Chapter 119: Chapter 119: Criteria for Choosing a Partner
Julian Zimmerman stood by the door, wearing glasses, his gentle gaze sweeping over the four people in the booth before stepping inside.
"Second brother!" Thea Lynch quickly put down her phone and stood up, so excited she didn’t know how to greet him.
Julian Zimmerman had come straight from work, his clothes still unchanged. He opened his arms and smiled as he embraced Thea Lynch.
"Thea is getting more and more beautiful."
Thea Lynch withdrew from his embrace, her eyes stinging, "Not really, I haven’t changed much. It’s probably just the illusion of not seeing each other for so long."
Julian Zimmerman gently patted her head and looked her up and down through his lenses, "Of course you’ve changed, second brother remembers clearly, Thea looks even taller than she did a few years ago."
"I remember back then when Thea just came to me." He gestured at shoulder height.
Thea Lynch pressed her lips together, looking at the figure before her, suddenly reminded of Aaron Lynch.
Silas Cheney and Sean Bell were still exchanging pleasantries with the second brother, having not met in years, with seemingly endless things to talk about.
No one noticed the change in Thea Lynch.
Thea Lynch stood in the corner, quietly watching the lively scene across from her.
Such a scene hadn’t been seen for many years.
If only Aaron Lynch were here...
Thea Lynch turned her head, trying to calm her emotions. She didn’t want to ruin the mood today.
She was supposed to be happy, what kind of situation would it be if she cried?
But whenever she saw the second brother, she couldn’t help but think of Aaron Lynch.
Among these people, the one who interacted most with Aaron Lynch was the second brother.
When she was little and did something wrong, Silas Cheney and the others would cover for her, but they didn’t dare challenge Aaron Lynch.
Except for her second brother.
He was good at communicating, always able to persuade Aaron Lynch and get the better of him. So whenever she had a problem, she loved to seek her second brother and let him handle Aaron Lynch, always successful.
Thea Lynch thought no one noticed her emotions.
Until a familiar presence enveloped her from behind, weighing on her shoulder.
Thea Lynch’s eyes suddenly grew hot, and the tightly wound string snapped; tears surged forth uncontrollably.
Ian Preston said nothing, silently wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and quietly led her out of the booth.
By the time Silas Cheney and the others reacted, the two figures were already gone from the room.
"They went out?" Julian Zimmerman was a bit slow to react.
Silas Cheney uttered a sound, "Maybe... went to order food."
He poked Sean Bell, who hesitated for a moment but cooperated, "Probably. Second brother, let’s sit first."
Julian Zimmerman appeared unconcerned whether he harbored doubts, merely glancing at the door before sitting down in the main seat as Sean Bell suggested.
——
In the hallway around the corner, Thea Lynch leaned against the wall, trying hard to calm her emotions.
She wasn’t someone who liked to cry, but at this moment, she couldn’t help herself.
A bit choked, Ian Preston raised his hand and gently patted her back, "No rush, take your time."
Thea Lynch took a deep breath, though she wasn’t crying anymore, her eyes still red.
"I..." She wanted to explain, but didn’t know how to start.
"I know."
Ian Preston gently pulled her into his arms, "Thea Lynch, it’s okay."
"Next week, find a suitable time, and we’ll go visit big brother together."
The day before Thea Lynch’s birthday was Aaron Lynch’s memorial day.
Thea Lynch had always wanted to visit Aaron Lynch with them but truly didn’t know how to say it.
Fortunately, Ian Preston understood everything.
Just like back then, she didn’t know how to speak, yet he could understand what she wanted with just a look.
It’s undeniable that since her brother left, no one seems to understand her better than Ian Preston.
——
Thea Lynch quickly collected her emotions and returned to the booth with Ian Preston, one after the other.
Her eyes were still slightly red, making what happened evident at a glance.
But back in the booth, her second brother and the others only paused briefly upon witnessing the scene, and quickly found a topic as if nothing had happened.
"Is Thea now working on Little Four’s side?"
"Yeah." Thea Lynch nodded, "The field just happens to match."
"That’s great." Her second brother squinted with a smile, despite being only in his thirties, radiating an elder’s kindly demeanor.
But this feeling didn’t seem out of place on him.
Perhaps related to his profession, he always appeared gentle and courteous, devoid of any aggression.
Among their diverse personalities, this made him seem somewhat incompatible.
He completely lacked the arrogance typical of wealthy heirs, showing more humility instead.
Possibly influenced by his parents.
Most of the previous generation in the courtyard were in business, with a few in politics.
His second brother’s parents were among the few.
"Will the second brother stay in Coronet permanently?"
"It’s uncertain." Julian Zimmerman enjoyed looking into people’s eyes when talking, yet wouldn’t make others uncomfortable. "The current plan is this, short term unlikely to leave Coronet."
Thea Lynch asked, "How about uncle and aunt? When will they return?"
"In a few days, spoke on the phone yesterday, said they’d return next week if free."
Thea Lynch wanted to ask more, but seeing this, Sean Bell suddenly stepped in,
"Oh right, second brother, didn’t you settle your personal affairs while abroad all these years?"
At these words, the others present all turned to Julian Zimmerman.
Thea Lynch and the others were fine, but Ian Preston wasn’t someone who cared about gossip, paying attention now was all because of Thea Lynch.
Even though she said she didn’t have such feelings for her second brother, seeing her attitude towards him made him think twice.
Since childhood, it’s always been this way.
Ian Preston couldn’t recall how many times Thea Lynch had chosen him over her second brother.
Standing next to her second brother, Thea Lynch would undoubtedly overlook him without a second glance.
Thus he couldn’t completely trust Thea’s current words.
Julian Zimmerman didn’t find Sean Bell’s question abrupt, replied calmly with a smile, "No."
"Work was too busy."
Sean Bell said, "Now that second brother’s back, it’s time to consider your life matters. Haven’t your uncle and aunt pushed for it?"
"Haven’t pushed." Julian Zimmerman pondered Sean Bell’s words seriously and nodded in agreement, "It’s indeed time to think about it."
With Aaron Lynch gone, he was now the oldest among this generation in the courtyard.
They even discussed this during the call with his aunt; he must take the lead, setting an example.
"What kind does second brother like? Silas Cheney knows many girls, let him introduce some to you."
Silas Cheney rarely found Sean Bell talking sense, eagerly chimed in, "Yes, second brother, tell us your standards. I’m familiar with Coronet, sure to find someone suitable."
Julian Zimmerman contemplated, "No standards, as long as they click."
Sean Bell thought he was being dismissive, just as he was about to pursue the topic further, someone sharply kicked his leg under the table.
