Folding_Beijing中英版本

FoldingBeijingBYHAOJINGFANG,TRANSLATEDBYKENLIU1.Attenoffive（4点50）inthemorning,LaoDaocrossedthebusypedestrianlane（熙熙攘攘的步行街）onhiswaytofindPengLi.清晨4:50，老刀穿过熙熙攘攘的步行街，去找彭蠡。Aftertheendofhisshift（下班）atthewasteprocessingstation（垃圾站）,LaoDaohadgonehome,firsttoshowerandthentochange.Hewaswearingawhiteshirtandapairofbrownpants—theonlydecentclothesheowned.Theshirt’scuffswerefrayed,soherolledthemuptohiselbows.LaoDaowasforty–eight,single,andlongpasttheagewhenhestilltookcareofhisappearance.Ashehadnoonetopesterhimaboutthedomesticdetails,hehadsimplykeptthisoutfitforyears.Everytimeheworeit,he’dcomehomeafterward,takeofftheshirtandpants,andfoldthemupneatlytoputaway.Workingatthewasteprocessingstationmeanttherewerefewoccasionsthatcalledfortheoutfit,saveaweddingnowandthenforafriend’ssonordaughter.从垃圾站下班之后，老刀回家洗了个澡，换了衣服。白色衬衫和褐色裤子，这是他唯一一套体面衣服，衬衫袖口磨了边，他把袖子卷到胳膊肘。老刀四十八岁，没结婚，已经过了注意外表的年龄，又没人照顾起居，这一套衣服留着穿了很多年，每次穿一天，回家就脱了叠上。他在垃圾站上班，没必要穿得体面，偶尔参加谁家小孩的婚礼，才拿出来穿在身上。Today,however,hewasapprehensiveaboutmeetingstrangerswithoutlookingatleastsomewhatrespectable.Afterfivehoursatthewasteprocessingstation,healsohadmisgivingsabouthowhesmelled.这一次他不想脏兮兮地见陌生人。他在垃圾站连续工作了五小时，很担心身上会有味道。Peoplewhohadjustgottenoffworkfilledtheroad.Menandwomencrowdedeverystreetvendor,pickingthroughlocalproduceandbargainingloudly.Customerspackedtheplastictablesatthefoodhawkerstalls,whichwereimmersedinthearomaoffryingoil.Theyateheartilywiththeirfacesburiedinbowlsofhotandsourricenoodles,theirheadshiddenbycloudsofwhitesteam.Otherstandsfeaturedmountainsofjujubesandwalnuts,andhunksofcuredmeatswungoverhead.Thiswasthebusiesthouroftheday—workwasover,andeveryonewashungryandloud.步行街上挤满了刚刚下班的人。拥挤的男人女人围着小摊子挑土特产，大声讨价还价。食客围着塑料桌子，埋头在酸辣粉的热气腾腾中，饿虎扑食一般，白色蒸汽遮住了脸。油炸的香味弥漫。货摊上的酸枣和核桃堆成山，腊肉在头顶摇摆。这个点是全天最热闹的时间，基本都收工了，忙碌了几个小时的人们都赶过来吃一顿饱饭，人声鼎沸。LaoDaosqueezedthroughthecrowdslowly.Awaitercarryingdishesshoutedandpushedhiswaythroughthethrong.LaoDaofollowedclosebehind.老刀艰难地穿过人群。端盘子的伙计一边喊着让让一边推开挡道的人，开出一条路来，老刀跟在后面。PengLilivedsomewaysdownthelane.LaoDaoclimbedthestairsbutPengwasn’thome.AneighborsaidthatPengusuallydidn’treturnuntilrightbeforemarketclosingtime,butshedidn’tknowexactlywhen.彭蠡家在小街深处。老刀上楼，彭蠡不在家。问邻居，邻居说他每天快到关门才回来，具体几点不清楚。LaoDaobecameanxious.Heglanceddownathiswatch:Almost5:00AM.老刀有点担忧，看了看手表，清晨5点。