After a brief separation, our weekend together was blissful and inseparable. But before the weekend had even ended, a new assignment arrived. Just past noon on Sunday, I received notice that I needed to support a new product marketing campaign in Southern West Coast, requiring arrival by Monday morning—so I had to leave immediately.
小别后的周末共度生活如鱼得水,如胶似漆.但是没等过完这个周末,新的任务又来,周日的正午刚过,接到通知需要支持西海岸南方新品营销活动,需要周一早上到达,所以现在就得出发.
This time, Tan Wenjing felt no sadness. Perhaps the tender care she'd received over the past two days had soothed her worries and longing. This assignment was also somewhat unusual: Li Haojun needed to travel to Boise, then drive the company's specialized refrigerated transport vehicle to deliver designated product varieties to various marketing event locations, providing technical and material support. Li Haojun was also curious about how this mission had been arranged so hastily.
这次分别覃文静没有伤感,或许是这两天的温存以待安抚满足了她担忧与思念.而这次的任务也有点特殊,需要李皓珺到达博伊西,然后驾驶公司的特种运输车辆,冷藏运载指定产品品种,到达各个营销活动地点提供技术和物资支持.李皓珺也好奇这任务计划是怎么安排的,如此仓促.
On the flight, Li Haojun had already confirmed the supplies with Kasiya. The sheer volume required five box trucks for transport. They were instructed to wear the company's uniform technical support attire, and Kasiya was responsible for preparing all provisions, including food, for the entire journey.
在飞机上,李皓珺已经和凯西娅核对了物资,那么多,居然需要五辆厢式车运输.并且要求他们都穿着公司技术支持人员统一工装,加上一路的食物等物资,都由凯西娅准备.
Time was of the essence. Upon arriving at the Eagle factory, Li Haojun grabbed Kasiya and immediately set off. There were five electric van-style special transport vehicles in total—bright silver with light blue accents, exuding a distinctly futuristic vibe. Entering the first vehicle's cab, it felt surprisingly spacious with three seats up front. However, there was no rear passenger area—the entire back was dedicated to cargo space.
时间紧迫,李皓珺到达伊格尔工厂后带上凯西娅,马上出发.一共有五辆电动厢式特种运输车,亮银底色,点缀着淡蓝色线条,科技感十足.进入首辆驾驶室,很宽敞,前排三座椅,只是,就没有后排了,后面全是货箱.
Although I'd never driven one before, thankfully the smart assistance system handled everything—complete self-check, navigation setup, convoy configuration. Just drive the lead vehicle and the rest will follow. One after another, the vehicles rolled out of the factory grounds. Was this meant to create a spectacle? Through the expansive windshield, Li Haojun glanced left and right. Reporters and photographers were already waiting to capture the moment—he had no idea how they'd been notified. It seemed the company's overall operation had been broken down into individual execution units, and he was part of one of them.
虽然之前没有驾驶过,还好有智能辅助,完整自检,导航设置,编队设置,只需要驾驶头车其它的就会跟随.紧随着一辆辆开出厂区,这是要造势吗?透过宽敞的风挡李皓珺看看左右,早有记者和摄影师在等候拍摄,也不知道他们是通过什么关系通知来的.应该是公司的整体行动分解到了每个执行部分,而自己也是其中一员.
Traffic in the county town was somewhat congested. Though equipped with autonomous driving capabilities, Li Haojun still preferred to steer the wheel himself. For him, maintaining control over everything brought a greater sense of security. Amidst the stop-and-go motion, he occasionally turned to glance at Kasiya seated beside him. They exchanged smiles—even if bound by the constraints of worldly affairs, having someone to share their heart with was indeed a blessing in this mortal realm.
县城里面的路况有些拥堵,虽然有自动驾驶,但是李皓珺还是喜欢自己操控方向盘,对于他来说,自己掌控一切心里更加踏实.走走停停之间,他不时扭头看一眼坐在身边的凯西娅.二人微笑以对,纵然红尘身不由己,却有倾心相伴,也是人间幸事.
The technicians' uniform consists of a silver-gray blazer with a suit collar, high-waisted pencil pants, and a matching peaked cap adorned with an embroidered silver company logo and decorative stitching. Kasiya accessorized hers with a ruffled-collar white shirt, still wearing that black silk scarf tied around her neck.
