A Letter Thirty Years Late

去年冬天，我们县的邮局在修理旧楼的时候，工人们在一面墙的后面发现了一个满是灰尘的布包。

Qùnián (fourth tone, falling) dōngtiān, (first tone, high and level) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) xiàn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) yóujú (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) xiūlǐ (first tone, high and level) jiù (fourth tone, falling) lóu (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) shíhou, (second tone, rising) gōngrénmen (first tone, high and level) zài (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) miàn (fourth tone, falling) qiáng (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) hòumiàn (fourth tone, falling) fāxiàn (first tone, high and level) le (neutral tone) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) mǎn (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) huīchén (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) bùbāo. (fourth tone, falling)

Last winter, while our county post office was repairing its old building, workers found a dust-covered cloth bag behind a wall.

打开一看，里面装着几十封从来没有送出去的信，信上的日期显示，它们都是三十多年前寄出的。

Dǎkāi (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) kàn, (fourth tone, falling) lǐmiàn (third tone, dipping) zhuāng (first tone, high and level) zhe (neutral tone) jǐshí (third tone, dipping) fēng (first tone, high and level) cónglái (second tone, rising) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) sòng (fourth tone, falling) chūqù (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) xìn, (fourth tone, falling) xìn (fourth tone, falling) shang (neutral tone) de (neutral tone) rìqī (fourth tone, falling) xiǎnshì, (third tone, dipping) tāmen (first tone, high and level) dōu (first tone, high and level) shì (fourth tone, falling) sānshí (first tone, high and level) duō (first tone, high and level) nián (second tone, rising) qián (second tone, rising) jì (fourth tone, falling) chū (first tone, high and level) de. (neutral tone)

Inside were dozens of letters that had never been delivered; the dates on them showed they had all been posted more than thirty years before.

邮局的负责人老刘决定，无论多难，都要把这些信送到收信人手里。

Yóujú (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) fùzérén (fourth tone, falling) Lǎo (third tone, dipping) Liú (second tone, rising) juédìng, (second tone, rising) wúlùn (second tone, rising) duō (first tone, high and level) nán, (second tone, rising) dōu (first tone, high and level) yào (fourth tone, falling) bǎ (third tone, dipping) zhèxiē (fourth tone, falling) xìn (fourth tone, falling) sòng (fourth tone, falling) dào (fourth tone, falling) shōuxìnrén (first tone, high and level) shǒu (third tone, dipping) li. (neutral tone)

Old Liu, who runs the post office, decided that however hard it was, the letters would reach the people they were addressed to.

这并不是一件容易的事。

Zhè (fourth tone, falling) bìng (fourth tone, falling) bú (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) jiàn (fourth tone, falling) róngyì (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) shì. (fourth tone, falling)

This was no easy task.

三十年过去了，县里的街道早就改了名字，很多老房子也拆了，信上的地址大多已经找不到了。

Sānshí (first tone, high and level) nián (second tone, rising) guòqu (fourth tone, falling) le, (neutral tone) xiàn (fourth tone, falling) li (neutral tone) de (neutral tone) jiēdào (first tone, high and level) zǎo (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) gǎi (third tone, dipping) le (neutral tone) míngzi, (second tone, rising) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) lǎo (third tone, dipping) fángzi (second tone, rising) yě (third tone, dipping) chāi (first tone, high and level) le, (neutral tone) xìn (fourth tone, falling) shang (neutral tone) de (neutral tone) dìzhǐ (fourth tone, falling) dàduō (fourth tone, falling) yǐjīng (third tone, dipping) zhǎo (third tone, dipping) bu (neutral tone) dào (fourth tone, falling) le. (neutral tone)

In thirty years the county’s streets had long since been renamed, many old houses had been pulled down, and most of the addresses on the letters could no longer be found.

