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

Chapter 439 Ye Qingying's Premature Birth

The next day.

Lin Chen was looking at account books in the study—no, he was pretending to look at account books.

In fact, he had been staring at the same page for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, but he hadn't absorbed a single word.

My mind is filled with what Lingbo said last night: "Your mind hasn't been at peace lately."

Can I calm my mind? There are several pregnant women in my family, one after another, nearing their due dates.

Although they all possess cultivation and have a good foundation, having children has little to do with that.

When Qing'er pushed the door open and came in, Lin Chen was flipping through the account book from page to page.

Her voice trembled: "Your Highness! Lady Ye is about to give birth!"

Lin Chen snapped the ledger shut and vanished from the spot in an instant.

When they reappeared, they were in Ye Qingying's courtyard.

By this time, a group of people had already gathered outside the courtyard.

The maids rushed in and out, carrying basins of hot water inside and basins of bloody water outside.

The midwife's voice came from inside, high-pitched and bright:

"Madam, push! Push harder! Yes, yes, that's it!"

Ye Qingying didn't make a sound, but Lin Chen could hear her breathing—rapid, heavy, like a trapped mother beast.

That kind of restrained, controlled breathing that doesn't easily show weakness.

Hua Tuo stood calmly at the door, hands behind his back. Seeing Lin Chen arrive, he nodded slightly: "My lord!"

"How is he?" Lin Chen asked.

Hua Tuo stroked his beard: "Lady Ye is in good health, and the baby is in the correct position. Although it is half a month early, it is not a big problem. My lord, please rest assured."

Lin Chen nodded, walked to the door, and then stopped.

He took a deep breath and tried to take a step, but his legs felt like they were made of lead.

Hua Tuo looked at Lin Chen and smiled, "My lord, what's wrong with you...?"

"Shut up." Lin Chen looked somewhat annoyed.

Hua Tuo smiled and shut up.

Qin Shuyan carried Lin Nianbei over. The little guy was sleeping soundly in her arms, his little mouth slightly open, and his drool was glistening.

Liu Ruyan followed, carrying Lin Nianjun, who was already six months old and chubby.

She grinned when she saw Lin Chen, revealing two tiny teeth that looked like two little pearls.

Lin Nian'er also ran over, holding a flower she had picked from somewhere, and looked up at Lin Chen:

"Father, Mother said that Sixth Aunt is going to have a little brother. I want to give the little brother flowers."

"Okay!" Lin Chen nodded gently.

Lin Nian'er tiptoed to look at the door, but couldn't see anything.

The old lady walked over with a cane, and Su Wanqing helped her.

The old lady glanced at the door, then at Lin Chen, said nothing, and sat down on the chair the maid had brought.

Su Wanqing stood next to the old lady, her face calm, but her fingers were trembling slightly.

Although she had experienced this several times before, she was still somewhat nervous and worried.

Yao Yao, A Yue, Da Shuang, and Xiao Shuang stood under the eaves in the distance, chattering quietly.

Yagyu Yuki supported Yamare Sora as they stood on the other side of the corridor, her expression indifferent, but her eyes held a complex emotion.

Lan Fenghuang stood at the farthest point with her arms crossed, expressionless, her fingers tapping lightly on her arm.

Lingbo also arrived, standing in the crowd with a cold expression.

Time passed little by little.

The midwife's voice grew increasingly shrill, and Ye Qingying's breathing became more and more rapid.

Lin Chen stood at the door, his hands clenched into fists, his palms sweaty.

Although Hua Tuo said it was nothing to worry about, what if something does happen? When it comes to childbirth, who can say for sure?

Moreover, Ye Qingying arrived half a month early.

Lin Chen took a deep breath and suppressed the wild thoughts in his mind.

"Wow--"

A loud cry came from inside.

Lin Chen took a step to rush inside, but just as he lifted his foot, the door opened.

The midwife came out carrying a swaddled baby, her face beaming with smiles, like a blooming chrysanthemum:

"Congratulations, Your Highness, it's a baby boy! Mother and child are safe and sound!"

Lin Chen took the child with great care, as if he were holding some fragile treasure.

Looking down, I saw that the little guy was all wrinkled, his face was red, and he looked like a little old man.

