Chapter 341

During the holidays, the streets were bustling with life. Zinnia found a spot to park her electric scooter. Zinnia glanced back over her shoulder and called out, “We’re here, Yannis!” Sunny nimbly hopped off the scooter and sat obediently by the roadside, patiently waiting for Zinnia and Yannis. Yannis stepped off the scooter with his long legs, and Zinnia followed suit. Then she parked the scooter properly. “Quite a crowd out here,” Yannis said, taking in the steady flow of people along the street. Unlike the hurried pace of big cities, life in this small town seemed to move at a gentler rhythm, with everyone fully immersed in savoring each moment. Zinnia nodded. “Yeah, it’s always more crowded during the Christmas season. Usually, there aren’t this many people around.” Zinnia declared, “Let’s go. You showed me around Jinston before, but now we’re on my turf. It’s my turn to show you around. Get whatever catches your eye. My treat.” Yannis’s eyes softened with affection, a playful smile curling at his lips. “Alright, I’ll just ride your coattails today, Zinnia.” “Sunny, let’s go!” Zinnia called out to the dog again. Sunny stood up and trotted alongside Zinnia as the trio—two humans and a dog—headed down the lively street. “Mark, one falafel wrap with panna cotta, please!” Zinnia said cheerfully. Zinnia was clearly a regular in town. She confidently led Yannis straight to the food stalls. Seeing Zinnia, Mark swiftly packed up her order. “There you go, Zee! No charge today. This one’s on the house, just for our favorite girl.” Zinnia tapped her phone to pay, flashing Mark a playful grin. “Mark, if you keep this up, I won’t come back next time.” Seeing Zinnia reach for her wallet, Mark sighed helplessly. “Come on, Zee. Do you really think I can’t afford to treat you to a falafel wrap?” Zinnia accepted the falafel wrap from Mark with a sweet smile and cheerfully said, “Thanks so much, Mark! We’ll get going now.” Zinnia handed Yannis the disposable spoon, motioning for him to use it. Worried that Yannis might find it unhygienic, Zinnia explained, “Mark makes these falafel wraps and panna cotta himself, so they’re perfectly clean. Honestly, his panna cotta is amazing. He mixes it just right, and even visitors from out of town can’t get enough of it.” Yannis got the disposable spoon. “Okay,” he said, scooping up some panna cotta from the falafel wrap and bringing it to Zinnia’s lips. As soon as she hit the street, the first place she went was the falafel wrap and panna cotta stand. Clearly, she was craving it herself. Zinnia was so used to Yannis feeding her that she opened her mouth without even thinking. The sweet and spicy flavors blossomed across her tongue. She nodded, savoring the familiar taste. “Oh, it’s just like I remember. So good. Yannis, you have to try it. You have no idea how many places I tried panna cotta in Jinston, but none of them tasted like this.” With her cheeks puffed out from the food, Zinnia nudged Yannis’s hand. “Try some,” she urged. Yannis took a bite too and smiled. “Delicious,” he said. The flavors were indeed wonderful. It was sweet with a hint of spice, and the panna cotta was smooth and tender. It was just the kind of taste Zinnia would love. Zinnia beamed with delight. “See? I’m super picky about food. If I say it’s good, it definitely is. Yannis, come on, feed me another bite. It’s been ages since I had this.” Yannis’s eyes shimmered with adoration as he saw her smile. He scooped up another bite and gently fed it to Zinnia. The falafel wrap was such a generous portion that Zinnia had to hold it with both hands, so Yannis fed her. Zinnia tugged at Yannis’s sleeve, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Come on. Let’s go get some more yummy treats!” The small town was bustling with all kinds of delicious street food. Zinnia then led Yannis to a fried potato stand and called out like a regular, “Lucy, one order of potatoes, extra crispy!” “Coming right up! Michael, please prepare an order of extra crispy potatoes for Zee, with extra pickled radish,” Lucy called out cheerfully to the back.

