Chapter 644: Chapter 644: Mom, Please Bless Them

Late at night, Willow sat on the windowsill, hugging her knees as she stared blankly at the distant sky.

In the pitch-black night sky, a single star shimmered faintly.

Her tightly pursed lips slowly parted as she murmured, "Mom..."

She reached out a hand, but her fingertips only met the cool surface of the glass.

Willow lowered her hand in disappointment. Her eyes suddenly began to burn, and her nose tingled with the urge to cry.

She sniffled, her voice thick with unshed tears. "Mom, I’ll take good care of Glenn. You have to take care of yourself in the other world."

"Mom, is James Yelric not in the other world? No one can bully you there anymore, right?"

"Glenn and I will be okay."

Willow said whatever came to mind.

As the starlight grew fainter, she rushed to say one last thing. "Renee and her family and friends are so, so good to Glenn and me. Mom, you have to watch over them and keep them safe."

Willow held her breath, her eyes fixed on the last speck of starlight as it was swallowed by the dark clouds.

The faint glimmer of hope in her heart vanished along with it.

"Sis," Glenn called out softly. "You can’t sleep either?"

Willow’s back stiffened for a moment before she tiptoed to the side of the bed.

She reached out and ruffled her brother’s hair, whispering, "Go to sleep now, Glenn."

With that, she lay down on the other side of the bed.

Glenn rolled over, his eyes fixed on her. After a long moment, he asked in a heavy voice, "Sis, my dad killed Mom. Are you going to hate me?"

The thought had been weighing on Glenn’s heart like a heavy stone.

Lying on her back, Willow’s eyelids twitched at his words. Her voice remained just as quiet. "I don’t know. But not right now."

Glenn quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He then added cautiously, "Sis, if you start to hate me later, you have to promise to tell me."

Willow rolled over, turning her back to her brother. Her voice was low. "Go to sleep, Glenn. We have to be up early tomorrow."

"Okay. Goodnight, Sis."

「The next morning」

The sky slowly brightened to a hazy, pearly white as the faint morning light gradually pierced through the clouds.

After washing up, Willow woke a sound-asleep Glenn and sent him to do the same. She then started stripping the bedding.

She gathered the pillowcases and sheet, and when she opened the door, she saw Auntie Zane mopping the floor.

"Auntie Zane," Willow said quietly, "where should I put these to be washed?"

Thinking the bedding was soiled, Auntie Zane hurried over to take it from her. "Willow, I’ll take that. Let me just finish mopping and change my clothes, and then I’ll make the bed with fresh sheets for you two."

Willow shook her head. "That’s okay, Auntie Zane. Glenn and I are leaving today."

"What?" Auntie Zane was stunned. "You’re leaving?"

She had heard about the tragedy that had befallen Willow’s family, so now that she heard they were leaving, she had no idea where they might be going.

"Yes." Willow bowed deeply to her. "We’re sorry for the trouble these past few days, Auntie Zane."

Auntie Zane waved her hands dismissively. "It was no trouble at all, no trouble at all."

She didn’t dare ask where Willow and her brother were going. After putting the sheets and pillowcases in the laundry room, she rushed back out.

"Willow, Glenn, what would you like for breakfast? I’ll go make it."

Willow gave a small smile. "We’ll eat whatever you make, Auntie."

Glenn nodded. "That’s right."

"Alright, I’ll get right on it," said Auntie Zane.

The three of them went downstairs. Auntie Zane headed into the kitchen, while Willow and Glenn went into the courtyard to talk to the cats and dogs.

The moment they saw the siblings, the cats and dogs eagerly gathered around, all assuming Willow was there for their lesson.

Pudding meowed, "Teacher Willow, after ’A nation broken, its mountains and rivers remain; a city in spring, with grass and trees overgrown’... what comes next? I can’t remember!"

Drake also sidled up, barking, "WOOF! My favorite is ’You ask when I’ll return, but I cannot say; The valley’s sad river... a lonely day...’"

Blueberry listened with disdain. "Why don’t you try thinking a little harder? You’d make two people roll over in their graves. Add Willow, and that makes three!"

Of course, Willow couldn’t understand what the cats and dogs were saying. She just crouched down, patted each of their heads, and called them by name one by one.

The cats and dogs, thinking it was roll call, all responded enthusiastically.

"WOOF~ Here!"

"MEOW~ Here!"

Willow couldn’t help but laugh, then said with a pang of sadness, "I don’t know if we’ll ever see each other again, but I’ll always remember you all keeping me company."

Glenn nodded vigorously. "Me too."

Hearing this, identical looks of confusion appeared on the furry faces of the cats and dogs.

"Meow? What do they mean?"

"Woof? Why won’t we see each other again?"

Willow didn’t understand them, so she couldn’t answer their questions. Instead, she just chuckled softly. "How about I recite the poem for you one last time?"

This time, she didn’t use the booklet Renee had printed, reciting from memory instead. "’Night Rain Sent North,’ by Simon Lynch. ’You ask when I’ll return, but I cannot say; The valley’s night rain fills the autumn bay...’"

Drake immediately tried to correct her, meaning well. "Teacher Willow, you’re wrong! It’s ’The valley’s sad river... a lonely day’!"

Blueberry shook her head. "You’re a lost cause."

Willow was halfway through the poem when Auntie Zane’s voice interrupted. "Willow, Glenn, time for breakfast!"

"Okay, Auntie Zane!" Willow called back. She then turned to the cats and dogs. "That’s all for today’s poetry lesson. Hopefully, we’ll see each other again someday."

With that, Willow stood up and walked with Glenn toward the main house.

Zane and Jasmine were already downstairs, getting ready to go to preschool.

When Jasmine saw them, her little face broke into a radiant smile. "Willow! Glenn! Good morning!" she chirped in her sweet, childish voice.

"Good morning, Jasmine, Zane!" Willow walked over to Jasmine, a hopeful look in her eyes. "Jasmine, can I give you a hug?"

Though Jasmine didn’t know why, she nodded her little head and said in her innocent voice, "Of course!"

Willow breathed a sigh of relief and bent down to hug her. "Jasmine, it was so nice to meet you."

Jasmine wrapped her little arms around her in return. "I like you too, Willow!"

"That’s wonderful." Willow patted her head, then looked over at Zane.

Before she could say anything, Zane proactively held out his little arms. "Willow, I want to give you a hug too! I like you and Glenn!"

"Okay." Willow was delighted. She bent down and gently hugged Zane. "Thank you, Zane. Glenn and I like you and Jasmine, too."

Diana Jennings didn’t yet know that Willow and Glenn were about to leave. Watching this scene, which felt so much like a farewell, she frowned slightly as a faint sense of unease crept into her heart.

She pulled out her phone and sent a message to Renee: "Renee, don’t you think Willow is acting a little strange this morning?"

Diana Jennings was about to type more, but she caught a glimpse of Willow standing in front of her out of the corner of her eye.

She put her phone down, her gaze softening as she looked at the girl. "Willow, what is it?"

"Sister Bella." Willow gave her a deep, solemn bow. "After my mom, you’re the kindest person I’ve ever met."

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