技术人员工装是银灰色的西服领小西装,高脚铅笔裤,并且还有一顶同款船型帽,上面有刺绣的银色公司标志和线条装饰.凯西娅给自己配了一件荷叶领白衬衫,依然在脖颈系着那条黑色丝巾.
Soon the convoy left the bustling city center and merged onto Highway 95, heading southwest—directly toward the sun. Though the brilliant golden sunlight was beautiful, it did indeed impair the driver's vision. Li Haojun pulled down the sun visor and glanced at Kesiya beside him. She was leaning back against the seat, watching him.
很快车队就离开了繁华城区,驶上了95号高速公路,向着西南方向行驶,正好是太阳的方向.尽管灿烂的金色阳光很美,可是确实影响驾驶员视线,李皓珺拉下了遮阳板,扭头看看身边的凯西娅,她正斜靠在座椅靠背上看着自己.
"Sorry for dragging you out on your day off," Li Haojun explained.
"抱歉休息日把你拉出来,"李皓珺解释说,
However, Kasiya didn't seem to mind and chimed in,
然而凯西娅似乎并不在意,跟着说,
"Why not just treat it like a trip?"
"就当一场旅行不好吗,"
Ah, yes, we can take in the scenery along the way," Li Haojun remarked, glancing at the landscape on either side of the road. Since leaving the water network wetlands near Boise, they had crossed a mountain ridge and entered a hilly river valley region. The brown earth, sparsely vegetated, stretched vast and open. The undulating slopes along the horizon offered little obstruction to the view, imparting an overwhelming sense of freedom.
"啊,是啊,可以看看沿途的风景,"说着李皓珺留意了一下道路两侧风景,自从离开博伊西一带的水网湿地,越过一条山岭就进入了丘陵河谷地带.褐色的大地,植被不多,陆地广袤,天际线上绵延起伏的山坡并未阻隔过多视线,给人无比自由的感觉.
Only then did Li Haojun realize that a journey is truly happy and meaningful only when shared with someone you love. Was that what Kasiya meant? With that thought, he turned to glance at Kasiya again. She was still looking in his direction. Li Haojun activated the autopilot, observed the vehicle's response—it was proceeding normally along the road—then checked the rearview mirror. The other four cars were still following. He placed his now-free right hand over hers, resting on his thigh, and smiled at her.
这时李皓珺才意识到,一场旅行,有心爱的人陪伴才是幸福的,有意义的,凯西娅是这个意思吗?想到这里他又扭头看看凯西娅,她依旧看着自己的方向,李皓珺启动自动驾驶,观察了一下车辆反应,是在正常沿着道路行驶,又看了看后视镜,另外四辆车依然跟着.便把腾出来的右手放在凯西娅放在大腿的手上,微笑看着她,
How was your weekend?
"周末过得怎么样?"
"Very well," she said, turning her hand over and taking Li Haojun's hand.
"很好,"说着,凯西娅把手翻转过来,拉着李皓珺的手,
"Maraia, are you okay? Did she mention what she's studying?"
"玛莱雅,还好吧?她去学习什么了有没有跟你谈论过,"
No, I called her, and she told me not to worry about her. She just needs a little more time to finish her training.
"没有,我给她打过电话,她告诉我不用担心她,只是培训学习还需要一段时间才能结束,"
"Oh, well, you'll be all alone at home these days," Li Haojun said, keeping an eye on the traffic as they talked.
"哦,好吧,这段时间你自己在家里就孤单了,"一边交谈着,李皓珺一边不时留意车辆行驶情况,
"Not bad, huh? It hasn't even been two days, and we're meeting again, right?" Kasiya said with a playful smile, giving Li Haojun's hand a little shake.
"还好吧,这才不到两天,我们又见面了不是?" 凯西娅嬉笑着说,一边还摇了摇李皓珺的手,
"Yes, if knowing me brings you joy, I'm honored too. You see, life is like this untrodden path—we never know what scenery awaits us around the next bend," Li Haojun murmured, pursing her lips slightly and shaking her head gently, reflecting on this chance encounter.
"是啊,如果与我相识能让你感到开心,我也很荣幸.你看这人生,就好像这条从未走过的道路,不知道下一个弯角会有什么样的风景在等待我们,"说着李皓珺微微抿嘴轻摇着头,感慨这场人生相遇.
