Old turtle guarding the house

Hello everyone, it's time for another story. In the city of Luoyang, there was a man named Zhang Sheng who lived in a large mansion with vast courtyards and fields. One night, as he was relaxing in his own courtyard, he suddenly saw a star falling from the sky, landing in the pond in his yard. Zhang Sheng quickly went to see the star, which was shining brilliantly in the water. He was overjoyed, thinking it must be a precious gem. He was about to take off his shoes and reach into the pond to retrieve it when something unexpected happened.

Suddenly, a gigantic shadow emerged from the depths of the pond and swallowed the star before Zhang Sheng could react. He hadn't even seen clearly what had come from the pond, and the light was already gone. He became suspicious that there might be a monster in the kitchen of his house. However, he was also worried that this creature might possess some supernatural powers, so he decided not to confront it directly.

Instead, he had a bamboo basket woven and used it to catch the creature. Then, he started draining the pond the next day, bucket by bucket, to see what exactly was inside. It took the whole day to drain the pond completely.

As evening approached, Zhang Sheng finally reached the bottom of the pond and discovered a large, wrinkled creature. It was a snapping turtle or commonly known as "big-headed turtle." Zhang Sheng thought that this creature resembled the one that had swallowed the star the previous night. He was torn between wanting to kill it and fearing that it might possess some supernatural powers. In the end, he decided to spare the creature and raised it instead.

That night, in his dreams, Zhang Sheng's long-deceased grandfather appeared, entered his house, and without saying a word, started whipping him with a cane, scolding him for being foolish. Then, he tied Zhang Sheng up and led him outside, taking him to a nearby riverbank where a magnificent palace stood.

At the entrance of the palace, they were met by a stern-looking old man who didn't seem very friendly. Zhang Sheng's grandfather knelt down and began speaking to the old man for a long time. Despite the lengthy conversation, Zhang Sheng couldn't remember the details, but he knew that his grandfather was pleading for something. However, the old man remained unyielding and stated that their agreement from the past was now null and void.

After waking up, Zhang Sheng felt a sense of foreboding. He rushed to check on the big turtle, only to find that it had disappeared. From that day on, his family's fortune began to decline rapidly. Business ventures never turned a profit, and the family's wealth dwindled. In his old age, Zhang Sheng's family was left with just a small courtyard and a few acres of meager farmland.

While this is a legendary tale, it carries a valuable lesson about not succumbing to greed and being content with what one has. People should always maintain a sense of humility and not seek to change their fate through selfish desires.

That concludes today's story. Thank you for listening, and remember, it's important to have a humble heart and not be too greedy. Enjoying simple things in life is often the key to true happiness.