After several days of tender moments at home with Qin Wenjing, Li Haojun received another extended business trip assignment. He couldn't help but feel that the company's scheduling seemed considerate of his emotional needs—each long-term assignment was preceded by ample time to spend with his family. Perhaps it was part of their human-centered management approach, but either way, it suited him just fine.
经过几日与覃文静在家中的温存,李皓珺又接到了较长期的因公旅行任务.他隐约觉得,似乎公司的行程安排是照顾他的内心感受的,每次长期出行之前都有较长的陪伴家人的时间,也许是人性化管理吧,不过这样也好.
Prior to this business trip, Kesiya had already visited once to gather preliminary information and understand the client's objectives. This time, she needed to collect relevant products from various manufacturing plants for cross-testing. Our company arranged dedicated field personnel and chartered aircraft for transportation. The itinerary involved first picking up Li Haojun at the George, Ellensburg manufacturing plant to retrieve planned production materials, then proceeding to Boise to collect Kesiya and related supplies, before finally arriving at the client's location.
原来这次公差之前,凯西娅已经去过一次了,了解了一些情况以及客户意图,这次要收集各个生产厂的相关产品,带过去做交叉实验,并且由本公司派外勤专人专机接送.首先要接李皓珺到乔治,埃伦斯堡生产厂取计划生产的物资,然后再到博伊西接凯西娅和相关物资,之后再到达客户那里.
It was a tense day. In the chilly morning mist, a helicopter landed across the road. After verifying the information, Li Haojun rushed out of his house. The aircraft was a conventional single-rotor helicopter—a slender fuselage with a wide cockpit view, resembling a high-speed sightseeing helicopter. Two pilots waved from behind the front windshield.
这是紧张的一天,冷清的晨雾中,直升机降落在了道路对面.核对信息后,李皓珺跑出家门,对方开的是传统单旋翼直升机,细长的机身,宽阔的座舱视野,看起来像高速观光直升机,两位驾驶员正在前排风挡玻璃后招手.
He ducked into the downdraft and slid into the backseat. The plane immediately took off.
俯身跑进下洗气流坐上后座,飞机随即升空,
"Welcome aboard," Reginald Baker said, turning to Li Haojun.
"欢迎登机,"雷金纳德·贝克回头对李皓珺说,
一位精干帅气的小伙,金发宽额头尖下颌,小眼睛.
"Thank you both for your help."
"谢谢,有劳二位了."
"My pleasure," said the pilot, a woman with a bobbed black hairstyle, without turning around.
"乐意效劳,"驾驶飞机的是一位女士,黑发波波头,并没有回头,
"Mieko Matsumoto," Reginald introduced on her behalf.
"松本美絵子,"雷金纳德代为介绍了,
Ethan Lee, it's a pleasure to meet you both.
"伊森·李,幸会二位."...
After a compact and efficient morning, by ten o'clock the helicopter was already cruising at altitude en route to Boise. The crisp autumn air was clear and cloudless, the sky a brilliant, crystal-clear blue. Li Haojun leaned his head back against the seat headrest, taking in the vistas of mountains and plains to ease the fatigue from the early morning rush.
经过一个紧凑而高效的清晨,到上午十点直升机已经飞行在巡航高度,飞往博伊西的路上.秋高气爽,万里无云,天空湛蓝剔透,李皓珺头歪靠着座椅头枕欣赏山川大地的景致,缓解一下一早匆忙的疲劳.
By noon, he had arrived in Eagle near Boise, ready to pick up Kacy. As the helicopter descended, Li Haojun's heart was torn. He didn't know how to face her again—their relationship was clearly more than just colleagues now. Yet he had a partner, and the time he could give her paled in comparison to what she offered him. He often felt guilty about her deep affection, even as she explained it away as mere youthful novelty.
中午时分已经到了博伊西附近的伊格尔,准备接起凯西娅.直升机下降的过程中,李皓珺的内心是矛盾的,他不知道该以什么样的身份再次面对她,显然他们的关系已经不是简单的同事了,可是自己又有伴侣,对她的陪伴远不及自己的伴侣,还因此时常觉得有愧于凯西娅对自己的厚爱,还对自己解释她或许只是年轻的新鲜感.
