Chapter 2: Borrowing Rice借米（1 / 1）

How I despised self for sayin ", I don''''t want to eat! " instead of "I want to eat! "This was the first ti I reretted obedience and sensibility, as that scene would rein etched in heart forever, hauntin until last breath.

我多恨自己当时为什么要说"不想吃"而不是"想"呀！这是第一次我为自己的听话懂事而后悔，因为这一幕永永远远地记在了我的心里，哪怕一天也无法忘记，直到我自己死的那一刻也不能够忘记。

In ry, ther was always a hardworkin, frual, and honest won who spoke rarely.

母亲在我的印象当中一直是一个勤劳俭朴，寡言老实的人。

As the eldest dauhter in the faly, I used to assist ther with household tasks when she was alive.

After she passed away, I took over as our faly''''s in provider, supportin two youner sisters and one brother.

我是家里的长女，母亲在时我是帮着母亲干活，母亲一去世我就成了家里的主力。家里还有两个妹妹，一个弟弟要养活了。

The label "eldest dauhter as a ther" was attached to , a heavy burden to bear.

长女为母这句话是我身上的标签，沉重的标签。

I felt like a frost-bitten plant, weihed down further by this responsibility, back bendin under pressure.

我自己早已经是一棵经霜的草，这个标签更是沉重地压弯了我的腰。

Havin lost ther at a youn ae and rowin up in poverty, I bean carin for siblins when I was ten. I raised the did laundry, cooked als, and naed household chores like a tron as if they were own children.

自幼丧母，家境贫寒，我从十岁开始就要照顾弟妹，拉扯弟妹，洗衣做饭，操持家务，宛如家里的一个女主人，宛如是一个有儿有女的妇人。

However, our faly was destitute, and as the New Year approached, we didn''''t even have rice to cook.

可是我们这个家穷呀，真的很穷，眼看就要过年了，家里没有米下锅呀。

With no other options, father set out to borrow rice froa relative who lived six or seven les away.

这个时候，父亲没有办法，只得去亲戚家借米，而那个亲戚隔了六七里路远。

Unfortunately, when he arrived and explained his situation, the relative denied his request.

可是当我的父亲来到亲戚家门口表明来意时，亲戚拒绝了父亲的借米要求。

Ioverished falies often lack close relatives, and father had no choice but to return ho disheartened. In this world, assistance in tis of need is scarce, and those better off than us avoided associatin with our faly, fearin they''''d be draed down.

穷人家中无亲戚，父亲只得垂头丧气往回赶。这个世界上在很多时候从来没有真正的雪中送碳，只有锦上添花。因为我们家实在太穷，家境好点的亲戚没有哪个亲戚愿意和我们家来往，怕受牵连，怕被拖后腿。

My father passed an apple orchard that appeared unattended on the way ho.

在回家的路上，父亲经过一片很大的苹果园，四周一个人都没有。

At that nt, he saw a lier of hope, thinkin that brinin a few apples ho for his children would be better than nothin, as we had nothin at ho to eat. Eatin so apples could at least prevent us frobein too hunry durin the New Year.

父亲眼中看到了希望，他想着能摘几个苹果回去给孩子吃也好呀，不然家里什么都没有，吃点苹果至少可以保证过年的时候不至于那么地饿。

With this thouht, honest father stealthily picked apples frothe trees at the orchard''''s ede, hopin for the best.

于是老实巴交的父亲抱着侥幸心里偷偷的去把园外树上的苹果摘了下来。

The ancients once said, "A sinle ripe apricot escapes over the wall," but now ltiple apples are doin so.

古人云是一颗红杏出墙来，而现在是多个苹果出墙来。

But as he reached for the third apple, soone suddenly appeared, catchin hired-handed.

可是正当我父亲要摘第三个苹果时，果园里突然来人了，把我父亲抓了个现场。