Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Li Ming's Single Day Revelation atop the Great Wall
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-16-23-34-02-zh
Story Transcript:
Zh: 秋天的长城在明亮的阳光下显得格外庄严。
En: The Great Wall of China in the autumn sun appears especially majestic.
Zh: 在红黄相间的树叶映衬下，长城的古老石砖如同一位历经沧桑的老者，见证着历史的变迁。
En: Against the backdrop of red and yellow leaves, the ancient stones of the wall look like an elder who has weathered the ages, witnessing the changes of history.
Zh: 在这样一个特殊的日子——光棍节，长城上游客如潮，欢声笑语此起彼伏。
En: On such a special day—Singles' Day, the Great Wall is flooded with tourists, filled with laughter and cheer.
Zh: 而在这纷扰的人群中，李明的心情却格外复杂。
En: However, amidst the bustling crowd, Li Ming's emotions are exceptionally complex.
Zh: 李明是一位三十出头的专业人士，单身的他，一直被家人催促着尽快成家立业。
En: Li Ming is a professional in his early thirties, who remains single and is constantly urged by his family to settle down and establish a career.
Zh: 光棍节原本是他最大的压力来源，沉重的孤独感扑面而来。
En: Singles' Day used to be his greatest source of pressure, as an overwhelming sense of loneliness washed over him.
Zh: 但今年，他做了个不同寻常的决定：在长城举行一场家庭聚会。
En: But this year, he made an unusual decision: to hold a family gathering on the Great Wall.
Zh: 他希望趁此机会，拉近与家人的距离，分享自己的心声。
En: He hoped to use this opportunity to get closer to his family and share his heartfelt thoughts.
Zh: “李明！”随着一个亲切的呼唤，陈伟和张磊向他走来。
En: "Li Ming!" With a friendly call, Chen Wei and Zhang Lei walked towards him.
Zh: 陈伟是李明的表弟，在海外工作多年；张磊是他的堂兄，总是充满智慧与善意。
En: Chen Wei is Li Ming's cousin, who has worked overseas for many years; Zhang Lei is his older cousin, always full of wisdom and kindness.
Zh: 他们都很高兴见到李明，并对他的邀请表示感谢。
En: They were very pleased to see Li Ming and expressed gratitude for his invitation.
Zh: 三人登上长城，欣赏风景的同时，也开始了倾心的谈话。
En: The three of them ascended the Great Wall, enjoying the scenery while also engaging in a heartfelt conversation.
Zh: 李明深吸了一口清新的冷空气，鼓起勇气，说出压抑在心中已久的话：“我知道你们都希望我早日成家，但我有自己的目标。我希望你们能理解和支持我的决定。”
En: Li Ming took a deep breath of the fresh, cold air, gathered his courage, and spoke words that had long been suppressed in his heart: “I know you all wish for me to settle down soon, but I have my own goals. I hope you can understand and support my decision.”
Zh: 陈伟拍了拍李明的肩膀，说：“每个人都有自己的道路，我们支持你。”
En: Chen Wei patted Li Ming on the shoulder and said, "Everyone has their own path; we support you."
Zh: 张磊点头附和：“我们要的是你的幸福，不论这意味着什么。”
En: Zhang Lei nodded in agreement, "What we want is your happiness, whatever that means."
Zh: 随着对话的深入，李明感受到了一种前所未有的轻松。
En: As the conversation deepened, Li Ming felt an unprecedented sense of ease.
Zh: 他在内心深处找到了那个真正的自己，一个在家庭期待之外，仍能坚定自我的人。
En: He found his true self within, someone who could remain firm outside the expectations of family.
Zh: 他笑了，望着辽阔的长城，仿佛看到了未来。
En: He smiled, looking at the vast Great Wall, as if he could see the future.
Zh: 家庭聚会在一片欢声笑语中结束。
En: The family gathering ended amidst laughter and cheer.
Zh: 这个光棍节，他们收获的不只是购物季的折扣，而是一种新的理解和支持。
En: This Singles' Day, they gained not just the discounts of the shopping season, but a new understanding and support.
Zh: 离开长城时，李明感受到秋风的温暖，上面带着他最珍贵的家人的关爱。
En: As they left the Great Wall, Li Ming felt the warmth of the autumn breeze, infused with the love and care of his cherished family.
Zh: 虽然秋日的阳光渐渐西沉，但李明心中充满了希望。
En: Although the autumn sun was gradually setting, Li Ming's heart was filled with hope.
Zh: 他明确了自己的人生目标，也收获了珍贵的家庭支持。
En: He had clarified his life goals and gained valuable family support.
Zh: 对他来说，这个惊喜的团聚是一次新的开始，是他个人成长道路上重要的一步。
En: For him, this surprising reunion was a new beginning and an important step in his personal growth journey.
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