九路车 Bus Number 9 (long chapters)

第一章 · 二十四个站 Chapter 1: Twenty-Four Stops

九jiǔ路lù车chē。一yī条tiáo路lù，二èr十shí四sì个gè站zhàn。

Bus number nine. One route, twenty-four stops.

小xiǎo白bái今年jīnnián四sì十shí二èr岁suì。他tā开kāi公交车gōngjiāochē，开kāi了le十shí八bā年nián。

Xiao Bai is forty-two this year. He drives a bus, and he's been driving for eighteen years.

十shí八bā年nián前qián，他tā二èr十shí四sì岁suì。那nà时候shíhou他tā想xiǎng：先xiān开kāi两liǎng年nián，再zài找zhǎo别的biéde工作gōngzuò。

Eighteen years ago, he was twenty-four. Back then he thought: I'll drive for two years first, then look for another job.

二èr十shí四sì，二èr十shí八bā，三sān十shí五wǔ，四sì十shí二èr。

Twenty-four, twenty-eight, thirty-five, forty-two.

每měi天tiān早上zǎoshang五wǔ点diǎn半bàn，他tā到dào车站chēzhàn。第dì一yī个gè站zhàn到dào最后zuìhòu一yī个gè站zhàn，四sì十shí分钟fēnzhōng。一yī天tiān八bā次cì。

Every morning at half past five, he arrives at the station. From the first stop to the last stop, forty minutes. Eight times a day.

坐zuò车chē的de人rén，早上zǎoshang是shì上班shàngbān的de，中午zhōngwǔ是shì爷爷yéye奶奶nǎinai们men，下午xiàwǔ是shì学生xuéshēng。

As for the passengers, in the morning they're people going to work, at noon they're grandpas and grandmas, and in the afternoon they're students.

有的yǒude人rén他tā认识rènshi十shí年nián了le。有yǒu一yī位wèi女士nǚshì，每měi天tiān七qī点diǎn十shí分fēn上shàng车chē，坐zuò后面hòumiàn第dì二èr个gè椅子yǐzi，看kàn手机shǒujī，不bù说话shuōhuà。有yǒu一yī位wèi先生xiānsheng，经常jīngcháng在zài第dì九jiǔ个gè站zhàn上shàng车chē，手shǒu里lǐ都dōu是shì包子bāozi。有yǒu一yī位wèi爷爷yéye，每měi个gè星期xīngqī三sān上shàng车chē，坐zuò到dào最后zuìhòu一yī个gè站zhàn，不bù下xià车chē，再zài坐zuò回来huílái。他tā不bù说话shuōhuà。小xiǎo白bái想xiǎng：他tā家jiā里lǐ可能kěnéng没有méiyǒu人rén。

Some of them he has known for ten years. There is a lady who gets on the bus at ten past seven every day, sits in the second seat at the back, looks at her phone, and doesn't talk. There is a gentleman who often gets on at the ninth stop, his hands full of steamed buns. There is an old man who gets on every Wednesday, rides to the very last stop, doesn't get off, and then rides back again. He doesn't talk. Xiao Bai thought: maybe there's nobody at his home.

小xiǎo白bái没有méiyǒu妻子qīzi，没有méiyǒu孩子háizi。他tā妈妈māma问wèn过guo他tā很hěn多duō次cì：你nǐ怎么zěnme不bù找zhǎo一yī个gè人rén一起yìqǐ过guò？他tā说shuō：我wǒ天tiān天tiān在zài车chē上shàng。

Xiao Bai had no wife and no children. His mother had asked him many times: Why don't you find someone to spend your life with? He said: I'm on the bus every day.

车chē上shàng一yī天tiān有yǒu一yī百bǎi多duō个gè人rén。他tā一yī天tiān说shuō的de东西dōngxi不bù多duō：上shàng车chē，往wǎng里lǐ走zǒu，下xià车chē。

There are more than a hundred people on the bus each day. What he says in a day isn't much: Get on, move to the back, get off.

