"...The expansion of handicrafts isn't going very well. Individual artisans generally don't want to bring in outsiders, even if it would increase production and reduce their own labor."
"...关于手工业的扩展工作不太顺利,因为个人手工业者一般都不愿意引入更多的外人,即便是可以扩大生产规模,减少他个人的劳动强度."
"Spring planting in various regions has been completed according to the planned crops, with a thirty percent increase in cultivated area."
"各地的春季播种已经按照计划的作物完成了,种植面积增长了三成,"
"The prospecting teams have been sending back samples one after another. They plan to conduct a unified evaluation after this round of exploration is finished."
"勘探队已经送陆续回来样品,准备完成此轮勘探之后统一评估,"
"Regarding the establishment of schools and education, the local populace isn't very enthusiastic. In our current situation, men farm, women do housework, and there aren't many full-time job opportunities elsewhere."
"关于兴办学校教育,各地的民众热情不高,以我们目前的状况,男人种田,女人做家务,其他全职工作的机会也不多,"
"Yes, there are things they have no motivation to do on their own. We'll have to give them a push," Lübeck said to Müller, who was reporting the situation. He paused, then continued,
"是啊,有些事情他们没有动力去做,只能我们推动一下了,"吕贝克对汇报情况的米勒说,停顿了一下,接着说,
"Isn't our population base still too small? No one yet wants to do anything different – anything beyond farming."
"是不是我们的人口基数还不够?还没有人想要做不同的事情,种地之外的."
"Heh, it seems so," Müller thought for a moment. "After all, we have fewer than twenty thousand people."
"呵呵,看来是这样的,"米勒想了想,"毕竟还不到两万人."
"Yes. Then let's keep our feet on the ground. First, solve food and shelter, the living conditions."
"是啊,那我们还是脚踏实地吧,先解决吃喝,居住条件吧,"
"Haha, yes."
"哈哈哈,是啊."
After work, riding home in the carriage, Lübeck did not quite understand the practical purpose of the interstellar migration order he had been given. What was the meaning of taking these ten-thousand-some people away from Earth? Perhaps it wasn't about building a new civilization – at least not something he could accomplish in his lifetime. Maybe it was simply about preserving some seeds.
下班后坐在回家的马车上,吕贝克不太理解自己被下达星际移民指令的实际作用,把这么万八千的人带离地球的意义是什么呢?或许不是为了建设一个新的文明,至少我这一辈子是无论如何也做不到的了,也许只是为了保存一些种子.
Pushing open the door, Ruth was in the kitchen. The weather had warmed. The cold air coming through the open small window met the hot air from the stove, swirling and intersecting in the beam of light by the window, distorting the brightness like van Gogh's swirling brushstrokes.
推开家门,露丝正在厨房里,气温已经转暖,敞开的小窗透进来的冷气流与炉台的热气流交汇,在窗口那束光中翻滚交会,扭曲了光亮,如同梵高旋转的笔触.
In that bright stream of light stood Ruth's slender waist, sometimes at the cutting board, sometimes by the stove. Clara was helping her. Ada didn't want to stay alone in her room and had run to the kitchen doorway, imitating her sister's actions as if she were helping, looking very content.
在那一束明亮的光影里,是露丝柔弱的腰肢,时而在案板前,时而在炉膛边.克拉拉在跟着她帮忙,艾达不想自己在房间里,跑到了厨房门口,在学着姐姐的样子,好像是在帮忙,很满足的样子.
Lübeck patted the two children on the head. He was about to give Ruth a hug when he saw Clara standing in front of him, curtsying.
吕贝克摸摸两个孩子的头,刚想给露丝一个拥抱,只见克拉拉站在自己身前,屈膝礼,
"Welcome home, Papa."
"欢迎爸爸回家,"
Lübeck was taken aback for a moment. He looked across at Ruth. She was always so serene and proper – she must have taught the child.
吕贝克愣了一下,看了一眼对面的露丝,她总是那么的恬静得体,一定是她教孩子的,
He looked down again at the child's innocent eyes, quickly picked her up, and kissed her forehead. Across from him, Ruth was smiling at him.
再低头看看孩子那纯真的眼神,吕贝克急忙把她抱起来,亲亲孩子的额头,对面的露丝正笑着看过来.
