《十一層空鎖公寓、野鴨頭老手機與水簾洞裏的同學會》

【作者注】

現實生活中我根本不存在多餘的公寓。這又是一個有趣的「富夢」，潛意識在夢裡憑空為我添置了一套十一層的房產。而夢裡那個光著腳丫子、進不去的中專班同學會，則對應著我內心深處某種既渴望重逢又自帶靦腆、不願打擾的真實底色。

【夢境正文】

2023年8月7日:  

去了一趟另外的一套公寓，那套公寓在一棟大樓的第十一層上。裡面一共有三間屋子，平時我們並不常去，一直空鎖著。

天矇矇亮的時候，我迷迷糊糊地醒來。發覺西北角上的大玻璃窗外，似乎有個小西正在朝著我這邊看。仔細一看，原來是一隻綠頭野鴨子。大大的眼睛挺可愛，正一眨不眨地盯著我看，萌萌的。不知牠只是出於好奇看我，還是想跟我傳遞些什麼信息。

我輕輕地走過去。誰知「呼啦」一聲，陽台上的幾隻鳥一下子都飛走了。

我一回頭，看到靠牆的一張小長桌上，不知何時多出了一個老式的手機。那手機的顏色跟剛才那個野鴨頭的墨綠色一模一樣。此時，手機上的一個指示燈正一閃一閃地發著紅光。我納悶，從哪兒蹦出來的手機？我心生警惕，也不敢去接聽，只想著趕快回家去告訴家人。

我迅速轉身離開，下了樓。但是走的時候，那個手機的紅燈還在閃個不停，有些放心不下。

來到了樓下的大廳裡，正好碰到了大樓裡的門衛。我便走過去跟他說了那個奇怪的手機以及我的擔心。我問他，那紅燈一閃一閃的，到底是要我去接聽呢，還是在向我提示著什麼？如果說是有電話打進來，那為什麼又聽不到半點鈴聲呢？我希望門衛能上樓去幫忙查一下，但他似乎不太願意。

我跟著他走進了電梯，一起上了樓。可奇怪的是，到了中途門衛卻突然不見了。電梯最後停在了十樓，我也只好跟著其他乘客一起跨出了電梯。

此時的樓道裡到處都是積水，天花板上就像水簾洞似的，正不住地往下淌著水。

一陣喧嘩聲突然從旁邊的一間屋子裡傳了出來。我走過去一看，原來是有人在裡面聚會，而且聚會的居然全都是我中專班的同學。有同學進進出出，但詭異的是，他們彷彿都看不見我。我似乎還看到了我當年的同桌小T的身影。

我正猶豫著是否也進去參加，結果一低頭，看見自己還光著腳丫子呢，那就算了。

**********************************

The 11th-Floor Locked Apartment, the Mallard-Green Phone, and a Class Reunion in a Flooded Hallway

[Author's Note]

In reality, no such extra apartment exists. This was yet another amusing "rich dream" where my subconscious conjured up an entire piece of real estate on the eleventh floor out of thin air. Meanwhile, finding myself barefoot and unable to join that technical school class reunion reflects a deep, underlying part of my nature—a lingering bashfulness that longs for connection yet hesitates to impose or disturb others.

August 7, 2023:

I paid a visit to another apartment we owned, located on the eleventh floor of a high-rise building. It contained three rooms that we rarely visited, remaining locked and vacant.

As the sky was just beginning to brighten, I drifted into a state of semi-wakefulness. I noticed a small creature outside the large glass window in the northwest corner, peering in at me. Looking closely, it was a mallard duck. It had large, endearing eyes and stared at me unblinkingly with an utterly adorable expression. For a moment, I wondered if it was observing me out of pure curiosity or trying to convey some hidden message.

I softened my steps and crept toward the window. Suddenly, with a loud rustle, several birds perched on the balcony were startled and flew away simultaneously.

Turning around, I noticed an old-fashioned mobile phone sitting upon a small console table against the wall, though I had no idea when it had appeared. The phone was the exact same shade of dark green as the mallard's head. A indicator light on the device was flashing a steady, rhythmic red. I wondered where on earth this phone had come from. Feeling wary, I did not dare answer it, thinking only of returning home quickly to inform my family.

I left in haste and headed downstairs. Yet, as I departed, that red light continued to flash behind me, leaving me with a lingering sense of unease.

Upon reaching the ground-floor lobby, I ran into the building's doorman. I approached him and recounted the strange phone and my anxieties. I asked whether the flashing light meant I was supposed to answer a call or if it was alerting me to something else. If a call was coming through, why was there no audible ringtone? I requested that he go upstairs to investigate, but he seemed entirely reluctant.

I followed him into the elevator anyway, and we headed back up. Strangely, midway through the ascent, the doorman vanished completely. The elevator ultimately ground to a halt on the tenth floor, and I followed the other passengers out of the cabin.

The hallway here was heavily flooded with standing water, and streams were cascading down from the ceiling like the Water Curtain Cave from legend.

A burst of loud clamor suddenly erupted from a room nearby. I walked over and discovered that a party was underway inside, and the people gathered there were none other than my old classmates from my technical school branch. Several classmates drifted in and out of the doorway, yet strangely, none of them seemed to notice me. Amid the crowd, I caught sight of the silhouette of Yifan, my former desk partner.

I hesitated, wondering if I should join the gathering. But looking down, I discovered I was entirely barefoot. I reasoned that it was best to forget it, and abandoned the idea.

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第四百二十四篇

《迪斯尼渡口的冰封山梁、復活的黝黑鯉魚與錯過的班船》

2023年5月：

乘渡船過了一條不寬的河，說是去迪斯尼。隨著人流往前走，途中有幾家涼亭棚子搭成的小吃鋪，裡面有人在講故事。

右方有一個比較陡峭的高坡，大約有一兩層樓高。我也走過去跟著爬。腳下並沒有路，泥地已經開始結凍，泥土呈現的不是黑色而是白雪，但並不蓬鬆。我高一腳低一腳地爬上斜坡，發現上面原來是一道窄窄的山梁，放眼望去是一片銀乾坤、玉世界。

這時，有幾條似乎是剛剛被凍住了的魚從下面蹦了上來，其中一條魚還艱難地動了動嘴巴。我伸手把那條魚抓了過來，放進口袋裡，接著又順手抓了一個凍疙瘩放進另一個口袋。

我立馬轉身下來朝著渡口走去。沒過多久，口袋裡的那兩個小傢伙在體溫下漸漸暖了過來。我掏出來一看，原來一隻是烏龜，身子比一般的烏龜要稍長一點兒；另一條是鯉魚。牠們此時的鱗甲都變得黝黑滑亮。

我開始到處找水，心裡害怕牠們會渴死。在一家小食店的後廚裡，我找到幾個杯子，裡面剩有小半杯水。我把牠們放進去喝水。

隨後我匆匆趕到碼頭，此時一班渡船剛好啟航離開。我在碼頭等了下一班船，這才過了河。

**********************************

The Frozen Ridge at the Disney Ferry, the Revived Black Carp, and the Missed Boat

I took a ferry across a narrow river, bound for Disney. Moving forward with the crowd, I passed several snack stalls set up under pavilion sheds, where people were telling stories inside.

