On his day off after returning from the trip, the spring sunshine was bright and beautiful. White clouds drifted low against the backdrop of a deep blue sky, but Li Haojun felt no inclination to admire the view. Instead, he was unusually engrossed in searching for information on his computer—from Seattle to Montana, from Oregon to Arizona—scouring details about every county and township. He was curious to discover other places as obscure and peculiar as Kalispell.
旅程归来后的休息日,春光明媚,洁白的云朵在湛蓝的天空背景前低空飘过,李皓珺却没有情趣欣赏,而是少见地在电脑前搜索着信息,从西雅图到蒙大拿,从俄勒冈到亚利桑那,搜索着每一个郡县的信息,他很好奇还有哪些地方像卡利斯佩尔这样无名且奇怪.
"Still holding a grudge over that Sienna thing?" Tan Wenjing asked, patting his shoulder from behind.
"还在因为那个西耶娜耿耿于怀吗?"覃文静在身后拍了拍他的肩膀问,
"Ha ha, you're right. Seems like this world isn't quite what people usually make it out to be," Li Haojun replied, turning to look at Qin Wenjing.
"哈哈,确实,看来这个世界并不像平时给人们说的那样,"李皓珺回头看着覃文静回答,
"Look how nice the weather is today. Let's go for a walk."
"你看今天天气这么好,我们出去走走吧,"
"Alright, how about we go on a picnic?" Li Haojun asked casually.
"好,要不我们去郊游?"李皓珺随口问,
"But where should we go?" Tan Wenjing asked.
"可是,去哪呢?"覃文静问,
"Let's go to Lisper."
"我们去利斯佩尔,"
"Ha ha ha ha, going on a trip to your own workplace, and on a day off at that—that's a first for me," Qin Wenjing said with a laugh.
"哈哈哈哈,去自己工作的地方旅游,还是休息日,这还是头一次听说,"覃文静笑着说,
Yeah, I just wanted to see what the rest area looks like.
"对啊,我就是想看看休息日那里是什么样,"
Qin Wenjing thought it over and rejected the proposal.
覃文静想了想,把这个提议给否决了,
"The liberation of the world doesn't need you. Staying by my side—that's your responsibility."
"解放全世界也不差你一个人,你要陪着我,这才是你的责任,"
Li Haojun couldn't help but smile. His woman cared so deeply for him—wasn't that exactly what he'd hoped for? He stood up, turned around, and gave Qin Wenjing a hug, saying,
李皓珺也乐了,自己的女人这么在乎自己,这不是求之不得的事情吗?他起身回头给了覃文静一个拥抱,说,
"You're right," he said, cupping her cheeks with both hands as he asked,
"你说得对,"然后双手扶着她的脸颊问,
Where do you want to go? To Moses Lake?
"你想去哪?去摩西莱克城里吗?"
"No, just a walk around the neighborhood will do. You come with me. Stay away from the townspeople—no Kesiya, no Sienna." With that, Qin Wenjing flashed a ghostly smile, swept her left bangs behind her ear, and rolled her eyes at Li Haojun.
"不,就在家的周围散步就行,你就陪着我吧,离城镇的人远点,什么凯西娅,什么西耶娜,"说着覃文静鬼魅一笑,左手捋了一下鬓角刘海到耳后翻着眼睛看着李皓珺,
"Ha ha ha ha," Li Haojun laughed heartily, then pinched Qin Wenjing's jaw with his fingers, gave it a gentle shake, and said,
"Fine, fine, fine. I'll do whatever you say."
"哈哈哈哈,"李皓珺大笑,然后用手掐着覃文静的下颌,轻轻摇了摇,说,
"好好好,我都听你的,"
"Hmm, let me change clothes," Qin Wenjing said as she returned to her room and sat down at the dressing table.
"嗯,等我换一下衣服,"说着覃文静回了房间坐到了梳妆台前,
Li Haojun put on his coat and stepped out into the courtyard to wait. Basking in the warm sunlight, he surveyed the flower beds, pondering where he might need to replant something.