Lübeck smiled back warmly, then suddenly remembered something. He turned his head – sure enough, Ada stood alone at the kitchen doorway, that small, lonely figure perfectly still, staring at him. Lübeck put Clara down, patted her head reassuringly, then went over and picked up Ada, kissing her head as well.
吕贝克会心一笑,突然好像又想起什么,回头一看,果然艾达站在厨房门口,那孤单的小身影正一动不动站在那里,看着自己.吕贝克又放下克拉拉,摸摸她的头安抚一下,再过去把艾达抱起来,也同样地亲亲她的头.
After all that fuss, the fire in his heart that had wanted to embrace Ruth had cooled considerably. The blazing anticipation faded, leaving only a tender, water-like affection. He walked slowly to Ruth, who had been waiting for a long time, and put his arms around her slender waist and back. Her eyes, which had been shining just a moment ago, now lowered their lashes as she pressed her cheek against him in his gentle embrace.
这样一番折腾下来,好像心中想要拥抱露丝那团火也晾凉得差不多了,那如火的期待烈焰褪去,只剩下似水的柔情,缓步来到已经等了许久的露丝面前,搂住她纤细的腰背,她刚才还闪亮的眼睛,在温柔怀抱里也化作低垂的眼睑和紧贴的脸颊,
Holding her body, gradually feeling her warmth, Lübeck kissed her neck, her shoulder, her collarbone.
怀抱着她的身体,渐渐体会到她的体温,吕贝克轻吻她的脖颈,她的肩,她的锁骨,
Ruth let out a soft sigh.
露丝轻轻舒了一口气,
"All right," she said, pushing Lübeck away. "The children are right here."
"好了"说着推开了吕贝克,"孩子都在这呢,"
Ah – he had known it would be like this even before they adopted them. He wanted to complain, but how could he say such things in front of the adopted children? So instead, his hand behind her back mischievously pinched her flesh, and he kissed her lips again, saying, "I'll go check on Emma and the child in the other room, then come back to help."
唉,没收养她们之前吕贝克就知道会是这样,想抱怨几句,可是又怎么能在收养的孩子们跟前说这些,只好在她身后的手调皮地抓了一把她的肉,又亲了一下露丝的嘴唇说,"我去看看屋里的艾玛和孩子再来帮忙,"
Their son Erwin was sitting on the bed playing with building blocks. Emma sat beside him, watching the child while altering his clothes – the boy had grown a lot.
儿子埃尔温正坐在床上摆弄着手里的积木,艾玛坐在一边一边看孩子一边给孩子改衣服,孩子又长大了许多.
Emma's large eyes glanced at Lübeck as he came in, then she said nothing and went back to her work.
艾玛那双大眼睛,看了看进来的吕贝克,没说什么又接着做自己手上的活儿了.
Those lively big eyes, fair skin, slightly full figure – sitting there upright, though very young, her steadiness and the virtuous air of her labor increasingly revealed a woman's charm.
那双灵动的大眼睛,白皙的皮肤,略丰满的身形,端坐在那里,虽然很年轻,但是那稳重加上劳作的贤惠气质,越发彰显女性的魅力,
Lübeck sat down beside her and put an arm around her waist.
吕贝克坐在了她的身边,搂着她的腰,
"Our son's clothes?"
"咱儿子的衣服?"
"Yes," Emma answered. Her long lashes fluttered over her large eyes. Lübeck hadn't expected that the big child from not long ago would slip into the role of mother so quickly.
"是啊,"艾玛答应着,她的长睫毛在她的大眼睛上呼扇着,吕贝克没想到不久之前那个大孩子,这么快就进入了妈妈的角色,
While feeling delighted, he also felt a nameless unease. He had led her into the family life of raising children, ending her carefree youth early. It seemed there was a vague sense of indebtedness.
感到欣喜的同时,他的心中又有一种莫名的不安,自己把她带入了养儿育女的家庭生活,早早地结束了她的青春无忧,似乎隐约有种亏欠的感觉,
"What dreams do you have for the future?"
"你对将来有什么梦想?"
"Dreams?" Emma stared wide-eyed at Lübeck.
"梦想?"艾玛瞪大眼睛看着吕贝克,
At that moment Lübeck realized his question was rather abrupt, so he changed the way he asked.
此时吕贝克也感到了自己的问题有些唐突,便换了一个询问方式,
"Then what are your wishes?"
"那你有什么愿望?"