"Is that not good?"
"不好吗?"
"Sure, what's wrong with that?" Li Haojun, unsure where he might have misunderstood Kasiya, hurriedly asked.
"好啊,你指什么不好?" 李皓珺不知道什么地方可能和凯西娅误会了,急忙问,
"You say you don't know what kind of scenery awaits—isn't an unexpected surprise a good thing?" Kasiya explained.
"你说不知道会有什么样的风景,意外的惊喜不好吗?" 凯西娅解释道,
"Oh, sure, it'll be refreshing, right?"
"哦,当然好,会有新鲜感是吧,"
"That's right,"
"对呀,"
"But what if we run into trouble?"
"可是,要是遇到什么困难呢?"
"Heh," Kasiya chuckled at his words, then asked,
"呵呵,"凯西娅听他这么说笑了,接着问,
"You're a pretty pessimistic person, aren't you?"
"你是很悲观的一个人吧,"
At that moment, Li Haojun also realized it was inappropriate to share such old-fashioned worries with a young person, as it might dampen their spirits and dampen their drive and enthusiasm. He quickly forced a wry smile and made a self-deprecating remark.
这时李皓珺也感觉到自己跟一个年轻的孩子说这些老气横秋的担忧不妥,影响人家情绪,还挫折年轻人的进取心和积极性,于是急忙苦笑自嘲,
Ha ha ha, forgive my pessimism—I've lost all my memories. Ah, I hope I just stumbled upon a rare occurrence and won't have any more bad luck from now on.
"哈哈哈,请原谅我的悲观,我把自己的记忆都弄丢了,哎,希望只是我踩到了小概率事件,以后不再倒霉了,"
So what if you're unlucky again? Why fret over things that haven't happened? No matter what lies around the next bend on this road, from now on we'll walk together to that place, and then...
"就算你又倒霉又怎么样呢?何必为没有发生的事情担忧?不管这条路的下一个弯角是什么,从现在是你我互相陪伴到那里,然后..."
"Then what happened?" Li Haojun sensed she hadn't finished and pressed her for more.
"然后怎么样?"李皓珺觉得她没说完,便追问,
Then you and I submit to fate's arrangement.
"然后你我听从命运的安排,"
A pang of sadness washed over Li Haojun. He hadn't expected such a young Kesiya to be so resigned to her fate. Could it be the scars from her childhood upbringing?
一丝伤感从心头袭来,李皓珺没想到这样年轻的凯西娅会这样臣服于命运,难道是童年长大过程中的伤痕造成的?
Sunlight streamed through the windshield, illuminating the cab and illuminating Kacy's hair and cheeks. Unbidden, a flicker of worry crossed Li Haojun's mind—would she too vanish like this fleeting moment? He hurriedly cupped her cheeks with both hands, holding her present self, and kissed her gently. As if the slightest lapse in his loving attention would curse her away.
阳光透过风挡玻璃照亮驾驶室,也照亮凯西娅的发丝与脸颊,不由让李皓珺一丝担忧是否她也会如同这转瞬即将隐没的时光而离去,急忙双手捧住她的脸颊,抓住现在的她,轻轻亲吻,如同片刻不给予她爱的关注,她便会被命运诅咒而离去.
"What's wrong, Ethan?" Kasiya asked, seemingly puzzled after the kiss. She had never seen Li Haojun look at her with such an expression before.
"怎么了,伊森,"一吻作罢,凯西娅似有不解地问,她还没见过李皓珺用这样的眼神注视过自己,
"Oh, I don't know why, but suddenly I'm afraid of losing you," Li Haojun murmured, gently pulling Kasiya close. He held her against his chest, arms wrapped around her waist, offering his left shoulder for her head to rest upon.
"哦,不知怎么回事,突然害怕失去你,"说着,李皓珺轻轻拉过凯西娅,背靠在自己胸前,双手交叉把她搂在怀中,用左肩给她的头倚靠.
"Maybe it's just my pessimism," Li Haojun hastily added, not wanting to put any pressure on young Kasiya.
"也许是我的悲观吧,"李皓珺急忙补充说,他不想给年轻的凯西娅带来任何压力,
The sun in the right front was sinking lower and lower, its brightness gradually fading. Li Haojun kept his eyes on the road ahead while speaking to Kasiya, who was leaning against his shoulder.
