Picking up Kasiya and Malaya from the airport, the group stopped by Moseley's commercial street on the way back to browse and shop. With the holiday season approaching, the crowds were thick, and the smart shopping carts with purchase guidance had already been claimed by customers.
从机场接到凯西娅和玛莱雅,回程上几人途经摩西莱克的商业街,顺便下车来浏览与采购.节日前的人流比较多,有采购指导的智能购物车已经被顾客领光了.
Mallaya connected her handheld terminal to the shopping district's smart system. She walked ahead with Qin Wenjing, discussing what else they needed to purchase as they went.
玛莱雅把自己的手持终端接入了商业街智能系统,和覃文静走在前面,边走边商量着还需要采购些什么.
Kesiya wasn't very familiar with Qin Wenjing yet, and even Li Haojun noticed she wasn't as socially adept as her younger sister. So she quietly followed behind Li Haojun.
凯西娅与覃文静还不熟,甚至李皓珺也发现她在社交方面不像妹妹那样游刃有余,所以她就默默地和李皓珺走在后面.
Kesiya wore the same coat she had on during their last trip to Nevada, which inevitably brought back memories for Li Haojun. He found himself reflecting on their time apart, and so he kept glancing at Kesiya from time to time.
凯西娅穿了上次去内华达同样的外衣,不由得让李皓珺回想那段回忆,体味这段时间的分别,所以他总是不时地望向凯西娅.
Kesiya, however, would always respond with a smile, saying nothing. This left Li Haojun shaking his head repeatedly, pursing his lips in a wry smile, sighing to himself and wondering what on earth had gotten into him.
而凯西娅则是每次回以笑脸,笑而不语,搞得李皓珺自己也连连摇头抿嘴微笑自我叹息,感慨自己这是怎么了.
The festive atmosphere thickens along the commercial street, where twinkling lights adorn the trees lining the roadside green belts. Christmas trees stand tall at every shop entrance. The bustling street teems with people, creating a lively scene.
商业街上节日气氛浓郁,路边得绿化带树木都悬挂起了闪烁的彩灯,每个商家大门口也竖立着圣诞树.街上人流穿梭,很是热闹.
A department store stood ahead. Qin Wenjing and Malaya chattered away, then linked arms and turned left into the store without so much as a word to the two trailing behind. Li Haojun seized the moment to grab Kesiya's hand, quickening her pace to keep up with the pair ahead. Her beaming smile cut through the winter crowd.
前面是一家百货商店,覃文静和玛莱雅嘁嘁喳喳地聊着聊着就手挽手地左转进了商店,也没和后面两人打招呼.李皓珺急忙趁机拉起凯西娅的手,紧跑几步,以便跟上前面两人的步伐,飘扬的笑脸穿过冬日里的人群.
The first floor of the mall always sparkles with jewel-like brilliance, though what's sold here are mass-market goods made from synthetic materials. The aura of rare luxury has long faded, replaced by the everyday bustle of ordinary life.
商场里的一楼总是那么的珠光宝气,只是销售的都是人工合成材料制成的大众消费品了.曾经的稀缺奢华之风早已不在,更多的是人间烟火气息.
Slowly strolling through the jewelry gallery, I admired the luster of different materials, the variety of design styles, and the clash of diverse cultural influences.
慢慢走过首饰区的展廊,欣赏着不同材料的光泽,各种风格的设计,不同文化底蕴的碰撞.
At the end of the gallery, Qin Wenjing turned around and looked back at Li Haojun, grinning as she asked,
走到展廊尽头,覃文静转身回头看向李皓珺,笑嘻嘻地问,
"Would you like to buy something for your children?"
"不给你的孩子们买点什么吗?"
"No need to spend money," Malaya said, tugging at Qin Wenjing's arm.
"不必破费了," 玛莱雅说着,拉了拉覃文静的胳膊,
"Sure," Li Haojun had already picked out a few models she liked best, and while browsing earlier, she'd discussed their respective preferences with Kesiya.
"好啊,"李皓珺早就物色了几款自己比较理想的,刚才浏览的时候已经和凯西娅讨论过各自的喜好.
So the four of them retraced their steps together. Li Haojun had already decided to buy Kesiya that freshwater pearl necklace she liked, though he wasn't sure which piece Malaya and Qin Wenjing had picked out while walking ahead earlier.
于是四人又一起原路返回,李皓珺早就想好一会儿给凯西娅买她喜欢的那条淡水珠项链,只是不知道一直走在前面的玛莱雅和覃文静刚才看好了哪一件.
The gallery displayed necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, and various other accessories. Li Haojun felt a multi-layered gold-plated necklace would perfectly complement Malaya's outfit for the day.
