Chapter 77
“I didn’t expect you to know how to cook,” Zinnia said hesitantly, trying to find a topic to break the silence.
Yannis chuckled lightly. “Had no choice. James shipped me overseas, and the food there was awful. So, he had to learn to cook. Turns out, it wasn't so bad after all.”
“What’s the good part?” Zinnia asked, tilting her head curiously.
“I get to cook for you, Zinnia. At least this way, you won’t have to live off takeout,” Yannis teased, his deep, magnetic voice carrying a playful lilt.
Zinnia glanced at him, her heart skipping a beat. It was obviously a joke, but the way he said it made her wonder if he was serious.
“You’re really good at this. I can’t cook at all,” Zinnia admitted. “My master never let me near the kitchen. He said the smoke and heat were bad for a girl’s skin.”
Yannis leaned back lazily. “You’re a girl, Zinnia. It’s totally fine if you don’t cook. But for us guys, if we can’t cook, we might end up single forever.”
Zinnia looked up at him. “But… if this is the food you’re saving for your future wife, isn’t it wrong for me to eat it now?”
“Getting a wife is a problem for the future. For now, I’ll cook for you.”
Yannis chuckled at her earnest question. Her serious little face was so adorable that he couldn’t help but laugh softly, his eyes curving into a joyful expression. She really was a little ray of sunshine.
Zinnia watched him laugh, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion. She couldn’t quite understand what he found so funny, but she noticed he tended to smile a lot around her.
“You’re not eating?” Zinnia asked, glancing at his plate. He’d barely touched his food, almost as if the meal had been made just for her.
“I don’t have much of an appetite. But seeing you enjoy it so much makes me feel full too. Go ahead, eat my share,” Yannis said with a teasing smile.
Yannis had barely eaten. He wasn’t hungry, having been swamped with work the past few days. His insomnia had returned, and the herbal sachet she’d given him last time had been left at home when he changed clothes.
He hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep in days. When exhaustion hit its peak, he’d rely on the pills she’d given him to force himself to rest for a bit. But they were never as effective as the herbal sachet.
“Are you struggling with insomnia again?” Zinnia asked, her gaze steady as she looked at him.
“A little. The herbal sachet you gave me got left at home when I went on the business trip, and I’ve been busy while traveling,” Yannis admitted, knowing he couldn’t hide it from her since she was skilled in medicine.
The lack of proper rest over an extended period had dulled his appetite.
He hadn’t expected the herbal sachet to work so well. With it, he could actually fall asleep at night. Although he’d still wake up once or twice, it was far better than relying on sleeping pills.
“Do you have anything else to do tonight?” Zinnia asked, aware that his insomnia wasn’t something that could be resolved quickly.
“No, nothing urgent. Why?” Yannis shook his head.
“Eat a little more, or you’ll wake up hungry in the middle of the night. Later, I can give you a head massage to help you relax. You might be able to get some rest,” Zinnia suggested.
“That’s not necessary. I’ll just use the herbal sachet you gave me to catch some sleep later,” Yannis replied, his smile fading slightly, though his tone remained gentle.
“Alright.” Zinnia noticed his subtle resistance, her lips pressing into a thin line as she lowered her gaze. She didn’t push him further.
“Alright, I guess I’ll take you up on that massage after all,” Yannis said after a moment, his voice softening.
Yannis stared at her for a few seconds, his thin lips pressed into a straight line as if he were struggling with himself. Then, his gaze shifted to the girl across from him, who had slowed down her eating pace.
It felt like a bird that had just taken flight, only to have its feathers dampened by a light drizzle, forcing it to land on a branch, looking rather dejected.
Yannis let out a soft sigh, his tone carrying a hint of reluctant compromise.
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to use it. I can make you some calming tea instead. It helps ease your insomnia over time.”
Zinnia glanced at him, sensing the resistance that had come from deep within his heart. If he really doesn’t like it, I’ll just make him tea later, she thought.
There’s more than one way to treat insomnia, but a massage seemed like the quickest way to help him relax and release his long-standing tension. “Alright, Zinnia. How could I say no to your kindness?” Yannis said, picking up his fork and taking a bite of food as if to follow her suggestion.
Seeing him relent, Zinnia thought to herself, “Well, he’s a gorgeous guy, so I guess it’s normal for him to be a little moody.”
The two of them continued their meal. Yannis had prepared just the right amount of food, and the dishes were surprisingly delicious. Zinnia ended up finishing a lot of food.
“I’ll handle the cleanup. These chores aren’t something Zinnia should be doing,” Yannis said, stopping her as she reached for the dishes. He swiftly gathered everything, placed them in the dishwasher, washed his hands, and returned.
“So, Zinnia, what do you want me to do?” Yannis asked, looking at her as she stood there.
The night was growing late, and Yannis didn’t want to disrupt her rest. This little girl had good intentions, and he couldn’t bring himself to refuse her.
“Find a comfortable spot to lie down,” Zinnia suggested after a moment of thought.
“How about the sofa?” Yannis glanced at the couch in the living room.
“You should pick somewhere you feel comfortable enough to spend the whole night,” Zinnia advised, glancing at the sofa. It seemed fine, but she still felt the need to remind him.
“Alright, the sofa it is,” Yannis decided.
Yannis lay down on the sofa, though he didn’t take Zinnia’s suggestion of staying there all night to heart.
His insomnia was severe–he often woke up multiple times even with the help of herbal remedies. Ever since that incident in his childhood, he’d never had a truly restful night.
Lying on his back, he stared up at the sharp glow of the crystal chandelier overhead.
Zinnia approached the sofa and knelt on one knee beside it. Her clean, beautiful face came into view, her gaze calm. Slowly, the restlessness in his heart began to settle.
“Zinnia, use this as a cushion,” Yannis said, noticing her knee pressed against the cold, hard floor. Her perfect skin against the cold white tiles stood out sharply. He handed her a pillow from the sofa.
Zinnia took the pillow and placed it under her knee. Kneeling on the cold floor did sting a bit.
“Yannis, close your eyes,” Zinnia said softly.
“Do I have to close them?” Yannis hesitated, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. Lying there while she gazed at him from above felt strange. He wasn’t used to being viewed from this angle.
No one had ever dared to look at him like this. He was always the one looking down on others. Yet the initial discomfort faded, leaving behind a peculiar sense of acceptance.
“Alright,” Zinnia replied, her voice catching slightly. She had hoped he would close his eyes and get some proper rest, but he refused.
If it were any other patient, Zinnia might have smacked them for being so uncooperative. But the person in front of her was stunningly good-looking–and good-looking people always seem to have special privileges.
More importantly, Zinnia recalled his earlier resistance to the idea of a massage. He seemed a little afraid, so she chose not to push him. Once the massage started working, he’d close his eyes eventually.