True Love Can Conquer All

By Fengqiongzi

In Ukraine, an accidental car loss prompted a romance between a young Chinese man and a beautiful Ukrainian girl.

A Car Lost

In January of 2011, it was blanketed with ice and snow in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. 24-year-old Li Wei found his car missing when he came out of the Summit Market at Gorky Avenue.

As a newcomer, Li was terribly desperate. He couldn’t explain himself very well in the Ukrainian language even if he did call the police, so he had to ask a local friend for help. His friend responded, “I know a Ukrainian girl named Anna who studies Chinese in China, and she happens to be on holiday back at home now. I will ask her to be your interpreter.” Li agreed to pay Anna 1000 Hryvnia (approximately 260 yuan) for a day’s work. When Anna showed up, he was shocked by her highvoltage beauty.

真愛(ài)無(wú)懼生死

文/風(fēng)煢子

在烏克蘭，一次偶然的丟車事故，成就了一個(gè)中國(guó)小伙與一位烏克蘭美女的美好愛(ài)情。

丟車

2011年1月，烏克蘭首都基輔冰天雪地。24歲的中國(guó)小伙李維從高爾基大街薩米特市場(chǎng)出來(lái)一看，車不見(jiàn)了。

李維心里沮喪，在人生地不熟的烏克蘭，打電話報(bào)警他都說(shuō)不清楚。他只得向一個(gè)當(dāng)?shù)嘏笥亚笾?。朋友一拍腦袋：“我認(rèn)識(shí)的一個(gè)在中國(guó)留學(xué)的女孩兒正好放寒假在家，我叫她來(lái)給你當(dāng)翻譯吧?！彪p方商定，李維付給那個(gè)名叫安娜的姑娘一天1000格里夫納（約合人民幣260元）。很快，安娜如約而至。李維愣住了，天哪，她真漂亮。

安娜一開(kāi)口，李維更詫異：“你普通話比我還標(biāo)準(zhǔn)呢。”安娜笑了：“我16歲開(kāi)始學(xué)漢語(yǔ)，今年被公派到上海留學(xué)，讀對(duì)外漢語(yǔ)教學(xué)專業(yè)碩士?！庇辛诉@個(gè)溝通零障礙的烏克蘭美女開(kāi)路，接下來(lái)的事進(jìn)行得十分順利。安娜替他打電話報(bào)警，又和他一起到基輔警局做筆錄，陪他四處奔波辦理各種手續(xù)。當(dāng)時(shí)，基輔市氣溫低到零下9℃，但李維心里暖洋洋的。

Li was also impressed by her Chinese, “You speak Chinese Putonghua better than me.” To which Anna replied with a smile, “I started learning Chinese at the age of 16, and this year I was sent to Shanghai by the Ukrainian government to continue my postgraduate program in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language.” With the assistance of this native Ukrainian girl, everything went smoothly. Anna helped him call the police, go to the Kiev police station to make a record and accompanied him to various offices to go through all necessary procedures. Although the temperature in Kiev dropped to -9 degrees Celsius, Li felt so warm in his heart.

That evening, Anna treated him to the well-known Ukrainian dish of borsch and Kiev meat pie. For the first time during his threemonth stay in Ukraine, Li felt as if he was an honored guest. Li also invited Anna to visit Hubei Province, his hometown, next time she was in China.

Li was from a small village in Hubei. After graduation from university, he joined his family in the lamp business. That year, his family business expanded into Ukraine, and he was sent to Kiev to handle the local market.

As they took a walk after coming out of the restaurant, Anna playfully trod on the ice along the road, which had mostly melted away from the sunlight. The thin ice collapsed easily, so that her shoes ended up wet with cold water. Li asked her, “Are you Ok? Wait a moment, and I will get you a pair of new shoes.” He rushed to the nearest store before he could finish his words.

After Anna put on the new shoes, she refused to accept Li’s payment for her interpretation. With the cash in hand, Li was really embarrassed. Then he asked Anna, “We’ll become friends if you don’t accept the money. In that case your boyfriend will be unhappy.” Anna replied with a smile, “I don’t have a boyfriend.” Li said jokingly, “Come on! You’re so beautiful, and you say you don’t have a boyfriend?” Anna just bit her lips, and Li forced a shy smile.

