Li Haojun slept soundly until dawn, only to find Tan Wenjing gone. A clean set of underwear lay waiting for him on the bedside table. He changed quickly, rushed out the door, and turned left—spotting her figure in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
一觉睡到天大亮,李皓珺发现覃文静不见了,床头放着给他准备好的干净内衣.他换上急忙出房门左转,看到厨房里正是那个身影,在准备早餐.
Li Haojun walked over, gently wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, caressing her skin, feeling her tangible presence. Qin Wenjing merely glanced back at him, smiled, and said nothing, busying herself with the task at hand.
李皓珺走过去,从身后轻轻搂着她的腰,抚摸她的肌肤,感受着切切实实的她的存在.覃文静只是回头看了看他,一笑,并没有说话,忙着手头的事情.
Before long, the fried eggs and quick burgers were ready and placed on the table. Next, Tan Wenjing carried a steaming glass of orange juice over to the table.
没一会,煎鸡蛋和快速汉堡好了,摆上了餐桌,接着覃文静捧着热橙汁走向餐桌.
Her hands raised, revealing the familiar curve of her waist and the rhythm of her stride. Still wearing that same spaghetti-strap nightgown, it fell naturally at her hips, swaying with each step to reveal the gentle undulation of her hips and waist. Li Haojun couldn't resist wrapping his arms around her waist once more, slowing her pace. Just as in the beginning, he followed her footsteps, accompanying her tenderly.
端起的双手,更显露她那熟悉的腰肢线条与行走步伐的韵律.依然是那件吊带睡衣,自然下垂在腰间,随着她的步伐,展现腰胯的摇摆.李皓珺忍不住再次搂住她的腰,拉慢她的脚步,如最初一样,追逐她的步伐,温柔陪伴.
"Oh, stop it," Tan Wenjing murmured as she carefully placed the hot drink on the table. Turning, she gently cupped Li Haojun's chest with both hands, feeling his warm body heat, his rising and falling breaths—even his heartbeat—as if she herself resided there.
"哎呀,别闹,"边说着,覃文静小心翼翼地把热饮放在桌上,然后转身双手轻抚李皓珺前胸,感受他温暖的体温,起伏的气息,甚至可以感觉到他的心跳,而自己就住在那里.
Before we could finish breakfast, our tender gaze lingering, the sound of an air taxi's motors and propellers landing on the highway already drifted in through the window.
还没来得及吃早餐,四目相视的温柔以待还不想告一段落,窗外已经传来了空中出租车在公路降落时电机与桨叶的噪音.
Qin Wenjing's lips curved into a faint smile.
覃文静嘴角轻挑微微一笑,
"You're such a busy bee now," she said, still nestled in Li Haojun's arms without moving.
"你现在是大忙人啦,"说完依然在李皓珺怀中没动.
I have to head out again. I'll be back in a couple of days.
"我又得出发了,过两天就回来."
"Alright, don't push yourself tonight. Don't wear yourself out like that."
"嗯,今晚就别折腾了,别把自己弄得那么累."
As they conversed, Li Haojun drew Tan Wenjing closer, breathing in the scent of her hair amidst their tender embrace.
交谈着,李皓珺把覃文静搂紧,缠绵间呼吸着她秀发的气息.
"Alright, go get ready. I'll pack your breakfast for you to eat on the way." With that, Qin Wenjing gently pushed Li Haojun away...
"好啦,你快去准备一下,我把早餐给你打个包带路上吃吧."说完,覃文静轻轻推开李皓珺...
Li Haojun arrived at the Spokane Azali Beauty Experience Store aboard the transportation arranged by Maraya. It was quite different—this experience store was located in a somewhat remote area, on the shores of Lake Newman. The store itself was smaller than others, a simple high-latitude wooden structure no larger than a private residence.
乘坐着玛莱雅预定的交通工具,李皓珺来到了斯波坎雅姿丽颜堂体验店.很不同,这个体验店地址有些偏僻,在纽曼湖畔.体验店也比其它的更小,简朴的高纬度木制房屋,只有一个私人大住宅的尺寸规模.
Upon entering the main gate, one arrives at a reception hall. A small front desk with chairs stood there, where Malaya and a local employee were chatting idly. Spotting Li Haojun's arrival, she rose to greet him.
走进大门就是一个迎宾大厅,一个小的前台桌椅,又是玛莱雅和一名当地员工在闲聊.见李皓珺来到,她起身相迎,
Are you all charged up again?
"你又充满电了吗?"
Caught off guard by the young girl's abrupt barrage of questions, Li Haojun found himself at a loss for words. After a moment's hesitation, he thought to himself that since he'd be handling the itinerary anyway, he might as well be upfront. So he laid out every detail without reservation.
被一个小姑娘这么劈头盖脸一问,李皓珺竟不知该如何回答,迟疑了一下,心想,反正将来要靠安排行程,自己也不客气了,便直接道出所有细节,
"Sorry, no. I got home late last night. She was already asleep, and I was exhausted too. I overslept this morning," he said, lifting the takeout bag to show Malaya. Breakfast had been eaten on the plane.
"抱歉,没有,昨天到家已经很晚了,她已经睡了,我也很累,今天早上我起来晚了,"说着,用手提起食物打包袋,给玛莱雅看,早饭都是在天上吃的.
"Oh, the schedule's getting a bit tight," Malaya said thoughtfully, nodding to acknowledge the message.
"哦,行程有一些紧张了," 玛莱雅边点头表示收到信息,边思索着说,
Li Haojun, seeing this, thought to himself, Why am I making things difficult for a young girl? He then added,
李皓珺见状,心想自己何苦为难一个小姑娘呢,便补充说,
"But I'm already 80% mentally prepared," to spare her any awkwardness.
"不过精神上已经充满80%了.",以便让她不至于尴尬.
Malaya smiled, a rare occurrence.
玛莱雅罕见地笑了,
The power of love is truly remarkable. Today and tomorrow are Seattle and Portland. Seattle this afternoon or head home tonight and go to Seattle tomorrow?
