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Chapter 60: Chapter 60: A Way to Torture Ian Sterling

"Perfect timing. Let me give you a demonstration."

She didn’t wait for Ian Sterling to respond and simply began.

Watching her slender, pale fingers—as delicate as spring onions—turn red from the heat of the gaiwan that had just been rinsed with boiling water, Ian Sterling wanted to reach out and stop her several times, but Lynn Winslow paid him no mind.

"The style I learned isn’t the traditional kind; it’s more of a performance art," she said with a smile as she spun the lid on the gaiwan. "Zane Lancaster said I only learned this to show off, and sometimes, I think so too."

A strange emotion flickered in his eyes when he heard Lynn mention that name, but she didn’t notice. She poured the tea into a tasting cup, picked it up, and placed it in front of Ian Sterling.

Ian Sterling reached out to touch the side of the cup and hissed from the heat, but he still forced himself to pick it up and take a sip.

Before he could even swallow, Lynn said softly, "I know you were the one who slept next to me that night."

Ian Sterling’s hand trembled, nearly dropping the cup. He was flustered but tried to sound tough. "You were lying right next to me. I couldn’t help it."

Lynn nodded slowly. Just as Ian was about to offer another excuse, her tone suddenly shifted, and she asked coldly, "Why did you answer my phone and block Zane Lancaster?"

This time, the cup really did fall. It landed on Ian Sterling’s lap first, then dropped to the floor and shattered into pieces.

Ian Sterling shot up reflexively, patting the spot on his leg scalded by the hot tea. He looked up and saw Lynn remained unmoved. "He kept calling you," he said, aggrieved. "I was afraid he’d disturb you, so I answered. He provoked me on the phone, so I blocked him."

"Is that so?" Lynn didn’t believe him. He only ever acted innocent in front of her, but in reality, he was more devious than anyone.

"Yeah, I’m not lying." Ian Sterling came around the table and knelt before Lynn. He took her hand and blew on her fingers. "Does it hurt?" he asked in a low voice.

Lynn looked down at him, not saying whether it hurt or not. She only said flatly, "You broke one of my cups, so now my tea set is incomplete. I spent a lot of money to win this at an auction. You broke it, you replace it."

Ian Sterling looked up, rubbing his cheek against her palm to curry favor. "My dad won a set at an auction before. I’ll go get it for you this afternoon."

Lynn grunted in acknowledgment and pulled her hand back.

"Sit down. Drink your tea."

She deliberately urged him to drink, watching him hiss repeatedly from the heat. She lowered her head, pursing her lips to suppress a smile.

After watching him drink a bellyful of tea, his fingertips now bright red from the heat, Lynn finally stopped. "Weren’t you going to get me that tea set?" she said. "Go on, then. Go now."

Ian Sterling blinked. "Right now?"

"Yes. Once you’re back, we can have dinner." Lynn nodded. Seeing him hesitate, she asked, "Or were you just lying to me? You don’t actually want to get it for me, do you?"

"I’ll go right now." Ian Sterling stood up and walked out. Lynn watched his retreating back and finally couldn’t help but laugh out loud. She picked up her own cup, which had cooled down by now, took a sip, and grimaced before putting it back down.

She enjoyed tormenting others with the art of tea, but she didn’t like drinking it herself. She had deliberately set up the tea table today. Her original plan was to have Mrs. Sterling and the others move it to the adjacent room after she was done, since that room’s decor was more Chinese-style, and they could use it in their spare time.

She preferred wearing pajamas at home. She stood up, ready to go back to her room and change out of her cheongsam. As she reached the second floor, she glanced back at the natural wood tea table and her lips curled into a smile.

’It doesn’t match the villa’s overall style, but I’ll keep it. I can just think of it as another way to torment Ian Sterling.’

Ian Sterling returned quickly. Lynn was curled up on the sofa, rewatching the variety show she had seen the other day.

He placed the box containing the tea set on the table. Just then, the TV switched to a shot of the beautiful female celebrity Lynn had liked so much when she last watched.

Ian Sterling frowned. "Why are you watching her show?"

"What’s wrong with it? It’s really good. She has such a sharp tongue. I was thinking I could learn a thing or two from her."

"Haven’t I mentioned it to you before?" Ian Sterling sat down beside Lynn, lifting her legs to rest them on his lap.

Lynn adjusted her position cooperatively. "What?" she asked, puzzled.

"That’s my sister. My second-oldest sister. The woman from the trending topics with me." Ian Sterling thought for a moment. Three years ago, Selene Sterling wasn’t very active in Veridia, and since she had never publicly disclosed her family background, it was plausible that Lynn wouldn’t know who she was.

"Really?" Lynn sat up straight, a look of adoration on her face. "Can you get me her autograph?"

"I can give you my autograph. Want it?" Ian Sterling leaned in to kiss her.

Lynn turned her head to avoid him. "No, thanks," she said with disdain. "What good is your autograph?"

"It has plenty of uses." Ian wasn’t picky and planted a kiss on Lynn’s soft cheek instead.

"No, thanks. You can keep it, old man." Lynn lay back down and went back to watching TV.

Ian Sterling’s phone, which he had tossed on the table, buzzed. He picked it up and saw it was a message from his father.

[The housekeeper said you just came back in a hurry, grabbed something, and left?]

Ian Sterling replied with an indifferent "Mhm."

Then another message came from his dad: [Bring my tea set back! You unfilial son! It’s bad enough that you’re usually too cheap to show any respect to your mother and me, but now you’re stealing the tea set I worked so hard to win at auction?]

Ian Sterling replied with a grimacing emoji: [It’s not like you use it anyway. It’s just collecting dust at home. Lynn knows the art of tea, so giving it to her isn’t a waste.]

His dad’s reply was almost instantaneous, starting with an angry emoji, followed by: [Don’t you have your own? You really are one of those guys who forgets his parents the second he gets a girlfriend. Using your own father’s treasure to sweet-talk her...]

[I haven’t forgotten. I already asked Kenneth Keller. There’s an auction coming up that’s focused on porcelain. I’ll get a set for you then.]

After replying, Ian Sterling silenced his phone and tossed it aside. He quietly watched TV with Lynn, but his hands started to wander, restlessly touching her here and there.

Lynn tried to tolerate it at first, but his fingers became increasingly bold. "Can you stop touching me?" she said, annoyed. "It’s so irritating."

But he feigned innocence. "Your nightgown is too short. I’m just helping you adjust it."

"Who adjusts a nightgown by sticking their fingers inside it?!" Lynn glared at him.

Ian Sterling’s lips curved. "I do."

Ignoring her struggles and protests, he swept her into his arms and started heading upstairs. Lynn kicked her legs, struggling. "Don’t! Let go of me! If you keep this up, I’m kicking you out!"

"Go ahead and try. Let’s see if you have any energy left to kick me out later." Ian Sterling tightened his arms, holding her firmly in his embrace.

"Ian Sterling!" Lynn said angrily. "And to think they call you cold and ascetic online. You’re nothing but a hooligan!"

Ian Sterling pushed the bedroom door open and hooked it shut with his foot. He grunted in agreement, then chuckled softly. "I am. I admit it."

He took whatever insults Lynn threw at him, but just as they were about to have a... *deeper* exchange, the landline on the bedside table rang. Lynn seized the opportunity while Ian frowned in momentary pause, scrambling up to straighten her nightgown and answer the phone.

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