The Quiet Restaurant
小李每个星期都去一家小餐厅吃饭。
Xiaoli every (M) week all go one (M) small restaurant eat-meal.
Xiaoli ate at the same little restaurant every week.
他喜欢那里的鱼汤，也喜欢那里安静的样子。
He like there (POSS) fish soup, also like there quiet (POSS) appearance.
He liked the fish soup there, and how peaceful the place felt.
那家餐厅的厨师，大家叫他老陈。
That (M) restaurant (POSS) chef, everyone call him Old-Chen.
Everyone called the chef there Old Chen.
老陈做饭做得很好，可是从来不说话。
Chen master make-meal make (DEG) very good, but never not say-word.
Chef Chen cooked beautifully — but he never spoke.
小李一开始没注意到。
Xiaoli one-begin not notice arrive.
At first, Xiaoli didn’t notice.
可是有一天晚上，他看见老陈做了一件奇怪的事。
But have one day evening, he see Chen master do (PERF) one (M) strange (POSS) matter.
But one evening, he saw the chef do something strange.
老陈写了一张纸条，交给一个服务员。
Chen master write (PERF) one (M) paper-strip, hand-give one (M) waiter.
Chef Chen wrote a slip of paper and handed it to a waiter.
服务员看了看，点了点头，就去厨房了。
Waiter look (PERF) look, nod (PERF) nod head, then go kitchen (PERF).
The waiter glanced at it, nodded, and headed to the kitchen.
小李觉得这件事很有意思。
Xiaoli feel this (M) matter very have-interest.
Xiaoli found it intriguing.
下一次他再去的时候，他特别注意老陈。
Next one time he again go (POSS) time, he especially notice Chen master.
The next time, he watched Chef Chen carefully.
他发现老陈一晚上写了好几张纸条。
He discover Chen master one evening write (PERF) several (M) paper-strip.
He noticed the chef wrote several slips in one evening.
有的交给服务员，有的交给买菜的小工。
Some hand-give waiter, some hand-give buy-vegetable (POSS) small-worker.
Some he handed to the waiters, some to the kitchen helper.
小李想：“原来老陈不能说话，只能写。”
Xiaoli think: "Originally Chen master not-able say-word, only able write."
Xiaoli thought, “Ah — he must not be able to speak, so he writes.”
他没有告诉别人。
He not-have tell other-person.
He didn’t mention it to anyone.
一个星期以后，小李又去了那家餐厅。
One (M) week after, Xiaoli again go (PERF) that (M) restaurant.
A week later, Xiaoli was back at the restaurant.
他注意到一个常常来的老太太。
He notice arrive one (M) often-often come (POSS) old-lady.
He noticed an older woman who came in often.
她每次都坐在同一个位子，每次都点同一个菜：鱼汤。
She every-time all sit at same one (M) seat, every-time all order same one (M) dish: fish soup.
She always sat at the same seat and ordered the same dish: fish soup.
她吃完以后，服务员会送给她一张小纸条。
She eat-finish after, waiter will deliver give her one (M) small paper-strip.
After she finished, the waiter would bring her a small slip of paper.
老太太每次都笑一笑，把纸条放进口袋。
Old-lady every-time all laugh one laugh, (BA) paper-strip place enter pocket.
She would always smile, then tuck the slip into her pocket.
小李越来越好奇。
Xiaoli more-come-more curious.
Xiaoli grew more and more curious.
那天他坐得近一点。
That day he sit (DEG) close a-bit.
That day, he sat a little closer.
服务员送菜的时候，小纸条掉在地上。
Waiter deliver-dish (POSS) time, small paper-strip fall on ground top.
When the waiter delivered the food, a small slip dropped on the floor.
小李帮她拿起来。
Xiaoli help her pick rise come.
Xiaoli helped pick it up.
他不小心，看了一眼。
He not careful, look (PERF) one eye.
Without quite meaning to, he glanced at it.
上面写着：“今天的汤特别热，因为外面冷。请慢慢喝。”
Top-face write (CONT): "Today (POSS) soup especially hot, because outside cold. Please slow-slow drink."
It read: “Today’s soup is extra hot — it’s cold outside. Please drink it slowly.”
小李笑了。
Xiaoli laugh (PERF).
Xiaoli smiled.
他终于明白了。老陈不只是在做饭。
He finally understand (PERF). Chen master not only at make-meal.
He finally understood. Chef Chen wasn’t just cooking.
他一句话也不说，但是每个星期都用纸条对一个人讲一份感情。
He one sentence-word also not say, but every (M) week all use paper-strip toward one (M) person tell one (M) emotion.
He never said a word — but every week, through those slips, he was telling one person how he felt.
小李把纸条还给老太太，没说什么，只点了点头。
Xiaoli (BA) paper-strip return-give old-lady, not say anything, only nod (PERF) nod head.
Xiaoli handed the slip back to her, said nothing, and only nodded.