申明：
这个故事基本真实，但也不完全真实。留言里有问“然后”的读者。然后啊然后，世上哪有那么多然后啊！如果我们尽情感受每一个真实存在的每一刻，哪有必要去纠结沉迷于那些可望不可即的然后。
最好的情人也许也不过是三分真实，七分相像。发挥一点想象力，你可以祝你身边每一个对你微笑的人：“情人节快乐！”
天下着大雪，一个灰蒙蒙的冷天。这种天气在这个季节的波士顿是屡见不鲜的。我一边从钱包里掏出信用卡，一边从那张旋转玻璃门往外看。前台的姑娘正在打印我的账单，我问，“哈佛大学离这儿多远？”
It was snowing, gray and cold, and nothing unusual for this season in Boston. I looked out the revolving glass door while I was pulling my credit card out of my wallet. "How far is Harvard?" I asked the girl as she printed my receipt.
“哦，大概就十五分钟吧。”她抬抬头，又加一句，“那是说如果你能找到车的话。”
"Oh, it's just about 15 minutes away." She raised her head and added, "That's if you can get a car."
这听起来可不太妙！我看看外面，几乎分不清天空和街道的分界；全是白的。我下意识地瞥一眼手机，我的课再过一个小时就开始了。而我还得先办理注册登记呢。
That didn't sound so promising! And outside of the door, I could hardly see the boundaries of the sky and streets; it was all white. I took a glance at my phone. My class was going to start in one hour, and I still needed to get registered.
“我可以走过去吗？”我可能显得有点绝望。
"Can I walk there?" I might have sounded a bit desperate.
她看着我可能觉得我是从月球来的吧。没有人会走这么远，何况拖着一个箱子，而且又是雪暴来临之际！
She looked at me thinking I must be from the moon. Nobody would walk that far, and with a suitcase, and in a snow storm!
“你去问问礼宾部的小伙儿吧。如果他没辙，那你就倒霉了。”
"Well, go talk to the concierge. If he can't help you, nobody here can," she said.
我从地上拎起我的背包带往肩上一放，正准备拉着箱子往外走，我看到一只有力又骨感的手伸了过来，抓住箱子的拉杆，一个低沉而柔和的声音说，“你想去哪儿啊，女士？”
Just as I picked up my backpack and was ready to pull my suitcase to walk to the door, a strong and bony hand grabbed the suitcase, and I heard a deep but gentle voice say, "Where would you like to go, ma'am?"
“哈佛。”
"Harvard."
他什么也没说，只是接着往前走。到了门口，他推一下转门，示意我进去。我犹豫了一下，如果连出租车的影子也没有，我可不想傻傻地站在外面挨冻。
He didn't say anything and continued walking. He pushed the revolving door, pointing at me to get in. I hesitated for a second, as I already felt the freezing cold from outside and was totally unsure if I wanted to wait in the cold before there was any sign of a taxi.
他也不等我迈步，尽自拉着我的行李走入转门里，很快就到了外面。他朝大街上瞄一眼，朝我挥手，一边让我快点出去，一边又把转门推了一下。
He didn't wait for me. He quickly stepped into the door with my suitcase and was soon outside. He looked to the white street in a flash and waved for me to hurry up, while pushing the door to spin again.
哇！真冷！我站在街上又是搓手又是跺脚，典型一个在温室里惯坏了的模样。就在那时！我看到一辆红色的卡车在前面的街口右转，直接就往酒店的车道开来。卡车的后面都用帆布盖着；那红色的卡车，车身上也带着雪，在白雪覆盖的街上显得即安全又靓丽。我没有任何理由相信这车是为我而来的。疑惑中，我第一次仔细地看他。那是一张多么英俊又充满善意的脸！又大又黑的眼睛，深色的皮肤，浓密的眉毛，一脸温暖的微笑。
Brrrrrr... It was freezing, I started rubbing my hands and stomping my feet as soon as I stood on the sidewalk in front of the hotel. And then! I saw a big red truck turning right and pulling up the driveway. The back of the truck was fully covered; It looked steady and spectacular in the snow! I had no reason to believe it was for me. Perplexed, I looked at him carefully for the first time. What a handsome and kind face: big dark eyes, dark skin, strong eyebrows, and a warm smile.
他看我在盯他，也盯着我说，“你怎么要去哈佛呢？你太好看了，不应该去哈佛的。那些在哈佛该学的东西你都已经学完了，不是吗？”
He stared back at me and said, "How come you're going to Harvard? You are too pretty to go to Harvard. You should've been done with your studies already, right?"