小xiǎo白bái经常jīngcháng想xiǎng：十shí八bā年nián了le，这zhè条tiáo路lù我wǒ什么shénme都dōu知道zhīdào。哪个nǎge站zhàn有yǒu几jǐ个gè人rén，什么shénme时候shíhou车chē上shàng人rén多duō，什么shénme时候shíhou车chē上shàng没有méiyǒu人rén。

Xiao Bai often thought: Eighteen years — I know everything about this route. How many people are at each stop, when the bus is crowded, and when there's nobody on it.

有yǒu时候shíhou他tā想xiǎng：有意思yǒuyìsi吗ma？

Sometimes he wondered: Is this interesting?

没意思méiyìsi。

Not interesting.

但是dànshì第dì二èr天tiān早上zǎoshang五wǔ点diǎn半bàn，他tā还是háishi到dào车站chēzhàn。

But the next morning at five thirty, he still went to the station.

十shí八bā年nián，他tā走zǒu过guo的de路lù，都dōu在zài这zhè一yī条tiáo路上lùshàng。

For eighteen years, all the roads he had walked were on this one road.

他tā没有méiyǒu出去chūqù过guo。他tā妈妈māma说shuō：你nǐ就jiù在zài这个zhège车chē上shàng过guò一yī年nián一yī年nián。他tā说shuō：一yī年nián一yī年nián也yě很hěn快kuài。

He had never gone out. His mother said: You just spend year after year on this bus. He said: "The years go by quickly too."

第二章 · 往左，往右 Chapter 2: Left, Then Right

这zhè条tiáo路lù，小xiǎo白bái不bù看kàn也yě能néng开kāi。

Xiao Bai could drive this route without even looking.

车站chēzhàn出来chūlái，往wǎng前qián。第dì一yī个gè站zhàn在zài左边zuǒbian，是shì一yī个gè小学xiǎoxué。第dì二èr个gè站zhàn在zài右边yòubian，是shì医院yīyuàn。早上zǎoshang七qī点diǎn，那个nàge站zhàn上shàng车chē的de人rén最zuì多duō。有的yǒude手shǒu里lǐ拿ná着zhe药yào，有的yǒude一yī个gè人rén来lái，一yī个gè人rén回去huíqù。

Come out of the station and head straight ahead. The first stop is on the left; it's an elementary school. The second stop is on the right; it's a hospital. At seven in the morning, the most people get on at that stop. Some hold medicine in their hands; some come alone and go back alone.

往wǎng前qián走zǒu五wǔ分钟fēnzhōng，左边zuǒbian是shì一yī个gè大dà超市chāoshì。

Walk straight ahead for five minutes, and on the left there's a big supermarket.

第dì五wǔ个gè站zhàn，右边yòubian是shì一yī个gè小学xiǎoxué。八bā点diǎn前qián，车chē上shàng都dōu是shì学生xuéshēng。他们tāmen说话shuōhuà，笑xiào，到dào第dì九jiǔ个gè站zhàn都dōu下xià车chē。

At the fifth stop, on the right there's an elementary school. Before eight o'clock, the bus is full of students. They talk and laugh, and by the ninth stop they all get off.

第dì十shí个gè站zhàn，往wǎng右yòu。

At the tenth stop, turn right.

第dì十shí六liù个gè站zhàn，左边zuǒbian有yǒu一yī个gè高gāo高gāo的de楼lóu。

At the sixteenth stop, there's a tall building on the left.

第dì二èr十shí个gè站zhàn边biān上shàng什么shénme都dōu没有méiyǒu，只有zhǐyǒu一yī条tiáo路lù。晚上wǎnshang，那个nàge站zhàn一yī个gè人rén也yě没有méiyǒu。

There was nothing beside the twentieth stop, only a road. At night, there was not a single person at that stop.

