I am an engineer in a radio factory of Nanjing, as a 45-year-old man, I own a successful career and a happy family, with techniques learnt from university and experience accumulated when I was young, I am put into an important position by my current leader, which brings me handsome salary and full respect. With those money, I can give my child best education and my family materials of high quality. The passing away of my parents last year eased me of a lot of burden, but I still have my parents-in-law to support, they have retired a couple of years ago from their respective workplaces and is now being installed in an apartment with two bedrooms and a living room in a neighborhood near Nanjing railway station, the district is rather busy because of the station, your can not only take bus all the way to the downtown within 10 minutes, buy whatever you like in the nearby supermarket, but call whoever in from kilometres away to help you within a few minutes. Being freed from their jobs, they can now do whatever they want—following hot TV series online, chatting with friends and relatives, playing cards with their neighbor, attending classes in University for the Aged. However, their favorite pastime is to play mah-jong, they are indulged in it to an extent that they get irritable whenever there is three days they are aloof from it. Considering that they have toiled for a lifetime and brought her up through innumerable hardships, my wife tried her best to satisfy their needs: when there is no players, she called together friends and relatives to play with them; when there is no instruments, she scouted around the city for an ivory one and lost no time in delivering into their hands; when there is no place, she made room in her own house for them to play. Sometimes my work and life is affected by their vulgar entertainment, but I have no other choice but to be patient, because they are my parents-in-law.
我是南京一所无线电厂的工程师，今年45岁，我有一个成功的事业和一个美满的家庭，凭着在大学时学到的技能和年轻时积累的经验，我被现任领导委以重任，我的职位不仅为我带来丰厚的薪水，还能获得充分的尊重。有了那些钱，我可以让我的孩子接受最好的教育并提高家里人的物质生活质量。去年我父母的去世减轻了我不少负担，但是我还有岳父母要赡养，他们几年前从各自的单位退休后就被安置在南京火车站附近的一个小区中的一套两室一厅的房子里，因为火车站的原因那里成了黄金地段，你不仅可以坐上巴士在10分钟内直达市中心，在附近的超市里买你想要的东西，而且能在几分钟内叫来数公里远的人来帮助你。从繁重工作中解放出来的岳父母现在能做任何他们想做的事情——譬如在网上追剧，跟亲戚朋友聊天，跟邻居打牌，上老年大学。但是他们最喜欢的消遣活动是打麻将，他们爱打麻将爱到一定程度以至于三天不摸牌就会发脾气。考虑到他们操劳了一辈子且含辛茹苦地把她养大，我妻子在这上面尽量将就他们：没牌友了，她把亲戚朋友都叫来陪他们打牌；没器具了，她就算跑断腿也要帮他们找副象牙麻将并在第一时间亲自递到他们手上；没地方了，她把自家腾出来让他们打牌。有时候我的工作和生活也会被他们这种低俗的娱乐活动所影响，但我除了隐忍也没别的法子，再怎么说他们也是我的岳父母。
A few days earlier I was sent to Guangzhou by my immediate superior for some negotiation with local counterparts and entrepreneurs just because the factory I am employed have the intention to set up a branch in that city. As a core technician, I not only know my stuff, but am well acquainted with large and small things in my factory, therefore it must be deemed a high probability event to assign me to the task. Although as my child is too young to leave behind, I was reluctant to do the task at first, I was eventually talked into it by my superior promising an additional bonus of 200 yuan at the end of the year as a condition. Having arranged everything, I embarked on the journey to Guangzhou—a place totally strange to me but I yearned for, although I was not completely confident about the task, I had a faith that everything would work out in the end, after all, my knowledge and experience is there, it will shorten the distance between my peers and me and further simplify my task. I was given 5 days to finish everything, but 3 days are enough and I can use the extra 2 days to visit major places of that city, beyond that, I must take the opportunity to buy some toys for my boy and delicacies for my family members. With these beautiful thoughts I was full of energy, I hope the train drives faster so that I could reach my destination as soon as possible. It took me some 8 hours on the train, as a fixture to my seat I could do nothing but read newspaper and admire the pastoral scenery outside the window, when I was tired of doing so and there was still time for me to kill, I took out my phone and clicked here and there on the screen aimlessly, hope it acted as a time accelerator. Eventually, the boredom was brought to an end by the train stopping at its destination—Guangzhou, I threaded my way through the moving mass of bodies off the train to the ticket barrier, and was swept out of the station at last.
