早上五点 Five in the Morning (long chapters)

第一章 · 四十八岁 Chapter 1: Forty-Eight

小雪xiǎoxuě四sì十shí八bā岁suì。她tā在zài一yī个gè公司gōngsī工作gōngzuò，已经yǐjīng二èr十shí二èr年nián了le。

Xiao Xue is forty-eight years old. She has worked at a company for twenty-two years already.

每měi天tiān早上zǎoshang七qī点diǎn起床qǐchuáng，七qī点diǎn二èr十shí吃chī早饭zǎofàn，八bā点diǎn上班shàngbān。晚上wǎnshang七qī点diǎn回家huíjiā，做饭zuòfàn，吃chī饭fàn，看kàn电视diànshì，睡觉shuìjiào。第dì二èr天tiān，都dōu是shì这些zhèxiē事shì。

Every morning she gets up at seven, eats breakfast at seven twenty, and starts work at eight. At seven in the evening she goes home, cooks, eats, watches TV, and goes to sleep. The next day, it's all the same things.

她tā有yǒu一yī个gè女儿nǚ'ér，二èr十shí三sān岁suì，不bù住zhù在zài家jiā里lǐ，一yī个gè月yuè来lái一yī两liǎng天tiān。家jiā里lǐ有yǒu一yī个gè猫māo，很hěn多duō年nián了le，天tiān天tiān睡shuì。

She has a daughter who is twenty-three; she doesn't live at home and comes back for a day or two each month. There's a cat at home; it's been many years, and it sleeps every day.

小雪xiǎoxuě很hěn累lèi。不bù是shì一yī天tiān累lèi，是shì每měi天tiān都dōu累lèi。晚上wǎnshang睡shuì不bù好hǎo，白天báitiān想xiǎng睡shuì。中午zhōngwǔ吃chī饭fàn的de时候shíhou想xiǎng睡shuì，坐zuò车chē回家huíjiā的de时候shíhou也yě想xiǎng睡shuì。

Xiao Xue was very tired. It wasn't just tired for one day — she was tired every single day. At night she couldn't sleep well, and during the day she wanted to sleep. She wanted to sleep while eating lunch, and she wanted to sleep on the bus home too.

一yī个gè星期天xīngqītiān，她tā去qù医院yīyuàn看病kànbìng。

One Sunday, she went to the hospital to see a doctor.

医生yīshēng四sì十shí几jǐ岁suì，看kàn了le看kàn她tā，问wèn：“你nǐ睡shuì得de好hǎo吗ma？”

The doctor was in his forties. He looked her over and asked, "Do you sleep well?"

“不bù好hǎo。”

"No."

“吃chī饭fàn呢ne？”

"What about meals?"

“中午zhōngwǔ没有méiyǒu时间shíjiān吃chī。”

"I don't have time to eat at noon."

“你nǐ一yī天tiān坐zuò几jǐ个gè小时xiǎoshí？”

"How many hours a day do you sit?"

小雪xiǎoxuě想xiǎng了le想xiǎng：“十shí二èr个gè。十shí三sān个gè。”

Xiao Xue thought about it: "Twelve. Thirteen."

医生yīshēng看kàn了le看kàn电脑diànnǎo，说shuō：“你nǐ没有méiyǒu大dà病bìng。”

The doctor glanced at the computer and said, "You don't have any serious illness."

“那nà我wǒ怎么zěnme很hěn累lèi？”

"Then why am I so tired?"

“你nǐ的de身体shēntǐ没有méiyǒu病bìng，但是dànshì你nǐ的de身体shēntǐ不bù高兴gāoxìng。”

"Your body isn't sick, but your body isn't happy."

“身体shēntǐ不bù高兴gāoxìng？”

"My body isn't happy?"

“对duì。”医生yīshēng说shuō：“你nǐ要yào做zuò点diǎn儿ér什么shénme。”

"That's right." The doctor said, "You need to do something."

“我wǒ很hěn忙máng。”

"I'm very busy."

“大家dàjiā都dōu很hěn忙máng。”

"Everyone is very busy."

小雪xiǎoxuě不bù说话shuōhuà了le。

Xiao Xue stopped talking.