展廊里面有项链,耳环,手镯,戒指,还有各种其它饰品.李皓珺觉得有一款多层次的彩金项链非常适合玛莱雅今天的装束.
Seeing the two of them hesitating, he made a point of recommending this necklace before they reached it.
见她们两人犹豫不决,便在走到这款项链之前着重推荐了一下,
Indeed, this design features a delicate, multi-layered gold structure. At first glance, it appears understated, but upon closer inspection, the necklace reveals a gradient of gold hues that shift with the angle of light—transitioning through shades of gold, brown, dark green, indigo, and purple. Irregularly set pavé diamonds sparkle like stars in the night sky, their density gradually decreasing as they cascade diagonally through the necklace's layers, evoking the Milky Way.
果然,这款设计是很纤细的彩金多层次结构,乍看上去不显眼,但是仔细端详会发现项链的金色是渐变的,并且随着光线角度而改变过渡成金,褐色,墨绿,靛蓝,紫色.项链上不规则镶嵌碎钻,闪烁宛如夜空中的繁星,镶嵌密度渐变斜向贯穿项链层次结构如同银河.
Li Haojun scrutinized the product name: "zanchika2084318836C." and thought to himself, What kind of nonsensical naming is this? He glanced at Malaya—her slender frame, the budding vitality of youth, her intelligent yet mischievous little head, and that haughty high ponytail. She radiated an aura of distant, untouchable beauty, like a star in the night sky.
李皓珺仔细看了一下商品名称,"zanchika2084318836C,",心想,这是什么乱七八糟的命名,他看了一眼玛莱雅,她那纤细的身材,含苞欲放的青春气息,智慧而又有些古灵精怪的小脑瓜,那孤傲的高马尾辫,给人只可远观而不可亵玩的距离感,仿佛夜空的星.
At this thought, Li Haojun asked softly,
想到这里,李皓珺轻声问,
Malaya, what do you think of this design? If I were to name this piece, I'd never use that cold string of letters. I'd rather call it 'Starlit Galaxy.' Look at the gradient of the necklace's metal—it resembles the sky from dusk to deep night, with those delicate diamonds like stars dotting the heavens.
"玛莱雅,你看这款感觉怎么样?如果我给这款产品命名,一定不会用这一串冷冰冰的字母,我愿意称它为'星河闪耀',你看项链金属的渐变色,仿佛半晚到深沉的夜空,那些细碎的钻石就是点缀夜空的繁星,"
He looked up into Malaya's eyes again, wondering what she thought.
说着又抬头看着玛莱雅的眼睛,不知道她是什么意见,
Only then did Li Haojun notice out of the corner of his eye that he was being playfully surrounded and watched by Kesiya and Qin Wenjing, feeling slightly awkward.
这时李皓珺才在视角余光里注意到自己正在被凯西娅和覃文静嬉笑围观,略显尴尬.
Qin Wenjing immediately teased,
覃文静随即取笑道,
"Hey, look at this! The arrangement of these diamonds forms the Big Dipper. Wear it, Malaya, and you'll never lose your way."
"哎,你看你看,这几颗钻石的排布不就是北斗星吗,玛莱雅戴上,看到它你就不会迷路了,"
Li Haojun hastily shook his head and waved his hands, saying,
李皓珺连忙摇头摆手说,
"Stop it, stop it,"
"别闹别闹,"
Kesiya said nothing, smiling as she looked at her sister.
凯西娅什么也没说,微笑着看着妹妹,
After laughing, Qin Wenjing seemed to recall something. She gazed into the air for a moment before turning to Malaya, her hand resting on her shoulder.
覃文静说笑完,似乎想起什么,平视空中片刻,转向玛莱雅,手抚她的肩头说,
"My dear sister," she said earnestly, "every time he travels, you arrange his itinerary. Each time he returns safely, I am truly grateful to you."
"好妹妹,说真的,他每次出行,都是你安排行程,每次平安归来,我由衷地感谢你."
"Rest assured, I'll bring him back to you safely," Malaya replied.
"你放心,我会把他平安带回来给你的." 玛莱雅回答道,
After browsing the jewelry and cosmetics on the first floor and the women's clothing on the second, Li Haojun intended to continue upstairs to look at children's toys—that youthful heart of his seemed to have never truly faded.
浏览过一楼首饰化妆品,二楼的女装,李皓珺本想继续上楼去看看儿童玩具,那颗年少的心似乎仍未泯灭.
"We'd better not go," Malaya unexpectedly declined his suggestion, her gaze fixed firmly on Li Haojun as she spoke. Though unsure of her meaning, Li Haojun followed her advice, and the group left the department store.
"咱们还是不去了,"玛莱雅很出人意料地拒绝了他的提议,说完眼神很确定地望向李皓珺.虽然不知道她的含义,李皓珺还是听从了她的建议,一行人离开百货商店.
