The hotel restaurant had meticulously prepared the meal, using ingredients airlifted in that morning. Coupled with the chef's careful cooking, the dishes were a feast for the senses.
The two little ones ate until their bellies were full, but even that couldn't stop their eagerness to play. Xavier was right; there was indeed a maple forest behind the hotel. As autumn approached, the leaves were gradually turning red. The rustling of the leaves in the breeze was refreshing.
The two children were amazed by the scenery and started running around under the trees. It was clear they loved this place.
"Wow, brother, look at these leaves. They're so pretty and red," Chloe said, showing off a red maple leaf she had picked up.
Watching them play, Deanna stood not far away with a smile. Since being expelled from the Jones family, it had been a long time since she had such a leisurely outing. She had always been busy making a living.
Lance also stood under a tree, watching the children with a gentle expression. His slightly pale face and white shirt gave him an otherworldly elegance. Deanna accidentally glanced at him and thought he looked even more stunning than the scenery. She couldn't help but stare.
Perhaps her gaze was too direct, as Lance noticed and looked over. Their eyes met. Deanna quickly snapped out of it, looking away with some discomfort.
Lance raised an eyebrow, noticing her unease but pretending not to know anything. "Shall we go see the lake up ahead?" he asked.
Deanna had already calmed down. She smiled and said, "I'm fine with that."
"Then let's go. We need to walk a bit further up the mountain," Lance decided.
Deanna nodded and called back the two children who were playing wildly.
"Mommy, look at this red leaf I found. It's for you," Gregory said, handing her a beautiful maple leaf like a treasure.
Deanna accepted it gratefully. Chloe also had a handful of leaves but handed them to Lance instead.
"Uncle, Mommy has Gregory's leaf. These are for you," she said.
Lance was surprised but smiled and thanked her as he accepted the leaves.
The group continued up the mountain, chatting and laughing. Soon, they reached a lake so clear it looked like a natural emerald. The blue sky occasionally had a few geese flying by.
The children were mesmerized by the view and loved it even more. They ran excitedly along the fenced path. Deanna watched nervously, afraid they might fall into the lake.
"Slow down, be careful not to fall," she warned.
"We know, Mommy," they replied but continued to run around.
Suddenly, Chloe pointed at the lake. "Wow, there are fish!"
"Silly sister, of course there are fish in the lake. Look, there are big birds in the sky too," Gregory said, pointing upwards.
Chloe looked up and exclaimed again, "Wow, really big birds!"
Deanna chuckled at their conversation. The scenery was indeed very pleasant.
"Gregory, Chloe, this place is so beautiful. Let me take some photos of you," she suggested.
Unexpectedly, instead of standing where she pointed, they ran towards her.
"Mommy, can we take a photo with Uncle?"
"Uncle, take a photo with us!"
Their request left Deanna and Lance momentarily stunned.
Deanna looked at Lance for approval. "Mr. Mercer?"
"No problem, let's take one together," Lance agreed and walked over with the children.
Standing together, their high spirits made for a very harmonious and eye-catching picture.
After exploring the back mountain, they went back down to tour the hotel interior. The hotel itself was worth seeing with its pavilions, rock gardens, and waterfalls showcasing exquisite craftsmanship.
The children seemed tireless, running around the garden and calling Deanna over to see interesting things.
"Mommy, come look! There's a water wheel here."
"Wow, there's a bamboo forest too. It's so pretty."
Deanna found their energy amusing but noticed the fatigue on Lance's face and felt concerned. Lance was already weak and was clearly trying not to dampen their spirits by hiding his exhaustion.
"Gregory, Chloe, come back," she called them over and took Lance's hand to check his pulse.