To the right rose a fairly steep slope, about one or two stories high. I walked over and began to climb it. There was no path underfoot; the muddy ground had begun to freeze, and the soil appeared not black but filled with white snow, though it was not powdery. Trudging unevenly up the slope, I discovered that the top was a narrow mountain ridge—a vast, panoramic world of silver and jade.

Just then, several fish that seemed to have just been frozen leaped up onto the ridge; one of them was still feebly moving its mouth. I reached out, caught the fish, and slipped it into my pocket, then casually grabbed a frozen clod of earth and put it in my other pocket.

I turned around immediately, heading back down toward the ferry. Before long, the two little creatures in my pockets began to warm up against my body. When I pulled them out, I discovered that one was a turtle, its shell slightly longer than usual, and the other was a carp. Their scales and armor were now a glossy, polished pitch-black.

I began searching everywhere for water, terrified that they would perish of thirst. In the back kitchen of a small eatery, I found a few cups containing a fraction of a cup of water. I placed them inside to drink.

Afterward, I hurried to the pier, but a ferry had just unmoored and departed. I waited for the next scheduled boat before finally crossing the river.

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第四百二十一篇

《扣牌局中的「OH」王牌與意猶未盡的清醒》

2023年4月24日：

跟兩個男人一起打牌。牌是扣著放的，自己能看到，到時候大家一起翻牌。

這一圈兒我手裡拿到了一幅好牌，有五六張A，還有Q、J、小怪、10等。其中有一張特殊的牌，上面赫然寫著「OH」。我便問兩個牌友，這是什麼牌？他們回答說，這是介於大怪和小怪之間的大牌。

我聽後把那張牌拍在桌上，說：「出牌吧。」

他倆看了一眼，都不出了，搖搖頭說：「你這已經是明牌了。」說完，我就醒了過來。

【作者注】

現實中我根本不會玩牌，在夢裡也全然不知道玩的是什麼牌。但是手裡抓到那麼多好牌，確實挺令人高興的。醒來後心裡似乎有點兒後悔，沒能在那個美夢裡多呆一會兒。

小時候我跟哥哥們和鄰居小夥伴兒們打過「爭上游」、「24點」、「拱豬」還有「打升級」。那時「35分」是三個人打，「40分」或「80分」是四個人打的，有一副牌和多副牌一起打的打法。當時我特佩服我五哥，什麼牌已經出過了，誰手裡還有啥牌，他都能全部記住或算出來。

**********************************

The "OH" Trump Card in a Hidden Game and an Unfinished Awakening

I was playing cards with two men. The cards were dealt face down, visible only to oneself, to be revealed simultaneously at the end.

In this particular round, I drew an exceptionally strong hand containing five or six Aces, a Queen, a Jack, a Low Joker, a 10, and others. Among them was a peculiar card marked with the letters "OH." I questioned my two opponents, asking what kind of card it was. They replied that it was a powerful card, ranking between the High Joker and the Low Joker.

I laid the card flat upon the table and said, "Your turn to play."

Both of them refused to play, stating, "Your hand is already an open game." With that, I woke up.

[Author's Note]

In reality, I do not know how to play cards, nor did I comprehend what game was being played in the dream. However, holding such a formidable hand was genuinely exhilarating. Upon awakening, I felt a lingering regret that I had not remained within that dream a while longer.

During my childhood, I used to play card games like "Zheng Shang You," "24 Points," "Gong Zhu," and "Sheng Ji" with my older brothers and neighborhood playmates. "35 Points" was played by three people, while "40 Points" or "80 Points" required four players, sometimes using a single deck and other times combining multiple decks. Back then, I deeply admired my fifth older brother; he could memorize or calculate exactly which cards had already been played and what remained in everyone's hands.

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第四百十九篇

《垂直的高牆、乒乓拍夫婦與黑白幾何的扣子世界》

【作者注】

窮困是我夢裡的一個常見主題，經常是到了該用錢的時候，我翻遍口袋卻連一個鋼鏰都沒有。

【夢境正文】

2022年10月6日：

母親病了，我去探望她。按理我應該帶上午飯的，但是我什麼都沒有，既沒有東西做飯，也沒有錢去買。在去探望她的路上，我深感窮困潦倒，無路可走。

不知怎的，我來到了桂蓉的住處，那是一棟不高的樓房的二層。她此時並不在家，我只好轉身往回走。然而來時的路卻全都不見了，原本上來的樓梯突然變成了垂直的牆了，根本沒法子下去。

我轉到了後陽台，那裡沒有安裝欄杆，靠牆的地方有一堆凌亂盤在地上的粗麻繩，繩子上還打著結，一頭牢牢地固定在牆上。我想著如果將麻繩理順放下去，就可以順著繩子下樓，出路總是有的，心裡便放下了心，坐在陽台上卻一時間忘了自己原本要幹什麼。

這時已是掌燈時分，街上人煙稀少。一對中年夫婦從右邊走進了我的視野。突然，那個男子倒在了路中央，卻不見那女子上前去扶他，她只是弓著腰、背對著男子在原地等待。再仔細一看，那男子此時已經躺在了一塊大乒乓球拍上。那塊球拍很大，板子是瘦長形的，上面貼著紅色的膠皮。那個女子就這麼弓著背，拖著這塊乒乓拍默默前行。

當他們走到我的左側時，那個男子又從拍子上折騰到了地上。那女子依舊只是弓著腰，在原地默默等待他重新回到乒乓拍上，然後繼續往前拉。那男子似乎完全沉浸在自己的思緒裡。這條路相當艱險，那女子似乎早已習以為常，只是在旁邊默默幫襯、等待。

