Although the old man looked somewhat thin, he was calm and composed, with a handsome face and kind and gentle eyes. He had a refined and scholarly air about him. He wore a somewhat old robe with some patches on the hem.

Looking at the girl again, although she was pretty, her clothes were neither new nor old, and she had very few hairpins and ornaments on her head, which was not like a girl of this age at all.

"Thank you, father-in-law and wife. If you hadn't reminded me, I'm afraid I would have made a mistake."

Xu Milu smiled and bowed. The girl, seeing how mature she was for such a young age, couldn't help but laugh even harder.

"You little rascal, you're quite amusing. Your clothes are strange, your bundle is strange too, and you're even munching away by the roadside. If it weren't for my kind heart..."

Her eyes darted around, and she suddenly leaned closer to sniff, her expression somewhat surprised:

"What did you eat just now? It smelled so good!"

Xu Milu hadn't finished her pumpkin fried rice; she had originally planned to save the leftover piece for dinner. But seeing the girl's curiosity, she took the piece of pumpkin rice, wrapped in a large leaf, out of her bag and placed it in front of the two of them.

"This is pumpkin rice that I made myself. If you don't mind, please try some."

The young woman's face lit up with joy. She picked up the pumpkin and placed it in front of the old man, saying solicitously:

“My family also makes pumpkin rice for the Lantern Festival, but it’s not as fragrant as yours. Grandpa, you can have some first.”

The old man waved his hand, refusing to accept it.

"You eat, I can't eat these things right now—judging from your speech, young lady, you seem to be literate, but what's your background?"

Xu Milu spoke much more fluently this time:

"I originally practiced under my master at Fuyun Temple on Iron Ox Mountain. Now that the Water and Land Ceremony is being held in Chang'an, I thought I'd come and see it. Are you from Chang'an, sir? Have you ever seen the legendary holy monk, Master Xuanzang?"

The old man slightly raised his eyelids, sized up Xu Milu for a few moments, and then slowly said:

"So it is a minor immortal. My surname is Wei, and I am just a country bumpkin. I have only returned to the capital to visit my relatives. I suppose I will not have the chance to meet that holy monk."

Xu Milu was about to ask another question when she heard a girl called "Jiaonu" exclaim in surprise:

"It smells so good! This rice ball is even more delicious than the ones I've had before!"

She didn't chew, but instead lowered her head and sniffed lightly. A wisp of white steam was inhaled by her, and the pumpkin fried rice gradually lost its heat, turning bland and gray.

It was almost like being offered as a tribute.

In broad daylight, Xu Milu's back was covered in a fine layer of white sweat.