老刘和两个年轻的同事一有空就拿着信去问那些住了很多年的老人，一个一个地打听。

Lǎo (third tone, dipping) Liú (second tone, rising) hé (second tone, rising) liǎng (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) niánqīng (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) tóngshì (second tone, rising) yì (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) kòng (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) ná (second tone, rising) zhe (neutral tone) xìn (fourth tone, falling) qù (fourth tone, falling) wèn (fourth tone, falling) nàxiē (fourth tone, falling) zhù (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) nián (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) lǎorén, (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) de (neutral tone) dǎting. (third tone, dipping)

Whenever they had time, Old Liu and two young colleagues took the letters to people who had lived there for many years and asked around, one by one.

有时候跑了一整天，一封信也送不出去；有的老人看到信上熟悉的名字，却只能遗憾地告诉他们，那个人早就去世了。

Yǒushíhou (third tone, dipping) pǎo (third tone, dipping) le (neutral tone) yì (fourth tone, falling) zhěng (third tone, dipping) tiān, (first tone, high and level) yì (fourth tone, falling) fēng (first tone, high and level) xìn (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) sòng (fourth tone, falling) bu (neutral tone) chūqù; (first tone, high and level) yǒude (third tone, dipping) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) kàn (fourth tone, falling) dào (fourth tone, falling) xìn (fourth tone, falling) shang (neutral tone) shúxī (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) míngzi, (second tone, rising) què (fourth tone, falling) zhǐnéng (third tone, dipping) yíhàn (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) gàosu (fourth tone, falling) tāmen, (first tone, high and level) nà (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) zǎo (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) qùshì (fourth tone, falling) le. (neutral tone)

Sometimes they spent a whole day on the road without delivering a single letter; some old people recognised a familiar name but could only tell them, with regret, that the person had died long ago.

有一封信的收信人叫李秀英，寄信人是她的弟弟，地址写的是县城东边的一个工厂宿舍。

Yǒu (third tone, dipping) yì (fourth tone, falling) fēng (first tone, high and level) xìn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shōuxìnrén (first tone, high and level) jiào (fourth tone, falling) Lǐ (third tone, dipping) Xiùyīng, (fourth tone, falling) jìxìnrén (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) tā (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) dìdi, (fourth tone, falling) dìzhǐ (fourth tone, falling) xiě (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) shì (fourth tone, falling) xiànchéng (fourth tone, falling) dōng (first tone, high and level) biān (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) gōngchǎng (first tone, high and level) sùshè. (fourth tone, falling)

One letter was addressed to Li Xiuying; the sender was her younger brother, and the address was a factory dormitory on the east side of the county town.

那个工厂早在二十年前就关闭了，老刘问了好几个人，才终于从一位退休的老工人那里打听到，李秀英后来搬到了市里，跟女儿住在一起。

Nà (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) gōngchǎng (first tone, high and level) zǎo (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) èrshí (fourth tone, falling) nián (second tone, rising) qián (second tone, rising) jiù (fourth tone, falling) guānbì (first tone, high and level) le, (neutral tone) Lǎo (third tone, dipping) Liú (second tone, rising) wèn (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) hǎo (third tone, dipping) jǐ (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) rén, (second tone, rising) cái (second tone, rising) zhōngyú (first tone, high and level) cóng (second tone, rising) yí (second tone, rising) wèi (fourth tone, falling) tuìxiū (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) lǎo (third tone, dipping) gōngrén (first tone, high and level) nàli (fourth tone, falling) dǎting (third tone, dipping) dào, (fourth tone, falling) Lǐ (third tone, dipping) Xiùyīng (fourth tone, falling) hòulái (fourth tone, falling) bān (first tone, high and level) dào (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) shìli, (fourth tone, falling) gēn (first tone, high and level) nǚ (third tone, dipping) ér (second tone, rising) zhù (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) yìqǐ. (fourth tone, falling)

That factory had closed twenty years earlier; Old Liu asked several people before he finally learned from a retired worker that Li Xiuying had later moved to the city to live with her daughter.

第二个星期天，老刘坐了一个多小时的公共汽车，找到了她的家。

Dì (fourth tone, falling) èr (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) xīngqītiān, (first tone, high and level) Lǎo (third tone, dipping) Liú (second tone, rising) zuò (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) duō (first tone, high and level) xiǎoshí (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) gōnggòng (first tone, high and level) qìchē, (fourth tone, falling) zhǎo (third tone, dipping) dào (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) tā (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) jiā. (first tone, high and level)

The following Sunday, Old Liu took a bus for more than an hour and found her home.