Back on the street, the sun was already setting in the west. On her way back along the pedestrian mall, Kasiya passed the barbershop she'd walked by earlier and suddenly had a new idea—she was determined to get a new hairstyle. A woman's mind, truly, is hard to fathom.
回到街上,太阳已经偏西,步行街回程中,凯西娅经过之前走过的理发店,却有了新的想法,坚持想要换个发型.女人的心啊,真的难懂.
Kathy, sitting in the salon chair, had actually chosen a short hairstyle. Li Haojun stood behind her, facing her through the mirror and asked,
坐在美发椅上的凯西娅居然选了一款短发型.李皓珺站在她身后,透过镜子面对她问,
"Are you really going to cut your long hair?" He knew how long it had taken her to grow it out, so he asked her with genuine concern.
"你真的要把长发剪掉吗?"他知道留到现在的长发对女生来说需要很长时间,所以才关切地问她.
She smiled, feeling confident, and after adjusting the settings on the panel, clicked OK.
她微笑着,很确定,通过面板设置后,点击了确定.
Surrounding her were multiple robotic arms, but no scissors or similar human tools—instead, they were equipped with built-in blades serving the same purpose. First came the dry shampoo foam, then shaping and trimming, followed by the final rinse to remove hair debris and the dry shampoo foam. Everything was done with such efficiency and speed.
围绕着她的周围,有多个机械手臂,但是没有剪刀或者剪刀之类的人类工具,取而代之的是内置刀片的同类功能型工具.首先干洗泡沫,然后塑形,修剪,最后干洗结束,移除头发碎屑和干洗泡沫,一切都那么简洁快速.
Kesiya opted for a face-framing bob with a subtle C-shaped curve at the ends, revealing her neckline. Her bangs were parted in a 3:7 ratio, swept back over the left ear and cascading forward along the curve of her jawline. The right side of the fringe partially veiled her right cheek, its lower edge curving forward to perfectly complement the jawline. Within the shadow cast by the fringe, her blue eyes appeared even more profound.
凯西娅选了一款齐脸短发,下端大C形弧线内敛,露出颈部.三七分的前刘海,左侧后掠至耳后,下垂沿着脸侧颌骨的曲线向前.右侧刘海半遮于右脸前,刘海下缘弯曲前伸,完美配合下颌曲线,刘海的阴影里,那蓝色的眼睛也愈加深邃.Her new short hairstyle, paired with the plush, wide collar of the white faux fur top she wore today, accentuated the close-fitting freshwater pink pearl necklace adorning her neck.
新款短发加上凯西娅今天穿的白色仿皮草上衣的毛绒阔领,凸显了她颈部的佩戴的贴颈淡水粉珍珠项链.
Stepping out of the barbershop, sunlight illuminated Kasiya's smiling face. Her younger sister exchanged a knowing smile with her before dashing past her to catch up with Qin Wenjing ahead, leaving the two of them behind.
走出理发店,阳光映照在凯西娅微笑的脸庞,妹妹在旁边与她相视一笑,便超越她赶上前面的覃文静,留下两个人在后面.
Back at the parking lot, Li Haojun opened the rear passenger door for Kesiya, while Qin Wenjing invited Malaya to sit in the front passenger seat. She herself remained in the rear seat diagonally behind the driver. In the rearview mirror, she could see Li Haojun's eyes—only today, two young women were riding along, invited at her own suggestion.
回到停车场,李皓珺给凯西娅开了司机后座的车门,而覃文静则邀请玛莱雅坐在了副驾的位置,而她依然坐在驾驶员斜后座,后视镜里能够看到李皓珺的眼睛,只是今天同乘的还有两位姑娘,是自己提议邀请的.
On the way back, traffic was sparse. The setting sun stretched the shadows of withered trees across the road with its last, warm glow. Li Haojun drove smoothly along the winding road. The fading light streamed through the windows, sometimes dazzling, sometimes outlining Malaya's silhouette. Everyone he cared about seemed to surround him in that moment, like a beautiful dream. The only reminder that this was real came from the rearview mirror, where Tan Wenjing's smiling face tilted slightly, her eyes gleaming with a pride he'd never seen before.
回程的路上车辆稀疏,夕阳在天边用昏黄的余温将干枯的树影长长地拉扯到路面.李皓珺以柔和的驾驶沿着曲折道路行驶,余晖透过车窗,时而炫目,时而勾勒玛莱雅的轮廓,所有他所在意的人,这一刻都围绕在自己身边,仿佛一场美梦.唯独提醒自己这是真实发生的场景,只有后视镜里,覃文静笑脸微倾,以从没有过的得意地眼神看着自己.
