As Xia Minmin and her group stood at the entrance of the scenic area, waiting for their tour guide, Xiao Huang, passersby kept glancing at the steamed buns Xia Minmin was carrying, while her dear family members had already left her a one-meter-wide blind spot.

"Mom, why is this little girl carrying so many steamed buns up the Great Wall?"

"Maybe it's because they're afraid of getting hungry while climbing the Great Wall."

"Look at that child, he's carrying so many steamed buns. He's not very big, but he has a big appetite."

Xia Minmin thought to herself, "This isn't for eating now; it's for taking back to Shenzhen to eat."

"Can she finish all these steamed buns?"

Xia Minmin thought to herself, "Mind your own business. Can't I eat one a day?"

"Who would buy so many steamed buns and carry them up the Great Wall without getting tired?"

Xia Minmin rolled her eyes. I'm not like you, a weakling with no stamina, who finds it tiring to carry such a small amount of stuff.

"How poor must this family be to climb the Great Wall carrying steamed buns?"

Xia Minmin pouted, "My family isn't poor at all. We have more than ten houses that we rent out."

"Stop worrying about others. The steamed buns that the child is carrying are from that steamed bun shop next to the scenic area. They're incredibly delicious. They don't sell to the public; they only serve premium tour groups, and they don't take any away."

Xia Minmin nodded in satisfaction. Finally, someone who knew what they were talking about had appeared.

"Really?"

"You'll see if you observe that shop. It's next to the scenic area, but not many people go in, yet it hasn't been transferred. Our company booked a premium tour for foreign guests, and they ate at this shop. It's incredibly delicious; I heard the pastry chef is a royal chef."

"Do you think she would agree if I asked her to buy one?"

"You wish! She went through so much trouble to get him out of the store, why would she sell him to you? That young lady isn't short of money."

Xia Minmin was very satisfied with the explanation; we're not short of money.

"Brother Li, over here! I'm here!" Tour guide Xiao Huang waved his little flag frantically.

Li Zhonghua said, "Let's go, let's go over there!"

The group walked in the direction of their tour guide, Xiao Huang.

Tour guide Xiao Huang said, "Be careful, watch out for the steps! These steps are especially slippery and shiny; in the words of antique collectors, they've developed a patina and become oily from handling."

Xia Waigong asked, "Xiao Huang, are there always this many tourists at Badaling?"

"That's right, everyone's going there for Hero's Slope. Isn't there a saying that you're not a true hero until you've climbed the Great Wall? Everyone wants to take a picture there."

Xia Jianguo asked, "Is it the Heroes' Monument with the inscription by Chairman Mao?"

"That's it. I see you brought a camera. We can go there to take pictures later."

When we climbed another 800 meters, everyone got a little tired, especially the two elderly people.

Li Chunmei suggested, "Mom and Dad, why don't you wait for us here? We'll go up, take a picture, and then come right back down."

Grandpa Xia said angrily, "It's only eighty meters away, I have to climb it no matter what. I'm waiting to take a picture with the Hero's Monument. Who do you think you are!"

Grandma Xia chimed in, "Exactly! Who do they think they are!"

There was no other way but to slow down and stay close to the two elderly people so that they could help them up at any time to prevent them from falling.

Climbing up the Hero's Slope was no easy feat, leaving everyone exhausted and hungry. They all turned their attention to the steamed buns Xia Minmin was carrying.

Li Zhonghua smiled obsequiously, "Xiaomin, are your hands tired? Do you want your uncle to help you carry them?"

Li Zhonghua appeared to be smiling, but Xia Minmin sensed that he harbored ill intentions.

"Uncle, what do you want to do?" Xia Minmin asked warily.

Li Chunmei stroked Xia Minmin's head and said, "Big brother, look how scared you've made the child."

Xia Jianguo said, "Xiaomin, your uncle wants to eat the steamed bun you have. Can you share it with everyone?"

Xia Minmin's eyes darted around. "Weren't you all looking down on the steamed buns I was carrying at the entrance of the scenic area? You all kept your distance from me. My heart was deeply hurt by the betrayal of my family, so I'm afraid I can't share the steamed buns with you now."

After saying that, Xia Minmin hugged the steamed bun to her chest, lowered her head, and her shoulders trembled as if she were crying.

Li Qing thought Xia Minmin was crying because she was sad, so she went over to comfort her, "Xiaomin, I'm sorry. I will always stand by you from now on and I will never think you are a disgrace."

Before she could finish speaking, Xia Minmin suddenly burst out laughing, "Haha, you've been fooled! I'll teach you to look down on me."

Li Qing gently patted Xia Minmin, "You're so bad, you even lied to me!"

"Who told you to look down on me before?" Xia Minmin said angrily.

"Alright, I'm magnanimous and won't hold it against you. You can take the steamed buns and eat them."

Xia Minmin opened the bag of steamed buns, took one for everyone, and also handed one to tour guide Xiao Huang.

Sun Erni said, "You know what, there are so many kinds of steamed buns in the North, and they taste pretty good even when they're cold."

Li Chunmei said, "It's really delicious. Let's find a restaurant to eat at tomorrow morning!"

"Can."

"agree."

After coming down from the Badaling Great Wall, Xia Minmin's bag was completely empty.

Once everyone was seated back in the car, the driver set off.

Li Zhonghua asked, "Xiao Huang, where shall we go for lunch?"

"Everyone can take a break first. Our lunch location is a farmhouse restaurant, about half an hour's drive from here. Their tofu feast is very famous."

"Oh, let's take a break then. I didn't expect climbing the Great Wall to be so tiring."

The car gradually quieted down; some people slept, while others admired the scenery.

"We've arrived. It's time for us to get off. The meal has been prepared; we can go in and eat right away."

The tour package was well-arranged; apart from the high price, it had no flaws. The breakfast and lunch were both quite good, which made Xia Minmin even more excited for dinner.

After lunch and a tiring morning, everyone fell asleep as soon as they got on the bus. The bus ride to the Ming Tombs takes two hours.

"We're almost at the Ming Tombs, everyone wake up and pack your things," said tour guide Xiao Huang.

"The feng shui of the Ming Tombs is excellent; it took more than ten years to select this site. Inside, there's a grand hall entirely made of Phoebe zhennan wood, with sixty massive Phoebe zhennan wood pillars, each about 13 meters high and 1.2 meters in diameter—truly priceless."

When everyone actually saw the main hall, they were all shocked. It was hard to imagine what the main hall would have looked like in its heyday.

Xia Minmin said, "Sure enough, no matter which dynasty or emperor, they all care a lot about what happens after they die. It must have taken so much manpower, resources, and money to build such a magnificent mausoleum complex."

Li Qing said, "Historically, almost every emperor started building his own mausoleum as soon as he ascended the throne, and it was not completed until his death."

Xia Minmin spread her hands and said, "In the end, most of them benefited the tomb raiders."

Grandma Xia didn't visit the tomb. She felt it was a bit unlucky to go to someone's tomb during the Lunar New Year.

In the evening, our tour guide, Xiao Huang, treated everyone to a lamb spine hot pot, which brought the day's itinerary to a perfect close.