'SEE YOU MORNING' 002 On the Road 《晓欣卿》002在路上

The car was behind them, and Qin Wenjing walked ahead while talking.
车在后面，覃文静边说边走在前面。

She wore a beige professional outfit, a women's blazer, wide-leg trousers, and high heels. She walked elegantly, always at a steady pace, her feet stepping along a straight line, her hips swaying gently with each stride.
她一身米色职业装，女款小西装，阔腿西裤，高跟鞋，走路很优雅，总是不紧不慢，脚掌踏在一条直线上，臀部随着步伐轻轻扭动。

Though petite in stature, her proportions were well-balanced. Li Haojun followed behind, his gaze naturally falling to her neckline. Her white shirt collar was turned out over the blazer collar, a braid draped down her left neck to her chest, and a purple crystal pendant hung from her right ear.
虽然个子娇小，但是身材比例匀称，李皓珺跟在后面正好目光俯视她的领口，白衬衫领子翻在西服领外面，梳了一条麻花辫在左颈顺到胸前，右耳戴了一个紫水晶吊坠儿。

Beyond the back door of the house was an arched vine-covered corridor. Walking inside, they saw a silver sedan parked there. The dimness of the overcast sky and the reflection of green leaves on the car paint made it look dignified and soft, especially the lines of the chrome front grille, which complemented the headlights and the color-matched front bumper.
出了房子后门是拱形的藤蔓植物走廊，往里面走看见停着一辆银色轿车。阴天的暗淡以及绿叶在车漆的反射使它看起来显得庄重柔美，尤其是镀铬前进气栅的线条，与大灯和同色前杠相得益彰。

"Volvo, 960," Li Haojun recognized it.
"沃尔沃，960，"李皓珺认得。

"Yeah, it's the one you like," Qin Wenjing said with a smile as she walked around the front of the car. She was smiling happily, her upper body facing Li Haojun the entire time as she walked to the driver's seat, then pulled open the door and sat into the driver's seat.
"是啊，是你喜欢的，"覃文静一边笑着说一边绕过机头，她笑得很开心，走到驾驶位的过程中上身都是面对着李皓珺，随后拉开车门坐进了驾驶座。

Li Haojun also sat in the passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt. He watched Qin Wenjing take driving shoes from the back seat, change into them, fasten her seatbelt, and start the car. He was actually surprised that he remembered the car model himself, and he was curious what else would pop out of his brain. But the sound of the car starting was not that of a fuel vehicle—it was an electric car, just with a mechanical transmission.
李皓珺也跟着坐到副驾，系上安全带。看着覃文静从后座拿过驾驶鞋换上，系安全带，启动汽车。居然自己记起来车子型号，他也好奇，自己又会从脑子里蹦出什么。但是车子启动的声音却不是燃油车，是电车，只是有着机械的变速器。

"I thought this was a vintage car, turns out it's a replica electric," Li Haojun said.
"我以为这是老爷车，原来是复刻版的电车。"李皓珺道，

"Yeah, a premium replica. What else could it be? It's almost a hundred years old," Qin Wenjing said. As she spoke, she had already driven the car onto the road.
"是啊，精品复刻，不然怎么样呢，快一百年了。"说着，覃文静已经把车开上了路。

On the country road lined with ash trees, a silver sedan drove smoothly. The shadows of green trees and the pale gray of the sky alternated rhythmically against the light green windshield and the silver body, as if all things had already merged into one.
白蜡树簇拥的乡村公路上，一辆银色的轿车在平顺的行驶，绿树的阴影与天空的淡灰，交替而节奏地映衬在淡绿的风挡玻璃和银色的车身之上，似乎所有的事物业已融为一体。

At some point, Qin Wenjing had put on a pair of gold wire-rimmed glasses. The wind from the side window occasionally stirred her hair, the bumps on the road occasionally jostled her earrings, and her lipstick-painted lips curved slightly upward at the corners.
不知什么时候覃文静戴上了一副金色细丝金属架的眼镜，侧窗的风不时撩动着她的发丝，路面的颠簸不时晃动她的耳坠儿，涂了口红的双唇微微翘起嘴角。

"Where are we going, what are we doing, can you tell me?" Li Haojun asked.
"我们去哪里，做什么，可以告诉我吗？"李皓珺问道，