Hewentbackdownstairstowaitattheentranceoftheapartmentbuilding.Agroupofhungryteenagerssquattedaroundhim,devouringtheirfood.HerecognizedtwoofthembecauseherememberedmeetingthemacoupleoftimesatPengLi’shome.Eachkidhadaplateofchowmeinorchowfun,andtheysharedtwodishesfamily–style.Thedisheswereamesswhilepairsofchopstickscontinuedtosearchforelusive,overlookedbitsofmeatamongstthechoppedpeppers.LaoDaosniffedhisforearmsagaintobesurethatthestenchofgarbagewasoffofhim.Thenoisy,quotidianchaosaroundhimassuredhimwithitsfamiliarity.他回到楼门口等着。两旁狼吞虎咽的饥饿少年围绕着他。他认识其中两个，原来在彭蠡家见过一两次。少年每人面前摆着一盘炒面或炒粉，几个人分吃两个菜，盘子里一片狼藉，筷子扔在无望而锲而不舍地拨动，寻找辣椒丛中的肉星。老刀又下意识闻了闻小臂，不知道身上还有没有垃圾的腥味。周围的一切嘈杂而庸常，和每个清晨一样。“Listen,doyouknowhowmuchtheychargeforanorderoftwice–cookedporkoverthere?”aboynamedLiasked.“哎，你们知道那儿一盘回锅肉多少钱吗？”那个叫小李的少年说。“Fuck!Ijustbitintosomesand,”aheavysetkidnamedDingsaidwhilecoveringhismouthwithonehand,whichhadverydirtyfingernails.“Weneedtogetourmoneybackfromthevendor!”“靠，菜里有沙子。”另外一个叫小丁的胖少年突然捂住嘴说，他的指甲里还带着黑泥，“坑人啊。得找老板退钱！”Liignoredhim.“Threehundredandfortyyuan!”saidLi.“Youhearthat?Threeforty!Fortwice–cookedpork!Andforboiledbeef?Fourhundredandtwenty!”“人家那儿一盘回锅肉，就三百四。”小李说，“三百四！一盘水煮牛肉四百二呢。”“Howcouldthepricesbesoexpensive?”Dingmumbledasheclutchedhischeek.“Whatdotheyputinthere?”“什么玩意？这么贵。”小丁捂着腮帮子咕哝道。Theothertwoyouthsweren’tinterestedintheconversationandconcentratedonshovelingfoodfromtheplateintothemouth.Liwatchedthem,andhisyearninggazeseemedtogothroughthemandfocusonsomethingbeyond.另外两个少年对谈话没兴趣，还在埋头吃面，小李低头看着他们，眼睛似乎穿过他们，看到了某个看不见的地方，目光里有热切。LaoDao’sstomachgrowled.Hequicklyavertedhiseyes,butitwastoolate.Hisemptystomachfeltlikeanabyssthatmadehisbodytremble.Ithadbeenamonthsincehelasthadamorningmeal.Heusedtospendaboutahundredeachdayonthismeal,whichtranslatedtothreethousandforthemonth.Ifhecouldsticktohisplanforawholeyear,he’dbeabletosaveenoughtoaffordtwomonthsoftuitionforTangtang’skindergarten.老刀的肚子也感觉到饥饿。他迅速转开眼睛，可是来不及了，那种感觉迅速席卷了他，胃的空虚像是一个深渊，让他身体微微发颤。他有一个月不吃清晨这顿饭了。一顿饭差不多一百块，一个月三千块，攒上一年就够糖糖两个月的幼儿园开销了。Helookedintothedistance:Thetrucksofthecitycleaningcrewwereapproachingslowly.他向远处看，城市清理队的车辆已经缓缓开过来了。Hebegantosteelhimself.IfPengLididn’treturnintime,hewouldhavetogoonthisjourneywithoutconsultinghim.Althoughitwouldmakethetripfarmoredifficultanddangerous,timewasoftheessenceandhehadtogo.Theloudchantsofthewomannexttohimhawkingherjujubeinterruptedhisthoughtsandgavehimaheadache.Thepeddlersattheotherendoftheroadbegantopackuptheirwares,andthecrowd,likefishinaponddisturbedbyastick,dispersed.Noonewasinterestedinfightingthecitycleaningcrew.Asthevendorsgotoutoftheway,thecleaningtruckspatientlyadvanced.Vehicleswerenormallynotallowedinthepedestrianlane,butthecleaningtruckswereanexception.Anybodywhodilly–dalliedwouldbepackedupbyforce.他开始做准备，若彭蠡一时再不回来，他就要考虑自己行动了。虽然会带来不少困难，但时间不等人，总得走才行。身边卖大枣的女人高声