這時，一陣歌聲從我身後的樓下傳來，那是桂蓉的歌聲。我連忙喊道：「桂蓉，桂蓉！」她來到了我身邊。我們已經好久不見了。我跟她提起自己要去探望母親，卻遇到了沒有食物又迷了路等困境。

我指了指路上的那對夫婦。桂蓉立馬就下樓去幫助他們，我也順著那根粗麻繩下到地面，過去幫忙。此時他們已經開始往回走，桂蓉扶著那個男子，女的跟在後面。我問：「我能做點什麼？」桂蓉回答：「把手錶拿上。」

我彎腰在地上看到了一個鈕扣大小、表面是玻璃的物體，我以為是沒有手錶帶的錶盤。接著發現旁邊還有一隻女士手錶，表面也和那個鈕扣一般大，我便一併撿了起來。天黑看不真切。

我追上那個女子，拿出那個小鈕扣和女士錶，指著那個金屬鈕扣問：「這也是手錶嗎？」只見她用手順勢一划拉，瞬間那個小小的鈕扣就變成了一個臉盆口大小的扁平容器。裡面展現出一個發光的、乾乾淨淨的世界。說是世界，其實裡面既沒有山水、也沒有樓房和人物，倒像是擺放著一些幾何形的透明物體，有球形的，差不多都有巴掌大小，整個是一個沒有其他色彩的黑白空間。這一顯現雖然只是一瞬，但給我的感覺極其精彩，令人振奮。

我又跟她提起自己要去探望母親所遇到的困境。說到桂蓉的歌聲時，她對我說，桂蓉的歌唱其實也是被他們倆激發出來的，原來他們早就認識。我知道桂蓉以前是不怎麼唱歌的，心裡很想聽聽桂蓉是怎麼喜歡上唱歌的。

這時我在地上又看到了一顆鈕扣，撿起來給她看，問：「這也是手錶嗎？」她看了一眼說不是，順手一抹那鈕扣的表面，根本毫無反應，就隨手扔了。

我們隨後來到了一家燈光幽雅的咖啡館門口。我站在門口還有些猶豫，因為我此時身無分文。那女子直接帶著我走了進去。屋子裡兩邊靠牆的地方各有三四張桌子，客人並不多。我們走到最裡面，那裡有一張暗紅色的長皮沙發。當我們走過去時，左手最後一張桌子後面的一位西方老人正好起身離開。我們便坐在了那張長沙發上，靠近那位老人剛剛離開的桌子。

突然我發覺那個女子變成了矮個子。她起身站在了我左側的沙發上，對我說：「對不起。」她即便站直了身體，也只有和我的上身一般高。我笑著說：「哈哈，坐在我的腿上吧。」

我右側沙發上的幾張報紙此時散落在了地上，那是咖啡館裡的報紙，估計是剛才那位離開的老人看過留下的。桂蓉和那個男子隨後也來了，坐在了我的右側，靠近桌子。

我正興奮地等待下文呢，忽然間他們都不在了。只留下了我一個人，孤零零的。我心裡感到好奇怪、好寂寞，正想弄個明白，立馬就醒了。

**********************************

The Vertical Escarpment, the Ping-Pong Paddle Couple, and the Monochromatic Geometry of the Button-World

[Author's Note]

Poverty is a recurring theme in my dreams. Frequently, when it is time to pay or use money, I search my pockets only to find I do not possess a single penny. 

[The Dream Entry]

My mother was ill, and I went to visit her. By all rights, I should have brought a prepared lunch, but I possessed absolutely nothing—no ingredients to cook with and no money to buy food. On the way to visit her, I felt utterly destitute and stranded, with no path forward.

Somehow, I arrived at Guirong’s residence, situated on the second floor of a low apartment building. She was not home, so I turned to make my way back. However, the path of my arrival had completely vanished; the stairs I had just climbed had suddenly transformed into a sheer, vertical wall, making descent entirely impossible.

I moved to the back balcony, which lacked any guardrails. Coiled loosely on the floor against the wall was a heap of thick hemp rope, heavily knotted, with one end anchored firmly to the structure. I reasoned that if I uncoiled and lowered the rope, I could slide down it to reach the ground—there was always a way out. With my mind at ease, I sat on the balcony, yet in that moment, I completely forgot what I was supposed to be doing.

By then, the streetlamps were being lit, and the roads were nearly deserted. A middle-aged couple walked into my field of vision from the right. Suddenly, the man collapsed onto the road. The woman made no move to assist him; she merely stood there, hunched over, her back turned to him as she waited. Looking closer, I saw that the man was now lying atop an object resembling a table-tennis paddle. The paddle was big, with a elongated blade covered in red rubber sheet. The woman, remaining hunched over, silently dragged this paddle along the perilous path.

When they reached my left side, the man tumbled off the paddle onto the ground once more. The woman, still hunched over, simply waited in silence for him to return to the paddle before continuing to haul him forward. The man seemed entirely immersed in his own thoughts. This road was exceedingly hazardous, yet the woman seemed entirely accustomed to it, quietly supporting and waiting for him.

Just then, a voice drifted up from beneath the building behind me—it was Guirong singing. I called out, "Guirong, Guirong!" She soon joined me upstairs. It had been ages since we last met. I spoke to her about my plight—how I was on my way to visit my mother but had no food and had lost my way.

I pointed toward the couple on the road. Guirong immediately went downstairs to assist them, and I slid down the hemp rope to the ground to join the effort. By then, they were already heading back; Guigrong supported the man, while the woman followed behind. "Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked. Guirong replied, "Pick up the watches."

I bent down and spotted a metallic object the size of a button, its surface made of glass, which I took to be a watch face lacking its straps. Beside it, I discovered a lady's wristwatch with a face of the same miniature size. I picked them both up, though it was difficult to see clearly in the darkness.

I caught up with the woman and produced the small button-like piece and the watch. Pointing to the metal button, I asked, "Is this a watch too?" With a simple stroke of her hand across its surface, the tiny button instantly expanded into a flat vessel the size of a washbasin. Revealed inside was a glowing, perfectly pristine world. To call it a world is inaccurate, for it contained no mountains, rivers, buildings, or figures; instead, it displayed various geometric, translucent objects, some spherical and roughly the size of a palm. It was an entirely monochromatic, black-and-white space devoid of other colors. Though this manifestation lasted only a split second, it felt extraordinarily magnificent and exhilarating to me.

