Takeshi came home at four o'clock. His parents worked late that day.
武史四点钟回到家。那天爸爸妈妈要很晚才下班。
His little sister Dora sat at the kitchen table. She was eight years old. She held a big wooden spoon.
他的小妹妹朵拉坐在厨房的桌子旁。她八岁，手里拿着一把大木勺。
"I want to make dinner," Dora said.
“我想做晚饭，”朵拉说。
"You cannot cook," Takeshi said.
“你不会做饭，”武史说。
"Then teach me," she said. "Teach me one dish."
“那你教我，”她说，“教我一道菜就行。”
Takeshi looked at the clock. He was tired. He also had a lot of homework.
武史看了看时钟。他很累，还有一大堆作业。
Dora looked at him with big eyes. "Please," she said.
朵拉睁着大眼睛看着他。“求你了，”她说。
"Okay," he said. "We make egg rice."
“好吧，”他说，“我们做蛋炒饭。”
"Why egg rice?"
“为什么是蛋炒饭？”
"It is easy. You need rice, eggs, and salt."
“它很简单。你需要米饭、鸡蛋和盐。”
Dora took the cold rice from the fridge. Takeshi put a pan on the stove.
朵拉从冰箱里拿出冷米饭。武史把一口平底锅放到炉子上。
"Wash your hands first," he said.
“先洗手，”他说。
Dora washed her hands for a long time. Then she held them up. "Clean," she said.
朵拉洗了很久的手，然后举起来给他看。“干净了，”她说。
"Good. Now break an egg."
“很好。现在打一个鸡蛋。”
Dora hit the egg on the side of the bowl. The egg broke, and small bits of shell fell inside.
朵拉把鸡蛋在碗边上一磕，蛋壳碎了，小碎片掉进了碗里。
"Oh no," she said.
“糟了，”她说。
Takeshi reached for the bowl. "I can fix it," he said.
武史伸手去拿碗。“我来弄吧，”他说。
"No!" Dora pulled the bowl back. "It is my egg."
“不要！”朵拉把碗拉了回去。“这是我的鸡蛋。”
Takeshi stopped. He put his hands in his pockets. Dora took a spoon and picked out the shell. It took a very long time.
武史停住了。他把手插进口袋里。朵拉拿起一把勺子，把蛋壳挑了出来，花了很长很长的时间。
"Now what?" she asked.
“现在呢？”她问。
"Put oil in the pan. Then wait a little."
“锅里放油，然后稍等一下。”
Dora poured the oil. She turned the fire up high. Takeshi opened his mouth, but he said nothing.
朵拉倒了油，把火开到最大。武史张了张嘴，却什么也没说。
She poured in the egg and the rice. The pan made a loud noise. Smoke came up fast.
她把鸡蛋和米饭倒进去。锅里发出很大的响声，烟很快冒了起来。
"Stir it!" Takeshi said.
“快搅！”武史说。
Dora stirred, but it was too late. The rice was black at the bottom. The kitchen smelled bad.
朵拉搅了起来，可是已经晚了。锅底的米饭都黑了，厨房里一股难闻的味道。
Dora put down the spoon. Her face went red. "I am bad at this," she said.
朵拉放下勺子，脸涨红了。“我真不行，”她说。
Takeshi looked at the black rice. He felt sorry for her. He wanted to take the pan and cook it himself. It was faster. It was also easier.
武史看着那些黑黑的米饭，心里替她难过。他想把锅拿过来自己做，那样更快，也更容易。
"Move over," he almost said.
“让开，”他差点就说出口。
Then he thought about his own first time. His mother stood next to him and watched. She never took the spoon.
然后他想起自己第一次下厨的情景。妈妈站在他旁边看着，却从来没有拿走他的勺子。
"It is okay," Takeshi said. "The fire was too hot."
“没关系，”武史说，“是火太大了。”
"Really?"
“真的吗？”
"Really. Now clean the pan, and we try again."
“真的。现在把锅洗干净，我们再试一次。”
"You do it," Dora said quietly.
“你来吧，”朵拉小声说。
"No. This is your dish," he said. "I only talk."
“不。这是你的菜，”他说，“我只负责说。”
Dora wiped her eyes. She washed the pan. She broke a new egg. This time the shell stayed out. She turned the fire down low.
朵拉擦了擦眼睛，洗了锅，又打了一个新鸡蛋。这一次，蛋壳没有掉进去。她把火调到小火。
"Now?" she asked.
“现在呢？”她问。
"Now," Takeshi said. "Slowly."
“现在，”武史说，“慢慢来。”
Dora poured in the egg and the rice. She stirred and stirred. The smell was warm and sweet. The rice turned soft and yellow.
朵拉倒进鸡蛋和米饭，搅啊搅。香味又暖又甜，米饭变得松软金黄。
"Add a little salt," Takeshi said.
“放一点盐，”武史说。
Dora added the salt. She tasted one small bite. Her eyes opened wide.
朵拉放了盐，尝了小小的一口，眼睛一下子睁得大大的。
"It is good!" she said.
“好吃！”她说。
Takeshi smiled. His hands were still in his pockets.
武史笑了。他的手还插在口袋里。
The front door opened at seven. Their father came into the kitchen first.
七点钟，前门打开了。爸爸先走进厨房。
"What is that smell?" he asked.
“这是什么味道？”他问。
"Dinner," Dora said. "I made it."
“晚饭，”朵拉说，“是我做的。”
Their mother looked at the bowls on the table. Then she looked at Takeshi. "Did you help?"
妈妈看了看桌上的碗，然后看向武史。“你帮忙了吗？”
"He did not touch the pan," Dora said. "He only talked."
“他没碰过锅，”朵拉说，“他只是说说。”
Their father sat down and took a big spoonful. He said nothing for a moment. Then he took another.
爸爸坐下来，舀了满满一大勺。他一时什么也没说，然后又舀了一勺。
Dora filled a bowl to the top. She put it in front of Takeshi.
朵拉盛了满满一碗，放在武史面前。
He picked up his spoon and began to eat.
他拿起勺子，开始吃了起来。
