The story is compiled, one of many stories that I have been able to enjoy, learning from people.

　　这个故事是创作的，是我很喜欢的故事之一

　　This one is called 'The Foreign Office worker and two baskets of pineapples'.

　　叫做《外交部公务员和两篮菠萝》

　　I was unusually early

　　这天，我起得不同寻常地早

　　Beijing traffic can never be so unpredictable as when there are foreign dignitaries visiting

　　除非有外国政要来访，北京的交通向来不可预测

　　Unusually it was free moving that day

　　不寻常的是，这天竟然一路畅通。

　　The roads were not closed as often as they might have been

　　道路并没有像往常一样被管控。

　　we had a speedy, uninterrupted passage to the location

　　我们有一条快速无障碍的直达通道。

　　I had time on my hands so I wandered around the gardens

　　时间尚且充裕，于是我在花园里漫步着

　　so carefully laid out among the high-rise blocks of the now fashionable Jinsong area of east Beijing

　　花园布局在北京东部时尚的劲松地区的高层建筑中。

　　Within easy reach of one of Beijing's largest and most fashionable public spaces

　　北京最大最时尚的地段几乎近在咫尺

　　These and each tower house a mixture of government officials and middle class families

　　每幢高楼都居住着政府官员和中产阶级家庭吧

　　away from the unceasing roar of the Capital's traffic

　　远离嘈杂的首都交通。

　　Li Zhu comes down from his apartment to greet me

　　李竺从他的公寓下来迎接我

　　"Oh welcome, welcome. No smog today!"

　　“哦欢迎，欢迎。今天没有雾霾！”

　　If you ever thought that talking about the weather was a specifically British phenomena, think again!

　　如果你认为谈论天气是英国独特的现象，请再想想

　　It is nearly as ubiquitous as a small talk subject in Beijing as in Bradford, Bedford or Beckensfield in the UK.

　　在北京它几乎是无处不在的一个谈话小主题，就像在英国的布拉德福德、贝德福德或贝肯斯菲尔德一样

　　Some say the bad weather kills thousands every year around the Capital from respiratory diseases.

　　有些人说，每年首都数千人因恶劣的天气罹患呼吸道疾病而死亡

　　You can taste it on a bad day

　　你可以在某个糟糕的日子体验一下

　　It otherwise stops Beijing from being one of the World's most liveable cities

　　另外这会阻止北京成为世界上最宜居的城市之一

　　we bemoan the constant problems of bad air and my recent difficulties in acquiring air filters—as we ascend the unusually well lit lift to Li Zhu's well appointed apartment

　　当我们乘坐灯光通明的电梯到达李竺设备齐全的公寓时，我们哀叹着空气问题和我最近在买空气过滤器方面遇到的困难

　　He lives with his wife and 17 month old son and ayi, in a spacious, well for Beijing, upper floor apartment.

　　他和他的妻子、17个月大的儿子以及阿姨住在一个宽敞的高层公寓里

　　The 'ayi' translated as 'aunt' or 'mother-sister' is a nurse maid and has a very particular place in Chinese middle class families.

　　“阿姨”意思是“母亲的姐妹”，是一名保姆，在中国中产家庭中占有特别的位置

　　Indeed, no self-respecting working family would be without one.

　　事实上，所有体面的家庭都有保姆

　　Often from poorer part of the city or surrounding regions, many ayis 'live-in' as a permanent 'home help'

　　通常来自城市或周边地区，许多阿姨住在雇主家里，作为固定的生活助手

　　Something as a cross between a nanny, a cook, cleaner or general help.