She felt relaxed and content. Li Haojun realized he had never seen Qin Wenjing in such a state before—as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
她很轻松,惬意的感觉,李皓珺觉得自己从来没有见过覃文静这样的状态,如释重负.
Back home, as planned, the sky had turned pitch black, with only a faint purple streak lingering on the horizon. In the winter night, the brightly lit house seemed all the more warm.
回到家里,如同计划,天色压黑,只剩天边一抹淡紫.冬夜里,灯火通明的家愈加显得温暖.
Malaya eagerly went to the kitchen to help Qin Wenjing prepare the Christmas Eve feast, leaving Kasiya and Li Haojun to decorate the Christmas tree in the living room.
玛莱雅很主动地去厨房帮助覃文静准备平安夜大餐了,留下凯西娅和李皓珺在客厅里布置圣诞树.
Kesiya slipped off her coat, revealing a strapless beige wool sweater beneath, paired with the same figure-flattering blue jeans. Today, however, her neatly trimmed short hair and the pearl necklace adorning her delicate pink neck were exceptionally captivating. Li Haojun wanted to give her a hug, but the thought remained just that—no action followed. Instead, he stood there grinning foolishly before asking,
凯西娅脱掉了外衣,她里面穿了一件一字领淡米色羊毛衫,依旧是那条很显身材的蓝色牛仔裤,只是她今天精致的短发和珍珠项链装饰的粉颈异常迷人.李皓珺想要给她一个拥抱,但是只有想法,没有行动,只剩下傻笑,然后问,
Long time no see. How have you been lately?
"好久没见,最近过得好吗?"
Kesiya didn't answer him; she just looked at him and smiled faintly.
凯西娅没有回答他,只是看着他微微一笑,
Come on, let's decorate the Christmas tree.
"来,咱们把圣诞树装饰起来吧."
She said nothing and made no small talk, instead concentrating intently as she and Li Haojun discussed and selected different ornaments, gifts, or star-shaped lights to hang in various spots—some higher up even requiring a ladder.
她没说什么,也没有叙旧,只是很认真地和李皓珺一边商量,一边选择不同的彩蛋,礼物或者星星灯珠挂在不同的位置,高一些的位置甚至需要梯子,
Kesiya was very proactive, always climbing up herself. Li Haojun stayed below to steady the ladder for her. Sometimes Kesiya would ask Li Haojun to step back and check if it was hanging crooked.
凯西娅很积极,总是自己亲自上去,李皓珺就在下面帮她扶着梯子,凯西娅有时候也叫李皓珺从远一点看一下有没有挂歪了.
As she finished decorating, Kesiya looked at the Christmas tree, hesitated for a moment, and muttered to herself,
快装饰完的时候,凯西娅看着圣诞树,迟疑了一下,自言自语地说,
Why favor only one side while neglecting the other? Her voice carried a hint of sorrow.
"何必只偏爱这一面,却慢待了那一面呢."语气里带着忧伤,
The two had been busy decorating the Christmas tree facing the living room. Only half of the tree was adorned, specifically the side illuminated by indoor lights. The opposite side, facing the window, remained shrouded in darkness, devoid of decorations, and looked particularly bleak.
原来两个人刚才一直在忙着装饰圣诞树面对客厅这一面,这棵树只有一半是有装饰的,而且是室内灯光照亮的一侧,而树的背面面对窗外,处于黑暗笼罩之中,亦无装饰,格外显得惨淡.
Kesiya picked up some decorations and walked behind the tree. Li Haojun helped carry all the remaining ornaments over. After hanging the last decoration, Kesiya turned to face Li Haojun. Her face showed no festive joy; instead, she spoke softly in the same plaintive tone as before,
说着凯西娅拿了些饰品走向树后,李皓珺也帮忙捧着所有剩下的跟了过去.当凯西娅挂完最后一件装饰,转过身望向李皓珺,脸上并没有节日的喜悦,依旧是刚才哀怨的语气轻声说,
Actually, this is my first time spending Christmas in someone's home.
"其实,这是我第一次在一个家里过圣诞节,"
Her eyes and her words made Li Haojun feel a pang of sadness. He gently pulled her into his arms, wanting to give her more warmth.
她地眼神与她话语,李皓珺不觉一阵心酸,把她轻轻拥入怀中,想给她多一点温暖.
On the Christmas tree, the twinkling lights faintly illuminate the shadows behind it, casting a faint silhouette of two figures embracing within the glass window. Layered atop the dead branches of the garden flowerbed, hidden within the refracted light of the evergreen branches, it remains unclear whether it is real or illusory.
圣诞树上,彩灯的闪亮,些许照亮树后的阴影,在玻璃窗里映出淡淡两人的相拥身影,层叠在院落花坛枯枝透射之上,隐含于翠柏枝叶折射之间,不知是实是虚.