"Going to Spokane, to exchange data keys, a biotech company. Work nowadays is all voluntary, of course—voluntary for those who are capable. Even if you don't work, there's basic security. On the other hand, power and obligation are always equal, but with today's society and technological development, ordinary people can no longer participate."
"去斯波坎，交换数据密钥，生物科技公司。现在工作都是自愿的，当然了，是有能力者自愿，不工作也有基本保障。另一方面，权力跟义务永远是对等的，但是当今的社会与科技的发展，普通人已经无法参与了。"

"Lincoln once said, if you ask me what kind of government I want, I want a republican one, but the voters must be able to oversee it."
"林肯曾经说过，如果问我想要一个什么样的政府，我想要一个共和的，但是选民必须能够监督它。"

"Then why do you work for this company?"
"那你为什么为这家公司工作呢？"

"Because…… you," Qin Wenjing said, hesitating for a moment,
"因为……，你，"覃文静说着迟疑了一下，

"because you work for this company."
"因为你为这家公司工作呢。"

"Ha," Li Haojun laughed sarcastically. I don't even know who I am right now.
"哈，"李皓珺自嘲的笑了，我现在连我自己是谁都不知道。

"It'll get better. At least you're already a quasi-interstellar citizen."
"会好的，至少你已经是准星际公民了。"

"What do you mean?" Li Haojun asked after a pause.
"什么意思？"李皓珺迟疑了一会儿问道，

"We all are. Since the AI explosion and legislation allowing human enhancement programs, we've had to assign different rights and obligations to different levels of people. After the Third War, the big American government no longer exists. Those who meet the citizenship requirements have political power, like voting for governor. Those who can't meet current society's requirements can only be residents. They also have basic social welfare, basic human rights, but no economic or political voting rights."
"我们都是，自从人工智能爆发和立法允许人类增强计划之后，不得不给不同级别的人划分不同的权利和义务了。三战后美国大政府已经不存在了，能够满足公民资格要求的人有政治权力，比如投票选州长，不能达到现在社会要求的人只能做居民，他们也有基本社会福利，有基本人权，但是没有经济政治方面的表决权。"

"Of course, there are also people who don't agree with current government jurisdiction, like family planning, education requirements, vaccine programs, etc. The most important thing is no taxes—otherwise in America you can't escape the IRS. They went to natural reserve areas. Unless a large-scale humanitarian disaster occurs, the current regime won't interfere with them."
"当然了，也有人不认同现政府管辖，比如计划生育，教育要求，疫苗计划等，最重要的是不用纳税，不然的话在美国你逃脱不了税务局。他们去了自然保留区，除非发生大规模人道灾难，否则现政权不会干预他们。"

"Just let them fend for themselves?" Li Haojun asked.
"任他们自生自灭？"李皓珺问道，

"Not that bad. They're living fine. Haven't humans gotten by like this for thousands of years? We don't go there to enforce laws either. Completely original ecology."
"不至于，他们生活的还行，人类几千年不也这么过来了吗。我们也不到他们那里执法。完全原生态。"

"Then are we enhanced humans?" Li Haojun asked.
"那我们是不是增强的人类？"李皓珺问，

"No, you don't have to be a superhuman to reach the quasi-interstellar citizen standard. You just need to keep up with the pace of this era. We're all ordinary people, natural humans. Of course, people like us generally have IQs above 120. Just like the group that immigrated to Mars—basically anyone who can handle one or more professional skills qualifies."
"不，不一定非得是超人才能达到准星际公民标准，只要能跟上这个时代的节奏就行。我们都是普通人，自然人。当然了，像我们一般智商都在一百二以上。就像移民火星的那批人，基本能应付一种或多种专业技能的，都能满足。"

"Hmm, that's true. Such harsh environments really do require superior abilities."
"嗯，也是啊，那样恶劣的环境，确实需要更优越的能力。"

"There's also personality and behavioral traits, like teamwork, psychological resilience, etc. These are all obtained through the social activity evaluation system. That's also why I work."
"还有就是人格行为特点，比如团队配合，心理素质等方面，这些都是通过社会活动评价体系得到的，也是我为什么工作的原因。"

"Cool, you're awesome," Li Haojun clapped.
"酷，你很棒，"李皓珺鼓起掌来，

"Hehe, stop it," Qin Wenjing said, though her face bloomed with a smile despite her playful scolding.
"呵呵，你少来，"覃文静虽然嘴上嗔怪，脸上却笑开了花。

