Meng Yan's Transformation

Liu Mingming quickly dodged and ran towards home.

"Thank you! Aunt Zhan... Thank you..."

As Liu Mingming spoke, he turned and bowed deeply to Yunqing. Then he turned and ran away.

"Liu Mingming is such a polite kid! He's so likable."

As Zhan Mengyan spoke, she looked at Liu Mingming's figure running away and couldn't help feeling happy.

"Yes, Liu Mingming is a well-educated child. Anyone who sees him will like him. He is the darling of your Grandma Liu. But today, your Grandma Liu asked this precious grandson to catch a rooster, and the child was exhausted. The rooster jumped up and down so hard that I really don't know how little Liu Mingming caught it. Sigh... I really should take little Liu Mingming into the house to rest for a while. Look at his forehead, he is sweating, and he ran all the way home again..."

As Yunqing spoke, she rested her hands on her hips, stood on tiptoe, and watched Liu Mingming's figure become a small black dot.

"Mom, stop looking. Let's go back to the house. Zhan Mengyan, take the rooster to the kitchen. You boil some water while I kill the rooster. We'll pluck the feathers and save them for the New Year's Eve dinner. We'll make a chicken stew with mushrooms."

While Zhan Yingying was speaking, she held Yunqing with one hand and handed the basket containing the big rooster to Zhan Mengyan with the other. The big rooster fluttered out of the basket. Although its legs were tied, it stood up because the hemp rope that tied it was loosened.

"Sister Yingying, please don't kill this big rooster! It's so beautiful! How could you have the heart to do that?! Let's keep it!"

When Zhan Mengyan spoke, her eyes were full of pleading.

The three of them, mother and daughter, scrutinized the rooster once more. Its feathers were a glossy, iridescent sheen, reflecting a shimmer of jade and bronze in the sunlight, like a drape of brocade. Its tail feathers rose high like an open fan, their tips fading into a shimmering blue-green hue, like fragments of a rainbow adorning the feathers. Its wings were layered, their outer feathers armored, while the inner down was as fine as silk. Its comb was a jagged, fiery red, resembling a blazing flame or a majestic crown. Its bill was sharply curved like an iron hook, its base connected to a semicircular wattle, a vibrant orange-red. Its golden, boot-like claws clapped rhythmically on the ground, their nails sharp as daggers. Its wide-open black eyes, like agate set in silk, shone with an unparalleled pride...

Just as the mother, daughter and three of them were concentrating on looking at the rooster, Zhan Yu came back from a medical visit carrying a medicine box, but the three of them didn't notice him.

"Where did you get such a beautiful rooster? Its feathers could make a beautiful feather duster!"

As Zhan Yu spoke, he picked up the big rooster with his hand and admired it.

The big rooster pecked at Zhan Yu's hand, drawing blood.

"Oh, this rooster is really powerful!"

Zhan Yu spoke, threw the big rooster to the ground and caught it with a basket.

"Dad, this is the big rooster that Grandma Liu from the front street gave us. Look how majestic and beautiful it is. My sister said she wants to kill this big rooster and make it into chicken stewed with mushrooms for the New Year's Eve dinner. Can't we make something else? What's so delicious about chicken stewed with mushrooms? It would be a pity to kill such a beautiful big rooster. Let's keep it to announce the dawn in the morning!"

While Zhan Mengyan was speaking, she pulled Zhan Yu's sleeve and shook it continuously.

Zhan Yingying said hurriedly without waiting for Zhan Yu to speak, "Our roosters have already crowed to announce the dawn. Two are too many. Besides, this big rooster will bully our hens. We have to kill it quickly. Look how bad-tempered it is. When Dad touches it, it pecks Dad's hand until it bleeds. If we let this big rooster out, it will peck whoever it wants. Even you, Zhan Mengyan, will be no exception - it will peck everyone!"