Standing on the second-floor balcony, looking out, a team of kindergarten children was having a group activity on the brick-paved open space in front of the building, with young female teachers organizing games for them.
站在二楼阳台,朝外望去,楼前方砖铺就的空地上有一队幼儿园小朋友正在集体活动,还有年轻的女老师在组织孩子们游戏.
Lin Yuhui loved seeing these young lives appearing before him, full of youthful vitality, and he didn't mind the children's chirping and chattering, finding it noisy. Perhaps he was too lonely, or perhaps he had grown old.
林语晖很喜欢看到这些年轻的生命出现在自己的面前,充满了青春的朝气,也不嫌弃孩子们叽叽喳喳会觉得很吵.或许是他太孤单了,或者已经老了.
The space in this residential complex was enclosed by an apartment building shaped like the letter "C"—secluded, filled with a sense of security, and brimming with the breath of life.
这个小区空间是被一栋派字母形状的公寓楼建筑所围起来的空间,封闭,充满了安全感,还有生活的气息.
The aluminum alloy railing of Lin Yuhui's second-floor balcony was inlaid with plexiglass; the railing was transparent. He felt this height was just right, offering a comfortable proximity to the ground—not as damp as the first floor, nor as vertigo-inducing as the third.
林语晖这个二楼阳台是铝合金围栏镶嵌有机玻璃,围栏是透明的.他觉得这个高度正好,贴近地面观感舒适宜人,不会像一楼可能潮,也不会像三楼看起来有些恐高.
Suddenly, he wondered what his own home's balcony looked like. He turned his head to look up and to the right; his home was on the third floor, but peering to the right, he only saw golden sunlight illuminating the glass windows and the white terrazzo walls glowing with a moist, translucent sheen, full of life, yet he couldn't find his own balcony.
这时候他突然想起自己家的阳台会是什么样子呢?于是扭头往右上方寻找,自己家是三楼,但是往右方张望,只看到金色阳光照亮的玻璃窗还有白色水磨石的墙面被阳光照亮,颜色润泽剔透,充满了生活的气息,但是没找到自己家的阳台.
Oh, right, I'm downstairs from my own home. Realizing this, he turned his head to look straight up. This time he saw it—his balcony remained as it was when he was a child, shielded by wooden frames and plywood, with open old-fashioned wooden-framed glass windows, all painted green.
哦,对了,我就在自己家楼下,回过神来的他这才扭头往上方回望.这次看到了,自己家的阳台还是小时候的样子,用木框架和胶合板做的遮挡,有敞开的老式木窗框玻璃窗,都涂着绿色油漆.
Back home, as dusk approached, worried about mosquitoes, he went to the balcony to close the windows. The wooden frames had swollen, making them stiff to shut, but he carefully closed them nonetheless. Returning to his main room, he wondered what to have for dinner. There were still eggplants; he could cook those.
回到家中,天色要黑了,他怕进蚊子便来到阳台关上了窗子,木头窗框膨胀了,关起来有些涩,但是他还是小心翼翼地关好了窗子.回到自己的大屋心想晚饭吃什么呢?还有茄子,可以做了吃.
It was then he noticed—had he been bare this whole time? He needed to find some pants. On the sofa lay a pile of thermal underwear he had bought. He picked one up—why was it women's style? Thinking about it, it must have been for his daughter, or perhaps for a future girlfriend. With that thought, he randomly grabbed a pair and put them on, preparing to go to the living room to wake Grandpa for dinner.
这时他注意到怎么自己一直都光着吗?得找一条裤子穿上,沙发上堆了好多他买的保暖衣裤,拿起来一条,怎么是女款的?他想了想,应该是自己给女儿买的,要么是给自己未来的女朋友买的.想到这便随便找了一条裤子穿上,准备去客厅叫醒爷爷吃晚饭.
Against the wall of the living room sat a small bed where Grandpa often rested. Since he used to work the night shift, sometimes he would lie there covered by his cotton overcoat to sleep. Lin Yuhui was deeply grateful for his dedication to the family, for when they first came to Northeast China to make a living, he alone worked to support the entire household—times were tough back then.
客厅的墙边放着一张小床,爷爷经常在上面休息,因为之前他要上夜班,有时候就盖着他的棉大衣躺在上面睡觉.林语晖很感激他为这个家庭的付出,因为最开始来东北谋生的时候是他一个人上班养活一家人,那个时候很难.
That bed Grandpa rested on was actually a long table with its legs sawn short, because Lin Yuhui remembered pulling out the drawer underneath when he was little. What was piled under the bed, he didn't know; he was too young then.
爷爷休息的那张床应该是一个长桌子,锯短了桌子腿,因为林语晖记得小时候他拉开过下面的抽屉.床底下堆满了什么东西,不清楚,那时候他太小了.
With both hands on Grandpa's shoulders, he gently shook him.