开门的是一位头发全白的老太太。

Kāi (first tone, high and level) mén (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) shì (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) wèi (fourth tone, falling) tóufa (second tone, rising) quán (second tone, rising) bái (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) lǎotàitai. (third tone, dipping)

The door was opened by an old woman whose hair was completely white.

听老刘说明了来的原因以后，她半天没有说话，过了好一会儿，才慢慢地伸手接过那封信。

Tīng (first tone, high and level) Lǎo (third tone, dipping) Liú (second tone, rising) shuōmíng (first tone, high and level) le (neutral tone) lái (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) yuányīn (second tone, rising) yǐhòu, (third tone, dipping) tā (first tone, high and level) bàntiān (fourth tone, falling) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) shuōhuà, (first tone, high and level) guò (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) hǎo (third tone, dipping) yíhuìr, (second tone, rising) cái (second tone, rising) mànmàn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shēnshǒu (first tone, high and level) jiēguò (first tone, high and level) nà (fourth tone, falling) fēng (first tone, high and level) xìn. (fourth tone, falling)

When Old Liu had explained why he had come, she said nothing for a long time; only after quite a while did she slowly reach out and take the letter.

原来，三十多年前，她和弟弟因为一件小事吵过架，弟弟很生气，一个人去了南方打工，从此两人就断了联系。

Yuánlái, (second tone, rising) sānshí (first tone, high and level) duō (first tone, high and level) nián (second tone, rising) qián, (second tone, rising) tā (first tone, high and level) hé (second tone, rising) dìdi (fourth tone, falling) yīnwèi (first tone, high and level) yí (second tone, rising) jiàn (fourth tone, falling) xiǎo (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) chǎo (third tone, dipping) guo (neutral tone) jià, (fourth tone, falling) dìdi (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) shēngqì, (first tone, high and level) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) qù (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) nánfāng (second tone, rising) dǎgōng, (third tone, dipping) cóngcǐ (second tone, rising) liǎng (third tone, dipping) rén (second tone, rising) jiù (fourth tone, falling) duàn (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) liánxì. (second tone, rising)

It turned out that more than thirty years earlier she and her brother had quarrelled over something small; he went off angry to work in the south on his own, and from then on the two lost touch.

这些年来，她一直以为弟弟还在为那件事生气，所以也不肯先去找他。

Zhèxiē (fourth tone, falling) nián (second tone, rising) lái, (second tone, rising) tā (first tone, high and level) yìzhí (fourth tone, falling) yǐwéi (third tone, dipping) dìdi (fourth tone, falling) hái (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) wèi (fourth tone, falling) nà (fourth tone, falling) jiàn (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) shēngqì, (first tone, high and level) suǒyǐ (third tone, dipping) yě (third tone, dipping) bù (fourth tone, falling) kěn (third tone, dipping) xiān (first tone, high and level) qù (fourth tone, falling) zhǎo (third tone, dipping) tā. (first tone, high and level)

All these years she had believed her brother was still angry about it, so she would not be the first to look for him.

可是在信里，弟弟在第一行就写道：“姐姐，那天是我不对，你别生气了。我在这边一切都好，等过年我就回家看你。”

Kěshì (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) xìn (fourth tone, falling) li, (neutral tone) dìdi (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) dì (fourth tone, falling) yī (first tone, high and level) háng (second tone, rising) jiù (fourth tone, falling) xiě (third tone, dipping) dào: (fourth tone, falling) “Jiějie, (third tone, dipping) nà (fourth tone, falling) tiān (first tone, high and level) shì (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) bú (second tone, rising) duì, (fourth tone, falling) nǐ (third tone, dipping) bié (second tone, rising) shēngqì (first tone, high and level) le. (neutral tone) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) zhè (fourth tone, falling) biān (first tone, high and level) yíqiè (second tone, rising) dōu (first tone, high and level) hǎo, (third tone, dipping) děng (third tone, dipping) guònián (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) huí (second tone, rising) jiā (first tone, high and level) kàn (fourth tone, falling) nǐ.” (third tone, dipping)

But in the letter, on the very first line, her brother had written: “Sister, I was wrong that day; please don’t be angry any more. All is well with me here, and at New Year I’ll come home to see you.”