　　身兼多种角色，是带孩子的保姆，也是厨师、清洁工或日常助理。

　　The ayi is an indispensable part of many young families' lives

　　保姆是许多年轻家庭生活中不可或缺的一部分

　　releasing the parents as they do to work or spend time on other activities

　　可以解放父母们腾出时间做工作或其他活动

　　such as the care of elderly parents

　　例如照顾年迈的父母

　　Track Two

　　We sit quietly as the son is asleep in the next room with the ayi

　　孩子与阿姨在隔壁房间睡着了，我们静静地坐着。

　　Li Zhu's wife prepares tea and sits down quietly

　　李竺的妻子准备好茶水，安静地坐下

　　Tea is served and we pass pleasantries and gifts

　　喝过茶，我们说着客套话并送上礼物。

　　We do not take our coats off—the heating is not turned on in Beijing each year until the 15th November.

　　我们没有脱下外套——北京每年11月15日才通暖气。

　　The early November freeze across northern China has everyone quietly cold and grumbly

　　在中国北方11月初寒乍到，每个人都感觉寒冷阴郁。

　　Li Zhu is happy to talk.

　　李竺侃侃而谈

　　I was born in Anhui Province—and went to school there too.

　　我出生在安徽省——在那里上学

　　Later I went to study science and technology as my degree at Wuhan University

　　后来我去武汉大学学习科学技术

　　I graduated in 1998.

　　我1998年毕业

　　At the end of it I sat the government entrance exams and passed

　　毕业时，我参加公务员考试并通过

　　I spent the next thirteen years in the government foreign affairs office

　　我在外交部工作了十三年

　　Working mainly in the neighbouring countries to China in Southeast Asia

　　主要在东南亚邻国工作

　　I never dreamed I would end up in the Foreign Office

　　我从来没有想过我能有朝一日在这里工作

　　At that time it used to collect students from all over China, and from many different degree courses

　　那时外交部经常录用来自中国各地不同专业的学生。

　　I was the only one from the science and technology discipline

　　我是科学技术专业中唯一的一个

　　They even sent me to Hong Kong for two years at one point.

　　他们甚至把我派到香港两年。

　　It was amazing.

　　这是很光荣的事情

　　My parents were teachers in the local middle school.

　　我的父母是当地中学的老师

　　My two brothers are a teacher and a worker in the 'courts of justice'

　　我的两个兄弟一个是老师，另一个在法院工作

　　I was taught well and I studied hard—I was top of the class in middle school

　　我努力学习——中学时是班级尖子生

　　My parents were so proud of me—I was good at studying and was rewarded as one of the best in my subjects in the country

　　我的父母为我感到自豪——我擅长学习，并作为本专业最优秀的学生获得了认可和奖励

　　I became one of the youngest department leaders and division chiefs in the Foreign Ministry

　　我成为外交部最年轻的部门领导和部门主管之一

　　Li Zhu became one of the few global travellers in the Government of the day.

　　李竺成为当时少数在国外工作的员工之一

　　Amongst other places he spent time in were the US, Germany and most of the local Southeast Asian neighbours.

　　他还到过其他地方，如美国、德国和大多数东南亚邻国

　　However, as he recounted, the diplomatic life had its sacrifices.

　　然而，正如他所说的，外交生活有牺牲

　　I found it impossible to be with my parents as much as I wanted, or to start a family.

　　我发现不可能经常和我的父母团聚或成家

　　There is a choice—to serve the country or have a family

　　我必须做出选择——为国家服务或成家

　　To truly serve the country you have to give up family

　　要真正服务于国家，你必须放弃家庭

　　As China develops in the role as it is, it is the role of the diplomats to work hard

　　随着中国发展起来，外交官的角色就是努力工作

　　and tirelessly to keep pace with the speed of change.

　　并不知疲倦地跟上变化的速度。

　　Li Zhu found the time in the Foreign Office exciting as well as exacting.

　　李竺发现外交部工作很令人兴奋，同时也事无巨细

　　After thirteen years he wanted to have another challenge

　　十三年后，他想接受另一个挑战

　　He also wanted to have a wider understanding of business

　　他想对商务有更广泛的了解

　　so he left the department to move into a state-owned consultancy working for the foreign affairs function on large projects and was there for three years

　　所以他离开了部门进入一家国有顾问公司，为大型项目做外事工作，并在那里了工作了三年。