Emma rolled her eyes, thought for a moment, and looked around.
艾玛翻着眼睛想了想又看了看周围,
"I want a big house."
"我想有一个大房子,"
Lübeck smiled. "That is possible."
吕贝克笑了,"这个是有可能的,"
"Really?"
"真的吗?"
"Yes. Right now, the population size and food surplus in Zufluchtsland are enough to support a renewal of the city center."
"嗯,现在庇护之地的人口规模和粮食剩余已经能够支持市中心更新建设了,"
"Does that mean we're moving to a big house there?"
"那你是说我们要搬去那里的大房子了吗?"
"No. The city center plan currently does not include residential construction. There will be some public buildings."
"不是,市中心目前计划中不会有民宅建设,会有些公共建筑,"
"Oh." Emma was a little disappointed. She had thought her wish would come true immediately.
"哦,"艾玛有些失望,还以为自己的愿望马上就能实现呢,
Seeing her downcast, Lübeck went to the outer room and took out the fruit he had planned to bring out after dinner from his coat pocket, then brought it into the room.
见她有点失落,吕贝克去到外屋,把本想饭后拿出来的水果,从自己外衣兜里掏出来拿进了屋里,
"What is it?" Emma looked curiously at the paper package.
"什么?"看着纸包,艾玛有些好奇,
"Open it and see."
"打开看看,"
"Strawberries," Emma said, a little surprised.
"草莓,"艾玛有点意外,
"Yes. Someone cultivated them – early ripening. Someone sent a little over."
"是啊,有人培育的,早熟的,有人送了一点过来,"
Emma perked up, easily pleased like a big child. She tasted one – her expression said it was a bit sour. Chewing, she couldn't wait to take another from the paper package. She was about to stuff it into Lübeck's mouth, but then turned her head, remembering her son.
艾玛有点兴奋,就像个大孩子一样容易满足,自己尝了一个,表情有点酸.嘴里嚼着,就迫不及待地从纸包里又拿出一个,刚想要塞进吕贝克的嘴里,可是扭头又想起了儿子,
Lübeck smiled. "Give it to the child."
吕贝克一笑,"给孩子尝尝吧,"
After dinner, everyone was busy with their own things. The little ones were inevitably a bit noisy while helping. Lübeck enjoyed peace and quiet, so he slipped out into the yard.
吃过晚饭,每个人都在做着自己的事情,小孩子们帮忙的时候总是少不了有点吵闹,吕贝克喜欢清静,便躲到了院子里.
Spring had hurried past. The warm evening breeze carried the breath of life rising from the depths of the earth to the surface. Gazing at the purple clouds on the horizon, Lübeck pushed open the garden gate and walked onto the path in front of the house, leading into the deep gray-blue of the night.
春天的脚步已经匆匆走过,温润的晚风夹杂着大地深处散发到地表的生机气息.望着天际的紫霞,吕贝克推开院门,走上门前小路,通往夜色中深邃的灰蓝.
He turned his head to look back at the little house behind the fence. Through the window, the dim yellow light scattered over the stone path in the yard. Surrounded by the night, that warm hue made one cannot help but long for the warmth of home.
扭头回望栅栏里的小屋,透过窗子,昏黄的灯光散落在院落石子甬路,在夜色环绕中那一抹暖色调,让人不由得留恋家的温暖.
In the late spring evening just after nightfall, the breeze no longer held a coolness. Lübeck, with his heart still thinking of the warmth of home, did not walk far.
刚入夜的春末晚风中已经没有了清凉的气息,心中惦记着家的温暖的吕贝克并不会散步很远.
Watching the familiar shrubs, flowers and grass along the path, he walked back and forth in front of his own door a few times. When he again reached the door, in the darkness, Emma stood by the ajar door. The faint light spilling through the gap illuminated her large wavy blond hair, outlined the contours of her cheeks, and the lines of her waist and thighs leaning against the doorframe.
望着熟悉的小路沿途灌木,花草,在自家门前道路往返走了几个来回之后,当再次回到家门前,夜色里,艾玛正站在虚掩的房门外,那门缝里透出的暗淡灯光,照亮她大波浪的的金发,显出她的脸颊轮廓,还有她倚在门框的腰肢和大腿线条,
"Lübeck, time for bed."
"吕贝克,睡了,"
(Translated by DeepSeek)