Come in 61
Posted on July 07, 2025 ยท 0 mins read
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Chapter 61

Zinnia didnโ€™t dislike it because it tasted bad. What bothered her was knowing she didnโ€™t even get to choose what she liked. Even the ingredients were limited. That alone made it feel bland, no matter how it actually tasted.

However, Zinnia found herself liking these pumpkin pies and decided she would definitely come back to this place more often.

There were only eight pieces of pumpkin pie in totalโ€”four on each plate. With five people at the table, everyone took one, leaving just three. Zinnia didnโ€™t feel right taking more.

She thought maybe she would just order a couple more herself later.

โ€œOf course, Zinnia. If you want more, Iโ€™ll ask Tessa to make extra ones for you,โ€ Ethan said without hesitation.

โ€œReally? Thank you so much.โ€ Zinniaโ€™s eyes lit up like a kitten getting a treat. She was so happy and couldnโ€™t even hide it.

Seeing her radiant smile, Ethan blushed. โ€œIโ€™ll go talk to Tessa right now,โ€ he said before darting off in a flash.

โ€œYou can have them all. Weโ€™re almost full,โ€ Brian said, sliding a plate of pumpkin pies toward Zinnia, making it clear she could have it all.

โ€œExactly, Zinnia. Donโ€™t feel embarrassed,โ€ Maisie added, then turned to Lydia. โ€œLydia, letโ€™s share these ones.โ€

โ€œAlright,โ€ Lydia agreed with a small nod.

Zinniaโ€™s joy was overflowing, and everyone could see it.

โ€œYouโ€™re so kind to me.โ€ Zinnia hesitated, feeling a bit shy.

โ€œItโ€™s totally fine. Weโ€™re good friends, so donโ€™t feel bad about it. If you like it, go ahead and enjoy,โ€ Maisie said with a smile, playfully pinching Zinniaโ€™s cheek.

They werenโ€™t particularly fond of desserts themselves, so they didnโ€™t mind letting Zinnia have her fill. If there were more available, Maisie would have ordered extra ones just for her.

โ€œThank you,โ€ Zinnia said with a bright smile.

Her happiness was infectious, and they couldnโ€™t help but smile along. It was touching how something as simple as a plate of pumpkin pies could light up her entire day.

They tried the last plate of pumpkin pies, making sure to save one for Ethan.

โ€œThese are tasty,โ€ Maisie said, nodding in approval.

โ€œYeah, theyโ€™re delicious,โ€ Lydia agreed, savoring each bite.

Ethan soon returned, carrying a dish in his hands. โ€œZinnia, I asked Tessa to make more for you once sheโ€™s free.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m glad you like it. Iโ€™ll bake you more pumpkin pies when youโ€™re almost done eating. It tastes way better when itโ€™s warm,โ€ Tessa said, following behind with a dish of steamed lobsters.

โ€œThank you, Tessa,โ€ Zinnia said softly.

โ€œNo need to thank me, dear. Iโ€™m really glad you enjoyed it,โ€ Tessa said with a smile, her gaze softening as she looked at Zinniaโ€™s cute face. โ€œTake your time, and just call me if you need anything.โ€

After setting down the lobsters, Tessa returned with four more dishes, filling the table with a feast before heading back to the kitchen.

It was a real feast. There were steamed lobsters, pork chops, baked potatoes, garlic beef, and even mushroom soup.

They had five people, and the portions were generousโ€“more than enough for everyone.

Brian said, โ€œDonโ€™t let looks fool you. It might not be plated like in those fancy restaurants, but the taste is totally on point. Especially these prawnsโ€”theyโ€™re amazing. You guys gotta try them!โ€

Ethan picked up a piece of steamed lobster with his fork. The tender meat was coated in sauce, and the smell alone was mouthwatering.

He said, โ€œThis lobster is really good, but watch out for shell bits. They left some in on purpose to keep it traditional.โ€

โ€œIf everyone says itโ€™s good, then it must be worth trying,โ€ Maisie said, picking up a piece of steamed lobster to taste.

