章节三

方茴的事，本来我以为这就是我留学生活中的一段小插曲，这在留学生中不算什么稀罕事，比她邪乎的有的是。

Fang Hui's story was something I initially thought would just be a small episode in my study abroad life. It’s not rare among international students; there are plenty more bizarre stories than hers.

有的出来的孩子岁数比我们小的很多，他们甚至不能分辩是非，不知道年轻既是资本也是危险，所以总会发生些不可思议的事。

Some of the kids who come here are much younger than us. They can’t even tell right from wrong, unaware that youth can be both an asset and a danger, which sometimes leads to unbelievable situations.

对于方茴，我听听也就过去了，估计以后也不会再有交集。女同这种东西，虽然我不特别排斥，但心里多少有点格硬。

As for Fang Hui, I just listened and moved on, thinking there wouldn’t be any more interactions in the future. I don’t particularly reject the idea of same-sex relationships, but I feel somewhat rigid about it.

那成想没过多久，我们居然住在了同一屋檐下。

Unexpectedly, not long after that, we ended up living under the same roof.

起因是欢欢和我们的胖房东闹翻了。其实之前她们就一直互相看不顺眼，欢欢经常背地说她又老又蠢，丈夫是酒鬼加色鬼，儿子长得像名人——《哈里.波特》里的达利。

The cause was a fallout between Huan Huan and our chubby landlord. To be fair, they had never gotten along; Huan Huan often whispered behind her back that she was both old and stupid, with a husband who was an alcoholic and a pervert, and a son who looked like Dudley from "Harry Potter."

而胖房东也经常用一种侦探特有的目光从上至下瞄着欢欢，向她不怎么象正派人的老公耳语几句。

The chubby landlord would frequently eye Huan Huan from head to toe like a detective, whispering a few words to her husband who didn’t seem to be a decent man.

就这样，由一袋垃圾，彻底引发了中澳大战。欢欢操着一口带四川味的英语和胖女人骂了个痛快，可是她虽然痛快了，那胖女人却使出了杀手锏，坚决的命令我们“GO OUT”，所以我们只好卷铺盖走人。

So, a garbage bag led to a full-blown conflict between China and Australia. Huan Huan cursed at the chubby woman in her thick Sichuan accent, but although Huan Huan felt relieved, the chubby woman played her trump card and firmly ordered us to "GO OUT," leaving us no choice but to pack up and leave.

正在我们踌躇懊恼的时候，上帝发威了，他特仗义的在关了一扇门的同时给我们开了一扇窗。恰巧AIBA和方茴的邻屋回国，我们月底就搬了过去，欢欢非常得意，说这叫天无绝人之路，让丫胖房东得不了逞。

While we were hesitating and feeling frustrated, something divine happened. As one door closed, another window opened for us. It just so happened that AIBA and Fang Hui's neighbor had returned to their home country, so we moved in at the end of the month. Huan Huan was very pleased, saying it was a way for heaven to help us, so the chubby landlord wouldn’t get her way.

而我就没有那么高兴，说实话我没觉得胖房东多可恶，她对我还挺好的，有时候欢欢的确太挑剔了，在人家屋檐下你就得低头嘛。

However, I wasn’t that happy. To be honest, I didn’t think the chubby landlord was that awful; she treated me pretty well. Sometimes Huan Huan was indeed too picky; when you’re under someone else’s roof, you have to lower your head.

而且现在这房子比我们原来的租金高了些，离我学校更远了。最重要的是，隔壁住着对蕾丝边，我还是有点障碍，生怕听见什么特别的声音，看见什么特别的场景。

Moreover, this new apartment had a slightly higher rent than our previous one and was further from my school. Most importantly, I was living next to a same-sex couple, which made me slightly uncomfortable, afraid of hearing any peculiar sounds or seeing any unusual scenes.

好在，事实证明我的担心是多余的。AIBA很喜欢出去玩，打工也好几番，一般在家的时候少，出去的时候多，有时还趁方茴不在，带另一个女孩回来。

Fortunately, my concerns turned out to be unnecessary. AIBA loved going out and worked several jobs, so she was rarely home and often brought another girl back when Fang Hui wasn’t around.

让我大呼同性恋间也有第三者云云。而方茴，很安静，甚至安静的让我产生隔壁没住人的错觉。

I found myself exclaiming that even in same-sex relations, there could be a third party. As for Fang Hui, she was very quiet, so quiet that I often felt as if nobody lived next door.

她好像格外喜欢红色，总是穿着红色的外套，裙子，还有披风。偶尔碰见她，那鲜艳的颜色和她淡然的神情总形成一种独特的对比，就像用色块分割了空间，猛然让我恍惚一下。

She seemed particularly fond of the color red, always wearing red coats, skirts, and capes. Every time I encountered her, the vibrant color contrasted sharply with her calm demeanor, almost like her presence divided the space, momentarily causing me to feel dazed.

慢慢的时间长了，我觉得和她们在一块还挺方便的。她们来澳洲的时间比我和欢欢都长，哪买菜便宜，假期去哪玩的，哪个餐厅打工给的多，她们都知道。

As time passed, I began to find it quite convenient to be around them. They had been in Australia longer than Huan Huan and I, so they knew where to get cheap groceries, which vacation spots to visit, and which restaurants paid the most.