双手扶着爷爷的肩膀,轻轻晃动,
"Grandpa, wake up, it's almost time to eat."
"爷爷,精神精神,一会儿吃饭了,"
Grandpa's beard was thick; once shaved clean, his upper lip looked bluish-gray, his cheeks thin, and his "longevity eyebrows" were very long. He still wore that V-neck dark blue sweater with white and red knitted lace at the collar, though the gaps between the wool threads now revealed the knitwear underneath.
爷爷的胡须有些重,剃干净之后嘴唇上方看起来青魆魆的,脸颊消瘦,他的寿眉很长.还是身穿那件V领深蓝色毛衣,衣领有白色红色的针织花边,只是毛线的间隙已经能看到里面的线衣了.
Lin Yuhui was delighted, because waking Grandpa meant his grandfather would see his grandson keeping him company, and he himself would have Grandpa's companionship.
林语晖很开心,因为叫醒爷爷他就会看到他的孙子在陪伴他了,而自己也有了爷爷的陪伴.
Gently shaking Grandpa's shoulder, he woke, opened his eyes, and responded,
轻轻晃动爷爷的肩膀,他醒了,睁开眼睛答应着,
"Ah, time to eat." Then he turned to ask his grandson,
"诶呦,吃饭啦,"说着扭过头问自己的孙子,
"Has she finished making the noodles?"
"她做好面了吗?"
Hearing Grandpa's question, Lin Yuhui smiled inwardly. Who is he asking? Now it's just you and me, Grandpa. Wait and see what I can whip up for you.
听爷爷这么问林语晖笑了,心想,还问谁啊?现在只有你和孙子我了,等一会儿看我做点什么给你吃吧.
To be able to show filial piety to Grandpa again—Lin Yuhui smiled happily. Smiling and smiling, he opened his eyes. It had all been a dream. He was lying in bed; a new morning had arrived. After this brief reunion, he must face life's loneliness alone once more.
又可以孝敬爷爷了,林语晖开心地笑了,笑着笑着,他睁开了眼睛,原来是个梦,自己正躺在床上,又是新的一天的早晨到来了.短暂的相聚之后还是要独自面对生活的孤独.
But for Lin Yuhui, this no longer mattered. He had no regrets about his life choices, facing the remaining path ahead with composure.
但是这对于林语晖来说都已经不算什么了,无愧于人生的选择,坦然面对剩下去的人生道路.
He rarely played chicken games anymore; his entertainment was reduced to scrolling through videos during breaks, observing international affairs. When the Democratic Biden administration, which shouted "racial equality" and "Black Lives Matter," began targeting Chinese-Americans due to Sino-U.S. competition, and when the U.S., as a capitalist country, started confiscating personal property without court orders, Lin Yuhui could no longer believe in America.
吃鸡游戏也不怎么玩了,娱乐就只剩下工作之余就刷视频看看国际形势,当大喊种族平等黑命贵的民主党拜登政府因为中美竞争因素开始找美国华裔人的茬,当美国作为一个资本主义国家,开始不经过法庭就没收个人财产,林语晖再也无法相信美国了.
Perhaps it once had its values, but now it was merely a lawless capitalism—a rogue bandit. Under the guise of national security, stripping people of property and social status, even many scientists weren't spared. Without the diligence and wisdom of the Chinese, don't even think about competing with China, Lin Yuhui sneered inwardly. A bunch of fools—I offered you the broad road of your own Declaration of Independence values, but you refused to take it, insisting instead on the path of racial confrontation. Just wait to be crushed by the wheel of history.
或许她曾经有她的价值观,但是现在她只是一个没了法治的资本主义,就是流氓土匪啊.国家安全的名义,财产和社会地位的剥夺,甚至好多科学家都未能幸免,没有了华人的勤劳与智慧,它甭想再和中国竞争了,林语晖在心中暗暗嘲笑,一帮蠢货,我给你们的秉持你的独立宣言价值观的阳关道你不走,偏偏走上种族对抗这条路,就等着被历史的车轮碾压吧.
Sometimes he would also chat nonsense in the comment sections. His comments were usually sharp, often sparking heated debates, after which both the replies and the original video would be deleted.
或者他也在评论区里扯淡闲聊.不过他的评论一般比较犀利,经常引起热议,然后连跟帖的评论和原视频就都被删了.
Thus, days without attachments flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was from the cicada-singing sunshine of 2023 to the cricket-chirping golden breeze of 2024.
就这样了无牵挂的日子宛如飞逝,转眼间已经从2023年的蝉鸣艳阳到2024年蟋蟀金风.
One day, there was a new message on that niche app. Lin Yuhui noticed it the next day and began to chat.
