Just three days after their return, Nathan fell seriously ill. His condition deteriorated rapidly, leaving him too weak to even get out of bed.
The three of them gazed at Nathan propped up in bed, their eyes brimming with concern.
Zinnia knelt by the bedside, her fingers gently taking Nathan’s pulse. Her voice quivered with worry as she said, “Nathan, have you been overthinking again lately? Have you been staying up late?”
Nathan’s condition had deteriorated drastically. The two toxins warring inside him had pushed his already weakened body to its limits. He could barely rest at night these days, and during the day, he forced himself through sheer willpower alone.
Two afternoons ago, Nathan went out and caught a chill. He seemed fine when he got back, but this morning, even getting out of bed was a real struggle.
Nathan leaned against the headboard, his lips pale. Feeling the weakness in his body, he forced a gentle smile. “No, don’t worry. It’s to be expected,” he said softly, the faint smile slowly spreading across his pale face.
“I’ll go prepare your medicine. Get some rest,” Zinnia said, withdrawing her hand and standing up. Her steps faltered as she headed for the door.
“Zinnia.” Seeing her stumble, Nathan struggled to push himself up in alarm.
“Nathan, I’ll go check on her,” Yannis said, striding quickly toward her.
“Don’t worry about me, Nathan. I’ll be fine,” Zinnia murmured, keeping her head lowered to hide her trembling lips.
Yannis approached her side and noticed her slightly reddened eyes, his heart clenching with concern.
“Jackson, please take care of Nathan,” Zinnia said hoarsely.
Jackson glanced anxiously between the frail Nathan and Zinnia. “Let me go help Zinnia prepare the medicine,” he said.
Yannis gave them a nod, and then Zinnia and Jackson stepped out of the room.
As soon as Zinnia closed the door behind her, her composure shattered. Her knees buckled and she slumped against the wall, sliding down to the floor as tears spilled from her eyes.
Seeing how vulnerable she was, Yannis crouched down beside her. “Zinnia.”
“Yannis, I’ve thought about this possibility, but when I saw Nathan lying in bed like that, I just felt so helpless. Am I really that useless?” Zinnia said, her voice hoarse and trembling. She lowered her head, staring at the tightly closed door behind her.
Nathan’s condition was failing fast. Time was running out, yet Zinnia still couldn’t find any solution. She knew this day would come for Nathan, but she never expected it to arrive so soon.
Day after day, she watched Nathan grow weaker. Now, he was confined to bed, and his body wasting away. Even his senses began to dull.
Being a medical practitioner, Zinnia had a clearer grasp of Nathan’s deteriorating condition than Yannis and Jackson.
She thought, ‘Every time I check Nathan’s pulse, it’s like twisting a knife in my heart. I have to watch him slip closer to the end, day by day, and I still haven’t found any way to save him. I’m utterly useless.’
Yannis leaned in and pulled her into his embrace. “Zinnia, you’re not useless at all. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Even the Yarbrouly couldn’t find a solution after decades of research. It’s only natural we haven’t figured it out yet.”
Zinnia’s fingers clutched tightly at Yannis’s sleeve, her voice trembling. “But we’re running out of time… really running out. If we don’t find a way soon, it’ll be too late.”
Zinnia thought to herself, “Nathan’s condition is so precarious. No one knows which will come first, tragedy or tomorrow.”
Chapter 346
Hearing her tear-choked voice, Yannis pulled her into a tight embrace and gently reassured her, “No, we’ll find a way. We’re going to figure this out, I promise. We will.”
“Will we really find a way?” Zinnia closed her eyes briefly, trying to hide the anguish in them.
“We will,” Yannis said firmly.
Zinnia’s voice was hoarse as she said, “Yannis, let’s go downstairs and prepare the medicine.”
Zinnia crouched before the medicine cauldron as Yannis fed firewood into the flames. Sitting motionless on the stool, she clutched a single seed in her palm.
Over the past few days, they had tried everything, like soil cultivation, hydroponics, even growth-stimulating elixirs. Yet the seed showed not the slightest sign of sprouting.
Experts from various fields had gathered, and researchers from the institute had examined it, but they remained utterly powerless against this stubborn seed.
As the potent herbal scent thickened in the air, Zinnia murmured hoarsely, “Yannis, the medicine’s ready. Could you take it up to Nathan?”
Zinnia thought to herself, ‘My eyes are still red. If I go upstairs now, Nathan will definitely worry about me!’
Yannis poured out the medicine. Seeing Zinnia sitting by the small stove, he said with concern, “Alright, I’ll take this upstairs. Will you wait for me down here for a bit? I’ll be right back, okay?”
Zinnia gave a faint nod. “Okay.”
Yannis carried the medicine upstairs, casting frequent backward glances at Zinnia.
Zinnia slumped by the medicine cauldron, staring at the seed in her palm. “Please, just sprout already. I’m begging you,” she pleaded.
Zinnia clenched the seed tightly in her trembling hand, her voice thick with helpless sobs. “Please,” she pleaded, “just sprout. I’ll give anything if only you grow.” Her fingertips dug into the seed, her eyes burning red with unshed tears.
Sunny came charging in from outside, making a beeline for Zinnia. His plump body knocked against the medicine cauldron on the stove stand, sending it crashing to the ground where it shattered into countless pieces.
“Sunny!” Zinnia gasped in alarm, scrambling to her feet and protectively scooping Sunny into her arms.
Zinnia quickly ran her hands over Sunny. “Why were you running so fast? Did you get burned?”
Sunny had charged in so clumsily. The stove wall was still hot from the fire. Zinnia hurriedly checked him for burns.
Sunny whimpered softly, knowing he’d messed up, and he stood perfectly still, his ears drooping in guilt.
Zinnia checked Sunny thoroughly and sighed in relief when she found no burns.
“Sunny, go stand over there for a bit. I’ll clean up these pieces,” Zinnia said, giving him a gentle pat on the back and motioning him aside.
Sunny moved to the other side while Zinnia crouched down, mechanically picking up the sharp, uneven fragments scattered across the floor.
Lost in thought, she barely noticed as a jagged edge sliced her palm. A sharp pain shot through her hand, and blood began dripping steadily onto the floor.
Seeing Zinnia’s hand bleeding, Sunny grew frantic, barking anxiously and nudging her with concern.
“Sunny, I’m fine,” Zinnia said, wincing as she examined the cut on her left hand. She tossed the sharp shards aside and stood up, searching for a bandage.
Chapter 346
In a corner unnoticed by anyone, the cut on Zinnia’s palm was deeper than she realized, blood dripping steadily down. A crimson trickle fell onto the seed she clutched. The seed’s wrinkled surface silently absorbed the nourishing blood.
The wound ached a bit, and Zinnia winced slightly, her brows knitting together.
“Zinnia!” Hearing Sunny’s frantic barking, Yannis rushed out of the living room, only to spot the fresh blood welling up on her hand.
Yannis grabbed the first-aid kit and rushed out.
Yannis knelt down before her, took out some antiseptic powder, sprinkled it on her wounded hand, then lowered his head and gently blew to soothe the sting.
Zinnia glanced at the cut on her hand and said flatly, “It doesn’t really hurt. Don’t worry.”
In the past, she would have whined pitifully about even the slightest injury. But now, the anguish in her heart completely overshadowed the pain in her hand. She had matured.
Yannis’s deep eyes brimmed with tenderness as he murmured, “It may not hurt much, but it still hurts.”