"看来爱的力量很伟大啊.今天明天是西雅图和波特兰,下午西雅图还是晚上回家明天西雅图?"
Ha ha, sorry to trouble you. Still Seattle this afternoon and Portland tomorrow morning. I'd like to get home early tomorrow.
"哈哈,让你费心啦.还是下午西雅图明天上午波特兰,明天我想早点回家."
"Alright," Malaya replied as her hands began moving busily. Her efficiency from the start left a deep impression on Li Haojun.
"好的,"玛莱雅一边回答一边手里开始忙碌上了,她的效率一开始就让李皓珺印象深刻.
A woman emerged from the hallway, her face indistinct under the dim, old-fashioned light. But her silhouette was clear—tall, yet alarmingly thin. Li Haojun wondered if she'd been starving herself. She wore a loose T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers. Her elbows and knees were so thin that only the skeletal outline was visible. Her thighs and arms seemed to be nothing but skin stretched over bones, as if a skeleton were holding up the clothing. Li Haojun couldn't help but wonder if she was a model. She walked slowly, the corridor lights outlining her silhouette. Her shoulders and hips swayed gently with each step. The ends of her neck-length bob were tousled, and the front projection of her face, a perfect triangle, harmonized perfectly with her proportions.
这时从走廊里面走来一位女士,昏暗的老式电灯,看不清她的面容.但是身材轮廓很清晰,她的个子很高,但是太瘦了,李皓珺惊讶她是不是过度节食.她穿了宽松的T恤,短裤,和运动鞋,肘膝关节瘦得只见骨骼外形,大腿和胳膊似乎也只有皮肤包裹着骨骼,就像骨架撑着衣衫,李皓珺不由猜测她是不是模特.她走得较慢,走廊背景的灯光衬托出她身材的轮廓,肩,胯随着步伐轻摆扭动,齐颈短发下端蓬松,正三角的正面投影与身材比例很和谐.
Watching her walk down the hallway into the living room, Li Haojun finally got a clear look at her—an older woman with very pale skin, black hair parted in a straight fringe across her forehead, and bright red lips that stood out starkly against her snow-white complexion, accentuated by intense dark eye shadow. Her deep-set eyes were large and dark brown, much larger than average, set wide apart. Her cheekbones were slightly high, transitioning into narrow cheeks and a pointed chin. The jawline was sharp and elongated, yet her mouth was small with thin lips. The nose was petite, its bridge narrow and elongated.
注视着,她走出走廊,来到客厅,李皓珺这才看清楚她是一位年长女士,皮肤很白,黑发前额齐刘海,大红色嘴唇,对比雪白的脸色,深色眼影强烈.深深的眼窝,一双深棕色大眼睛,比常人大许多,并且眼距也较宽,颧骨稍高然后脸颊狭窄尖下颌,下颌骨尖且长,但是嘴较小,薄嘴唇,鼻子也小,鼻梁狭长.
"Hello, Ethan. I'm Emma Gilen, the store manager here." With that, she extended her hand to Li Haojun.
"你好伊森,我是艾玛·吉伦,这里的店长."说着,她伸手与李皓珺,
"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Ethan Lee." Li Haojun knew he'd been overly distracted by her appearance earlier, which had made him a bit flustered. Seeing she was an older woman, he bowed respectfully and kissed her fingers lightly.
"你好,幸会,我是伊森·李." 李皓珺自知刚才被她的相貌吸引了太多注意力,有点失态,见对方是年长女士,便顺势鞠躬致意,并轻吻了对方的手指.
"Ha ha ha," Emma laughed softly, her voice gentle and refined, with the grace of an older lady. "Maraia mentioned you recently suffered memory loss, yet it seems you still recall certain things—like how to compliment an elderly lady."
"哈哈哈,"艾玛笑了几声,声音温婉柔和,颇有年长女士的优雅,"玛莱雅说你不久之前失忆了,看来你还记得一些事情,比如说恭维老年女士."
"Oh, it's only natural. You're so elegant." Li Haojun replied, thinking to herself, She's right. Why hadn't I considered this before? I've lost my past memories, yet some of my behavioral habits remain. That's a bit strange.
"啊,应该的,您很优雅." 李皓珺回应着,心想她说的有道理啊,我怎么之前没想过,我没有了过去的记忆,但是我的一些行为习惯还在,这有点奇怪.
"When us women get together, we talk about all kinds of gossip—don't take it personally." Emma continued explaining as she pulled up a chair and sat down beside her.
"我们女人在一起,什么八卦都会讨论,你别介意." 艾玛继续解释着,也拉了椅子,坐在一起.
Emma was quite tall, and when she sat down, her slender limbs stood out even more. Li Haojun tried his best to keep his gaze and attention from lingering on her body. Emma seemed to notice his awkwardness, but she didn't seem to mind. She simply smiled and chatted with him about their daily work and lives.
艾玛个子很高,坐下以后她那纤细的四肢尤为突出,李皓珺尽量控制自己不要把视线或者注意力落在她的肢体上,艾玛似乎注意到了他的尴尬,但是并不在意,只是微笑着和他聊日常工作与生活.
This experience store had only two other staff members. Li Haojun assigned Kesiya to speak with them to understand the situation and fulfill her duties, leaving only Malaya to accompany Emma. Judging by its operations, the store didn't seem focused on gathering user feedback but rather appeared to be a retirement arrangement for the lady in charge. Consequently, Li Haojun didn't delve into the details. Soon, the relevant matters were handled, and they bid farewell and departed.
这个体验店只有另外两名店员,李皓珺安排凯西娅去与她们了解情况,履行工作职责,身边只剩玛莱雅一起陪着艾玛.从经营情况来看,这家店铺似乎不是为了反馈用户情况,似乎更像是给这位女士养老的,所以李皓珺也并未深究细节.很快,相应事务处理完毕,告别离开.
