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

Chapter 245 Kneeling down doesn't necessarily mean begging for mercy

Lin Chen stayed in the study for another half an hour, sorting out Jian Shan's thoughts.

He then stretched and stood up.

The important business is done, it's time to get down to business, no, I mean, to do some leisurely business.

He strolled over to Liu Ruyan's courtyard.

Liu Ruyan was lying on the soft couch, engrossed in reading a book.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up, her eyes curving into crescents.

"My husband is here?"

Lin Chen walked over and sat down next to her:

"What are you looking at?"

Liu Ruyan closed the book and handed it to Lin Chen.

"The medical book was given to me by Yueyao. She said it's good for pregnant women."

Lin Chen flipped through two pages, his eyes filled with terms like "qi and blood," "meridians," and "fetal essence," which gave him a headache.

He returned the book to Liu Ruyan.

"Why are you looking at this thing? With Hua Tuo and Yueyao around, why would you need to study medicine yourself?"

Liu Ruyan smiled and said, "Since I'm just idling around anyway, it can't hurt to know more."

Lin Chen reached out and touched her belly, smiling as he asked, "Were you a good girl today?"

"Good boy." Liu Ruyan placed her hand over Lin Chen's hand.

"He only kicks occasionally; I guess he's a mischievous kid."

Lin Chen chuckled and said, "Being mischievous is good, just like me."

Liu Ruyan rolled her eyes at Lin Chen: "Like you? That's quite something."

"What's so bad about it?"

"With someone as unruly as you, wouldn't the house be in complete chaos?"

Lin Chen laughed heartily and pulled Liu Ruyan into his arms.

"Let the world turn upside down, I can handle it."

Liu Ruyan leaned on Lin Chen's shoulder, remained quiet for a while, and then suddenly asked:

"I heard you went to the palace today to ask His Majesty for a mountain?"

Lin Chen was taken aback: "How did you know?"

"Sister Mingyue came to talk to me this morning," Liu Ruyan said, glancing at Lin Chen with a teasing tone.

"They say our prince is incredibly audacious, planning to take down Dongshan and then rise again."

Lin Chen coughed lightly: "What do you mean by 'outrageously bold'? I was just joking. The Empress even agreed to it for me."

Liu Ruyan laughed out loud: "Okay, okay, just kidding."

He paused, then hesitated, "Are you really going to build a mountain resort?"

"Mm." Lin Chen nodded gently.

"As our family grows, we'll need a spacious place."

Liu Ruyan looked at Lin Chen, her eyes filled with affection.

"My husband is so thoughtful."

Lin Chen pinched Liu Ruyan's cheek.

"Don't just talk the talk, walk the walk!"

Liu Ruyan rolled her eyes: "Stop messing around, I can't play along with your nonsense right now."

"Then you'll have to make it up to me after the baby is born," Lin Chen whispered in Liu Ruyan's ear.

Upon hearing Lin Chen's words, Liu Ruyan's cheeks flushed slightly, and she spat lightly.

"You're being indecent. Where do you get all these embarrassing thoughts?"

"It's all thanks to the teacher's excellent teaching," Lin Chen laughed heartily.

The two talked for a while, and then the maid brought over some calming soup.

Liu Ruyan finished drinking with a frown, and Lin Chen took out a candied fruit from his pocket and put it into her mouth.

Liu Ruyan held a candied fruit in her mouth, her eyes curving into crescents.

"Why do you still carry this with you?"

Lin Chen chuckled and said, "Don't you women always need something sweet after drinking your herbal medicine?"

Liu Ruyan leaned on Lin Chen's shoulder and whispered:

"My husband, you are so good to me."

"That's right, don't you know whose man I am?"

Liu Ruyan chuckled.

……

It was still early when I came out of Liu Ruyan's courtyard.

Lin Chen turned directly into Chu Yueyao's courtyard.

Chu Yueyao was sitting in the courtyard basking in the sun, holding a medical book in her hand, with several dishes of medicinal herbs on the small table next to her.

Seeing Lin Chen enter, she looked up:

"Oh, what a rare guest!"

Lin Chen walked over and sat down opposite her.

"What do you mean by 'rare guest'? Didn't we just see one yesterday?"

Chu Yueyao rolled her eyes:

"Yesterday is yesterday, today is today. With so many wives of yours, you're quite a rare guest when it comes to me, aren't you?"

Lin Chen was speechless.

He coughed lightly, reached out and picked up a piece of medicinal herb, then smelled it:

"What is this?"