公司gōngsī里lǐ的de人rén跟gēn她tā说shuō过guo：小雪xiǎoxuě，你nǐ太tài忙máng了le。她tā说shuō：我wǒ不bù忙máng，谁shéi忙máng？

People at the company had said to her: Xiao Xue, you're too busy. She said: If I'm not busy, who is?

二èr十shí二èr年nián，她tā做zuò了le很hěn多duō事shì。今天jīntiān做zuò的de，明天míngtiān就jiù没有méiyǒu人rén说shuō了le。

In twenty-two years, she did a great many things. What she did today, by tomorrow no one would mention anymore.

回家huíjiā的de车chē上shàng，小雪xiǎoxuě看kàn外边wàibian的de人rén：上班shàngbān的de，买mǎi菜cài的de，回家huíjiā的de。她tā想xiǎng：今年jīnnián四sì十shí八bā，明年míngnián四sì十shí九jiǔ。五wǔ十shí岁suì的de时候shíhou我wǒ在zài做zuò什么shénme？

On the bus home, Xiao Xue watched the people outside: people going to work, people buying groceries, people heading home. She thought: this year I'm forty-eight, next year forty-nine. What will I be doing when I'm fifty?

晚上wǎnshang，电视diànshì里lǐ有yǒu人rén唱chàng歌gē。她tā没有méiyǒu听tīng。

In the evening, someone was singing on TV. She wasn't listening.

她tā想xiǎng医生yīshēng说shuō的de那nà五wǔ个gè字zì：你nǐ的de身体shēntǐ不bù高兴gāoxìng。

She was thinking about those five words the doctor had said: your body is unhappy.

她tā不bù是shì不bù高兴gāoxìng。

She wasn't unhappy.

但是dànshì她tā也yě没有méiyǒu高兴gāoxìng。

But she wasn't happy either.

她tā看kàn了le看kàn那个nàge猫māo。猫māo在zài椅子yǐzi上shàng睡shuì。

She took a look at that cat. The cat was sleeping on the chair.

她tā想xiǎng：我wǒ和hé这个zhège猫māo，一yī天tiān都dōu在zài睡shuì，都dōu不bù高兴gāoxìng。

She thought: this cat and I both sleep all day, and neither of us is happy.

第二章 · 五点的车站 Chapter 2: The Five O'Clock Station

星期xīngqī一yī，早上zǎoshang四sì点diǎn五wǔ十shí，小雪xiǎoxuě没有méiyǒu睡shuì好hǎo。

Monday, four fifty in the morning, Xiao Xue hadn't slept well.

她tā看kàn了le看kàn手机shǒujī：四sì点diǎn五wǔ十shí。她tā不bù睡shuì了le。

She took a look at her phone: four fifty. She decided not to sleep anymore.

她tā穿chuān好hǎo衣服yīfu，去qù了le外边wàibian。

She got dressed and went outside.

家jiā里lǐ的de猫māo看kàn着zhe她tā，不bù知道zhīdào她tā要yào做zuò什么shénme。小雪xiǎoxuě自己zìjǐ也yě不bù知道zhīdào。

The cat at home watched her, not knowing what she was going to do. Xiao Xue didn't know either.

四sì点diǎn五wǔ十shí的de天气tiānqì很hěn冷lěng。路上lùshàng没有méiyǒu人rén，也yě没有méiyǒu车chē。有yǒu一yī个gè人rén在zài卖mài早饭zǎofàn。包子bāozi很hěn热rè，上面shàngmiàn都dōu是shì水shuǐ。

At four fifty the weather was very cold. There was nobody on the road, and no cars either. There was one person selling breakfast. The steamed buns were very hot, and covered with water on top.

小雪xiǎoxuě不bù知道zhīdào去qù哪儿nǎr。

Xiao Xue didn't know where to go.

她tā从cóng家jiā里lǐ走zǒu。走zǒu了le五wǔ分钟fēnzhōng，到dào了le商店shāngdiàn。商店shāngdiàn没有méiyǒu开kāi。

She walked out from home. After walking for five minutes, she arrived at the store. The store wasn't open.

她tā再zài走zǒu十shí分钟fēnzhōng，到dào了le学校xuéxiào。学校xuéxiào也yě没有méiyǒu开kāi。

She walked another ten minutes and arrived at the school. The school wasn't open either.

