Mandarin Chinese

Hear that Missus Lin has written back: ask what the letter says, hear that she has decided to come back to live, ask when she arrives, hear the date, offer to meet her at the airport, and hear that the long wait is over.

Meet Missus Lin at Hangzhou airport: greet her after the long journey, hear how many hours she sat, offer to carry the luggage, hear there are two suitcases, hear on the road that the city has changed too much, ask what it was like before, and tell her she is home.

Take Missus Lin to the exit-entry office: hear the officer ask what you are here for, say she is of Chinese origin and wants to apply for a residence permit, ask what papers are needed, hear the papers are complete and sign, ask when it can be collected, and hear fifteen working days.

Look at an empty house with Missus Lin and Auntie Zhou: hear it stands empty, hear she will rent it to her old classmate, ask how many rooms, ask the rent, hear a thousand a month, ask about a deposit, hear there is none and the lease is signed a year at a time, and hear her take it.

Help Missus Lin move into the house three doors down: say you've come to help her move in, ask where a suitcase goes, hear to take it upstairs, ask about a photo, hear to hang it up on the wall, ask whether here is all right, hear a bit higher, and say everything is tidied up.

Watch the teapot come home to the Chens' table: hear Missus Lin say she has brought it back, hear Master Chen say to put it back where it was, ask where, hear on the shelf, the old place, hear that for forty-six years they have not drunk tea together, make the tea, and hear that it is the same as ever.

Hear Master Chen's piece of 1985 in the tea garden: ask which year she left, hear that year in spring, ask how old he was then, hear thirty and twenty-eight, ask about the day she left, hear that he said nothing at all, and that he only gave her the teapot.

Hear Missus Wang's piece of 1985 at the stove: ask whether she knew, hear she knew all along, ask whether she blames Missus Lin, hear she blames no one, hear that even Master Chen doesn't know that she knows, ask how she got through forty-six years, and hear that days are made by living them.

Hear Missus Lin's piece of 1985 on her new doorstep: ask why she left at the time, hear she wanted to see the world and he wanted to stay in the mountains, ask whether she ever regretted it, hear never, ask not even once, and hear that she thought of him but never regretted it.

Open the old schoolroom with Missus Lin on the day Mid-Autumn and National Day fall together: hear the village head say she once taught him, hear he is the village head now, ask why so many people, hear the two festivals are the same day, say then we must eat mooncakes, hear eight days off, and ask for a lesson.

Look at Lan's phone and see a box of tea with your face on it: ask what is going on, hear that someone online is selling Foreign Apprentice Longjing, say that is going too far, ask who is selling it, hear it is an online shop, and say to screenshot it first and then buy a box.

Open the parcel from the online shop with Lan and Missus Wang: hear the delivery has come, ask if it is that box of tea, hear it was ordered three days ago, say open it and look, hear the packaging is made to look just like yours, have Missus Wang taste it, hear it is not Longjing at all, and say to keep the box and the tea.

Meet Old Hu at the gate with his denial ready: hear it wasn't him, ask what wasn't him, hear he didn't sell that fake Longjing, say you know, hear him swear that this time it wasn't him, ask how anyone can do such a thing, hear him call it infuriating and offer to ask around, and thank him for the trouble.

Sit in Lawyer Zhao's office with Lan and the fake box: answer that the trademark is registered, hear him ask for the evidence, say there are screenshots and the box, hear the evidence must be notarised first, ask if this is infringement, hear the two steps, complain and then sue, and say you will do as he says.

Stand at the market regulator's counter with Lan and the folder: say you want to file a complaint, say against whom, hear to fill in the form, hear the office handles it according to law, ask what to write under respondent, ask when there will be a result, and hear that a notice of acceptance comes within seven days.

Take a call from the online shop's representative: hear him ask if you are Mister Owen, ask who is calling, hear he represents the shop, ask what he wants, hear it is all a misunderstanding, say your face is on the box, hear an offer to settle privately for twenty thousand, and refuse, because it is not a question of money.

Answer the television reporter in the tea shop: hear her ask why you are suing them, say there are three reasons, hear her say go on, and count them, first that consumers think the tea is yours, second that it is not Longjing at all, and third that you are responsible to consumers.

Take Lawyer Zhao's call the evening before the hearing, with Lan beside you: hear it starts at nine, ask what you have to say, hear to just state the facts, hear Lan say you are nervous, hear him say not to be, ask what if they deny it, hear that then the evidence speaks, and hear Lan close with the saying that facts speak louder than words.

Sit through the hearing at the market regulator's office: hear the officer open it and ask the complainant to state his case, say they used your face to sell fake tea, hear the respondent say they did not know, hear Lawyer Zhao point to the box, and hear the ruling in its own register: this bureau finds infringement, orders sales stopped, fines fifty thousand and orders the losses paid.

Watch the evening news in the courtyard with Lan and Old Hu: hear the bulletin open with our station's news and say the foreign apprentice has won his case, hear Lan say you are on television again, hear Old Hu say he said so all along, hear the fine read out, hear his four-word verdict, hear Lan ask who would dare use your face now, and say nobody will, and let's have tea.

Plan a seventy-fifth birthday with Missus Wang and Lan: hear that Missus Lin's big birthday is in January, ask the date, suggest a banquet, settle how many tables, and agree to keep it a surprise.

Book a birthday banquet at the restaurant in the town below: give the date and the tables, hear the price, count the dishes in cold and hot, ask for birthday noodles and peaches, and ask that nothing be too oily.

Draw up the guest list with Auntie Zhou and the village head: ask how many old classmates are left, hear that some are still here and some are gone, have the invitations written, and hear that the whole village is coming.

Choose a birthday present with Master Chen and Lan: ask what would be good to give, hear the master offer his own tea, object that she drinks it every day, settle on an old photograph enlarged for the wall, and agree that the thought matters most.

Write a birthday speech with Lan: say you'll speak a few words at the banquet, open with the formal address to the guests, say that everyone is gathered together, give the two four-word birthday wishes, and close with good health.

Rehearse a speech with Teacher Song: ask him to listen, hear that it's too long, be told to speak it and not read it, say you're afraid of forgetting, be told to put feeling into it, and hear that the last line is the finishing touch.

Open a birthday banquet with Missus Wang and Auntie Zhou: call out that the birthday girl is here, ask her to take the seat of honour at the head table, check that everyone has arrived and every table is full, and declare the banquet open.

Speak at the birthday banquet with Master Chen and Missus Wang: thank the guests on behalf of the whole family, hear the master's speech of three words, raise a toast to old friends, say bottoms up, and tell an elder to drink as he pleases.

Sit with Missus Lin, Master Chen and Missus Wang when the banquet is over: say how happy the day was, say someone waited forty-six years and that it was worth it, say the days ahead will be taken slowly, say it's not too late, and ask her to tea tomorrow.

Take two calls before the Spring Festival with Lan: receive Little Wu's early New Year's greeting, hear that he's getting married in April and must be visited, then hear that Grandma Deng's teahouse in Chengdu is closing, and plan to go in May.