I spoke to her again about my distress over visiting my mother under such hardships. When our conversation turned to Guirong's singing, she told me that Guirong's voice had actually been drawn out by the two of them—it turned out they were old acquaintances. I knew that Guirong rarely sang in the past, and I felt a strong desire to hear how she had come to love singing.

Just then, I spotted another button on the ground. I picked it up to show her, asking, "Is this a watch too?" She looked at it, said it was not, and ran her hand across its surface. When it yielded no reaction, she casually tossed it away.

We soon arrived at the entrance of a softly lit, elegant cafe. I hesitated at the threshold because I was completely penniless. The woman guided me straight inside. Along both walls were three or four tables, with few patrons present. We walked to the very back, where a deep red leather sofa stretched across the space. As we approached, an elderly Western man rose to leave from the last table on the left. We sat down on the long sofa, near the table the gentleman had just vacated.

Suddenly, I noticed that the woman had become quite short in stature. She stood up directly on the sofa to my left, saying, "I am sorry." Even standing fully upright, she only reached the height of my torso. I laughed and said, "Haha, just sit on my lap then."

A few newspapers on the sofa to my right had scattered onto the floor—they belonged to the cafe, likely left behind by the elderly man who had departed. Guirong and the husband arrived next, seating themselves to my right, near the table.

I was waiting with great excitement for what would happen next, when in an instant, they all vanished completely. I was left entirely alone on the long couch, isolated. A profound sense of strangeness and loneliness washed over me. Just as I sought to understand what had happened, I woke up immediately.

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第四百十八篇

《斷崖打坐、富人區的爭辯與水晶工藝品迷你街》

2022年10月2日:

海邊沙灘的左側有大石斷崖，石頭表面凹凸有致且十分光滑，不見有草，大約有五六層樓的高度。斷崖上邊靠近海的地方有一個半圓的小網棚，我就坐在裡面面向大海打坐。

打完了坐，來到一個公用的小平房，東西有兩個進出口。在裡面碰到了兩位五六十歲、看上去事業有成的白人。他們問我住在附近嗎，我手指了指不遠處豪宅錯落但並不擁擠的東坡，回答說：「是的，就在那邊。」他們似乎有些驚訝，其中一個人對我有善意，另外一個面露一絲傲慢與不信。因為這裡是富人區，房產都很貴。我有點爭辯地說：「我和我丈夫都是一個一文不名的窮學生，從中國來到這裡的，憑藉著自己的本事和努力才成就了這一切。」

說完我就走了出去想回家。將要到小房子的東邊出口時，正好他們倆也從那個門出來，還說著話，似乎還是不信我說的。他們沒注意到我，我就停下腳步站在房子一側，等他們走遠了，我再往回走。

在我前方一箭之遙的是一條蜿蜒平緩的山路，兩邊散落著幾棟小洋房，我家就在那裡了。這時有一個十五六歲的小男孩從那裡迎面走來，他說：「今天是撿水晶的日子。」我問：「撿水晶？」他回答：「就是下到沙灘上去撿被潮水衝上岸的水晶，是各種顏色的水晶砂石。幸運的人會撿到鑽石呢。」

場景突然變了，原本路兩旁的巨石塊兒一下就變成了兩邊有一個挨著一個小商店的迷你街道，路比較窄。小店裡面不大，門窗都開得比較低矮，裡面陳列的都是水晶工藝製品，琳琅滿目。但顧客是走不進去的，只能在門窗處跟裡面的店員交易、購買。那些製品的設計，顯得相當豪華、大氣。

那小男孩這時在前面的地攤上買了兩個三寸長的竹籌碼。他遞給我一個，說是用這個籌碼才能買東西。小男孩在右手邊一個店門口處買了一樣東西。當我看到時，店員正用紙把它包裝起來，我沒看真切，只是感覺非常漂亮，有一尺多高，腰鼓形，表面似乎有水晶雕刻的植物莖葉等，大概有兩三種顏色，晶瑩剔透。

一轉身，我左後方的石牆上也開了一扇矮矮的門。我往裡一瞅，又是一家水晶商店。我看到有幾個大碗尺寸的器皿，荷葉邊，植物形狀，非常漂亮。我說：“Sleek！”裡面的女店員問：「你說什麼？」我指著裡面的兩個器皿說：「這兩個相當的 sleek。」我的意思是說這兩個設計有現代感，流線型，漂亮。我又說：「另外一個就比較老式了，那個是我們叫車料的老工藝，中規中矩的保守式樣。」  

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Meditation on the Cliff, a Debate in the Wealthy Enclave, and the Miniature Street of Crystal Crafts

To the left of the ocean beach rose a precipitous cliff of massive stone. Its surface was contoured and smooth, entirely devoid of grass, reaching a height of about five or six stories. Near the sea, atop the cliff, stood a semi-circular mesh shelter, and I sat inside it, facing the ocean to meditate.

After meditating, I walked to a public pavilion with entrances on its east and west sides. Inside, I encountered two white men in their fifties or sixties who appeared highly accomplished. They asked if I lived nearby. I pointed toward the eastern slope where luxury homes stood scattered but uncrowded, and replied, "Yes, right over there." They seemed somewhat surprised; one showed goodwill, while the other wore an air of arrogance and disbelief, for this was an affluent neighborhood where real estate was exceedingly expensive. Somewhat argumentatively, I said, "My husband and I came here from China as penniless students. We achieved all of this entirely through our own ability and hard work."

Having said this, I stepped outside to head home. As I approached the eastern exit of the pavilion, the two men happened to walk out of the same door, still talking, seemingly still skeptical of my words. They did not notice me, so I halted and stood along the side of the building, waiting until they had walked far away before resuming my journey home.

A stone's throw ahead of me lay a winding, gentle mountain path scattered with a few small western-style houses; my home was right there. Just then, a teenage boy around fifteen or sixteen years old walked toward me and said, "Today is the day for gathering crystals." "Gathering crystals?" I asked. "Yes, going down to the beach to collect crystals washed ashore by the tide—crystal sand and stones of various colors. Lucky individuals might even find diamonds."

Suddenly, the scenery shifted. The massive boulders that originally flanked the path transformed into a narrow miniature street lined with small shops standing side by side. The shops were small inside, with low doors and windows. Inside, a dazzling array of crystal crafts was on display, but customers could not step inside; they could only transact and purchase through the doors and windows with the shop assistants. The designs of those pieces appeared remarkably luxurious and grand.

