The Old House Changes Hands
我们家的老房子，是大哥卖掉的。
Our home (POSS) old house, is big-brother sell-off (POSS).
Our family's old house was sold by my elder brother.
他没问过我和我妹妹，自己就办好了一切。
He not ask (EXP) me and my younger-sister, self then handle-good (PERF) everything.
He didn't ask me or my sister; he just took care of everything on his own.
他和我们的关系，已经十几年不好了。
He and we (POSS) relation, already ten-several year not good (PERF).
His relationship with us had been bad for over ten years.
我们听说房子卖了的时候，已经晚了。
We hear-say house sell (PERF) (POSS) time, already late (PERF).
By the time we heard the house had been sold, it was too late.
新主人是一位四十多岁的女士，姓林。
New owner is one (M) forty-more year-old (POSS) lady, surname Lin.
The new owner was a woman in her forties named Ms. Lin.
我们和她没有任何关系。
We and her not have any relation.
We had no connection to her at all.
一个月以后，我接到她的电话。
One (M) month after, I receive-arrive her (POSS) phone.
A month later, she called me.
她的声音听起来有点不好意思。
Her (POSS) voice listen up-come a-bit embarrassed.
Her voice sounded a little uncomfortable.
“你好，我在装修你们的老房子。”
"Hello, I at renovate your (PL) (POSS) old house."
"Hello — I'm renovating your old house."
“我们拆了二楼的一面墙。墙里面有一个铁盒子。”
"We tear-down (PERF) second-floor (POSS) one (M) wall. Wall inside have one (M) iron box."
"We took down a wall on the second floor. There was a metal box inside the wall."
我没听明白。我说：“盒子？什么样的盒子？”
I not listen-understand. I say: "Box? What kind (POSS) box?"
I didn't understand. I said, "A box? What kind of box?"
她说：“里面都是一个小孩的东西。可是看起来不是你们家的。”
She say: "Inside all is one (M) small-child (POSS) thing. But look up-come not is your (PL) home (POSS)."
She said, "It's full of a child's things. But they don't look like they belong to your family."
“衣服上写着一个名字，我从来没听过。”
"Clothes on write (CONT) one (M) name, I from-come not hear (EXP)."
"There's a name written on the clothes. I've never heard it."
我心里有点凉。我问：“写的是什么名字？”
I heart inside a-bit cool. I ask: "Write (POSS) is what name?"
Something went cold inside me. I asked, "What name?"
她念了一个名字——也姓我们家的姓，可是后面两个字我从来没听过。
She read (PERF) one (M) name — also surname our home (POSS) surname, but behind two (M) word I from-come not hear (EXP).
She read a name — our family's surname, but the given name I had never heard.
我和妹妹决定一起回去看。
I and younger-sister decide together return-go look.
My sister and I decided to go back together.
我们也叫了大哥，可是他没回电话。
We also call (PERF) big-brother, but he not return phone.
We called our elder brother too, but he didn't return the call.
林女士把我们带到楼上的一间小房间。
Lin lady (BA) us bring-to upstairs (POSS) one (M) small room.
Ms. Lin led us to a small room upstairs.
盒子放在地上，已经打开了。
Box place at ground on, already open (PERF).
The box was on the floor, already open.
里面有几件很小的衣服，一些木头玩具，几张画。
Inside have several (M) very small (POSS) clothes, some wood (POSS) toy, several (M) picture.
Inside there were some very small clothes, a few wooden toys, some pictures.
还有一本小学一年级的课本。
Also have one (M) primary-school first-grade (POSS) textbook.
And a first-grade primary school textbook.
课本的第一页，写着一个名字和一个生日。
Textbook (POSS) first page, write (CONT) one (M) name and one (M) birthday.
On the first page were a name and a birthday.
那个生日，比我大哥的生日早三年。
That (M) birthday, than my big-brother (POSS) birthday early three year.
That birthday was three years earlier than my elder brother's.
我和妹妹看着对方，谁都没说话。
I and younger-sister look (CONT) opposite-side, who all not speak.
My sister and I looked at each other; neither of us spoke.
我们的爸爸去年走了，妈妈五年前走的。
Our dad last-year go (PERF), mom five year ago go (POSS).
Our father had passed away last year, our mother five years before that.
他们从来没跟我们说过这样一个人。
They from-come not with us speak (EXP) this-kind one (M) person.
They had never once mentioned someone like this.
妹妹拿起一张画，是一个小孩画的——一家人，五个人，手拉着手。
Younger-sister pick-up one (M) picture, is one (M) small-child draw (POSS) — one family person, five (M) person, hand pull (CONT) hand.
My sister picked up a drawing a child had made — a family of five, holding hands.
我们家从小只有四个人。
Our home from small only have four (M) person.
Our family had always been four people.
那天晚上，我们坐在饭店里，不知道说什么好。
That day evening, we sit at restaurant inside, not know say what good.
That night we sat in a restaurant, not knowing what to say.
妹妹小声说：“我们好像有一个哥哥。”
Younger-sister small-voice say: "We seem-like have one (M) older-brother."
My sister said quietly, "It seems we had an older brother."
我点点头。我心里也是这样想的。
I nod-nod head. I heart inside also is this-way think (POSS).
I nodded. I had been thinking the same thing.
我们打电话给爸爸的妹妹，她已经八十岁了。
We hit-phone give dad (POSS) younger-sister, she already eighty year-old (PERF).
We called our father's younger sister; she was eighty already.
她在电话那头很久没说话。
She at phone that head very long not speak.
On the other end she was quiet for a long time.
然后她说：“是的，你们有一个哥哥。”
Then she say: "Yes, you (PL) have one (M) older-brother."
Then she said, "Yes, you had an older brother."
“他生病走的，那时候你妈妈才二十几岁。”
"He get-sick go (POSS), that time your mom only twenty-several year-old."
"He died of an illness. Your mother was only in her twenties then."
“他们决定不告诉以后的孩子。他们觉得说出来太疼。”
"They decide not tell after (POSS) child. They feel speak-out too pain."
"They decided not to tell any later children. They felt it would hurt too much to say it."
她又说：“你大哥小时候听过他的名字。可能他还记得一点。”
"Your big-brother small-time hear (EXP) his (POSS) name. Perhaps he still remember a-bit."
"Your elder brother had heard his name as a child. Maybe he still remembers a little."
我突然明白了大哥为什么这么快卖了房子。
I sudden understand (PERF) big-brother why this-fast sell (PERF) house.
Suddenly I understood why my elder brother had sold the house so quickly.
也许他不是不愿意分给我们，
Perhaps he not is not willing divide-give us,
Maybe he wasn't refusing to share with us.
也许是他一个人，知道得太多。
Perhaps is he one (M) person, know (DE) too much.
Maybe he was the one who already knew too much, all by himself.
我们把盒子带回了家。
We (BA) box bring-return (PERF) home.
We brought the box back with us.
妹妹把那张五个人的画放在了她的书桌上。
Younger-sister (BA) that (M) five (M) person (POSS) picture place at (PERF) her (POSS) book-desk on.
My sister put that picture of the family of five on her desk.
我们没有再问她什么。
We not have again ask her what.
We didn't ask our aunt anything more.
有的事，知道了就够了。
Have (POSS) matter, know (PERF) then enough (PERF).
Some things, once you know them, that's enough.