"I……"

Faced with a barrage of questions from the crowd, the middle-aged man was also bewildered.

"Alright, you guys."

Xu Shi pulled them to the back, annoyed. "You're making such a racket... Whose question should I be answering?"

"How about this, you two rest first, and we can talk more after we take you back?"

He glanced at them briefly; there weren't many people from Silver Pine Island, only a dozen or so, and the command ship could easily accommodate them.

"...Thank you so much."

The middle-aged man breathed a sigh of relief. Actually, he was still feeling unwell, and being pestered with questions was really giving him a headache.

"By the way, I haven't yet asked my benefactor's name?"

He then remembered this and quickly apologized, asking as if it were true.

"My name is Xu Shi."

Xu Shi smiled and said, "He is the captain of this ship."

"My name is Pan Cheng, and I am the owner of Silver Pine Island."

The middle-aged man also smiled, and the wariness in his expression noticeably lessened.

The main reason is that Xu Engong is such a good person. He speaks in a gentle and refined manner, and doesn't give the impression of being a bad person at all...

"And this one?"

"Ah, her name is Xia Wuyou, my wife."

Xu Shi explained enthusiastically.

"Mrs. Xia."

Pan Cheng quickly changed his tune.

"Hello."

Xia Xiaomao was overjoyed. Although she and Xu Shi had never discussed this issue, she was still very happy to hear him say it in person.

"This is Jiang Chengcheng, and she is also my wife."

Xu Shi then said.

"Oh, Mrs. Jiang."

Pan Cheng paused for a moment, then greeted her.

"Island Master Pan."

Jiang Chengcheng felt the same way; who wouldn't want to hear Xu Shi say that? She jokingly called herself his lover, but deep down she didn't really want to carry that title forever…

"And her?"

"Xie Qingyan, my fiancée."

"...Miss Xie?"

Pan Cheng's expression gradually became somewhat strange, and his tone became much stiffer.

It's clear that the people of Silverpine Island, or rather the Hualan Empire, aren't against polygamy, but isn't it a bit much to ask one person after another?

"I haven't agreed to his request yet."

The woman, displaying her arrogant nature, gave a soft hum.

"Also, Shen Qin and Yu Xingchuan, they are my guards."

Xu Shi didn't care about her. If you're not my fiancée, then what are you? "This is Ye Shanshan, my fiancée's bodyguard."

Shen Qin ignored him, while the adjutant and the curly-haired girl were a little indignant. "When it comes to us, we're the guards?"

But then I thought about it, and it really is true... We're still a long way from being officially hired...

"Hello, hello."

Pan Cheng smiled. Finally, a few men who weren't men have arrived, but they're all women. Don't you have many men in your city-state?

Noticing his expression, Xu Shi also felt like laughing.

He himself didn't even realize that everyone on the command ship except him was a girl; it was only when outsiders noticed that he became aware of it.

But thinking about it this way is amazing! This guy has always believed that "the world shouldn't be so small," so wouldn't it be wonderful to have a huge harem? Actually, he has a few more at home, I'll introduce them to you when I have the chance.

"And her, she is..."

After reminiscing for a while, he realized he had left one behind, so he quickly picked up Xia Ke'an, who looked annoyed.

—Does being short mean I have no presence?

—Of course! I completely forgot you were still here.

—I'll bite you to death!

—This old lady is old enough.

"This must be your daughter, right?"

Pan Cheng, oblivious to the exchange of glances between the two, preemptively replied, "They say daughters resemble their fathers, but she does look a bit like her mother. The little girl is so cute... Uh, I'm not saying you're not good-looking..."

"..."

Island Master Pan believed he had done nothing wrong, but his misunderstanding caused everyone to fall silent.

Because none of them thought that way. At most, Xu Shi and Xia Ke'an would joke around, but the white-haired loli called him "brother." What about "father"?

"...Yes, my name is Xia Ke'an. Hello, Uncle Pan."

What surprised Xu Shi even more was that after a brief silence, the old lady actually agreed to it, and the gloom on her face disappeared, replaced by an innocent and sweet smile, "My dad is very powerful, right?"

Who wouldn't be charmed by such an adorable baby? Anyway, the people from Silver Pine Island have warmed her heart and made her feel much better after the shipwreck and near-death experience.

But why does she also have the surname Xia? Did she take her mother's surname?

What are you doing?

Xu Shi whispered in the old lady's ear in disbelief, "Are you serious?"

"Otherwise what?"

Xia Ke'an blinked innocently, "Are you going to explain my situation to them again? Aren't you tired?"

The logic seems correct, and it's acceptable at first glance.

But the bigger reason is that this actually gave the older woman an opportunity.

I was just debating whether or not to tell him about my situation, so I'll just leave it at that for now! No need to worry about whether things will change!

As for calling the little boy "Dad"... nothing in this world is absolutely perfect, right? Just bear with it... Besides, this bastard has spanked me quite a bit, and some of his behavior really does resemble my father who passed away many years ago...

"Okay, you said it yourself."

Xu Shi, true to his reputation as a scoundrel, quickly recovered and even kissed her on the cheek, overflowing with fatherly love.

But some people just can't accept it.

Xia Xiaomao was completely pale. What did I just hear?

She says she looks like me, but actually it's me who looks like her...it's a family trait...

And Auntie, are you crazy? It was one thing to call him "brother" before, but now you're calling him "dad"?

You call Xu Shi "Dad," so what should I call him? Grandpa?

...No, that's not right either. According to the current logic, I should be her mother?

Oh~~

Thinking about it that way... it seems like it could work?

10,000 words today! That's five chapters by other people's standards!

erethechpon,frend~

(End of this chapter)