I really don't have money for the ship girls.

Ying Tian said, "I've thought about it, and I feel it will be very troublesome, but we can't not do it just because it's troublesome; that would be irresponsible."

"It seems that the master has made preparations."

As Belfast spoke, she took a pair of thin white gloves from her pocket and put them on, covering the snow-white color of her slender hands and the ring.

What's going on here?

“As the head maid of my master, and now a married ship myself, how can I cause trouble for my master?” Belfast blinked her left eye and said, “I’ll take off my gloves in a few days.”

Looking at Belfast's flawless face, Ying Tian felt even more guilty. He couldn't have wished for someone so sensible.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you."

“This is what I should do as the head maid, but…”

Belfast pouted her pink lips, revealing a rare coquettish and charming expression: "Now that I'm a marriage ship, I think it's not too much for Master to make some kind of physical compensation, is it?"

Ying Tian didn't speak, but instead took Belfast's hand and led her to a small grove of trees. The head maid's heart was pounding. She hadn't felt nervous even when she was cleaning the commander's body in Africa. Perhaps this was the power of emotion, which could transcend reason and elegance.

Ying Tian gently pressed Belfast's perfect body against the tree trunk, using both hands to protect her head and back, preventing her clothes from getting stained with the tree's dirt. He looked down at Belfast's flawless face, her cherry-red lips like a peeled lychee, tempting one to take a bite. The soft, supple touch of their bodies against each other sent a shiver down his spine. The beauty before him, whom he could now savor, was his marriage vessel, his wife, and his head maid for life. Ying Tian couldn't help but lower his head and press it against Belfast's flawless forehead, gently rubbing it.

"This is not compensation. You accepted my ring, so you are my wife and my wedding ship. Therefore, it is normal for me to be intimate with you. Compensation can only be given later."

"Yes, I am your wife."

Belfast parted her cherry lips slightly, exhaling a sweet breath between her slightly rapid breaths. Her eyes were like spring water, and she wrapped her arms around Yingtian's neck with the utmost allure, "Kiss me, please let me not be able to breathe."

Like firewood igniting a raging fire, Ying Tian kissed Belfast's pink lips. The cool jelly quickly turned into a warm pudding, like a spoon stirring a bouncy liquid. Belfast's body went limp, but her hands slid down Ying Tian's neck. With a slight pain, she groaned and tightly hugged Ying Tian's waist, as if she wanted to meld the man kissing her into her body.

They separated after a long time, both panting heavily. Belfast's face was as red as the afterglow of the rain. Ship girls don't need to breathe, so it was impossible to make her unable to breathe. But it didn't matter. Belfast's happy and absorbed expression was the best answer.

Ying Tian helped Belfast straighten her disheveled clothes and the twigs and debris on her back and hair, saying, "I was thinking of covering myself up, but I couldn't help myself..."

There's no way to control it, it's so soft, I can't control my hands at all.

Belfast straightened her collar, which Ying Tian had disheveled, and said softly, "It's already very good that Master thought of this."

"You make it sound like I'm careless. I'm a gentleman, okay?"

Belfast blinked and said, "I think Master must have had experience with tree-hugging before, which is why he can be so gentlemanly. Is it with Wales?"

Ying Tian awkwardly touched his nose, but still said truthfully, "Okay, he does have experience... it's Ron."

"I'm not the first one."

"actually……"

Belfast extended her slender finger and sealed Yingtian's lips with hers, smiling charmingly: "I'm not the first one, so, shall we do it again?"

The fire in his heart was reignited by the head maid, and Ying Tian pressed against Belfast's delicate body.

This time, the clothes may never be completely clean.

Chapter Thirty: Personnel Appointments

When the two returned, it was almost completely dark. The villa had central air conditioning. Ruihe was wearing a yellow tank top, her two white-stockinged legs swinging back and forth. She was chatting with her older sister Xianghe. The two sisters hadn't seen each other for several months and had endless things to talk about.

When Ruihe noticed Yingtian glancing at her, she shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. She looked down at her chest, where only a small cleavage was visible; her rounded shoulders and delicate collarbones seemed completely unrelated. She asked curiously, "Commander, is it not okay for me to dress like this?"

"No, I just glanced at it, why are you being so sensitive?"

Zuikaku is an energetic girl, but she is also surprisingly shy at times. Perhaps this should be called innocence.

Shoukaku chuckled and said, "Because women always pay special attention to the gaze of the men they like. Sometimes they get shy, and sometimes they're afraid they're not attractive enough."

Zuikaku blushed slightly, and the scene of Ying Tian lifting her chin earlier flashed through her mind, the commander's dark eyes seeming to sparkle with stars... Zuikaku quickly shook her head and said, "Sister, don't talk nonsense."

"Isn't that right?"

"Nothing much, it's just..." Zuikaku rambled on for a bit, then quickly changed the subject, asking loudly, "By the way, Commander, what were you and Belfast doing out there?"

"It's a secret, but you'll find out in a couple of days."

Ying Tian opened his specially made phone, found the Hong Kong chat software, and saw messages scrolling rapidly through the large group chat, with the content jumping around wildly.

