Dilraba's rise to fame began with her appearance on Running Man.

Deng Zhe turned his head and saw it was Dilraba, then smiled and raised the plate in his hand.

Dilraba stared at the contents of the plate and screamed, "Ahhh! Baked buns! You actually made baked buns?!"

After saying that, he rushed up to Deng Zhe and tried to reach out and take it.

Deng Zhe pushed the plate back and slapped Reba's outstretched hand with his other hand: "Go brush your teeth and wash your face, you stink!!"

"You're the one who stinks!!" Dilraba glared at Deng Zhe, covering her hands. "This fairy always smells wonderful!"

"Alright, alright! Fairy Xiangxiang, hurry up and wash up, the second batch will be ready soon!"

Deng Zhe made quite a lot, baking it in two batches.

"Fine, I'll go!! Humph!" Reba haughtily tossed her head and went upstairs to wash up.

Five minutes later, Reba, who was thinking about the baked buns, ran downstairs and rushed into the kitchen, stopping in front of Deng Zhe.

She didn't speak, but just looked up at Deng Zhe pitifully, like a kitten waiting to be fed.

Deng Zhe was taking the second batch of baked buns out of the oven when he turned around and saw her like this.

He gently tapped the tip of her nose with his index finger. "You."

As he spoke, he brought out another plate and handed it to her. "Go and eat."

Dilraba's eyes lit up instantly. She took the plate with both hands, turned around, and strode quickly toward the restaurant.

By the time Deng Zhe brought the second plate of baked buns to the restaurant, Reba was already eating her second one.

Deng Zhe placed the freshly baked buns in the middle of the table, poured a glass of warm milk, and put it next to Reba. "Eat slowly, don't bite your tongue."

With her mouth stuffed full, Reba mumbled an "Mmm," then freed one hand to pick up the milk cup, took a big gulp, shoved the food down her throat, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"These baked buns are delicious," she said, her eyes crinkling into a smile. "They're even better than the ones sold where we live."

Deng Zhe sat down opposite her and picked up a baked bun as well. "You have to eat it slowly. No one's going to take it from you."

He took a bite and continued, "Also, you need to control yourself, or I'll have to force you to lose weight again."

Reba's hand, which was about to reach for the third bun, froze in mid-air.

She remembered the days when Deng Zhe would chase after her on his electric scooter.

She looked up at Deng Zhe, her eyes filled with uncertainty: "I...I'll have another one. You won't tell Sister Mi, will you?"

Deng Zhe looked at her, a slightly mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Guess."

Dilraba immediately rolled her eyes at him, "Guess your head!"

Without further hesitation, she grabbed the third baked bun. "Eat! We'll talk after we finish!"

Then, she quickly took down the fourth one.

After finishing breakfast, Reba immediately crawled to her beloved little snakes and, through the glass, vaguely traced their movements with her fingers, muttering something under her breath.

Deng Zhe knew that this girl had a habit of talking to herself. When no one was around, she could chat with him for a long time, let alone with snakes around.

Deng Zhe finished clearing away the dishes and called out to her, "Let's go. Didn't you say you wanted to go to the Forbidden City?"

"Oh, right!" Dilraba stood up and clapped her hands.

The two went back to their room to change into their outdoor clothes.

In November, the daytime temperature in Beijing was only in the teens (Celsius), and the wind was a bit chilly. They put on light jackets, hats, and masks; Dilraba even added a scarf.

Deng Zhe was driving, and Reba was in the passenger seat. The car drove out of the residential area and merged into the traffic on the street.

The leaves of the trees along the road have changed color, the ginkgo trees are golden, and the leaves are shimmering in the sunlight. Some have already fallen, covering the sidewalks and driveways with a thin layer.

"It's so beautiful." Dilraba looked out the window.

"Okay," Deng Zhe responded, focusing intently on the road ahead.

On a weekday, the road to the Forbidden City wasn't too congested. Deng Zhe found a nearby parking lot and parked his car.

The two got out of the car, checked each other's disguises to make sure there were no flaws, and then walked towards Tiananmen Square.

There weren't many tourists.

There were a few people scattered around the square, mostly elderly tour groups carrying small flags; there were very few young people.

This put them at ease a little. The risk of being recognized was much lower.

The tickets were booked online in advance. They swiped their ID cards, passed through security smoothly, and walked through the tall gate of the Meridian Gate, where the Golden Water Bridge appeared before them.

"Wow..." Dilraba couldn't help but exclaim softly, "It's so big!"

She turned her head and looked around. The empty square made the buildings appear even more majestic.

Deng Zhe stood beside her, also looking ahead. He didn't speak, just quietly kept her company as she watched.

Reba watched for a while, then stepped forward.

The two strolled through the three main halls and explored the imperial gardens of the inner palace. It was already noon when they exited through the Shenwu Gate.

Reba stood in the doorway, looking at the traffic outside, and let out a long sigh. "Deng Zhe, I'm tired!"

Deng Zhe was looking down at his phone map, searching for a place to eat nearby, when he heard this, he hummed in agreement.

Dilraba turned around and said again, "I'm tired, carry me on your back."

Deng Zhe stopped swiping the screen, turned his head to look at her: "I won't carry it."

Dilraba didn't say anything more.

She took two steps forward, stood behind Deng Zhe, put her arm around his shoulder, and jumped up.

Deng Zhe felt a weight on his back as two legs wrapped around his waist. He instinctively bent down, reached back, and supported Reba's knees.

"You golden python," he said, steadying himself, "you just coiled up on me right away."

Reba shifted on his back, arching upwards to find a comfortable position, resting her chin in the crook of his shoulder.

Her arms were around his neck, and her two little legs swung at his sides.

"Let's go," she said, a triumphant smile on her face.

Deng Zhe lifted her up, adjusted his posture, and carried her outside. Reba wasn't heavy, but walking for a while was still a bit tiring. He walked along the sidewalk, avoiding the few pedestrians around him.

"What do you want to eat for lunch?" he asked.

"I don't know," Reba's voice was right next to his ear, "You decide."

"How about roast duck?"

"OK."

Over the next few days, they went out early and returned late every day. They went to the Summer Palace, the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven, and Nanluoguxiang, basically visiting all the tourist attractions in Beijing.

That evening, the two snuggled on the sofa watching TV again. It was a variety show, lively and fun, but they weren't really paying attention.

Dilraba hugged a cushion, her feet tucked into the sofa. Deng Zhe sat casually, one hand resting on the back of the sofa.

The phone rang.

Deng Zhe took it out and glanced at it; it was Yang Mi.

He answered the phone, "Good evening, Sister Mi, what's up?"

Yang Mi's angry roar came from the other end of the phone.

"Do either of you even know you have a company? You've been back for days, don't you know to go back to the company? Not a single phone call, not a single message, have you disappeared?"

Deng Zhe held the phone a little further away. Only after the person on the other end finished talking did he bring it back to his ear.

"Mi-jie, don't get excited, getting too excited will cause wrinkles."

"Go to hell!" Yang Mi's voice rose even higher. "If I don't see you at the company tomorrow morning, you're finished."

After saying that, the phone hung up. A busy tone followed.

Deng Zhe shrugged and said to Reba, "..."