最后zuìhòu一yī个gè站zhàn边biān上shàng有yǒu一yī个gè小xiǎo店diàn。开kāi店diàn的de人rén叫jiào小红xiǎo hóng，四sì十shí岁suì，一yī个gè人rén开kāi那个nàge店diàn。

There was a small shop beside the last stop. The shopkeeper was named Xiǎo Hóng, forty years old, and she ran that shop by herself.

小xiǎo白bái每měi天tiān在zài那里nàlǐ休息xiūxi二èr十shí分钟fēnzhōng。

Xiǎo Bái rested there for twenty minutes every day.

小红xiǎo hóng说shuō：“你nǐ天tiān天tiān走zǒu这zhè一yī条tiáo路lù，不bù累lèi吗ma？”小xiǎo白bái说shuō：“路lù我wǒ记得jìde。我wǒ的de手shǒu自己zìjǐ就jiù往wǎng左zuǒ，往wǎng右yòu。”“那nà你nǐ的de头tóu呢ne？”小xiǎo白bái笑xiào了le：“我wǒ的de头tóu在zài车chē上shàng睡shuì着zháo。”“那nà你nǐ的de头tóu睡shuì了le十shí八bā年nián。”“十shí八bā年nián。”小xiǎo白bái说shuō：“很hěn舒服shūfu。”“不bù舒服shūfu。”小红xiǎo hóng说shuō：“你nǐ天tiān天tiān来lái我wǒ这里zhèlǐ，天tiān天tiān说shuō没意思méiyìsi。”小xiǎo白bái不bù说话shuōhuà了le。小红xiǎo hóng给gěi他tā一yī杯bēi水shuǐ：“喝hē完wán再zài走zǒu。”

Xiǎo Hóng said, "You walk this same road every day. Aren't you tired?" Xiao Bai said: "I remember the road. My hands turn left and right all by themselves." "Then what about your head?" Xiao Bai laughed: "My head falls asleep in the car." "So your head has been asleep for eighteen years." "Eighteen years." Xiao Bai said: "Very comfortable." "Not comfortable." Xiao Hong said: "You come here every day, and every day you say it's boring." Xiao Bai stopped talking. Xiao Hong gave him a glass of water: "Finish it before you go."

二èr十shí分钟fēnzhōng后hòu，他tā回huí到dào车chē上shàng。

Twenty minutes later, he went back to the bus.

往wǎng左zuǒ，往wǎng右yòu，往wǎng左zuǒ。二èr十shí四sì个gè站zhàn。

Left, right, left. Twenty-four stops.

一yī天tiān八bā次cì，一yī年nián三sān百bǎi多duō天tiān，十shí八bā年nián。

Eight times a day, more than three hundred days a year, for eighteen years.

第三章 · 后面的椅子上 Chapter 3: On the Chair Behind

晚上wǎnshang九jiǔ点diǎn四sì十shí，最后zuìhòu一yī次cì。

Nine forty in the evening, the last run.

一yī天tiān的de最后zuìhòu一yī次cì，车chē上shàng人rén很hěn少shǎo。三sān个gè人rén，两liǎng个gè人rén，有yǒu时候shíhou一yī个gè人rén也yě没有méiyǒu。

On the last run of the day, there were very few people on the bus. Three people, two people, and sometimes not a single one.

小xiǎo白bái最zuì喜欢xǐhuan这zhè一yī次cì。路上lùshàng没有méiyǒu车chē，他tā能néng开kāi得de快kuài一点儿yìdiǎnr。

Xiao Bai liked this run the best. There were no cars on the road, so he could drive a little faster.

最后zuìhòu一yī个gè站zhàn，人rén都dōu下xià车chē了le。

At the last stop, everyone got off the bus.

小xiǎo白bái往wǎng车chē后面hòumiàn走zǒu，看kàn有yǒu没有méiyǒu东西dōngxi。

Xiao Bai walked toward the back of the car to see if there was anything there.