After Lucy finished calling out, she noticed Yannis standing beside Zinnia. “Zee, oh my! Who’s this handsome young man with you?” “Lucy, this is my cousin Yannis,” Zinnia said. Yannis greeted with a warm smile, “Hello, Lucy. Thank you for looking after Zinnia here in town.” “Not at all. It was nothing,” Lucy said, clearly delighted by such a polite young man. In no time, Michael brought over the mixed fried potatoes. “Here you go, Zee! Lucy just made some fresh cheese curds. Let me put two in for you.” Lucy stuffed two more cheese curds into Zinnia’s hands, packing the paper bag until it was overflowing. “Thanks so much, Lucy!” Zinnia said cheerfully as Yannis took the overflowing bag from her. Lucy smiled warmly. “Don’t mention it, dear. Go have fun. There are performances ahead. Just be careful in the crowd and don’t get pushed around.” Zinnia continued leading Yannis down the street. Along the way, familiar stall owners spotted them and eagerly pressed snacks and little gifts into Zinnia’s hands. Their voices were warm and affectionate, as if she were their own beloved relative. Half the townspeople knew Zinnia, including the young and the old. She was practically the little queen bee of the place. “Zinnia, you’re quite the local celebrity,” Yannis remarked, genuinely impressed by how beloved she was in town. After just one round through the streets, his hands were already overflowing with gifts from the friendly vendors. Zinnia didn’t even pretend to be modest. She grinned and said, “Of course. Let me tell you, there’s hardly anyone in the village or the town who doesn’t like me. With a face like mine, how could anyone resist?” Growing up under Nathan’s care, Zinnia always smiled at everyone she met, her chubby cheeks and flashing pearly whites making her irresistible. Everyone doted on her, except for the Shaw family, who never took a liking to her. Seeing Zinnia as proud as a little Persian cat with her tail held high, Yannis smiled warmly and asked with curiosity, “Zee, why does everyone call you that? I’ve heard it from everyone along the way.” Zinnia said, “When I was little, I wasn’t exactly the picture of health, like I might not even make it to adulthood. Folks around here say simple names help children thrive. “But since I was such a pretty child, no one wanted to call me something like Ruth or Daisy. “After thinking it over, they asked Giselle to give me a name. When I was born, I was so tiny that Nathan always said I was the little treasure, so they named me Zee, and before long, everyone just started calling me that.” That simple nickname had seen Zinnia through to seventeen. Yannis, not wanting to dwell on serious matters, teased lightly, “Zee? Zinnia, you really are the town’s darling, huh?” “You bet! Tons of people adore me,” Zinnia declared proudly. She really was that popular. “Come on. Let me show you what’s up ahead. It’s super lively, and they’ve got ethnic costumes that are absolutely gorgeous!” Zinnia tugged Yannis along as she hurried forward. Not far ahead, there was a stall selling traditional ethnic accessories. There were rows of exquisite silver headdresses, each one dazzling and luxuriously ornate, sparkling in the light. They were just Zinnia’s style. “Hey there! Want to try one on?” the vendor called out to Zinnia. “Yannis, hold these for me,” Zinnia said, thrusting her snacks into his hands. She then bent down to pick out a headdress she liked and placed it on her head. Zinnia adored these little trinkets. Even though her home was already filled with similar headdresses, she just couldn’t resist picking up new ones whenever she spotted them on the street. Zinnia placed the headdress on her head, making her delicate face appear even smaller. She gave her head a playful shake, sending the tassels swaying and jingling softly. The headdress suited her perfectly. “Yannis, do I look pretty?” Zinnia leaned closer to Yannis, her face just inches from his. The sunlight overhead bathed her in gold as Zinnia tilted her bright, lovely face up at Yannis, beaming at him. Her gentle eyes curved into sparkling crescents, shimmering with starlight. For a moment, Yannis stood utterly spellbound.