晚上，安娜帶他去吃了基輔最有名的烏克蘭紅菜湯和基輔肉餅。到烏克蘭3個(gè)月，李維第一次有了做客的感覺(jué)。他盛情邀請(qǐng)安娜下次到中國(guó)時(shí)去他的故鄉(xiāng)湖北游玩。李維來(lái)自湖北一個(gè)小鄉(xiāng)村，大學(xué)畢業(yè)后跟隨親戚做燈具生意。今年，親戚的生意做到了烏克蘭，他過(guò)來(lái)開(kāi)拓基輔的市場(chǎng)。

從飯館出來(lái)，俏皮的安娜去踩馬路上的冰，不料冰已經(jīng)在陽(yáng)光下融化，安娜一腳踏破薄冰，鞋子進(jìn)了水。李維緊張地問(wèn)：“冷不冷？在這兒等著，我去給你買雙新鞋?！闭f(shuō)完他向商場(chǎng)飛奔而去。

安娜換上新鞋，死活不肯收他的“翻譯費(fèi)”。李維的錢拿在手里，給也不是，收也不是。他拐著彎問(wèn)：“你不收錢我們不就成了朋友關(guān)系了？這樣讓你男朋友知道會(huì)不會(huì)不好？”安娜笑：“我沒(méi)有男朋友?！崩罹S開(kāi)玩笑說(shuō)：“不會(huì)吧，你這么漂亮，怎么可能沒(méi)有男朋友？”看著安娜撇撇嘴，李維靦腆地笑了。

美好的愛(ài)情一發(fā)而不可收。安娜一開(kāi)學(xué)，李維就追隨她回中國(guó)，帶她游歷家鄉(xiāng)。

休學(xué)

安娜的母親突然病重。她不得不休學(xué)3年，回到基輔照顧家人。

李維更加勤奮地工作，開(kāi)始在中國(guó)、烏克蘭兩頭奔波。

2013年11月30日上午，安娜忽然打來(lái)電話，說(shuō)基輔市情有點(diǎn)亂。身在武漢的李維一聽(tīng)，腦子一下懵了。他持的是一年多次商務(wù)簽證，但必須在上次離境期滿90天后方可再次入境，現(xiàn)在還差50多天。安娜安慰他：“別擔(dān)心我，我會(huì)照顧好自己?！?/p>

李維如坐針氈，對(duì)安娜千叮萬(wàn)囑：“所有的抗議、游行你都不要參加。我愛(ài)你，你不能出一丁點(diǎn)事，等我過(guò)去接你?！卑材却饝?yīng)了。

除了每天和安娜通電話，李維無(wú)時(shí)無(wú)刻不在緊張地關(guān)注局勢(shì)。2014年2月中旬，李維重新辦理了商務(wù)簽證，在全家人的強(qiáng)烈反對(duì)下從廣州飛往基輔。在過(guò)海關(guān)時(shí)卻被攔了下來(lái)，因?yàn)槔罹S邀請(qǐng)函出具單位的老板已變賣公司回到中國(guó)。海關(guān)聯(lián)系不上公司負(fù)責(zé)人，決定遣返李維。

李維急了，連說(shuō)帶比畫，表示自己是來(lái)烏克蘭探親。海關(guān)人員不由分說(shuō)，將他原機(jī)遣返。

飛機(jī)在廣州一落地，李維就接到安娜電話，她在電話里焦急地問(wèn)：“你沒(méi)事吧？”李維的眼淚一下子奔涌而出：“快回家！哪兒也別去，我一定想辦法把你接過(guò)來(lái)?！?/p>

Their love budded and blossomed. When Anna returned back to China, Li Wei followed her back to China to show her around his hometown.

A Break from School

As Anna’s mother was seriously ill, she had to stop her schooling for three years to take care of her family in Kiev.

Li worked even harder than before and began shuttling between China and Ukraine.

On November 30, 2013, Li received an emergency call from Anna who told him about the unrest in Kiev. Anna’s words dealt a blow to him. Although Li had a multiple-entry business visa he was only allowed to re-enter Ukraine after 90 days from his last departure, which was still over 50 days away. Anna assured him, “No worries, I will take care of myself.”

Li was concerned about her and advised her repeatedly, “Stay away from any protests or demonstrations. I love you, my dear. You cannot expose yourself to any dangers. Wait for my return.” Anna followed his advice.

Apart from calling Anna every day, Li kept updated with the situation in Ukraine. In mid-February 2014, He applied for a new business visa and, against his family’s opposition, flew from Guangzhou to Kiev. However, he was held at Customs in Kiev, for the boss who offered Li the invitation letter had sold his company and already returned to China. Unable to get in touch with the head of the company, the Customs agent had to repatriate Li.

At this critical moment, Li became agitated and explained with gestures that he came to visit his relatives. The Customs officers, however, denied his entry.

The moment his returning flight landed, Li received the call from Anna who anxiously asked, “Is everything alright with you?” His eyes glistening, Li replied, “My dear, no matter what, I’ll try my best to bring you back to China.”

On February 22, Anna told Li that she took risks taking her mother to the local poorlyconditioned No.12 Hospital because of a serious relapse of her bronchitis. In such an emergency, Li asked one of his business partners in Kiev to help Anna’s family. Unfortunately, his partner told him that he was about to return to China because business was hard to sustain in such a chaotic environment.

