Simulcasting Love

Century Convention Center.  Where the G2 Summit conference was convening.

Chairman: “The convening of this conference marks the formal establishment between our two countries in a strategic cooperative partnership …...”

In every large international conference, simultaneous translators are always needed.  This is one of the highest paid professions in the world.  It is also one of the most difficult and challenging profession.  It requires the translator to translate speech into another language simultaneously while the speaker is speaking.  It challenges their reaction time, foundations of each language, and quick thinking.  The pay from a job like this is difficult for regular people to achieve.  The salary of a first-rate simultaneous translator is $750 per hour.  For a conference of this importance, they can be paid more than $3,000 a day.  This is also a battlefield without any smoking guns.  There was a simultaneous translator who had mistranslated the word “regret” to “apology” once.  It caused the mutual relationship of two countries to fall into a tense situation.  It caused the Memorandum of Understanding to be postponed for one month.  The translator resigned in frustration and became depressed.  It was said that he later fell ill and pa.s.sed away.

Is there a translator who isn’t always treading on thin ice with a high degree of stress?  Isn’t the brain of the convention’s host full of tensed nerves, taut like a tight string that would not be relieved until the convention is over?  This is because a job like this is full of uncertainty.  In addition, because the translators use their human brain, not computer, they can still make mistakes.  Experienced translators can quickly recover from their mistakes.  When the mistake was an unrecoverable error, then the result could be disastrous.

But, this city’s large international conference hosting organization was relieved, because they hired a “treasured” translator, who other translators called “G.o.d Solomon”[1], a genius of simultaneous translations.

“……partner relationship……”Tang Shuoran quickly translated the Chairman’s words.  The Chairman’s script had already been sent to the translator team a day earlier.  Translating with a script available was like an appetizer dish to him.  So his voice sounded a little lazy.  You know, the biggest challenge were the unexpected tricky questions from the audience.  At this time, if a word was very difficult to translate directly, most translators would use a technique: translation by meaning.  But it would never happen to Tang Shuoran, because he had memorized 100,000 English words and idioms.  He could very arrogantly announce to anyone, that the words he translated were the most accurate.

After the script had been received, the staff carefully asked Tang Shuoran: “Should somebody read and record it, then you could go home to study it?

Tang Shuoran waved his hand: “Just the usual way.”

The staff dared not speak any more on the matter.  They had the young girl in the team who had the most unaccented Mandarin to read each word and sentence aloud at a middling pace.

Tang Shuoran looked at the distant blankly.  It seemed like he was listening, but he also seemed to be in deep thought.

This young girl had been hired by Tang Shuoran after he had interviewed her.  He said if there was no good reader available in the team, then he would not accept the job offer.  The conference organizer was terrified.  Though this request was very unreasonable (the hiring of organizer’s staff was decided by a translator who was an employee of the organizer), they agreed regardless.  The conference organizer was lucky to have agreed to his request.  Hiring a good translator was easy, but it was very rare to find a genius translator.  Keep in mind that simultaneous translation consume a large amount of brain power, physical strength, and energy.  For a large conference, an organizer must hire at least more than 3 simultaneous translators in order to be able to handle it.  Since intensive stress on the brain would easily exhaust the translator, a translator would have to take turns every 20 minutes.  In other words, a regular translator was effective for a translation time period of 20 minutes at the longest.   The translator took about a 40 minute break until the other 2 translators finished their turns.  Then the translator could quickly rejoin the intense rhythm again.  But Tang Shuoran could perform a whole translation by himself without a break.

When the general manager had interviewed this melancholic and aloof man, he looked at him for a while and said with difficulty: “Mr Tang, we hold international conferences of a very high level.  I am afraid that we need to have somebody to take care of you…. You know, therefore….”

Tang Shuoran stood up silently.  He tapped his cane on the floor and turned around toward the door.