这天,在那个小众软件上有了一条新留言,林语晖第二天才注意到,然后开始了聊天,
September 6, 23:15
"Hello, Uncle"
(Quoting Lin Yuhui's post: #Looking for long-term chicken teammates, #Looking for an obedient daughter, #Stay away from gold-digging women. The image used was a screenshot of riding a white horse in-game. Born in the 1970s, he still remembered a famous scene from the Japanese movie "Manhunt" back then, where Mayumi rode a horse charging through the riot police blockade to save Du Qiu—perhaps the dream of many men. Seeing the message the next day, he replied.)
"你好大叔"
(Quoting Lin Yuhui's post: #找长期吃鸡队友,#找个听话的女儿,#远离捞女的帖子.图片用的是游戏中骑白马的截图,70年代出生的他还记得,那时候的一个有名日本电影"追捕"之中的片段,其中真优美骑马冲破防暴警察封锁,救杜秋的片段可能是多少男人的梦想.于是在第二天看到留言的时候,他回复了.)
September 7, 10:20
Hello, young lady
Go to sleep early
September 7, 10:20
Want to chat about something? I'm not online often, will reply when I read it [cheerful emoji]
September 7, 12:12
Are you a father-daughter fixation, Uncle?
September 7, 12:18
How old r u
Exclusive care privilege for close friends unlocked, go to settings
September 7, 14:26
Yeah [facepalm laughing emoji] ashamed, ashamed
I'm 47, intro pinned at top
Actually, nothing to be ashamed of. Which man doesn't like the young ones?
I don't just like them; I cherish them. The result is that the truth nobody wants to hear.
September 7, 15:17
Uh
Single? Or what
I saw your post wanting to find a daughter
I want to find a father-daughter fixation uncle
September 7, 15:25
Yeah, I'm still single. Welcome.
May I ask how old you are?
Uh, I'm 19
Great, still very young.
Would you like to introduce yourself? Why do you like uncles with a daughter-con complex?
What about you?
I'm 47
I live with my mom
Single-parent family?
Uh, 5 years older than my mom
Uh uh
Sigh
Divorced?
Yeah
I'm divorced too. She wanted to leave me to pursue happiness.
You have a daughter too?
Yeah, my daughter takes after her mom, not close to me either.
Congratulations on unlocking the "Soul Journey" feature! Chat about one topic daily to help you unlock a bit of "Ta." Join now!
I wanted to help her, but couldn't. No way around it. You can never help someone who doesn't trust you.
?
?
She won't listen to good advice, neither my daughter nor my ex-wife.
Does your daughter live with her mom too?
Uh
No, my daughter was taken over by my parents [facepalm crying emoji]
?
Living with grandpa and grandma?
Yes
Okay
Uh, how old is she?
14
So young
I had kids late. Actually, you're exactly the age of my daughter.
Uh, okay
Sigh, got married late, you know.
Uh, Uncle, if your daughter had a father-con complex, would you accept it?
Too bad she doesn't [facepalm crying emoji]
Uh
Actually, setting aside ethics, the most important thing is individual will.
? What do you mean?
Prioritizing non-violation of individual will above all else.
For example, whether she's my daughter or not, if she simply wants to live with me, what's unacceptable about that?
I've seen a lot said online, never seen it in real life.
Right? Even though we have no blood relation, if you simply wanted to live with me, I'd call you my daughter. What's wrong with that?
Okay
Uh
Nobody in real life would go around advertising this, right? So you haven't met anyone?
Mm-hmm
I downloaded this before specifically to find an uncle with a daughter-con complex.
Felt like no one could accept it.
Last night I logged in again and asked you and another guy.
That uncle even said [sweat emoji]
(Sent a screenshot of a chat with someone else. The other party said: "Little brat. Barely any hair on you. Can't we be normal? Why don't you go find a young guy?")
Some people are just fake moralists.
Don't bother with that kind.
They don't understand what care really means at all.
Would your mom agree to you being with someone like me?
People's thoughts and actions are greatly limited by their cognition. So don't take those people's evaluations of you too seriously, and definitely don't get mixed up with them—it's very troublesome and could ruin your life.
Do you want to live with me?
Do you trust me?
It depends on the vibe, on feelings.
I have another account following you too, to prevent losing contact, but it'd be best to add another contact method.
Mm, being cautious with lifelong matters is perfectly fine.
My mom doesn't know I have a father-con complex. If she knew, she definitely wouldn't agree.
Oh, no way around it. It's either innate or fate.
Definitely can't let people who know me find out.
WeChat?
I'm in class.
Oh, so when did you realize you had a father-con complex?
Can't keep texting.
Then go to class. Don't reply. When you're free, let's schedule a time to talk.
Uh, around junior high third year.
Mm-hmm
Oh
Such a good girl.
Uh
Muah, you go ahead with your business.
cyxcyxcyx0309
If the other party invites you to add WeChat, QQ, etc., do not trust blindly. Beware of online scams like pig-butchering schemes. Learn about online fraud forms.
You add me then.
Okay.
Are you a math major?
[Facepalm crying emoji]
September 7, 16:06
No, business.
(Translated by Yuanbao)