Before stepping out to get into the car, Li Haojun glanced back at the simple wooden building from the other side of the parking lot. He saw Emma sitting on the bench outside the door, basking in the sun, her eyes hidden behind sunglasses. She was so thin. He hoped this elegant lady would enjoy good health and a long life, he thought to himself. Though he couldn't see her eyes, Li Haojun felt as though she was smiling. So he nodded in greeting himself, then got into the car and drove away.
在出门上车之前,李皓珺从停车场另一侧回望这栋简朴的木质建筑,发现艾玛正坐在门外长椅上晒太阳,墨镜遮住了她的眼睛.她太瘦了,但愿这位优雅的女士健康长寿,心想着,虽然看不见她的眼神,但是李皓珺似乎觉得她在微笑,于是自己也点头致意,然后乘车离开.
Arriving at Spokane's outlying airport, Malaya once again selected a biodiesel-powered fixed-wing aircraft—apparently she had a particular fondness for this mode of transport—for the direct flight from Spokane to Seattle. Soon reaching cruising altitude, the recent whirlwind of travel left little room for admiring the scenery outside. Li Haojun pulled out her work laptop to review newly uploaded data. The figures from the Spokane experience store showed slight discrepancies—likely due to insufficient samples—but she didn't dwell on it. She then examined production management data, flagging key points to brief Kesiya. This would allow Kesiya to take over some of her responsibilities, serving as valuable training and growth for her.
来到斯波坎外机场,玛莱雅又选择了生物柴油动力的固定翼飞机,似乎她比较钟情于这种交通工具,从斯波坎直飞西雅图.很快到达巡航高度,近期的奔波也无心查看窗外风景了.李皓珺拿出工作电脑查看了新上线的数据,斯波坎体验店的数据略有偏差,可能是样本太少的缘故吧,也没太在意.又查看了生产管理数据,找了一些内容,准备和凯西娅交代一下,这样她就能接手自己部分工作,对于她来说也是锻炼与成长.
Before he knew it, the plane had reached the skies above Moshi Lake. Li Haojun glanced out the window, but the angle of the airliner's window prevented him from seeing beneath the fuselage. Just then, the chatter of voices drifted from the rear seats again. Li Haojun couldn't be bothered to eavesdrop on the girls' conversation. Instead, he used his work laptop to send a message to Qin Wenjing.
不知不觉,飞机已经到达摩西莱克上空,李皓珺向外张望了一下,但是飞机舷窗的角度无法看到机腹下方.这时后座又传来嘁嘁喳喳的交谈声,李皓珺也懒得去了解姑娘们的聊天内容,自己用工作电脑给覃文静发了消息,
What are you doing? I'm flying to Seattle.
"你在做什么?我正飞往西雅图."
"Don't worry about work. Just don't let your new assistant charm you," Qin Wenjing replied instantly.
"No way. They're not my type. You can rest easy."
"工作啊,你不用惦记,倒是你自己别被你的新助理迷惑了哦.",覃文静秒回,
"不会的,她们不是我喜欢的类型,你放心吧."
Alright, go ahead and focus on your work. No need to get distracted.
"好啊,忙你的吧,不用分心."
"Yeah, I'll be heading home tomorrow evening."
"嗯,差不多明天晚间就回家了."
"Alright, that's it."
"好,就这样."
"Okay."
"好."
After typing a few messages, Li Haojun felt a sense of relief. He looked up at the porthole outside. It was nearly noon, and the intense sunlight shone upon the white clouds, somewhat dazzling, while the deep sky appeared even more azure.
打完了几条信息,李皓珺如有所释,抬头望向舷窗外,快到正午了,强烈的阳光照耀在白云之上,有些刺眼,深空更显得湛蓝.
"Are you thinking about her?" Kasiya asked slowly. She wasn't one to talk much, and Li Haojun had never seen her gossip with others. Her question caught him off guard today. He turned to look at her and smiled.
"你是在想她吗?" 凯西娅的声音,缓缓地问,她平时话不多,更没见她与别人聊什么八卦,今天她开口问这个问题李皓珺有点意外.他回头看着她,一笑,
"Yes," he thought to himself. When the young lady speaks, how could one not respond?
"是啊,"心想,大小姐开尊口,怎么能不回答,
"What do you think she feels like?" Kasiya asked calmly. She was always quiet, speaking in a slow, gentle tone that made Li Haojun suspect her IQ might be lower than Malaya's—though he never voiced it, nor did he mean any disrespect. Meanwhile, Malaya was pacing beside them like a drum beating to urge them on, nudging Kasiya with her body while giggling quietly to herself.
"你想她是什么感觉?" 凯西娅很平静地问,她总是话少,语速平缓柔和,以至于李皓珺觉得她的智商可能不如玛莱雅,虽然他没说,也没有什么轻视之意.这时玛莱雅就是在一边好像敲催阵鼓一样,又是肢体捅咕凯西娅又是嘻嘻嘻一旁偷笑.
I just want to know what she's doing at this very moment, how she's doing, and whether she feels down without me by her side.
"就是,想知道同一时刻,她在做什么,她过得怎么样,会不会没有我的陪伴而心情失落."
"Then won't you feel down without her company?" Malaya pressed impatiently.
"那你会不会没有她的陪伴而感到心情失落?" 玛莱雅急不可耐地追问,
That depends on the situation. If I don't know her and I'm alone anyway, I wouldn't care whether someone's with me or not—I'd just do what I want to do. If I like her but she doesn't like me, I wouldn't expect any miracles to happen either. But given where we are now, sometimes I wish she were here to share my experiences with me.
"那的看不同情况,如果我不认识她,本身就孤身一人,我不会在意有没有人陪伴我,我做我想做的事.如果我喜欢她,但是她不喜欢我,我也不会期待会有什么奇迹发生.但是我俩现在的情况,有时候我会希望她在身边,与我分享我的经历."
Why is it sometimes? You mean sometimes you don't need her to be with you? Is it that when the two of us are with you, you don't need her company anymore?" Malaya always had these sharp questions and remarks.
