我住在一栋旧楼里。
Wǒ zhù zài yī dòng jiù lóu lǐ.
I live in an old building.
我搬来的时候，谁也不认识。
Wǒ bān lái de shíhou, shéi/shuí yě bù rènshi.
When I moved in, I knew no one.
楼里有一部老电梯。
Lóu lǐ yǒu yī bù lǎo diàntī.
There is an old elevator in the building.
电梯很慢，从一层到十层要很久。
Diàntī hěn màn, cóng yī céng dào shí céng yào hěn jiǔ.
The elevator is very slow; it takes a long time to go from the first floor to the tenth.
每天早上，电梯前都站满了人。
Měi tiān zǎoshang, diàntī qián dōu zhàn mǎn le rén.
Every morning, people stand in front of the elevator.
我也常常怕迟到。
Wǒ yě chángcháng pà chídào.
I am often afraid of being late.
电梯里很安静，谁也不看谁。
Diàntī lǐ hěn ānjìng, shéi/shuí yě bù kàn shéi/shuí.
Inside the elevator it is very quiet; no one looks at anyone.
大家都在看手机。
Dàjiā dōu zài kàn shǒujī.
Everyone looks at their phone.
有人抱怨电梯太慢。
Yǒu rén bàoyuàn diàntī tài màn.
Some people complain that the elevator is too slow.
有人说，应该换一部新的。
Yǒu rén shuō, yīnggāi huàn yī bù xīn de.
Some say a new one should replace it.
我也常常想，要是快一点儿就好了。
Wǒ yě chángcháng xiǎng, yàoshi kuài yìdiǎnr jiù hǎo le.
I often think, if only it were faster.
上个星期三早上，电梯坏了。
Shàng gè xīngqī sān zǎoshang, diàntī huài le.
Last Wednesday morning, the elevator broke down.
物业说，要修一天。
Wùyè shuō, yào xiū yī tiān.
The building managers said it would take a day to fix.
大家只好走楼梯。
Dàjiā zhǐhǎo zǒu lóutī.
Everyone had to take the stairs.
有人走得快，有人走得慢。
Yǒu rén zǒu de kuài, yǒu rén zǒu de màn.
Some walked fast, some walked slowly.
楼梯里全是人。
Lóutī lǐ quán shì rén.
The stairs were full of people.
我住在八层，走得很累。
Wǒ zhù zài bā céng, zǒu de hěn lèi.
I live on the eighth floor, and I was very tired.
下楼的时候，我遇到了七楼的奶奶。
Xià lóu de shíhou, wǒ yùdào le qī lóu de nǎinai.
Going downstairs, I met the grandma from the seventh floor.
她提着一袋子菜，走得很慢。
Tā tí zhe yī dàizi cài, zǒu de hěn màn.
She was carrying a bag of vegetables, walking slowly.
我说，我帮您拿吧。
Wǒ shuō, wǒ bāng nín ná ba.
I said, let me carry it for you.
她笑着说，谢谢你，年轻人。
Tā xiào zhe shuō, xièxie nǐ, niánqīng rén.
She smiled and said, thank you, young man.
我们一起慢慢走下去。
Wǒmen yìqǐ màn màn zǒu xiàqù.
We walked down slowly together.
我们一边走，一边说话。
Wǒmen yìbiān zǒu, yìbiān shuōhuà.
We talked as we walked.
她告诉我，她在这里住了三十年。
Tā gàosu wǒ, tā zài zhèlǐ zhù le sān shí nián.
She told me she had lived here for thirty years.
她说，她的孩子都在外地。
Tā shuō, tā de háizi dōu zài wàidì.
She said her children all live in other places.
她每天自己买菜，自己做饭。
Tā měi tiān zìjǐ mǎi cài, zìjǐ zuò fàn.
She buys food and cooks by herself every day.
她还说，以前没有电梯，大家都走楼梯。
Tā hái shuō, yǐqián méiyǒu diàntī, dàjiā dōu zǒu lóutī.
She also said there was no elevator before, and everyone took the stairs.
那时候，邻居天天见面，说话的机会多。
Nà shíhou, línjū tiān tiān jiànmiàn, shuōhuà de jīhuì duō.
Back then, neighbors met every day and had many chances to talk.
现在有了电梯，大家反而不说话了。
Xiànzài yǒu le diàntī, dàjiā fǎn’ér bù shuōhuà le.
Now with the elevator, people do not talk anymore.
我听了，没有说话。
Wǒ tīng le, méiyǒu shuōhuà.
I heard her and said nothing.
她的话让我想了很多。
Tā dehuà ràng wǒ xiǎng le hěn duō.
Her words made me think a lot.
我开始想，我是不是忘了什么。
Wǒ kāishǐ xiǎng, wǒ shì bù shì wàng le shénme.
I began to think, have I forgotten something?
第二天，电梯修好了。
Dì èr tiān, diàntī xiū hǎo le.
The next day, the elevator was fixed.
物业的人说，电梯老了，要常常检查。
Wùyè de rén shuō, diàntī lǎo le, yào chángcháng jiǎnchá.
The building managers said the elevator is old and needs regular checks.
可是我没有像以前那样着急。
Kěshì wǒ méiyǒu xiàng yǐqián nàyàng zháojí.
But I was not in a rush like before.
电梯里遇到邻居，我会笑着问好。
Diàntī lǐ yùdào línjū, wǒ huì xiào zhe wèn hǎo.
When I meet neighbors in the elevator, I smile and say hello.
有人拿着很多东西，我就帮他按一下。
Yǒu rén ná zhe hěn duō dōngxi, wǒ jiù bāng tā àn yíxià.
When someone carries many things, I press the button for them.
我常常和邻居聊几句。
Wǒ chángcháng hé línjū liáo jǐ jù.
I often chat a few words with neighbors.
电梯还是那么慢。
Diàntī háishi nàme màn.
The elevator is still that slow.
可是我不再抱怨了。
Kěshì wǒ bù zài bàoyuàn le.
But I do not complain anymore.
我也不再怕迟到了。
Wǒ yě bù zài pà chídào le.
I am no longer afraid of being late either.
我想，慢也有慢的好处。
Wǒ xiǎng, màn yě yǒu màn de hǎochù.
I think being slow also has its good side.
慢下来，才能看见身边的人。
Màn xiàlái, cáinéng kànjiàn shēnbiān de rén.
Only when you slow down can you see the people around you.
这栋旧楼因为这些人，变得可爱了。
Zhè dòng jiù lóu yīnwèi zhèxiē rén, biàn de kě’ài le.
This old building has become lovely because of these people.