The open space in front of the Eagle Factory. As the helicopter descended, that familiar figure came into view. She wore a short, wide-sleeved, off-white faux fox fur top. Her beautiful hair was wrapped in a headscarf. She had on light blue jeans and sneakers, pulling a suitcase with her left hand and carrying a box in her right.
伊格尔工厂门前的空地,随着直升机的下降,看到了那个熟悉的身影.她穿了一件仿狐狸皮的长毛米白色阔袖短款上衣,又看到她用一条头巾包裹了她的秀发,下身穿了一条浅蓝色牛仔裤,运动鞋,左手拉了一个行李箱,右手提着一个盒子.
Li Haojun had been pondering how to break the ice until the aircraft touched down, but no words came to him. He simply stepped off the plane, exchanged a brief greeting, and pulled her suitcase toward the aircraft's luggage compartment. Returning to the cabin, he found Kasiya already seated in her seat.
一直想着怎么和她说第一句话直到飞机着陆也没想好,李皓珺直接下去简单和她打了个招呼就拉起她的行李箱去放到飞机行李舱中.再回到机舱,凯西娅已经坐在了里座.
Li Haojun sat beside her, glancing at her eyes and stealing a peek at her expression. Just then, Ray Ginnard in the front row turned around to introduce himself. Li Haojun took the opportunity to introduce them to each other, then promptly bent down to fasten his own seatbelt. With a smile, he pointed and reminded Kasiya to buckle up as well.
李皓珺坐在她的身边看了一眼她的眼睛,偷偷窥探了一下她的表情.这时前排雷金纳德正好回头自我介绍,李皓珺也顺势互相引荐了一下,然后就顾着低头自己系上了座椅安全带,然后笑着指指,提醒凯西娅也系好安全带.
The box she was carrying turned out to be takeout, one portion for each of them. After they finished eating, Kesiya recounted her recent visit to a client, a faint smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Li Haojun listened intently to the details, silently meeting her gaze. He couldn't tell if it was professional courtesy or the joy of their reunion. With the young couple in the front seat, Li Haojun felt it inappropriate to discuss more personal matters with Kasiya. He could only ask briefly about her work, trying to gauge her inner feelings through her expressions and tone. Did she miss me terribly? Had I caused her emotional pain?
她手里提的盒子原来是快餐,每人一份,吃过之后凯西娅陈述了自己上次去客户的经过,嘴角一丝微笑,李皓珺认真倾听经过,默默地看着她的眼睛,李皓珺不知道那是她工作的礼节还是重逢的喜悦.前面有驾驶员,还是年轻男女,李皓珺也不好和凯西娅说更私人的内容,只好简单问问工作中的情况,试图从她的表情,语气等细节中了解她的内心感受,她有没有很想我?我是不是让她吃了感情的苦?Yet her tone remained flat, her expression serene, leaving Li Haojun utterly perplexed and somewhat flustered.
然而她的语气一直平淡,表情平静,却让李皓珺摸不着头脑,有些心烦意乱.
On the afternoon flight from Boise to Nevada, the midday sun streamed into the cabin from the right, its high-altitude glare intense and somewhat dazzling. After discussing the few remaining work details, Li Haojun found no other topics to bring up. Kasiya was equally reserved—she didn't engage in small talk outside of work either. Left with little choice, Li Haojun turned his attention to the scenery below, occasionally glancing at Kasiya. Their eyes would meet, and in the absence of words, he would simply offer a smile.
下午博伊西到内华达的航线上,午后的阳光从右侧照进机舱,高空的阳光强烈有些炫目.为数不多的工作细节谈论之后,李皓珺找不到其他话题了,凯西娅也十分配合,除了工作她也不会闲聊什么,李皓珺只好欣赏闲来欣赏俯瞰大地的景致,时而看看凯西娅,又和她眼光相对,无言只好微笑以对.