The boy then purchased two three-inch bamboo tokens from a street stall. He handed one to me, explaining that these tokens were required to buy goods. He then bought something at a shop entrance on the right. By the time I saw it, the assistant was wrapping it in paper. I did not see it clearly, but felt it was exceedingly beautiful, about a foot high, shaped like a waist-drum, its surface seemingly carved with crystal plant stems and leaves in two or three translucent colors.

Turning around, I noticed a low door cut into the stone wall to my left rear. Poking my head in, I discovered yet another crystal shop. I saw several large bowl-sized vessels with ruffled lotus-leaf edges shaped like plants, beautifully crafted. I said, "Sleek!" The female sales assistant inside asked, "What did you say?" I pointed to the two vessels and said, "These two are quite sleek." I meant that these two designs possessed a modern, streamlined look. I added, "The other one is rather old-fashioned; it is the old craftsmanship we call cut-glass—proper, conventional, and conservative in style."

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第四百十七篇

《美猴王雪橇、通天跳板與大江長橋》

2014年1月19日：神速黃牛與美猴王雪橇

夢到有人牽來一頭壯實的黃牛，周身駝黃，有斑駁的棕色點綴，皮質光滑、柔軟。牠走到我的右側，斜臥下身子讓我坐上去。當我側坐穩當後，牠便站起來邁步前行。一路上我並沒有感覺到任何顛簸或奔跑的震動，但抵達目的地時，我才驚覺原來這頭黃牛的速度竟然比世間任何交通工具都要快得多。目的地是一條清澈的河邊，河水不深，有大片的淺灘，那頭黃牛又伏下身子讓我下來。我順著牠的脊背輕輕撫摸那光滑的皮毛，手感很舒服。河邊此刻也站著幾個人，似乎正準備出發去某個遙遠的地方。

在前幾天的另一個夢裡：我搬到了一處連綿起伏的小丘陵地帶，到處白雪皚皚。街上有幾個年輕人在跑，我跟著他們來到了一處小高地。哇！遠處連綿起伏的山坡後面，竟然飄出了佈滿大半個天空、數不盡的巨大透明泡泡。那些泡泡就像被放大了無數倍的肥皂泡，輕盈飄逸，晶瑩剔透，在日光下帶着迷人的反光，真是美極了。天空呈現出純淨的淺藍色，無數巨大的泡泡之間還瀰漫著飛舞的雪花。屋頂上蓋滿了厚厚的積雪，樹木也全變成了銀白色的，一切的一切都太妙不可言了。那一刻，我彷彿置身於一個巨大的聖誕玻璃雪花球（Glass Snowball）之中。就在這時，一隊由聖誕白鹿拉著的雪橇劃過右邊的天空，由小變大飛馳而來，簡直就和童話裡聖誕老人坐的雪橇一模一樣。果然，雪橇上穩穩坐著一個穿著紅色聖誕老人衣服的人，可當我仔細一瞧，那紅帽子下面顯露出來的，竟然是一顆毛茸茸的猴子臉——那是一位美猴王！

2014年3月19日：老廠房的彎槓與衝刺的男孩

夢見一棟只有鋼筋水泥框架的老工業廠房或倉庫​​，有七、八層樓高。裡面既沒有常規的樓梯，也沒有電梯。唯一能讓人上樓的，是一個兩頭由強韌橡皮帶子吊著的、中央稍微向下彎曲的橫木槓子。這根木槓貼著大樓的鋼筋框架，正慢慢地、上下規律地浮動著，人們需要藉著它的彈力伸縮上下樓。

我趁著那根木槓下來的一剎那，縱身一跳，穩穩地躍了上去，雙腿懸空盪下，坐在了彎槓的中間。只覺得身子一沉，向下盪去，隨即又向上揚起。我趕緊貓起身子，以防被框架給夾住。

藉力我跳到了樓上。大約在第五或第六層上有幾個小隔間，它們並不在同一水平面上，其中一間在兩層樓的中間，沒門。我好奇地探頭往裡一瞧，只見裡面有人正急匆匆地抽走一條自製的木梯（那是一條一尺來寬、在長木板上釘了些小木橫條的簡陋梯子）。無法進入。看起來樓上為數不多、隱約現身的人，似乎全都是受過傷殘的男人。

來到大樓外面，眼前呈現出一片綿延的草坡，坡度左高右低，山坡頂上矗立著一棟建築物。這時，一個瘦弱的男孩（其實看起來比普通男孩要稍微年長、成熟一些）出現在視野裡。他正努力地往坡上衝，看著他吃力地往上衝，沒成功，跌退了下來。但他沒有放棄，又繼續衝，又退下來。眼見他有一次幾乎就要成功攀上那片比較平坦的高地時，那瀕臨體能極限的最後一個大跨步，卻令他整個身體搖搖欲墜，看起來無比可憐。果然，他再度踉踉蹌蹌地倒退了下來。

此時他全身已經沾滿了泥濘，可他依然衝上去、摔下來，再衝上去、又重重地摔下來。跌倒、爬起，再跌倒、再爬起，反反覆覆地、頑強地、繼續著。那一刻，我的憐憫之心，漸漸被對他那份堅韌不屈的敬佩所代替。

這時我才注意到，原來他每一次看似慘烈的失敗，都在他的身體裡聚集起了更大的勢能！這使得他的每一次重新衝刺，都比上一次衝得更高。當然，每次摔下來的時候也一次比一次慘烈，倒退的距離也一次比一次遠。

就在他最後一次踉踉蹌蹌、大步向後倒退時，他的腳後跟猛地踩到了一條隱藏在草皮下、極具彈性的泥濘木板——濕漉漉的草皮深處，竟然橫臥著一條神祕的跳板！當他剛在木板上站穩，恰逢那條跳板往上彈起之時。剎那間聚集起來的能量，使他一下子快速地衝上了草坡頂端！我快步跟過去一看，只見那片草坡在大樓後面無限延伸著，而且地勢變得又高又陡峭，直插雲霄，隱隱有通天之勢。而那位頑強不屈的男孩，這一次終於再也沒有跌落下來。在天際的盡頭，幾個不知從哪裡驟然出現的神祕人影，伸出手拉了他一把，帶他進入了光芒之中。

2014年12月20日：大樓頂層的PS特技與大江長橋

夢到在一所大學的老校區教學樓裡當管理員。那裡剛剛整理好的大廳與過道，可大門總是被學生們推開，他們大大咧咧地走進來，穿過整個樓層。我心裡想著去把大門關上，那裡有好幾扇落地大玻璃門，可往往是這裡剛剛關上，那裡卻又被學生們推開了，到最後我也索性聽之任之、放任不管了。