"为什么会是有时候呢?就是说有时候不需要她陪伴你喽?是不是我俩陪着你的时候你就不需要她陪你了?" 玛莱雅总是会有一些刁钻的问题和言语,
"Yeah, like we're showing off our love just for you two?" Li Haojun shot back jokingly.
"是啊,难道我俩秀恩爱给你俩看吗?" 李皓珺玩笑般地怼了回去,
Kesiya smiled at Li Haojun and gave Malaya a gentle shove. Malaya swayed from the push and said with a pout,
凯西娅看着李皓珺微笑着,推了玛莱雅一把,玛莱雅被推得摇晃着上身,委屈地说,
"Sis, didn't you choose to intern with him because you like him?"
"姐姐,你不是喜欢他才选择跟他实习的吗?"
Kesiya lowered her head in embarrassment at Malaya's remark. When she looked up again, her cheeks were flushed crimson as she met Li Haojun's gaze. To ease the awkwardness, Li Haojun quickly reached out to shake Kesiya's hand, saying,
凯西娅被玛莱雅一句话羞得低下了头,等她再抬起头双眼看向李皓珺已经脸颊绯红.李皓珺为了缓解尴尬,急忙伸手与凯西娅握手,说,
"Thank you for your kind consideration,"
"承蒙厚爱,"
Kesiya merely shook his hand with her fingers and said,
而凯西娅只是用手指和他握了一下,说,
"I just looked into your and Qin Wenjing's past experiences at the company and thought you might be the kind of stable, reliable person I need, so I chose to intern here." Though her face flushed, her voice remained soft and melodious.
"我只是查过你和覃文静过去在公司的经历,觉得你可能是那种稳定可靠的人,所以选择到这里实习."虽然红着脸,她的声音依然是轻柔婉转,
"Just now, Malaya said...? Are you two sisters?" Li Haojun skillfully changed the subject.
"刚才玛莱雅说...?你们是亲姐妹吗?" 李皓珺适时转移了话题,
"Yes,"
"是的,"
"But—" Li Haojun glanced at Malaya again. "The difference in your appearances…?"
"但是,"说着,李皓珺又看了看玛莱雅,"你们的相貌差异...?"
We are half-sisters. Our DNA test at the public welfare agency revealed our relationship, so we were reunited.
"我们是同父异母的姐妹,在公共福利机构收养时测DNA发现的,所以就团聚到一起了."
"Oh, I see," Li Haojun replied, no longer looking at them. He couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion inside. These two young women, who seemed so bright and cheerful, had never met their birth parents and had grown up alone. Now they were stepping into the world.
"哦,是这样," 李皓珺回答着,不再看她们,心中暗自感慨,看起来阳光灿烂的两位姑娘,居然没见过自己的生身父母,就这么孤单长大,现在步入了社会.
When Li Haojun looked up at them again, intending to offer some words of comfort, he caught Malaya smiling at Kesiya. He wondered what mischief the little girl was up to now.
等李皓珺再次抬头看向她们,想安慰她们点什么,正好看见玛莱雅朝着凯西娅一笑,不知道这小丫头又有什么鬼主意.
Your lives are just beginning, and as two beautiful women, you'll have many admirers in the future—people who will cherish you.
"你们的人生才刚刚开始,两位又是美女,将来会有很多追求者,会有人爱护你们的."
After delivering a few words of inspirational wisdom, Li Haojun noticed Kasiya smiling and nodding at him. Malaya, however, remained expressionless, her wide eyes darting between her sister and Li Haojun as if she could read everyone's thoughts.
说完几句心灵鸡汤,李皓珺看见凯西娅微笑着朝自己点了点头,玛莱雅则面无表情,翻着大眼睛,看看姐姐,又看看李皓珺,似乎她能猜出所有人的心思.
The awkward silence was gradually shed as white clouds drifted past the porthole. The plane touched down at Payne Airport, where a taxi was waiting to pick them up. Along the way, Malaya briefed Li Haojun on the upcoming itinerary. Her efficiency in this regard had impressed Li Haojun from the very start.
尴尬的平静随着舷窗外飘过的白云,被逐渐甩掉,飞机降落在了佩恩机场,随后便有出租车接机,一路上玛莱雅向李皓珺介绍了接下来的行程安排,玛莱雅在这方面的干练从一开始就令李皓珺惊叹,
"Why did you choose to become a personal assistant? With your talents, I think you could have excelled in other fields." Li Haojun couldn't help asking Malaya, who sat across from her. She had selected a business-class taxi for the group. Upon entering, Li Haojun took the rear-facing seat, offering the front passenger seat to the two women.
"你为什么会选择做私人助理这个职业,我觉得以你的才华完全可以在其它行业做得更好?" 李皓珺忍不住问坐在对面的玛莱雅,她给一行人选择了商务型出租车,上车时李皓珺坐在了背对行驶方向的座位上,把对面座位让给了两位女士.
"I like it," Malaya replied absentmindedly, her eyes fixed on Li Haojun. Li Haojun could only shift his gaze to Kasiya for confirmation.
"我喜欢,"玛莱雅似乎心不在焉地回答,然后双眼看着李皓珺.李皓珺只好把目光转向凯西娅来印证,
"She's like this," Kasiya said, looking at Li Haojun.
"她是这样的," 凯西娅看着李皓珺说,
Well, I just think she's still young and has other opportunities to choose from... Since they weren't close, Li Haojun felt it wasn't appropriate to say much more, but he hoped the older sister would consider her younger sister's perspective more in this matter.
"嗯,我只是觉得,她年纪还小,她还可以选择不同的机会..."毕竟不熟,李皓珺觉得也不好深说什么,只是希望年纪大的姐姐能在这方面多替妹妹考虑.
Then again, maybe she genuinely likes it. Given her personality, once she sets her mind on something, no one can stop her or sway her.
转念又一想,也许是她真的喜欢吧,以她的个性,自己想做什么别人也无法阻止或者动摇.
