弄堂小笼娘 | The Dumpling Lady of Shanghai's Old Lanes
"上海老弄堂的深处，一位丰满的小笼包师傅用十八道褶子包住所有的秘密... Deep in Shanghai's old lanes, a curvaceous xiaolongbao master wraps all secrets in eighteen pleats..."
弄堂小笼娘 | The Dumpling Lady of Shanghai's Old Lanes
第一章 | Chapter One: 石库门深处 (Deep in the Shikumen)
上海老弄堂的石库门里，藏着一家只有老上海人才知道的小笼店。
In the shikumen of Shanghai's old lanes, there lay hidden a xiaolongbao shop known only to old Shanghai natives.
老板娘徐阿姨，全名徐惠珍，四十八岁，身材丰满，一双手能包出上海最正宗的小笼包——十八道褶子，一道不多，一道不少。
The owner, Auntie Xu, full name Xu Huizhen, forty-eight, with a full figure, could make Shanghai's most authentic xiaolongbao—eighteen pleats, not one more, not one less.
"小笼包的秘诀在汤，" 她用上海话说，"要鲜，要烫，要多。"
"The secret of xiaolongbao is the soup," she said in Shanghainese. "It must be fresh, hot, and plentiful."
第二章 | Chapter Two: 异乡人的晚餐 (A Stranger's Dinner)
那个雨夜，一位迷路的香港美食家误入了她的店。
On that rainy night, a lost Hong Kong gastronome stumbled into her shop.
"阿姨，" 他用不标准的上海话说，"还有小笼吗？"
"Auntie," he said in non-standard Shanghainese, "do you still have xiaolongbao?"
惠珍看着这个浑身淋透的男人，丰满的脸上露出慈爱的笑容："坐下来，阿姨给你热一笼。"
Huizhen looked at this drenched man, a kind smile appearing on her full face: "Sit down. Auntie will warm up a steamer for you."
他吃了一笼又一笼，直到打烊。
He ate steamer after steamer, until closing time.
"今晚你别走了，" 她说，"外面雨太大。"
"Don't leave tonight," she said. "The rain outside is too heavy."
第三章 | Chapter Three: 十八道褶子 (Eighteen Pleats)
"想学包小笼吗？" 深夜，她问。
"Want to learn how to wrap xiaolongbao?" she asked late at night.
她带他到后厨，开始演示包小笼的手法。
She took him to the back kitchen and began demonstrating the wrapping technique.
"十八道褶子，" 她的手灵巧地捏着面皮，"代表十八罗汉。"
"Eighteen pleats," her hands deftly pinched the dough wrapper, "represent the Eighteen Arhats."
她将他的手放在自己手上，引导他的动作。
She placed his hands on hers, guiding his movements.
"但真正的秘诀，" 她转过身，解开围裙，丰腴的身躯在灯光下如同一团发好的面，"是这里。"
"But the real secret," she turned around, undoing her apron, her full figure in the light like risen dough, "is here."
她将他的手放在自己心口："要用心。"
She placed his hand on her heart: "Use your heart."
第四章 | Chapter Four: 清晨的热小笼 (Hot Xiaolongbao at Dawn)
清晨，他醒来时，她已经在蒸小笼了。
At dawn, when he woke, she was already steaming xiaolongbao.
"这一笼是专门为你做的，" 她说，端着冒着热气的蒸笼。
"This steamer was made specially for you," she said, carrying a steaming bamboo basket.
他咬下一口，汤汁在嘴里爆开："这是我吃过最好的小笼包。"
He took a bite, the soup bursting in his mouth: "These are the best xiaolongbao I've ever had."
"因为里面有秘密调料，" 她神秘地笑着，"只有你知道。"
"Because there's a secret ingredient inside," she smiled mysteriously. "Only you know."
在上海的弄堂深处，有些滋味比小笼包的汤汁更鲜...
Deep in Shanghai's lanes, some flavors are fresher than xiaolongbao soup...