By the time they reached their destination, dusk was already falling. It was a canyon deep within the desert, resembling a military base—though whether it belonged to a national army or mercenaries remained unclear. The plane touched down on the airstrip as the golden sunset spilled across half the valley from the western mountain peaks. The plane dropped them off and departed. After handing over supplies to their client, they were directed to a motel in a small town over ten miles away—the first place connected to the outside world by rudimentary roads. It was a two-story wooden structure housing a motel on the upper floor, with a restaurant downstairs. Across the street stood a tavern, adjacent to a 7-Eleven convenience store, gas station, and barbershop. The town had almost no permanent residents, catering solely to those who ventured out from the base on weekends.
抵达目的地已是天色渐暗,这是沙漠腹地的一处峡谷之中,像是军事基地,但不知道是国家军队还是雇佣军.飞机落在停机坪,金色夕阳从西边山顶洒落半边山谷.飞机放下二人就走了,他们与客户交接了物资就被安排到了十几里外的小镇旅店,直到这里才有简单的道路与外界相连.一个双层木制建筑的二层汽车旅馆,一楼是餐馆,一个酒馆在街对面,挨着711便利店加油站,理发店.这里几乎没有常住人口,都是为基地里周末出来的人服务的.
As they climbed the stairs to their lodgings, Li Haojun asked along the way,
入住旅店,边走楼梯上楼,李皓珺边走边问,
I've been to this area before. Last time I wasn't sure if they were clients, since they always used codenames to keep things confidential. Did you think they were having some kind of problem when you came over last time? Since it might involve trade secrets, he didn't ask for more details on the plane.
"我之前来过这一带,上次不确定是否他们是客户,因为每次都是用代号保密的.上次你过来觉得是他们遇到了什么问题?"因为可能涉及商业机密,所以他没有在飞机上询问更多细节.
They simply stated that they encountered some quality control issues, so this time they purchased similar products from a different region of our production.
"他们只是说遇到了一些质量控制问题,所以这一次他们购买了我们不同产地的同类产品."
"Oh, we'll see how things go when we meet up later." Li Haojun handed the other room key to Kesiya, but she didn't continue walking forward.
"哦,等什么时候找我们会晤再看具体情况吧."说着李皓珺把另一把房间钥匙给了凯西娅,但是她并没有继续往前走.
"Can I come over a little later?" Kasiya asked calmly.
"我晚一些再过去好吗?" 凯西娅很平静地问,
"Alright," Li Haojun slowly opened the door. Deep down, he was hopeful, yet he dared not be so greedy. He feared he might let down the person before him, and he feared he might let down those waiting for him at home.
"好啊,"李皓珺慢慢打开房门,其实内心是期待的,可是又不敢那么贪心,怕自己辜负了眼前人,也怕自己辜负了等自己回家的人.
A simple room, reminiscent of a small town at the turn of the last century. A bedside table stands beside each single wooden bed. To the right of the doorway lies a modest kitchen equipped with a toaster and coffee maker, beyond which lies the bathroom with its shower stall. A three-bladed ceiling fan hangs overhead, its blades no longer turning in this season. Pushing open the window reveals the quiet alleyway behind the house—just as quiet as the street outside.
简单的房间,仿佛回到上世纪末的小镇,一个床头柜,一边一张单人木床,门口右转有一个简单的厨房,烤面包机,咖啡机,然后里面是盥洗室淋浴间.屋顶的三叶电扇,这个季节已经不再旋转.推开窗子,这是背街的方向,反正街上也一样安静.
"Sit down and rest for a moment," Li Haojun gestured toward the bed.
"坐下休息一会吧," 李皓珺指了一下床,
Kesiya walked over in a few strides, plopped down on the bed, then rolled onto her side against the wall, resting her head on the pillow and staring silently at Li Haojun.
凯西娅几步过去,噗通一下趴在了床上,一会儿侧身靠墙,头枕着枕头看着李皓珺不说话.
Li Haojun also wanted to lie down on the bed—his back and legs ached after a long day. But he couldn't just say, "Let's both lie down." Yet lying on the other bed and talking across the gap felt awkward too. So he sat beside her instead, watching her quietly. It seemed like ages since they'd last parted, and seeing her again filled him with longing.