几天前我被我的顶头上司派往广州就开分厂的事宜与当地的企业家和同行进行商谈。作为一个技术骨干，我不仅精通专业知识，对厂里大大小小的情况也了如指掌，所以厂里派我完成任务是为了增加成功的可能性。虽然因为孩子太小还丢不开，我刚开始对这份差事很不情愿，但在领导答应年终多加我两百块钱奖金的条件下，我最终被他说服了。安排好一切后，我踏上了去广州的的旅程——一个我完全陌生却向往的地方，虽然我对这次任务不是信心满满，但是我相信船到桥头自然直，毕竟我的知识和阅历就摆子那里，它会拉近我跟同行之间的距离进而简化我的工作。领导给我五天时间完成所有事情，但是三天就足够了，我可以利用额外的两天时间游历那里的名胜古迹，顺便再帮我的孩子买些玩具和家里人买些好吃的，一想到这里我就充满了干劲，巴不得火车开的越快越好，早点到达我的目的地。我在火车上呆了八个多小时，被固定在座位上的我除了读报纸和欣赏窗外的田园风景什么也干不了，当我看腻了风景且时间还十分充裕的时候，我就掏出手机漫无目的的在屏幕上点来点去，把它当成一个时间加速器。最终，火车抵达了目的地——广州，我的无聊也告一段落了，我被人流推下了火车，一直推到检票口，最后被“拍”出了车站。
What revealed to me was a prosperous and busy scene: high buildings stand here and there ablaze with light, all kinds of cars and buses shuttled to and fro on the open road, people of different ages and statures came into my sight in turn. The honks, shouts of vendors, murmurs between fellow pedestrians and rustles in the air accorded with each other into a living symphony totally different from where I live and work. Having localized on the smart phone, I settled myself in a guest house a few miles from the roar of the train. The house, though neat and clean, is by no means of high standard, its old-fashioned decoration reminded me of houses and villas in the 1970s and 1980s. The receptionist received me hospitably and ushered me all the way into the depth of that small hotel, having turned the key in the hole and inserted the room card into an electronic device on the wall, I entered the room and found it is simply furnished: a single bed, a desk with tea bags, cups and a lamp on it, a chair and a wardrobe. The window showed me a picture of the busy street and commercial buildings without their noisiness, a LCD TV hangs on the wall could receive local TV programmes. Having put everything in order, I took a shower to wash off the dust and exhaustion, and then stepped out of the very house into a nearby bazaar.
展现在我眼前的是一片繁华热闹的景象：到处耸立着灯火通明的高楼大厦，各式各样的巴士和汽车穿梭在宽阔的马路上，不同年龄和身材的人轮流映入我的眼帘。汽车的喇叭声、小贩的叫卖声、同行者之间的低语声和空气中的沙沙声相互配合奏出了一首完全不同于我工作和生活地方的生活交响曲。在智能手机上定位好地点以后，我把自己安置在一个离火车呼啸声不远的一个小招待所里面。招待所虽然干净整洁，档次却不算高，它过时的装潢让我联想起七八十年代的老房子和别墅。接待员热情的招呼我并把我领入招待所深处，在用钥匙开门且把房卡插在墙上的电子装置后，我进入了一个陈设简单的房间：一张单人床、一张放有茶包、茶杯和台灯的桌子、一张椅子和一个衣柜。窗户展示给我一个隔去声音的热闹街道和一幢幢商业建筑，一台挂在墙上的液晶电视能收到本地节目。把所有东西安排妥当以后，我在莲蓬头下洗去了身上的尘土和疲倦，走出招待所来到一个集市。
Of course, bazaar can be seen everywhere, at the time I was in Nanjing, I constantly patronized all kinds of bazaars and bought all kinds of small things such as stockings, clothes hangers, tacks and bulbs from them. The first reason for me here now was to kill time, as I arrived in Guangzhou ahead of time, and the negotiation between technicians and me would not begin until next morning at the soonest, I had plenty of time to kill; the second reason was to hunt for local products such as Cantonese cured meat, jade carving and Yue embroidery for my relatives and family members, in any case I could not return back with empty hands. Suddenly I stopped at a stall where all kinds of cards and mah-jong exhibited on a barrow, with a motive to please my parents-in-law with a cheap and fine one, I began to browse them, though I was somehow dizzied by these instruments glittering in the illuminations. Opposite me was a short, sturdy female owner with a pony tail about 40 years old, judged from her coarse, dark skin, she must be exposed to the sun and rain with her barrow for more than 20 years, and from the quality and variety of her products, she must be specialized in selling chess and cards. I picked up an emerald one among mah-jong of all sizes, materials and colors, and asked:
集市当然哪里都有，我在南京的时候就经常光顾各种集市，还在其中买过诸如袜子、晒衣架、大头钉和灯泡之类的各种小物件。我来到这里的第一个原因是为了打发时间，鉴于我提前到达广州，工程师和我之间的商谈最早也要等到明天早晨，在此之前我有大把的时间可以任由我支配；第二个原因是为了送亲戚朋友而寻找一些诸如广式腊味、玉雕和粤绣之类的土特产，不管怎么说我总不能空着手回南京吧。这时我停在了一个推车上陈列着各式各样棋牌和麻将的小摊上，带着买一个价廉物美的麻将讨我岳父母欢心的动机我开始浏览它们，虽然我有点被彩灯照在它们身上发出的光炫的头发昏。在我跟前的是一个身材矮小结实、扎着马尾辫大约四十岁左右的女营业主，从她粗糙、黝黑的皮肤来看，她一定风里雨里的推着小车卖麻将不下二十年，从她商品的成色和品种来看，她一定是专卖棋牌类的器具。我从各种型号、材质和颜色的麻将中选出一副祖母绿色的，问她道：
“How much is it?”
