The next day, Deanna stayed home because she had taken leave from her master and did not go to the research institute.
However, after spending most of the day at home, she noticed that Lance had not gone out to handle any matters, which puzzled her.
"Lance, didn't you say we had something to deal with today? Aren't we going now?" she asked.
The two little ones, who had been playing with Lance, also looked over curiously. "Daddy and Mommy are going out?"
"Can we come too?" they asked in unison.
Lance smiled and pinched their cheeks. "Of course, you two are the main characters in this."
Deanna raised an eyebrow, feeling both puzzled and expectant about Lance's behavior. If it were an urgent matter, Lance wouldn't bring the kids along. But if it were a surprise, it made sense for him to include them. She wondered what kind of surprise Lance had prepared.
Seeing Deanna's thoughtful expression, Lance knew she had guessed something. He glanced at his watch and said, "It's about time. Let's go."
The two little ones were thrilled. "Daddy, where are we going? Do we need to prepare anything?"
They looked up at him, asking obediently. Lance, however, remained mysterious. "You don't need to prepare anything. You'll see when we get there."
This made Deanna feel uneasy. She started to think it might not be a surprise after all but something serious. With these thoughts, she followed Lance into the car.
Before long, the family of four arrived at the largest department store in the city center. As soon as they got out of the car, their striking looks immediately caught the attention of passersby. Many people recognized Deanna and whispered among themselves.
"Doesn't that beautiful mom look familiar?"
"She does! Isn't she Professor Deanna from the news?"
"Yes, that's her!"
"Then the handsome dad must be the CEO of Mercer Group!"
Exclamations rose around them. Although the voices were not loud individually, together they created a buzz. Deanna quickly pulled Lance and the kids into the mall to avoid the crowd.
Shannon and Nightingale followed closely behind. Once they were inside, mall security blocked those who tried to follow them in. "Sorry, the mall is temporarily closed to other visitors. Please come back later."
Half an hour earlier, Lance had rented out the entire mall. He did this partly because Deanna's fame had grown too much and he didn't want their family time disturbed, and partly to prevent any potential danger since Eula was still missing.
Inside the mall, Deanna noticed the commotion outside and turned to Lance with a puzzled look. "Why did you rent out the mall?"
"Eula is missing. She will likely come for revenge. The mall is crowded; I just want to ensure your safety," Lance explained quietly.
Deanna was startled but before she could ask more questions, Lance changed the subject. "Alright, it's time to prepare the thank-you gifts."
"What thank-you gifts, Daddy?" the kids asked sweetly.
Lance replied, "Gifts for your former neighbors who helped you. Have you forgotten Lexi and the others?"
The kids' eyes lit up as they remembered who he was talking about. "Daddy, are we going to see Lexi and them?"
"Yes. In those years when I wasn't around, our neighbors took care of you. Now that we have the means, it's time to repay them."
Of course, he also wanted to show those who once looked down on them that they were not pitiable but people they could never hope to surpass. Lance didn't say this part out loud to avoid setting a bad example for the kids.
Deanna was surprised and touched by Lance's thoughtfulness. She hadn't thought of this herself and felt both grateful and guilty. Indeed, besides her master, many neighbors had helped them back then. She had been so caught up in various events that she forgot to thank them properly.
Thankfully, Lance had thought of it for her. Because of this, Deanna was even more attentive than the kids in selecting gifts.
Two hours later, Deanna left the mall with Lance and the kids, heading towards the old neighborhood. On the way, Deanna shared her thoughts with Lance. "Lance, what do you think about giving Lexi and them a cash gift as well?"
Some of the families who had helped them had members with chronic illnesses requiring long-term medication. Now that she had the means, Deanna wanted to improve their lives as a token of gratitude.