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Chapter 179: Chapter 179: Do You Love Me?

Zane Lancaster really couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. It was like fighting with a child—losing is embarrassing, but winning is even more so.

Elder Winslow took the initiative to have them stay for dinner at Calyx Hall, and he specifically asked for Ian Sterling’s opinion.

Everyone present turned to look. Ian Sterling fell silent under their stares.

Elder Winslow said with a beaming smile, ”Finn? Why are you zoning out?”

”...” Ian Sterling pursed his lips and nodded. ”Fine.”

Kenneth Keller casually brought a hand to his mouth, but his constant trembling made it obvious he was trying to hide a laugh.

Ian Sterling shot out a long leg and kicked Kenneth Keller, but even that couldn’t stop Kenneth’s laughter.

Besides the fishpond, the backyard also had a long glass corridor that ended in a sunroom equipped with a projector and beanbag chairs.

The butler had someone tidy up the sunroom, moving the extra items to the storeroom. A long table was brought in and placed in the middle. The autumn nights were cool, and this spot was the perfect choice for enjoying the night view while staying warm.

More people meant more life. Having gotten on in years, Mr. Powell and Elder Winslow loved the feeling of having these young ones around. Their mindsets weren’t old-fashioned; the youngsters could fool around as much as they wanted in front of them. The elders were even interested in the drinking games they played.

Zane Lancaster stood in the corridor, slowly smoking by an open window. When he saw Lynn Winslow approach, his lips curved into a smile.

”Looking for me? Here to settle the score for your boyfriend?”

Lynn Winslow rolled her eyes. She leaned against a nearby windowsill, glancing over at Ian Sterling, who was being dragged into a game. She took the cigarette pack and lighter Zane Lancaster offered her and lit one for herself.

”I thought you quit for Ian Sterling.”

Lynn Winslow nodded. ”I did quit. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have one with you.”

Zane Lancaster chuckled. After exhaling a puff of smoke, Lynn Winslow asked, ”Find anything?”

”Couldn’t find anything.” Zane Lancaster extinguished his cigarette, ran his fingers through the hair falling over his forehead, and said in a cold voice, ”I had people tailing Esther Abbott for a long time. She met with this man once, but when I tried to look up his residence and information, I found nothing. It’s like he vanished into thin air.”

He lifted his gaze toward Zachary Quincy, who was sitting beside Jasper Jennings and watching the cards in Jasper’s hand. His voice was low. ”Zachary Quincy must know by now. They haven’t seen each other since they returned to the country. I had someone check their call logs. Not only have they not called each other, they haven’t even sent a single text.”

”Maybe they just don’t like making calls. Maybe it’s all video and voice messages?”

”They’re not like you.” Zane Lancaster glanced down at her. ”The two of them used to call each other every single day.”

Lynn Winslow pouted and grunted in acknowledgment. She just didn’t like making phone calls; she only answered them. If a voice message was an option, she’d use it.

Zane Lancaster watched her for a long time through the thin veil of smoke. It wasn’t until he felt a gaze as sharp as an ice pick linger on him that he shifted his eyes to its source.

Ian Sterling was staring coldly at Zane Lancaster, the cards in his hand slowly crumpling in his grip. Standing behind him, Elder Winslow noticed his strange behavior, chuckled softly, and patted his shoulder.

Snapping back to his senses, Ian Sterling retracted his gaze, lowered his eyes, and continued to play his hand. When the round ended and Ian was about to give up his seat, Elder Winslow pressed him back down, saying lightly, ”Finn, keep playing.”

”I...” Ian Sterling pursed his lips, looking reluctant.

”Go on. Don’t worry.”

Ian Sterling let out a breath. As he picked up his cards, his peripheral vision remained fixed on Zane Lancaster.

Zane Lancaster gave a helpless smile, left Lynn Winslow, and returned to the sunroom alone. He pulled over a stool and sat right down next to Ian Sterling.

”Go on, play. I’ll just sit here next to you. Now you don’t have to worry about me going to find Lynn, right?”

Ian Sterling shot him a glance and finally seemed to relax.

His voice wasn’t loud, so the others didn’t really hear—only Elder Winslow, who was close by. He patted Zane Lancaster on the back, as if to say, ”You know he’s petty, so why do you keep teasing him?”

Zane Lancaster shot him a look back that said, ”Because it’s fun.”

Elder Winslow was speechless. He’d always thought of himself as someone who could keep up with the younger generation’s way of thinking, but right now, he couldn’t fathom what was going through that brat’s head.

After the party broke up, Lynn Winslow went back to her room first. By the time Ian Sterling returned from escorting Elder Winslow and Mr. Powell next door, she had already showered and was waiting for him at the top of the stairs.

Ian Sterling looked up and saw what she was wearing: a lavender slip nightgown, hanging loosely on her frame.

”Aren’t you cold?”

Lynn Winslow glared at him. ”You have no sense of romance.”

Ian Sterling knew. She must have seen him get jealous earlier and was now trying to coax him, but his biggest worry was that she would catch a cold.

”Alright, let’s go back to the room.” Ian Sterling took her hand. ”I wasn’t jealous anymore, you know,” he said as they walked.

Just now, when he had taken Elder Winslow back to his room, the old man had kept him behind to talk.

”Lynn and Zane grew up together. Lynn has no idea about Zane’s feelings, and Zane has never had any intention of telling her. So you don’t need to worry that Lynn will leave you for him. Don’t get jealous just because you see them talking. It’s just like a brother and sister chatting. You know what you and Lynn have. You must be able to feel how much Lynn likes you.”

Trailing behind him, Lynn Winslow heard this and huffed. ”I don’t believe you. I wonder who was glaring at Zane Lancaster just now.”

”I have no idea,” Ian Sterling said, shaking his head. ”It wasn’t me, anyway.”

”Not you? Really not you?” Lynn Winslow circled around to his front, wanting to see him get shy. But she had underestimated Ian Sterling’s thick skin. His expression was still perfectly serious as he said earnestly, ”It really wasn’t me.”

”You’re so shameless. It was obviously you.” Lynn Winslow stood on her tiptoes to pinch his cheek. Laughing, Ian Sterling bent down and scooped her up like a child.

Because of this, Lynn Winslow was now much taller than him. Looking down at Ian Sterling’s face, she couldn’t bring herself to pinch it hard after all.

Back in the room, Ian Sterling pressed her against the wall and asked in a low voice, ”Do you love me?”

Lynn Winslow froze for a moment, then asked in confusion, ”Why are you suddenly asking that?” 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

”No reason. I just want to know.” Ian Sterling moved closer and closer to her face, whispering, ”Tell me. Do you love me?”

”I love you,” Lynn Winslow said with a light laugh. Her eyes sparkled as she stared directly into Ian Sterling’s pupils, clearly seeing her own reflection within them. Lynn’s smile slowly faded, and she said seriously, ”I do. I love you.”

Ian Sterling couldn’t help but grin. He hugged Lynn Winslow, burying his face in her shoulder, and asked, ”Then... would you be willing to marry me?”

”Is this a proposal?” Lynn Winslow’s fingers rested on the back of his head, gently massaging his scalp.

”No, I just want to know if you’d say yes if I proposed to you.”

”If I tell you now, what’s the surprise in that?!” Lynn Winslow, exasperated, tugged at his hair with a bit of force.