“多少钱一副？”
“200 yuan.” The female vendor with melon seeds in hand glanced at me out of the corners of her eyes and answered in a casual tongue.
“两百元。”嗑着瓜子的女摊主用她的眼角瞥了我一眼，漫不经心地答道。
“Could it be a little cheaper?” I asked tentatively, meant to buy it as long as she mark down 50 yuan.
“便宜一点行吗？”我试探性的问道，心想只要能压低她五十块我就掏钱。
“It's already the cheapest price, it doesn't make money.”
“已经是最便宜的了，我们不赚钱的。”
Without a few more words, I could feel some impatience in her tongue, as if she was telling me “the choice is yours, I don't give a shit.” Although I was a bit moved by the quality of her product, my enthusiasm dampened by her attitude, which convinced me she was ripping me off, I put down the mah-jong, banished the buying thought and prepared to leave. Suddenly a bruiser sprung out of the nearby alley, appeared in front of me with one hand on my shoulder and said: “Hey, bro, get yourself one.” Following the voice I raised my head, found a hard-featured muscle man of about 30 years old was just before me, in spite of the fact that he put on a pleasant countenance, I could feel a bit of intimidation in his voice.
还没说几句，我就能从她的声调中感觉到不耐烦，好像在对我说“你爱买不买。”虽然我有点心动于她商品的成色，但是我的热情被她恶劣的态度给浇灭了，这让我有一种被宰的感觉，我放下麻将，打消了买的念头并准备离开。突然一个彪形大汉从附近的小巷子里蹿出来，走到我面前一只手搭在我的肩膀上并对我说：“嗨，兄弟，买一副吧。”循着声音我抬起头，看见一个面相凶恶、三十多岁的肌肉男站在我面前，虽然装出一副笑嘻嘻的表情，但是我能感觉到他语调中带着威胁的口吻。
“I don't have the money.” I replied mechanically.
“我没有钱。”我机械地回答道。
“You do have the money.” He pursued.
“你有钱。”他追着我说。
“I don’t have the faintest idea of what you mean.” I uttered with a puzzled expression.
“我不知道你是什么意思。”我困惑不解地说道。
“You do have the fucking money.” He repeated in a louder and slower voice, and stressed every word.
“你他妈的肯定有钱。”他提高了嗓门，放慢了语调，在每个字前面都加上了重音。
For an instant I saw what he wants, he wanted to coerce me into paying for the expensive mah-jong, or he would not let me go easily!
我立刻就明白了他是什么意思，他想胁迫我掏钱买他昂贵的麻将，否则他不会轻易放我走！
Suddenly the air seemed to be frozen, the atmosphere crackled with tension, as if the slightest spark could erupt into a bloodshed. I looked into his eyes, telling him tacitly that I am not that kind of coward, and would not be brought to his knees easily; he put away his pleasant face and glared at me, as if talking to me: if you don’t buy the mah-jong today, I will beat the living daylights out of you! To be honest, I was a little frightened then, although I am no less robust than him, I was not his match if he would have produced a knife and stabbed me in the stomach, or called out a gang of his men to help him. Yet I concealed my fear so perfectly that my sharp eyes scrutinized his face severely and my expression told him that I would risk my life in resistance as long as he dare attack me first.