Payne Airport is relatively remote, requiring a considerable journey to reach the city center. The mid-northern region of the U.S. West Coast remained unaffected by major earthquakes, with metropolitan areas largely retaining their original residents. However, as the population declined and social welfare improved, individuals with differing values and behavioral habits could choose to settle in communities aligned with their preferences. For ordinary residents and citizens, basic housing and living expenses were covered by welfare, enabling those who wished to freely migrate between different communities.
佩恩机场相对较偏僻,去往市中心还需要走一段路程.美国的西海岸中北部没受到大地震影响,大都市基本还是原来的居民,但是随着人口的减少与社会福利的提高,不同价值观和行为习惯的的人可以选择聚居在相同社区,对于普通居民,公民,基本的住宅和生活资金是福利的,所以有意愿的人可以在不同社区间自由迁徙.
Over the past two centuries, technological advancement and geographical disparities have created vast differences in the social stages achieved by different groups. Managing this rapidly evolving society demands increasingly higher standards from its citizens. One cannot expect individuals lacking understanding of technology, economics, or sound judgment to steer society's cutting-edge development. Consequently, more people now live under the pacifier of the technological age, becoming mere residents. Of course, some citizens choose to live alongside them as neighbors to prevent social fragmentation.
近两个世纪以来,科技的发展和地域的差别,已经造成了不同人群达到的社会阶段极大差异,而管理这个高速发展的社会对公民的要求也越来越高.你不可能指望不懂科技,经济,以及缺乏判断力的人来决策社会前沿的发展方向,所以有更多的人生活在了科技时代的奶嘴儿之下,成为居民,当然也有公民为了防止社会割裂,与他们成为邻居.
Over the past two centuries, technological advancement and geographical disparities have created vast differences in the social stages achieved by different groups. Managing this rapidly evolving society demands increasingly higher standards from its citizens. One cannot expect individuals lacking understanding of technology, economics, or sound judgment to steer society's cutting-edge development. Consequently, more people now live under the pacifier of the technological age, becoming mere residents. Of course, some citizens choose to live alongside them as neighbors to prevent social fragmentation.
而通常大都市居民区的边缘再外围会有划定区域留给不愿或者不能遵守公民,居民规则的人,他们可以在那里自由生活,自然法则的自由区,没有代表,没有征税,也没有社会福利,不享受本区域外科技成果,只有基本联邦执法防止发生大规模人道灾难.
Li Haojun and his group headed toward the city center, the free zone of Quanxing Interstellar Technology, where certain biological or human modification technologies were restricted elsewhere.
而李皓珺一行人前往的是市中心,准星际科技的自由区,有些生物或者人类改造的技术在别处都是受限的.
Humanity learns lessons from history. More advanced civilizations must restrain their interference with lesser ones—a concept first encountered through interactions with interstellar civilizations. Yet as Earth's own progress unfolded, humanity eventually recognized its own past transgressions: the crushing defeat of Native Americans by North American settlers armed with firearms, the influx of firearms and even cold weapons like machetes into Africa, leading to ethnic massacres; the Israeli state apparatus crushing Palestinian civilian resistance; and the conflicts of World War III between the West and the Middle East, with Eastern intervention. Each instance resulted from the law of the jungle. Yet the law of the jungle is not the path of civilizational progress, nor is reverse selection desirable. A balance is required.
人类会从历史中汲取教训,更高级的文明需要克制自己对低等文明的干扰,最初这是与星际文明交互时了解到的概念,但是当地球的进程发展,人类终于意识到自己也曾经犯过类似的错误,比如掌握了火器的北美大陆拓荒者对土著印第安人的碾压,枪支甚至片刀这种冷兵器流入非洲造成的种族大屠杀,以色列对巴勒斯坦的国家机器对民间武装的碾压,三战西方与中东的冲突以及东方的介入,每一次都是丛林法则之下的结果,但是丛林法则不是文明发展的方向,但是逆淘汰也是不可取的,需要平衡.
This world is becoming more tolerant, providing fertile ground for every form of social diversity. The direction pursued by Li Haojun and his team represents one such avenue of development. As we approached the city center, the architecture and streets grew more bustling. The area surrounding Seattle's Space Needle served as a hub for quasi-interstellar services, where the Yazi Liyan Tang experience store was located. It exuded a distinctly metropolitan vibe—its milky-white curved eaves roof and translucent steel-framed glass structure evoked the aesthetic of a spaceport, echoing the nearby Space Needle.
这个世界更加宽容,给每种社会多样性一块土壤,李皓珺一行人所努力的,正是其中一支的发展方向.随着接近市中心,建筑,街道也更加繁华,西雅图的太空针塔周边区域是提供准星际服务的集中区域,雅姿丽颜堂体验店也位于此地,并且非常有大都市的气息,乳白色的弧形飞檐屋顶,半透明的钢结构玻璃构架,颇有太空港的风格,与不远处的太空针塔遥相呼应.
Malaya led Li Haojun and his group straight through the lobby to contact the reception staff. The lobby bustled with activity—guests coming and going, others sitting idly sharing experiences with friends or making new acquaintances. Since this experience store was jointly operated by Rosewood Paris, many patrons hailed from related industries: models, entertainers, politicians, and public figures. It seemed to be a prime spot for networking.
玛莱雅引领李皓珺一行人直接穿过大厅,去联系接待人员了.大厅很繁华,有客人进出,也有客人在大厅闲坐和朋友分享经验,或者结识新的朋友.由于这个体验店是瑰丽巴黎参股经营,所以很多顾客是来源于其相关经营领域,比如模特,演艺人员,政客公众人物等,似乎这里是个拓展交际的好去处.
Malaya did an excellent job coordinating. Since the store manager's schedule was too busy, she reached out to the relevant staff members, had a working lunch with them, and then efficiently handled her own tasks. Before sunset, the group had already boarded their flight to Portland.
玛莱雅做了很好的联络工作,体验店的店长自己的行程太忙了,她联系了相关负责工作人员,顺便共进中午工作餐,然后分头落实了自己的工作,效率很高,夕阳西下之前,一行人已经登上前往波特兰的飞机.