In the kitchen preparing Christmas Eve dinner, Tan Wenjing, though assisted by Malaya, didn't assign the little girl any substantial tasks. She merely gave her a few symbolic chores to keep her occupied and prevent her from standing awkwardly by with nothing to do.
在厨房准备平安夜晚餐的覃文静,虽然有玛莱雅帮忙,但是她并没有安排那个小朋友什么实质性的工作,只是象征性地分给她一点事情,让她不至于尴尬地在一边无所事事.
Qin Wenjing cherished her youth. Though modern technology could reverse the aging process, the people and events that once surrounded her could never be reclaimed. She envied Malaya's youth, delighting in seeing her beside Li Haojun as if witnessing her own reflection from years past. Unable to fulfill her own unfulfilled desires, she could only project them onto others, hoping to see them realized anew.
覃文静喜欢她的年轻,虽然现代科技可以逆转年龄,但是曾经身边的人和事却已无法找回.她羡慕玛莱雅的年轻,喜欢看到她在李皓珺的身边,如同看到当年的自己,那没能如意的心愿,只好寄托在别人身上再次体现.
At that moment, Kesiya also came into the kitchen, taking Tan Wenjing by the arm.
这时凯西娅也来到厨房,拉着覃文静的胳膊,
"Emily, take a break. Let them help you with that." With that, she pulled Emily away, leaving only Li Haojun and Malaya behind.
"艾米莉,你休息一会儿吧,让他们帮你弄.",说着把她拉走了,只留下李皓珺和玛莱雅.
Li Haojun continued preparing the remaining ingredients while keeping an eye on the turkey in the oven. Malaya watched silently, smiling all the while.
李皓珺接着处理未完成的食材,看管烤箱里的火鸡.玛莱雅在一边边笑边看着,不说话,
Li Haojun felt a twinge of embarrassment, wondering if the young girl had seen him earlier. He took the initiative to strike up a conversation, breaking the awkward silence.
李皓珺有点惭愧,心想是不是刚才被这小姑娘看到了.便主动找话,打破尴尬,
Thank you both for coming. Actually, it was Emily who thought to invite you.
"谢谢两位前来赏光,其实是艾米莉她想到邀请你们的,"
"Don't you want to?" Malaya interrupted Li Haojun with a sudden remark.
"你不想吗?" 玛莱雅打断李皓珺插了一句,
"Oh, I wanted to, but I didn't expect her to be so forgiving," Li Haojun said with a hint of shame, looking down at his hands as he continued preparing the ingredients.
"哦,我也想,但是我没想到她那么宽容," 李皓珺有些惭愧,低头看着手上的事情,边清理食材边说,
"To be honest, I don't even know myself," Li Haojun said, turning to look at Malaya.
"我,说实话,对自己都不了解,"说完,李皓珺扭过头看着玛莱雅.
Forgetting the past doesn't mean forgetting who you are. You're still you. Malaya's smile vanished as she spoke coldly.
"忘记了过去并不一定就会忘记你是谁,你依然是你." 玛莱雅没有了笑容,冷冷地说,
Seeing that Li Haojun didn't respond and looked a bit puzzled, Malaya explained again,
见李皓珺没有回答,有点疑惑的样子,玛莱雅又解释说,
Your inner feelings are still you.
"你内心的感受依然是你,"
"Oh," Li Haojun nodded slightly as he looked at Malaya. Then he glanced back at Kasiya and Qin Wenjing bathed in the bright light of the living room. Then he looked back at Malaya before him. She always possessed a maturity beyond her years, something elusive for a girl barely out of her teens. It seemed as though she could see through his thoughts—that he harbored feelings for them, yet held back, constrained by his lingering attachment to Emily.
"哦,"李皓珺看着玛莱雅,微微点了点头.然后回头望了一眼客厅明亮的灯光里的凯西娅和覃文静.再看看眼前的玛莱雅,她总是有着超越自己年龄的成熟,对于一个十几岁的小女孩来说,令人难以捉摸.似乎她看出了自己的心思,内心有对她们的感情,但是碍于艾米莉的惦念,不愿表达.
"Would you leave Emily for Kesia?"
"你会为了凯西娅离开艾米莉吗?"
No, I can't do that. She was there for me when I was at my most vulnerable. I can't do that.
"不行,我不能那么做,在我最脆弱的时候是在照顾我,我不能那么做."
"For Kesia and me?"
"为了凯西娅和我呢?"
" Malaya, why are you asking this?"
"玛莱雅,你为什么要这么问?"
"I was just asking, curious to hear your answer," Malaya said with a faint smile.
"我就是问问,好奇你会怎么回答," 玛莱雅说着微微一笑.