空气在那一瞬间凝固了，气氛变得骤然紧张起来，仿佛只要一丁点的火花就能引发一场流血事件。我盯着他的眼睛，不言而喻地告诉他我不是懦夫，我不会那么容易就滴软；他收起笑脸怒视着我，似乎在对我说：如果你今天不买麻将，我就打得你满地找牙！说实话，我当时的确有点害怕，虽然在身体的健壮方面我不输给他一丝一毫，但是如果他掏出刀来在我肚子上捅两下，或者召集一帮小流氓做他的帮手，那我的确不是他的对手。但是我完美地隐藏了自己的恐惧，我用眼睛严厉地审视着他的脸，用表情在告诉他只要他敢先动手，即便是把命豁出去我也会奋起反抗。
We had looked at each other for some five minutes without any physical confrontation, when the female vendor began to reconcile us: “Enough, let him go!” I guess instead of bearing an intention to get the situation worse, what she wants was to sell her mah-jong, if she had come across a coward, she could have easily achieved her aim, otherwise she could only “let it go” and “forget it”. The bruiser seemed to act at her beck and call, as long as the order had been issued, he stopped bothering me immediately. I left the stall without sabotage of that man, and went back to my guest house with quick steps, in fear of his revenge. Although I am not afraid of collision, I don't want any displeasure happens to me, anyway I am an engineer in a distinguished factory, any collision with the lowest people will degrade me. I had long heard the chaotic situation of Guangzhou—the market is chaos, the locals are of low quality, the police are corrupt and the mafia is rampant, yet it was the first time for me to experience it personally, it is thoroughly a world of difference compares with where I live and work. Furthermore, I learnt a lesson from this encounter: however favorite it is to me, don't touch a stranger’s product readily, especially in an unfamiliar city and a strange place.
我们就这样没有任何肢体冲突的彼此对视着大概五分钟左右，那个和事佬的女摊贩开口了：“算了算了，放他走吧！”我猜测她并不想把事情闹大，她仅仅是想卖出她的麻将，当她遇到一个胆小鬼的时候，她能够轻易达到自己的目的，否则她只能“算了”和“放人走”。那个壮汉似乎对她言听计从，她一下达命令壮汉立马就放开了我。我就这样平安无事地离开了那个小摊，在害怕遭报复的情绪中快步走进我的招待所。虽然我不害怕冲突，但我不希望在我身上发生任何不愉快，不管怎么说我也是一个大工厂里面的工程师，跟社会底层人的冲突会让我显得掉价。我早就听说广州很乱——市场混乱、当地人素质很低、警察很腐败、黑社会很猖獗，但是这次我才亲身体会到什么叫乱，它的确与我所工作和生活的地方有着天壤之别。除此以外，这次经历给了我一个教训：不管遇到自己多么喜欢的东西，只要是陌生人的东西就别轻易去碰，尤其是在一个不熟悉的城市和陌生的地方。
The negotiation lasted three days, during which I introduced my factory, put forward my ideas and persuaded local technicians and entrepreneurs that it would be a win-win cooperation between us, my professionalism and eloquence moved them, they not only treated me enthusiastically, but replied that they would deliberate my proposal. I used the extra two days to travel around the city and purchase local products for my family members, but this time, having learnt a lesson from the previous mah-jong experience, I dared only buy things from formal stores and dared not take a step closer to any stall or barrow. On the day I left, I gave a call to my superior telling him that nothing happened unexpectedly, people here are interested in your proposal, hitherto everything had got on a better track, and a call to my wife asking if everything is OK at home, then packed up my things and embarked on the train back to Nanjing.
商谈持续了两天，在这其间我向对方介绍了我们的工厂，提出了我的想法，说服当地的技术人员和企业家这将是我们之间一次双赢的合作，我的专业精神和雄辩的口才打动了他们，他们不仅热情的款待我，还告知他们会慎重考虑我的提案。我用额外的两天把全城游历了一番，买了好多给家里人的土特产，但是自从那次麻将的经历后我就吸取了教训，我只敢在正规商店里买东西，对于那些小摊和手推车一步都不敢靠近。在我临走的那天，我打电话报告上司事情没出任何意外，这里的人对你的提案很感兴趣，迄今为止所有事情都在向好的方向发展，我又给老婆打了个电话问她家里是否一切都好，之后我就收拾行装踏上了返回南京的火车。
That is my experience in Guangzhou.
这就是我在广州的经历。
(Inspired by an ecdemic experience of my father)
（灵感来源于我爸爸一次在外地的经历）