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

Chapter 393 Call me Chen'er or...

The boat swayed gently on the sea, moving at a moderate speed.

The sun shone warmly on the deck, and the sea breeze carried a salty, fishy smell.

The atmosphere changed a bit when there was another person on the way back.

Shan Ling Kongya sat in the cabin, looking several years younger than when she was in Dongli.

With Yagyu no longer by her side, she felt much more relaxed.

The worry in his eyes faded, replaced by an indescribable ease.

She sat by the window, looking at the sea outside, her fingers unconsciously stroking the rim of her teacup.

She would glance at Lin Chen occasionally, then quickly look away, like a startled fawn.

Yagyu Yuki sat next to her, holding a book in his hands, but didn't turn a single page for a long time.

Her gaze would occasionally fall on her mother, then on Lin Chen, with something indescribable in her eyes.

Lin Chen leaned back in the recliner, crossed his legs, squinted, and held a wine glass in his hand, taking sips here and there.

He now enjoys the feeling of being slightly tipsy more and more, and has become a drunkard.

However, Lin Chen enjoyed it. After all, it was too boring. He couldn't indulge in debauchery during the day and toil every night!

He was wearing a moon-white long robe today, with the collar slightly open, revealing a section of his collarbone.

Her hair was casually tied back, with a few stray strands fluttering in the sea breeze, giving her a relaxed and carefree look.

Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang sat next to him, one peeling grapes and the other pouring wine, serving him very attentively.

Da Shuang handed the peeled grapes to Lin Chen's lips.

Xiao Shuang poured the wine from the side, at a leisurely pace, always keeping the glass about seven-tenths full, no more, no less.

Yao Yao was fishing on the gunwale, her butt sticking out high, the fishing rod wobbling in her hand like she had Parkinson's.

A-Yue and Liu Sheng Piaopiao squatted down next to her.

One eye was fixed on the sea, a smirk on the corner of his mouth, as he pondered what fish to have for lunch.

One eye was fixed on the sea, its gaze devoid of anxiety, its thoughts unreadable.

Lan Fenghuang sat on the other side of Lin Chen, holding a book in her hand. She flipped through a couple of pages and then put it down.

She glanced at Lin Chen, then at Shan Lingkongya, a slight smile playing on her lips, but said nothing.

But Lin Chen understood the meaning behind that smile.

She was saying: When are you going to make your move? Liu Shengxue can't take it anymore these past few days.

Lin Chen pretended not to see it, picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

Lingbo stood at the bow of the boat, her white clothes fluttering in the wind, motionless like a jade sculpture.

She never looked back at the commotion in the cabin, as if it had nothing to do with her.

But she heard everything that happened on the ship clearly, including the 128 times that Shan Lingkongya had secretly looked at Lin Chen today.

At noon, Yao Yao caught a fish.

It wasn't big, but it was beautiful; its golden-red scales shimmered in the sunlight, like a moving gem.

Yao Yao ran all over the deck holding a fish, shouting, "Husband, husband, look, look!"

The fish thrashed its tail wildly in her hand, splashing water all over her face, but she didn't care and smiled like a flower.

Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang spread blankets on the deck, set out tea and snacks, and invited everyone to sit down.

The tea snacks were made fresh on the boat, including red bean cake, mung bean cake, and osmanthus cake, laid out on a large plate that looked mouthwatering.

Lin Chen stood up from the recliner, stretched, and his bones cracked and popped.

He walked to the blanket, plopped down, and patted the spot next to him:

"Come, everyone, sit down."

Da Shuang sat down to his left and Xiao Shuang sat down to his right. The two of them sat very close to him, almost nestled in his arms.

Yao Yao shoved the fish into A Yue's arms, then plopped down in Lin Chen's lap, grinning from ear to ear.

"Husband, wasn't I amazing today?"

Lin Chen nodded helplessly: "Impressive."

Yao Yao was even happier, her tail practically wagging in the air.

Ah Yue stood there, holding the fish, not knowing what to do.

The fish struggled in her arms, its tail thrashing back and forth, splashing water all over her face.

She looked down at the fish, and the fish looked back at her, staring at each other with wide eyes.

Lan Fenghuang couldn't stand it anymore, so she came over, took the fish from her arms, and threw it into the fish bucket.

Then he pulled Ah Yue to sit down around Lin Chen.

Shan Lingkongya walked out of the cabin, stood at the door, and hesitated for a moment.

Her gaze swept over everyone on the blanket, lingered on Lin Chen for a moment, and then moved away.

She didn't know whether she should go over; she was new, an "outsider."

Those women are all Lin Chen's women, so what is she?

Yagyu Yuki followed behind her and gently nudged her:

"Mother, go."

Yamarei Sora took a step forward, then stopped, turned back to look at Yagyu Yuki, her eyes filled with unease.

Liu Shengxue nodded and gave her an encouraging look.

Shan Lingkongya took a deep breath, as if she were going to war, and walked to the blanket, sitting down opposite Lin Chen.

She sat upright, her back straight, her hands on her knees, her posture so perfect it could be used as a model of etiquette.

Lin Chen glanced at her and smiled:

"Madam, you're all on board now, no need to be so formal. The old ways of Dongli don't work here."

Lin Chen's tone became much more casual, unlike when he was in Dongli, where he was polite and kept his distance.

Now it's on his ship, on his territory.

Yamarei Sora is no longer the Emperor's concubine; she is simply Yagyu Yuki's mother, a woman who returned to Dayan with them.

Shan Ling Kongya paused for a moment, then relaxed slightly, but her back remained very straight.

She nodded and whispered, "Yes, Your Highness."

"Don't call me 'Your Highness' anymore," Lin Chen said, picking up his wine cup and taking a sip.

"Just call me Lin Chen, or you can call me Chen'er like my mother does."

The air fell silent for a moment as soon as he finished speaking.

Yao Yao had a grape in her mouth and her eyes wide open.

A-Yue forgot to swallow, Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang exchanged a glance, and then lowered their heads.

Lan Fenghuang paused for a moment while holding the teacup, then took a sip as if nothing had happened.

Liu Shengxue's eyes flickered slightly, but he did not speak.

Liu Sheng Piaopiao lowered her head, her ears so red they looked like they could bleed.

Shan Lingkongya's face flushed red to her ears, her lips trembled, and she wanted to say something but couldn't.

She lowered her head, her fingers twisting the hem of her dress until her knuckles turned white, and after several seconds she whispered:

"This humble servant... dares not."

Lin Chen smiled, a casual smile, even tinged with a hint of teasing:

"Don't be nervous, it's just a title. If you don't want to, you can just call me Your Highness."

Shan Lingkong breathed a sigh of relief, but her cheeks were slightly flushed, as red as a young girl's.

She looked up and glanced at Lin Chen.

Her eyes held shyness, gratitude, and a hint of excitement that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Yao Yao glanced at Lin Chen discreetly, a thoughtful look flashing in her eyes.

Then, her eyes darted to Shan Lingkongya, and she asked in an innocent tone:

"Auntie, how old are you?"