Rain tapped on the windows all afternoon. Tao was carrying a pot of soup home when he saw old Mr. Han on the bench outside his door. The man held a thin coat around his shoulders and watched the water run down the street.
整个下午，雨点都在敲打窗户。阿涛端着一锅汤回家时，看见韩爷爷坐在他家门外的长椅上。老人用一件薄外套裹着肩膀，望着雨水顺着街道流下。
Tao stopped. The pot was warm in his hands. 'My mother made too much,' he said. 'Would you like some?' Mr. Han looked up slowly, and his gray eyes grew bright.
阿涛停下脚步。锅在他手里暖暖的。“我妈妈做多了，”他说，“您要喝一点吗？”韩爷爷慢慢抬起头，灰色的眼睛亮了起来。
Mr. Han invited Tao inside. The room was small and neat, with one chair and one cup. Tao poured the soup into two bowls and found two spoons in a drawer.
韩爷爷请阿涛进屋。房间不大，收拾得很整洁，只有一把椅子、一只杯子。阿涛把汤倒进两只碗里，又从抽屉里找出两把勺子。
They ate without hurrying. Mr. Han said the soup tasted like the soup his wife used to make on rainy days. Tao did not know what to say, so he smiled and took another spoonful. When he left, the rain had almost stopped.
他们不慌不忙地喝着。韩爷爷说，这汤的味道像他妻子从前在下雨天做的汤。阿涛不知道该说什么，就笑了笑，又舀了一勺。他离开时，雨几乎已经停了。
The next week, Tao found the empty pot on his doorstep. Inside was a small paper bag of ginger and a note. 'For the next rainy day,' Mr. Han had written. 'Come and share it.'
下一个星期，阿涛在自家门口发现了那只空锅。锅里有一小纸袋姜和一张字条。“留给下一个雨天，”韩爷爷写道，“来一起喝吧。”
Tao carried the pot to the kitchen and told his mother. She laughed and said they would need a bigger pot. Now, whenever it rains, Tao looks at the bench outside. Sometimes Mr. Han is there, and sometimes the bench is empty. Either way, Tao goes to say hello.
阿涛把锅端进厨房，告诉了妈妈。妈妈笑了，说他们得换一口更大的锅。现在，每逢下雨，阿涛都会看看门外的长椅。有时韩爷爷在那儿，有时长椅空着。不管怎样，阿涛都会去打个招呼。