Recalling the ti of that missed call earlier, Thea Lynch didn’t rush inside.
"When did you guys get here?"
The assistant looked at his watch, quickly gave her an accurate number: "Around 6:50."
It’s already past eight now.
Hmm.
"Why didn’t you go directly to Stratus to find ?"
"President Preston knew you were still working late, afraid to disturb your work, so he ca here to wait for you first."
Upon hearing that, it did seem considerate.
Thea softly clicked her tongue, nodded at him, and went inside.
"Hey, wait." Behind her, the assistant was about to close the unit door and return to the car when he heard her voice.
"Miss Lynch?"
The assistant looked over.
"Was Silas at the company all day?"
"Yes." The assistant replied kindly, "President Preston didn’t have any social engagents today; after finishing today’s eting, he ca directly here."
Thea acknowledged with a sound and raised her hand indicating he could leave.
The assistant nodded slightly, watched her enter the elevator, and then closed the door.
In the elevator, Thea’s mind was racing.
After stepping out, she slowly entered the password, pushed open the door, and warm yellow light spilled out from inside. Thea changed her shoes and glanced towards the living room.
A familiar figure sat on the single sofa, turned slightly towards her.
It seed sowhat cozy.
It gave her a hazy feeling of ho.
Just like coming ho from work, no matter how late, family is waiting for you.
This feeling, Thea hadn’t experienced for a long ti.
When living abroad with her uncle, he was very busy with work, coming ho even later than her. Returning ho, it was mostly just the servants, everyone was distant, with a clear sense of boundaries.
Back then, rather than saying it was ho, it was more like a temporary residence.
Putting down her bag, Thea walked towards the living room, "Silas."
Ian Preston looked up upon hearing her, stared at her for a few seconds, then pointed his chin towards the dining area, "Go have dinner, I brought roast duck for you."
Thea was about to say she’d already eaten, but hearing it was roast duck, she swallowed back her refusal.
The dining area was open, sitting down she could see Ian Preston in the living room as soon as she looked up.
She rolled up her sleeves, wore disposable gloves, "Did Silas co especially to bring a late-night snack?"
Thought he’d get to the point as soon as she walked in.
But seeing this setup, it doesn’t seem too promising, like having a last al.
Face challenges as they co, Thea soon focused on eating.
So many troubling thoughts, best to think about them after eating.
Can’t let herself be wronged.
She ate happily, and even Ian Preston sitting across from her could clearly sense it. Not wanting to spoil her good mood, he didn’t answer her question.
Thea ate quietly, didn’t like talking during als, unlike her peers, she didn’t like looking at her phone.
All her thoughts at the mont were on the food.
Usually she was efficient and decisive, allowing no mistakes at work. But now, it was like she reverted to her childhood; eating delicious food, her whole deanor relaxed, the joy in her eyes unmistakable.
Ian Preston just watched her, even without any conversation, his unsettled heart seed to find a resting place, instantly filled.
He rembered that even as a child, she loved to eat.
Because of her picky nature, her eldest brother didn’t like taking her out to eat. Back then, she’d throw a childish tantrum, refusing to change that habit, challenging him.
Getting cornered, she’d secretly find Ian Preston and Silas Cheney.
Among them, the most approachable, the ones closest to her, were these two.
Even being young, she knew how to pick her battles.
Only she was ultimately spotted by her eldest brother, and it didn’t succeed.
Resigning herself, she appealed to him.
He rembered it was a sumr evening.
Sitting by the window reading, the window was open, and outside, sounds rustled continuously. Hard to describe what was happening.
Yet when he looked outside, the yard was empty, no one there.
Those sounds intermittently disturbed his reading.
Before he could call soone to check, suddenly small hands clung to the window ledge, followed by a little head struggling to peek through.
Surprised he was just by the window, staring straight at her. The little girl paused, eting his gaze for a mont before nervously speaking, "Third brother..."
"Hm." He responded, glanced at her, "What are you doing out there?"
Just after asking, he realized what the noise was.
His window sill was quite high, and Thea was still small, with so growth issues, a bit short. Standing directly outside, he might not have seen her.
Outside, it wasn’t clear what she was stepping on to reach the window, body swaying, not stable.
"Sothing you need? Co inside and tell ." He gestured for her to enter through the main door.
"No, no." She shook her head vigorously, "I’ll leave soon."
"...What do you need for?"
The girl was unusually afraid of him.
"Third brother, have you eaten?" Her big eyes fluttered, lingering montarily on his face.
Just one sentence, he guessed her purpose.
Realizing it was almost ti for dinner.
At the compound, dinner was early and unified.
"Hungry?" he asked.
"Ah, a bit." Even as a kid, she was clever, didn’t directly reveal her aim, coyly asked, "What are you having tonight, Third brother? My family has stewed ribs, would you like so?"
"Don’t know what Uncle Liu made today, you can ask." He replied deliberately.
"Ah..." Seeing her hesitate for ages without getting to the point, he closed his book: "What do you want to eat, I’ll take you out."
"!" In that mont, the girl’s eyes brightened.
"We can go out?"
Back then he was also young, freely leaving the compound was impossible, especially taking her, they’d surely be questioned.
"We can, I’ll make up an excuse."
"Alright!"
That day, he held her hand, walking out from the yard. All the way, the girl was uneasy, hiding when seeing people, afraid they’d report to her eldest brother.
Only after exiting the main gate did she relax, her little hands slipped away like a loach, without attachnt.
She ran fast, wanting to eat the limited roast duck across the street from the compound, afraid she’d be late and miss it.
"Co back." From then, he started worrying for her. Caught up to bring her back.
He didn’t speak much back then, two words were enough to have her obey, even in the shop she didn’t dare let go of his hand.
"Third brother, what if eldest brother asks later?"
She didn’t worry while eating, only finished and tossed him the problem.
He helped her fix her loosened braid, "Bla it on , say I insisted on taking you out."
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