It was already getting late, but Nathan was still in good spirits, thanks to his afternoon nap.

Finishing eating, Zinnia stood up and said, “Nathan, Fiona, I’m heading upstairs now.”

Nathan nodded. “Alright.”

Zinnia scampered upstairs, but instead of heading to her room, she slipped straight into the home lab.

Though she’d promised Nathan not to overwork herself these days, Zinnia just couldn’t resist the urge to sneak into the home lab.

‘Since Giselle said this prescription works, I have to study it inside out,’ Zinnia thought.

Fiona watched Zinnia’s retreating figure and frowned. “Zinnia seems so preoccupied these days. She didn’t even ask about fireworks this year.”

In previous years around this time, Zinnia would have been begging them to set off fireworks with her. She’d never have gone back to her room so early. Instead, she’d insist they stay up and play with her a little longer.

Due to Zinnia’s delicate health, Nathan never allowed her to stay up late, except during the Christmas holiday, when he’d make an exception.

“She’s growing up now and has her own little secrets,” Nathan said, his voice warm.

“Nathan, there’s an urgent matter at the company. I have to leave tonight,” Fiona said, her eyes shimmering with anticipation as she looked at him.

She added, “It’s a major project overseas. If I take it, I might not be back for three years. If you want me to stay…”

Fiona looked at Nathan, her eyes betraying a rare flicker of emotion. Her hands on her knees tightened involuntarily. If she succeeded in this overseas project, she could be promoted straight to headquarters.

But deep down, Fiona longed for Nathan to say something. With just one word from him, she’d come back in a heartbeat.

Fiona searched Nathan’s eyes intently, hoping to find the answer she longed for. ‘We’ve known each other for over a decade,’ she thought. ‘Does he feel anything for me?’

Nathan’s eyes were gentle. “Safe travels, and all the best with your work.”

The light in Fiona’s eyes dimmed as she realized Nathan had turned her down. Forcing a smile, she said, “My flight is at midnight. Will you see me off?”

Nathan’s brow furrowed slightly. “I’ll bring Zinnia along to see you off,” he said.

Fiona smiled faintly. “Never mind. Let’s not bother Zee. Just tell her I’m leaving tomorrow, or she won’t sleep tonight.” Now that things had come to this, she clearly didn’t plan on sticking around.

Fiona looked Nathan straight in the eye and spread her arms. “Nathan, I’m about to leave, and it might be years before we see each other again. We’ve been friends for over a decade. How about one last hug?”

Nathan looked at her, falling silent for a few moments. Fiona thought he was going to turn her down, so she slowly dropped her hands.

Right then, Nathan stood up, and he and Fiona shared a brief hug.

Fiona gave a gentle squeeze around his waist. “Nathan, you and Zee take care,” she whispered. She quickly stepped back. That brief embrace was enough for her.

Then Fiona dragged out the suitcase she’d hidden behind the door. She’d packed it up ages ago, ready for her departure.

Her flight wasn’t actually at midnight. It was at 10 p.m. Coincidentally, she and Nathan had first met at 10 p.m., so it was also a good time to say goodbye.

Chapter 335

She’d tried her best, but some things just weren’t meant to be. Since they couldn’t be together, at least they could part as friends.

After Fiona left, Nathan headed upstairs with a mug of warm milk in hand.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Nathan wasn’t the least bit surprised to see the light spilling from the door of the home lab. He pushed it open and stepped inside.

He didn’t see Zinnia at first. A sliver of light spilled from the herb storage area. As Nathan approached, he saw her petite figure rummaging through the herb cabinets, completely absorbed in her task.

Zinnia murmured the names of the herbs under her breath as she searched through the herb cabinets.

Hearing movement behind her, Zinnia turned and gave a sheepish grin, hastily hiding the herbs behind her back. “Nathan, here you are. I just came in to take a look.”

“Working on that prescription?” Nathan said, instantly recognizing the formula just from hearing Zinnia list the herbs.

Seeing that Nathan had caught her, Zinnia stopped hiding and brought out the herbs she’d been concealing behind her back.

“Yeah,” she admitted, “I wanted to test this formula first. These herbs are all pretty common. Some are even downright ordinary. A few are extremely potent, while others are so mild that they’re practically inert.”

“I’ve never seen a formula like this before,” Zinnia murmured, puzzled. “Is Florivive really that miraculous? Even the ancient texts don’t mention its origin, habitat, or what it looks like.”

They had all the herbs for the prescription, except for one key ingredient–Florivive. What made the formula strange was how the other ingredients were so ordinary, yet the combination itself was something Zinnia and the others had never considered.

Zinnia thought, ‘The unique thing about this formula is that legendary Florivive. Nathan said this prescription has been passed down in the Evans family for over a century. With how much the world has changed, could we really still find something as mythical as Florivive?’

Nathan walked over and handed Zinnia the milk. In a warm, gentle voice, he said, “Zinnia, you must understand that every healer has their own approach. There are countless practitioners in the world, each with their unique treatment methods and prescriptions.”

“Yeah,” Zinnia said. She knew that, but when it came to Nathan’s health, she just couldn’t help but worry about every little thing.

‘Nathan’s health is just too fragile now,’ Zinnia thought anxiously. ‘I can’t afford even the slightest mistake. Three months? That’s far too short.’

Zinnia hung her head, her voice tinged with dejection as she said, “I wonder when the destined one Giselle mentioned will arrive and who they could possibly be.”

She couldn’t help but worry, thinking, ‘Who exactly is this destined one? When will they show up? Will we be able to wait for them in time? What if it’s already too late to help?’

Compared to Zinnia’s anxiety, Nathan was much calmer. In a gentle tone, he assured her, “The right person will come when the time is right. Don’t worry too much.”

Chapter 336