李皓珺穿好外衣自己先到了院子里等待,沐浴着温暖的阳光,一边打量着院子里的花坛,考虑哪里要补种些什么,
After a moment, Tan Wenjing emerged from the room, freshly groomed. As the bright spring sunlight fell squarely upon her, the stark contrast between the dim interior and the radiance of daylight created a visual impact that struck Li Haojun as refreshingly new.
过了一会儿,梳妆完毕的覃文静走出了房门,当晴日春天的阳光照在她整个人的正面,那种由暗淡室内走到阳光里的光亮对比,使得李皓珺对她给自己的视觉冲击耳目一新,
She wore beige low-rise stretch flared pants, tight across the waist, hips, thighs, and knees, gradually flaring out below the knees. The cuffs covered most of her black high heels. On top, she wore a short, light green jacket with a large round neckline featuring a lotus leaf pattern, layered over a white lace-collared shirt. The white lace cuffs peeked out from beneath the jacket sleeves.
她穿了一条米色低腰弹力喇叭裤,紧绷的腰胯,大腿和膝关节,之下才逐渐阔腿,裤脚直到掩盖了她大部分的黑色高跟鞋,上身穿了一件淡绿荷花叶大圆领短款夹克,里面一件蕾丝领白衬衫,露出白色蕾丝袖口在夹克袖子外面,
Today she wore her hair swept to one side in a shoulder-length style, with a delicate silver drop earring adorning the opposite earlobe. Her cheeks were dusted with a light blush, and she wore a peachy pink lipstick. The overall color palette and look gave her a fresh, youthful, and vibrant appearance.
今天她又是把头发挽到单侧的披肩发,另一侧的耳垂戴了一件细碎银垂链耳坠,淡涂腮红,桃红色唇膏,整体色调和形象青春靓丽,
She descended the stairs in high heels, moving with careful deliberation. Her gaze fixed on each step below, she shifted her hips slightly to the side, her gait accentuating the curves of her hips and thighs. To Li Haojun's eyes, it was an exceptionally graceful sight.
她穿高跟鞋下台阶,小心谨慎,低头看着每一级台阶,略微侧身,显出女性臀部大腿轮廓线条的步态,在李皓珺的眼里异常优美,
When Qin Wenjing stood before him, both raised their hands to clasp their fingers together at chest level. Li Haojun noticed that today, her beauty seemed to possess something he couldn't quite put into words.
当覃文静已经站在面前,两人举起双手在胸前十指相交,李皓珺发现今天她的美丽似乎有什么自己无法名状,
"How about it?" Tan Wenjing asked with a smile.
"怎么样?"覃文静笑着问,
"You? Your hair?" Li Haojun only then realized she had long, straight blonde hair that was slightly darker in color.
"你?你的头发?"李皓珺这时才意识到,她是一头颜色略深的长直金发,
Yeah, it's a wig. How's it look? Still missing your little sweethearts?
"是啊,这是假发,效果怎么样?还想你的那些小心肝儿吗?"
"Hahaha, it looks great—really novel," Li Haojun remarked, carefully examining it from different angles.
Qin Wenjing obliged, turning her head and shifting her stance to accommodate the view.
"哈哈哈,效果不错,很新颖,"说着李皓珺又仔细在不同角度端详了一番,
覃文静也很配合,一会儿扭头,一会儿侧身,
"Perfect. Everything looks great together. Come on, let's show the whole town of Moses Lake," he said, taking Qin Wenjing's hand and leading her out of the courtyard. Qin Wenjing followed behind, laughing so hard her sides ached, strands of hair slipping off her shoulders.
"很好,整体很协调,走,我们去给全摩西莱克的人看看,"说着,拉着覃文静的手就往院外走,覃文静在后面跟着笑弯了腰,发丝从她的肩头滑落,
Stepping into nature in spring feels entirely different from staying cooped up indoors. Bright sunlight casts the trees' silhouettes sharply onto the ground, while the sunlit sides of branches stand out clearly against the blue sky backdrop. The air carries the scent of damp earth and budding foliage. In this season of renewal, everyone feels brimming with vitality.