Though space was tight, finishing dinner posed no problem. With the sunset and sea visible through the starboard porthole and the sky and stars visible through the port side, Li Haojun couldn't help but recall the times he'd spent with Qin Wenjing. He wasn't a workaholic; he simply wanted to savor the day's beauty in the fading sunlight after dinner. Yet the person he cherished was not by his side.
虽然空间局促,但是完成晚餐还不是问题,右侧舷窗又是落日与大海,左侧是天空与星辰,李皓珺不由又想起了与覃文静一起的时光.他不是工作狂,只想在晚饭后的残阳里享受这一天的美好,只是心中惦记的人不在身边.
"You miss her again, don't you?" That youthful voice shattered the calm once more. Malaya—it seemed she always enjoyed disrupting Li Haojun's tranquility. This personal assistant was exceptionally personal. Yet what could he complain about? Only someone who understood him better could truly help him.
"你又想她了是吗?"那个青涩的声音又打破了平静,玛莱雅,似乎她总是喜欢打断李皓珺的平静,这个私人助理非常的私人.可是他又能抱怨什么呢,只有这个人更加了解自己才能更好的帮助自己.
Li Haojun turned around just in time to see Kasiya shaking Malaya, who was being jostled about without a care in the world, smiling happily.
李皓珺回头,正好看见凯西娅有在摇晃着玛莱雅,玛莱雅则是毫不在乎地被摇晃着笑嘻嘻的.
Li Haojun smiled at them without answering. It seemed young women were particularly drawn to such topics—and no wonder, since their lives had only just begun, filled with dreams of all manner of uncertainties.
李皓珺看着她们笑了笑,没有回答,似乎年轻女孩子们热衷于这一类话题,也难怪,她们的人生才刚开始,充满了对各种不确定性的憧憬.
By the time they landed in Portland, night had already fallen. The group checked into their hotel, and Li Haojun made his way to his room. He flopped onto the bed, letting his body relax and ease the fatigue. It seemed his constitution wasn't built for bursts of energy; perhaps he was more of the steady-burn type. He hoped to live a long life, so he could stay by Tan Wenjing's side for as long as possible. He couldn't bear to imagine what her life would be like without him.
落地波特兰已经入夜,一行人直接入住旅店,李皓珺进了自己的房间,懒沓沓地往床上一躺,缓解一下疲劳.似乎自己的身体不是那种能量充足的类型,也许是细水长流类型吧,希望能活得长久一些,就可以更长久地陪伴覃文静了,真不敢想象她没有自己的陪伴会是怎样的生活.
At that moment, there was a knock at the door.
这时门外有敲门声,
"Come in," Li Haojun said, lying on the bed and facing the door.
"请进,",李皓珺躺在床上,面对房门说,
Malaya led Kasiya inside, Kasiya holding her work laptop in her hands.
玛莱雅拉着凯西娅走了进来,凯西娅手捧着工作电脑,
"Ha ha, you don't have to try so hard," Li Haojun said upon seeing this.
"哈哈,你不用这么努力," 李皓珺见状说,
"Sorry, I can't get the data to read properly today," Kasiya said, handing over the computer and sitting down beside him to watch the screen together. Li Haojun could even hear the rhythm of her breathing and catch the scent of her youth.
"抱歉,今天的数据我不能正确读取,"说着,凯西娅把电脑递了过来,人也坐在了旁边,一起看着屏幕.李皓珺甚至能够听到她呼吸的节奏,闻到她青春的气息,It was certainly distracting. Malaya, meanwhile, was leisurely wandering around the room, lost in her own thoughts.
确实令人分神.玛莱雅则悠闲地在房间里晃来晃去,不知道她的脑子里又在想些什么.
"Sorry to bother you so late, but I didn't want to delay tomorrow's work," Kasiya apologized once more.
"抱歉这么晚打扰你,我怕耽误明天的工作," 凯西娅又一次表达了歉意,
"It's okay, let me take a look," Li Haojun said as he examined the situation.
"没关系,我看一下,",李皓珺查看着情况,
"Look, something seems off with these data points," Kasiya leaned forward, pointing out areas that appeared irregular. Her bangs swayed with her movements, occasionally revealing her slightly flushed cheeks. Under the pressure of his distracted attention, Li Haojun's mind swiftly analyzed possible causes for the anomaly. The errors followed a pattern—they recurred cyclically, exhibiting a distinct periodicity.
"你看,这里的数据好像不对," 凯西娅探身指出了一些看起来不太对劲的地方,秀发刘海随着她的动作晃动,时而显现她略有绯红的脸颊.顶着注意力被分散的压力,李皓珺的大脑迅速分析着发生状况的可能性,错误的发生有些规律,它是循环出现的,有一定的周期性,
"Could it be that their data structure differs from ours?" Li Haojun said, then captured a segment of data and manually performed a forced type conversion to read it.
"是不是他们的数据结构和我们不一样?"说着,李皓珺截取了一段数据,手动做了强制类型转换的读取,
See? See that? Their data structure is different from ours. Next time you encounter something like this, you can try it this way.
"你看,看到了吗?他们的数据结构跟我们不一样,以后再遇到这种情况,你可以这样试一下看看."
Kesiya stared at the screen, hesitating slightly. Li Haojun then displayed a side-by-side comparison of the corresponding sections of the data.
凯西娅看着屏幕,有点迟疑,李皓珺又把数据对应的各部分对比展示了一下,
"Oh, I see," she said, taking the computer and smiling her thanks.
"哦,我明白了,"说着接过电脑,微笑道谢,
"Thank you for staying up so late for me. I understand now." With that, he stood up.
"谢谢,这么晚打扰你,现在我明白了."说着起身,
"I won't keep you much longer. Please get some rest," she said, nodding and smiling before turning to leave. Malaya followed her sister out.
"不多打扰了,请早点休息吧,"说完点头微笑,转身离开.玛莱雅也跟在姐姐身后离开了.
