今年三月，我丢了工作。
Jīnnián sān yuè, wǒ diū le gōngzuò.
This March I lost my job.
白天我到处投简历，晚上躺在床上却怎么也睡不着。
Báitiān wǒ dào chù tóu jiǎnlì, wǎnshang tǎng zài chuáng shàng què zěnme yě shuì bù zháo.
By day I sent out my resume everywhere; at night I lay in bed unable to sleep.
失眠到第三个小时，脑子反而越来越清楚。
Shīmián dào dì sān gè xiǎoshí, nǎozi fǎn’ér yuè lái yuè qīngchu.
After three hours of sleeplessness my mind got clearer and clearer instead.
我干脆起床穿上衣服，出门走走。
Wǒ gāncuì qǐchuáng chuān shàngyī fú, chūmén zǒu zǒu.
I simply got up, dressed, and went out for a walk.
凌晨两点的街上几乎没有人。
Língchén liǎng diǎn de jiē shàng jīhū méiyǒu rén.
At two in the morning the street was almost empty.
红绿灯变来变去，却没有一辆车停下来。
Hóng-lǜdēng biàn lái biàn qù, què méiyǒu yí liàng chē tíng xiàlái.
The traffic lights changed back and forth, but not a single car stopped for them.
走到街角，我看见一个让我站住了的东西。
Zǒu dào jiē jiǎo, wǒ kànjiàn yí gè ràng wǒ zhàn zhù le de dōngxi.
At the corner I saw something that made me stop.
那家白天不起眼的面包店，里面亮着暖黄色的灯。
Nà jiā báitiān bù qǐ yǎn de miànbāo diàn, lǐmiàn liàng zhe nuǎn huángsè de dēng.
The little bakery, so plain by day, had a warm yellow lamp glowing inside.
一个穿白衣服的师傅正在玻璃后面忙来忙去。
Yí gè chuān bái yīfu de shīfu zhèngzài bōli hòumiàn máng lái máng qù.
A man in white was busy working behind the glass.
我站在外面看，他抬头发现了我。
Wǒ zhàn zài wàimiàn kàn, tā táitóu fāxiàn le wǒ.
I stood watching from outside, and he looked up and noticed me.
他开了门，问我要不要进来暖和一下。
Tā kāi le mén, wèn wǒ yàobù yào jìnlái nuǎnhuo yíxià.
He opened the door and asked if I wanted to come in and get warm.
店里比外面暖和多了，空气里全是面包的香味。
Diàn lǐ bǐ wàimiàn nuǎnhuo duō le, kōngqì lǐ quán shì miànbāo de xiāng wèi.
The shop was much warmer than outside, and the air was full of the smell of bread.
师傅姓高，在这条街上做了二十年面包。
Shīfu xìng gāo, zài zhè tiáo jiē shàng zuò le èr shí nián miànbāo.
The baker's name was Gao, and he had made bread on this street for twenty years.
他说自己每天凌晨两点半到店里，六点半开门。
Tā shuō zìjǐ měi tiān língchén liǎng diǎn bàn dào diàn lǐ, liù diǎn bàn kāi mén.
He said he arrived at half past two every morning and opened the door at six thirty.
我问：您不困吗？
Wǒ wèn: nín bú kùn ma?
I asked: aren't you sleepy?
他说困，但是面包不知道啊，它自己会长大。
Tā shuō kùn, dànshì miànbāo bù zhīdào a, tā zìjǐ huì zhǎng dà.
He said yes, but the bread does not know that; it rises on its own.
他说得很轻，我却记住了。
Tā shuō de hěn qīng, wǒ què jì zhù le.
He said it softly, but I remembered it.
那天他给我一个刚做好的小面包，没有收钱。
Nà tiān tā gěi wǒ yí gè gāng zuò hǎo de xiǎo miànbāo, méiyǒu shōu qián.
That day he gave me a small loaf fresh from the oven and would not take any money.
面包还是热的，我捧在手里，一路捧回了家。
Miànbāo háishi rè de, wǒ pěng zài shǒu lǐ, yílù pěng huí le jiā.
The bread was still warm, and I carried it in my hands all the way home.
第二天凌晨，我又睡不着，又走到了街角。
Dì èr tiān língchén, wǒ yòu shuì bù zháo, yòu zǒu dào le jiē jiǎo.
The next night I could not sleep again, and again walked to the corner.
灯还是亮的，高师傅还是那句：进来暖和一下。
Dēng háishi liàng de, gāo shīfu háishi nà jù: jìnlái nuǎnhuo yíxià.
The lamp was still on, and Mr. Gao still said: come in and get warm.
后来这成了我的习惯。
Hòulái zhè chéng le wǒ de xíguàn.
Later this became my habit.
我帮他搬面粉，他教我看面包在什么时候最好吃。
Wǒ bāng tā bān miànfěn, tā jiāo wǒ kàn miànbāo zài shénme shíhou zuìhǎo chī.
I helped him move sacks of flour, and he taught me when bread tastes best.
他说刚做好的面包要放一放，凉一点才好吃。
Tā shuō gāng zuò hǎo de miànbāo yào fàng yí fàng, liáng yì diǎn cái hǎochī.
He said fresh bread should rest a while and taste better once it cools.
人也是一样，太烫的时候做不了决定。
Rén yě shì yíyàng, tài tàng de shíhou zuò bù le juédìng.
People are the same: you cannot make decisions while you are still burning hot.
五月的一个早上，一家公司给我打来了电话。
Wǔ yuè de yí gè zǎoshang, yì jiā gōngsī gěi wǒ dǎ lái le diànhuà.
One morning in May, a company called me.
面试那天早上，我特意绕到面包店，买了一个小面包。
Miànshì nà tiān zǎoshang, wǒ tèyì rào dào miànbāo diàn, mǎi le yí gè xiǎo miànbāo.
On the morning of the interview I made a point of stopping by and buying a small loaf.
高师傅什么也没有问，只说：慢慢说，别着急。
Gāo shīfu shénme yě méiyǒu wèn, zhī shuō: màn màn shuō, bié zháojí.
Mr. Gao asked nothing and only said: speak slowly, no rush.
那份工作我拿到了，六月底开始上班。
Nà fèn gōngzuò wǒ ná dào le, liù yuè dǐ kāishǐ shàngbān.
I got that job and started work at the end of June.
现在我睡得很好，凌晨再也不出门了。
Xiànzài wǒ shuì de hěn hǎo, língchén zài yě bù chūmén le.
Now I sleep well and no longer go out in the small hours.
只是每天早上坐车经过街角，我都要看一眼店里的灯。
Zhǐshì měi tiān zǎoshang zuò chē jīngguò jiē jiǎo, wǒ dōu yào kàn yì yǎn diàn lǐ de dēng.
But every morning when the bus passes the corner, I look at the shop's lamp.
灯亮着，我就知道，这个城市的一天已经有人准备好了。
Dēng liàng zhe, wǒ jiù zhīdào, zhège chéngshì de yì tiān yǐjīng yǒu rén zhǔnbèi hǎo le.
When the lamp is on, I know someone has already prepared the city's day.
HearMandarin