李皓珺也想躺在床上,这一天下来腰酸腿疼,只是不好说我们都躺下吧,可是现在这样也不好躺在另一侧床上与她隔空对话,就只好过去坐在她身边,静静看着她,转眼一别似乎已经是很久以前了,再次相见着实想念.
"Aren't you tired? I don't mind lying here."
"你不累吗?躺在这里我不介意,"
"Alright," she replied, letting her weary body sink into the soft bed.
"好啊,"回答着,也放下疲惫的身躯去感受柔软的床榻.
"Do you miss me?" Kasiya asked softly, looking at him.
"你想我吗?" 凯西娅看着他轻声问,
Li Haojun turned his head and smiled at her without saying a word. He gently took her hand. Scenes from the past flashed before his eyes once more: her silhouette bathed in moonlight, his concerned embrace, and their parting under the airport sun.
李皓珺扭头微笑看着她,没说什么,轻轻拾起她的手,曾经她的月色身影,关切的搀扶,机场的阳光下的转身离别,一幕幕都再次闪现在眼前,
Kesiya no longer leaned against the wall. One hand rested on his chest, one leg pressed against him. She shifted to lie beside Li Haojun, gently nestling her face against his shoulder and neck, whispering softly,
凯西娅也不再靠着墙壁,一手放在他胸前,一条腿压在他身上,侧身靠在李皓珺身旁,轻轻把脸贴在李皓珺的肩颈,轻声说,
"I miss you."
"我想你,"
Me too, but I just can't spend more time with you. I'm sorry.
"我也是,可是我没办法陪你更多时间啊,对不起,"
It's fine, this is good enough. Heh, am I not easy to please?
"没关系,这样就好,呵呵,我是不是很好满足?"
"Hmm," Li Haojun shifted his body slightly, wrapping his other arm around her waist.
"嗯,"李皓珺也侧了一下身,用另一只手搂着她的腰,
Do you like me or my sister?
"你喜欢我还是我妹妹?"
Li Haojun reflected on the shared struggles between sisters. With Kasiya by her side, she felt an oddly familiar affection—much like the fondness she held for Malaya. Strangely, her affection for Kasiya seemed to deepen. So she replied,
李皓珺感慨她们姐妹同样的问题的时候,当凯西娅陪伴在眼前的时候,这时对她的感觉好像与玛莱雅同样的喜欢,很奇怪,心里感觉对她的喜欢上升了,于是便回答,
"Both of you."
"都喜欢,"
"Is it her or me? More of me?"
"她还是我?更多一点?"
I like them both. I thought she might be a bit more quirky, but I don't know why—now I like them both.
"都喜欢,本来我觉得她可能更古灵精怪一些,我也不知道为什么,现在都喜欢,"
"Perhaps it's just the passage of time playing tricks on us, but we'll have more moments together."
"也许是时间作怪吧,我们会有更多一起的时光,"
But that's not fair. When you weren't around, I had her. How did you get by without me?
"可是这有些不公平,没有你的时候我有她,没有我的时间你是怎么过的?"
Study up on the equipment in the factory and the related knowledge.
"学习啊,学习工厂里的设备还有相关的知识,"
"Alright," Li Haojun said, patting her back lightly. A sense of relief washed over him, and a smile spread across his face.
"Alright," Li Haojun said, patting her back lightly. A sense of relief washed over him, and a smile spread across his face.
"好,"说着,李皓珺轻拍了拍她的背,如释重负,脸上也不由微笑起来,
I've always worried that this kind of relationship might hurt your feelings, but now it seems it won't, right? At least not for now.
"我一直担心这样的关系会伤害到你的感情,现在看来不会是吗?至少暂时不会,"
"I know what I'm doing, so you don't need to worry about anything."
"我知道自己在做什么,你不用担心什么,"
Are you always this emotionally stable? Don't you ever have moments of vulnerability?
"你的情绪总是这么稳定吗?会不会有的时候会,有脆弱的时候,"
"Don't you ever feel vulnerable?"
"你没有脆弱的时候吗?"
"Heh," Li Haojun grinned, unsure whether it was a bitter smile or a laugh.
