****(Bi-lingual short story) – (1)“Really busy, or just pretending to be so?”
(双语短篇故事) – (1)“真忙, 还是假忙?”****

Introduction : This is a bi-lingual short story about Qiu Ai's encounters in Shenzhen. Qiu Ai is a Singaporean man, aged 39, who has broken up with his Eurasian air stewardess girl friend in Singapore, and has come to live alone in Shenzhen. He is hoping to find his true love in another place another time.
简介 : 这是一个关于仇艾在深圳的遭遇的双语短篇故事. 仇艾是个39岁的新加玻男士, 他刚跟他在新加玻的混血儿任职空姐的女朋友分手, 现来到深圳居住, 希望可在另一个地方再一次找到他的真爱.

In this episode Qiu Ai has just met a pretty girl named Jia Mang, and is trying to date her.
在这短篇仇艾刚认识一叫贾茫的美女, 正想约会她.

QA: Would you have time and interest to have dinner with me this Saturday?
今个星期六有空和有兴趣跟我吃晚饭吗?

JM : Should be okay, but today is only Monday, let me tell you on Friday, ok?
应该可以, 但今天才星期一, 让我星期五才告诉你好吗?

QA : You are not used to making appointments well in advance?
你不习惯预先定下与会日期时间的吗?

JM : I do not want to feel bad in not being able to keep my appointments, so generally I would not do that.
我怕到时不能应约, 不好意思, 所以我一般不会的.

QA : (Thinking to himself:”How considerate! Actually you are just trying to see if there will be other guys dating you on that day, and then take your pick”.)
Come on, don’t you know whether you are available on Saturday right now? If you cannot make it at that time because of some urgent matters I will understand.
(心想: 多为人设想啊! 嘿, 分明是想先看看有没有其他更想见的GG同时约你, 然后挑选)
不用吧, 你现在不是知道星期六有没有空的吗? 如果到时有急事我会理解的啊.

JM “ Hey, you just have no idea how busy we Shenzhen people are. We have only one weekend every week, and there are so many things that may have to be done.
哎, 你不明白深圳人有多忙, 我们一个星期只有一个周末, 而很多事情可能要做的啊.

QA : OK. Let’s talk again this Friday.
好吧, 我们星期五再联系.

++++

Qiu Ai has not received any news from Jia Miang by Friday night, so he calls her.
等到星期五晚仇艾还没有收到贾茫任何消息, 于是打电话给她.

QA : Well, is our date tomorrow still on?
怎么啦, 我们明天的约会没问题吧?

JM : Should be okay. Let me call you tomorrow, ok?
应该没问题, 我明天打电话给你, 好吗?

QA (Thinking: just like to see until when you want to pretend to be busy) Fine, I will wait for you.
(心想: 又看你想装忙装到什么时候) 好呀, 我等你.

++++

Qiu Ai waits and waits all day on Saturday, and eventually around 2 pm on Saturday Jia Mang finally calls him.
星期六天仇艾等呀等呀, 到约下午两点半贾茫终于打电话给他..

JM : I am so sorry, right now I am in outer Shenzshen visiting a friend, and can only return to inner Shenzhen later today. I will call you once I have got on my bus.
不好意思, 我现在在关外看朋友, 要晚一点才回到深圳市中心. 我上了大巴再打给你吧.

QA : (Getting quite impatient already, but still manages to stay calm) Around what time then?
(已经很不耐烦, 但保持他的礼貌语气) 大概几点呢?

JM : Difficult to say now, as I need to go to quite a few places with my friend here.
现在很难说, 因我跟这边的朋友有很多地方要一起逛一逛.

QA : Fine, please try to be as early as possible.
好, 你尽量早一点吧.

At around seven o’clock, Jia Mang finally called Qiu Ai.
约七点多, 贾茫终于打了电话给仇艾.

JM : I have just boarded a bus, and should arrive at futian in about an hour.
我现在刚上了大巴, 一小时后该可到福田.

QA : Oh I am sorry. I thought you would not have time to have dinner with me after all, so I have made other plans already.
不好意思, 我以为你始终没法回来于我晚餐, 所以我已另有安排了.

JM : How can you do this to me? Why don’t you wait for me?
你怎可以.这样对我的呢? 你为什么不等我?

QA : Oh I have waited long enough. Right now I am at a sauna place, and I have got to go now, bye-bye.
我等了太久了, 我现在在桑拿, 不跟你聊了, 拜拜.

JM : You,...you,....really...!
你....你....太过分了.

Qiu Ai hangs up before saying anything more.
仇艾没有再回答就卦线了.

+++++End+++++

(故事全属虚构, 绝无影射任何人意图. 欢迎大家评论故事情节, 翻译或语文问题. 希望大家就算不认同或喜欢这故事, 起码有可能会学多一点英文.)