"I can't do anything to betray her. She has no other family besides me, and she's a deeply emotional person. All these years, she's lived with me—even when I was unconscious. A person who can't speak or move, with no certainty of waking up—she still couldn't bear to leave me. How could I possibly do that?" Li Haojun glanced at Malaya's expression as he spoke, then softened his tone as he continued.
"我不能做对不起她的事,除了我,她也没有别的亲人,而且她是很感性的的一个人,这么多年来她一直和我一起生活,哪怕是我没有意识的时候.一个不能说话不能动的人,不知道会不会醒来,她都舍不得离开我,你让我怎么能?" 李皓珺说着看了看玛莱雅的表情,又放缓自己的语气接着说,
How could I possibly leave her alive?
"怎么能活生生地离开她."
"Yeah, I get it."
"嗯,我明白."
Li Haojun looked at Malaya and wanted to say, "Wouldn't it be nice if we just lived together like a family?" But then he thought, maybe he was overestimating himself. Those sisters were young and beautiful—what right did he have to monopolize their youth? Once he settled into his job here, someone would naturally come along. He'd better rein in his overflowing affection. With that thought, he casually asked,
李皓珺看着玛莱雅想说,我们就这样像一家人一起生活不好吗,可是转念一想,是不是自己太高估自己了,人家姐妹年轻美丽,自己凭什么霸占她们的青春,在这边工作安顿后自然有人追求.自己泛滥的爱心还是收一收吧.想到这便随便问,
"We haven't seen each other in months. What do you do for fun when you have free time?" Immediately after asking, Li Haojun realized it was inappropriate—asking a young woman what she does in her spare time was rather improper. He hastily added,
"这几个月没见面了,你有空的时候会做点什么娱乐呢?"问完了李皓珺觉得不妥,自己问一个女孩子业余时间做什么太不妥了,于是急忙补充了一句,
What are your hobbies?
"你有什么业余爱好啊?"
"Hobbies? Heh heh heh, cooking, I suppose."
"爱好?呵呵呵,做饭啊,"
Li Haojun was taken aback and surprised upon hearing this, and quickly turned to ask,
李皓珺听了有点吃惊和意外,扭头忙问,
"Isn't your sister taking care of you?"
"不是你姐姐照顾你吗?"
I don't like what she makes. To be honest, she's not very good at cooking.
"她做的我不喜欢吃,说实话,她不太擅长这方面,"
Li Haojun recalled Kesiya's past work and studies. Admittedly, the girl could be a bit clumsy at times, but she was endearing. Thinking of this, he smiled and asked Malaya,
李皓珺回想起凯西娅工作和学习的过往,确实这个姑娘有时候有点笨笨的,但是可爱,想着便笑着问玛莱雅,
"So what do you think your sister is good at?"
"那你觉得你这个姐姐擅长哪方面呢?"
"What do you think?" Malaya countered with a smile, leaving the question hanging. She didn't leave Li Haojun awkwardly standing there after her retort, but continued,
"你觉得呢?" 玛莱雅笑着反问了一句,没有回答.玛莱雅反问之后并没有让李皓珺尴尬在那里,接着又说,
"In my free time, I play some computer games."
"平时有空的时候我会玩一些电脑游戏,"
Li Haojun perked up at the mention, as he also enjoyed certain types of computer games, and quickly asked,
李皓珺一听来了兴致,因为他也喜欢一些类型的电脑游戏,急忙问,
"What kind?"
"什么类型的呢?"
Racing, a compilation of high-speed Grand Prix highlights, but I only have a basic steering wheel with no feedback and accelerator/brake pedals.
"赛车,极速大奖赛集锦,但是我只有简单的无反馈的方向盘和油门刹车."
"Oh, I have this game too," Li Haojun perked up, setting aside what he was doing and eagerly asking,
"哦,我也有这款游戏," 李皓珺来了兴致,放下手里的事情兴冲冲地问,
Which race car and track do you like best?
"你最喜欢哪款赛车,哪条赛道?"
"Mm, a Maserati 250, the Monte Carlo circuit."
"嗯,玛莎拉蒂250,蒙特卡洛赛道,"
Li Haojun gave a thumbs-up with both hands, but before he could speak, the carrot and potato rolled down and smacked against his feet. Seeing this, both of them laughed. Li Haojun didn't bother to pick them up and hurriedly added,
李皓珺双手条大拇指,还没说话,胡萝卜土豆已经滚落砸在了脚面上,两人见状都笑了,李皓珺顾不得捡起它们急忙补充说,
"Tasteful!"
"有品位!"
Maraia pursed her lips, as if smiling sweetly.
玛莱雅抿着嘴,似乎笑得很甜.
"I play that game too. I've got a racing simulator setup. Want to give it a try?"
"我也玩那款游戏,我还有模拟驾驶装备,有兴趣试试吗?"