她tā就jiù走zǒu到dào了le车站chēzhàn。

So she walked to the bus stop.

车站chēzhàn上shàng有yǒu四sì个gè椅子yǐzi，三sān个gè坏huài了le。上面shàngmiàn有yǒu很hěn多duō字zì，都dōu是shì学生xuéshēng写xiě的de。

There were four chairs at the bus stop, and three of them were broken. There were a lot of words written on it, all by students.

车站chēzhàn上shàng没有méiyǒu人rén，车chē也yě没有méiyǒu来lái。小雪xiǎoxuě在zài那里nàlǐ坐zuò下xià。

There was no one at the station, and the bus hadn't come either. Xiao Xue sat down there.

天tiān很hěn冷lěng，她tā的de手shǒu也yě冷lěng。她tā想xiǎng：我wǒ在zài这里zhèlǐ做zuò什么shénme？四sì十shí八bā岁suì的de人rén，早上zǎoshang五wǔ点diǎn，一yī个gè人rén在zài车站chēzhàn。

It was very cold, and her hands were cold too. She thought: What am I doing here? A forty-eight-year-old, alone at a bus stop at five in the morning.

她tā想xiǎng到dào医生yīshēng说shuō的de东西dōngxi。她tā想xiǎng：这zhè不bù是shì做zuò点diǎn儿ér什么shénme。这zhè是shì坐zuò在zài车站chēzhàn里lǐ冷lěng。

She thought of what the doctor had said. She thought: This isn't really doing anything. This is just sitting in the cold at the station.

她tā的de手shǒu很hěn冷lěng。她tā想xiǎng回家huíjiā，想xiǎng喝hē一yī杯bēi热rè茶chá，想xiǎng再zài睡shuì两liǎng个gè小时xiǎoshí。

Her hands were very cold. She wanted to go home, wanted a cup of hot tea, wanted to sleep for another two hours.

她tā的de公司gōngsī八bā点diǎn上班shàngbān。现在xiànzài五wǔ点diǎn十shí分fēn。这zhè两liǎng个gè小时xiǎoshí，她tā二èr十shí二èr年nián都dōu在zài睡shuì。

Her company starts work at eight o'clock. It's ten past five now. For these two hours, for twenty-two years, she had always been asleep.

她tā想xiǎng：明天míngtiān不bù来lái了le。

She thought: I won't come tomorrow.

就jiù在zài这个zhège时候shíhou，她tā看见kànjiàn路上lùshàng有yǒu一yī个gè人rén。

Just at that moment, she saw someone on the road.

那个nàge人rén不bù高gāo，不bù大dà，穿chuān一yī件jiàn大dà衣服yīfu。他tā八bā十shí几jǐ岁suì了le。

That person wasn't tall, wasn't big, and was wearing a large piece of clothing. He was already over eighty years old.

小雪xiǎoxuě看kàn着zhe他tā，看kàn了le几jǐ分钟fēnzhōng。

Xiao Xue watched him, watching for several minutes.

他tā从cóng路lù那边nàbiān来lái，一yī点diǎn一yī点diǎn，一yī点diǎn一yī点diǎn。

He came from over there on the road, little by little, little by little.

他tā不bù是shì走zǒu来lái的de。

He wasn't walking.

第三章 · 那个爷爷 Chapter 3: That Grandfather

那个nàge人rén是shì一yī个gè爷爷yéye。八bā十shí几jǐ岁suì，人rén很hěn小xiǎo。

That person was an old man. He was in his eighties, and very small.

他tā在zài跑pǎo。

He was running.

不bù是shì走zǒu，是shì跑pǎo。

Not walking — running.

他tā跑pǎo，很hěn慢màn。真zhēn的de很hěn慢màn。他tā的de两liǎng只zhī手shǒu一yī前qián一yī后hòu，也yě很hěn慢màn。

He ran very slowly. Really very slowly. His two hands moved one forward, one back, also very slowly.

小雪xiǎoxuě在zài车站chēzhàn看kàn他tā。

Xiao Xue watched him at the station.

他tā从cóng车站chēzhàn前qián跑pǎo，跑pǎo到dào那边nàbiān，小雪xiǎoxuě就jiù看kàn不见bújiàn他tā了le。

He ran from in front of the station, and once he ran over to that side, Xiao Xue couldn't see him anymore.