"呵呵,"李皓珺咧着嘴,不知道自己是苦笑还是好笑,
Yeah, it seems like we're both wearing emotional armor. Now that you're appearing before me at the same time as your sister, I can't help but think of someone else. Do you mind?
"是啊,我们似乎都没有感情的盔甲,现在你不是和你妹妹同时出现在我面前了,我会想到另一个人,你介意吗?"
"No, this is the result of our argument."
"不,这就是我们吵架的结果,"
Why? Is it... Could it be jealousy?
"为什么啊?是...?会有吃醋的原因吗?"
"No, I'm not jealous that she's close to you. It's just that she thinks it'll make things go more smoothly."
"不是,她和你亲近我不会吃醋,是她认为这样会更顺利,"
Oh, well, leaving someone alone like that is a bit... cruel.
"哦,好吧,只是留一个人孤单着,有点,残忍,"
Kesiya smiled faintly.
凯西娅微微一笑,
Have you forgotten her? Isn't the one at home also just a person?
"你忘了她了吗?你家里那位不也是一个人?"
"Ha, alright," Li Haojun chuckled self-deprecatingly, feeling that when it came to discussing emotions rather than engineering technology, she and her sister were probably on the same level—perhaps that was just a woman's intuition. After a long silence, Li Haojun couldn't help but ask again,
"Do I really deserve this from you?"
"哈哈,好吧," 李皓珺自嘲一笑,感觉谈论感情而非工程技术的时候,她和她妹妹应该是一个段位的,也许这就是女性的敏感吧.沉默许久,李皓珺忍不住又问,
"我真值得你这样吗?"
Kesiya shifted her body upward, hooking her left arm around Li Haojun's shoulder. She leaned close to her ear and whispered softly,
凯西娅往上挪了一下身体,左手勾着李皓珺的肩头,把嘴凑到她的耳边轻声说,
Do you believe in fate? Once upon a time, there was a little boy. After his afternoon nap, he had a playground of his own. The ground was covered in golden, iridescent poplar leaves, beneath which lay yellow earth. His little feet could run firmly upon it. The yellow earth nurtured a thriving grove of poplar trees. The solitary figure of the small child flickered among the branches, as if dappled by the passage of time. Gazing up at the towering canopy, through the swaying leaves, lay the azure sky and pure white clouds. When the breeze blew, the rustling sounds echoed through the forest. Back then, time always moved so slowly, as if it would last forever."
"你相信缘分吗?曾经,有个小孩子,午睡之后,他拥有一块玩耍的土地,地上金钰斑斓是飘落的杨树叶子,下面是黄土地,他的小脚可以坚实地踩在上面奔跑.黄土地生长着茁壮的杨树林,小小的孩子,孤单的身影闪现在仿佛斑驳流年的枝干之间.仰望参天的枝叶,在随风摇摆的枝叶间隙,有湛蓝的天空,洁白的云朵,当轻风吹过,树林间此起彼伏的嘻嘻莎莎的声音,那时候时间总是走得很慢,似乎是永远无竭无尽,"
Not quite sure what she was saying, Li Haojun gently stroked her shoulder, unsure how to enter her world and comfort her.
不太清楚她在说着什么,李皓珺轻轻抚摸着她的肩头,不知怎样走进她的世界安慰她,
A crescent moon casts its light upon the earth, illuminating distant mountain ranges and the white sand among the shrubs before me. The pure moonlight also filters through the aged wooden window frames, falling upon the wooden bedside table. Within the mirror's pristine reflection, a mottled telephone directory and a pencil seem to whisper of time's passage, while the tungsten-filament desk lamp beneath its large shade bears witness to countless memories.
一轮新月,光洒大地,照亮远处的重峦与眼前的灌木白砂.皎洁的月光也穿过那年代久远的木质窗框,照在木制床头柜,镜面反射的洁白之中,斑驳的电话簿,A sliver of moonlight slanted across Li Haojun's chest, then slid down to Kasiya's waist, bearing witness to the meeting of two sincere hearts.
铅笔,似乎诉说着岁月流逝,大头灯罩的钨丝台灯,印证了多少回忆.