"Alright," Malaya murmured softly, beginning to help arrange and plate the prepared ingredients. As she bent over, her high ponytail slid down her shoulder to her cheek, the necklace glinting through her hair like a star twinkling in the night sky—was she a girl brought by the stars? The thought flashed through Li Haojun's mind. When he refocused on her face, she was calmly going about her task, arranging the prepared ingredients on plates before carrying them to the dining table. Watching her retreating figure, her slender form held a certain allure, but Li Haojun dared not, nor would he entertain any improper thoughts.
"好啊,"玛莱雅细声说着,开始帮忙整理和装盘准备好的食材.俯身探腰间,高马尾辫沿着肩头滑落到脸颊,发丝间透过的项链的闪烁,宛如夜空眨眼的星星——她是星星带来的女孩子吗?这个念头在李皓珺头脑之中一闪而过.当再次把目光聚焦在她的面容,她只是平静地做着自己的事情,把准备好的食材装盘,然后端走送去餐桌.望着她的背影,她那苗条的身材颇具诱惑,但是李皓珺不敢,也不愿有非分之想.
Over at Kesiya's end, Tan Wenjing seemed to have finished her chat with her and came to the kitchen to check on the progress. The turkey probably needed a bit more roasting. Turning back, her eyes met Li Haojun's. Li Haojun merely lifted the corners of his mouth slightly and murmured softly,
凯西娅那边,似乎覃文静和她聊的差不多了,过来厨房看看进度.火鸡应该还要烤一会儿,扭头回来,眼睛正好望着李皓珺.李皓珺只是嘴角略微翘起,轻声说,
"I feel very happy." After speaking, he gazed intently into Tan Wenjing's eyes.
"我觉得很幸福,"说完目不转睛地看着覃文静的眼睛,
Qin Wenjing paused for a moment, momentarily taken aback, then gave him a gentle hug before joining him in the kitchen to finish what they had started.
覃文静愣了一下,一时没反应过来,然后给他一个轻轻的拥抱,然后陪着他在厨房继续未完成的事情.
Outside the living room window, night had deepened. Inside, the bright lights and the background music from the Christmas Eve livestream filled the space with a warm holiday atmosphere. Malaya placed the ingredients on the dining table and turned to see Kasiya giving her a knowing look, signaling her to look at the couple in the kitchen. Malaya understood immediately and didn't go over to disturb them. Instead, she sat down next to her sister and began stuffing riddle notes into the colorful eggs hanging on the Christmas tree.
客厅窗外已经夜色深沉,室内明亮的灯光,加上平安夜直播的背景音乐,洋溢着温暖的节日气息.玛莱雅把食材放在餐桌上,回头正看见凯西娅给她使眼色,让她看厨房那一对儿.玛莱雅也是心领神会,没有过去打扰,直接跟姐姐坐在一起,往圣诞树的彩蛋中塞谜语字条.
"Are you still going to share him?" Malaya asked Kasiya in an almost inaudible whisper.
"你还要分享他吗?" 玛莱雅极其细微的声音问凯西娅,
"Hmm,"
"嗯,"
"You see, he won't leave her."
"你看他不会离开她的,"
"It's okay, I never wanted to keep him all to myself."
"没关系啊,我没想要独占他,"
"Are you sure it's him?"
"你确定是他吗?"
"Hmm, I remember how it felt being with him."
"嗯,我记得和他一起的感觉,"
"A lot of memories?"
"很多回忆吗?"
"It's not that—it's just this familiar feeling, something buried deep in my memory, but when I see him or get close to him, it suddenly comes flooding back."
"不是,就是熟悉的感觉,似乎在记忆深处被埋没了的,但是见到他或者接近他的时候豁然被唤醒了,"
So what are your plans for the future?
"那未来你怎么打算呢?
Heh, do you think this is okay to keep going? Got any better ideas?
"嘻嘻,就这样下去你看行吗?你有什么好主意?"
Oh, sorry, let's just leave it at that for now. I hadn't thought that far ahead—I haven't even...
"哦,对不起,那还是先这样吧,我可没想那么远,我自己还都没,,,"
"Ha ha ha," the sisters whispered softly as they sat before the Christmas tree in the living room.
"哈哈哈,"姐妹俩坐在客厅的圣诞树前就这样细细低语.
Before long, the feast was ready. Li Haojun brought the steaming hot turkey to the table, and Tan Wenjing followed with the side dishes.
没一会儿大餐好了,李皓珺把热气腾腾的火鸡端上了桌,覃文静跟着也把配菜端了上来,
"Thank you for preparing such a sumptuous dinner," Kesiya said gratefully as she pulled her sister over.
"谢谢准备了这么丰盛的晚餐," 凯西娅一边感谢一边拉着妹妹过来.