Watching their retreating figures, Li Haojun couldn't help but reflect on his interactions with them over the past two days. It seemed as though their vitality had rubbed off on him, making him feel younger. Feeling young again was truly wonderful.
看着她们的背影,李皓珺不禁感慨这两天与她们的接触,似乎自己也感染了她们的活力,变得年轻了.年轻的感觉真好啊.
However, after leaving the room, Malaya didn't close the door behind her. She escorted her sister back to the opposite room, shut her sister's door, then turned and came back. She casually closed the door, walked to the bedside, picked up a pillow, placed it against the headboard, and lay down diagonally beside Li Haojun.
然而玛莱雅离开房间后并没有带上房门,只见她把姐姐送回对面房间,关上姐姐的房门,自己转身又回来了,并且随手关上房门,来到床边,拿了一个抱枕,往床头一放斜靠着躺在了李皓珺身边.
Li Haojun hurriedly asked,
李皓珺忙问,
"Do you need something?"
"你有事吗?"
"Yes, to do my job well, I need to understand a bit about you." After speaking, she looked at Li Haojun with a serious expression. In his eyes, Malaya was an enigma—possessing abilities far beyond her years, yet retaining a childlike innocence mirroring her appearance. Her gaze held a seasoned calmness and maturity, as if weathered by time, yet she would occasionally ask questions that were decidedly childish.
"是啊,为了做好我的工作,我需要了解一些你的情况."说完,表情严肃地看着李皓珺.玛莱雅在他眼里简直是迷一样的存在,太多与她年龄不相称的能力,而又如同她相貌一样的稚气,但是眼神里有着岁月沉淀的沉稳与老练,可是不时还会问一些孩子气的问题.
Li Haojun, feeling less reserved with this younger sister than with her older one, simply grabbed a pillow himself, propped himself up, and lay down beside her—shoulder to shoulder, head to head. Relaxing his body, he turned his head to look at her and asked,
对于李皓珺,面对这个妹妹不像面对她的姐姐时有些拘束,便索性自己也拿了一个抱枕撑着躺下了,肩并肩,头挨着头.躺下放松身体,扭过头看着她问,
"Great, you're really enthusiastic about your work. If you have any questions, please ask."
"好啊,你真的很有工作热情,有什么问题请说,"
"Do you think you'll fall in love with my sister?"
"你觉得你会爱上我姐姐吗?"
"Oh, to be honest, she's not really my type."
"哦,坦率地说她不是我喜欢的类型,"
"What about me?"
"那我呢?"
"Sorry, that's not it either."
"抱歉,也不是,"
"That's Tan Wenjing, right?"
"那覃文静是吗?"
Well, she's not exactly that, but living with her has built a certain emotional bond between us.
"嗯,她也不算是,但是我和她生活在一起还是有一定感情基础的."
"Oh, I see. I'll try to arrange for you two to spend more time together at work from now on." After saying this, Malaya turned her head and stared at the ceiling.
"哦,我明白了,以后工作中我会尽量安排你和她共处的时间多一些."说完,玛莱雅扭过头,看着天花板,
"Thank you, you're so thoughtful."
"谢谢,你真是太贴心了."
"Hmm, what kind do you like then? If you live with someone who isn't your type, do you feel like something's missing in life?" Malaya stared at the ceiling, as if asking Li Haojun, yet also as if speaking to herself.
"嗯,那你喜欢什么样的呢?和不是自己喜欢的类型生活,是否觉得人生有缺憾呢?" 玛莱雅看着天花板,好像在问李皓珺,又好像是在自言自语.
I'm not sure what kind of person I like myself. Maybe I'll only know when I meet them. But I do think I'm pretty good at recognizing others' strengths. Qin Wenjing is devoted and persistent—at least she is with me. Having a partner like that is more than enough for me. In this life, you might not always get what you want, or find something perfectly flawless.
"我喜欢什么类型的自己也不清楚,也许只有遇到了才会知道吧.但是我觉得我还是挺擅长发现别人优点的.覃文静她专一,执着,至少对我是这样的,能有那样一位伴侣我已经很知足了.这个人生中不一定能够得到你想要的,或者拥有什么十全十美的."
"Do you know about the law of attraction?" Malaya turned her head again, gazing at Li Haojun as she shifted her body to lie sideways facing him. Her youthful face contrasted with the slender curves of a body not yet fully developed through puberty.
"你知不知道吸引力法则,"说着,玛莱雅又转头,望着李皓珺,并且身体也侧卧面向他.稚气的脸庞,不是性发育成熟的少女身体,有着特有的纤细曲线.
"I've heard about it, but I'm not that greedy. I'm perfectly content with what I have."
"我听说过,但是我没有那么贪心,我已经很满足了,"
"Oh, the low-desire type," Malaya muttered under her breath, her pale blue eyes locked onto Li Haojun's.
"哦,低欲望型," 玛莱雅嘴里嘟囔着,一双但淡蓝色的眼睛死死盯着李皓珺的眼睛.
Heh, who doesn't want good things? But in life, you always have to make choices. I don't want to be weighed down by too many burdens.
"呵呵,谁不想要好东西,只是人生之中总要有所取舍,我不想被太多负担压倒."
"Are you afraid of betraying Tan Wenjing?" Malaya whispered, wrapping her left arm around Li Haojun's waist and pressing her face close to his ear.
"你是害怕背叛覃文静吗?"说着,玛莱雅把左手搂在李皓珺腰间,脸贴在他耳边,轻声问,
Is this wisdom or cowardice?
"你这到底是睿智,还是胆怯?"
Li Haojun thought for a moment and found herself at a loss for words. She hadn't expected a child to possess such insight into her. The girl was right—in a way, it was true. She could be described as timid.
李皓珺想了想,竟无言以对,想不到一个小孩子竟然对自己有这样的洞察力,她说的没错,从某种程度上来讲,确实,可以说是胆怯.
