The Little Noodle Shop · chapter 5 of 8
The Lesson Sign
学做面
Grandma's clever idea fills the shop with people and flour. Xiao Hu's first long noodle is so close to perfect, until it snaps.
Read what you hear
- Xiao Mei 奶奶，这样写对吗？“学做面”。
Nǎinai, zhèyàng xiě duì ma? “Xué zuò miàn.”
Grandma, is this right? “Learn to Make Noodles.”
- Nainai 对。后面再写三个字：“不要钱”。
Duì. Hòumiàn zài xiě sān gè zì: “bú yào qián”.
Right. Now add three more words: “no charge.”
- Xiao Mei 不要钱？奶奶，我们不是要买面粉吗？
Bú yào qián? Nǎinai, wǒmen bú shì yào mǎi miànfěn ma?
No charge? Grandma, don't we have to buy flour?
Chapter 5 is part of SayMei Stories ($2.99 a month) and SayMei Premium. Chapter 1 of The Little Noodle Shop is free, and so are The Second Cup of Tea, Mulan, The Butterfly Lovers, Journey to the West: The Monkey King, Cinderella, The Night of the Nian, Chang'e and the Moon, The Great Race: The Twelve Animals, Aesop's Fables, Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, The Ugly Duckling, Pangu and Nüwa: How the World Began, Beauty and the Beast, The Magic Lotus Lantern, Alice in Wonderland, Zhong Kui the Demon Queller, The Odyssey, Robin Hood, Jiang Ziya Goes Fishing, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Kitchen God from start to finish.
- Nainai 对，可是人来了，就会吃面。
Duì, kěshì rén lái le, jiù huì chī miàn.
Yes, but when people come, they will eat noodles.
- Nainai 高老板给我们免费的面？那我们给免费的课！
Gāo lǎobǎn gěi wǒmen miǎnfèi de miàn? Nà wǒmen gěi miǎnfèi de kè!
Boss Gao gives free noodles? Then we give free lessons!
- Xiao Mei 哈哈，奶奶，你真会想！
Hāhā, Nǎinai, nǐ zhēn huì xiǎng!
Ha ha, Grandma, you're so clever!
- Xiao Mei 好了！奶奶，我挂上去了！
Hǎo le! Nǎinai, wǒ guà shàngqù le!
Done! Grandma, I hung it up!
- Nainai 好。现在，我们等。
Hǎo. Xiànzài, wǒmen děng.
Good. Now we wait.
- Xiao Mei 奶奶，会有人来吗？
Nǎinai, huì yǒu rén lái ma?
Grandma, will anyone come?
- Nainai 会。人都喜欢好玩的东西。
Huì. Rén dōu xǐhuan hǎowán de dōngxi.
They will. Everybody likes something fun.
- Lao Wang 不要钱？学做面？我来学！
Bú yào qián? Xué zuò miàn? Wǒ lái xué!
No charge? Learn to make noodles? I'm in!
- Teacher Li 高老板的面太凉了。我还是想吃老林的面。
Gāo lǎobǎn de miàn tài liáng le. Wǒ háishi xiǎng chī Lǎo Lín de miàn.
Boss Gao's noodles were too cold. I still want Old Lin's.
- Lao Wang 我的也是！他的面像纸一样！
Wǒ de yě shì! Tā de miàn xiàng zhǐ yíyàng!
Mine too! His noodles were like paper!
- Baba (Old Lin) 大家听好：面粉，水，一点儿盐。
Dàjiā tīng hǎo: miànfěn, shuǐ, yìdiǎnr yán.
Everyone listen: flour, water, a little salt.
- Lao Wang 一点儿是多少？我放三大勺！
Yìdiǎnr shì duōshao? Wǒ fàng sān dà sháo!
How much is a little? I'll put in three big spoons!
- Teacher Li 老王！你的面粉在我的衣服上了！
Lǎo Wáng! Nǐ de miànfěn zài wǒ de yīfu shang le!
Old Wang! Your flour is all over my clothes!
- Lao Wang 对不起，李老师！你像一只白猫！
Duìbuqǐ, Lǐ lǎoshī! Nǐ xiàng yì zhī bái māo!
Sorry, Teacher Li! You look like a white cat!
- Teacher Li 哈哈哈！你也是白的！你像一只大熊猫！
Hāhāhā! Nǐ yě shì bái de! Nǐ xiàng yì zhī dà xióngmāo!
Ha ha ha! You're white too! You look like a big panda!
- Xiao Hu 我……我也想做一条长面。
Wǒ… wǒ yě xiǎng zuò yì tiáo cháng miàn.
I… I want to make a long noodle too.
- Baba (Old Lin) 好。手要慢，心要慢，别着急。
Hǎo. Shǒu yào màn, xīn yào màn, bié zháojí.
Good. Slow hands, a slow heart, no hurry.
- Xiao Hu 一，二，三……慢慢来……
Yī, èr, sān… mànmàn lái…
One, two, three… slowly…
- Baba (Old Lin) 对，就这样。别停，别停。
Duì, jiù zhèyàng. Bié tíng, bié tíng.
Yes, just like that. Don't stop, don't stop.
- Xiao Hu 你们看！这条面多长！
Nǐmen kàn! Zhè tiáo miàn duō cháng!
Look! Look how long this noodle is!
- Lao Wang 哇！比我的筷子还长！
Wā! Bǐ wǒ de kuàizi hái cháng!
Wow! Longer than my chopsticks!
- Teacher Li 小虎，你真好！慢一点儿，再慢一点儿……
Xiǎo Hǔ, nǐ zhēn hǎo! Màn yìdiǎnr, zài màn yìdiǎnr…
Xiao Hu, you're wonderful! Slower, a little slower…
- Xiao Hu 啊！它断了！
Ā! Tā duàn le!
Ah! It broke!
- Lao Wang 哈哈，断成三条！三条小面！
Hāhā, duàn chéng sān tiáo! Sān tiáo xiǎo miàn!
Ha ha, it broke into three! Three little noodles!
- Xiao Hu 你们别笑！我做不好！我做不好！
Nǐmen bié xiào! Wǒ zuò bu hǎo! Wǒ zuò bu hǎo!
Don't laugh! I can't do it! I can't do it!
- Xiao Hu 我不做了！我再也不做了！
Wǒ bú zuò le! Wǒ zài yě bú zuò le!
I quit! I'll never make noodles again!
Hear the chapter
What changed in the story?
- What does the sign in the window say?
“学做面”……“不要钱”
- Why does Grandma want a free lesson?
“可是人来了，就会吃面。”
- Why don't Lao Wang and Teacher Li like Boss Gao's noodles?
“高老板的面太凉了。”
- What happens to Teacher Li's clothes?
“你的面粉在我的衣服上了！”
- Why does Xiao Hu run out?
“它断了！”……“你们别笑！我做不好！”