Can I Play?

It is a holiday, but the playground near the building is open. Some kids are playing with a ball. Their shouts fly up to the windows. Lin Hao stands by the fence with his hands in his pockets. He wants to join, but he does not know all of their names.

今天放假，可楼旁的操场开着。 几个孩子在踢球，喊声飞到窗户上。 林浩双手插在口袋里，站在围栏边。 他想加入，可并不认识他们每一个人。

He walks over and asks, "Can I play?" For a second nobody answers, and his face feels hot. Then a girl with a red cap says, "Sure! Come on. We need one more." He runs in and laughs with them, even when he kicks the ball the wrong way.

他走过去问：“我能一起玩吗？” 有一瞬间没人答，他脸上发烫。 接着一个戴红帽子的女孩说：“当然！来吧。我们还差一个人。” 他跑进去，和他们一起笑，哪怕把球踢错方向。

After twenty minutes they sit on the grass. Someone shares water. Someone tells a joke about a flying shoe. Lin Hao does not say much, but he is not outside the circle now. Asking "Can I play?" was harder than the game itself.

二十分钟后他们坐在草地上。 有人分享水。有人讲一只飞出去的鞋的笑话。 林浩话不多，但他已经不在圈子外面了。 问出“我能一起玩吗”，比游戏本身更难。

When Mum calls from the balcony, he waves to the group. "Wait for me next time," he says, and they nod. The holiday afternoon is short, but it feels long in a good way. A question with four words opened the gate.

妈妈在阳台上喊他时，他向大家挥手。 他说：“下次等我。”他们点头。 假期的下午很短，却像被拉长了，而且是好的那种。 四个词的问句，打开了那扇门。