Chapter 115
โCome on, Yannis, drink your herbal soup. Once youโre done, Iโll give you a massage so you can get a good nightโs sleep,โ Zinnia said gently, checking the time. Then she went into the kitchen and ladled out a bowl of herbal soup for him.
โDo I have to drink this? I feel like Iโm doing fine,โ Yannis said, eyeing the steaming soup. He didnโt think he needed all these tonics just yet.
Yannis didnโt 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, โYou need this. You might feel fine now, but youโre overworking every organ in your body. If you keep pushing yourself, you could end up bedridden. Take care of yourself now, and youโll be much healthier in the future.
โIf you donโt drink this, youโre overdrawing your kidneys. And trust me, overdoing that will seriously affect your quality of life later on.โ
As she spoke, she looked down at his wrist. The black belt cinched his lean waist, showing off perfect lines. She thought, โHis waist and hips look so good. I wish I could trace my fingers along them if I ever got the chance.โ
Yannis instinctively shifted away. He thought, โWhere is she even looking?โ
Zinnia continued, โIโm telling you, if you ever get married, your future wife might not be too happy about it.โ 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.
โFine. Iโll drink it,โ Yannis muttered reluctantly between his teeth. He thought, โZinniaโs medical knowledge is both a blessing and a curse.โ
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 couldnโt 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 friendโs sister.
Yannis felt as if heโd lost every shred of dignity and pride in front of Zinnia.
He thought, โNo wonder people say seeing a traditional doctor is bad for a manโs pride. Better go alone.โ He felt a wave of frustration. In the end, he could only laugh at his situation.
โIsnโt it hot?โ Zinnia blinked in surprise as she watched him down it in one gulp. She asked, โIsnโt it hot?โ
Only then did Yannis realize his mouth was on fire. He thought helplessly, โWhat a foolish thing Iโd just done? Somehow, whenever I am around Zinnia, something unexpected always seems to happen.โ
It wasnโt 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, โDone with work? If you are, Iโll give you that massage I promised.โ
After the last massage, Yannis didnโt 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 saidโthat her method was more effective than hypnosis. And he didnโt 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.
โAll done,โ 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, โYou like cucumber-flavored chips?โ Reaching for one, he popped it into his mouth.
Zinnia nodded, crunching on a chip. She said, โI quite like the cucumber flavor. Itโs refreshing.โ
โIโll have them buy more cucumber-flavored ones next time,โ Yannis said after trying a chip. He wasnโt really into snacks, he usually had his assistant buy them. Still, he made a mental note of her preference for cucumber-flavored chips.
โGoing to sleep on the couch again?โ Zinnia asked as she wiped her hands with a wet wipe. She remembered Yannis had slept on the couch the last time.
โThe couch is fine,โ Yannis said. He honestly didnโt mind Zinnia staying in his room during the massage, but since he was a guy and she was a girl, it just wouldnโt feel right.
Zinnia said, โAlright. Lie down, Iโll give you a massage.โ 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 sofaโs armrests at just the right height for Yannis to rest his head, Zinnia could finally sit comfortably, no more straining herself by kneeling.
โHere, Zinnia, sit on this,โ 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, โAre you trying to treat me like a baby? You even picked one with a sheep on it.โ
Yannis said, โArenโt you my little one? Only you can fix whatโs wrong with me; otherwise, I wouldnโt trouble you like this. Youโve been working so hard for me.
โSince I canโt assist with the treatment, I promise Iโll never let you be mistreated in any other way.โ
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 didnโt really matter to him.
He thought, โI shouldโve died over a decade ago. I just got lucky and was saved, but the person who mattered most to me never came back.โ
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 wasnโt sure if sheโd 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, โLie down.โ
Yannis lay on the sofa, his head resting on the armrest. From where he lay, Zinniaโs face filled his view.
They were so close that, with his keen eyes, Yannis could make out the fine down on Zinniaโs 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, โNeed me to keep talking to help you relax?โ
Yannis froze, momentarily stunned by her question.
โStill nervous?โ Zinnia asked softly, remembering how tense heโd been last time.
โWait, so all that talking last time was just because I was nervous?โ Yannis said, instantly catching her drift, as sharp as ever.
โYeah,โ Zinnia replied.
For a moment, an unfamiliar emotion swelled up in Yannisโs chest. Not knowing whether it was the medicine taking effect or something else, in either case, his heart felt strangely warm.