Chapter 106
“I live just downstairs. You can come find me if you need anything,” Zinnia said, her voice gentle yet a little awkward as she tried to comfort him.
Zinnia had never comforted anyone before; it was always others who comforted her. The only one she’d ever soothed was Sunny, her dog. And the more she looked at Yannis’s pitiful expression, the more he resembled Sunny.
Every time Sunny got picked on outside, he’d come running back to her, whining and butting his head against her for comfort.
Once Zinnia started thinking of Yannis as such, she visibly relaxed, her actions becoming almost instinctive. “If you ever need anything, you can just call...reach you, or even find my phone?”
Yannis sighed and said, “You know how it is–I’m not getting any younger. What if one day I just collapsed at home? I could die and no one would even notice.”
Yannis let out a sigh, putting on an air of helplessness as if Zinnia was now his only anchor in the world.
Seeing how precarious Yannis’s mental state was, Zinnia couldn’t help but agree.
Yannis beamed, “I know you are the best.”
Yannis smiled again–a breathtaking sight. His eyes sparkled with amusement, all traces of melancholy gone as his voice returned to its usual state.
Zinnia watched him and smiled, secretly breathing a small sigh of relief. ‘He really does look so much better when he smiles,’ she thought to herself.
“Come here, Zinnia,” Yannis said, moving aside and motioning for her to add her fingerprint.
Zinnia didn’t hesitate this time as she added her fingerprint, all the while wondering how she could help Yannis keep his health.
His health really wasn’t great, especially considering he likely went through some major trauma as a child; his mind had been perpetually on edge.
If he didn’t take good care of himself, it could shorten his lifespan. Even if Yannis was only being kind to her because Jackson had asked him to, Zinnia still genuinely didn’t want anything bad to happen to him.
“Zinnia?” Yannis called out to her, a hint of confusion in his voice.
Zinnia snapped out of her thoughts and noticed a pair of brand new, creamy yellow slippers by her feet–petite, with cute little bunny ears on top.
Zinnia slipped her feet into them; a perfect fit.
“These are brand new slippers I got just for you,” Yannis said, taking off his coat and hanging it by the entrance.
Zinnia glanced at the creamy yellow slippers, then at the bunny ears. ‘A bit childish,‘ she thought, yet a quiet happiness bloomed in her heart.
‘He really kept his word–he wasn’t lying,‘ Zinnia thought.
Following Yannis into the living room, Zinnia immediately noticed some changes. The space, once strictly monochrome, now featured a light blue desk on the balcony, with a few plush toys hanging from it.
The balcony window was open, letting in a gentle breeze that made the wind chime on the desk emit clear, tinkling notes. Plugs were spread around the coffee table, giving the whole space a cozy, inviting warmth.
At first glance, not much had changed, yet the once cold apartment now felt noticeably warmer and more inviting.
“Zinnia, I set up a desk for you in the living room, perfect for doing your homework. There are snacks and milk in the cabinet next to the desk, so help yourself if you get hungry. I’ll be making dinner now,” Yannis said.
Yannis set down her backpack, then smiled as he watched her gaze at the desk.
Zinnia nodded. “Okay.”
Zinnia had been here before, but after everything that happened yesterday, it was clear to anyone that she and Yannis had grown much closer.
Zinnia pulled out her homework and settled at the desk, while Yannis headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Tonight’s dinner was another mouthwatering spread: refreshing shredded cucumber with chicken breast, Southwest chicken, golden salt and pepper chicken wings, and succulent garlic butter shrimp.
Zinnia’s eyes visibly lit up as she watched the dishes being placed on the table one by one, unable to hide her excitement.
“Sit down and eat,” Yannis said, handing her a piece of bread and a fork.
Zinnia’s eyes lit up as she exclaimed, “Wow, your cooking is amazing!”
Zinnia picked up a salt and pepper chicken wing, crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside, with exceptional texture. ‘This is the second one I’ve ever had that could truly rival Master’s cooking,‘ she thought.
“Help yourself,” Yannis said, placing a peeled shrimp into her bowl. “I’ll be busy the next few days and won’t be able to cook dinner for you, but I’ll have meals delivered.”
He’d just returned from overseas, and work at the company was piling up–one meeting after another. Last night, he’d worked late into the night, grabbed a quick catnap, barely got any sleep, and then headed straight back to the office.
Once he was back at the office, it was straight into nonstop meetings. Then, as soon as he got a message from Maisie, he immediately dispatched a team to gather evidence, compile a report, and send it straight to her.
Yannis also had surveillance footage, but since there was a capable girl in Zinnia’s class, he didn’t bother sending it over.
When the whole class stands united, he doesn’t need to steal the spotlight. His role is to provide solid backup support from behind the scenes.
“Mm–hmm,” Zinnia mumbled through a mouthful of chicken wings, barely listening to him. All she could think was, ‘Yannis’s not just ridiculously handsome–he’s an amazing cook too.‘
Zinnia couldn’t help thinking, ‘Whoever ends up marrying this gorgeous guy is going to be so lucky–imagine getting to eat food this good every day!”
Zinnia said, “You need to eat more, too. Your mental state is really poor right now. If you don’t take care of yourself, when that last thread of resilience snaps, your body won’t be able to handle it,” she said with concern.
“At best you’ll fall into a coma. At worst, it could lead to permanent brain damage. You haven’t had proper sleep in ages, and your body won’t recover just from getting a couple of good nights‘ rest now.”
Zinnia thought to herself, ‘When I get back, I’ll prepare some herbal pills to help you recover gradually. Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you.’ As she was thinking this, she placed a chicken wing in his bowl.
‘I wonder if he’ll even eat it,‘ Zinnia thought. ‘They say rich people are really particular and usually avoid food given by others.’
Zinnia only remembered after putting food on his plate–he was the pride of a family far more elite than any ordinary household. By all rights, someone like him should be even more particular about propriety and personal boundaries.
Zinnia suddenly felt a pang of nervousness and pressed her lips together.
The Shaw family were sticklers for proper dining etiquette. Zinnia found every bit of it unbearably awkward.
Yannis said, “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”
Yannis was well aware of his deteriorating health. Otherwise, Jackson and Enoch wouldn’t be constantly worried he might suddenly drop dead one day.
He’d spent the whole day in back–to–back meetings and had barely managed a quick bite for lunch. Now, watching Zinnia devour her meal with such relish across the table, even his nonexistent appetite was instantly whetted.
He picked up the chicken wing and took a bite. Seeing this, the corners of Zinnia’s lips curved into a small, relieved smile–he didn’t seem to mind at all.
Zinnia said gently, “This one’s really tasty too. Come on, Yannis, you’re not a kid anymore, so eat a bit more. Maybe you can’t sleep because you’re not eating enough, and your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs.”
Delighted, Zinnia picked up another dish for him. Southwest chicken was perfectly spiced and aromatic–she absolutely loved it.
The funny thing was, even though Yannis had cooked the meal, Zinnia seemed to be the real expert on how good it tasted.
Yannis didn’t refuse any food Zinnia put on his plate. Even when the spicy dishes made his forehead beaded with sweat and his lips turned red and glossy from the heat, he still didn’t stop her.
Southwest chicken must have really been to her taste–she kept serving him generous portions.
The once spacious and lonely apartment now echoed with Zinnia’s clear, lively voice, a sudden splash of vibrant color in Yannis’s previously monotonous life.
Yannis thought this kind of life seemed pretty good.