Chapter 58: Jay Appears
Three days later.
It was time to take Grandma’s body for cremation.
As the day broke, Willis brought a bowl for Helena, urging her to eat.RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
Helena had no appetite, but local customs dictated that the descendants should not have an empty stomach before the cremation.
Helena took a few bites hastily.
The hearse arrived, and Willis’ subordinates, along with some relatives, lifted Grandma onto the funeral car.
Zena and several elderly relatives wailed loudly.
Helena, with tears streaming down her face, stood beside the funeral car, closest to her grandmother.
In her heart, she quietly said, “Grandma, don’t be afraid. I’m here.”
It was customary for the family to assist the funeral car as it left. The procession behind the car was quite impressive, including not only relatives from the village but also Grandma’s students.
The funeral car slowly started moving.
Helena, holding onto the handle of the car, tears streaming down her face, followed the funeral car out of the village.
As the car approached the road and began to accelerate, her outstretched hand moved farther away from the cold car door.
It felt like the sky was collapsing.
Overwhelmed with sadness, she didn’t know what to say, just desperately reaching out her hand and running to catch up with the funeral car.
Afraid she might be in danger, Willis hurriedly stopped her.
Helena cried until she felt weak and collapsed.
Willis lifted her up, holding her tightly in his arms like a child.
Unable to walk, she reached out her hand, but it couldn’t touch the funeral car that was getting farther away.
Watching the car gradually disappear, she cried until she couldn’t make a sound.
On the way back home, she vomited several times on the roadside.
Willis wiped her mouth clean and comforted her gently.
She could hear his voice around her ears, but couldn’t make out what he was saying.
All she knew was that the person on the funeral car was her grandmother, about to be cremated.
She was about to lose her grandmother completely.
After Grandma’s cremation, her ashes were brought back.
On the day of the burial, the sky was gloomy, and a light drizzle floated in the air.
The wind blew through the muddy path, chilling them to the bone.
With Willis supporting her, Helena, along with her mother and relatives, came to a willow grove behind the village to bury Grandma next to Grandpa.
The willow grove was eerie, even in broad daylight, it felt chilling.
But with Grandpa buried here, and now Grandma about to be buried here, Helena didn’t find it frightening at all.
Grandpa’s grave wasn’t far away, resting beside Jay, who had once saved her life.
Her three beloved people rested together.
She found this place comforting.
Leaning quietly against Willis, Helena watched as the yellow soil was gradually poured onto Grandma’s coffin. The pit was filled, forming a new grave, and a well-carved tombstone was quickly placed on top.
The paper sedan and paper effigy were burned, flames roaring and turning half of the cold willow grove red amidst the wind’s mournful cries.
Crows cawed and flew to distant trees.
Helena stared at the photo of her grandmother on the tombstone, tears pouring down.
Willis kept wiping away her tears.
Amidst her tears, Helena suddenly smiled, her eyes red as she said to him, “I shouldn’t be sad. I should be happy for Grandma. She’s gone to be with Grandpa, who she most wanted to be with. They’re buried together, keeping each other company, never to be lonely again.”
Willis nodded, silently staring at her swollen eyes. He wanted to say, “Let’s be buried together a hundred years later.”
He opened his mouth, but in the end, didn’t say anything.
It was neither the right time nor did he want to make promises he might not keep.
He said nothing, just tightened his grip on her hand, tilting the umbrella toward her side.
After the funeral, Willis supported Helena as they walked back.
In the following days, Helena continued to lose weight, with no appetite for food or tea.
Her frail figure resembled bamboo, thin and fragile, as if a gust of wind could knock her over.
Seeing her like this, Willis felt the pain in his heart, wishing he could bear all her suffering.
As they walked.
Suddenly, his pupils contracted. He noticed a tall figure standing near the broken bridge at the village edge, looking in their direction from afar.
The man had a sharp figure, wearing a black windbreaker, with jet-black short hair and a face covered by a mask. His legs were long, and he exuded an aura that ordinary people didn’t possess.
He stood there like a statue, motionless, and his dark eyes gazed at Helena with deep and poignant affection.
Willis’s heart sank.
Instinctively, he felt that it was Jay.
The figure was almost identical to the one in the photo Josh had provided.
A frosty feeling gradually spread in Willis’s heart. He tilted the umbrella forward, blocking Helena’s line of sight, preventing her from seeing Jay and preventing Jay from seeing her again.