They borrowed the kitchen, and although the old man lived alone, the kitchen was still kept in good order.
Pour some cool water into the wooden basin, and place the persimmons one by one into the water. The orange-red color ripples in the water, as if the whole autumn has been contained in this small wooden basin.
After peeling the persimmons, mash them in a mixing bowl, add flour and an appropriate amount of water, and start kneading the dough.
The dough gradually becomes soft and elastic, as if dancing with the melody of autumn in your hands. Divide the dough into small pieces, roll them into thin wrappers, wrap them around the persimmon filling, and make them into small and exquisite persimmon cakes.
The persimmon cakes are carefully pan-fried until golden brown on both sides, emitting an enticing aroma.
With each bite, you can feel the crispy exterior and tender interior, and the sweetness is just right, not too sweet.
The taste is as if you are in the embrace of autumn, savoring the gifts of nature.
With a face full of anticipation, Li Xi presented the fried persimmon cakes to the old man, as if offering a precious treasure. "Uncle, please try some."
The old man smiled and nodded, accepting the persimmon cakes that Li Xi handed him.
He took a small bite of the persimmon cake, his hand trembling slightly.
More than ten years have passed, but he still remembers the taste clearly. It is a taste he is familiar with and misses. It is his daughter's unique way of making it.
"Who are you!" The old man's eyes sharpened, and he gripped the persimmon cake tightly in his hand.
Strangers rarely come here, so the appearance of these two people did indeed arouse his vigilance.
“We’re just ordinary passengers, we have no bad intentions, sir, don’t worry.” Li Xi didn’t know what she had done wrong that displeased him.
"Then let me ask you, who taught you how to make these persimmon cakes?"
The old man's gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, as if he could see right through Li Xi's heart.
Li Xi felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze: "My mother taught me to do it." The mother in the dream should also be her mother, so it wasn't exactly a lie.
A complex emotion flashed in the old man's eyes, as if he were recalling something from the distant past.
He was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Your mother? How could that be, how could that be!"
He seemed to be thinking of something, then calmed down again. "My daughter can also make these persimmon cakes. When she was still alive, she loved to tinker with these things every autumn. Look, that persimmon tree was planted when she was a child. If they were still alive, my granddaughter would be about your age."
However, he was a man, not his granddaughter.
That's true. Her entire family was slaughtered; how could a girl like her possibly escape?
Perhaps it was Jin'er who taught others how to make persimmon cakes; she was just that kind of warm-hearted person.
Thinking of all this, tears streamed down his face, and his trembling hands gripped the persimmon cake tightly, as if it were the only bond he could hold onto that connected him to the past and his loved ones.
"This pancake...this pancake tastes exactly like the one she made." He choked up, his voice filled with endless longing and sorrow.
He looked up at the persimmon tree, its leaves swaying gently in the autumn breeze, as if telling stories of the past.
His daughter can also make persimmon cakes? And his granddaughter is about the same age as her?
At this point, the truth is about to be revealed.
After a moment's thought, she spoke slowly and deliberately.
“My father is Li Huaifeng, and my mother is Wan Jin,” she paused briefly, then continued, “My name is Li Xi, and I am only sixteen years old.”
She spoke slowly and deliberately, trying to stay focused and not let herself lose control of her emotions.
The person in front of me seemed deeply shocked by these names.
His voice trembled as he repeated, "Huaifeng, Jin'er, Xiaoxi."
Each name struck him like a bolt of lightning, hitting his heart hard.
His eyes glistened with tears, tears mingled with pain, sorrow, and endless longing.
He asked in a trembling voice, "Are you Xiaoxi?" He found it unbelievable to see the man in front of him.
“It’s me. Uncle Li, the butler, rescued me back then, but I suffered too much trauma and lost my memory. I’ve only recently started to remember some things from the past.” Li Xi decided to tell the truth.
Faced with an elderly person who had lost their only child, she could no longer bear to keep it a secret.
Moreover, he was the original owner's maternal grandfather. Since he had used her body, he should take care of her.
"Then why..." Then he realized something, "It's only right, your parents are watching from heaven. Heaven, are you blind?!"
The old man gently wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve.
Those old, trembling hands gripped Li Xi's hands tightly, clearly indicating that he was extremely emotional.
"Grandpa, Xiaoxi is here. Please don't be sad anymore," Li Xi said softly, tears welling up in her eyes.
The old man nodded, his voice trembling slightly: "Good, good, I've finally waited for you. After your parents' accident, I rushed to the Li family home, only to find it reduced to ruins by flames. I inquired around and learned that someone had taken away and buried more than a hundred of the Li family's remains."
His voice gradually lowered.
Seemingly recalling that sad past: "I thought I would never see you again, but I never expected to meet you here today. Xiaoxi, are you really my granddaughter?"
Li Xi nodded emphatically: "Yes, maternal grandfather. I am Xiao Xi, and I will take care of you from now on."
Upon hearing Li Xi's words, a tear of relief welled up in the old man's eyes.
The most painful thing in the world is losing a wife in middle age and a child in old age.
Feng Monian, who was standing nearby, was deeply moved when he saw the scene of the grandfather and grandson recognizing each other.
The mask concealed his reddened eyes, and his fists clenched tighter and tighter.
"And who is this?" the old man asked, quite curious about the masked man.
"Oh, this is Feng Monian, the master of Yinxian Manor, and also my sworn brother."
Yes, even if he finds out my true identity, we're still brothers.
Li Xi avoided Feng Monian's gaze, pretending not to be embarrassed.
The old man stepped forward, took his hand, and said gratefully, "Thank you, Master Feng, for taking care of Xiaoxi."
A glint of light flashed in Feng Monian's eyes. "Old man, you're too kind. Xiaoxi and I are like-minded brothers. Her maternal grandfather is naturally my maternal grandfather as well, if you don't mind."
"Of course I don't mind, but how fortunate I am to have such good fortune? Master Feng is so distinguished and his status is beyond our reach."
The old man knew all about his little schemes, but he didn't even dare to show his true face to anyone, which made him uneasy.
His words revealed a hint of humility and helplessness.
However, this also hints at doubts and unease about Feng Monian's true identity.
“Grandfather, why are you being so polite? We are all people of the martial world, why distinguish between us?” Li Xi smiled slightly, his brows revealing a heroic spirit.
It's no wonder she's so adept at cross-dressing; with her androgynous appearance, it's as if she has a natural talent for disguise.
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