Chapter 115
“Come on, Yannis, drink your herbal soup. Once you’re done, I’ll give you a massage so you can get a good night’s sleep,” Zinnia said gently, checking the time. Then she went into the kitchen and ladled out a bowl of herbal soup for him.
“Do I have to drink this? I feel like I’m doing fine,” Yannis said, eyeing the steaming soup. He didn’t think he needed all these tonics just yet.
Yannis didn’t want to take the medicine at all. He had perfunctorily taken the medicine prescribed at the hospital just twice before. Now, facing the soup, he hesitated, searching for a way to politely refuse.
Zinnia said, “You need this. You might feel fine now, but you’re overworking every organ in your body. If you keep pushing yourself, you could end up bedridden. Take care of yourself now, and you’ll be much healthier in the future.
“If you don’t drink this, you’re overdrawing your kidneys. And trust me, overdoing that will seriously affect your quality of life later on.”
As she spoke, she looked down at his wrist. The black belt cinched his lean waist, showing off perfect lines. She thought, ‘His waist and hips look so good. I wish I could trace my fingers along them if I ever got the chance.’
Yannis instinctively shifted away. He thought, ‘Where is she even looking?’
Zinnia continued, “I’m telling you, if you ever get married, your future wife might not be too happy about it.” She chose her words carefully, trying to make sure he could understand.
Back when Yannis was in the town with her Master, plenty of people, both men and women, came for treatment. The men would act all shy and awkward, while the women would grumble and complain.
“Fine. I’ll drink it,” Yannis muttered reluctantly between his teeth. He thought, ‘Zinnia’s medical knowledge is both a blessing and a curse.’
Taking the bowl, Yannis drank the soup in one gulp. He drank the herb soup not because of the so-called future wife she mentioned, but simply because he couldn’t bear the implication that he was inadequate.
Yannis had thought of countless tactful ways to refuse, but Zinnia hit a nerve. No man could accept such a reason, especially when it was pointed out by his friend’s sister.
Yannis felt as if he’d lost every shred of dignity and pride in front of Zinnia.
He thought, ‘No wonder people say seeing a traditional doctor is bad for a man’s pride. Better go alone.’ He felt a wave of frustration. In the end, he could only laugh at his situation.
“Isn’t it hot?” Zinnia blinked in surprise as she watched him down it in one gulp. She asked, “Isn’t it hot?”
Only then did Yannis realize his mouth was on fire. He thought helplessly, ‘What a foolish thing I’d just done? Somehow, whenever I am around Zinnia, something unexpected always seems to happen.’
It wasn’t serious enough to cause actual burns, since the living room was air-conditioned and Zinnia had let the soup cool for a while. Still, his tongue felt mildly numb.
In the end, Yannis sucked on two ice cubes to cool his mouth before heading into the study to take care of some work.
After a while, Yannis opened the study door and saw Zinnia lounging on the couch, munching on a bag of chips.
Spotting Yannis come out, Zinnia said, “Done with work? If you are, I’ll give you that massage I promised.”
After the last massage, Yannis didn’t expect to sleep straight through the night. He had only planned to take a short break and get back to work, but he ended up scrapping those plans altogether.
After the experience, he finally believed what she said—that her method was more effective than hypnosis. And he didn’t feel groggy at all the next day. He woke up feeling completely refreshed and clear-headed.
So when Zinnia offered to give him another massage, Yannis figured he had better delegate some tasks in advance, just in case he ended up knocked out again and nothing important got delayed.
“All done,” Yannis said as he walked over. He had changed into comfortable loungewear: a white crewneck tee and black sweatpants, looking fresh and clean.
Spotting the open bag of chips on the table, he chuckled and said, “You like cucumber-flavored chips?” Reaching for one, he popped it into his mouth.
Zinnia nodded, crunching on a chip. She said, “I quite like the cucumber flavor. It’s refreshing.”
“I’ll have them buy more cucumber-flavored ones next time,” Yannis said after trying a chip. He wasn’t really into snacks, he usually had his assistant buy them. Still, he made a mental note of her preference for cucumber-flavored chips.
“Going to sleep on the couch again?” Zinnia asked as she wiped her hands with a wet wipe. She remembered Yannis had slept on the couch the last time.
“The couch is fine,” Yannis said. He honestly didn’t mind Zinnia staying in his room during the massage, but since he was a guy and she was a girl, it just wouldn’t feel right.
Zinnia said, “Alright. Lie down, I’ll give you a massage.” As she stood up, she suddenly realized that the sofa looked different than before.
The old sofa was flat and had no armrests, so Zinnia had to kneel awkwardly on the floor to give him a massage last time.
Now, with the new sofa’s armrests at just the right height for Yannis to rest his head, Zinnia could finally sit comfortably, no more straining herself by kneeling.
“Here, Zinnia, sit on this,” Yannis said, suddenly producing an adorably soft stool printed with a cartoon sheep picture.
Zinnia burst into laughter at the sight: a tall, imposing Yannis holding a tiny stool. She said, “Are you trying to treat me like a baby? You even picked one with a sheep on it.”
Yannis said, “Aren’t you my little one? Only you can fix what’s wrong with me; otherwise, I wouldn’t trouble you like this. You’ve been working so hard for me.
“Since I can’t assist with the treatment, I promise I’ll never let you be mistreated in any other way.”
Yannis never expected Zinnia to care about him so much. He had never really taken his insomnia seriously, never even considered that if it kept up, he might just die one day. Whether life or death, it didn’t really matter to him.
He thought, ‘I should’ve died over a decade ago. I just got lucky and was saved, but the person who mattered most to me never came back.’
Last time, Zinnia had offered to give Yannis a massage so suddenly that nothing had been prepared at home, leaving Zinnia no choice but to kneel uncomfortably on the hard floor to help him out.
Although he wasn’t sure if she’d do it again, Yannis subconsciously replaced the sofa. He even had a custom-made stool to fit her height.
Taking the stool, Zinnia sat down and said gently, “Lie down.”
Yannis lay on the sofa, his head resting on the armrest. From where he lay, Zinnia’s face filled his view.
They were so close that, with his keen eyes, Yannis could make out the fine down on Zinnia’s cheeks and her thick, beautifully curled lashes, slightly lowered over those mesmerizing eyes.
He felt that if he stared into them for too long, he might just lose himself in them.
Zinnia looked down at him gently. She asked, “Need me to keep talking to help you relax?”
Yannis froze, momentarily stunned by her question.
“Still nervous?” Zinnia asked softly, remembering how tense he’d been last time.
“Wait, so all that talking last time was just because I was nervous?” Yannis said, instantly catching her drift, as sharp as ever.
“Yeah,” Zinnia replied.
For a moment, an unfamiliar emotion swelled up in Yannis’s chest. Not knowing whether it was the medicine taking effect or something else, in either case, his heart felt strangely warm.