右前方的太阳越来越低,亮度也逐渐减弱,李皓珺一边看着前方的路,一边对靠在自己肩头的凯西娅说,
"Remember that time in Ellensburg? I fell out of bed in my sleep."
"还记得在埃伦斯堡那次吗?我在睡梦中摔到地上,"
"Mm," Kasiya murmured in agreement.
"嗯,"凯西娅轻声答应着,
I often dream of a little girl, four or five years old. I don't know if she's my daughter, but I always lose her in my dreams. Ah, maybe it's some kind of implanted memory. Who knows?
"我经常梦到一个四五岁的小女孩,不知道她是不是我的女儿,总是在梦里失去她,哎,也许是我被植入了某种记忆吧,谁知道呢,"
"Do you have a biological daughter?" Kasiya asked.
"那你有亲生女儿吗?"凯西娅问,
"I don't know about the past either, heh, I've forgotten," Li Haojun smiled sheepishly.
"我也不知道过去啊,呵呵,我忘记了," 李皓珺惭愧一笑,
Oh my, I'm sorry—I shouldn't have brought up your past.
"哎呀对不起,我不应该谈论你的过去,"
"Don't worry about it. I've got nothing to hide from you. Think of me as your confidant—feel free to bring up any topic you like, okay? If there's anything you want to know about me, just ask. I'm an old man now; I don't have much privacy left, ha ha. "
"别在意,我没有什么需要对你隐瞒的,就当我是你的知心朋友,想谈论什么话题尽管说,好吗?你有什么想了解我的,尽管问,我一个老男人,也没什么隐私,哈哈,"
"Mm, okay," Kesiya agreed, then muttered to herself,
"嗯,好,"凯西娅答应着,又喃喃自语,
I haven't dreamed of Mom and Dad, nor do I miss them. Why should I think of them? It only brings sorrow. But I always find myself walking long distances in my dreams, not knowing where I'm headed. Sometimes I get lost, unsure which path to choose, forgetting why I set out on this road in the first place. The path is always so cold and gloomy, dimly lit as if it were night. There's no one else on the road—just me, alone.
"我没有梦见过爸爸妈妈,也不想他们,为什么要想他们呢,空惹伤心.但是我总在梦里走很多的路,我也不知道要去哪里,有时候还迷路,不知道该怎么选择,不记得为什么要走这条路,路上总是那么的阴冷,光线暗淡,好像是夜里.路上也没有其他人,只有我,孤单自己,"
"You're not alone now," Li Haojun said, wrapping his arm tightly around Kasiya's shoulders and waist.
"现在你不孤单了,"说着,李皓珺用自己的臂膀紧紧搂了搂凯西娅的肩背与腰胯,
As the road dipped and bumped slightly, he quickly guided Kasiya back to her seat, helping her fasten her seatbelt. The vehicle entered a section of road winding along the river valley, twisting and turning.
随着路面略有起伏颠簸,李皓珺赶紧让凯西娅回到自己座位坐好,绑好上身安全带.车辆进入了沿河谷的路段,有些曲折蜿蜒.
Li Haojun took control of the manual steering, gradually reducing speed to navigate the blind curve ahead. The four vehicles following behind closed the gap, drawing closer. With the reduced speed easing the tension, Li Haojun teased Kesiya, saying,
李皓珺介入到手动驾驶,逐步降低了车速,以应对不可见的盲弯,后面跟随的四辆车也逐渐赶了上来,靠近了车距.车速降低后,也不用那么紧张了,李皓珺便逗凯西娅,说,
"Look, the future is uncertain. Now that we've parted ways, will you be sad?"
"你看,前途叵测,现在我们分开了,你会不会伤心,"
Kesiya said nothing either. She took out the dinner food, took a bite herself, then held it to Li Haojun's lips, uttering just one word, plain and simple.
凯西娅也不说话,拿出了晚餐食物,自己咬了一口,然后递到李皓珺嘴边,简洁明了地只说了一个字,
"Eat,"
"吃,"
Li Haojun glanced at the burger she'd taken a bite of, said nothing, and then took a bite himself.
李皓珺看了一眼她咬了一口的汉堡,没说话,跟着也咬了一口,
Kesiya asked while chewing.
凯西娅一边咀嚼一边问,
"Am I tasty?"