走进春天里的大自然与窝在室内的感觉就是不一样,靓丽的阳光把树木的身影清晰地刻画在地面,也把枝干的阳面清晰地突出于背景蓝天,呼吸里夹杂着湿润泥土与萌芽枝叶的气息,在这万物复苏的季节里,人都感觉到活力满满,
Li Haojun held Qin Wenjing's hand as they walked along the mountain path. He would occasionally turn to look at her face, her lightly fluttering hair, and the slight sway of her body as she walked in high heels along the mountain trail.
李皓珺拉着覃文静的手,走在山坡的小路上,时而扭头看看她的脸庞,轻扬的秀发,还有她穿着高跟鞋走在山路上轻微扭动的身体,
"What, haven't you had enough?" Tan Wenjing asked with a smile.
"怎么,看不够了?"覃文静笑着问,
"是啊,"李皓珺傻笑着回答,
"Yeah," Li Haojun replied with a silly grin.
"Oh my gosh, and I'm just pretending to be them! If I were really with them, you'd be drooling like crazy," Tan Wenjing said, poking Li Haojun's forehead with her finger.
"哎呦呦,我这还是扮成她们的样子,这要是真的和她们在一起,你得馋成了什么样子,"说着,覃文静用手指戳了一下李皓珺的脑门,
"You're different from them," Li Haojun said, pausing in his steps. He cupped Qin Wenjing's shoulders with both hands, admired her for a moment longer, then pulled her into his embrace and said,
"你跟她们不一样,"李皓珺说着停下脚步,双手端着覃文静的肩头,又欣赏了片刻,然后把她搂进怀里说,
"Your body, your heart—they're all mine. They're nowhere near as good," Li Haojun sighed as he spoke.
"你的人,你的心,都是我的,她们还差得远,"说着李皓珺叹了一口,
"Well, even though Kesiya and I still keep in touch for work every now and then, now that we're apart, it feels like our connection has gradually faded. Maybe she's even dating someone else by now."
"哎,虽然我和凯西娅不时的有工作联系,可是分开了,似乎感觉就逐渐淡漠了,也许现在她都和别的男生谈上恋爱了,"
"Then go find her?" Qin Wenjing pushed away Li Haojun's embrace, looking him straight in the eye as she suggested.
"那你去找她啊?"覃文静推开李皓珺的怀抱,看着他的眼睛建议,
"Oh, don't be silly. Maybe she's just looking for some emotional comfort from me. After all, she's so young—it's not like she'd be offering herself to me, is it?"
"哎,别傻了,也许她只是在我这里寻求点精神安慰,毕竟人家那么年轻,难道还以身相许不成,"
"Oh, so you know there's a gap between ideals and reality?" After saying this, Qin Wenjing held back a smile as she looked at him.
"哦,你也知道理想与现实之间存在差距啊?"说完,覃文静憋着笑看他,
"Oh, so you were mocking me just now," Li Haojun finally realized.
"哦,你刚才是在取笑我,"李皓珺这才咂吧出滋味,
"I didn't. You're just imagining things," Tan Wenjing retorted, wriggling free from Li Haojun's embrace and running ahead on her own.
"我没有,是你自作多情,"覃文静一边斗嘴,一边挣脱李皓珺的怀抱,独自往前跑下去,
Li Haojun followed behind her, not bothering to catch up, instead admiring the graceful, feminine sway of her running form while making a show of shouting after her.
李皓珺跟在她身后,也不使劲追,一边欣赏女性特有的跑动的妩媚身姿,一边虚张声势地吆喝,
"How dare you make fun of me? Just wait till I catch you!"
"竟敢拿我取笑,看我抓到你怎么办,"
Qin Wenjing heard the shouts from behind, glanced back to gauge the distance, then burst into laughter as she pushed herself to run a few more steps forward. Against the backdrop of a clear blue sky dotted with white clouds and the tender, budding earth, two playful figures darted about, adding vibrant touches to the springtime scene.
