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

Chapter 390 I am willing

The next morning.

Lin Chen was practicing boxing in the courtyard.

Dragon and Tiger Guiding Exercises: Strengthens the kidneys and improves physical health, making you invincible in night battles.

He practices this set of boxing techniques almost every day, rain or shine.

Whether in the palace or on the road, no matter how late I go to bed at night, I will never hold back when it's time to practice boxing.

Health is the foundation of everything, and his burden is so heavy.

Liu Shengxue stood under the eaves with a cup of hot tea in her hand, watching Lin Chen practice his boxing, a slight smile on her lips and a gentle look in her eyes.

After Lin Chen finished punching, she went over and handed him a towel.

Lin Chen took the towel, wiped the sweat from his face, then took the teacup and took a sip.

The water temperature was just right, neither too hot nor too cold. The tea leaves were local Dongli tea, with a light flavor and a faint cherry blossom fragrance.

"How is your mother?" Lin Chen asked.

Yagyu Yuki nodded, her smile widening.

"I chatted with Piaopiao until late last night; we talked all night long."

Piao Piao told her about things in Dayan, about the journey, and also about you.

Liu Shengxue paused, her cheeks slightly flushed, "My mother said she wants to see you."

Lin Chen paused for a moment, put down his teacup, picked up a towel, and wiped his neck again.

"Tell your mother not to go back yet, but to stay here and not worry about going back. I'll talk to your father."

Liu Shengxue looked at Lin Chen, hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickered, and said softly:

"My lord, I heard from the imperial guards that Father... he didn't sleep a wink last night."

Lin Chen didn't speak.

Yagyu Yuki continued, her voice even softer:

"I know he did a lot of wrong things, but... he is still my father."

Although... although he wasn't good to my mother, and wasn't very close to me and Piaopiao, he never mistreated us.

"My food, clothing, and daily necessities are all the best. I hope my husband... will show mercy."

Her eyes were already red when she said this, but she held back her tears.

Lin Chen looked at Liu Shengxue and remained silent for a while.

The morning light fell on her face, making her skin almost transparent.

Her eyelashes were long and trembled slightly, like butterfly wings.

His lips were pursed, and his chin was slightly raised, as if he were waiting for a verdict.

Lin Chen smiled, reached out and ruffled her hair. "Don't worry, I promised you."

Liu Shengxue lowered her head, and tears finally fell, pattering onto the bluestone slab.

She quickly tried to wipe it with her sleeve, but the more she wiped, the more there was, and she couldn't wipe it all away.

"Thank you, my husband." Her voice was muffled and nasal.

Lin Chen sighed, pulled her over, and hugged her.

Liu Shengxue leaned against his chest, her shoulders sobbing, crying like a little girl.

"Alright, alright," Lin Chen patted her back, "Stop crying, you'll look ugly if you keep crying."

Liu Shengxue sniffed, looked up, her eyes and the tip of her nose were red, "Really?"

Lin Chen looked down at her and said seriously, "Really, you look especially ugly when you cry."

Liu Shengxue paused for a moment, then burst out laughing, tears still on her face, but the corners of her mouth were already turned up.

She reached out and gently punched Lin Chen's chest: "You're the ugly one."

Lin Chen laughed heartily and flicked her forehead:

"Alright, stop thinking about it."

Liu Shengxue covered her forehead, her face flushed, but her eyes were shining.

……

After breakfast, Lin Chen talked with Jing Ke in the study of the side hall.

Just then, soft footsteps came from outside the door, followed by a knock.

Lin Chen's expression shifted slightly as he glanced at Jing Ke, who bowed respectfully and then vanished instantly.

"Come in," Lin Chen finally said.

The door was gently pushed open, and Shan Lingkongya stood in the doorway.

She wasn't wearing that gorgeous kimono today; she wore a plain one instead.

Her hair wasn't styled in a bun, but rather draped over her shoulders. She didn't wear much makeup, just a light layer of rouge and a touch of lip rouge on her lips.

But it was this little detail that brought the whole face to life.

Shan Lingkongya stood at the door, neither coming in nor speaking, just watching Lin Chen.

There was tension, unease, and something else in his eyes that was hard to describe.

Lin Chen looked at her, and his heart skipped a beat.

It wasn't stunning—he'd seen far too many beautiful women.

It was an indescribable feeling, like something in my heart had been gently stirred.

The strings trembled slightly, and then the lingering sound lingered for a long time.

"Is there something you need, Madam?" Lin Chen asked, his voice hoarser than he had expected.

