Cloud walked along this road for two consecutive days and nights.
When he first died, his spirit was strong. There was a golden light within him that allowed him to travel across mountains and oceans, spanning half the globe.
But now, he could only walk like an ordinary person. The only difference was that walking for him felt like a sprint, with no obstacles in his way.
Without pausing for a moment, he returned to the Crawford Mansion on the third morning.
The morning light reflected through the treetops. Cloud wanted to step into the Crawford Mansion, but the sun had already risen.
He could only stand under the big tree by the roadside at the entrance. Although there was only a road's distance away, he couldn't cross it.
Silently, Cloud looked at the Crawford Mansion. The gap between life and death was always puzzling. He stood here yet never quite made it there.
Soon, the mansion started buzzing with life. There was the sound of a crying baby. Cloud knew Matthan was awake. Why was the little one crying so early in the morning?
As he calculated the time, Matthan was six months old when he left. He's probably more than a year old now?
Almost a year had passed.
It was a sunny day, but the north wind had its say.
Soon, two boys and a girl walked out of the main building. The girl was lively and energetic.
Suddenly, a child of about ten years old came out and shouted, "Hannah! Grandma said to grab your hat!"
The girl dismissed it with a wave. "Don't need that thing!"
The trio quickly got into the car, and the car drove out of the mansion. Cloud stood under the tree, watching from afar. Through the car window, he caught glimpses of Zachary and Drake.
Drake looked down and focused on something while Hannah lounged with her arm draped over the front passenger seat, scrolling through her phone with one hand.
Zachary had his head down too.
Cloud's eyes were filled with warmth. In the blink of an eye, the kids had grown so much.
Drake is only sixteen, and he's already in high school.
Zachary, at fifteen, must be in his freshman year.
Poor Josh, he's only fourteen but still looks like a ten-year-old. He's probably not attending school and staying at home instead.
Hannah, the youngest at twelve, must be starting her first year of junior high now.
It's great to see that they are all growing up healthy...
Inside the car…
Inside the car, Drake initially buried his head in a book. Soon, he shut it and rubbed his eyes.
Out of the blue, Zachary sensed someone watching them. He looked up and peered out the window…
Under the big tree across the street, a lingering spirit, worn and faint, caught Zachary's eye. He didn't recognize it immediately.
Then, his eyes widened, and he urgently said, "Stop the car!"
The car screeched to a halt. Even with a skilled driver, Hannah's face ended up against the front seat.
"Zachary, what's wrong with you!" Hannah rubbed her nose and complained, "Why did you suddenly yell to stop the car? Have you seen a ghost or something?"
Drake, unfazed by the strange situation, calmly said, "Keep going, or we'll be late for class."
Regardless of whatever ghostly thing it was, academic duties came first in high school. He could have overlooked it before, but now that they were in high school, it was under his jurisdiction.
However, Zachary hurriedly opened the car door and whispered, "It's Uncle Cloud!"
Drake paused, looked up, and instructed, "Take us back."
The driver curiously asked, "Young master, are you not going to school?"
Drake calmly pulled out his father's gun and said, "Dad wants me to attend a meeting. Take me back and drop Miss Hannah off at school."
The driver nodded and replied, "Alright."
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