A Restless First Night

Línshí Zhùchù de Dì Yī Wǎn

Lín Sīyuǎn tǎng zài jiǔdiàn de chuáng shàng, suīrán hěn lèi, dàn zěnme yě shuì bù zháo. Gébì fángjiān chuánlái diànshì de shēngyīn, lóudào lǐ yǒu rén tuōzhe xíngli xiāng láilái wǎngwǎng. Fángjiān lǐ de kōngtiáo hūhū chuīzhe lěngfēng, tā zhǎole bàntiān yáokòng qì, zhōngyú tiáodào héshì wēndù.

Bànyè, tā kǒukě xǐnglái, xiǎng zhǎo shuǐ hē. Yùshì lǐ yǒu gè diànrè shuǐhú, kěshì chātóu chā bù jìnqù, zhēteng le hǎo jǐ fēnzhōng cái fāxiàn yào àn yīxià ànniǔ. Rèshuǐhú xiǎngle bàntiān, shuǐ què zǒngshì méi kāi. Tā zhǐhǎo yòng liángshuǐ xǐle bǎ liǎn, tànle kǒu qì.

Zǎoshang liù diǎn, nàozhōng zhǔnshí xiǎng qǐ. Lín Sīyuǎn gǎnjǐn qǐchuáng xǐshù, shìzhe yòng jiǔdiàn de chuīfēng jī, kěshì diànyā bù duì, chuīfēng jī fāchū qíguài de shēngyīn jiù tíng le. Tā zhǐhǎo ràng tóufa zìrán gān, cōngcōng shōushí hǎo xíngli.

Tuìfáng de shíhou, qiántái tíxǐng tā: “Jīntiān shì gōngzuòrì, dìtiě hěn jǐ, zuìhǎo tíqián chūfā.” Lín Sīyuǎn dàoxiè, názhe xiāngzi zǒuchū jiǔdiàn dàmén. Wàimiàn yǐjīng hěn liàng le, jiē shàng de rén láilái wǎngwǎng, dōu hěn cōngmáng. Tā dǎkāi dìtú ruǎnjiàn, zhǎodào zuìjìn de dìtiě zhàn, kāishǐ wǎng gōngsī fāngxiàng zǒu.

Lù shàng, tā hūrán fāxiàn zìjǐ wàngle chī zǎocān. Jiēbiān yǒu gè xiǎo tān zài mài bāozi hé dòujiāng, xiāngwèi piāo de hěn yuǎn. Lín Sīyuǎn yóuyùle yīxià, yòng bù tài shúliàn de zhōngwén diǎnle liǎng gè ròu bāozi. Lǎobǎn dàshū xiàozhe shuō: “Dìyī cì lái ba? Mànmàn chī, bù zhāojí.”

Lín Sīyuǎn zuò zài lùbiān xiǎo dèngzi shàng, yībiān chī bāozi yībiān kàn shǒujī shàng de gōngsī dìzhǐ. Bāozi hěn tàng hěn xiāng, tā chī de mǎntóu dàhàn, què juéde tèbié tāshí. Chī wán hòu, tā cācā zuǐ, duì zìjǐ shuō: “Dìyī tiān shàngbān, yīdìng yào ànshí dào!” Rán hòu jiākuài jiǎobù zǒu xiàng dìtiě zhàn.

A Restless First Night

Lin Siyuan lies on the hotel bed, exhausted but unable to fall asleep. The sound of a television comes from the next room, and people drag suitcases back and forth in the corridor. The air conditioning blows cold air noisily. He spends a long time searching for the remote control and finally adjusts it to a comfortable temperature.

In the middle of the night, he wakes up thirsty and looks for water. There is an electric kettle in the bathroom, but the plug won’t fit in the socket. After struggling for several minutes he finally discovers there is a button to press. The kettle runs for a long time but the water never boils. He has no choice but to wash his face with cold water and sighs.

At six in the morning, the alarm clock rings on time. Lin Siyuan quickly gets up to wash up, and tries to use the hotel hair dryer, but the voltage is wrong and the dryer makes a strange sound then stops. He has no choice but to let his hair air dry, and hurriedly packs up his things.

When checking out, the front desk reminds him: “Today is a weekday, the subway is very crowded — it’s best to leave early.” Lin Siyuan thanks her, picks up his suitcase and walks out the hotel door. Outside it is already bright, and people on the street are coming and going, all in a hurry. He opens his map app, finds the nearest subway station, and starts walking toward the company.

On the way, he suddenly realizes he forgot to eat breakfast. A small street stall is selling steamed buns and soy milk, the aroma drifting far. Lin Siyuan hesitates for a moment and orders two pork buns in not-very-fluent Chinese. The stall owner, an older man, smiles and says: “First time here? Take your time, no rush.”

Lin Siyuan sits on a small stool by the roadside, eating his buns while checking the company address on his phone. The buns are piping hot and fragrant, and he sweats while eating, yet feels a deep sense of reassurance. After finishing, he wipes his mouth and says to himself: “First day at work — I absolutely must arrive on time!” Then he quickens his pace toward the subway station.

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