那一年，弟弟并没有回来。

Nà (fourth tone, falling) yì (fourth tone, falling) nián, (second tone, rising) dìdi (fourth tone, falling) bìng (fourth tone, falling) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) huílái. (second tone, rising)

That year, her brother did not come back.

他一直没有等到姐姐的回信，以为姐姐不肯原谅自己，也就再没有写信。

Tā (first tone, high and level) yìzhí (fourth tone, falling) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) děng (third tone, dipping) dào (fourth tone, falling) jiějie (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) huíxìn, (second tone, rising) yǐwéi (third tone, dipping) jiějie (third tone, dipping) bù (fourth tone, falling) kěn (third tone, dipping) yuánliàng (second tone, rising) zìjǐ, (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) xiě (third tone, dipping) xìn. (fourth tone, falling)

He never received a reply from his sister, thought she would not forgive him, and so never wrote again.

老太太读完信，哭了很久，然后对女儿说：“快帮我找找，你舅舅现在在哪儿。”

Lǎotàitai (third tone, dipping) dú (second tone, rising) wán (second tone, rising) xìn, (fourth tone, falling) kū (first tone, high and level) le (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) jiǔ, (third tone, dipping) ránhòu (second tone, rising) duì (fourth tone, falling) nǚ (third tone, dipping) ér (second tone, rising) shuō: (first tone, high and level) “Kuài (fourth tone, falling) bāng (first tone, high and level) wǒ (third tone, dipping) zhǎozhao, (third tone, dipping) nǐ (third tone, dipping) jiùjiu (fourth tone, falling) xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) nǎr.” (third tone, dipping)

When the old woman had finished reading, she cried for a long time, then said to her daughter: “Quick, help me find out where your uncle is now.”

后来的事情，老刘是从报纸上知道的。

Hòulái (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shìqing, (fourth tone, falling) Lǎo (third tone, dipping) Liú (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling) cóng (second tone, rising) bàozhǐ (fourth tone, falling) shang (neutral tone) zhīdào (first tone, high and level) de. (neutral tone)

What happened next, Old Liu learned from the newspaper.

在当地媒体的帮助下，老太太的女儿只用了半个月就找到了舅舅。

Zài (fourth tone, falling) dāngdì (first tone, high and level) méitǐ (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) bāngzhù (first tone, high and level) xià, (fourth tone, falling) lǎotàitai (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) nǚ (third tone, dipping) ér (second tone, rising) zhǐ (third tone, dipping) yòng (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) bàn (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) zhǎo (third tone, dipping) dào (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) jiùjiu. (fourth tone, falling)

With the help of the local media, the old woman’s daughter found her uncle in just half a month.

他住在南方的一座城市，已经七十多岁了。

Tā (first tone, high and level) zhù (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) nánfāng (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) yí (second tone, rising) zuò (fourth tone, falling) chéngshì, (second tone, rising) yǐjīng (third tone, dipping) qīshí (first tone, high and level) duō (first tone, high and level) suì (fourth tone, falling) le. (neutral tone)

He lived in a city in the south and was already over seventy.

他告诉记者，这些年他也回过两次老家，可是姐姐早就搬走了，他不知道应该去哪里找。

Tā (first tone, high and level) gàosu (fourth tone, falling) jìzhě, (fourth tone, falling) zhèxiē (fourth tone, falling) nián (second tone, rising) tā (first tone, high and level) yě (third tone, dipping) huíguo (second tone, rising) liǎng (third tone, dipping) cì (fourth tone, falling) lǎojiā, (third tone, dipping) kěshì (third tone, dipping) jiějie (third tone, dipping) zǎo (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) bānzǒu (first tone, high and level) le, (neutral tone) tā (first tone, high and level) bù (fourth tone, falling) zhīdào (first tone, high and level) yīnggāi (first tone, high and level) qù (fourth tone, falling) nǎli (third tone, dipping) zhǎo. (third tone, dipping)

He told reporters that over the years he had been back to his home town twice, but his sister had long since moved and he did not know where to look for her.