走出去，才發覺原來這座校園是那麼的開闊美麗，到處都是古老而莊重的歷史建築。在教學大樓的後面，竟然有一個劇組正在拍電影，滾滾的人工濃霧遮擋住了被拍攝的大樓樓頂。樓頂的那一部分竟然被凭空「取」了下來，畫面感完全就像是現代電腦軟體裡的Photoshop（PS）摳圖手法，神奇極了。

再往前走幾步，眼前豁然開朗，出現一條大江，江水浩浩蕩蕩，大江裡面有無數條肥美的鯽魚正在歡快地躍出水面（我想那應該不是鯉魚，因為鯉魚是紅色的，而夢裡的魚不是）。隨後，我準備橫跨那座飛架在大江之上的長橋。那不是一座現代化的鋼筋鋼橋，而是一座散發著歷史厚重感的古老長橋。還沒等我邁步踏上橋面，我便醒了。

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The Monkey King's Sleigh, the Celestial Trampoline, and the Great River Bridge

January 19, 2014: The Golden Ox and the Monkey King’s Sleigh

I dreamed that someone led a sturdy ox toward me; its hide was a rich camel-yellow adorned with mottled patches of brown, its skin remarkably smooth and soft to the touch. It approached my right side, kneeling gracefully to let me mount. The moment I was seated sideways and stabilized, it arose and began to glide forward. I felt absolutely zero jolting or rapid running during the transit; yet, upon arriving at our destination, I realized this ox moved significantly faster than any modern mode of transportation. Our destination was a riverbank where the water was shallow, framing a vast expanse of pebbled shoals. The ox knelt once more, allowing me to dismount. I caressed its hide along its spine, enjoying the immensely comforting texture of its coat. A few individuals stood gathered by the water, seemingly preparing to embark on a journey to some distant realm.

A few nights prior, in another dream: I had relocated to an area of rolling, miniature hills, blanketed entirely in pristine white snow. A few youths were sprinting down the street, and I followed them up to a small, elevated plateau. Turning around to look back—wow! From behind the undulating ridges of the distant mountains arose countless massive, transparent bubbles that filled more than half the sky. Resembling magnified soap bubbles, they were airy, graceful, and crystal clear, reflecting the light in iridescent prisms; it was breathtakingly beautiful. The sky was a pale, crisp blue, and between the colossal bubbles, a dance of delicate snowflakes drifted through the air. The rooftops were heavily capped with snow, and the trees were turned a brilliant, shimmering silver—everything felt entirely enchanting. I felt precisely as though I had been placed inside a massive, exquisite glass snow-globe. Suddenly, a sleigh pulled by white reindeers soared across the right side of the sky, growing from a tiny speck into a grand vision, looking exactly like Santa Claus’s magical sleigh. Sure enough, a figure clad in Santa's signature crimson robes sat inside, but as I peered closely beneath the red hat, the face that emerged was covered in fur—it was a Monkey King!

March 19, 2014: The Soaring Trampoline and the Unyielding Climber

I dreamed of an old industrial factory or warehouse consisting of nothing but a bare reinforced concrete framework, about seven or eight stories high. Inside, there were absolutely no conventional staircases or elevators. The sole mechanism for reaching the upper floors was a slightly sagging wooden crossbar, suspended at both ends by heavy, high-tension rubber bands, floating slowly and rhythmically up and down against the building's skeleton. One had to masterfully harness its immense elastic recoil to ascend.

Seizing the exact microsecond the bar floated down to its lowest point, I leap onto it, sitting in the middle with my legs swinging below. I felt my body sink and swing downwards, then rise upwards again. I curled my body, crouching low to prevent myself from being crushed or pinned by the passing steel framing during the ascent.

Harnessing this momentum, I vaulted onto the upper decks. Around the fifth or sixth floor, a few bizarrely structured cubicles were scattered across uneven levels; one particular room hung suspended halfway between two floors and possessed no front door. I peeked my head inside, only to see someone frantically pulling away a makeshift wooden ladder—a crude device about a foot wide, constructed of a long wooden plank with tiny crossbars nailed onto it. The room was entirely inaccessible, and from what I could gather, the few shadowy figures drifting across these upper levels appeared to be disabled or wounded men.

Stepping outside the framework, a sprawling grassy slope presented itself, elevated high on the left and slanting lower on the right, capped at the summit by a solemn building. Just then, a frail-looking boy (though in reality, he appeared a bit older and more mature than a typical boy) materialized in the arena. He was channeling every ounce of his remaining strength, desperately sprinting up the steep incline. I watched him trudge furiously upward, at the half way up, losing his footing and tumbling back down the slop. Yet, he refused to surrender; he pushed himself up and charged the slope again, only to be ruthlessly repelled once more. At one point, he seemed on the absolute precipice of conquering the flat high ground, but that final, lunging stride at the very limit of his physical endurance left his entire frame rocking and swaying. He looked deeply pitiable. Sure enough, his balance shattered, and he came stumbling and staggering backward all the way down to the base.

Now completely slicked in thick mud, he charged up and crashed down, charged up and slammed down again. Fall and rise, fall and rise—over and over, with a stubborn, fierce, unyielding resolve, he continued this brutal cycle of assault. Gradually, the pity in my heart was entirely overwritten by a profound, towering sense of awe for his resilience.

It was only then that I caught a shocking realization: every single catastrophic failure was actually accumulating a massive pocket of kinetic potential energy inside his body! This meant that each subsequent charge shot him significantly higher and further up the hill than the last. Consequently, each fall grew increasingly brutal, and each backward stumble carried him further away from the crest.

During his final, staggering backward retreat, his heel slammed directly onto a mud-slicked, highly elastic plank hidden deep within the grass—a secret trampoline buried beneath the soaking sod. The exact microsecond he stabilized his footing upon it coincided perfectly with the plank's upward snap. The colossal, accumulated energy violently amplified his physical resilience and stamina, enabling him to rapidly dash up the slope with his own two feet, charging clean onto the summit! I scrambled up behind him to investigate, only to find that the grassy slope extended infinitely behind the building, transforming into a towering, vertical cliff that pierced the heavens with an absolute majesty. This time, that unyielding boy never fell back down. At the absolute edge of the horizon, a few mysterious silhouettes materialized out of the clouds, extending their hands to gently lift him over the crest and into the light.