覃文静听到后面的喊声,就回头看看距离,然后哈哈哈地笑着再努力往前跑几步,清澈的蓝天白云与萌芽的柔润大地之间,两个嬉戏的身影,点缀着这里的春意盎然.
After enjoying the spring scenery, the two felt a bit tired and started their way back. Qin Wenjing wrapped her arm around Li Haojun's as they walked, asking him along the way,
游览春色一番,觉得有些疲惫了,两个人踏上了返程的路,覃文静搂着李皓珺的胳膊,边走边问,
If I could turn back time once more, would it be alright to be your daughter?
"如果我再有一次逆转年龄的机会,做你的女儿好不好?"
"Why do you always want to be my daughter?" Li Haojun asked absentmindedly.
"为什么你总想要做我的女儿?"李皓珺心不在焉地问,
"Because I want all of your love,"
"因为我想要你所有的爱,"
"You're going to call me Daddy right now."
"你现在就是,叫爸爸,"
Seeing that Li Haojun hadn't seriously answered her question, Qin Wenjing explained further,
"What I mean is, if I could go back to when I was younger—"
看李皓珺并没有认真回答自己的问题,覃文静又解释说,
"我的意思是说,我回到更年轻的时候,"
Kindergarten? Fine. I'll hold you while we sleep. I promise not to bully you.
"幼儿园吗?也行,我搂着你睡,保证不欺负你,"
"Oh," Qin Wenjing found the topic growing tedious. He didn't take it seriously and pressed further,
"Don't you want a daughter like me?"
"哦,"覃文静觉得这个话题变得无趣了,他并没有认真对待,便追问,
"你不想要我这样的女儿吗?"
"Did you take your current memories back with you?" Li Haojun asked, his gaze fixed on her. Seeing she didn't respond, he continued,
"你带着现在的记忆回到过去吗?"李皓珺严肃地看着她问,见她没有回答,就继续补充说,
The point is, choose me when you don't know what the future holds, not because of what we are to each other." Though true, the words stung. As soon as Li Haojun spoke them, he realized they were inappropriate. He couldn't understand why he'd been so blunt in reopening her wounds. He glanced at Qin Wenjing—she was simply walking quietly beside him.
"重点是当你不知道未来会怎样的时候就选择我,而不是你跟我是什么关系,"这话虽然真实,但是也扎心,李皓珺话一出口,也觉得不妥,不知道为什么自己的会这么直接地揭开她的伤疤,留心看了一眼覃文静,她只是安静地跟着自己走在身边,
Li Haojun stopped in his tracks, pulling her to a halt. As their gazes met, he realized his own regret was no less hers. He drew her into his arms and whispered softly,
李皓珺停下脚步,拉住她,相望间,体会到了自己的遗憾何尝不是她的遗憾,便把她搂进怀里,轻声说,
There's no such thing as perfection in this world. Let's cherish the days we have together now.
"这个世界上没有完美,我们过好现在彼此珍惜的日子,"
The spring breeze stirred her golden tresses, sending them dancing before Li Haojun. It seemed to hint at whether he had mentioned too many other names in recent casual conversations, prompting Qin Wenjing to appear in such attire today. At this thought, Li Haojun hurriedly pushed her away slightly, studying her face for any signs of tears.
春风吹动她金色的发丝在李皓珺面前飞舞,似乎在提示他,是不是最近自己在闲谈中提到了太多其它名字,才使得覃文静今天扮出这样的妆束?想到这里,李皓珺急忙推开她一段距离,看看她的面容,有没有哭泣,
"How about we invite Kaycee to hang out with us tomorrow?" Tan Wenjing asked thoughtfully.
"要不,我们明天去约凯西娅一起出来玩?"覃文静体贴地问,
"No, she has her own life. If she starts dating another guy, I wish her happiness."
"不,她有她的人生,如果她和别的男生谈恋爱了,我祝她幸福,"
Hearing this, a faint smile touched Qin Wenjing's lips before she turned and walked home alone.
