Chapter 135
It had been years since James and Yannis had shared such a quiet meal. Both preoccupied with their thoughts, neither ate much, while Zinnia and Victor had healthier appetites.
Seeing Zinniaโs good appetite, Victor and James couldnโt help nodding approvingly. They adored girls with hearty appetites. These days, most young women were so obsessed with dieting.
They barely ate a few bites before claiming they were full, ordering mountains of food, only to let most of it go to waste. This sight pained Victor and James, who had lived through times of scarcity.
After dinner, James was ready to go. He said to Yannis, โTell Zinnia weโre leaving. Next time, bring her over to our place. And donโt forget the snacks she likes.โ
Zinnia had a heavy workload of homework today. After dinner, she exchanged a few words with James before heading to her room to study.
James and Victor understood how heavy Zinniaโs schoolwork was, so they didnโt disturb her.
โAlright, Iโll have my assistant send the snack brand list to Victor,โ Yannis said coolly.
Victor quickly interjected, โYannis, my eyesightโs been failing these years. I canโt even read my phone anymore. Why donโt you just have the snacks delivered directly?โ
Yannis glanced at Victor and said coolly, โYour CEO romance novel is still playing.โ
Victor coughed awkwardly and said, โI canโt read my phone, so I have to listen to audiobooks instead.โ
Victor desperately clapped his hands over his pockets, trying to muffle the sound. When that proved futile, he sheepishly pulled out his phone and turned it off. Meeting Yannisโs calm, unreadable gaze, he gave an awkward chuckle.
Victor helped James out the door and said, โYannis, we will head out now. And donโt forget to send those snacks over soon. Make sure theyโre the really tasty ones!"
โIโve lived all these years and never tasted such exotic treats before!โ With that, he slammed the door shut before Yannis could even react.
After James and Victor left, Yannis stood staring at the empty living room. He took out his phone to ask Toby to send some things to Perkins Manor. As he turned, he saw Zinnia emerging from her room.
โZinnia,โ Yannis called.
While doing her homework, Zinnia suddenly remembered she hadnโt made Yannis the Soothing Soup.
She thought, โFunny how he remembers everything else so well, but when it comes to this, he always forgets. If I donโt remind him, heโd never remember on his own.'
Zinnia glanced around the now-empty living room and said, โI havenโt made the Soothing Soup yet. Did James and Victor leave?โ
Hesitating, Yannis said, โMaybe I donโt need to drink that every single day?โ
Yannis had been drinking Soothing Soup for days now. Whether his better sleep was thanks to the soup or Zinniaโs nightly head massages, he couldnโt say. The massage helped him drift off.
As for the soupโs supposed sleep benefits, those were still a mystery. The only thing he was sure of was the persistent, uncomfortable heat that filled his body every day.
Zinnia wouldnโt even let Yannis have iced coffee, leaving him with nothing but water. Toby once joked, โYou are already living the life of a retiree.โ
Zinnia replied, โNo way. I promised to help you get better. Donโt you like the flavor, or does the soup make you feel unwell? Just say the word and Iโll make you something else.
โYouโve only been taking the soup for a few days. Thereโs no way your body could recover that quickly. Only with long-term persistence will you see results. You have to take proper care of your health.โ
Zinniaโs refusal made Yannis hang his head, looking like a dejected puppy whose tail wagged hopefully for a treat, only to be firmly denied. He said, โJust this one is fine.โ
Zinnia hurried into the kitchen to prepare Soothing Soup, deliberately avoiding Yannisโs visibly dejected expression. She thought, โThat face is downright dangerous. One look at those puppy-dog eyes and Iโd give in to anything.
โHis health is genuinely poor. If he didnโt take proper care of himself, he might not even make it past his forties or fifties.
โWith me around, I can supervise and prepare Soothing Soup for him. But once I am gone, he will have to do it on his own.โ
Zinnia put the herbs into the pot, set the timer, and walked back out. She said, โWhy donโt you go take a shower and finish up your work? I still have a bit of homework left. Once Iโm done, I can give you a massage.โ
Yannis stepped forward and gently patted her head, a faint smile on his lips. He said, โZinnia, Iโve been sleeping much better these past two days. Youโre swamped with schoolwork right now, so you donโt have to give me a massage every day.
โThat herbal pouch works wonders. I can fall asleep just fine with it. Once youโre done, make sure to get some rest yourself.โ
Yannis thought, โIt is already past eight. Zinnia still has homework to finish, needs to wash up, and has to pack her things. Our routines are out of sync.
โIf she waits for me to fall asleep before going to bed herself, it will be too late for her.
โI canโt keep relying on her to help me sleep. Her academic workload would only get heavier, and I canโt let her juggle her studies and look after me at the same time. That would be far too exhausting for her.โ
Yannis asked Zinnia to stay, not intending to burden her. Letting her treat his condition was just an excuse to help her feel at ease about staying.
Truth be told, he didnโt care much about his health. His life felt like something heโd stolen back from deathโs door, and fate might decide to take it back any day.
Zinnia shot him a skeptical look and asked, โCan you really fall asleep by yourself?โ
Zinnia knew she couldnโt always help Yannis sleep. But while she could, she didnโt want to see him tossing every night. She knew prolonged sleeplessness took such a toll.
Zinnia had no idea what Yannis had gone through before. She could only guess it must have been something so painful, something that haunted him every time he closed his eyes.
Zinnia thought, โI need to find another way to help Yannis sleep. The herbal pouch isnโt cutting it. His insomnia is just too severe, and the effect doesnโt last long.
โIt isnโt just ordinary insomnia; his is trauma-induced, and his defenses are always up. Finding an approach he wouldnโt resist wonโt be easy soon.โ
Yannis nodded and said, โIf I canโt sleep, Iโll come ask you for help. Do you like the room? If thereโs anything not to your liking, I can have it redone for you.โ
Yannis glanced at the completely transformed living room. He had arranged for the renovations right after dropping Zinnia off at school that morning, but when he got back, James and Victor were already there, so this was his first proper look at the redesigned space.
โI love it. Itโs perfect. Thanks,โ Zinnia said.
โDonโt stand on ceremony. Once you finish your homework, get some rest early, Zinnia. If you need anything, please donโt hesitate to come find me. Iโll be right across the hall,โ Yannis said, his eyes twinkling with a gentle smile.
Zinnia replied softly, โAlright, the soup should be ready in about half an hour. Drink it when itโs ready and get some rest early. Donโt stay up too late.โ
The monthly exams were approaching, and Zinniaโs schoolwork had piled up. Studying wasnโt her strong suit; many concepts still confused her, so she had to put in a lot of extra effort just to keep up.
On top of that, a lot had happened recently, so she hadnโt exactly been having an easy time herself.