Exeter: "You guys are going to be staying there for another three months, won't you get bored?"

Kariyong: "Yes, of course. Let alone three months, I'd be bored to death in a day, so there's no need to envy us."

Perseus: "One glance at Ding Zhen, and it's confirmed to be fake."

Suruga: "Agreed, it's so fake."

Kaliyong: "Hmph, it's all just slander and rumors. For a warrior, it's much more exciting to sail the seas and fight the Sirens. You don't even understand that. Sigh, I'm deeply worried about the development of the naval base."

Bremerton: "Be careful with the limits, or it will become increasingly hypocritical."

Paula: "There's a kind of hypocrisy about oil that I've never liked."

Kariyong: "They're getting anxious. The people who started making sweeping generalizations are getting anxious."

Tosa: "@Kalion, I heard that the Commander and Belfast went out together. What about you? Are you just chatting in the group out of boredom?"

Zara: "Poor child, he doesn't get the commander's favor."

Haguro: "We can only eat Belfast's leftovers now."

Kumano: "Even though she can't get any."

Kariyong was sitting in the room. She had been lying down, but suddenly sat up in bed and started typing rapidly on her phone.

I wouldn't stoop to eating that...

No, no, that's too weak an attack; it makes it seem like I'm panicking.

You can't even get scraps, no, you can't even see them...

No, no, that's too aggressive. I can't handle it if it provokes public outrage by making sweeping generalizations.

You actually dared to call the Commander a leftover? The Commander is petty? You're doomed...

It doesn’t seem to work either.

Carly Yong deleted a lot of her words, trying hard to come up with a statement that was both offensive and didn't involve generalizing.

At this moment, Ying Tian sent a message, changing the subject.

Ying Tian: "@All members, I have a few decisions to announce tonight at 7:30. I expect to lift the mute ban for all members at that time, so please pay attention."

Binjiang: "What decision?"

Tallinn: "So suddenly, Commander, could you reveal a little something first?"

Ying Tian: "It's nothing major, just some personnel appointments. You'll find out when the time comes."

Skyhawk: "Commander, you're keeping us in suspense. This won't do."

Suzuya: "By the way, do any of the sisters over there have any inside information? @Shokaku @Zuikaku @Hiryu @Soryu @Chitose @Chiyoda."

Chiyoda: "I don't know either. Wait, I'll go downstairs and see if the commander is back."

It was as if a stone had been thrown into a still pond, causing a great ripple. Although Ying Tian would occasionally say a few words in the group chat, he rarely talked about the operation of the naval base. Could it be that the Taihou incident had angered the commander?

Chaser: "Personnel appointments, could it be that some people are going to be laid off?"

Queen Elizabeth: "Hmph, it must be that the commander has discovered the majesty and ability of some people. I finally see the usefulness of my subjects."

Maryland: "Fine, make sweeping changes! I support the Commander no matter what, I want to see rivers of blood!"

The ship girls at the naval base were puzzled as to why Yingtian had suddenly made such a decision. The ship girls in the villa were even more curious. It was hard not to make connections between the fact that the commander had gone out with Belfast that afternoon and then made such a move.

Originally feeling a little embarrassed and annoyed that her topic had been overshadowed, Kaliyong suddenly jumped out of bed, waking up the sleeping Shangri-La.

What are you doing?

"Wake up, come down for dinner, there's something funny to see."

"What's so funny?"

"I don't know either, but it should be fun."

Everyone was resting and adjusting when suddenly they all crowded into the restaurant. Shoukaku and Yorktown had just started preparing dinner, but there was a lot of leftover food from lunch, so most of it could be heated up a bit.

Zhenhai walked to Yingtian's side. The woman with cascading black hair was wearing a dress that resembled a cheongsam, revealing her long and beautiful legs. A semi-transparent shawl was draped over her shoulders, half-concealing her face like a pipa player half-hiding her skin. As she helped Yingtian set the table, she asked, "By the way, what is the Commander planning to do? Can you give me a hint?"

“Zhenhai.” Ying Tian also saw more and more people appearing in the restaurant, so he said, “I think what you told me before is very true. If we want the garrison to operate more smoothly, we need to clarify the rights and responsibilities. Otherwise, it is easy to cause conflicts and oversights. Now that it has come to an end, let’s arrange things in the future to avoid any more unclear things.”

"I see..."

Zhenhai stroked his smooth chin, thinking that this was not a good time. He hadn't been in contact with the commander for long and hadn't been able to influence him much. How could he turn the situation around?

"Did you hear that? Something that's completely unclear."

Taihou snorted at Saratoga's teasing, then pounced on Yingtian's back, rubbing against it enthusiastically: "Commander, let Taihou be the secretary ship to redeem herself!"

"Dafeng, I appreciate your kindness."

"Commander~"

Ying Tian changed the subject: "But you really don't have that ability."

Taihou's pretty face stiffened for a moment, then she hugged Yingtian even tighter: "Commander, I can do it, I really can. I can give everything for you, my secretary ship, anything, as long as I can be with you, I'll do anything."

