Chinese · Episode 20
I Chose the Outside
Spoken by 晓航
Jealous, for one hour, of his sister’s safe indoor job, then ashamed, because he chose the outside.
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Episode text
有一天干活,我忽然特别羡慕妹妹的工作, One day while working, I suddenly really envied my sister's job,
想了差不多一个小时。 I thought about it for almost an hour.
她放学以后去找那些送东西的机器人, After school she goes looking for those delivery robots,
兔子走错路了,就把它带回来。 and if Rabbit takes a wrong turn, she brings it back.
忙完能去花园找妈妈,再一起回家吃饭。 When she's done she can find Mom in the garden, then go home for dinner together.
我那天在外面,手套上都是灰,活还没做完, That day I was outside, gloves covered in dust, work still not finished,
离能回船休息还早。 and it was still a long way from heading back to the ship to rest.
想听别人说话,得开耳机;想回家吃饭, To hear people talk, I had to put on headphones; wanting to go home for dinner,
那就更不是今天能办到的事了。 that was even less something I could do that day.
我一边干活,一边想, I kept working while thinking,
要是现在也在圆顶里就好了。至少下班以后, if only I were inside the dome right now. At least after work,
能闻到花园里的味道。 I'd be able to smell the garden.
后来回到船上,阿金看我不说话, Later back on the ship, Ajin saw I wasn't talking,
就问是不是想家了。 and asked if I was homesick.
我说:“我是想要我妹妹那份工作。” I said, "I want my sister's job."
他笑了:“那你回去画兔子吧,石头留给我。” He laughed: "Then go back and draw rabbits; leave the rocks to me."
我也笑了,笑完又有点不好意思。 I laughed too, and afterward felt a little embarrassed.
明明是自己想来外面,现在倒嫌妹妹能待在家了。 I'd clearly wanted to come outside myself, and now I was jealous my sister got to stay home.
其实她也不是坐着玩,机器人一出问题, She wasn't just sitting around playing, either—whenever a robot had a problem,
她就得跑过去,有时候忙得水都顾不上喝。 she had to run over, sometimes too busy even for a drink of water.
我只想着她能回家,没想着她也有累的时候。 I'd only thought about how she could go home, not that she got tired too.
阿金问我是不是真想换个活,我想了想, Ajin asked if I really wanted to switch jobs. I thought about it,
还是摇头。 and shook my head.
我喜欢看石头一点点运回去, I like watching the rocks get hauled back bit by bit,
也喜欢船上没人一直来找我。只是有些时候, and I like that nobody on the ship keeps coming after me. It's just that sometimes,
安静得太久了,又想听家里人说话。 it's quiet too long, and I want to hear my family talk again.
那一个小时过去,我还是接着干自己的活。 That hour passed, and I went on with my own work.
不过下次妹妹说上班累,我得先听她讲完, But next time my sister says work is tiring, I should let her finish first,
不能一开口就说在圆顶里多好啊。 and not jump in saying how nice it is inside the dome.