Coincidently, one International Conference Bureau official was visiting.  This official had a close friendship with the Convention Center general manager, so it was a private visit.  After the door opened, he originally was looking at the general manager with smiles.  When he suddenly saw Tang Shuoran, he immediately became distracted.

“HI，Solomon，so excited to see you here! very very very glad~~I am ……”[2]

He spoke incoherently.  He walked up and hugged Tang Shuoran for a quite while.  He then turned to the general manager and said: “You really have a good taste.  This is the best Chinese translator in our Translation Division.  In the same conference, China only needs to send him over.  But at the same time, we need to send 5 English translators…..”

The general manager understood his great value by now – he could accomplish the translation which would normally require at least 3 translators.   Though he asked for very high pay, but the ratio of his ability compared to his pay was very high.

They had happily worked together ever since then.  The general manager also quickly agreed to hire the young reading girl that was selected by Tang Shuoran.  His interview process was very interesting.  The applicants had only to sing an English song.  Even if her Mandarin had no accent, she would fail if she could not sing an English song.

The current reading girl had been hired by singing the song “My Heart Will Go On.”

Today, after she finally finished reading the last paragraph, she quietly closed the script and looked at the handsome man before her.  He looked as if he had just awoken from a dream and blinked his eyes.  He took a gla.s.s of water and drank.  “Thank you.  I have it all remembered.  Remember to drink some Chrysanthemum tea after you go home.  It’s good for your throat.”

“Thanks.  Mr. Tang.”  She mumbled.

He dusted his clothes, though there was no dust on his clothes.  But he was used the manners of a gentleman, he did not miss a single step – so, he dusted his clothes, smoothed the collar, took out the sungla.s.ses from the inner pocket of his suit, and wore it.  He then took out a small tool from his right pocket, which looks like a small flashlight.  He unfolded it and it transformed into a stick for the blind.  The height of the stick rose up to his waist.  He held the top of the stick and stood up: “See you tomorrow.”

Her voice was still tender and beautiful as befitting a young girl, but her figure was not as agile as before – she was 9 months pregnant and was going to deliver soon.

She was so sorry: “Mr. Tang ….. I’m sorry that I cannot come to work tomorrow.”

He was startled and said: “Oh, Okay. You should take a break.  There are many conferences in these couple months.  Don’t get sick.”

She pursed up her lips and said with difficulty: “Mr. Tang, I am going to be a mom.”

His face showed surprise, but changed to a kind-hearted smile quickly:  “Congratulations.  You need to take care of yourself.”

Her voice was very light: “Mr. Tang, I---I will be taking my maternity leave tomorrow.  Tomorrow is my expected delivery date…...”

He put on sungla.s.ses, but had his head lowered.  It seemed like he was trying to see her bulging belly, then he said after a while: “Thank you.  You have been working for me until now.  I am so careless…..”

Tang Shuoran suddenly remembered that this young mother had gone to the restroom very often in recent months.  He also noticed that she walked slower and slower in the last two weeks – Of course these were not good scenarios to guess, but regular people would have known that she was pregnant without those details.

He straightened up his back and posed in a ‘Please’ gesture as usual.  Another reason that the young mother did not want to leave this job was that she admired his talent.  She also felt sorry that he had to act as if he was normal.  She knew that he was very picky on the voice of the reading girl.  She also knew his eccentricity —— that he needed somebody to read to him first, and then he could translate without any mistake the next day.  Though she was reluctant, she no longer had influence on what happened afterwards.  She could only wish that he could find a “New Voice Power” quickly.

The young mother’s heavy footsteps finally disappeared behind the door.  But Tang Shuoran did not follow her out as usual.  He leisurely sat down and held the top of his white cane tightly.  n.o.body knew what he was thinking.

At that moment his phone range.  He touched the cell phone and pushed a key.  He asked impatiently: “What?”

“Mr Tang told me to ask you when can you come home?”

“Wait until I am in a better shape.”  He replied coldly.

