Chapter 204
โAre you feeling okay? If not, Iโll have a doctor take a look at you,โ Yannis said as he drove Zinnia home, his concern lingering. Even though theyโd only been in the car for a few minutes, he felt relieved heโd asked about the smoke.
โNah, Iโm fine. I wasnโt exposed to it for long, so I feel okay,โ Zinnia reassured. She had held her breath most of the time in the previous car. After parking, they took the elevator home.
After changing her shoes, Zinnia stood expectantly and said playfully, โYannis, you promised to make fish for me todayโand I want barbecue too!โ
Yannis neatly put her shoes away and said, โI havenโt forgotten. Go do your homework for a bit. Itโll be ready when youโre done.โ
Still holding the sunflower, Zinnia asked, โLet me arrange the flower first. Do you have a vase here?โ
โThere are some in the storage room. Pick whichever you like,โ Yannis said, removing his light jacket and leisurely rolling up his sleeves.
โThose are all antiques! And youโre telling me to use them for arranging a flower?โ Zinnia looked at him in disbelief, seeing how serious he was. Yannis had a storage room filled with rare antiques and collectibles, each worth hundreds of thousands to millions, or even tens of millions of dollarsโand that was only a fraction of his collection. It was said that in the Perkins residence, he had a basement vault housing even more valuable treasures, where even the cheapest vase could be worth millions. But now he was telling her to take one of these treasures as a vase. Just imagining those exquisite antique vases took her breath away.
Zinnia had a weakness for beautiful thingsโpeople or objects. Just gazing at them lifted her spirits.
โWhy not? These vases are all quite beautifulโI thought youโd like them. If none of those suit your taste, I can have new ones delivered,โ Yannis said leisurely.
โYannis, I might break them,โ Zinnia said worriedly. His things are way too expensiveโI couldnโt even afford to pay for one if I broke it, she thought.
Yannis chuckled at her worried face. He gently nudged her shoulder and said, โIf you break one, just grab another. Even if you smash them all, Iโll just buy moreโit wonโt make a dent in my wallet. Go on, pick whichever one you like.โ
Zinnia finally chose a simple porcelain vase. It looked like jade, smooth and warm to the touch, with a delicate, refined texture. She unwrapped the sunflower, carefully trimmed the stems, and nestled it in the vase. She set the vase by her desk, where sunlight streamed through the window, casting the golden blooms in a warm glowโa picture-perfect scene.
โAre you done picking?โ Yannis asked as Zinnia entered the kitchen where he was cooking. He handed her a bowl of freshly washed grapes.
โYes,โ Zinnia nodded. She popped a grape into her mouth, then fed one to Yannis. โItโs sweet.โ
โYes, it is, but donโt eat too muchโweโll have dinner soon,โ Yannis said, biting into a grape. He glanced at Zinnia. โGo wait outside. The kitchenโs a bit smoky.โ He knew she couldnโt handle smokeโfrom cooking or cigarettesโas it always made her feel unwell.
โThe smoke is floating out of the window,โ Zinnia protested.
โEven so, thereโs still smoke. Be a good girl,โ Yannis continued.
โIโve prepared a health-building diet for you,โ Zinnia said, taking out a pouch of ingredients. โJust blend it and drink a cup every dayโitโll strengthen your spleen and nourish your stomach.โ She had made extra while preparing a remedy for Bonnie, thinking Yannis could use some too. The medical soup sheโd given him before had helped his recovery, but now that his health had improved, it was better to switch to something gentlerโhence this diet. The ingredients are simple but will nourish his spleen and kidneys.
When Yannis saw her pull out another pouch, he felt a little sickโhe thought she was about to make him drink more medicine again. After dutifully taking her concoctions for a whole month, he was truly sick of it. Every time he drank them, his whole body felt uncomfortably hot. But when he heard it was just a diet this time, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
โIโll make extra so we can share,โ he said with a smile. The diet is good for healthโwhy should I keep it all to myself? She deserves to enjoy the benefits too, he thought.
Zinnia shook her head. โI made this for you. I really donโt need itโIโm perfectly healthy.โ Iโve had more than enough of this when I was a kid. No way am I drinking anymore, she thought.
Yannis smiled as he took the pouch. โIโve consulted the doctorโthe diet is good for you too. Come on. Prepare another portion so we can drink it together,โ he persuaded her. The previous medicinal soup contained potent medicinal herbs that might have been too strong for her, but this milder health-building diet would gently nourish her system. They should share this togetherโhe didnโt want to keep it all to himself.
โYannis, this is for your health. Iโm perfectly fineโI donโt need it,โ Zinnia protested. Honestly, what sane person actually enjoys drinking herbal concoctions? I certainly donโt, she thought.
Yannis smiled tenderly. โCome on, be good. Iโll make you something delicious.โ
Caught in Yannisโs captivating gaze, Zinnia absentmindedly went to prepare a portion for herself. By the time she snapped out of it, he had already dumped the ingredients into the blender.
โYannis, using the beauty card like this is so unfair,โ Zinnia grumbled, barred from the kitchen and standing at the doorway, staring at Yannis. Sheโd only ever heard of the โbeauty trapโ as one of those classic tricks, but now she was finally experiencing it. With that faceโand those ridiculously soulful eyesโYannis was dangerously charming. Before she realized it, sheโd already found herself doing whatever he said.
โThanks for calling me handsome, Zinnia,โ Yannis chuckled, deliberately missing her point.
โUgh!โ Zinnia huffed, shoving two grapes into her mouth. This man is getting more shameless by the day. He used to hate to be called pretty, and now heโs actually bragging about it?
โTry this,โ Yannis said, stepping out, his slender, elegant hands holding a bowl and a fork gripping a piece of pork. The pork glistened with rich sauce, steaming hot. Its tender, jiggly layers looked mouthwatering.
Despite herself, Zinnia opened her mouth. Yannis blew on the meat to cool it before feeding it to her. As soon as the meat touched her tongue, she instinctively began to chew, her eyes sparkling with delight.
โIs it good?โ Yannis asked.
โItโs delicious,โ Zinnia nodded eagerly. Her earlier complaints were gone the moment the tender pork melted in her mouth. A single bite was all it took to win her overโshe personally experienced the way to a personโs heart is through their stomach.
โYannis, with skills like yours, itโs a waste youโre not a chef. Just think of all the foodies missing out,โ Zinnia sighed with admiration. Wow, his cooking was seriously on another level.
โDidnโt I already become your personal chef? And donโt think I forgotโyou promised to save up and support me one day. So youโd better work hard, Zinnia, because Iโm ready to retire early and let you take care of me.โ As soon as he brought up the idea, Zinnia thought, With the way he spends, Iโd need hundreds of millions just to keep up with this money pit, I canโt possibly afford that.
Then, with a teasing smile, she said, โYannis, we canโt be so lacking in ambition. Youโre at the perfect age to build your careerโput in some effort.โ