老样子：早餐店里的温暖

每天早上七点，我还没开口，

měi tiān zǎo shàng qī diǎn wǒ hái méi kāi kǒu

Every morning at seven, before I say a word,

阿姨就把豆浆放在我面前。

ā yí jiù bǎ dòu jiāng fàng zài wǒ miàn qián

the auntie sets a cup of soy milk in front of me.

她知道我要什么。

tā zhī dào wǒ yào shén me

She knows what I want.

不是因为我特别，是因为我每天都来。

bú shì yīn wèi wǒ tè bié shì yīn wèi wǒ měi tiān dōu lái

Not because I am special, but because I come every day.

楼下这家早餐店，我已经吃了半年。

lóu xià zhè jiā zǎo cān diàn wǒ yǐ jīng chī le bàn nián

I have been eating at this breakfast shop downstairs for half a year.

它不大，也不新，可是我离不开它。

tā bú dà yě bù xīn kě shì wǒ lí bù kāi tā

It is not big or new, but I cannot do without it.

有时候下雨，我也去。

yǒu shí hòu xià yǔ wǒ yě qù

Sometimes it rains, and I still go.

有时候放假，我还去。

yǒu shí hòu fàng jià wǒ hái qù

Sometimes I am on holiday, and I still go.

我住在杭州的一个老小区。

wǒ zhù zài háng zhōu de yí gè lǎo xiǎo qū

I live in an old neighborhood in Hangzhou.

小区里有很多树，早上很安静。

xiǎo qū lǐ yǒu hěn duō shù zǎo shàng hěn ān jìng

There are many trees in the neighborhood, and mornings are quiet.

楼下有一家早餐店，门很小，

lóu xià yǒu yì jiā zǎo cān diàn mén hěn xiǎo

Downstairs there is a breakfast shop with a very small door,

里面只有四张桌子。

lǐ miàn zhǐ yǒu sì zhāng zhuō zi

and only four tables inside.

店门口总是冒着白气，远远就能看见。

diàn mén kǒu zǒng shì mào zhe bái qì yuǎn yuǎn jiù néng kàn jiàn

White steam always rises from the doorway, visible from far away.

老板姓王，大家都叫她王阿姨。

lǎo bǎn xìng wáng dà jiā dōu jiào tā wáng ā yí

The owner's surname is Wang, and everyone calls her Auntie Wang.

她在这里卖了二十年早饭。

tā zài zhè lǐ mài le èr shí nián zǎo fàn

She has been selling breakfast here for twenty years.

店里的墙上有一块旧钟，

diàn lǐ de qiáng shàng yǒu yí kuài jiù zhōng

There is an old clock on the wall,

桌上放着几个小瓶子，一个装醋，

zhuō shàng fàng zhe jǐ gè xiǎo píng zi yí gè zhuāng cù

and a few small bottles on the table, one with vinegar,

一个装辣椒。

yí gè zhuāng là jiāo

one with chili.

小区旁边有一条小河，

xiǎo qū páng biān yǒu yì tiáo xiǎo hé

Near the neighborhood there is a little river,

晚上很多人散步。

wǎn shàng hěn duō rén sàn bù

and many people take walks there in the evening.

第一次去，是我搬来的第二天。

dì yí cì qù shì wǒ bān lái de dì èr tiān

My first visit was the day after I moved in.

那天我起得很早，可是家里没有吃的。

nà tiān wǒ qǐ dé hěn zǎo kě shì jiā lǐ méi yǒu chī de

I got up early that day, but there was no food at home.

我走下楼，看见门口排着几个人。

wǒ zǒu xià lóu kàn jiàn mén kǒu pái zhe jǐ gè rén

I walked downstairs and saw a few people lined up at the door.

我说，一杯豆浆，一个鸡蛋饼。

wǒ shuō yì bēi dòu jiāng yí gè jī dàn bǐng

I said, one cup of soy milk and one egg pancake.

她说，好，稍等。

tā shuō hǎo shāo děng

She said, okay, just a moment.

她的声音很大，很亲切。

tā de shēng yīn hěn dà hěn qīn qiè

Her voice was loud and very warm.

她问我，第一次来吗？

tā wèn wǒ dì yí cì lái ma

She asked me, is this your first time?

我说，对，我刚搬来。

wǒ shuō duì wǒ gāng bān lái

I said, yes, I just moved here.

她说，以后常来。

tā shuō yǐ hòu cháng lái

She said, come often from now on.

我站在旁边，看她一边做饼，

wǒ zhàn zài páng biān kàn tā yì biān zuò bǐng

I stood nearby and watched her make pancakes

一边和客人聊天。

yì biān hé kè rén liáo tiān

while chatting with the customers.

