Twig 枝丫 Zhīyā is a serialized fantasy novel written in Simplified Chinese characters for intermediate level readers.
刘依诺在胡同的厨房里,正在看从张老板的书店买来的烹饪书。透过厨房的窗户,一个正方形的夕阳光照射在这本烹饪书的一页纸上。她正在看关于煎饼食谱的章节。她记得小李说过胡同大厨用八角用得像皇帝的厨师用得一样好,还有他的菜的味道像天堂一样,好吃极了。她将尝试复制胡同大厨的食谱。
刘依诺知道这是一个复杂的食谱,但是她觉得有动力。为了拔出那棵枝丫,小李会来刘依诺的公寓。到时候,刘依诺想把这个煎饼给他吃。
当小李让刘依诺帮助他拔出树时,刘依诺感觉她真实的自我被看到了、被听到了、被理解了。小李知道刘依诺没有树,但是他肯定重视她,对不对?即使没有树,小李也把刘依诺看成一个完整的人,是不是?这肯定就是小李为什么必须让刘依诺帮助他的原因吧?
但是,刘依诺心里有些不安。小李的妻子怎么办?她知道目前王雪梅在上海工作。
难道小李没有矛盾的心理吗,刘依诺问自己。在煎锅里, 刘依诺加了姜,丁香和大蒜。
小李是我的新老板,刘依诺想。小李知道并且欣赏我的工作。我们一起成为树会议的成员,是不是?他信任我。他对我很了解。小李肯定认为我很特别。他有没有让我帮助过他?
有,刘依诺自言自语道。
而且我知道小李喜欢什么菜,刘依诺自己偷偷地笑了。
根据张老板的烹饪书,刘依诺可以用完整的八角,也可以把八角分成两半用。她决定保留完整的八角。
Word List
一个正方形的夕阳光照射在这本烹饪书的一页纸上。
Yīgè zhèngfāngxíng de xīyáng guāng zhàoshè zài zhè běn pēngrèn shū de yī yè zhǐ shàng.
A square of light from the setting sun shone on one of the cookbook’s pages.
烹饪书 pēngrèn shū cookbook
透 tòu to pass through, to penetrate
章节 zhāngjié chapter
根据 gēnjù according to
食谱 shípǔ recipe
煎锅 jiān guō pan, frying pan, skillet
煎饼 jiānbing pancake
八角 bājiǎo star anise
皇帝 huángdì emperor
天堂 tiāntáng heaven
将 jiāng grammatical particle that indicates future tense, sense of intention, planned action; formal (vs. 会 huì indicates likelihood or inevitability of a future action; less formal)
复制 fùzhì copy, replicate, duplicate (复制和粘贴 fùzhì hé zhāntiē copy and paste)
公寓 gōngyù apartment
矛盾心理 máodùn xīnlǐ ambivalence
姜 jiāng ginger
丁香 dīngxiāng cloves
大蒜 dàsuàn garlic
重视 zhòngshì to value, to attach importance to
欣赏 xīnshǎng appreciate, admire, enjoy
即使 jíshǐ even though
完整 wánzhěng whole, complete
目前 mùqián at present
难道 nán dào Could it be that...?
在煎锅里, 刘依诺加了姜,丁香和大蒜。Zài jiān guō lǐ, Liú Yīnuò jiāle jiāng, dīngxiāng hé dàsuàn. To the frying pan, Liu Yinuo added ginger, cloves and garlic.
欣赏 xīnshǎng appreciate
信任 xìnrèn trust
偷 tōu to steal, to pilfer, to snatch
偷偷地 tōu tōu de secretly
自言自语 zì yán zì yǔ talk to oneself, speak to oneself
分成两半用 fēnchéng liǎng bàn yòng divide into two halves
保留 bǎoliú keep
Update 12/9/2024: After the audio recording was made, one update was made to the text.
OLD: 一个正方形的夕阳光照射在这本烹饪书上。
NEW: 一个正方形的夕阳光照射在这本烹饪书的一页纸上。
Resources
Chapter 35 audio by Benfang Wang of Dashu Mandarin
Chapter 35 and Chapter 36 video by Jiayi of Queen of Hànzì 汉字女王
Chapter 35 PPT slide: 难道 + rhetorical question + (吗)? with a highlighted grammar point, related vocabulary, example sentences, and AI-generated images to study on your own or to discuss with 老师 or 学习伙伴.
The story so far, just 汉字, no pinyin or word lists.
The story so far, just audio, no text.
Google Translate English version, first few chapters.
More learning materials
Word lists for review in Hack Chinese.
Links to all PPT slides on the table of contents.
More resources on the for students page.
More about the story
Table of contents includes links to chapters and other resources.
微故事, a series of occasional vignettes featuring objects in the 胡同 and in the lives of 枝丫’s denizens.
Main page: Twig 枝丫: A fantasy novel