小雪xiǎoxuě没有méiyǒu走zǒu。她tā想xiǎng看kàn他tā回来huílái。

Xiao Xue didn't leave. She wanted to watch him come back.

四sì分钟fēnzhōng后hòu，他tā回来huílái了le。他tā还hái在zài跑pǎo。

Four minutes later, he came back. He was still running.

他tā跑pǎo到dào车站chēzhàn，坐zuò下xià，喝hē水shuǐ。

He ran to the bus stop, sat down, and drank some water.

小雪xiǎoxuě说shuō：“您nín好hǎo。您nín每měi天tiān都dōu在zài这里zhèlǐ跑步pǎobù吗ma？”

Xiao Xue said, "Hello. Do you run here every day?"

爷爷yéye看kàn了le看kàn她tā。他tā不bù高兴gāoxìng吗ma？小雪xiǎoxuě不bù知道zhīdào。

The old man looked at her. Was he unhappy? Xiao Xue didn't know.

“每měi天tiān。”他tā说shuō：“八bā年nián了le。”“八bā年nián？”“八bā年nián。”“您nín跑pǎo多duō远yuǎn？”“不bù远yuǎn。四sì十shí分钟fēnzhōng。”“四sì十shí分钟fēnzhōng不bù远yuǎn吗ma？”爷爷yéye喝hē了le水shuǐ，说shuō：“我wǒ八bā十shí二èr岁suì的de时候shíhou不bù远yuǎn。”“……”“我wǒ七qī十shí四sì岁suì的de时候shíhou，走zǒu十shí分钟fēnzhōng都dōu累lèi。”

"Every day," he said. "For eight years now." "Eight years?" "Eight years." "How far do you run?" "Not far. Forty minutes." "Forty minutes isn't far?" Grandpa drank some water and said, "When I was eighty-two, it wasn't far." "..." "When I was seventy-four, even walking for ten minutes made me tired."

小雪xiǎoxuě不bù知道zhīdào说shuō什么shénme。后hòu，她tā问wèn：“您nín不bù累lèi吗ma？”“累lèi。”爷爷yéye说shuō：“八bā年nián，每měi天tiān都dōu累lèi。”“那nà您nín怎么zěnme天tiān天tiān来lái？”“累lèi了le就jiù慢màn一点儿yìdiǎnr。”他tā说shuō：“不bù能néng不bù来lái。”

Xiao Xue didn't know what to say. Then she asked, "Aren't you tired?" "I am tired," Grandpa said. "For eight years, I've been tired every day." "Then how come you come every day?" "If I get tired I just slow down a bit," he said. "I can't not come."

爷爷yéye看kàn了le看kàn天tiān，说shuō：“明天míngtiān天气tiānqì好hǎo。”他tā就jiù跑pǎo了le。

Grandpa looked up at the sky and said, "The weather will be nice tomorrow." And then he ran off.

小雪xiǎoxuě在zài车站chēzhàn，看kàn他tā跑pǎo到dào那边nàbiān。她tā想xiǎng：他tā八bā十shí二èr，我wǒ四sì十shí八bā。

Xiao Xue stood at the bus stop and watched him run over to the other side. She thought: he's eighty-two, and I'm forty-eight.

她tā在zài车站chēzhàn坐zuò了le半bàn个gè小时xiǎoshí。天tiān开始kāishǐ好hǎo了le，卖mài早饭zǎofàn的de人rén来lái了le，路上lùshang有yǒu了le车chē。

She sat at the station for half an hour. The weather started to clear up, the breakfast vendors came out, and there were cars on the road.

回家huíjiā的de路上lùshang她tā走zǒu得de很hěn慢màn。到dào家jiā六liù点diǎn半bàn。她tā做zuò了le早饭zǎofàn，吃chī了le。

On the way home she walked very slowly. She got home at half past six. She made breakfast and ate it.

这zhè是shì很hěn多duō年nián来lái，她tā第dì一yī天tiān不bù想xiǎng睡shuì。她tā想xiǎng到dào爷爷yéye说shuō的de四sì个gè字zì：不bù能néng不bù来lái。

This was the first day in many years that she didn't want to sleep. She thought of the four words her grandfather had said: I can't not come.