"我好吃吗?"
With food in his mouth, he couldn't laugh out loud, but Li Haojun managed a smile as he said,
吃着东西,也不好笑出声,李皓珺带着笑容说了一句,
"Delicious,"
"好吃,"
"You're such a pain to feed," Kasiya said, staring straight ahead, expressionless.
"给你吃还那么多事," 凯西娅目视前方,面无表情地说,
Li Haojun knew she was somehow a little upset, or perhaps just being coy again, so he quickly admitted his mistake.
李皓珺知道她不知怎么有点不高兴了,要不就是又在撒娇,于是急忙承认错误,
"哦,我知道错了,"一边扒拉着方向盘,一边说,
Daddy's getting old, his eyesight's failing, and he can't drive to work to support himself anymore. My dear daughter, my good girl, please give Daddy something to eat.
"爸爸老了,眼睛也看不见了,也不能开车工作养活自己了,好女儿,乖女儿,给爸爸一口吃的吧,"
Watching him feign decrepitude, Kasiya laughed so hard her upper body shook, yet she still ignored him. She finished the burger on her own, then pressed her greasy finger against Li Haojun's lips and said coldly,
看他假装老态龙钟的样子,凯西娅笑得上身一震,但还是不搭理他,自顾自地把这个汉堡吃完,然后把沾着油的手指放在李皓珺的嘴唇上,冷冰冰地说,
"Here, eat this."
"给你,吃吧,"
"Oh," Li Haojun glanced down, unable to help but smile as he played along to cheer her up. He opened his mouth and took her finger inside, occasionally licking it with his tongue.
"哦,"李皓珺低头看了一眼,不由得笑着陪她做戏,哄她开心,张嘴便把她的手指含入口中,还时不时用舌头舔一下,
"Alright," Kesiya said, pulling her finger away and handing him another burger.
"好啦,"凯西娅说着抽回手指,又给他拿了一个汉堡.
Fortunately, the fading sunset provided just enough visibility to navigate this winding stretch through the river valley. The road now headed due south, A final streak of crimson lingered on the southwest horizon. The vehicle's headlights automatically illuminated the road ahead, but beyond the pavement, the surroundings plunged into complete darkness. This stretch lay within the valley, with only the ridge to the left still bathed in the evening glow. The blend of dusky red and ochre outlined its silhouette against the night.
还好借着昏沉夕阳的能见度,走过这段曲折河谷路段,现在的道路是向正南行驶的,西南方天边还剩最后一抹红霞,车辆的头灯自动点亮,但是除了路面,周边已经是一片漆黑,这段路位于谷地,只有左侧山梁映着晚霞,那一抹暗红与赭石的交织,在夜色中勾勒出它的轮廓.
The headlights' illumination seemed feeble in the deep night. Li Haojun switched to infrared-band vision, projecting onto the windshield. The entire convoy proceeded down the highway with only visible-light running lights activated.
车灯的照明在深沉的夜色中略显孱弱,李皓珺切换到了红外波段视觉前风挡投影,整个车队也仅仅打亮可见光行驶灯,纵队在公路上行驶.
Li Haojun glanced back at Kasiya. Driving through the night was rather tedious. She had just reviewed the cargo hold monitoring data, then idly propped her right cheek on her hand, her elbow resting on the armrest. She looked around the cabin, checking the navigation and the vehicle formation status.
李皓珺扭头看了一眼凯西娅,黑夜里行车比较无聊,她刚刚查看了货舱监控数据,然后就无聊地右手托腮,胳膊肘支撑在座椅扶手,在车里东张西望,看看导航,车辆编队情况,
"You can listen to music or watch the news to pass the time," Li Haojun suggested to her.
"你可以听音乐或者看新闻,消遣一下,"李皓珺建议她,
"No, I don't want that noise disturbing us," Kesiya replied succinctly.
"不要,我才不要那些噪音打扰我们," 凯西娅简洁地回答,
"Maybe I should text Qin Wenjing to let her know I'm okay," Li Haojun murmured, as if to himself, yet turned to look at Kesiya.
"也许我应该给覃文静发消息,报个平安,"李皓珺好似自言自语,却又扭头看着凯西娅,
Kesiya grinned at Li Haojun, wondering what new scheme she was hatching.
