Chapter 1032 — The Strongman Ergoudan
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
Zhou Qiming was Ergoudan's formal name. In the village, of course, almost everyone went by nicknames and seldom used full names, which was quite different from the city.
"Zhou Qiming?" The man on the other end still sounded puzzled, but he said, "Hold on, let me ask for you... Auntie, someone is looking for Zhou Qiming, Ergoudan. Do you know him?"
"I do. All right, go stack the goods and I will take the call!" Widow Wang's voice came over the line, and a moment later she was the one holding the receiver. "You are looking for Ergoudan?"
"Aunt Wang, it is me, Xiao Yi," Wei Zhao said with a smile. "Who was that just now?"
"Oh, he is a kid from my relatives, from another village, here to help me out! The spring plowing just ended, you see? Folks have free time now and keep coming to your Aunt Wang's place for a drink. I cannot manage alone!" Widow Wang said.
"I see, no wonder he did not know Ergoudan!" Wei Zhao understood at once. In Xixingshan Village, after all, there were plenty who did not know him, Wei Zhao, but hardly anyone who did not know Ergoudan!
"Ha, just wait, Auntie will call Ergoudan over to the phone!" As she spoke, Widow Wang set the receiver aside and went to make an announcement over the village office loudspeaker.
"Attention Ergoudan, attention Ergoudan! This is your Aunt Wang! You have a phone call!" Widow Wang's voice blared from the loudspeaker, so loud it rattled Wei Zhao on his end of the line.
Ergoudan was up in the mountains hunting at that moment. He had just finished supper and gone up the hill to stretch his legs when he faintly heard the village loudspeaker calling him to the phone.
Guessing the call must be from his boss Wei Zhao, Ergoudan dared not delay. He hoisted onto his shoulder a wild boar he had just slapped dead on the ground and raced down the mountain!
The boar weighed at least three or four hundred jin, yet Ergoudan carried it as if it cost him no effort at all. He strode swiftly as if flying, as though he bore no burden whatever!
At the foot of the mountain lay Xixingshan Village. Villagers sat cooling themselves outside nearly every doorway, some gathered in threes and fives playing cards or chess, and when they saw Ergoudan come running down with a black bear on his shoulder, none of them found it the least bit strange!
"Ergoudan, out hunting again? That boar should fetch a fine price, eh?" an old man said with some envy.
"Hehe, not bad," Ergoudan answered with an honest grin.
"Ergoudan, when will you catch that roe deer you promised Grandpa Wang?" a village woman asked. Her husband sold game, often trapping pheasants and roe deer to sell at the town fair. He used to rely on snares, but after Ergoudan saw it he thumped his chest and took the job over, saying whenever they wanted roe deer he would catch it for them.
"Aunt Chang, I am in a hurry to take a phone call today. I will catch your roe deer tomorrow!" Ergoudan nodded in promise.
Ergoudan was something of a marvel in the village. When he was eight he went hunting alone in the mountains, and on the evening he returned from his first hunt, the villagers saw a black bear coming down the mountain toward the village and were scared out of their wits!
Shouting to one another, "A bear has come into the village!" they all fled back into their homes!
But when the black bear walked into the village, they suddenly saw beneath its huge bulk a small, skinny figure! It was Ergoudan returning from the hunt! Beside the bear's massive body, Ergoudan seemed utterly tiny!
From far off, and with night falling, the villagers had not seen Ergoudan under the bear at all. Only when he came close did they see clearly that the black bear had already been killed by Ergoudan!
The whole village was struck with amazement, marveling that Ergoudan was born with godlike strength!