With her eyes closed and her little fists clenched tightly, she was crying, tears streaming down her face, her mouth agape as wide as a bowl.

Lin Chen looked at it and couldn't help but laugh.

It's a bit ugly, but it's my own child, so I can't help but find it pleasing to the eye.

"Alright, alright, stop crying." Lin Chen bounced up, already acting like a proper dad.

"Even your father isn't crying, why are you crying?"

The little guy ignored him and continued crying.

Ye Qingying lay on the bed, her face pale, covered in sweat, and her hair sticking wetly to her face.

His lips were bloodless, but he seemed to be in good spirits, and his eyes were bright.

When she saw Lin Chen come in, the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

Lin Chen held the baby in one arm and grasped Ye Qingying's hand with the other.

Her hands were very cold, as cold as ice.

"You've worked hard," Lin Chen said softly.

Ye Qingying shook her head and said softly, "It's not hard work."

Just three words, as casually as I would speak normally.

But Lin Chen noticed tears in the corners of her eyes.

I don't know if it's from the pain or something else.

Lin Chen leaned down and kissed her forehead. Ye Qingying closed her eyes and smiled.

When Lin Chen came out of the house, everyone in the courtyard gathered around him.

The old lady was the first to stand up, walking over shakily. She looked down at the child, her eyes reddening, and murmured:

"Okay, okay, okay." He said "okay" three times in a row.

Su Wanqing also came over and reached out to touch the little guy's face with a kind expression.

Qin Shuyan walked over, glanced at it, and smiled: "It looks exactly like Nian Bei when she was born."

Liu Ruyan also came over for a look and nodded in agreement: "Yeah, it's all wrinkled."

Lin Chen's lips twitched.

Lin Nian'er stood on tiptoe, grabbed Lin Chen's arm, and strained to look inside.

After tilting his head and looking at it for a long time, he gave a precise evaluation: "So ugly."

There was a moment of silence in the courtyard, then everyone laughed.

Lin Chen smiled and reached out to rub Lin Nian'er's head: "You were like this when you were little too."

Lin Nian'er's eyes widened: "I didn't!"

"That's what your mother said."

Lin Nian'er turned to look at Liu Ruyan, who smiled and nodded.

Lin Nian'er's face fell immediately, she pouted and stopped talking.

The laughter in the courtyard grew louder, and the commotion lasted for quite a while before people gradually dispersed.

Lin Chen talked with Ye Qingying for a while, then returned to the study, took a deep breath, and opened the system panel.

Sure enough, the glittering message was already waiting.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained a direct descendant bloodline, ensuring the continuation of your family's legacy.]

[Reward 1: The host's cultivation level increases to the mid-stage of True Monarch (the host can freely choose whether to display breakthrough phenomena).]

[Reward Two: Nine Immortal Pills.]

[Reward Three: Automatic initiation of the family's inherited divine skill—Dragon God Skill (currently at level six, with significant advancement).]

"Accept the reward and conceal the breakthrough phenomenon."

A familiar warm current surged from the dantian, flowing along the meridians to the limbs and bones.

Lin Chen could feel that his understanding of "Dao" had deepened, and the fragments of Dao principles within his body had become more solidified, showing a faint tendency to coalesce.

A moment later, Lin Chen opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air.

Mid-stage True Lord.

He clenched his fist, felt the power within, and muttered to himself:

"Each child is one level higher, and they'll break through to Saint Venerable very soon. I just don't know if there will still be critical hit rewards."

Considering that Chu Yueyao, Murong Xue, and Su Xiaoxiao's due dates were all within a few days, Lin Chen couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

Lin Chen leaned back in his chair and stared at the roof beams for a while.

Suddenly, he felt that the great changes in the world and the so-called great powers in the Central Plains were nothing in front of him.

Just as he was figuring out how to distribute the pills in his hand, there was a knock on the study door.

"My lord." Yuan Tiangang's voice came from outside.

"Come in!"

Lin Chen frowned slightly. At this time, Yuan Tiangang's arrival must mean something.

Yuan Tiangang pushed open the door and entered, bowing respectfully as he said:

"My lord, a messenger from the Central Plains has sent word that at noon today, the sky over the Central Plains split open..."