Li Haojun, curious, hurried after her to ask,
听他这么说,覃文静的嘴角飘过一丝笑意,然后独自转身往家的方向走了,
李皓珺很好奇,急忙追上去问,
"What are you laughing at?"
"你笑什么?"
"I'm not telling you," Tan Wenjing's mischievous streak surfaced again.
"我不告诉你,"覃文静的调皮劲儿又上来了,
Li Haojun was curious, so he could only beg, saying,
李皓珺心里好奇啊,就只好央求着说,
"Tell me what you're laughing at, you're driving me crazy!"
"快告诉我,你到底在笑什么,快急死我了,"
"I laughed at her for never having a chance like mine," Tan Wenjing blurted out of the blue. Li Haojun still couldn't grasp her meaning, so he hurried a few steps closer, slowed her pace, and asked,
"我笑她不会有我这样的机会了,"覃文静没头没脑地丢下这么一句,李皓珺还是没能明白她的意思,于是又紧追了几步,拉慢她的脚步问,
What are you talking about? There's no way you'd get a chance like that!
"你说的什么呀,不会有你什么样的机会?"
Qin Wenjing looked at Li Haojun with smiling eyes and asked,
"If Kesiya dated another guy and then came back to you, could you still accept her?"
覃文静笑眯眯的眼睛看着李皓珺,问,
"如果凯西娅和别的男生谈恋爱了,再回来找你,你还能接受她吗?"
"Oh," Li Haojun replied, thinking to himself, So this is the hypothetical scenario. Of course—Qin Wenjing had already formed her preconceived notions.
"哦,"李皓珺一边答应着,一边想,原来是这种情景假设,也是啊,已经有覃文静先入为主了,
Li Haojun also imagined that if Kesiya were truly in this situation standing before him, it would indeed be hard to accept—why hadn't she chosen him when she had the chance? But then again, if it were Qin Wenjing, wouldn't she be in the same predicament?
李皓珺又假设了如果凯西娅真的是这种情况站在自己面前,确实不太好接受,因为有机会的时候她为什么不选择自己呢?可是,如果换成覃文静,她不也是这种情况吗?
Li Haojun compared the two situations and suddenly realized that Tan Wenjing had entered his life without him having a choice. She had been by his side since he woke up, and he couldn't remember anything from before. He simply couldn't gauge how he had accepted her back then. Then he thought about the hurtful words that had slipped out without thinking earlier. Better not to ask about the past. Why ruin her current happiness?
李皓珺对比了一下,忽然意识到了覃文静是在自己没有选择的情况下,进入自己的生活的,自己醒来就有她陪伴了,而之前的事情已经不记得了,根本没法衡量当初是怎么接受她的,再想想刚才自己不经大脑脱口而出让她扎心的话语,还是别问以前的事了,何必打破她现在的愉悦心情,
After frolicking along the mountain paths and returning home, it feels as though my whole body has been filled with the essence of spring. Gone is the stifling gloom of indoor confinement. Look at the trees and grass in the woods—having endured the winter's ice and snow, they've sprouted fresh new shoots once more. What hardship could possibly stand in our way?
从山间小路嬉戏一番回到家中,仿佛全身已经充满了春的气息,没了室内局促压抑的颓废,你看那林间草木挨过了寒冬的冰雪,再度焕发新的枝芽,还有什么样的坎坷不能走过呢,
Watching Qin Wenjing walk ahead of him, Li Haojun caught up and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
看着覃文静走在自己面前的身影,李皓珺追上去从身后搂着了她的腰,
"What are you doing?" Qin Wenjing turned her head from the side where her hair was never worn loose.
"你干什么?"覃文静从没有披散头发的一侧转回头,
Her sparkling eyes, sweet voice, and whispering red lips—to Li Haojun, she seemed like a flower blooming just for him in spring.
她跳动的眼神,甜蜜的声音,细语的红唇,看在李皓珺的眼里,仿佛她就是春天里为自己绽放的花朵.