Chapter 282

In the following days, Zinnia fell into a simple routine: attending school, returning home, and learning medicine from Nathan.

The New Year came around soon, and the school gave everyone a day off. Zinnia politely declined the dinner invitations from Sofia and Yvette. With Nathan finally back, she wanted to spend as much time with him as she could.

“Nathan, what are we having today?” Zinnia woke up early and immediately smelled the delicious aroma of food in the air.

“I made onion soup. Go freshen up, and I’ll cook gnocchi soup.” Nathan was standing in the kitchen, dealing with vegetables. As Zinnia came out of her room, he looked at her with a faint smile.

Since bringing Zinnia home, Nathan had been personally preparing all her meals, just like their days in that small town. No matter when Zinnia woke up, there was always a fresh breakfast waiting for her.

Nathan’s company was based overseas, so he didn’t have to go to the office in Jinston. He worked from home every day and didn’t go out much. He just waited at home for Zinnia to come back.

Every day when Zinnia returned from school, she was greeted by delicious home-cooked meals.

“Alright,” Zinnia ducked back into her room to wash up and change her clothes. When she came out, the gnocchi soup was ready.

“What do you feel like eating today? We’re running low on groceries, so let’s go shopping later,” Nathan said as he sat down beside her.

“Sure.” Zinnia scooped up the gnocchi soup, then suddenly turned her head as if she had just remembered something. “Have you had anything yet, Nathan?”

“I have,” Nathan nodded. “When does your school break start?”

“Just ten more days until exams, and then we’ll be on break,” Zinnia said between bites of the food, mentally counting the days. Only ten days left, and then their holiday would begin. The first semester of her senior year was almost over.

Soon, they went to the supermarket downstairs. Zinnia grabbed a shopping cart and eagerly led Nathan straight to the snack aisle. “Trust me. This one is amazing.”

“We can buy them, but don’t eat too much,” Nathan reminded her. He took over the cart, walking beside her with a tender smile as she picked out her favorite snacks one by one.

“Nathan, these are not some random snacks. Yannis had a factory specially make them extra healthy, so you can eat them too.” Zinnia grabbed three packs of cucumber-flavored chips.

They agreed that while they were outside, they would act like family. After all, Nathan treated Zinnia like his own little sister.

“Looks like Yannis takes good care of you,” Nathan said. He picked up a bag of chips from the cart and glanced at the ingredients, only to find they were all natural.

“Yeah, I wanted to eat those snacks but he said no. Eventually, he gave in and had a factory develop these special ones for me,” Zinnia said with a sweet smile, tossing two more bags of tomato-flavored chips into the cart.

Nathan set down the groceries and quietly walked beside her. He asked gently, “Zinnia, what do you think of Yannis?”

“He’s a very good person,” Zinnia said without a second thought.

There was a faint change in Nathan’s expression, but it was too subtle to name.

“Nathan, what else do we need?” Zinnia glanced at their cart full of snacks, suddenly remembering that Nathan had mentioned they were supposed to buy groceries.

“Let’s go to the produce section,” Nathan said, pushing the cart as they changed course.

“Anything you want?” Nathan asked gently. The produce section brimmed with a wide variety of vegetables, and he carefully selected the fresh ones while Zinnia walked beside him, munching on a tube of chips.

“Don’t take so many veggies. I’m sick of them. I’ve been eating them every day.” Seeing Nathan reaching for the vegetables, Zinnia hurriedly grabbed his arm.

“Let’s get these instead.” Before Nathan could respond, Zinnia guided him toward the section with potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. She had enough of those leafy greens.

Seeing the lingering reluctance on her face, Nathan couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “Just six more months, Zinnia. Then you can eat whatever you want.”

As Nathan picked out carrots, he kept smiling. He was amused by how fussy she was and kept reassuring her that once she was an adult, she wouldn’t have to suffer through vegetables anymore.

“Six months? That’s still ages away. Let’s get some other veggies instead. I just don’t want to eat this anymore,” Zinnia said.

Seeing Nathan holding the carrots, Zinnia immediately started listing the dishes she wanted. “Can we have carrot soup tonight?”

“Sure. Anything else?” Nathan asked.

Zinnia had a whole list of things she wanted to eat. “I want to have lamb chops, grilled steak, and meat stew.”

“Is that all?” Nathan asked gently, glancing down at her.

“I feel like you’re acting a little weird today. You’re agreeing to everything I say.” Zinnia tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes full of curiosity. “Are you hiding something from me?”

However, before Nathan could respond, Zinnia continued, “Are you leaving again? You were the same last time. You gave in to everything I said right before you disappeared.”

A few days before Nathan left last time, he gave Zinnia whatever she wanted. The day before he left, he even cooked her a whole table full of meat dishes. Therefore, seeing the same pattern happening again, Zinnia was on guard.

“Don’t worry, I won’t leave again. Since you have the day off, I just wanted to make you some special dishes,” he said.

Nathan led her over to the meat section. He carefully placed each item she had asked for into the cart, one by one.

“Wow, even from the back, he looks so handsome. And look, he loves his little sister so much. A guy like him would definitely spoil his wife too. I wish I could get his number,” a girl said behind them.

“Go for it. I haven’t seen his face, but those eyes are absolutely stunning. No doubt the face under that mask is amazing too,” another girl said.

“No, I can’t. I’m all talk but no courage when it counts,” said the girl.

“Come on, you’re pretty. Why not give it a shot? It’s rare to find someone you really click with. Go get him.”

As Nathan and Zinnia were selecting vegetables, they heard the chatter behind them.

The next second, a girl came over and said nervously, “Hi, how are you? I like your vibe. Can I get your number?”

Nathan and Zinnia turned around, seeing a pretty girl nervously clutching her phone, blushing. Beside her, another girl was giving her an encouraging nudge, whispering support.

“Sorry, I’m not looking for a relationship right now,” Nathan declined gently.

“Oh, sorry to bother you,” the girl stammered. Her cheeks went bright red when he said no, and the way he gently refused left her feeling a little sad inside.

She left with her friend immediately.

Zinnia wasn’t surprised at all. She just asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, “Nathan, do you have…”

When they lived in that small town, plenty of local girls asked for his number, but he never said yes, either.