On Saturday, Kai helped his grandmother at her vegetable stall. She sold tomatoes, cucumbers, and small bags of beans. The market was loud with voices and clinking coins.
星期六，凯在菜市场帮奶奶照看菜摊。她卖西红柿、黄瓜和一小袋一小袋的豆子。市场里人声鼎沸，硬币叮当作响。
Grandma gave him a red apron and notebook. 'Tomatoes are three yuan for one bag,' she said. 'Cucumbers are two yuan each. If unsure, count on your fingers. Nobody will laugh.'
奶奶给了他一条红围裙和一个笔记本。“西红柿三块钱一袋，”她说，“黄瓜两块钱一根。如果不确定，就掰着手指算。没人会笑你。”
Kai wrote the prices in big numbers. His first customer wanted two bags of tomatoes. He counted six yuan and held out his hand. The coins felt warm and heavy.
凯用大大的数字写下价格。他的第一位顾客想买两袋西红柿。他数出六块钱，伸出手。那些硬币摸起来暖暖的，沉甸甸的。
A tall man in a yellow hat ordered four bags of tomatoes and three cucumbers. Kai wrote the numbers down. Four bags cost twelve yuan. The cucumbers cost six.
一个戴黄帽子的高个子男人买了四袋西红柿和三根黄瓜。凯把数字记下来。四袋十二块钱，黄瓜六块钱。
The man handed him twenty yuan. Kai gave back two yuan. Then he frowned. One cucumber had rolled under the scale. The man had paid for something he did not have.
男人递给他二十块钱。凯找了两块钱。然后他皱起眉头。有一根黄瓜滚到了秤下面。男人为他没拿到的东西付了钱。
Kai called him back. 'Excuse me, you paid for three cucumbers, but there are only two.' The man laughed and took his extra coins. Grandma winked from behind the beans.
凯把他叫了回来。“对不起，您付了三根黄瓜的钱，但这里只有两根。”男人笑了，拿回了多付的硬币。奶奶在豆子后面朝他眨了眨眼。
At closing time, Grandma counted the money. 'We did well today,' she said. Kai looked at his notebook. He had drawn a small map of the stall with prices beside each vegetable.
收摊时，奶奶数了数钱。“我们今天干得不错。”她说。凯看着自己的笔记本。他画了一张小小的菜摊地图，每种蔬菜旁边都标着价格。
A new vendor across the aisle struggled with her signs. Kai gave her his map. 'The numbers make the choices clearer,' he said. She copied the idea in bright chalk.
过道对面一位新来的摊主正为标牌发愁。凯把自己的地图给了她。“数字能让选择更清楚。”他说。她用亮色的粉笔照着他的办法写了起来。
On the way home, Grandma bought Kai a red bean bun. 'You learned more than prices today,' she said. Kai bit into the warm bun and nodded.
回家的路上，奶奶给凯买了一个红豆包。“你今天学到的不只是价格。”她说。凯咬了一口热乎乎的包子，点了点头。