Chapter 1032 — The Strongman Ergoudan

Zhou Jiaming 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 Jiaming?" 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 Jiaming, 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!

But everything has its novelty, and once the novelty wears off, no one finds it strange anymore! It was the same with Ergoudan. After that he went on to kill wolves, wild boars, vultures, and a whole string of fierce beasts, until by now everyone took it for granted!

Ergoudan tossed the boar to the ground and said, "Everyone divide it up as you see fit. What you cannot eat, leave for my dad to sell!"

Ergoudan was a simple, kind-hearted fellow who never kept his gains to himself. After every hunt he thought of the folks of Xixingshan Village and gave them something for free, so everyone thought the world of him!

In truth, everyone drooled over wild boar meat! Wild boar was more than ordinary men could handle. As the saying goes, "First the boar, then the bear, then the tiger," meaning a boar is even more dangerous than a bear or a tiger!

Only Ergoudan could kill a boar with ease. Anyone else might well have been gored to death by it.

With that, Ergoudan ran quickly toward Widow Wang's house at the head of the village, while the remaining villagers cheerfully set about dressing the boar for him!

Of course, they were not greedy people. Though they took some of the pork for themselves, they took only the cuts that sold poorly. The cuts that sold well, like the hocks and such, they always saved for Ergoudan!

Ergoudan ran eagerly into the general store and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Ergoudan, it is me, Wei Zhao." Hearing Ergoudan's voice, Wei Zhao said with a smile.

"Brother Wei Zhao, I guessed it was you! Are you in a hurry? I will set out in the next couple of days!" Ergoudan said a little sheepishly. "The autumn harvest is still far off and there is no income at home. I thought I would hunt extra game in the mountains before I leave so my dad can sell it. Once I am gone, the family will have no income..."

"Did I not tell you to ask my old man for it?" Wei Zhao laughed helplessly at his words.

"Your money for the travel is enough. For household use, I figure I should earn it myself. I have got hands and feet, and hunting is no trouble..." Ergoudan gave an honest smile.

"All right, come over as soon as you are done. I really miss you!" Wei Zhao said with feeling. "I wish you could stay in Songshan City for good..."

"I would love to follow you, Boss, and see the world! But I cannot!" Ergoudan frowned and said helplessly. "I cannot leave home for too long..."

"Yes, apart from that spiritual spring, there is really no substitute!" Wei Zhao sighed as well. "But it is fine. Just come out once every so often..."

"That is the only way... But after I go back this time, it will be the autumn harvest, and I will have to help my dad with the work!" Ergoudan said.

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