"Angelica sinensis," Chu Yueyao said, "It's for preventing miscarriage."

Lin Chen put it down and picked up another piece:

"What about this one?"

"Ligusticum striatum"

"this?"

White peony root.

Lin Chen put down the medicinal herbs, looking completely innocent:

"Did I ask something I shouldn't have?"

Chu Yueyao looked at Lin Chen and covered her mouth with a soft laugh:

"Alright, alright, I'm just teasing you. What brings you here today?"

Lin Chen leaned back in his chair.

"I just came from Ruyan's place and stopped by to drop by."

"On the way?" Chu Yueyao raised an eyebrow. "It's not on the way at all."

Lin Chen wasn't embarrassed at being exposed. "Alright, I came here specifically to see you."

Chu Yueyao smiled slightly but didn't say anything.

The two sat quietly for a while.

The sun was warm, making people feel lazy all over.

Chu Yueyao suddenly spoke:

"My lord, I heard you went to His Majesty to try and reclaim Dongshan?"

"You know about this too?" Lin Chen was somewhat surprised, wondering if there were any secrets in the manor.

Chu Yueyao looked into Lin Chen's eyes and chuckled, "I went to take my elder sister's pulse this morning and happened to run into Sister Mingyue."

"I see!" Lin Chen chuckled and said.

"His Majesty has already given me the land deed, and I plan to build a mountain villa."

"Then I'll stay there too."

"Okay, I'll reserve a yard for you."

Chu Yueyao looked at Lin Chen with a serious expression:

"The one closest to you."

Lin Chen was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "How come you said the same thing as Mingyue?"

Chu Yueyao raised an eyebrow slightly. "Did Sister Mingyue say that too?"

"Um."

Chu Yueyao thought for a moment, "Then I don't want the closest one, I want the second closest one."

Lin Chen smiled helplessly: "You guys even got a number in line?"

Chu Yueyao rolled her eyes at Lin Chen:

"Otherwise what? With so many wives, aren't you going to line up and wait to snatch them up?"

Lin Chen was speechless.

That seems to make a lot of sense.

He can't possibly have everyone live in one courtyard; that's unrealistic.

After all, everyone is an independent individual, and when they have children, they will have their own inheritance and family business.

……

When I came out of Chu Yueyao's courtyard, it was already getting dark.

Lin Chen originally intended to return to his study, but paused as he passed Qin Shuyan's courtyard.

He thought for a moment and then walked into the courtyard.

In the study in the left wing, Qin Shuyan was sitting at her desk, a stack of account books spread out in front of her, a pen in her hand, her brows slightly furrowed.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw Lin Chen. Her eyes lit up, then she lowered them again.

"Why is my husband here?"

Lin Chen walked over and sat down next to her.

"Just passing by, thought I'd come in and take a look."

Qin Shuyan said "Oh" and continued looking down at the account book.

Lin Chen leaned closer for a look. "What are you looking at? Why are you so focused?"

Qin Shuyan pointed to a few lines of numbers in the ledger.

"These accounts don't add up; there's a difference of three hundred taels."

Lin Chen glanced at it casually, then leaned against Qin Shuyan.

"Take your time, no rush. It's only three hundred taels; don't ruin your health."

Qin Shuyan's body stiffened slightly.

Lin Chen didn't move, just leaned against her.

Qin Shuyan paused for a moment, then continued writing.

But his breathing was a little unsteady.

Lin Chen sensed it and looked up at Qin Shuyan.

Qin Shuyan lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and a thin blush rose on her cheeks.

Lin Chen was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening.

They haven't had sex for over three months.

Thinking that Qin Shuyan was now three months pregnant, Lin Chen's eyes darted around, and he deliberately said:

"Um...should I go first?"

Qin Shuyan didn't say anything, she just put down her pen.

Then he raised his head and looked at Lin Chen.

Lin Chen understood that look in his eyes, and chuckled softly.

"Alright, I'll keep you company tonight."

……

It was already midnight when Lin Chen came out of Qin Shuyan's courtyard.

The moon hung in the sky, illuminating the entire courtyard in a silvery light.

Lin Chen rubbed his lower back, muttering to himself:

Why is Qin Shuyan's fighting power even stronger than usual?

He strolled back, but halfway there he suddenly remembered he had something to do tomorrow.

Xiao Yulou had been clamoring to spar with him since yesterday.

I probably can't avoid it tomorrow.

Lin Chen sighed and strolled towards the main house.

I need to get some rest and recharge.