我坐在窗边吃。

wǒ zuò zài chuāng biān chī

I sat by the window to eat.

豆浆是热的，鸡蛋饼里有葱，很香。

dòu jiāng shì rè de jī dàn bǐng lǐ yǒu cōng hěn xiāng

The soy milk was hot, and the egg pancake had scallions and smelled great.

那天早上有点冷，吃完以后，

nà tiān zǎo shàng yǒu diǎn lěng chī wán yǐ hòu

It was a little cold that morning, and after eating,

我的手和心都暖了。

wǒ de shǒu hé xīn dōu nuǎn le

both my hands and my heart felt warm.

我最喜欢靠窗的位置。

wǒ zuì xǐ huān kào chuāng de wèi zhì

My favorite spot is the seat by the window.

那里能看见小区里的人，有人去上班，

nà lǐ néng kàn jiàn xiǎo qū lǐ de rén yǒu rén qù shàng bān

I can see the people in the neighborhood, some going to work,

有人送孩子上学。

yǒu rén sòng hái zi shàng xué

some taking their children to school.

有时候我和邻居点点头，

yǒu shí hòu wǒ hé lín jū diǎn diǎn tóu

Sometimes I nod to my neighbors,

虽然我们还不太熟。

suī rán wǒ men hái bú tài shú

even though we do not know each other well yet.

从那天起，我几乎每天都去。

cóng nà tiān qǐ wǒ jī hū měi tiān dōu qù

From that day on, I went almost every day.

有时候吃面，有时候吃包子。

yǒu shí hòu chī miàn yǒu shí hòu chī bāo zi

Sometimes I had noodles, sometimes steamed buns.

如果起晚了，我就买一个鸡蛋饼，

rú guǒ qǐ wǎn le wǒ jiù mǎi yí gè jī dàn bǐng

If I got up late, I would buy an egg pancake

边走边吃。

biān zǒu biān chī

and eat it while walking.

一个多月以后，她看见我，就问，

yí gè duō yuè yǐ hòu tā kàn jiàn wǒ jiù wèn

More than a month later, she looked at me and asked,

还是老样子？

hái shì lǎo yàng zi

the usual?

我愣了一下。

wǒ lèng le yí xià

I froze for a moment.

老样子是什么？

lǎo yàng zi shì shén me

What did the usual mean?

她笑了，说，豆浆不加糖，鸡蛋饼多放葱。

tā xiào le shuō dòu jiāng bù jiā táng jī dàn bǐng duō fàng cōng

She laughed and said, soy milk without sugar, extra scallions in the egg pancake.

原来，她记得我的口味。

yuán lái tā jì de wǒ de kǒu wèi

So she remembered my taste.

我点头，说，对，老样子。

wǒ diǎn tóu shuō duì lǎo yàng zi

I nodded and said, right, the usual.

她转身去做饼，我也笑了。

tā zhuǎn shēn qù zuò bǐng wǒ yě xiào le

She turned around to make the pancake, and I smiled too.

被人记住，是一件很小、很暖的事。

bèi rén jì zhù shì yí jiàn hěn xiǎo hěn nuǎn de shì

Being remembered is a very small, very warm thing.

老样子，就是和以前一样。

lǎo yàng zi jiù shì hé yǐ qián yí yàng

The usual means the same as before.

后来我也学会了这句话。

hòu lái wǒ yě xué huì le zhè jù huà

Later I learned to use this phrase too.

有一次下班很晚，店里快关门了，

yǒu yí cì xià bān hěn wǎn diàn lǐ kuài guān mén le

Once I got off work very late, and the shop was about to close,

我去买包子。

wǒ qù mǎi bāo zi

so I went to buy steamed buns.

我说，老样子，五个。

wǒ shuō lǎo yàng zi wǔ gè

I said, the usual, five please.

她马上装好，还问我今天怎么这么晚。

tā mǎ shàng zhuāng hǎo hái wèn wǒ jīn tiān zěn me zhè me wǎn

She packed them right away and asked why I was so late today.

我说工作有点多。

wǒ shuō gōng zuò yǒu diǎn duō

I said I had a lot of work.

她说，年轻人，别太累。

tā shuō nián qīng rén bié tài lèi

She said, young people should not tire themselves out too much.

一句话，不用多解释，很省事，也很亲切。

yí jù huà bú yòng duō jiě shì hěn shěng shì yě hěn qīn qiè

One sentence, no long explanation needed; it saves trouble and feels close.

那天回家，我一边吃包子，一边想，

nà tiān huí jiā wǒ yì biān chī bāo zi yì biān xiǎng

Walking home that day, as I ate the buns, I thought,

原来一句话也能让人觉得不孤单。

yuán lái yí jù huà yě néng ràng rén jué de bù gū dān

one simple sentence can make a person feel less alone.