我忍不住大笑。“我还从没听说过因为太漂亮而不能去哈佛的。你是说我年龄太大而不应该再去哈佛了，对吧？你这样粗鲁地和一个女士说话可不好啊！”
I bursted out laughing, "I have never heard that one is too pretty to go to Harvard. You mean I am too old to go to Harvard, right? How rude you are to a lady!"
我话音刚落，我的肩膀毫无准备地被一双强有力的手拥抱了。我感到一阵温暖。他穿了一件很暖和的大衣。
Unexpectedly, my shoulders felt a big hug from this tall man, and I felt warm. He had on a nice warm winter coat.
“我可没这么说啊！你是挺漂亮的。而且你还挺逗的呢，女士。”
"I didn't say that! You ARE pretty. And you are funny too, ma'am."
我得承认，他让我感到一阵完全的放松，也让我沉浸在一些似乎已经遥远的浪漫之中。我无所适从，很快地回抱了一下他的背部。还好，身后传来卡车司机带点讥笑的声音，正好替我解围。“嘿，哥们儿，你这女朋友，她到底走还是不走啊？”
I must say, he totally mellowed me out. It was reminiscent of some distant romance, and I wasn't sure what to do next. I briskly hugged him back and felt somewhat relieved when I heard a teasing voice from the truck driver who was waiting patiently, "Hey buddy, your girlfriend, is she leaving or not?"
他放开我的肩膀。他提起箱子往后车厢一放，打开前门，伸出他的手让我稳稳地登上高高的车位。
He let go of my shoulders. He lifted my suitcase, put into the back section of the truck, opened the front door, and gave me his hand to help me in.
只听他很快地对司机嘟囔了一句，转向我说，“这是我朋友，随你合理地给个价就好。”
Quickly uttering a hi to his friend, he turned to me and said, "Pay him anything you'd like, ma'am. He is my friend."
我的座位冰冷，外面的雪越下越大，挡风玻璃上的刮水器像疯了一般晃来晃去。而我！我依然像个目瞪口呆的傻子，着迷于这一幕奇迹般的偶遇。这不可思议的偶遇，充满着善意，魅力，甚至带着挑逗的诱惑......
My seat was a bit cold, the snow out there was getting heavier and heavier, the windshield wipers are swinging like crazy, and I was still stunned and captivated by this incredible and random act of kindness, the charm, the flirtation, ...
我想再说点什么，可是我看见司机已经在和他眨眼，准备启动了。
I wanted to say something, but I could see the driver was winking to the concierge and ready to go.
这时，那人示意让我把窗户按下。他头朝前微倾，说，“哎，你是从西海岸来的吧？”
The man outside signaled me to lower the window, and leaned his head forward. "Hey, are you from the West Coast?"
他一定是看我这冻坏了的样子才猜我是从西海岸来的。（注：波斯顿在东海岸。从美国西海岸到东海岸一般要坐五个多小时飞机。西海岸冬天一般不太冷。）
He must be guessing this because I was visibly freezing.
“我从中国来呢。”
"I am from China."
我觉察到他的声音里有点犹豫，“你应该搬到这儿来，...... 因为这世上所有的钱可都是在这儿赚的呢。”
I could sense a bit of hesitation in his voice. "You should move here.... Because this is where all the money is made."
我还来不及回答，司机油门一踩，卡车往前开了。
Before I could respond, the driver stepped on the gas pedal. The truck started moving.
突然，我想起了一句重要的话要说。我赶紧放下车窗回头朝他大喊，我满脸的笑容，对着雪，对着风：
All of a sudden I remembered something that I thought was important. So I lowered the window and yelled back to him with a big smiley face, into the snow and against the wind:
“先生...... 祝你情人节快乐！”
"Sir... Happy Valentine's Day!"
（完）
Xiangwei
湘伟
2017.2.12 - 13，Boston
(English draft was slightly edited by my daughter Anna Gloor. Anna loved the story. She is a fantastic copy editor!)
2017年2月12-13日 波斯顿时间
后记：不要问后记，不要问后来。后来我在哈佛上课，忙着呢。平淡的人生里总有不平淡的涟漪。这些涟漪让我快乐，让我心存感激，感激生活中无处不在的善良。
记得关注我的ID哦！谢谢！
另外，想看令人心跳的小说吗？最好夜深人静的时候看：《立秋的那个周末》
想看令人思考的小说吗？也得要大脑清醒时看：《蓝颜》
这两篇小说一荤一素，理性和欲望。我还在不断地寻找新的素材和灵感。欢迎交流。