Returning to the 1960s: Starting with Digging for Fo-ti

Liu Chun’an, who had been perched in a tree, paused for a moment. He saw Du Jianguo blowing air on the gun barrel to cool it down.

“Oh! Old Du, it’s you! Save me quickly!”

Du Jianguo teased with a glance. Liu Chun’an was dangling from the tree with half his buttocks exposed, looking pale and round, like a fat pig.

He laughed, “People say seeing a female pig climb a tree is a rare event. Today I’ve seen it. You usually don’t dare climb a wall higher than a meter. How did you manage to climb so high today?”

“Nonsense! Try being chased by a bear and see if you’re not scared!”

Liu Chun’an shouted, “Save me! I can’t get down!”

Du Jianguo then came forward to help Liu Chun’an down from the tree.

Once Liu Chun’an was safe, he collapsed onto the ground, gasping heavily. “I was so scared! You have no idea. I thought I was going to die here. By the way, how did you find me?”

Du Jianguo whistled, and his dog, Da Huang, immediately came running with its tail wagging.

“It was thanks to your dog. It found you early. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to locate you.”

“Hmm, this beast was useful today!”

Liu Chun’an paused, looking at Da Huang.

“Everyone from the village came out to look for you. Your father, knowing you went to the Wild Man Gully, didn’t delay for a second.”

Liu Chun’an waved his hand impatiently, “Don’t mention that old man! Didn’t you see how he beat me earlier? It’s been years since I’ve ever been whipped while hanging upside down. I just lost a bit of money to him!”

Du Jianguo frowned, “Shouldn’t you know better when playing cards? You’re not some wealthy young master. Your father may be the village head, but he works the fields for a living. Losing over thirty yuan in one go, how could he not be angry?”

“Ah, let’s not talk about it.”

Liu Chun’an sighed and slowly explained, “The money was lost over three days. The first day, I was actually making a small profit. I thought my luck was good. Just then, Li Ergan said he had money and wanted to play more games, so I agreed. The next day, I lost a few yuan, and I wanted to win it back. On the third day, I played more aggressively. But Li Ergan kept getting good cards, and I ended up losing over thirty yuan!”

Du Jianguo said calmly, “You were set up.”

“Yes,” Liu Chun’an admitted, “I realized it when I was walking alone. How could someone have such bad luck every time? Li Ergan must have been cheating behind the scenes!”

Liu Chun’an gritted his teeth, “Don’t worry. When I get back, I won’t let him off the hook. I’ll make him return the money!”

After resting for a while, Liu Chun’an’s legs stopped shaking, and they began walking back together with Du Jianguo.

Suddenly, Du Jianguo heard a soft rustling sound in the forest.

“No, something’s wrong!”

Du Jianguo’s heart tightened. He immediately ordered Liu Chun’an, “Get up the tree! Quickly!”

“Why? The bear is already shot. Isn’t it supposed to be dead?” Liu Chun’an asked, confused. “Could it be coming back for us?”

“No questions! Get up!”

Du Jianguo, anxious and not caring about Liu Chun’an, jumped up the tree first.

Liu Chun’an quickly followed.

Du Jianguo told Da Huang to stay far away and then stared intently at the bushes in the forest.

Soon, two dark figures emerged. The larger one was bleeding and let out low growls.

“Damn it! Two bears!” Liu Chun’an’s eyes bulged, his face pale. “How can there be two? Is this beast made of iron and bone? Or is it a demon? Why isn’t it running after being shot?”

Du Jianguo peered at the two bears. Their black fur was shiny. The larger bear looked sturdy, while the smaller one clung close to it.

He said solemnly, “The larger bear is likely the mother of the smaller one. Since the mother bear hasn’t weaned yet, she’s more aggressive and bold than usual. That’s why she came back even after being shot.”

“No wonder…” Liu Chun’an swallowed hard, his voice trembling. “So what should we do now?”

Du Jianguo listened carefully. Besides the bear’s growls and the sound of wind rustling the leaves, there was no other noise.

He frowned. “Although many villagers are searching for us, we don’t know how long it will take to find us. If we keep waiting, these two bears might come up the tree. By then, even with a gun, we can’t guarantee our safety.”

“What should we do? Are we just going to wait to die?”

Liu Chun’an trembled with fear. He had never thought about “death.” He wanted to go back and enjoy his life.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He cautiously asked, “What if we call Da Huang back? Maybe it can lead the bears away?”

Seeing Du Jianguo’s sharp gaze, Liu Chun’an quickly defended himself. “Don’t look at me like that! If there was another way, I wouldn’t want Da Huang to risk its life, but human life is more valuable than a dog’s, right?”

“Don’t even think about sacrificing Da Huang. It’s a good dog and can’t be killed by a bear like this.”

Du Jianguo glanced at him and said firmly, “I have another plan.”

“What plan?” Liu Chun’an was stunned and asked urgently, “Tell me!”

Du Jianguo stared at him and slowly said, “You go down and lure the mother bear over.”

Liu Chun’an looked at Du Jianguo in disbelief, his voice changing with anger. “Du Jianguo! Damn it! I thought we were brothers. You’re just wishing for my death? Can you run faster than a bear? One swipe and I’d be knocked away!”

Du Jianguo said calmly, “Trust me. I’m confident in my shooting skills. I can kill her with one shot. Once the mother bear is taken care of, the smaller one will definitely run away. Then we’ll be safe.”

“You’re confident in your shooting skills?”

Liu Chun’an cursed angrily. “What nonsense! This gun was taken from my house, right? I’ve never seen you hold a gun in your life. Now you’re telling me your shooting is fine? You’re trying to fool a ghost!”

Seeing this, Du Jianguo shrugged and said, “The gun is in my hands, and I can protect my own life. Whether you get killed or maimed by the bear, I can’t guarantee anything.”

Liu Chun’an gritted his teeth, but when he saw the two bears so close below, he couldn’t help but tremble. Still, the shot Du Jianguo had fired earlier was accurate, not looking like a beginner’s shot at all.

He bit his lip and asked, “Are you really sure?”

Du Jianguo nodded, saying only four words, “Gun here, man safe.”
[Tl: Jianguo is saying like “As long as the gun holds, I hold”]

 

“Fine, I’ll trust you once!”

Liu Chun’an took a deep breath, as if making up his mind. “If I die today, remember to tell my old man to burn more paper for me. I can eat a lot. I’m worried I’ll get thin in the underworld!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he jumped down from the tree. The wounded and more ferocious mother bear immediately charged at Liu Chun’an, with the smaller bear following closely behind.

“Shoot, Du Jianguo! Shoot now!” Liu Chun’an screamed, his voice filled with fear and tears, as the bear grew closer.

Du Jianguo didn’t respond. He aimed carefully at the mother bear’s head, his finger resting on the trigger, motionless.

When the bear came within ten meters of the tree, he pulled the trigger sharply -Bang!

The gunshot echoed through the forest. The mother bear staggered, its eyes becoming confused, and then it collapsed like a mountain, shaking the ground slightly.