December 20, 2014: The Photoshop Film Set and the Bridge Over the River

I dreamed that I was working as a facilities administrator inside an old campus lecture hall at a university. We had just neatly arranged the grand central hall and corridors, yet the main doors were continuously pushed open by swelling crowds of students wandering carelessly through the floors. I intended to shut the doors—there were several floor-to-ceiling glass panels—but every time I sealed one section, another door would be swung open by the students. Eventually, I resigned myself to it and decided to just let them be.

Stepping outside, I realized that the university campus was so beautiful, lined everywhere with ancient, stately historic architecture. Behind the main lecture building, a film crew was busily shooting a movie; rolling clouds of artificial mist completely shrouded the roof of the structure. I watched as the rooftop section was cleanly "extracted" and removed—the technique perfectly mirrored the digital cutting-and-pasting of modern Photoshop (PS) software. It was spectacular.

Walking a few paces further, the panorama split open to reveal a magnificent, roaring river. The currents surged with a tremendous volume, and within the waters, a countless multitude of plump crucian carp were joyfully leaping out of the surface (I knew they weren't carp, as carp are crimson, and the fish in my dream were not). Following this, I was preparing to cross a bridge spanning across the great river. It was not a sterile, modern steel structure, but an ancient, majestic long bridge radiating the heavy patina of history. Before my feet could even touch the surface of the bridge deck, I awoke in absolute tranquility.

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第四百零四篇

《舊倉庫裡的熱帶雨林與袋中魚》

2007年11月30日夢：

J託人代養的孩子要經過我和Pip帶給J。我們先還擔心人們不會把孩子還他，後來孩子確實送來了，可是到手後竟然是塑膠袋子裡裝的四、五條在水中游動著的小魚。

到了晚上我說要餵一下魚，Pip不理。我就抓了一把飯米粒去餵魚。Ayako來了說餵養魚要用一種特殊的飼料，因為她說的是日語，我們沒聽懂是什麼東西，等第二天看到她帶來了許多小魚蝦說是飼料。

我們看到很大的一家工廠一角的舊倉庫圍牆外有一低窪地，Pip建議把小魚放在那裡養再灌點水。路過的人們也幫忙種樹栽花，經過努力那裡本是一小片低窪地變成了一大片鬱鬱蔥蔥的熱帶雨林。

Pip說魚蟹都大了，我們悄悄地去抓蟹吧。於是我們趟著水在河裡捕魚抓蟹。我抓了一隻蟹就把蟹黃給喝了，Pip卻把蟹黃給洗掉了。

此時從廠房的舊倉庫裡走出一個老個人，現在的倉庫裡面也是熱帶雨林的樣子，沒有了房頂，圍牆裡面有綠瑩瑩的水，水中有許多棕櫚樹。那老人幫我們解了圍，從Pip的嘴巴處取走了三根香菸作為回報，也沒見Pip叼著煙。老人開了門走了進去。 

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November 30, 2007: The Fish in the Bag and the Rain-Forest Warehouse

A child whom J had asked someone to foster was supposed to be delivered to him through Pip and me. We were initially worried that the people wouldn't return the child, but the child was indeed delivered. Yet, upon receiving it, the 'child' turned out to be four or five little fish swimming inside a plastic bag filled with water.

When night fell, I said I wanted to feed the fish, but Pip ignored me. So, I grabbed a handful of cooked rice grains to feed them. Ayako arrived and told us that feeding these fish required a very special type of feed. Because she spoke in Japanese, we couldn't understand what it was. The next day, however, she brought a bounty of tiny fish and shrimp, explaining that this was the feed.

Later, we spotted a low-lying, depressed piece of land just outside the brick wall of an old warehouse in a massive factory complex. Pip suggested we put the little fish there to raise them, adding some water. Passersby also pitched in, planting trees and flowers. Through everyone's efforts, that small, depressed patch of land was miraculously transformed into a massive, lush tropical rainforest.

Pip remarked that the fish and crabs had grown large and suggested we quietly go catch some crabs. So, we waded into the water to catch fish and trap crabs. I caught a crab and immediately drank its rich roe, while Pip washed his crab's roe away.

Just then, an old man walked out from the factory’s old warehouse. The interior of the warehouse had now also taken on the appearance of a tropical rainforest—it had no roof, and within its brick walls cascaded shimmering, vibrant green water filled with numerous palm trees. The old man helped us out of our predicament, and as a reward, he extracted three cigarettes directly from Pip’s mouth, though Pip hadn't even been smoking. The old man then unlocked a door and walked inside.

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第三百九十六篇

《1975·農場歲月：兩隻飛鳥與落選的青春》

我最早開始記錄夢境是在1975年前後，那時我正在農場偏遠的漁業隊工作。那一年，有三個夢在記憶裡歷歷在目、經久不散：

一、百花樓

1975年12月下旬一日夜夢，孤身一人走進了一個去處：到處秀水異石，百花吐艷，群卉爭芳。吾間於林蔭道上漫步，四周粉蝶飛舞，燕鳥歌唱，充滿著生機，興奮、歡樂與喜悅。大自然給予吾異常甜蜜的情感，使吾心曠神怡，邊走邊觀風賞景。

忽一座大氣磅礴的高樓聳立，造型簡練方正，看起來沒框沒架，卻有多層。透過晶瑩剔透的玻璃牆，隱約可見裡面的萬紫千紅。門牌上赫然寫著「百花樓」幾個大字。往裡一視，琳琅滿目，繁花似錦，真是可愛之極，但欲進而未至。真沒福氣！

時隔一年之久，復而想起，配詩一首：

《百花樓》
行過百花樓，萬紫千紅稠。
芬芳沁肺腑，進住必消愁。
—— 1977年7月14日於農場漁業隊。

二、落燕亭

1975年12月下旬一日夜夢，身去一處，花木亭台幽幽靜靜，蒼枝艷朵，爭輝奪目，異香誘人。荷花池上有一亭閣，牌曰「落燕亭」。

那落燕亭坐落在清澈的水邊，頂上柳連連。斜依清風的依依楊柳，垂到水面的柳條隨風蕩起輕波漣漪，弄皺了自身的倒影。夕陽餘暉裡，飛燕穿梁柱，低飛啼鳴之聲悅耳動聽，真可謂美哉！仍是欲進而未至。 如今配詩一首：