后面hòumiàn的de椅子yǐzi上shàng有yǒu一yī个gè包bāo。

There was a bag on the back seat.

“啊à，有yǒu人rén的de包bāo。”

"Ah, someone's bag."

他tā拿ná起来qǐlái。包bāo不bù大dà，但是dànshì里面lǐmiàn有yǒu东西dōngxi。

He picked it up. The bag wasn't big, but there was something inside.

他tā下xià车chē，看kàn车站chēzhàn。车站chēzhàn上shàng没有méiyǒu人rén。路上lùshàng也yě没有méiyǒu人rén。

He got out of the car and looked at the station. There was no one at the bus stop. There was no one on the road either.

他tā在zài车站chēzhàn上shàng站zhàn了le两liǎng分钟fēnzhōng，等děng。他tā想xiǎng：有yǒu人rén可能kěnéng会huì回来huílái找zhǎo。

He stood at the bus stop for two minutes, waiting. He thought: someone might come back to look for it.

没有méiyǒu人rén来lái。

No one came.

车站chēzhàn边biān上shàng有yǒu一yī个gè楼lóu。楼lóu上shàng有yǒu一yī间jiān小xiǎo房间fángjiān，坏huài了le的de东西dōngxi、没有méiyǒu人rén要yào的de东西dōngxi都dōu在zài里面lǐmiàn。

There was a building beside the bus stop. Upstairs there was a small room, and all the broken things and things nobody wanted were inside it.

手机shǒujī，书shū，衣服yīfu，一yī个gè月yuè有yǒu几jǐ个gè。有的yǒude三sān年nián了le，还hái在zài那里nàlǐ，没有méiyǒu人rén来lái拿ná。

Cell phones, books, clothes — there were several every month. Some had been there for three years, still sitting there, with nobody coming to get them.

小xiǎo白bái经常jīngcháng想xiǎng：这些zhèxiē东西dōngxi的de人rén，现在xiànzài在zài哪儿nǎr？他们tāmen忘wàng了le吗ma？

Xiao Bai often wondered: the people these things belonged to — where are they now? Had they forgotten?

小xiǎo白bái拿ná着zhe包bāo，上shàng了le楼lóu，进jìn了le那nà间jiān小xiǎo房间fángjiān。

Holding the bag, Xiao Bai went upstairs and entered that little room.

要yào写xiě一下yíxià：什么shénme时候shíhou，哪nǎ一yī条tiáo路lù，什么shénme东西dōngxi。

He had to write it down: the time, which road, and what the item was.

他tā坐zuò下xià，没有méiyǒu动dòng。

He sat down and didn't move.

打开dǎkāi别人biérén的de包bāo，他tā不bù喜欢xǐhuan。十shí八bā年nián，他tā打开dǎkāi过guo很hěn多duō次cì。里面lǐmiàn经常jīngcháng是shì：一yī个gè手机shǒujī，两liǎng个gè本子běnzi，一yī件jiàn衣服yīfu。

He didn't like opening other people's bags. In eighteen years, he had opened them many times. Inside there was usually a phone, two notebooks, and a piece of clothing.

他tā想xiǎng：打开dǎkāi，写xiě完wán，回家huíjiā睡觉shuìjiào，明天míngtiān五wǔ点diǎn半bàn再zài来lái。

He thought: open it, finish writing, go home and sleep, and come back tomorrow at five thirty.

他tā没有méiyǒu打开dǎkāi。

He didn't open it.

他tā坐zuò了le两liǎng分钟fēnzhōng，看kàn着zhe那个nàge包bāo。包bāo不bù新xīn，绿色lǜsè的de，上面shàngmiàn有yǒu一yī个gè白色báisè的de东西dōngxi，是shì一yī个gè小鱼xiǎo yú。

He sat for two minutes, looking at that bag. The bag wasn't new; it was green, and on it there was something white — a little fish.

后hòu，他tā打开dǎkāi了le那个nàge包bāo。

Afterward, he opened that bag.