Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 580 Family Banquet

After disciplining his son, Lin Chen remembered something and turned to look at the old lady and Su Wanqing.

"Oh, right, Grandmother, Mother."

"Why haven't you arranged any marriages for your children all these years?"

"Given the current status of our Lin family, shouldn't countless women be vying to marry into it? How come not a single one has succeeded?"

The old lady paused for a moment while fiddling with her prayer beads, then slowly began to turn them.

She glanced at Lin Chen, her gaze revealing everything.

Helplessness, heartache, and a little bit of grievance.

"It's not that we don't want to make arrangements..." The old lady paused, then sighed.

"There are just too many women who want to marry into the Lin family, so many that your mother and I can't choose them all."

Lin Chen was taken aback: "Too many?"

The old lady nodded slowly:

"During the years you've been in seclusion, you've had a constant stream of people coming to propose marriage."

They came from all walks of life: powerful forces, major sects, the four great dynasties, the Southern Wilderness, the Northern Desert, the Western Continent… from humble origins, cultivation geniuses, and those of unparalleled beauty.

Su Wanqing chimed in from the side:

"We received so many portraits that we filled several carriages, which were piled up in the east wing side hall and could hardly hold any more."

Lin Chen's lips twitched: "So many?"

The old lady sighed and her gaze fell on Lin Chen:

"You are the head of the family. The Lin family's status and position are different now. It is up to you to make the decision about marriage."

"With you not home, how dare we make decisions on our own? What if we pick something you don't like, and you come back and blame us?"

"In the ten years since you left, we have protected you from everything, but no one dares to make a decision for you on this matter."

Lin Chen fell silent.

For the past ten years, he has been trapped in the Time Palace, compressing a hundred years into a long period of closed eyes.

Meanwhile, they lived their lives outside, day after day, guarding the home for him.

They stored the marriage proposal portraits in a side hall for him, because none of them dared to touch them without his approval.

Lin Chen picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The liquor was a bit spicy, burning from my throat all the way down to my stomach.

He put down his cup, stood up, and bowed solemnly to the old lady and Su Wanqing.

"Grandmother, Mother, thank you for all these years of hard work."

The old lady waved her hand, her voice containing both amusement and a barely concealed huskiness:

"Why say these things? We're all family."

Su Wanqing turned her head away to wipe the corner of her eye, and when she turned back, she was smiling again.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

Lin Chen straightened up, sat down again, and his gaze returned to his children.

Looking at his daughters first, Lin Chen's eyes softened like spring water thawing.

"You girls—" Lin Chen paused.

"My father only said one thing: better to have none than to marry just anyone."

"Bring the ones you like back for me to see first. Only after I approve can we discuss marriage."

"If we really can't find a suitable one, your family will support you for the rest of your lives. Your father can afford it."

The daughters looked at each other, their hearts filled with happiness and emotion.

Although they were already pampered enough at home, as women, how could they not get married, especially from a top family like the Lin family?

Now they could directly feel Lin Chen's doting affection, and a warm current flowed through their hearts that they had never felt before.

Lin Nian'er paused for a moment, holding the teacup, then lowered her head and smiled slightly.

She used the cup lid to skim off the floating leaves, took a sip, and said nothing.

Lin Chen's gaze shifted to his sons, and his softened eyes hardened again.

"As for you brats—" He tapped his finger on the table.

"Don't blame me for being unenlightened. The three girls I just mentioned within a year are the ones you can choose to meet."

When I have some free time in a few days, I'll select suitable girls for you all, and you'll all obediently become grooms.

When I marry you, treat you well. If I ever find out you're not human, I'll break your dog—cough cough…legs!

Lin Nianjun sighed, put down his wine glass, stood up, and clasped his hands in a fist salute:

"I remember, I will follow Father's arrangements in everything."

Lin Nianbei, Lin Nianze... one by one they stood up, some clasped their hands in a fist salute, others nodded.

The youngest, Nian'an, also imitated his older brothers, cupping his little hands and calling out in a very proper manner:

"Got it!"

He still had rice grains stuck to his lips, but he still looked quite imposing.

Everyone in the room laughed.

Lin Chen laughed and scolded, "So what if you remembered something? Sit down and eat."

Then he reached out and gently pressed down on his sons.

"Please sit down."

When Lin Nianjun sat back down, he saw Lin Chen being hugged by his youngest sister, who was acting coquettishly.

Thinking back to the time when she was young and pestered Lin Chen to let her ride a horse, the awkwardness in her heart gradually dissipated.

Lin Nian'er was laughing so hard she was shaking. She wiped away the tears that came out of the corners of her eyes and looked at Lin Chen.

"Father, if I never get married, will you really support me for the rest of my life?"

Lin Chen picked up his youngest daughter and blurted out upon hearing this:

"I'll support you, even if you're eighty and still unmarried. You can stay single for life, as long as you're willing!"

Lin Nian'er was stunned for a moment, then smiled until her eyes were a little red and the corners of her mouth turned up high.

She raised her teacup and lightly touched it to Lin Chen across the table.

"It's settled then, Father, let's have a drink together."

Lin Chen freed one hand to pick up his wine glass and lightly clinked it against hers from a distance.

The youngest daughter sat in Lin Chen's lap, reaching out to grab his wine glass:

"I want to touch it too! I want to touch it too!"

Lin Chen lowered his wine glass and gently touched her small fist.

The little guy giggled with delight, pulled his fist back to his mouth and blew on it, as if he had clinked a glass together loudly.

As Lin Nianjun watched this scene, the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

He picked up his glass and took a sip. The wine was the same as always, a little spicy as it went down his throat, but warm and comforting in his stomach.

When he put down the cup, his gaze slid from Lin Nian'er's face to Lin Chen's face, and then paused.

Then he picked up the wine jug again and filled his cup.

Lin Nianbei asked in a low voice, "Brother, what are you thinking about?"

Lin Nianjun shook his head, the smile on his lips lingering:

"It's nothing, it's just that with Father back, our family feels like a family again."

Lin Nianbei smiled too, raised her glass and clinked it against his:

"Indeed, Father is the pillar of our Lin family!"

The moon outside the window had climbed directly overhead sometime earlier.

The fragrance of osmanthus blossoms wafted in from the courtyard, while laughter rose and fell in the main hall, accompanied by the constant clinking of glasses.

The lights were bright, and there were many people.

The dishes on the three large round tables were mostly empty, and wine jars were scattered all over the floor.

The buzzing of voices made it impossible to hear clearly who was saying what, all mixed in with the laughter.