Ying Tian remained unmoved. He did intend to appoint a secretary ship, but he didn't want one that was only useful when there was work to be done. He wanted one that could actually get things done... But it didn't seem to be a problem.

Chapter Thirty-One: Norms, Norms, and Norms

After dinner, a large group of people sat on the restaurant, bar, and sofas on the first floor. Almost everyone had their phones with them. After all, it was more atmospheric to hear the commander announce it in person than to go back to their rooms. Even though they were in face-to-face, having to look at it on their phones felt strange, like sending a text message in person.

Saratoga leaned forward, intently observing Akagi and Richelieu. She had inquired with the company, but had no inside information. One sat with his sleeves tucked in, while the other looked solemn; neither seemed to have any particular thoughts.

"Jiajia, would you like an apple?" Lexington asked.

"Don't eat."

"I've peeled it."

"Then have a piece."

Saratoga used a toothpick to hold the sliced ​​apple her sister handed her, thinking to herself that her sister was too dishonest. She clearly wanted to help the Commander peel the apple, but she was too embarrassed to do so. Unlike herself, she confessed that she wanted to be the secretary ship. She believed that only the most mature, powerful, and trustworthy person could be the secretary ship. Saratoga felt it was her duty to rebuild the glory of the White Eagle carriers.

Some people held this view, while others like Kalion and Mercury Memorial didn't care much and just wanted to have some fun. After all, back in the naval base, the position of secretary ship wasn't exactly prestigious. Think about how many secretary ships there were, from Yukikaze, Noshiro, Eri, to Laffey—it was all the same old thing, just different names. Even Prince of Wales had his reasons: "What kind of squadron do I, a Royal Navy ship girl, lead? I lead the Eagle Union squadron! Who are you making me lead?" Even Malicious had been a secretary ship; could she really be one? She just slept and slacked off in the office all day; she didn't have the ability, you know?

Ying Tian took out his phone and muted everyone in the group chat, allowing only the group owner and administrators to speak.

Ying Tian: "Actually, it's not a big deal. It's just that a lot of accidents have happened recently. Although they all turned out alright in the end, they still caused a lot of delays. Accidents are normal, but we need to learn from them and make sure that this kind of thing doesn't happen again."

It was almost dinner time at the naval base. Because of the commander, many people didn't leave the canteen after finishing their meals. A large group creates a better atmosphere and allows for discussion.

Upon seeing Ying Tian's words, all eyes in the cafeteria immediately turned to several people, and there was a hushed chatter among them.

Bismarck put her phone aside and continued to eat the mango salmon salad with a blank expression. Prinz Eugen across from her gave her a wink, but Bismarck remained unmoved. Oversights are oversights, and she would just accept the ridicule. Besides, it was only this level of criticism. Compared to the mechanical dragon and the number of sorties, it was nothing... Well, Bismarck bit down hard on the salmon belly in her mouth. She would rather never have a mechanical dragon for the rest of her life than lose the Commander's trust.

Magdeburg kept his head down, Columbia was chugging his cola, Amagi remained calm, but Mikasa wouldn't stand up for it and shouted, "What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen the Meiji style before?"

San Francisco chuckled and said, "Never seen it before, never seen it before."

"Now you've seen it."

As Mikasa sat down, she thought to herself, "These Showa-era idiots, I'm the one who has to clean up their messes."

The messages in the group are still coming in.

Ying Tian: "Da Feng and the others will definitely be punished, at least to serve as a warning to others, but I don't want to talk about that now. I want to talk about something more important."

Ying Tian: "Zhen Hai reminded me before that the chaos in management was related to the ambiguity of power and responsibility. So I also bear responsibility. As the commander, I should have considered this aspect. Fortunately, it's not too late to make amends now. So I'd like to announce three personnel appointments here first."

"Three items?"

Dragon and Phoenix couldn't help but shout it out. Many people had the same thought. Was it not just the secretary ship?

Ying Tian continued typing: "For the first appointment, since I am not in the naval base, I have no concept of some things in the port area. I hope that someone familiar with the naval base can give me fair advice, so I appoint Zhen Hai as my staff."

After sending the message, Ying Tian looked up at Zhen Hai and said, "I know you're quite busy, but your job is just like before: remind me of things I haven't paid attention to and correct some of my misconceptions and oversights. Is that alright?"

Feeling everyone's gaze, Zhenhai smiled and said, "Of course, no problem, I will do my best."

it is good!

On the surface, Zhenhai remained calm and composed, but deep down he was somewhat excited. Taking advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness and using stillness to control movement, the commander was indeed the kind of person who valued emotions. This was a small step for him, but a giant leap for Donghuang.

There was some chatter in the naval base's mess hall, but the reaction wasn't very intense.

After all, the position of staff officer sounds like it doesn't have much power, and only some people realize that as long as they can influence the commander, that is the greatest power.

Kawauchi slammed his fist on the table, speaking up for his sister, "Shinto is clearly more suitable as a staff officer, so why is she Zhenhai? Just because she went to the commander's side?"