这一年的春节，分开了三十多年的姐姐和弟弟终于见面了。

Zhè (fourth tone, falling) yì (fourth tone, falling) nián (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) Chūnjié, (first tone, high and level) fēnkāi (first tone, high and level) le (neutral tone) sānshí (first tone, high and level) duō (first tone, high and level) nián (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) jiějie (third tone, dipping) hé (second tone, rising) dìdi (fourth tone, falling) zhōngyú (first tone, high and level) jiànmiàn (fourth tone, falling) le. (neutral tone)

At that year’s Spring Festival, the sister and brother, apart for more than thirty years, finally met again.

弟弟见到姐姐，说的第一句话是：“姐姐，我一直以为你不肯原谅我。”

Dìdi (fourth tone, falling) jiàndào (fourth tone, falling) jiějie, (third tone, dipping) shuō (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) dì (fourth tone, falling) yī (first tone, high and level) jù (fourth tone, falling) huà (fourth tone, falling) shì: (fourth tone, falling) “Jiějie, (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) yìzhí (fourth tone, falling) yǐwéi (third tone, dipping) nǐ (third tone, dipping) bù (fourth tone, falling) kěn (third tone, dipping) yuánliàng (second tone, rising) wǒ.” (third tone, dipping)

When he saw his sister, the first thing the brother said was: “Sister, I always thought you wouldn’t forgive me.”

在接受采访时，老刘说：“一封信晚到了三十年，我们没办法把那些年还给他们。但是能让它最后到达，我觉得我们这份工作就有意义。”

Zài (fourth tone, falling) jiēshòu (first tone, high and level) cǎifǎng (third tone, dipping) shí, (second tone, rising) Lǎo (third tone, dipping) Liú (second tone, rising) shuō: (first tone, high and level) “Yì (fourth tone, falling) fēng (first tone, high and level) xìn (fourth tone, falling) wǎn (third tone, dipping) dào (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) sānshí (first tone, high and level) nián, (second tone, rising) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) méi (second tone, rising) bànfǎ (fourth tone, falling) bǎ (third tone, dipping) nàxiē (fourth tone, falling) nián (second tone, rising) huán (second tone, rising) gěi (third tone, dipping) tāmen. (first tone, high and level) Dànshì (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) ràng (fourth tone, falling) tā (first tone, high and level) zuìhòu (fourth tone, falling) dàodá, (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) juéde (second tone, rising) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) zhè (fourth tone, falling) fèn (fourth tone, falling) gōngzuò (first tone, high and level) jiù (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yìyì.” (fourth tone, falling)

In an interview Old Liu said: “A letter arrived thirty years late, and we can’t give them back those years. But being able to get it there in the end makes this job of ours worth doing, I think.”

老刘没有说的是，那个布包里还有十几封信，至今没有找到收信人。他说，他会继续找下去。

Lǎo (third tone, dipping) Liú (second tone, rising) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) shuō (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) shì, (fourth tone, falling) nà (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) bùbāo (fourth tone, falling) li (neutral tone) hái (second tone, rising) yǒu (third tone, dipping) shíjǐ (second tone, rising) fēng (first tone, high and level) xìn, (fourth tone, falling) zhìjīn (fourth tone, falling) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) zhǎo (third tone, dipping) dào (fourth tone, falling) shōuxìnrén. (first tone, high and level) Tā (first tone, high and level) shuō, (first tone, high and level) tā (first tone, high and level) huì (fourth tone, falling) jìxù (fourth tone, falling) zhǎo (third tone, dipping) xiàqù. (fourth tone, falling)

What Old Liu did not say is that there are still a dozen or so letters in that cloth bag whose addressees have not been found. He says he will keep looking.