The moment she took a bite, she was surprised. โ€œZinnia, you have to try this. It looks spicy, but itโ€™s mostly just packed with flavor,โ€ Maisie said to Zinnia excitedly.

โ€œOkay,โ€ Zinnia replied, finishing the last bite of her pumpkin pie. However, she didnโ€™t reach for the lobster. Instead, she quietly helped herself with other dishes, her gaze repeatedly drifting toward the lobster, though she hesitated to pick any up.

โ€œIt should be fine now,โ€ Lydia said softly, carefully removing the lobster shells before placing the meat on Zinniaโ€™s plate.

The others glanced over curiously.

โ€œI got a lobster shell stuck in my throat once, so I donโ€™t eat lobster anymore,โ€ Zinnia explained, feeling embarrassed as she looked at the piece of lobster on her plate.

Zinnia loved eating lobsters, but she never learned how to deal with shells.

When she lived in the village with Master, he would often cook lobsters for her just because she liked it. He always made sure to remove all the shells before serving them to her.

Once, at a neighborโ€™s house, Zinnia tried eating lobsters. Despite her careful efforts, she still ended up with a piece of shell stuck in her throat.

The feeling of the shells in her throat was awful. Zinnia was six at the time, and she was so scared that her eyes were filled with tears. She cried all the way home to find Master, convinced she was going to choke to death.

Master removed the shell for her, but from that day on, Zinnia became too scared to eat lobsters on her own. The fear of choking lingered.

Whenever they had lobsters after that, Master would meticulously remove all the shells for her. Now that he was gone, Zinnia had lost her appetite for lobsters altogether.

She was afraid of choking again, knowing there would be no one to help her this time.

Jinston wasnโ€™t her home, and she had no one she could truly rely on. The Shaw family didnโ€™t care about her, and she didnโ€™t want to trouble the Lynn family either.

A child without anyone to protect her learned to avoid risks on her own.

โ€œItโ€™s okay, Zinnia. The lobster has been prepared very well, so there shouldnโ€™t be any problems, but still, just be careful while you eat,โ€ Maisie said.

No one thought Zinnia was being overly dramatic because they understood that everyone had things they were not good at.

โ€œDonโ€™t worry, Iโ€™ll handle the lobsters for her,โ€ Lydia said softly, her voice calm yet clear.

Although quiet and reserved by nature, Lydia was undeniably thoughtful.

โ€œThank you, Lydia.โ€ Zinnia felt a bittersweet warmth spreading through her chest. She never expected someone she had just met to care for her like this.

Zinnia always thought she wasnโ€™t smart or good at socializing. She wasnโ€™t much of a talker and often found it hard to connect with others. Most people likely found her quiet and dull.

At the Shaw residence, the thing they said to her the most was, โ€œZinnia, whatโ€™s wrong with you? Canโ€™t you speak? Are you mute or something?โ€

Betty, on the other hand, was lively and knew how to say all the right things to please others. The Shaw family adored her. Meanwhile, Zinniaโ€™s quiet demeanor and slow reactions made her an easy target for manipulation.

By the time she caught on, they had already decided what kind of person she was and wouldnโ€™t believe a word she said.

The Shaw family didnโ€™t like her. At first, Zinnia hadnโ€™t even noticed Bettyโ€™s hostility or her attempts to kick her out of the family. Zinnia was slow to pick up on such things.

It wasnโ€™t until the Shaw family kept blaming her for everything, with their growing disappointment and even Howard showing signs of disgust, that Zinnia realized that Betty had been harboring a lot of hostility toward her.

From that point on, she kept her guard up around Betty, recognizing the traps laid for her and choosing to distance herself.

As for the Shaw family, when her efforts to earn their trust proved futile, Zinnia gradually stopped caring about their opinions.

She would never waste her time on people who treated her badly.


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