Chapter 114

Zinnia nodded and said, “Yes. Take one dose a day for a month. After that, I’ll adjust your prescription, and your condition will gradually improve. Please make sure to take it on time. If you’re too busy to prepare it yourself, you can have someone else do it for you.”

She thought, ‘His body is severely weakened. It needs gradual nourishment, not strong medicine all at once!’

Yannis added the herbs to the pot. Then he handed a plate of freshly washed strawberries to Zinnia and said, “Here, Zinnia, have some strawberries. We will have dinner in half an hour.”

Zinnia held the plate and popped one strawberry into her mouth as she watched Yannis busily moving about the kitchen. She asked, “Need any help?”

Yannis replied, “No need. Someone as lovely as you shouldn’t be stuck in the kitchen. Don’t you even have any homework today?”

“Yannis, if you hadn’t brought up homework, we’d still be good friends,” Zinnia said, stuffing another strawberry into her mouth. She shot him a reproachful look and complained inside, ‘Seriously, of all things, why did he have to mention homework?’

Amused by her grumbling tone, Yannis chuckled and said, “Looks like you really can’t stand homework.”

Zinnia grumbled, “Who in their right mind likes homework? Senior year is all about homework, endless assignments, piles of test papers, problems that never end.”

Yannis kept his gentle smile as he listened quietly.

Yannis cooked while Zinnia watched over the medicine pot. They spoke little, yet a gentle, quiet serenity settled between them, filling the kitchen with a sense of silent understanding.

“The buffalo wings are ready. Wanna try one?” Yannis said, lifting the lid.

Zinnia’s eyes lit up as she peered into the pot, nodding eagerly.

Yannis turned off the stove. He bent down, grabbed a small plate from the cabinet, picked up a chicken wing with a fork, and handed it to Zinnia.

Zinnia set down the strawberries and took the plate he offered with both hands. Their fingers brushed briefly before separating. Zinnia remained oblivious, but Yannis felt the fleeting softness against his skin, his fingers tightening almost imperceptibly.

Zinnia picked up the chicken wing, blew on it, and took a bite. “This is amazing!” she exclaimed. Her eyes sparkled.

Yannis smiled and said, “If you like it, have some more later.” He took another plate and carefully scooped the chicken wings out of the pot. Placing the plate right in front of her on the counter, he added, “Help yourself whenever you want.”

Zinnia was too busy devouring her chicken wing to reply, so she just nodded.

Seeing how much she enjoyed it, a smile tugged at Yannis’ lips. He scrubbed the pot clean, then relit the stove to heat fresh oil.

Zinnia stayed close, watching Yannis’s every move as he cooked. It had been days since she’d last tasted his cooking, and just watching him cook made her crave it all the more.

With Zinnia following him around like a little duckling, Yannis would sneak her a bite each time he finished a dish.

In no time, Yannis finished cooking. He cooked three dishes, including buffalo wings, and also made a soup.

Seeing Zinnia reaching for the soup, Yannis handed her the pasta instead. “Here, Zinnia, take this,” he said gently.

“Okay,” Zinnia replied, carrying the pasta out to the dining table.

Yannis brought out the soup first, then quickly returned to serve the rest of the dishes. “Dinner’s ready,” he said, placing the fork in front of Zinnia.

Zinnia had already been drooling in the kitchen. If it were anything else, she might have tried to act reserved. But faced with these aromatic dishes, she couldn't hold back at all. She eagerly picked up her fork and enjoyed the meal.

At last, Zinnia sat back with a contented sigh, her stomach happily full from the feast.

Yannis stood up and began clearing the dishes from the table.

Zinnia gazed at Yannis’ beautiful hands, lost in thought. She thought, ‘I want to touch them. Would they still look this beautiful if I could hold them in my hands?’

Yannis reached for the dishes in front of Zinnia. Noticing her prolonged, intent gaze, he called out, “Zinnia.”

“Your eyes are so beautiful,” Zinnia said softly, admiration in her voice.

Yannis gazed into her crystal-clear eyes, his own reflection shimmering in them. Sensing her interest, he asked softly, “So, Zinnia, would you like to touch them?”

Zinnia’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she straightened up slightly. She asked, “Really? Can I?”

“If you want to, you can,” Yannis said softly, bending down and bringing his face close to Zinnia’s.

In an instant, the distance between them vanished. Zinnia stared at Yannis’s face up close and couldn’t help but marvel inwardly, ‘He’s handsome!’

“Go ahead and touch if you want, Zinnia,” Yannis said, amused by her unblinking stare. He thought, ‘She is like everyone else, yet somehow different.’

Yannis knew his face was striking. After all, his mother, Grace, had once been hailed as the most beautiful woman in Jinston. His face was the perfect blend of Grace and James’s best features.

Every time James saw Yannis’s face, no matter how angry he was, he’d just scold Yannis a bit because he couldn’t bring himself to lay a finger on a face like that.

Because of his face, countless women were attracted to Yannis. For a time, he despised his appearance, loathing the way people stared at him.

But Yannis felt that being stared at by Zinnia was different. Her eyes were crystal clear, without any trace of covetousness, obsession, or possessiveness. It was a pure appreciation of beauty.

Yannis watched as Zinnia’s fingers reached towards his eyes. His thick, long lashes fluttered involuntarily, and his breath hitched as he clutched the plate, his knuckles turning white from the strain.

Truth be told, Yannis didn’t understand why he’d said that. He’d always hated anyone touching his head, whether it was the massage last time or letting her touch his eyes now, both had crossed his boundaries long ago.

Yet he kept making exceptions, unable to bring himself to refuse Zinnia.

The delicate skin of his eyelids quivered beneath her soft fingertips, his lashes fluttering like startled wings. All his senses seemed to heighten.

He could feel her gentle hand tracing the contours of his eyes with unhurried precision, from the arch of his brow to the curve of his lashes, from the brow bone down to the hollow beneath.

Yannis could smell a sweet, delicate scent coming from Zinnia. It was light but intoxicating, utterly pleasant.

He lifted his gaze slightly, taking in the sight of Zinnia’s exquisite features. Her face was bare of makeup, her brows naturally defined, neither too thick nor too thin, her eyes round and sparkling with innocence, her lips naturally rosy. Every detail was perfect.

Yannis thought, ‘Even now, she’s still so young, yet her beauty already shines with breathtaking radiance. Who can imagine how stunning she’ll be when she fully blossoms?’

“Your eyes are so beautiful,” Zinnia murmured, admiring not just their color but also their perfect shape. After she had her fill, she pulled back, her eyes crinkling with delight, like a satisfied kitten.

She thought, 'I don’t want to keep these eyes for myself. They look best right where they belong.'

Yannis straightened up as Zinnia withdrew her hand, exhaling quietly in relief.

Yannis wasn’t lying: Zinnia’s eyes were truly beautiful. Just gazing into them could soothe anyone’s spirit deep within. Nobody could bear to let even a trace of darkness show in front of her, afraid of tainting those pure eyes.