上个周末，朋友从上海来杭州看我。

shàng gè zhōu mò péng yǒu cóng shàng hǎi lái háng zhōu kàn wǒ

Last weekend a friend came from Shanghai to visit me in Hangzhou.

我带她去吃早饭。

wǒ dài tā qù chī zǎo fàn

I took her out for breakfast.

阿姨看见我们，问，两位都老样子？

ā yí kàn jiàn wǒ men wèn liǎng wèi dōu lǎo yàng zi

The auntie saw us and asked, the usual for both of you?

朋友听不懂，看着我。

péng yǒu tīng bù dǒng kàn zhe wǒ

My friend did not understand and looked at me.

我笑着说，她的和我一样。

wǒ xiào zhe shuō tā de hé wǒ yí yàng

I smiled and said, hers is the same as mine.

朋友很惊讶，说你在这里像本地人。

péng yǒu hěn jīng yà shuō nǐ zài zhè lǐ xiàng běn dì rén

My friend was surprised and said, you seem like a local here.

我说，我本来就是。

wǒ shuō wǒ běn lái jiù shì

I said, I am a local.

阿姨听见了，多给我们一个茶叶蛋。

ā yí tīng jiàn le duō gěi wǒ men yí gè chá yè dàn

The auntie heard us and gave us an extra tea egg.

她走的时候说，这家店真好，不像饭店，

tā zǒu de shí hòu shuō zhè jiā diàn zhēn hǎo bú xiàng fàn diàn

As my friend left, she said, this shop is wonderful; it is not like a restaurant,

像亲戚家。

xiàng qīn qī jiā

it is like a relative's home.

在中国，很多小店都这样。

zài zhōng guó hěn duō xiǎo diàn dōu zhè yàng

In China, many small shops are like this.

老板记得你的脸，也记得你的口味。

lǎo bǎn jì de nǐ de liǎn yě jì de nǐ de kǒu wèi

The owner remembers your face and also your taste.

老样子、老地方，都是很温暖的词。

lǎo yàng zi lǎo dì fāng dōu shì hěn wēn nuǎn de cí

The usual and the old place are both very warm words.

不过，不是每家店都这样。

bú guò bú shì měi jiā diàn dōu zhè yàng

But not every shop is like this.

大城市的连锁店，店员常常换，

dà chéng shì de lián suǒ diàn diàn yuán cháng cháng huàn

In chain stores in big cities, the staff often change,

通常不会记得你。

tōng cháng bú huì jì de nǐ

and they usually will not remember you.

小店的温暖，要慢慢遇到。

xiǎo diàn de wēn nuǎn yào màn màn yù dào

The warmth of a small shop has to be found slowly.

不用着急，也不用为了这句话天天去。

bú yòng zháo jí yě bú yòng wèi le zhè jù huà tiān tiān qù

No need to rush, and no need to go every day just to say this phrase.

如果你不习惯，也没关系。

rú guǒ nǐ bù xí guàn yě méi guān xì

If you are not used to it, that is fine too.

你可以先听，慢慢学。

nǐ kě yǐ xiān tīng màn màn xué

You can listen first and learn slowly.

现在，换你来试一试。

xiàn zài huàn nǐ lái shì yi shì

Now it is your turn to try.

如果你常去一家店，可以这样说。

rú guǒ nǐ cháng qù yì jiā diàn kě yǐ zhè yàng shuō

If you often go to a shop, you can say this.

老样子，谢谢。

lǎo yàng zi xiè xiè

The usual, thank you.

或者，今天我想换个别的。

huò zhě jīn tiān wǒ xiǎng huàn gè bié de

Or, today I would like something different.

老板听懂以后，一定会笑。

lǎo bǎn tīng dǒng yǐ hòu yí dìng huì xiào

Once the owner understands, they will surely smile.

你也可以问，还是老样子吗？

nǐ yě kě yǐ wèn hái shì lǎo yàng zi ma

You can also ask, the usual?

你住的地方，有没有一家老地方？

nǐ zhù de dì fāng yǒu méi yǒu yì jiā lǎo dì fāng

Where you live, is there an old place of yours?

你最常点什么？

nǐ zuì cháng diǎn shén me

What do you order most often?

可以用中文告诉我。

kě yǐ yòng zhōng wén gào sù wǒ

You can tell me in Chinese.

早饭不贵，可是很重要。

zǎo fàn bú guì kě shì hěn zhòng yào

Breakfast does not cost much, but it matters.

希望明天早上，

xī wàng míng tiān zǎo shàng

I hope tomorrow morning,

你也有一顿暖暖的早饭。

nǐ yě yǒu yí dùn nuǎn nuǎn de zǎo fàn

you also have a warm breakfast.