In years of famine and drought, their village even rejected fatty meat.

Chapter 3 Changes

Stepping out of his home and walking along the empty village road in the cold wind, Chen Dao could feel a chill in the air.

Although it didn't snow, the cold weather kept most villagers indoors, and no one went out unless absolutely necessary.

"This weather is so weird!"

Chen Dao frowned as he walked.

It was August, and Chen Dao learned from the original owner's memories that August in Qingzhou was usually not this cold; on the contrary, it was quite hot. However, in recent years, the weather had been unusually strange, often turning into winter in July, with biting cold winds.

The severe cold that has lasted for several years has led to poor harvests throughout Qingzhou. Coupled with the government's exorbitant taxes and levies, this has resulted in the current situation where the people of Qingzhou are living in misery.

"I don't know why the weather is so abnormal."

Chen Dao shook his head.

Chen Da's house wasn't far away; it took less than two minutes to walk to his doorstep.

Chen Dajia was probably among the best-off in the village. His house was not only larger but also more beautifully built, far better than Chen Dao's dilapidated wooden house.

Standing in front of the Chen family's door, Chen Dao knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

A childish voice came from inside the door asking a question.

Chen Dao replied, "I am Chen Dao, and I'm here to see Uncle Chen."

"coming!"

The door opened, revealing a young face inside; it was Chen Da's 11-year-old son, Chen Tiedan.

Upon seeing Chen Dao, Chen Tiedan greeted him with a smile, "Brother Chen Dao."

"Iron egg."

Chen Dao nodded in response, then asked, "Is Uncle Chen home?"

"Yes, Brother Chen Dao, come with me."

Chen Tiedan led Chen Dao across the front yard and into the house.

When Chen Da, who was sitting in the house, saw Chen Dao come in, he immediately smiled and said, "Xiao Dao, what brings you here to see your Uncle Chen? Are you feeling better?"

"much better!"

Chen Dao replied, "Uncle Chen, I have a question I'd like to ask you."

"what is the problem?"

"Have you heard of Chicken Heart Grass, Uncle Chen?"

"Chicken heart grass?"

Chen Da paused for a moment, then blurted out, "Of course I've heard of it."

Upon hearing this, Chen Dao's eyes lit up, and he excitedly asked, "Uncle Chen, where can I get chicken heart grass?"

"I have it here."

Chen Da got up and walked to the cabinet next to him, took out something that looked like a weed, and said, "This is chicken heart grass. It has a hemostatic effect. We often use this to stop bleeding when we hunt."

Chen Dao looked at the chicken heart grass in Chen Da's hand. This thing was very similar to the wild grass on Earth in his previous life. The only difference was that the shape of the leaves was slightly different.

"Uncle Chen, is this chicken heart grass expensive?" Chen Dao asked cautiously. Although chicken heart grass can help gray-feathered chickens advance, if the price is too high, then Chen Dao cannot afford it.

"This thing is worthless."

Chen Da placed the chicken heart grass directly into Chen Dao's hand and asked with concern, "This stuff is everywhere on Cangmang Mountain. What do you need it for, Xiao Dao? Is someone in your family injured?"

"No one is hurt."

Chen Dao said, "I need this stuff. Uncle Chen, do you have any more at home? If so, could you give me a few more?"

"Naturally there is."

Without thinking much, Chen Da grabbed a few more chicken heart grasses from the cabinet and stuffed them into Chen Dao's hand.

Chen Dao was somewhat moved as he accepted the chicken heart grass. Although General Chen had made it sound worthless, Chen Dao knew in his heart that it definitely had some value.

Chicken heart grass, which has hemostatic properties, must be a type of herb. It's worthless to Chen Da, simply because he's a hunter and often goes up the mountain.

For others, this thing might not be considered precious, but it still has its value, after all...

Although Cangmang Mountain is called a mountain, it is actually a mountain range that stretches for thousands of miles. It is full of dangers, and very few people dare to enter the mountain, let alone bring chicken heart grass down from the mountain.

"Thank you, Uncle Chen," Chen Dao said sincerely.

"Thanks for nothing."

Chen waved his hand and said, "It's just a few chicken heart grasses. If you still want more, Xiao Dao, I can bring you more next time I go into the mountains."

"No need, this is enough for now!"

Chen Dao wasn't greedy; he took the chicken heart grass and prepared to leave.

At this moment, Chen Da spoke up: "Xiao Dao, since you're already here, why don't you have a meal with your uncle before you leave?"

"No, Uncle, I have other things to do!"

Chen Dao hurriedly refused. These days, everyone is struggling, so how could he possibly take and eat at Chen's house?

Soon, Chen Dao left Chen Da's home.

After Chen Dao left, Chen Da's wife, He Cuilian, came over and said to Chen Da, "Did Xiao Dao come over just now?"

"Correct!"

"Why didn't you invite him to stay for dinner?" He Cuilian glared at Chen Da and said. When Chen Dao's father, Chen Ping, was still alive, the two families often visited each other and had a very good relationship. He Cuilian also liked the two children, Chen Dao and Chen Fei, very much.

"Chen Dao doesn't want to!"

