<b>Chapter </b>407


    “Zinnia, let’s go,” said Maisie.


    :


    * 55 vouchers.


    After Zinnia had lunch with Maisie and some other ssmates, they had fun outside for a while in the afternoon before heading home.


    When Zinnia got back, Yannis was cooking in the kitchen.


    Watching the busy figure in the kitchen, Zinnia felt a twinge of guilt. She wondered what William had told Yannis.


    The moment the grades were released, Zinnia was called into William’s office.


    Back then, William seriously asked her if she had any issues with teachers and suggested talking it through. Zinnia couldn’t help but feel embarrassed when she recalled this.


    She certainly wanted to do well, but her brain wouldn’t cooperate. She just couldn’t learn certain subjects well.


    William wouldn’t have asked that question if Zinnia had performed averagely across all subjects, but she was outstanding atnguage, as well as reading and writing.


    Her physics and chemistry teachers had even consulted the teachers of the above subjects, hoping to learn some tips on effective teaching.


    Her history, social studies, and biology teachers worked overtime topile study guides for Zinnia. With enough effort, they could improve Zinnia’s grades in these subjects.


    William also analyzed Zinnia’s test paper. Even with Lydia helping her predict some of the questions, she only managed to get two of them right.


    Out of all the multiple–choice and fill–in–the–nk questions, she only got four right. William couldn’t help but wonder if there was something wrong with the way he was teaching.


    *****


    Yannis saw Zinnia’s reflection in the ss door and turned to face her. “You’re back. Dinner’s ready.”


    “Yannis, what did Mr. Baker say?” Zinnia began to study his expression.


    Yannis replied, “Nothing much. He just told me to pay more attention to your studies and asked about your future ns.”


    Zinnia was carefully studying his expression, which Yannis found amusing.


    He said, “Get ready for dinner.”


    Zinnia sat down, and Yannis took his ce right beside her.


    Somehow, Yannis no longer sat across from her, but right beside her.


    16:18 Sat, <b>Oct </b><b>4 </b>


    (58)


    55 vouchers


    As usual, the table was set with their customary three dishes and a soup: colew, sd, bacon, and tomato


    soup.


    Zinnia first picked some bacon, the very dish she had been craving sincest night.


    “Eat some greens as well,” Yannis said as he ced some vegetables on her te.


    “Yannis, how can you let this delicious meat touch these icky greens?” Zinnia said.


    Zinnia pulled her te away and shot Yannis a defiant look.


    Zinnia didn’t mind other vegetables much, but found these leafy greens downright disgusting. Even Yannis’s cooking couldn’t make them tolerable.


    “I’ll make you some meat dishes tomorrow,” Yannis coaxed.


    Yannis picked up his own te and moved his fork toward her mouth.


    Zinnia’s te held the bacon she loved, and she didn’t want those greens anywhere near her favorite dish.


    “Really?” Zinnia asked.


    Zinnia wrinkled her nose at the greens in front of her and found them still as awful–smelling as ever. But the thought of having more meat dishes tomorrow made the ordeal seem bearable.


    She barely chewed the greens before swallowing them down and then immediately stuffed her mouth with bacon.


    As the meat vor flooded her mouth, Zinnia finally felt the relief wash over her.


    “Yes, but you should eat at least three pieces of the greens.” Yannis nodded.


    Zinnia absolutely detested leafy greens. If Yannis didn’t keep an eye on her, she wouldn’t touch a single bite.


    If she should only eat what was in front of her, and all she had were leafy greens, she’d rather just eat bread and leave the greens untouched.


    But the doctor had said she needed to eat more greens, so every day, Yannis racked his brains to coax her into eating them.


    “You liar. You hadn’t said I had to eat three pieces.” Zinnia red at Yannis. With her bright, fierce eyes, she looked like a bristling little hedgehog.


    “But I didn’t say you could only have one piece,” Yannis teased, barely holding back a smile as he leisurely enjoyed his food.


    “But you never said it had to be three pieces,” Zinnia shot back.


    Yannis replied, “I’ll cook fish for you tomorrow.”


    “I want salmon,” Zinnia blurted out.


    “But three pieces of greens,” Yannis said.


    “Fine. Deal,” Zinnia grumbled.


    Zinnia stuffed two more pieces of vegetables into her mouth.


    They only had dinner together. At lunchtime, Zinnia usually ate at the school cafeteria or went out with Maisie. On weekends, unless she went out. Yannis would have someone deliver meals to her.


    “Zinnia, have you thought about which college you’d like to attend?” Yannis asked as he helped her with another bacon.


    <b>58 </b>


    “With my grades, no way I’d get in.” Zinnia’s eyes crinkled into little crescents as she happily munched on her


    meat.


    Zinnia wasn’t the type to stress over grades. Worst case, she thought she could go back to the small town and grow herbs, treat patients when they came, and just tend to her nts when they didn’t.


    Once her master came back, she would ask him what she should do next.


    Yannis recalled what Maisie had told Yvette when she got home. He nced at Zinnia and asked, “I heard you want to go to Mealinia. Why is that?”


    “I just want to go out and look around.” Zinnia’s chewing paused briefly before she quickly resumed as if nothing had happened.


    She thought, ‘I can’t very well say I suspect Master is in Mealinia. But he’s not the type to randomly ask if I want to go there without a reason.‘


    Her master disappeared without a trace, and she had no leads at all. Zinnia wondered if he was in Mealinia, so she wanted to go check.


    “Yannis, you should have some vegetables as well,” Zinnia said.


    She added, “Your cooking is amazing. You should eat more. You’re looking a bit thin.


    “You’ve been working so hardtely. Don’t forget to take care of yourself.


    “I’m hanging out with friends tomorrow, so I’ll skip going to the office with you.


    “Your herbal kit needs recing. I’ve used up thest batch. I’ll go prepare a new one in my room.”


    Zinnia rattled off one sentence after another, leaving Yannis no chance to ask anything else, and then she darted off in a sh.


    Yannis silently observed her uneasy expression. He suspected that the MZ Group was based in Mealinia.


    He recalled that the MZ Group inexplicably got involved in the Shaw family’s affairs again, and that right after Zinnia left the Shaw family, the MZ Group immediately terminated their contract with the Shaw family.


    The MZ Group’s partnership with the Shaw family began precisely when Zinnia returned to the family. Since


    16:19 <b>Sat</b>, <b>Oct </b>4


    then, every single incident had been inextricably linked to her.


    Yannis absently tapped his fingers on the tabletop.


    He hadn’t properly looked into it yet, just a hunch for now.


    He couldn’t figure it out. He wondered why Nathan sent Zinnia back to the Shaw family if he truly was behind the MZ Group.


    Yannis thought, ‘He raised Zinnia since she was a kid. Their bond must run deep. Given how attached Zinnia is to him, they must have never been apart before.


    ‘With this sudden departure, he must know how devastated Zinnia would be. But he still left. There must be more to this. <fn91ce> Find the newest release on Find[?]ovel</fn91ce>


    ‘After more than a decade of decline and Jackson’s constant meddling, the Moore family is now a shadow of its former self. Nathan can easily handle them.


    ‘But why would he be willing to leave Zinnia at home? Well, has something happened to Nathan? If that’s the case, what would be of Zinnia?‘


    <b>AD </b>