《落燕亭賦》

坐落荷花間，頂上柳連连。
飛燕穿梁柱，故名為「落燕」。
—— 1977年7月14日於農場漁業隊。（附有手繪插圖）

落燕亭賦1977年

1982年7月我們出差去了江心嶼，這個亭子讓我想起了夢中的落燕亭

三、1975年春。夢中看到兩隻漂亮的鳥在空中翱翔，我伸手輕輕一撩，竟一把將牠們抓到了手裡，展開手心一看，飛鳥卻變成了兩顆包裝精美的糖果。剝開糖紙把糖送進嘴裡，雙眼微閉，雙唇一抿，正想去捕捉那份期待中的甜蜜。呃～呸！呸！我馬上又吐了出來。那糖是苦澀的，還在嘴裡碎成了沙子，吐也吐不乾淨。惊醒。

那年春天，聽說有上影廠的導演來農場招演員，去了好幾個連隊踅摸人，卻唯獨沒來我們這個地處偏遠、人煙稀少的漁業隊。我心有不甘，又帶著幾分初生牛犢的自不量力，便跟著另一個女生一起去了老場部，希望能製造一場與導演擦肩而過的機會。

果然，在擁擠喧鬧的小賣部裡，遠遠地看到了演員陳述等人的身影。稍後路過場部大禮堂，裡面正準備面試考生，我們在門口張望，沒想到他們看見了，也讓我進去參加了面試。那時大概有二十來個人接受考核。我緊張忐忑地朗誦了一首當時《小說月報》上刊登的詩，開頭是：「好高的樹啊好高的稍，白羊肚手巾紅袖標。」

落選是注定的，但關鍵是我去了，便無怨無悔。後來我報名參軍，卻因為母親歷史上曾被打成反革命的政治原因，政審最終沒能通過，連體檢都沒讓我參加。命運無常，其實這場人生突圍的最終結局，早在那場「兩隻漂亮飛鳥」的苦澀夢境裡，便已精準地向我的元神揭示了謎底。

連體檢也沒上網參加。其實結果在這「兩隻漂亮的鳥夢」裡早有揭示。

**********************************

1975: The Farm Years — Two Flying Birds and a Defiant Youtho

I began recording my dreams around 1975, while working at a remote fishery team on a state farm. That year, three dreams left an indelible impression on my memory:

I. The Hundred-Flower Pavilion

In a night’s dream in late December 1975, I walked entirely alone into a certain place: everywhere lay elegant waters and exotic rocks, with a hundred flowers bursting into blossom and clusters of plants competing in splendor. I strolled along a shaded avenue; all around, pink butterflies fluttered and swallows sang, filling the air with vitality, excitement, joy, and delight. Nature granted me an exceptionally sweet emotion, leaving me thoroughly refreshed as I walked along, taking in the scenery.

Suddenly, a tall, magnificent pavilion rose before me. Its design was sleek and square, appearing to have no visible frame, yet spanning multiple tiers. Through the crystal-clear glass walls, a rich tapestry of blooming blossoms was half-revealed within. Its plaque bore the grand words "Hundred-Flower Pavilion." Glancing inside, it was a dazzling jumble, exceedingly lovely to the absolute limit; yet, though I wished to enter, I did not reach it. What poor fortune!

A full year later, the memory resurfaced, and I composed a poem to accompany it:
Passing by the Hundred-Flower Pavilion,
A thick profusion of purple and crimson grows.
The sweet fragrance permeates the lungs and breast,
To enter and dwell would surely banish all woes.
— July 14, 1977, at the Farm Fishery Team.

II. The Falling-Swallow Arbor

In a night’s dream in late December 1975, my body traveled to a place where flowers, trees, pavilions, and terraces lay in absolute quiet and tranquility. Weathered branches and vibrant blossoms competed in splendor, catching the eye with an inviting, exotic fragrance. Upon a lotus pond stood an arbor, its plaque reading "Falling-Swallow Arbor."

That arbor sat nestled tightly amidst the clear waters, with cascading willows draping in rows upon its roof. Brushing against the top of the arbor in the gentle breeze, the willow fronds sent delicate ripples across the water's surface, wrinkling their own reflections. In the lingering glow of twilight, swallows darted through the beams and pillars, their low-flying chirps thoroughly pleasing to the ear—it could truly be called magnificent! Yet, once again, I wished to enter but did not reach it. Today, I compose a poem to accompany it:
Nestled tightly amidst the lotus flowers,
Upon its roof, the willows drape in rows.
Flying swallows dart through beams and pillars,
And thus, the name of "Falling-Swallow" arose.
— July 14, 1977, at the Farm Fishery Team. (Accompanied by an original hand-drawn illustration)

III. The spring of 1975. In my dream, I witnessed two exquisite birds soaring through the sky. With a casual sweep of my hand, I reached out and scooped them right out of the air. Opening my palm, the birds had transformed into two beautifully wrapped candies. I peeled away the tinsel and popped them into my mouth, closing my eyes slightly and pursing my lips, eager to savor the anticipated sweetness. Ugh—ptui! Ptui! I instantly spat them out in disgust. The sweets were intensely bitter, crumbling into dry sand inside my mouth that could never be completely rinsed away. Awakened.

That very spring, whispers rippled through the farm that directors from the Shanghai Film Studio had arrived to scout for actors. They combed through several companies looking for talent, but bypassed our small, remote fishery outpost entirely. Refusing to succumb to resignation, and fueled by a reckless youthful audacity, I paired up with another girl and trekked to the old farm headquarters, hoping to manufacture a chance encounter with the directors.

Sure enough, inside the swarming general store, I caught a distant glimpse of the famous actor Chen Shu and his entourage. Later, as we passed the main auditorium where auditions were actively being prepared, we peered eagerly through the doorway. To our shock, they spotted us and invited me inside to audition alongside roughly twenty other candidates. Stricken with trembling nerves, I recited a contemporary poem published in the Fiction Monthly journal. It opened with the lines: "How tall the trees grow, how high their crests rise; white sheep-skin headscarves and red armbands against the skies."

Failure was an absolute mathematical certainty, yet the triumph lay in the fact that I threw myself into the arena—leaving me with zero regrets. Later on, when I attempted to enlist in the military, I failed the political background check due to my mother’s historical status as a designated counter-revolutionary; I was barred from even participating in the physical examination. The cruelty of destiny had already unreeled its blueprint; the bitter outcome of this entire youthful gamble had been laid bare to my soul long before, precisely decoded within that fleeting illusion of the two beautiful birds.

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第三百六十一篇