尤其是AIBA，其实这人除了性向有点问题，哪儿都挺好，热心、爽快、还风趣。我和她是同一所学校的，所以早上经常一起上学。

Especially AIBA, aside from her orientation issue, was quite great—enthusiastic, straightforward, and humorous. We attended the same school, so we frequently went to school together in the mornings.

有一次，我们坐车，检票的时候出了差错。她和我用的都是过期的颜色票，AIBA说，老外根本不怎么查，所以能省一澳是一澳，反正他们赚的都是侵略压榨我们先辈的，跟他们不用客气。

Once, we had an issue with our tickets while taking the bus. We both used expired tickets. AIBA said the foreigners rarely check, so every little bit saved was worth it since they were profiting off the oppression of our forebears, so we didn't need to be polite with them.

结果没想到我们点背，让人给查出来了。现在想想，那会我还是纯良少年，脸皮薄，在检票员的询问之下什么都说不出来了，用AIBA的话说，我当时就像初次偷腥的小寡妇，红着脸低着头玩命往后蹭，就差没揪起衣角抹眼泪了。

Unexpectedly, we hit a snag and got caught. Looking back, I was still a naïve kid then, shy and unable to say anything under the conductor’s questioning. In AIBA’s words, I looked like a young widow caught cheating for the first time, my face flushed, my head down, desperately trying to shrink back, almost pulling up my clothes to wipe my tears.

AIBA就不像我，她马上装出天真无邪的少女模样，双眼含泪的说：“I’m sorry……We come from Japan……We just leave in Austrlia two mothes.We can’t speak English very well.We can’t find the station.I’am very sorry……”

AIBA was nothing like me. She immediately put on a look of innocent girlishness and said with tears in her eyes, “I’m sorry... We come from Japan... We just live in Australia for two months. We can’t speak English very well. We can’t find the station. I’m very sorry…”

然后她就一边鞠90度躬，一边操着她流利的日语“狗没拿伞”了，我则在她身边把嘴张成了O型。

Then she bowed at a 90-degree angle while speaking fluent Japanese. Meanwhile, I stood next to her with my mouth hanging open in shock.

那检票员显然被AIBA蒙晕了，他很热心的告诉了我们应下车的站台（我们估计比他知道的还清楚），也没让我们补票。AIBA挥着手“阿丽噶朵狗宰你妈死”（日语：谢谢）的和他道了别，我也很配合的鞠了鞠躬。

The conductor was clearly baffled by AIBA; he helpfully told us which platform we should get off (we probably knew better than he did) and didn’t make us pay for the tickets. AIBA waved and thanked him in Japanese, and I cooperatively bowed as well.

开出站台，我拍了她一下，笑着说：“你干吗说咱们是小日本啊！”

Once we got off at the station, I nudged her and laughed, saying, “Why did you say we’re little Japanese people?”

AIBA皱了皱眉说：“澳洲人对日本人都客气着呢，再说，丢脸也不能丢咱中国人的脸呀！”

AIBA frowned and replied, “Australians are polite to Japanese people. Besides, we can’t embarrass Chinese people, can we?”

“你丫不哈日么？”我说。

“Don’t you like Japan?” I asked.

“你丫才哈日呢！”AIBA瞪了我一眼，“我呀，就是倒霉！人生是一出比莎士比亚还莎士比亚的悲剧！当年我是多直的女生啊，企盼能谈个轰轰烈烈的恋爱，嫁个男人养只狗，从此幸福的生活下去。

“You’re the one who likes Japan!” AIBA shot me a glare. "I’m just unlucky! My life is a tragedy more dramatic than Shakespeare! I used to be such a straight girl, hoping to experience a passionate romance, marry a man, and live happily ever after with a dog.

结果好不容易喜欢个人，靠，她居然是日本人！更靠的是，她居然还是女生！我有什么办法，命运跟我开玩笑，我难道能说你哪来的回哪儿去吧，奶奶我不玩了！？”

But after finally liking someone, it turns out she’s Japanese! And even worse, she’s a girl! What can I do? Fate is playing tricks on me. Am I supposed to tell her to go back to where she came from and quit?!”

“日本人？方茴是日本人？”我惊讶的问。

“Japanese? Fang Hui is Japanese?” I asked in surprise.

AIBA白了我一眼：“你们不是上次说过都是从北京来的吗！”

AIBA shot me a look: “Didn’t you say last time that you’re both from Beijing?!”

“哦对对对！那你……你说喜欢的人……是日本人。”我声音越来越小。

“Oh right, right! Then what you... said about the person you like... is Japanese.” My voice grew quieter.

AIBA白了天一眼：“欢欢个小娘皮就胡说八道吧！她跟你说我和方茴是那什么对不对？”

AIBA gave me a side-eye: “Huan Huan just babbles! She told you that I have some kind of relationship with Fang Hui, right?”

我猛点头。

I nodded vigorously.

AIBA笑了笑说：“你以为方茴真是同性恋？”

AIBA chuckled and said, “Do you really think Fang Hui is a lesbian?”

我犹豫的点了点头，其实我觉得她什么恋都不是，看她的神情就压根没有恋谁的欲望。

I hesitated and nodded. To be honest, I felt she wasn’t interested in anyone at all; her expression showed no desire for romance.

“她不是同性恋，她是爱男人爱惨了的，和我住一块就是为了不给自己机会再去爱谁了。”

“She’s not a lesbian; she’s deeply in love with men. Living with me is just to avoid giving herself the chance to love anyone else.”

AIBA望着窗外叹了口气。

AIBA sighed as she stared out the window.