Chapter 473: Patrol and Date

"How have you been getting along with everyone lately? Anything not to your liking?" After Qin Ge and Nengdai finished their meal, the two walked together inside the base, patrolling while chatting.

"No, everyone's fine, Commander, you don't need to worry." Nengdai shook their head.

"That's good, I was worried that with your usually quiet personality you might not handle things well and strain your relationships with everyone." Qin Ge smiled.

"Although I usually like quiet places that put people at ease, that doesn't mean I won't get along with others, and everyone is very friendly; plus my sister Aheye hasn't come to the Fleet, so I'm doing fine for now." Nengdai smiled.

"Agano?" Qin Ge blinked, "I remember she should be your sister, right? Why does her not coming to the Fleet put you at ease? Could it be that she usually likes to tease you?"

Nengdai nodded somewhat worriedly, "In my memory there is a shadow of Agano, so I said that. Her favorite thing before was to tease me; perhaps it's not just simple teasing, but she likes seeing me look flustered."

Qin Ge couldn't help but laugh, "I think it's not bad at all. Although you usually like quiet, if you stay quiet too long you become a bit stiff; having someone help liven the atmosphere is also a very good choice, right?"

"Perhaps, I feel that if Aheye came to the Fleet, she would definitely get along well with the Commander." Nengdai said.

"Actually, as long as their personality is normal, I can get along with most ship girls, but there are some… uh, those few types, I might find a bit taxing." Qin Ge spread their hands and said.

As an old hand in the Fleet, Nengdai naturally knew who Qin Ge was referring to. Nengdai also couldn't help but smile, tilting their head to look at Qin Ge's somewhat helpless expression, "The Commander also has it tough."

"Yes." Qin Ge laughed, then looked at the red lanterns hanging on the base walkways and trees, "It's another New Year, but here we don't feel any winter chill; it's hot all year round."

"Have you seen snow, Commander?" Nengdai asked.

Qin Ge laughed, "Seeing snow is natural, but back in that world I used to love running off to the northeast in winter to play, where you could feel a thousand miles of ice locked and ten thousand miles of snow drifting."

"That said, the climate there is pretty similar to yours in the Sakura Empire, after all we're at the same latitude."

"The Sakura Empire's winter?" Nengdai nodded, "Actually, compared to the Sakura Empire's winter, I prefer spring a bit more. Because the snow melts, winter gives way to spring, bringing new vitality; seeing all things revive, that sight is the most beautiful."

Qin Ge laughed, "I thought you'd say you liked winter, but I didn't expect you to prefer spring over winter; that seems at odds with your personality."

"Who says a quiet personality must like winter?" Nengdai said with a smile.

"So it seems that although Nengdai, your personality is fairly quiet, your inner self is not calm." Qin Ge smiled.

"Do you think that, Commander?" Nengdai asked.

"Exactly, because liking winter represents an inner calm, while liking spring represents that something inside is beginning to stir." Qin Ge smiled.

"Is that so? No wonder, as I gradually got along with the Commander, I started shifting from liking winter to liking spring." Nengdai said, then looked toward the still lush green scenery, "Warm spring will arrive soon."

"Although the climate won't change much, spring is indeed coming soon." Qin Ge smiled.

The two walked and chatted along the road, and time seemed to pass rather quickly.

When they turned back toward the office area, Qin Ge smiled at Nengdai and said, "All right, the patrol is finished, today's task is done; shall we go for a walk together next?"

"Eh, does that count as a date?" Nengdai asked with a hint of blush on their face.

Qin Ge stroked their chin, "If this isn't a date, then what is it?"

"Huh?" Nengdai exclaimed in surprise.

Qin Ge extended their hand and said to Nengdai, "It seems this is our first proper date, right?"

"Mm… probably." Nengdai said with a flushed face.

"Hehe, since that's the case, a date should have its proper form—let's hold hands." Qin Ge extended their hand toward Nengdai.

"Mm." Nengdai replied softly, nodded, and reached out to clasp Qin Ge's hand.

"What should we do?" Qin Ge asked Nengdai.

Nengdai shook their head; they only felt their heart racing, a sense of being unable to consider, "I don't know, Commander, you decide."

Qin Ge thought a moment, "You prefer quiet places, so how about we go fishing? I remember there are still several sets of fishing gear in the warehouse, and the weather is fine today; find a spot to fish while enjoying the sea breeze, that would be quite pleasant—what do you think?"

"That sounds nice; I've never felt like that before." Nengdai nodded.

Then Qin Ge pulled Nengdai to the warehouse, carrying two sets of fishing gear and some bait, and together they headed toward the beach.

They found a decent fishing spot, then together cast their fishing gear into the sea, leaning against each other, chatting while waiting for the gear to twitch.

After all, two years ago Nengdai's trust level had already reached a hundred, so they had no objection to these intimate contacts.

"Getting back to that, when I first entered school and knew nothing, I asked a wrong question, and Nengdai was about to grab a knife and slash me. Fortunately the centaur held them back back then, otherwise I guess you really would have cut me." Qin Ge said with a laugh.

Upon hearing Qin Ge say that, Nengdai's face instantly reddened, "Who asked the Commander to pose those weird questions back then? And since we aren't ship girls but just ordinary girls, asking such questions is extremely rude."

"Back then I knew nothing about ship girls, so I asked that; if it were now I definitely wouldn't do that." Qin Ge hurriedly said.

"What kind of questions would the Commander ask then?" Nengdai asked.

Qin Ge laughed, stared intently at Nengdai's glasses, and said, "May I kiss you?"

Nengdai's face flushed instantly; obviously they hadn't expected their Commander to ask such a question.

"Um…… um……"

After agonizing for a while, Nengdai still couldn't bring themselves to say the following lines.

Qin Ge smiled, "Since you didn't refuse, that means you agree."

Thus, after Qin Ge finished speaking, they lowered their head and kissed Nengdai's lips…