凯西娅笑嘻嘻地望着李皓珺,不知道她又在想什么主意,
"Should I send it to you? Just keep your eyes on the road."
"我给你发好不好?你只管看着路,"
Not knowing what she was up to, Li Haojun simply answered her.
不知道她在打什么主意,李皓珺就直接回答她,
"Sure," he said, handing her his terminal device.
"好啊,"说着把自己的终端设备递给了她,
Kesiya took it, scrolled through his chat history with Qin Wenjing, then mimicked Li Haojun's tone to send a greeting message. The other party replied shortly after. After showing Li Haojun the response, Kesiya asked,
凯西娅接过来,翻了翻他与覃文静的聊天记录,然后学着李皓珺的口气,发过去了问候信息,对方一会儿就回过来了,然后凯西娅给李皓珺看了一眼后问,
"Can I pretend you're asking her what she thinks of me?"
"我假装你问问她对我的看法可以吗?"
"Cut it out. She doesn't know you as well as I do. Just ask me."
"别闹了,她还没有我了解你,你就问我就好了,"
"Alright then," Kesiya said, her voice tinged with disappointment. She handed the device back to him and then asked,
"那好吧,"凯西娅语气里有些失望,答应着就把设备还给了他,然后问,
That time from Ellensburg to George, I stayed at your place—did she dislike me?
"那次从埃伦斯堡到乔治,我在你家里借宿,她讨厌我吗?"
"No, she said seeing you, so young, with me reminded her of the times we shared together. She misses those days. That's why she doesn't mind you being close to me."
"没有,她说看到年轻的你和我相处,她就想起了她过去和我一起的时光,她很怀念.所以她不讨厌你接近我,"
"Oh, I see," Kesiya replied. Her expression was indistinct, illuminated only by the dashboard lights that cast a glow across her cheeks and the edges of her hair.
"哦,是这样,"凯西娅答应着,看不清她的表情,只有车里仪表板的灯光照亮她的脸颊和发丝边缘,
"Did you ever have a crush on a guy before? Sorry for asking about your private life. Speaking of the past, I'm curious about you too."
"你过去有喜欢过的男生吗?抱歉问你的隐私,说到过去,我也好奇关于你的,"
"No,"
"没有,"
"Why?"
"为什么,"
I don't seem to have much in common with them. I don't like childish things.
"我跟他们好像没有什么共同话题,我不喜欢幼稚的,"
"Oh, maybe it has something to do with your upbringing," Li Haojun said, quickly trying to find an excuse for her.
"哦,也许是和你成长经历有关,"李皓珺听她这么说就忙着帮她找理由,
The flat road stretched ahead, darkness enveloping them on all sides. The low hum of the electric motor's power felt monotonous and hypnotic. The two passengers caught each other's yawns, their boredom contagious.
平直的路面,黑暗的四周,加上电动机的动力的低鸣,让人觉得乏味和催眠,两个人互相传染,打起了哈欠,
"You should lie down and rest for a bit. I'd better keep an eye on the autopilot," Li Haojun said to Kasiya.
"你躺下休息一下吧,我最好还是看着自动驾驶,"李皓珺对凯西娅说,
Kesiya tried it out, but the width of the two seats wasn't quite enough, so she asked,
凯西娅试了试,两个座位的宽度有点不够,便问,
Ethan, may I rest my head on your lap?
"伊森,我把头枕在你的大腿上行吗?"
Li Haojun chuckled inwardly. "This journey hasn't broken my legs yet," he remarked, then suggested,
李皓珺心里暗笑,这一路还不把我的腿压折了,便建议说,
"Why don't you turn your head that way and rest your legs here? Your head's too heavy. Use the seat belts from both seats to secure your hips and upper body."
"要不你头朝那边,把小腿放我这里吧,头太重了,用两个座椅的安全带把你的胯和上身绑好,"
In the dimly lit cab, Kasiya lay down as Li Haojun had instructed, but her legs remained restless—now kicking against the door, now brushing against Li Haojun's body. Yet she could not resist the deep silence of the night and gradually drifted off to sleep.
灯光黯淡的驾驶室里,凯西娅如李皓珺所说,躺好了,但是她的腿脚还不老实,时而踹在车门上,时而摩擦李皓珺的身体,只是抵挡不过深夜的寂静,渐渐睡去了.