Seeing her petite frame, Li Haojun couldn't help but feel moved by her circumstances. At such a young age, she had never met her birth parents or experienced the warmth of a family. He took her right hand and placed it over the tip of his left finger, then slipped his left arm beneath her neck, wrapping it around her waist and drawing her hips close to him.
看着她娇小的身形,李皓珺不觉感慨她的身世,小小年纪,没见过自己的生身父母,没感受过家庭的温暖,于是右手拉着她搂着自己的左手指尖,左臂穿过她颈下,搂着她的腰胯靠向自己.
I was planning to take a bath and get some rest tonight, but now it looks like I'll just have to sleep fully clothed—otherwise it would be utterly ridiculous...
本想今晚洗个澡好好休息一下,现在看来只能这样和衣而卧了,不然太不像话了...
The train glides silently through the midnight hours. Occasional jolts echo from the connecting points between carriages. No lights illuminate the windows inside; outside, only pitch darkness. The faint glow of a solitary streetlamp in the fields occasionally casts a dim light upon the edges of the window frames. The vibrations from the track joints transmit through to the carriages.
列车在午夜里寂静前行,车厢连接处不时传来晃动,车厢里没有灯光窗,外漆黑,偶尔田野中孤单路灯孱弱的光线些许照亮车窗边框的棱角,轨道的接缝处把晃动传到车厢,
"Wake up, Ethan, wake up."
"醒醒,伊森,醒醒,"
His body swayed in the darkness. Li Haojun felt as though someone was touching his shoulder.
晃动的身体,在黑暗中,李皓珺似乎觉得有人在触碰自己的肩膀,
"Wake up, Ethan."
"醒醒,伊森,"
I was dreaming, The dark train compartment was a dream. Li Haojun slowly opened his eyes. A long-haired woman was shaking his shoulders. Leaning forward, her long, shoulder-length hair cascaded over his face. Through the gaps in her hair, he could see the morning sunlight streaming into the room. At the window, a young girl faced outward, tying her shoulder-length hair into a high ponytail. It was Malaya. The one shaking her was Kasiya, her breasts beneath the loose-necked T-shirt swaying slightly with her movements. Li Haojun realized he'd overslept. Having two beauties tend to him this morning was certainly worth it, but he needed to conserve his energy. Still half-asleep, he mumbled,
我在做梦,黑暗的车厢那是一个梦,李皓珺慢慢睁开眼睛,一个长发女子正在晃动自己的肩膀,前倾的上身使得她长长的披肩发散落在自己面前,透过她的长发间隙,可以看见清晨的阳光照进室内,窗前一位少女,面对窗外,正把她的披肩发绑成高高的单马尾辫子,那是玛莱雅.而晃动自己的正是凯西娅,她大圆领T恤下的乳房随着她的动作轻微晃动着.李皓珺意识到自己睡过头了,今早有两位美女伺候自己起床也真值了,可是自己的身子骨还要省着用,便睡眼稀松地说,
"Mm, okay, okay, I got it. Just let me wake up a bit... Sorry, I overslept."...
"嗯,嗯好,好的,我知道了,等我醒醒盹...抱歉我睡过头了."...
Escorted into a taxi by two assistants, she'd only eaten half her breakfast. The morning breeze brushed her face through the window, and just as she began to wake up, the sisters in the backseat started whispering again. The older sister didn't say much, but she enjoyed listening to her younger sister's endless chatter. Li Haojun wondered if she'd share last night's conquest by Malaya as gossip too. Ah well, mental conquest counts as conquest too.
被两位助理押送上了出租车,刚才的早餐只吃了半饱,车窗的晨风拂面,刚刚清醒一些,后排座椅的姐妹又在窃窃私语,姐姐话不多,但是她喜欢听妹妹各种唠叨.李皓珺心想会不会把自己昨晚被玛莱雅征服的事情也当成谈资讲给别人听.唉,精神上的征服也是征服啊.
Fortunately, the morning at the Portland Yazi Beauty Experience Store went smoothly as well. As noon approached, Li Haojun was about to part ways with Kesiya and Malaya at the airport—he was heading home, while the two sisters were also preparing to depart.
好在波特兰雅姿丽颜堂体验店的一上午同样顺利,快到中午时分,李皓珺与凯西娅和玛莱雅在机场即将分离,他要回家,而那两姐妹也即将离开.
"Where are you two headed?" Li Haojun couldn't help asking, his gaze shifting from Malaya to Kasiya.
"你们这是去哪?"李皓珺忍不住问,目光看看玛莱雅,又转到凯西娅,
We returned to Boise's Eagle, where I left school to intern and lived in the staff dormitory, with Malaya staying with me. Kesiya answered, still speaking softly, smiling and taking her time.
"我们返回博伊西的伊格尔,我离开学校在那里实习,就住在员工宿舍,玛莱雅跟我一起." 凯西娅回答的,她依然轻声细语,微笑着不紧不慢,
The company has assigned me and her to serve as your assistants. Please let us know if you have any work-related tasks for us—we're here to help anytime.
"公司安排我和她做你的助手,所以工作上有什么安排请通知我们,随时效劳."
"Thank you," Li Haojun shook hands with Kasiya. "Take care on your journey." Then he turned to Malaya, who had remained silent throughout. Her youthful face wore that same expressionless solemnity.
"谢谢,"李皓珺与凯西娅握了手,"一路多保重,"然后转向一直沉默的玛莱雅,她那稚气的脸庞,又是那种毫无表情的严肃,
"Will you miss us?" She always got straight to the point.
"你会想我们吗?"她总是开门见山,
"I will," Li Haojun said, opening his arms to embrace her.
"我会的,"说着,李皓珺张开双臂,给了她一个拥抱.
Each went their separate ways, and Li Haojun felt a sense of loss. The two little angels who had always been by his side had departed. Thinking of Kasiya and Malaya, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow, moved by their tragic circumstances.
各自走上自己的道路,李皓珺怅然若失,身边一直陪伴的两个小天使离去了,想起凯西娅与玛莱雅,不禁心中几番苦楚,感慨于她们的身世.