Delayed Passion: Miss Lynch's Unrequited Love-Chapter 69: Madly Smitten

That day, the two of them didn’t talk for long, just a few minutes, and it was mostly him talking.

But the call didn’t end immediately.

He asked, "Are you sleepy now?"

"A little."

How could she possibly feel sleepy while talking to him? She only felt more awake.

This was something she hadn’t anticipated.

He didn’t foresee it either.

"I thought after all this talking, you’d be quite tired."

As she was at a loss for words, he said, "Shall I find a broadcast we can listen to together?"

"Okay."

Late-night broadcasts, many of them are quite hypnotic.

"Lie down properly, and just sleep if you feel sleepy."

"Okay."

She complied.

"Take off the hearing aid, otherwise you might feel uncomfortable when sleeping. I’ll turn up the volume here a bit."

"Okay." This time she agreed, but didn’t do it, afraid she’d miss his voice.

The broadcast began, and he asked, "Can you hear it clearly?"

She instinctively wanted to reply but remembered she hadn’t taken off the hearing aid, so she stopped herself.

Sure enough, not hearing her voice, the radio volume on his side was turned up significantly, forcing her to lower the call volume on her side.

Unclear whether it was the broadcast’s effect or Ian’s company, as she listened, sleepiness crept over, her eyelids started to droop.

As she was getting drowsy, a listener called into the radio station to request a song.

It was "Baby" by Shannon Stone, with the host joking it was suitable for a sleep-inducing program.

When the music started playing, she paid it no mind, her consciousness drifting.

What was more distinct in her ears was his breathing.

Though hidden beneath the broadcast’s static, she still found it, hearing it crystal clear.

As the music played halfway, she had already closed her eyes and was just about to tell him she was sleepy when suddenly, his voice mingled with the music on the broadcast...

At the first line, she opened her eyes, thinking she might be dreaming.

Until the second line rang out, the low tender male voice, slower than the original’s tempo, so clear it felt like he was whispering beside her ear.

At the third line, he suddenly laughed, "Thea Lynch."

"Huh?" She was so shocked she responded directly.

"As expected, you didn’t do as told."

He was referring to her not removing the hearing aid.

"Why didn’t you take it off?"

He wasn’t questioning with anger, his tone was both indulgent and helpless.

"If I took it off, I wouldn’t hear you sing," she stammered, finally getting the words out before asking how he could tell.

"Earlier, your breathing was light as if about to sleep, but later it became erratic."

"!"

He then laughed, "Well, now it’s even more chaotic."

"..."

"I meant to lull you to sleep, didn’t expect my singing to have this effect."

"No, it’s not!" She hurriedly insisted it worked.

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright, I’ll finish singing this song, then you can take it off and sleep, okay?"

"...Okay."

The music on the broadcast had long stopped, and he said to wait a moment, he needed to look up the music.

"My baby, baby, give you something sweet, to sleep well tonight.

My baby, when lonely there’s someone missing you—

My baby, you should know you are the most beautiful."

She didn’t dare interrupt, listening to him repeat these simple lyrics over and over. Simple as they were, they made her ears blush silently.

Only she knew.

So much so that in countless lonely nights that followed, she would involuntarily think back to this night.

A heart racing with madness known only to her.

——

"Thea Lynch?"

Ian called her name softly twice, but there was no response.

He turned up the lamp light, leaned over to look at the figure in the middle of the bed.

Thea was slightly turned to the side, eyes shut tight, already deeply asleep. Ian exhaled silently, a smile of relief broke free.

"My dear one."

Though his tone was helpless, when looking at Thea, his eyes overflowed with affection.

He adjusted her to lie flat, covered her with the blanket, and turned down the lamp to sit back in his seat, continuing to watch the IV.

Fearing she might feel uncomfortable, he had slowed down the drip, so there was still half a bottle left, it’d take a while longer.

Gazing at her peaceful sleeping face, Ian also became a bit dazed.

Such a tranquil scene was last seen seven years ago.

If not for her illness, he wouldn’t even have the right to stay overnight here.

She probably would have sent him away already while he was trying to lull her to sleep earlier.

Back then, she seemed to really like that song he sang. But now, if she were awake to listen, she’d surely be upset with him.

For Thea, that previous Chapter was already a taboo, locked away tightly. No one could enter, nor should anyone attempt to open this door.

Especially not one of the participants in that Chapter, like him.

Thinking of this, Ian turned the Agarwood Bracelet in his hand, his thumb rubbing heavily over the Buddha Beads. Yet his expression remained composed, his gaze serene as a calm sea.

——

When Thea awoke again, it was already ten in the morning.

As she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the man sitting in the chair by the bed.

Not a dream.

He was really here.

After a couple of seconds, fully awake, Thea discreetly sized up the person across.

It seemed Ian hadn’t moved the whole time, the image in her mind was of him sitting in this same position through the night.

Having grown up in a military family where upbringing was strict, especially with Grandpa Preston’s harshness, Ian was raised under military discipline.

With a straight posture, his back was always upright whether sitting or standing. This position made sleeping the most uncomfortable.

Thea could hardly imagine him maintaining this position all night.

She wanted to speak, struggled, but decided to sleep a bit more.

Even though it was near noon, he probably fell asleep very late.

Lifting the quilt, she got up intending to go to the bathroom.

As her feet touched the slippers on the floor, it made a slight friction sound. It wasn’t loud, so she paid no mind.

But upon hearing it, his eyelashes trembled. Seeing this, Thea knew something was amiss.

The next second, Ian opened his eyes directly. When he looked up, there was some dull drowsiness in his eyes, "Awake so early."

His voice was a bit hoarse.

Thea nodded, then caught herself and shook her head, "It’s not early, it’s already ten."

After speaking, she simply put on her slippers, "Sorry for troubling you, third brother, did you stay up all night?"

"I slept, just napped a bit earlier. Come on, there’s porridge kept warm in the kitchen."

As he stood up, his body wobbled slightly.

"Ian!" Thea was startled, hurriedly wanting to support him.

Unexpectedly, her fingers accidentally caught the bracelet on his wrist, and with an unintentional tug, "snap," the cord snapped, and the beads scattered all over the floor.