The two little ones were very happy to hear that they would be going to the hot springs with Handsome Uncle.
For the next few days, they counted down the days, eagerly anticipating the trip.
Sometimes, Deanna found it amusing to see them counting days on the calendar.
Finally, the weekend arrived, and the two little ones woke up early.
"Mommy, wake up. You promised Uncle we would go to the hot springs today."
They excitedly ran into the master bedroom, waking up Deanna who was still asleep.
Deanna glanced at the time and saw it was just six o'clock, but she got up anyway.
After the family finished breakfast, the doorbell rang.
"It must be Mr. Mercer. I'll get the door."
"I'll go too."
The two little ones ran excitedly to open the door.
Outside stood Lance, dressed in a casual suit. He looked less imposing than usual and more like a refined gentleman.
Chloe looked at Handsome Uncle with sparkling eyes and exclaimed, "Good morning, Uncle. You look so handsome today!"
"Indeed, very handsome," Gregory nodded seriously.
Hearing their compliments, Lance's already good mood improved even more.
He smiled gently at the two little ones and said, "You both are very well-behaved today."
As he spoke, Deanna came over and invited Lance inside.
But Lance shook his head and declined. "I won't come in. Are you all ready? If so, let's head out."
"We're all set," Deanna nodded in response.
She picked up the luggage she had prepared, said goodbye to her grandmother, and followed Lance out.
Once in the car, they found Xavier already there, mainly responsible for driving.
Lance sat in the front passenger seat while Deanna and the two children sat in the back.
Along the way, the two little ones seemed to have endless things to say and even pulled Lance into their conversation.
Initially, Deanna worried that Lance might find the children noisy, but she soon realized he was very patient.
She thought that if Mr. Mercer ever had children, he would make an excellent father.
The journey seemed shorter as everyone chatted and laughed.
Assard Mountain was located in the western suburbs. The scenery along the way was beautiful due to special development efforts.
The two little ones were gradually captivated by the roadside views. Leaning against the car window, they exclaimed, "Mommy, look! It's so beautiful outside."
Hearing this, Deanna also looked out the window.
Outside, layers of mountains overlapped with mist swirling around. The vast forests were tinged with yellow amidst the green, presenting a unique charm that was truly breathtaking.
For a moment, Deanna couldn't help but exclaim, "Indeed, nature is the most beautiful scenery."
Hearing this, Lance looked at the mother and children with gentle eyes.
Unfortunately, he didn't notice it himself and instead started explaining the scenery to them. "This mountainside is one of Assard Mountain's attractions. Even during the day, it's shrouded in mist."
"So amazing!" The two little ones were in awe.
As everyone chatted and laughed, the car arrived at Assard Mountain's resort and stopped in front of a hotel.
The hotel wasn't a traditional high-rise but was designed like pavilions and towers with royal garden-style architecture. The antique buildings exuded grandeur and occupied a vast area.
In short, it didn't look like a hotel but more like a scene from another era.
Deanna loved this kind of historical hotel and thought the scenery was so beautiful that it could be called a paradise on earth.
After getting out of the car, the hotel manager immediately greeted them with a flattering smile.
He had received notice that the president would be coming, so he had brought staff to welcome them at the door early on.
"Mr. Mercer, you must be tired from your journey. I've already prepared your rooms."
After speaking, he didn't forget to greet Deanna, Gregory, and Chloe. "Dr. Deanna, little mister, little missy, hello."
Deanna smiled and nodded in response.
The two little ones also politely greeted him, making the manager's smile even more genuine.
Lance then asked the manager to lead them to their rooms.
Upon entering her room, Deanna noticed that its decor matched the courtyard's design-antique and tasteful.
Moreover, her room was adjacent to Lance's, just next door.
Before she could say anything, the two little ones were already cheering happily.
"Great! We can visit Uncle at night."
"Uncle, can we come to your room?"
The two little ones looked at Lance expectantly.
Seeing this, Lance couldn't bear to refuse and nodded with a smile. "Of course."
He then looked at Deanna and softly said, "You've been in the car for a long time; you must be tired. Let's rest for half an hour. We'll have lunch first and then explore nearby in the afternoon. Xavier mentioned there's a maple forest and a natural lake behind us."
Hearing this, Deanna had no objections and took the two little ones back to their room to unpack.
Around noon, Lance came to knock on their door.
The mother and children followed him out for their outing. renk