The other end spoke nervously: “Mr. Xiao Tang, Mr Tang told me to ask you whether your —— depression has been cured?  It’s been 2 years already?”

“Sure.”  He replied and hung up the phone.

The call had made him somewhat distressed.  He raised his hand that held the cell phone.  He really wanted to smash it to the ground, but suddenly tightly gripped the phone and stopped the impulse.  He placed the cell phone into his pocket and walked out.

The only reason that he only accepted the work for international conferences at the International Convention Center was because he could easily go back home: walk out of the door, turn right, walk 123 steps, turn left, walk 337 steps; without crossing any streets or up and down any slopes.  Large buildings line the side of the path.  He could walk home along the buildings easily without the need of his white cane tapping the ground to find his way home.

On this day, he ran into a person right after he turned left at the intersection.  The situation was out of control afterwards.  He felt his face was now covered by a large sheet of paper and he heard the hissing sound of more papers flying about.

It was a very impatient young girl.  She had fallen down, but she was still on the phone: “Right, I fell down!  c.r.a.p!  You have no sympathy for other’s misfortune!  Never mind, see you at Keys Bar!  Bye bye~~”

She hung up the phone.  She saw that the man had also fallen and sat at the ground with the same humiliating position like her, as if staring at a mirror.  He did not seem apologetic.  His eyes behind the sungla.s.ses made it impossible to see his expression.  His tilted nose showed that he seemed angry.

She was unhappy: “Hey, is it funny to run into people during the day?  You probably did that on purpose!”

He managed to stand up.  His black pants were covered with dust.  The man seemed to really care about his appearance as he began furiously dusting his clothes.

She found the sight somewhat humorous.  She could see that he really wanted to dust his clothes clean from all the patting.  But why did he only pat the clean area of his clothes?  When he felt down, he was sitting on a stack of her scattered papers and no dust was there.  But the white powder from a newly painted white wall had rubbed onto one side of his pants.  She couldn’t stand it and couldn’t stop herself from helping dust off the white powder off the left side of his pants.

“Are you a child, stupid!  I am not going to be the one to fuss over you~~”.   She then disappeared like a gust of wind.

Tang Shuoran’s body had tensed up when she touched him.

 

The d.a.m.n cell phone began ringing again.  He could tell that it was Lao Deng —— his dad’s personal a.s.sistant, again by the tone of ringing.  He had no opportunity to vent his anger.  So he picked up the cell phone and shouted: “What’s wrong with my dad again?  Tell him until he listens!”

There was a pause on the other end.  The voice of a somewhat older man was heard.  The voice was colored with anger and prestige: “You d.a.m.n boy.  I asked your doctor and you don’t have depression~~~not at all, get back home immediately!“

It was Mr. Da Tang.  Tang Shuoran took a deep breath: “My elder brother, younger brother, and younger sister are already home with you.  Enough.“

“Why did you lied to us?  Why lie about having depression?  You’re an accomplished translator, incomparable to anybody.   Why can’t you come home to and help negotiate for our Tang family business, it’d be easy for someone like you?!! “  Mr Da Tang’s tone was very aggressive at first, but for some reason, began to sound more like begging.

For a short instant he felt some guilt, but it quickly turned to hatred after he remembered how he was unable to see her for the last time.  Though he knew it was his father, the closest blood relation he has, he was still unable to forget what had happened in the past.  Finally, he managed to keep his composure.  He answered gently: “Wait until my illness is cured.  We’ll talk about it later.”

“What illness?”  Mr. Da Tang roared.

“Of the heart.”

The roar on the other ended silent abruptly.  After a while, Tang Shuoran heard the sound of a sigh and the call ended.

He almost collapsed and dropped the cell phone into his pocket.  He managed to take one step out, but he felt as if he had kicked something.

Tang Shuoran crouched down without regards to his gentlemanly image and began fumbling with his hands around his feet.  The hit was too strong just now, so it must have been about 1 meter in front of him when he touched something – he began feeling the contours of the object, it was a small hand bag.

