Xia lives in a small flat in the north. Adrian lives in a big city very far away. When she eats breakfast, he eats dinner. When he goes to bed, she starts work.
夏住在北方的一间小公寓里。阿德里安住在很远很远的一座大城市里。她吃早饭的时候，他在吃晚饭。他上床睡觉的时候，她开始上班。
They talk on the phone every Sunday. Xia puts the phone on the kitchen table. Adrian puts his on a shelf. They see each other on small screens.
他们每个星期天都通电话。夏把手机放在厨房的桌子上。阿德里安把他的放在架子上。他们在小小的屏幕上看见对方。
Tonight the call is not the same. Xia has a cold. Her nose is red, and her voice is low.
今晚的通话和平时不一样。夏感冒了。她的鼻子红红的，声音很低。
"You look tired," says Adrian.
“你看起来很累，”阿德里安说。
"I am tired," says Xia. "I want soup. But I have no one to make it."
“我是很累，”夏说，“我想喝汤。可是没有人给我做。”
"You can make it," he says.
“你可以自己做啊，”他说。
"I do not want to. I want someone else to make it for me."
“我不想做。我想让别人做给我喝。”
Adrian is quiet. He thinks. Then he smiles. "Wait," he says. "I have an idea."
阿德里安沉默了。他在思考。然后他笑了。“等一下，”他说，“我有个主意。”
He goes to his kitchen. The phone shakes in his hand. Xia sees a window and a pan. She sees a loaf of bread.
他走进他的厨房。手机在他手里晃动。夏看见一扇窗户和一口锅。她看见一条面包。
"What is the plan?" she asks.
“你有什么计划？”她问。
"I make soup," says Adrian. "You make soup too. We cook it together."
“我做汤，”阿德里安说，“你也做汤。我们一起煮。”
"We are very far apart."
“我们离得这么远。”
"Yes, but the soup is the same," he says. "Do you have an onion?"
“是啊，但汤是一样的，”他说，“你有洋葱吗？”
Xia looks in the cupboard. She finds one onion and two carrots. She finds a bag of rice. "Yes," she says.
夏看了看橱柜。她找到一个洋葱和两根胡萝卜。她还找到一袋米。“有，”她说。
"Good. Cut the onion."
“好。把洋葱切了。”
Xia leans the phone against a milk bottle. She takes a knife. Adrian takes a knife too. They cut the onions at the same time.
夏把手机靠在一个牛奶瓶上。她拿起一把刀。阿德里安也拿起一把刀。他们同时切起了洋葱。
"My eyes hurt," says Xia.
“我的眼睛好疼，”夏说。
"Mine too," says Adrian. "This is the sad part of love."
“我也是，”阿德里安说，“这是爱情里难过的部分。”
She stops. He goes red. "I mean, the sad part of soup," he says.
她停住了。他的脸红了。“我是说，汤里难过的部分，”他说。
Xia laughs so hard that she coughs. Adrian laughs too. For a minute, nobody can speak.
夏笑得太厉害，咳嗽起来。阿德里安也笑了。有一分钟，谁也说不出话来。
They put the onions in the pans. They add a little oil. Then they add the carrots. Xia adds rice. Adrian adds a handful of beans. The smell rises in both kitchens, many hours apart.
他们把洋葱放进锅里。他们加了一点油。然后他们加了胡萝卜。夏加了米。阿德里安加了一把豆子。香味在两间厨房里升起，相隔好几个小时的时差。
"What is your smell?" Adrian asks.
“你那边是什么味道？”阿德里安问。
"Onion and carrot. It is warm."
“洋葱和胡萝卜。暖暖的。”
"Mine is warm too," he says. "I think the smell travels."
“我这边也是暖暖的，”他说，“我觉得味道能飘过来。”
"That is not possible," says Xia.
“那是不可能的，”夏说。
"Maybe not," he says. "But I smell it."
“也许吧，”他说，“可是我闻到了。”
The soup cooks for twenty minutes. They do not hang up. Xia drinks tea and watches him stir. Adrian tells her about his bad day at work. His boss lost a meeting room. It was a funny story, and she laughs again.
汤煮了二十分钟。他们没有挂断电话。夏喝着茶，看他搅汤。阿德里安给她讲他糟糕的一天。他的老板弄丢了一间会议室。这是个很好笑的故事，她又笑了。
At last, Adrian says, "Taste it."
最后，阿德里安说：“尝尝吧。”
Xia takes a spoon. The soup is hot and plain and good. She says, "It is not bad."
夏拿起一把勺子。汤热热的，很清淡，很好喝。她说：“还不错。”
"Mine is too salty," says Adrian. He takes a sip and makes a face.
“我的太咸了，”阿德里安说。他喝了一口，做了个鬼脸。
"Then send me yours," Xia says. "I will eat it."
“那就寄给我吧，”夏说，“我来喝。”
"It will be cold by then."
“到时候已经凉了。”
"I do not mind."
“我不介意。”
Adrian holds up his bowl to the screen. Xia holds up hers. They touch the screens with their bowls. It makes a small clink in two rooms.
阿德里安把碗举到屏幕前。夏也举起她的。他们用碗碰了碰屏幕。在两个房间里发出了一声轻轻的叮当声。
"Same time next Sunday?" he says.
“下个星期天同一时间？”他说。
"Same time," she says. "You cook. I will bring the bread. Somehow."
“同一时间，”她说，“你来做饭。我负责带面包。想办法吧。”