Chen Da shook his head and sighed, "This child is too sensible; he doesn't want to take advantage of us."

"Ugh!"

He Cuilian sighed softly, "These days, nobody has it easy!"

Even in Chen Da's family, although they weren't starving, Chen Da alone could barely keep warm by hunting. As for eating well, that was impossible.

This is only because Chen Da has a hunting skill. Otherwise, relying solely on the produce from their small plot of land, the family would probably have been starving long ago.

……

……

Back home, Li Ping, the mother, and Chen Fei had already gone to their beds to rest.

Chen Dao looked at the chicken heart grass in his hand, his heart burning with excitement.

If chicken heart grass can really help your gray-feathered chickens advance to a higher level, then it might really change your family's situation!

"I hope it will succeed."

Chen Dao went to the front yard and extended a sprig of chicken heart grass toward the only gray-feathered hen in the house.

"Giggle!"

The gray-feathered hen seemed to have a great fondness for the heart-shaped grass. She scurried over to Chen Dao and pecked at the grass with her sharp beak.

"There's a show."

Chen Dao's eyes lit up, and he threw the chicken heart grass on the ground, letting the gray-feathered hen peck at it.

Soon, the gray-feathered hen had eaten the whole plant of chicken heart grass.

The gray-feathered hen, having finished a sprig of chicken heart grass, seemed unsatisfied, its eyes fixed intently on Chen Dao, as if to say: Give me some more.

Chen Dao naturally stopped feeding it and simply sat on the threshold, observing the changes in the gray-feathered hen.

After staring at Chen Dao for a while, the gray-feathered hen, seeing that Chen Dao had stopped throwing out chicken heart grass, also lost interest. It wandered around the yard, occasionally pecking at the ground with its beak, using the insects hidden in the ground as food.

"Gululu."

Chen Dao, who had been observing the gray-feathered hen for a while, had not yet noticed any changes in the hen, but his stomach rumbled first.

Feeling the hunger in his stomach, Chen Dao couldn't help but smile bitterly.

His body was only 15 years old, the age when he could eat the most and digest the fastest. However, he ate only bran and flour for two meals a day, without any oil or fat, so he got hungry very quickly.

"Hopefully, the Grey Feathered Chicken can successfully advance!"

Chen Dao sighed softly, his eyes fixed on the gray-feathered chicken, hoping to see some changes.

But Chen Dao was ultimately disappointed.

He watched the gray-feathered chickens from noon until night, but he couldn't see any changes in them.

"Xiaodao, time to eat!"

Li Ping's voice came from inside the house. Chen Dao stood up from the threshold and walked into the kitchen.

The meal was already set on the kitchen table, with bran flour as the staple food and an egg as the only side dish.

Chen Fei sat at the dining table, her mouth watering at the sight of the eggs, but she remained polite and did not touch them.

She knew that the eggs laid by the family's hens were meant by her mother to nourish her brother and were not for her to eat.

"Xiaodao, this egg is for you."

Sure enough, Li Ping put the egg in Chen Dao's bowl, indicating that Chen Dao should eat it.

Chen Dao hesitated for a moment, then put the egg in Chen Fei's bowl and said with a smile, "Little Fei, eat it. Your brother doesn't like eggs."

Upon hearing this, Chen Fei's eyes lit up. Being so young, she didn't think much about it and picked up the egg to peel it.

Li Ping slapped Chen Fei and scolded her, "Eggs are for your brother to nourish his body, Xiao Fei, you can't eat them."

Chen Fei, who had been hit, inevitably felt a little wronged.

Chen Dao said, "It's alright, Mom, give it to Xiao Fei. I'll just eat!"

"no!"

Li Ping shook her head like a rattle-drum. It wasn't that she favored boys over girls and insisted on giving the best to Chen Dao, but rather that there was only one egg in the family, so naturally she had to prioritize the family's breadwinner.

Chen Dao was the only male in the family and one of the breadwinners, so eggs had to be given to him to help him recover.

"How about this."

Chen Dao cracked the egg in half, put one half into Chen Fei's bowl, and the other half into his own bowl: "Xiao Fei and I will each have half."

"Thank you, brother."

Chen Fei's small eyes were bright, and she grabbed an egg and ate it.

Li Ping looked at the two children and felt a pang of sadness.

As a mother, she naturally wants to give her child the best, but...

That's just how the world is. Raising two children had already exhausted all her strength, and she couldn't give them a better life.

"If only the head of the household were still here!"

Li Ping sighed inwardly. If the head of the household were still alive, the family's life might be better, and the children wouldn't have to split an egg in half to eat.

..............................

The next day.

Chen Dao woke up early and immediately ran to the front yard to check on the condition of the gray-feathered chickens.

"There's been a change!"

Chen Dao carefully observed the gray-feathered hen, his eyes gradually brightening as he noticed some white appearing on the hen's originally grayish feathers.

This change immediately brought a look of joy to Chen Dao's face; any change is a good thing!

The changes indicate that his cheat ability is real, and also that... the Chicken Heart Grass really can help a gray-feathered chicken advance to a white-feathered chicken!

Although Chen Dao didn't know what a white-feathered chicken looked like, the fact that it grew quickly was enough to make him ecstatic!