Did it belong to that girl?  He hesitated a little.  He opened the bag and reached into it carefully.  There was a wallet inside.  The long rectangular stuff might be lipstick.  Was the other thing there a diamond?

Originally~~~ he had thought to give the bag to the staff of the Convention Center and let them handle it.  His mind was completely changed after the long rectangular box opened by accident as he was rummaging about.  The beautiful sound of music flowed out of the box filled him with emotion.

It was a delicate music box.  The sweet melody sang out once the box was opened.

He blankly leaned against the wall and took out the music box.  He kept opening and closing it, just so he could listen to this melody he was all too familiar with.

His cell began ringing again.  It was Lao Deng this time.

“Mr. Xiao Tang, please come back.  You know your father very well.  He wouldn’t call you to compromise unless he --- has encountered a huge setback……”

“Mr. Xiao Tang?  Mr. Xiao Tang? ?  Are you alright? “

“Ok, I’ll go home.  But you need to take me to a bar today —— so I can listen to some music. “

Lao Deng gasped:  “Mr. Xiao Tang, you --- Ah! Ok!  I am coming over.“

After Lao Deng arrived at where Tang Shuoran had been standing, he opened the wallet that was in the purse.  There was an id card with the name “Zhang Shanxue”.  Lao Deng read her name aloud.

Tang Shuoran said: “I found her purse.  Let’s return it to her.”

Lao Deng showed a worried expression: “How do you know that she’s in this bar?  Was she a singer, too?”

Tang Shuoran pouted and walked towards the road.

Lao Deng did not encroach on the subject.  He trotted in front of him and lead the way.

“Mr. Xiao Tang, this way.”

Tang Shuoran walked to the car.  He b.u.mped his head as he bent into the car.  Lao Deng’s heart froze.  He was worried that Mr. Dao Tang might blame him, he was not an easy man to deal with.

Tang Shuoran spoke nonchalantly:  “This car must be replaced too if you want me to go home.”

They soon reached the KEYS BAR.  Lao Deng nearly suffered a heart attack after entering.  It was filled with heavy metal music, it was not a place for older folks.  Lao Deng was only a little over 40 years old, but he hadn’t been to a place like this for years.  In addition, it was too dark inside.  Lao Deng’s behavior was more like a blind man compared to the actual blind man he led.  He subconsciously stretched his hand forward.  He dared not move, as his eyes had yet to adjust to the abrupt change to darkness.

Tang Shuoran shot ahead of Lao Deng easily navigating through the crowd.  He fully utilized his cane helped by experience for sensing his surroundings through touch.  He broke out of the crowd in very little time.  The edge of the bar was a seating area.   Several tables were arranged in circles.  Candles flickered on the tables.  Lao Deng was gradually able to see more of his surroundings.   But the situation was very awkward because it was Tang Shuoran who led the way.  Lao Deng was holding Tang Shuoran’s clothes.  Up to this point, he had not released his hand yet.

This proper man tried to hurriedly release his hand like he had done something wrong.  But it was too late, a couple of men on the neighboring table looked at him with friendly but teasing smiles.

But Tang Shuoran did not notice it.  He was subconsciously looking around.   Lao Deng finally spoke up: “Mr. Xiao Tang, let’s sit here…..”

“Take my name card and show it to Manager Sun --- if he is still working here.”

Lao Deng sighed.  He knew there was trouble the minute he had heard the name KEYS BAR.  It seemed that Mr. Xiao Tang was still in love with that girl who had the same profession.   But he was not going to go against his will.   n.o.body wanted to see the same result as what had happened before.

“But Mr. Xiao Tang, I don’t have your name card…….”

“Then just tell him that Solomon is looking for Manager Sun.  Ok.”  Tang Shuoran looked like it was something very difficult for him.  He refused to say another word.