Chatting and laughing, the car had already driven out of the tree-lined section and arrived at rolling hills. The two-lane country road wound between hillsides and small rivers, with small villages, shops, and coffee houses occasionally passing by. The sky gradually cleared, and the rain-washed rooftops and fields all looked brand new.
说笑着，车已经开出了绿树环绕的路段，来到起伏的丘陵地段，双向单车道的乡间小路，蜿蜒在山坡与小河流之间，不时路边有小的村镇，商店，咖啡屋掠过。天也逐渐晴朗起来，雨水冲刷过的屋顶，田野都焕然一新。

Arriving at a flat straight road, Qin Wenjing gradually slowed down and parked the car by the roadside.
来到一处平坦的直路，覃文静逐渐减速把车停在了路边。

"You want to drive for a while?"
"你来开一会吧？"

"What? Me drive again? Last time I ended up like this."
"什么？我还开车？上次弄成这个样子。"

"Last time wasn't your fault," Qin Wenjing said, glancing back, then pushed open the door, got out, and stretched.
"上次不是你的错，"说着覃文静向后看了一眼，推门下车，伸了个懒腰，

"So tired."
"好累哦。"

Following her coquettish voice, Li Haojun looked out the door frame and saw Qin Wenjing raising both hands high, revealing her slender waist, the white shirt under her blazer outlining the curve of her chest.
顺着娇嗔的声音，李皓珺望出门框，正好看见覃文静高举双手，显出细细的腰肢，小西服下的白衬衫，勾勒出她胸部的曲线。

Li Haojun also pushed open the door and got out, unable to help asking,
李皓珺也推门下车，忍不住问，

"You say you're 42, I think you look 22."
"你说你42岁，我看你像22岁。"

"Bi-o-tech-nol-o-gy!" Qin Wenjing pouted, turned her head, and made an annoying face as she said,
"生，物，科，技！"覃文静抿着嘴儿，扭着头，做出气人鬼脸的说，

"You say I'm 36, but look at me, I look like I'm 46. How come I don't have biotech?"
"你说我36岁，你看看我的样子，好像46岁。我怎么就没有生物科技？"

"You, young, old, grown-up!" After saying that, they both burst out laughing.
"你，少，年，老，成！"说完两人都捧腹大笑了。

Li Haojun sat in the driver's seat, familiarized himself with the gear shift and control buttons, and was just about to speak when Qin Wenjing got out of the passenger seat and moved to the back.
李皓珺坐到了驾驶座，熟悉完档把，控制按钮，刚想说话，覃文静却从副驾下去坐到了后座。

"Sigh, I was just about to tell you—your mischievous look just now reminded me of a classic TV drama, 'Dream of the Red Chamber,' that character Qingwen." What Li Haojun was actually thinking was that this girl's smile was so playful it was a bit seductive, he just couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. After speaking, Li Haojun seemed to realize something and stared straight into Qin Wenjing's eyes.
"唉，我刚想跟你说，你刚才调皮的样子，好像有一个经典电视剧，《红楼梦》，里面那个晴雯。"李皓珺心里想的是，这丫头笑得俏皮，有点勾人，只是不好意思说出来。说完李皓珺好像意识到了什么问题，直勾勾的看着覃文静的眼睛。

"Welcome back!" Qin Wenjing gave a double thumbs-up.
"欢迎回来！"覃文静双手伸大拇指。

Li Haojun drove onto the road, and after a short stretch of familiarizing himself, he realized he could actually drive. Qin Wenjing didn't disturb him, just sat quietly in the back seat, head leaning against the headrest, slightly turned to one side, watching Li Haojun through the rearview mirror.
李皓珺把车开上了路，经过了一小段熟悉，他意识到了自己是会开车的。覃文静也并没有打扰他开车，只是静静的坐在后座上，头倚着头枕，微微偏过来，从后视镜里看着李皓珺。

Li Haojun occasionally glanced at her in the rearview mirror, feeling some indescribable emotion.
李皓珺不时看看后视镜里后座的她，似乎有种莫名的感觉。

"Why aren't you talking anymore?" Li Haojun asked.
"你怎么不说话了？"李皓珺问，

"I'm tired," Wenjing answered softly, her eyes still silently watching him……
"我累了，"文静轻声地回答，眼睛依然默默的看着他……

（Translated by ERNIE Bot）