Chapter 315
โZinnia, dinnerโs ready. Come on out,โ Nathan called gently, and he walked into the pharmacy, carrying a tray of food.
For the past few days, Zinnia had locked herself in the pharmacy, desperately searching for an antidote. Nathan had tried repeatedly to persuade her, but Zinnia refused to place all her hopes on that single remedy.
โWhat if we never find Florivive?โ Zinnia thought anxiously. โDoes Nathan just have to wait to die?โ Zinnia never pinned her hopes on illusions.
In the annex, Nathan had specifically built a pharmacy. Inside the room, she was surrounded by piles of ancient books and scrolls and was carefully poring over them. โAlmost done, Nathan. You go ahead and eat first,โ Zinnia called out.
These were rare ancient tomes that had been passed down through the Moore family for generations. Many of them were destroyed in the great fire, but thanks to Nathanโs photographic memory, he managed to rewrite most of them from recollection.
To outsiders, these were priceless rarities. With hundreds, even thousands of years of heritage, Zinnia couldnโt believe they lacked even the slightest trace of antidotal ingredients.
Hearing the reply, Nathan gently pushed the door open. Inside, Zinnia sat crossโlegged among a pile of rare books; treasures others would die for, yet she flipped through them idly, tossing one aside to pick up another.
The pharmacy had an entire wall lined with thick, weighty books; most dense and difficult to read. Yet in just six days, Zinnia had already finished a third of them.
At her normal pace, it would have taken her half a year to finish these books, even if she skipped meals and slept. Seeing Zinnia so engrossed in her book, Nathan sighed with gentle concern.
He stepped in and placed the tray on the table in front of her. The food was still steaming, but Zinnia no longer cared about meals the way she used to.
Nathan crouched down and gently tidied the ancient books scattered beside her, smoothing and stacking them one by one. โZinnia, eat first. Donโt neglect your health just because of me.โ
After tidying up some things, Nathan noticed the food was getting cold. He reached out and gently pressed his hand over Zinniaโs.
โYou eat first. Iโll join you once I finish this; it wonโt take long,โ Zinnia said, pulling her arm gently. She wasnโt clever and had a poor memory; some things required hundreds of repetitions to remember.
Zinnia knew Nathan didnโt have much time left, so she dared not relax. Since their return, she buried herself in the pharmacy. If Nathan hadnโt strictly insisted she rest at night, she would have stayed up all night reading.
โEat first, and then you can continue reading,โ Nathan said firmly. โIโll mark your page. If you keep neglecting your health because of these books, Iโll be really disappointed.โ
Nathan held her hand tightly. He took the book from her, folded the corner of the page she was reading, set the book aside, and placed the steaming food right in front of her. He would never let Zinnia sacrifice her health for his sake.
Hearing his firm tone, Zinnia lowered her eyes and looked at the fragrant and delicious meal he handed her.
Zinnia picked up her fork and asked, โHave you eaten yet?โ She realized it was a pointless question; there were two sets of cutlery and he couldnโt have eaten without her, nor would he leave her to eat alone.
โHere,โ Zinnia insisted, pressing the fork into Nathanโs hand. In just a few short days, Nathan looked visibly thinner.
โThis soup is really delicious. Drink it up. We canโt afford to neglect our health,โ Nathan said, holding out the bowl to her.
Zinnia had been engrossed in study since waking up and hadnโt had a single drop of water all morning. Thus, she was truly thirsty now. Lowering her head, she obediently took small sips of the soup from the bowl.
Even though she had little appetite, she had to eat. Skipping meals would weaken her body, and if her health failed, she wouldnโt be able to properly continue her research on the formula.
So even if Zinnia didnโt want to eat, she forced herself to. She drank half a bowl of soup and then ate the other dishes. Perhaps she no longer cared about what she ate; even disliked dishes didnโt show on her face.
Zinnia ate quietly, though her gaze kept drifting toward the books. If Nathan hadnโt closed them, she wouldโve tried reading while eating.
โFocus on your meal. If you keep looking at those books Iโll put them all away,โ Nathan said firmly, tapping her forehead lightly.
โDonโt you dare take them away,โ Zinnia blurted out in a panic. She thought, โI know Nathan meant every word he said; heโd really do it.โ
When Zinnia first expressed her desire to access the ancient tomes, Nathan had already guessed what she was after. He stubbornly refused to give her the key. However, her teary eyes melted his resolve, and he finally allowed her to enter.
Nathanโs worries were wellโfounded. Once inside the pharmacy, Zinnia got immersed in a feverish routine. She pored over ancient texts, searched for remedies, tested combinations, and brewed medicinal concoctions with unwavering focus.
A few days ago, while researching a remedy, Zinnia tried it on herself first. It made her head spin and her vision blur. Nathan took care of her until she recovered.
Nathan looked at her and added more food to her bowl. โIf you eat well, I wonโt take them away. After you finish eating, take a nap. And donโt think I donโt know youโve been sneaking books into your room at night.โ
Zinnia still pleaded, โI donโt want to sleep, Nathan. There are still so many books I havenโt read.โ To be honest, sleep was the last thing on her mind. Zinnia looked back at the shelves, which were still filled with thick rows of unread books.
Zinnia had already contacted Raymond to send over the classics he had collected for her to examine. She refused to believe that those ancient texts held no solution at all.
Even if it only suppressed the poison, it was enough. Nathanโs body couldnโt afford to deteriorate any further; otherwise, even if they found Florivive, his physical damage would have been irreversible.
Nathan neither refused nor agreed with her. Instead, he said gently, โLetโs focus on eating first.โ Zinnia lowered her head and ate her meal.
โIโm full,โ Zinnia said. She couldnโt finish the rest. Lately, her appetite had dwindled significantly, and she was eating much less than she used to.
โHave some more soup,โ Nathan said, holding out the bowl to her. The soup was rich and flavorful; just the way Zinnia liked it.
She slowly finished the remaining soup. Just as she put the bowl down, the phone on the table buzzed.
Zinnia had rarely used her phone these days. Hearing the special notification sound, she paused briefly. Reaching out, she unlocked it and saw the calendar reminder: Yannisโs birthday was tomorrow.