Delayed Passion: Miss Lynch's Unrequited Love-Chapter 42: Standing Up for Her

Thea Lynch followed behind her grandfather.

"It’s really Ian," she thought, even before seeing him, just by hearing her grandfather’s words ahead.

Thea turned around, carrying some things into the kitchen. Her grandmother called out from behind, "Hey, Thea..."

Her grandfather glanced back and explained for her, "She went to put away the groceries, she’ll be right back."

In the kitchen, Thea pretended not to know Ian was outside and stayed in the kitchen, handling the greens alone.

Two minutes later, footsteps sounded behind her. She looked over and saw Ian rolling up his sleeves, slowly walking in.

Unlike his usual formal attire, today he was dressed casually, like her, deliberately clearing the day, not rushing in the middle of work...

What her grandfather said turned out to be true.

Thinking about how he had been visiting her grandparents for years, Thea felt indescribable emotions rising within her.

The last time she visited her grandfather, he also mentioned that Ian often came by to play chess with him and take him for walks.

"Third Brother," she spoke again, her voice heavy, laden with complex emotions she herself couldn’t quite decipher.

Ian made a sound of acknowledgment, walked to her side, and bent down to wash his hands, seemingly ready to help her with the greens.

Not to mention Ian, she herself rarely ventured into the kitchen. At most, she could wash vegetables, unable to do anything else. Ian was probably less skilled than her.

"Let me handle it. The lady who usually cooks had to go home suddenly; she’ll return in half an hour. You can go to the living room."

She was merely hiding in the kitchen for a while, finding something to do. She wasn’t avoiding Ian but rather the awkwardness of her grandparents being unaware of the messy past between them.

"It’s okay, won’t you be bored alone here?" he said without looking up, engrossed in washing the vegetables.

Seeing how focused he was, Thea moved over, continued to pick greens at the nearby sink, and handed them to him. A perfect assembly line.

After a long time, Thea asked casually, "How come Third Brother has time to come over today?"

She pretended not to know he had been around.

"It’s Grandma’s birthday; there’s no reason not to come."

His tone was light and breezy, without a mention of the past.

"Oh." Thea wasn’t sure how to follow up because Ian indeed had known her grandmother’s birthday for a long time.

When she was studying here, she once caught her grandmother’s birthday. Ian had brought her home, intending to head straight back to Coronet, but he didn’t leave that day. Grandma invited him to stay for dinner.

Ordinarily, Ian might have declined, but there wasn’t a suitable reason that day. Because her uncle wasn’t home either, there were only her grandfather and Thea accompanying Grandma for dinner.

That day, Grandpa opened a bottle of wine, and Ian had to stay over.

"Will you be staying overnight, Third Brother?"

"Not sure." After a pause, he countered, "What about you? Going back tomorrow?"

"Yes. I took a day off; I’ll head back in the morning."

"Having a hard time with the people at work lately?"

"Fourth Brother really reports everything to you, huh," Thea exhaled.

"He mentioned it briefly at dinner the other day." Ian, although usually reserved, defended Silas Cheney at that moment, knowing it wouldn’t change anything.

"It’s not unpleasant; I told Fourth Brother it’s nothing serious—just normal work interactions, healthy competition. Anyway, I’m not the one losing out."

Ian looked at her, his voice gentle, "I believe that you won’t be bullied if no physical force is involved. But you are a girl; don’t provoke others for a momentary thrill. Not everyone is always rational."

"I know." Thea understood what he meant, "It’s because I know they wouldn’t resort to violence that I argue with them. I have boundaries; I’m not foolish enough to seek a beating."

She understood the rationale; when she was young, her brother often taught her.

"I still remember what my brother said."

"Share it?"

"My brother said when you can’t ensure your absolute safety, you can compromise, suppress your temper first. Tell you guys once I get home and let you support me."

Before studying abroad, whenever she faced trouble, she habitually sought the few of them.

For instance, when someone removed her hearing aid, everyone else was out of Coronet, she could only call Ian. In hindsight, that was truly the root of all "trouble."

Before then, Ian had only visited once or twice. After that, he started picking her up from school on time every day, like a mobile surveillance unit or a personal bodyguard.

——

At lunch, Ian accompanied her grandfather with some wine. Considering Grandpa’s health, Thea didn’t let them drink too much. In the afternoon, Thea needed to go to the clinic to pick up medication for her grandmother.

"I’ll go with you." The man resting on the sofa got up to follow. Thea swallowed back her refusal.

Grandpa’s clinic wasn’t far, just a four-minute walk.

Thea remembered clearly because she walked this route numerous times back then, with Ian. This was also the path she took to school.

And from school to home, it took ten minutes.

Walking might be slightly faster, but he drove, and occasional traffic jams could extend the time. Yet back then, she didn’t find it long; instead, she hoped the journey would last longer, so she could spend more minutes with him.

Even though she saw him every day then, their encounters were brief each time.

Sometimes, if she was hungry, he’d take her for a late-night snack before taking her back. If there was nothing else, it was just those short ten minutes.

In her otherwise insignificant youth, those ten minutes were the most precious.

Thea shook her head, snapping herself back to reality. She asked Ian, "Did you drink much, Third Brother? Did you bring a driver? Or should I arrange one for you tonight?"

He probably wasn’t fit to drive.

The white wine had quite a kick.

Ian replied succinctly, "Why would I bring a driver to visit home?"

"..." Thea felt momentarily stumped.

"We’ll see tonight." He indicated she shouldn’t worry.

Initially, she thought he meant he would call someone to pick him up at night, but who knew Ian drank quite a bit more with Grandpa again after dinner. By the end of the meal, he was drunk, slumped on the sofa, eyes closed, appearing rather uncomfortable.

"Ian’s drunk, huh," Grandma sighed, then turned to scold Grandpa a bit.

Having had no one to drink with for a long time, Grandpa got too excited and didn’t restrain himself.

"Let Ian stay here tonight. Thea, quickly, help your Third Brother upstairs to lie down; it’s uncomfortable sitting here."

"Oh, okay." Thea obediently moved forward.

On the sofa, Ian didn’t open his eyes, seemingly asleep.

Yet, Thea distinctly remembered that he used to handle his liquor well. Even when drunk, he didn’t show any signs, making it hard for anyone to gauge whether he’d been drinking.

Looking at him now...

She leaned in closer, "Third Brother..."