After a while, Lao Deng came back with Manager Sun.

“Solomon…..” yelled Manager Sun.  He found that the current Solomon was no longer the old Solomon….. He looked at Lao Deng surprisingly.   Lao Deng did not say anything, but he pointed to his own eyes and nodded.

Tang Shuoran stood up without holding his stick with an outstretched hand towards the direction of voice.  Manager Sun hugged him.

“Haven’t seen you for a long time! “

Both men stood there.  After a while, Tang Shuoran asked: “Did she ever come here afterwards?“

“Oh, no……”  replied Manager Sun.  “I would have contacted you immediately if she had come.”

Tang Shuoran paused for a bit.  He took the small bag out of his pocket: “I found it.  It seemed to belong to somebody in your bar.  Do you have a singer named Zhang Shanxue here?”

Manger Sun wiped away a bead of sweat: “Sorry, we don’t have singer with this name..….maybe it belongs to a customer…..”

Tang Shuoran’s expression became a tad gloomier and his voice became more listless: “Then please return it to the customer.”

Manger Sun walked to the stage as a song had just finished.  Manger Sun took the microphone: “The lady named Zhang Shanxue, a customer found your hand bag.  Please come to the left aisle of the stage to get it.“

Immediately after he finished, the bar had become incredibly quiet.  A girl excitedly screamed during this time. She ran forward and jumped onto the stage even before Manager Sun stepped off the stage.  “Fantastic!  My lost purse was found!  Nothing can beat how good I feel right now!  Let’s see, inside there’s my card 310……28, and my lipstick shaped music box, and my birthday gift, a small diamond ring,  hahaha!”

Manager Sun verified her ident.i.ty and returned the bag to her.  She was still hyper because today was Zhang Shanxue’s birthday.  Originally, she was frustrated that she had lost her purse, but it was found and returned to her very soon.  She felt that her good luck had returned.  So she grabbed the microphone from Manager Sun: “I am very grateful such a good-hearted person!  Today is my birthday, so I cannot explain my excitement …... Let me sing a song to express my appreciation!“

She walked straight to the keyboard player of the band and whispered.  She then returned to the front of the stage: “Today, I am going to sing my favorite song VINCENT…...”

Tang Shuoran’s heart tightened.  Why did it have to be this song?  But…...her music box also played this song…...he didn’t have a clear reason for coming here, wasn’t it because he couldn’t forget that song?

Zhang Shanxue was getting more and more excited from the crowd.  She asked the audience in an easy-going manner: “YOU KNOW?  ‘starry starry night’? Right?  That’s it! …... Band!“

Manager Sun stood on the side, his arms crossed over his chest.  This girl was interesting.  She didn’t have an ounce of stage fright.  He didn’t know that Zhang Shanxue was one of the top ten singers from her college.  But he was apparently interested in her.  He wanted to hear how good her voice and singing skill was.

Tang Shuoran shot up from his chair, this girl was really going to sing.  His heart suddenly began to pump faster and he swallowed, there was a faint bitter taste.  He didn’t pay any attention to this and unconsciously leaned towards the stage as if he wanted to as close as possible.

Zhang Shanxue counted: “One Two Three, Go~~~”

The band started to play music, rock and roll that boomed like thunder.  Zhang Shanxue began to sing.  The lyrics of Vincent, originally a blues song, had been transformed into a rock and roll song by her!  That slight feeling of sadness disappeared.  What Tang Shuoran heard was quite ironic..  She wasn’t her!  This elegant song full of sadness now sounded ridiculous!  But the young men and women under the stage didn’t think so, quite the contrary.  They loved this dynamic and energetic revised song.  They were yelling and screaming throughout the song.

Tang Shuoran bit his lower lip.  He lost interest with everything that was occurring before him.  He b.u.t.toned a middle b.u.t.ton of his suit and deftly grabbed his white cane  He stood straight up and told Lao Deng: “Take me home, at once.”