"Please take a seat. We've all been looking forward to having you join us," Tan Wenjing said, glancing at Li Haojun.
"入座吧,我们都很想你们能来一起,"说着,覃文静看了一眼李皓珺,
"Please, have a seat," Li Haojun said as he served the two young women slices of turkey.
"请坐请坐,"李皓珺一边说着,一边给两位姑娘成了切好的火鸡肉放递给她们.
Malaya smiled as she gracefully accepted the tray with both hands, while Kasiya shifted her hips forward on the chair, reaching out her hands early and tilting her face upward to look at Li Haojun.
玛莱雅微笑着双手接过盘子,文质彬彬,而凯西娅则是臀部在椅子上向前挪了两下,早早伸出双手,仰着脸望着李皓珺.
Li Haojun handed it to her with a smile, saying nothing, his eyes filled with the sight of Kasiya's beaming face.
李皓珺微笑着递给她,什么也没说,满眼都是凯西娅笑盈盈的脸庞.
The small dining table now held four people, making it feel a bit crowded, yet less lonely. Across from him sat Malaya, with Kesiya to his right and Qin Wenjing to his left. Beneath the table, Li Haojun gently stroked Qin Wenjing's thigh with his left hand.
原本的小餐桌,现在围坐了四个人,似乎有点拥挤,但是少了冷清.对面是玛莱雅,右手边是凯西娅,左手边是覃文静,餐桌下面,李皓珺用左手轻轻摸了摸坐在旁边覃文静的大腿.
Qin Wenjing glanced at him briefly before busily introducing the prepared fruits and vegetables to the two young ladies, inviting them to add toppings according to their own tastes.
覃文静只看了他一眼,就忙着给两位姑娘介绍准备的水果和蔬菜了,可以按照自己的口味添加.
Li Haojun carved the turkey into different cuts for everyone—some parts crispy and charred, others tender and juicy. To be able to provide these two children with some warmth of family under this roof.
李皓珺则是切分火鸡不同部位的肉分给大家,有的部分焦脆,有的部分鲜嫩.能够在这个屋檐下,给这两个孩子一些家庭的温暖.
"This is cranberry sauce, and I made the turkey gravy. Try it and see if it suits your taste," Qin Wenjing said as she slid the condiments across the table toward them.
"这个是蔓越莓酱,火鸡肉汁是我做的,尝一尝看适不适合你们的口味," 覃文静边说边把调料从桌面上推给对方,
Malaya thanked her while methodically sampling the food. Kasiya merely smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, her gaze drifting from Tan Wenjing to Li Haojun between bites.
玛莱雅一边说谢谢,一边有条不紊地尝试,凯西娅只是微笑着点头致意,品尝之间眼光不时从覃文静飘向李皓珺.
After taking a few bites, Li Haojun suddenly remembered something. He got up, went to the kitchen, and brought back black pepper, mustard, and honey. He said,
"Here are some condiments. See if you need anything else?"
吃了几口,李皓珺忽然想起什么,起身去厨房拿回了黑胡椒,芥末和蜂蜜,说,
"还有这些调料,看看你们还需要什么?"
"Alright, no need to trouble yourself. This should be enough," Kasiya said to Li Haojun, then nodded to Qin Wenjing.
"好的,不必麻烦了,这些应该够了," 凯西娅看着李皓珺说,然后又对覃文静点了点头.
"Ah, Haojun, the juice in the fridge," Qin Wenjing said, then turned to smile at Kesiya and Malaya.
"啊,皓珺,冰箱里的果汁," 覃文静说完,扭头对凯西娅和玛莱雅笑着说,
"We will no longer serve alcoholic beverages to minors."
"我们就不给未成年人提供酒精饮料了,"
"No, no, we don't drink," Malaya said with a smile.
"不用不用,我们不喝酒," 玛莱雅笑着说,
"If you'd like to have a drink, please help yourselves. We'll stick to juice," Kasiya said as well.
"如果你们想小酌请尽情享用,我们喝果汁就可以," 凯西娅也同样说.
In the dining room, cheerful chatter filled the air. In the living room, a live TV channel broadcast festive interviews and celebrations from downtown Moseley, punctuated by the occasional crackle of fireworks or firecrackers as someone set off celebratory pyrotechnics. Outside in the small courtyard, the bright lights from the living room and the Christmas tree cast dappled shadows and scattered points of light across the snow-covered flowerbeds and paving stones.
餐厅里和悦的话语,客厅里直播的电视频道播放着摩西莱克市区的节日采访和人们的庆祝活动,背景不时传来礼花或者爆竹的爆炸声,有人在放烟火庆祝.小院里,客厅明亮的灯光连同圣诞树的灯珠与阴影散落在覆雪的花坛和地砖.