The Magic Rice Cooker
小李的奶奶去世以后，留给他一个旧电饭锅。
Xiao-Li (POSS) grandma pass-away after, leave-to him one (M) old electric-rice-pot.
When Xiao Li's grandmother passed away, she left him an old rice cooker.
锅看起来很普通，颜色都有点掉了。
Pot look up-come very ordinary, color all a-bit fall-off (PERF).
The cooker looked perfectly ordinary; the paint was peeling in places.
他本来想扔掉，可是奶奶生前说过，这是她最爱的东西。
He originally want throw-away, but grandma alive-before say (EXP), this is her most love (POSS) thing.
He almost threw it away, but his grandmother had said in life that this was her most treasured thing.
第一天晚上，他一个人在家，只放了一杯米。
First day evening, he one (M) person at home, only put (PERF) one cup rice.
The first night, alone at home, he measured out just one cup of rice.
可是煮好以后，他发现锅里的饭刚好够他吃饱。
But cook-good after, he discover pot inside (POSS) rice exactly enough him eat-full.
But when it finished, there was exactly enough rice to fill him up.
他想，可能锅有点大吧。
He think, perhaps pot a-bit big (SUGG).
Maybe the cooker was just a bit big, he thought.
第二天他请了一个朋友来吃饭，还是只放了一杯米。
Second day he invite (PERF) one (M) friend come eat-rice, still only put (PERF) one cup rice.
The next day he invited a friend over, still using just one cup of rice.
煮好以后，饭刚好够两个人吃。
Cook-good after, rice exactly enough two (M) person eat.
When it was done, there was exactly enough for two.
他心里有点奇怪，可是没说什么。
He heart inside a-bit strange, but not say anything.
He found that a little strange, but he didn't mention it.
第三天，三个邻居来看他，他又放了同样的一杯米。
Third day, three (M) neighbor come see him, he again put (PERF) same (POSS) one cup rice.
On the third day, three neighbors dropped by, and he measured out the same single cup of rice.
煮好以后，饭居然够四个人都吃饱。
Cook-good after, rice unexpectedly enough four (M) person all eat-full.
Somehow, there was enough to fill all four of them.
那天晚上，他坐在厨房里，看着那个旧锅看了很久。
That day evening, he sit at kitchen inside, look (CONT) that (M) old pot look (PERF) very long.
That night he sat in the kitchen, staring at the old cooker for a long time.
他想起小时候，奶奶家里总是有很多人。
He think-up small-time, grandma home inside always have many people.
He remembered that as a child, his grandmother's house had always been full of people.
邻居、同事、陌生的客人，都常常来吃饭。
Neighbor, colleague, strange (POSS) guest, all often come eat-rice.
Neighbors, coworkers, even strangers — they all came by to eat.
奶奶从来不让人空着肚子离开。
Grandma from-come not let person empty (CONT) stomach leave.
His grandmother never let anyone leave with an empty stomach.
小李慢慢明白了一件事。
Xiao-Li slowly understand (PERF) one (M) matter.
Slowly, Xiao Li began to understand something.
锅不奇怪，奇怪的是他自己。
Pot not strange, strange (POSS) is he self.
The cooker wasn't strange. He was.
他已经一个人吃了太多年的饭。
He already one (M) person eat (PERF) too many year (POSS) rice.
He had eaten alone for too many years.
从那以后，他开始请人来家里吃饭。
From that after, he begin invite person come home inside eat-rice.
From that day, he began inviting people over.
先是楼下那个一个人住的老人。
First is downstairs that (M) one (M) person live (POSS) old person.
First the old man who lived alone downstairs.
然后是常常加班到很晚的同事。
Then is often work-overtime to very late (POSS) colleague.
Then the coworker who always stayed late at the office.
再后来是一个找不到工作的年轻人。
Again after is one (M) seek not arrive work (POSS) young person.
After that, a young man who couldn't find a job.
每次他都只放一杯米，每次都刚好够。
Every time he all only put one cup rice, every time all exactly enough.
Every time he used just one cup of rice, and every time there was just enough.
消息慢慢传了出去。
Message slowly spread (PERF) out-go.
Word slowly got around.
有时候他下班回家，门口已经有人在等他。
Some-time he off-work return home, door-mouth already have person at wait him.
Sometimes he came home from work to find people waiting at his door.
他们带着自己的菜、自己的故事。
They bring (CONT) self (POSS) dish, self (POSS) story.
They brought their own dishes, their own stories.
有人吃完就走，有人坐到很晚才离开。
Have person eat-finish then go, have person sit to very late only leave.
Some ate and left; some stayed until late.
他的小房子变成了一个安静的地方。
His small house turn-become (PERF) one (M) quiet (POSS) place.
His small apartment became a quiet kind of place.
在这里，大家可以说话，也可以不说话。
At here, everyone can speak, also can not speak.
A place where people could talk, or not talk.
一年以后，他终于明白奶奶的意思。
One year after, he finally understand grandma (POSS) meaning.
A year later, he finally understood what his grandmother had meant.
她生前最担心的，是他一个人太久。
She alive-before most worry (POSS), is he one (M) person too long.
What she had worried about most in life was that he was alone too much.
她留下这个锅，不是让他多吃饭。
She leave-down this (M) pot, not is let him more eat-rice.
She hadn't left him the cooker so he would eat more.
她是让他多请人。
She is let him more invite person.
She had left it so he would invite more people in.
有一天晚上，最后一个客人走了以后，他擦了擦锅。
Have one day evening, last one (M) guest leave (PERF) after, he wipe (PERF) wipe pot.
One night, after the last guest had gone, he wiped the cooker clean.
他对它说：“奶奶，今天来了八个人。”
He toward it say: "Grandma, today come (PERF) eight (M) person."
He said to it, "Grandma, eight people came today."
锅没回答。可是他心里觉得，奶奶听见了。
Pot not reply. But he heart inside feel, grandma hear-see (PERF).
The cooker didn't answer. But somehow he felt that his grandmother had heard.
他把锅放回厨房，关了灯。
He (BA) pot put-return kitchen, turn-off (PERF) light.
He put the cooker back in the kitchen and turned out the light.
那个她为他担心的日子，再也不会回来了。
That (M) she for him worry (POSS) day, again also not will return-come (PERF).
Those days she had worried about for him would never come back.