Shan Lingkongya hesitated for a moment before walking in. She walked up to Lin Chen, bowed, and then looked up at him.

"Your Highness," her voice trembled slightly, "I...have come to thank you."

Lin Chen leaned back in his chair, his eyes slightly narrowed: "Thank me for what?"

Shan Lingkongya lowered her head, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes until her knuckles turned white. She was silent for a few seconds before saying:

"Lord Xie...didn't agree to his request last night." Her voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of being overheard.

"I know that if Your Highness had agreed, I would not have been able to refuse, but Your Highness did not, and I am deeply grateful."

Lin Chen didn't say anything, he just kept staring at her.

Shan Lingkongya lowered her head even further, her voice even softer, almost inaudible:

"Your Highness... I know I'm old and can't compare to those young girls, but I... I..."

She couldn't continue; her face turned red from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears, as red as a boiled shrimp.

The string in Lin Chen's heart trembled again, and this time it trembled even more violently.

He knew what Yamarei Sora wanted to say.

He also knew that if he simply reached out, this woman would fall into his hands like a ripe fruit.

Lin Chen's gaze slid across her face, over her neck, over her collarbone, and over the curves that were faintly visible beneath her plain kimono.

Lin Chen quickly took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.

"Madam, you don't need to do this."

Shan Lingkongya raised her head, her eyes reddening, her lips trembling:

"Your Highness, I...I did this willingly, not for him, but for...for myself."

In my entire life, I have never lived for myself.

As a child, I listened to my father; after marriage, I listened to my husband; after having children, I listened to my children; but I want... I want to be willful just this once.

Lin Chen's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of the chair, one tap at a time.

He looked at Shan Ling Kongya, at her red eyes, at her trembling lips, at the stubbornness and resistance against fate in her eyes.

Lin Chen stood up.

Shan Lingkongya's body suddenly tensed up, like a fully drawn bow.

Lin Chen walked up to her and extended his hand.

Shan Ling Kongya closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling like leaves.

Lin Chen's hand froze in mid-air.

Then, she reached out and removed a petal from Yamarei Sora's hair.

Pink cherry blossom petals fell on her head at some unknown time.

"Madam," Lin Chen's voice was much calmer.

"Go back now. Get some rest these next few days. In a few days, we'll go back to Dayan with Xue'er and the others."

Shan Lingkongya opened her eyes and looked at Lin Chen. Her eyes held disappointment, relief, and something else that was hard to describe.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but didn't. Finally, she bowed, turned, and left.

She paused at the door but didn't turn around.

"Your Highness," her voice came softly from the doorway, "you are a good person."

Then she left, her footsteps fading into the distance.

Lin Chen stood in the room, watching Shan Ling Kongya's back for a long time.

Then he cursed, "A good person? Good my ass."

After Shan Lingkongya left, Lin Chen sat in the side hall for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

He was restless.

My mind was filled with the image from just now—the expression on her face when she blushed and said, "I did it voluntarily."

Her eyelashes trembled slightly when she closed her eyes, her lonely figure as she turned to leave, and the words, "You are a good person."

Good people.

When did Lin Chen become a good person?

Lin Chen stood up and walked around the room twice, but still couldn't calm down.

He walked out of the study, across the corridor, and pushed open the door to Liu Shengxue's room.

Liu Shengxue was combing her hair when she saw Lin Chen enter, and she paused for a moment:

"Husband? What's wrong?"

Lin Chen didn't say anything, walked over, and pulled her up from in front of the dressing table.

Liu Shengxue exclaimed in surprise, dropping the comb from her hand to the ground.

"Husband? In broad daylight..."

Lin Chen looked down at her, his eyes blazing: "What's wrong? Can't you do it during the day?"

Liu Shengxue's face flushed instantly, and her voice was barely audible, like a mosquito's buzz: "It's not that it's impossible... it's just..."

"What is it?"

Liu Shengxue bit her lip and remained silent.

Lin Chen bent down, picked up Liu Shengxue, and carried her to the bedside, calling out to the door at the same time:

"Big Shuang, Little Shuang!"

A series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door. Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang ran over and stood at the door, panting, wondering what had happened.

"Your Highness?" Da Shuang peeked in and saw Lin Chen standing by the bed and Liu Shengxue lying on the bed. She immediately understood.

Xiao Shuang understood, and her face turned as red as an apple.

Lin Chen looked at the two of them and said, "Come in and close the door."

Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang exchanged a glance, went inside, and closed the door.