming just cooking?

A Commander cooking?

While it wasn't too unusual for the position of Commander, it was very rare if you added the layer of being a faction leader.

“Miss Kano, come with us... do you drink alcohol?”

“Ah, no thank you!” Kano waved her hands repeatedly. “I'll just have juice...”

“Alright then...” Li Ming pointed toward the interior of the harbor, then took the lead, walking inside while leaning on his Tang dao.

Z23 followed behind, while Kano paused for a moment, glanced at the Yellow Chickens working quietly around them, and then jogged a few steps to catch up.

He seems like a pretty good leader.

According to the reception plan, Fujian was waiting for their arrival at the main entrance of the office building.

“Miss Kano, this is Fujian.”

“Hello, Miss Kano.” Fujian wasn't carrying her bow; she was dressed formally and took the initiative to reach out. “Welcome to Plata Port.”

“Hello, hello!”

This was the first time she had met a Ship Girl whose aura and pressure rivaled the Director's, even without any hint of anger.

She hurried to shake hands, but Fujian didn't put on any airs of majesty. “No need to be so formal, please come in. Dinner is already prepared.”

“Oh, thank you for the trouble!”

Following everyone into a room in the office building used as a lounge, A6 and Javelin had just finished setting the plates and were starting to prepare the bowls and chopsticks.

“Question: why does the Superior's rice intake fluctuate so much?”

“Hmm...” Ayanami thought for a moment. “Some dishes are particularly to the Commander's taste, so he plans to eat more, yes.”

“Query: why not only make the dishes he likes?”

“Because he would get tired of it, yes. The Commander once said he had eaten fried rice for three months straight, yes.”

A6 nodded and then placed the bowls on the table.

Kano stood by the door; she had naturally overheard the exchange, and then she saw Li Ming pick up the little girl who had been asking the questions.

“First of all, I don't eat that much, and secondly, gossiping about people behind their backs isn't a good habit.”

A6 was like a dead fish, being held up by Li Ming's hands while she stared at him.

Li Ming gave an awkward laugh and quickly put her down. “Fine, I guess I like gossiping about others too.”

“Please take a seat, Miss Kano.”

Sitting in the middle of this family-like group, Kano felt a bit uneasy; I'm the only outsider here.

“Don't feel like a stranger, Miss Kano, please enjoy,” Z23 said softly.

Kano nodded quickly and picked up her chopsticks—fortunately, she often went to Longchuan Workshop to eat and drink, so she knew how to use them.

If there were no surprises, was this the handicraft of this Commander Li Ming?

Compared to those master chefs, it wasn't particularly outstanding, but it was quite good for home cooking.

It seemed like no one was paying special attention to her?

The Ship Girls chatted and ate around Li Ming; A6 listened quietly, as did Fujian, while Laffey dozed off, and Z23 and Ayanami acted more as listeners.

The main source of sound was Javelin.

It seemed like a normal way for a Commander and Ship Girls to interact. Kano felt there was no problem with it.

Seeing that no one was focusing on her, she was happy to be at ease and relaxed her mind to start eating.

As expected, Remnant cuisine is still quite good.

But in the report the Director gave, wasn't Commander Li Ming not a Remnant, but someone from another continent group?

Forget it, whatever, eating is definitely the most important thing.

“Um, Miss Kano?”

With a mouthful of seaweed, Kano wore a dazed expression as she looked at Li Ming, waiting for his next words.

“It's nothing, since we're chatting, why not join in?” Li Ming said, while pulling another can of coconut juice from under the table. “We were talking about some things from the past.”

“Ah haha, so it's about the past?...” Kano swallowed the seaweed. “Uh... is that the kind of thing I'm allowed to hear?”

“It's no big deal, just some embarrassing stories from when I was in school.” Li Ming smiled, looking a bit awkward.

Is it that kind of socially embarrassing story? Then it's fine...

Wait, isn't that even worse?! I'll really die if I hear this, right? I'll be silenced, won't I?!”

But the Director's mission is still there...

Kano's face took on a bit of a tragic, heroic look, leaving everyone stunned. “Please go ahead, I will listen seriously...”

Li Ming looked toward Fujian beside him and received an equally bewildered expression.

“Why does Miss Kano look like she's about to be sent to the execution ground...” Javelin remarked. “Anyway, Commander, what happened next?”

“Uh, then...” Li Ming thought for a while. “Then I hid on the second floor of the library. Back in middle school, I had so much energy. Even though my homeroom teacher, that Chen the Demoness, wouldn't allow it, who could control us during activity time...”

Seeing everyone's attention drawn away by Li Ming's story, Kano breathed a sigh of relief.

Is he telling a story from his middle school days? Seeing how mature he looks, he must be in his thirties, right? And yet he can remember it so clearly...

Wait a minute, I remember the Director's files said he was only eighteen?

*Hiss...*

That's even weirder, right?! An eighteen-year-old leader?!”

“Miss Kano?”

“Ah, it's nothing, nothing. Please continue...” Kano hurriedly waved her hands.

“Uh... are you okay?” Li Ming asked, seeing her acting so jumpy. “Do you want me to call a medic?”

“That... I'm really fine...” Kano awkwardly twiddled her fingers.

...

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