Getting Married

In March, Li eventually received the materials needed to apply for a visa from Anna in Ukraine. He immediately submitted all the documents to the Ukrainian Embassy and anxiously waited for the results. On April 29, as his flight landed in Kiev, he saw Anna awaiting him at the exit. When their eyes met, Li dropped his baggage and gave Anna a big hug, unable to hold back his tears.

After the bus ran through the tumultuous city center, they reached Anna’s home in fear. They discussed with Anna’s mother that Anna’s father working in Donetsk, east Ukraine, should come back to Kiev to join them in their trip to China. Li had prepared the forms and materials associated with the application for a marriage to foreigners, and an invitation letter from his family to Anna and her parents. Apparently, Li planned to marry Anna right there.

2月22日，安娜告訴李維，母親支氣管炎復(fù)發(fā)，她冒險(xiǎn)帶母親來(lái)到基輔市第12醫(yī)院，醫(yī)療條件不太好。情急之下，李維打電話給基輔的一個(gè)生意伙伴，請(qǐng)他關(guān)照女友一家。生意伙伴無(wú)奈地告訴他，生意難做，準(zhǔn)備回國(guó)了。

成婚

3月，李維終于收到安娜從烏克蘭快遞過(guò)來(lái)的辦理探親訪友簽證的材料，立刻遞交大使館辦理簽證。4月29日，他心急火燎地飛赴基輔。一下飛機(jī)，他就看到望眼欲穿的安娜站在出口。四目相對(duì)，李維扔下行李緊緊擁抱住女友，淚水滾滾而下。

巴士穿過(guò)騷亂的市區(qū)，李維和安娜心驚膽戰(zhàn)地回到家中，同安娜的母親商量：將安娜在頓涅茨克的父親叫回基輔，一家人一起去中國(guó)。這次李維有備而來(lái)，帶來(lái)了申請(qǐng)涉外婚姻的表格和資料、親屬向安娜及其父母發(fā)出的邀請(qǐng)函，他準(zhǔn)備就在這里和安娜結(jié)婚。

安娜淚如雨下：“中國(guó)有句老話，‘夫妻本是同林鳥(niǎo)，大難來(lái)時(shí)各自飛’，真沒(méi)想到你這么有情有義?！?/p>

沒(méi)有婚禮，沒(méi)有儀式，屋外一片嘈雜，李維將一枚簡(jiǎn)單的鉆戒戴在安娜的無(wú)名指上：“我愛(ài)你，什么都不會(huì)將我們分開(kāi)?！?/p>

涉外婚姻登記辦好后，送到中國(guó)駐烏克蘭大使館辦理簽證，大家就可以一起走了。但這時(shí)岳母面露難色，安娜的父親沒(méi)法回來(lái)。

李維和安娜一夜未眠，商量著對(duì)策?！安荒苈湎掳职?。”李維堅(jiān)定地對(duì)安娜說(shuō)，“你在家里照看媽媽，我去接他。”安娜欲言又止，萬(wàn)分糾結(jié)。

團(tuán)圓

李維坐了13個(gè)小時(shí)火車到頓涅茨克。同車的一個(gè)頓涅茨克人會(huì)講英語(yǔ)，他讓朋友開(kāi)車來(lái)接他回頓涅茨克，順便捎上李維。

火車走到第聶伯羅彼得羅夫斯克，被流彈破壞嚴(yán)重，不再向前行駛了。李維只得和在火車上結(jié)識(shí)的朋友一起下車，在第聶伯羅彼得羅夫斯克找地方住下。

這一住就是20多天，李維心急如焚。5月26日，李維終于搭上朋友的便車，來(lái)到頓涅茨克。街上人煙稀少，飛機(jī)轟隆隆地在天空盤旋。好心的頓涅茨克朋友將他送到岳父的住所樓下，李維狂奔上樓。

“你不該來(lái)?！痹栏笢I眼迷離。生死線上，兩人再也說(shuō)不出一句話。

李維一面在網(wǎng)上寬慰妻子，一面留言安慰遠(yuǎn)在中國(guó)的父母。他心里明白，必須活著，必須成功把安娜一家人帶回中國(guó)。

火車站離岳父的住所不遠(yuǎn)，李維想看看它到底被破壞成什么樣子。深夜趁岳父熟睡，李維悄悄出門了。他一路摸索著來(lái)到火車站，見(jiàn)大樓安然無(wú)恙地立在那里，只是少了幾塊玻璃。售票大廳已經(jīng)恢復(fù)售票。

Anna was deeply stirred, “I know an old Chinese saying which goes, ‘Husband and wife are birds in the woods; when a disaster happens they fly their separate ways,’ but you are such an honest and trustworthy man.”

There was no wedding ceremony, and Li, against the chaos outside, put a diamond ring on Anna’s finger. “I love you, Anna,” Li proposed, “I promise that nothing will part us!”

The marriage registration, along with other materials, had to be sent to the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine to apply for the visa. Then the whole family could set out for China. Now Anna’s mother, however, showed her hesitance because Anna’s father was unable to come back to join them.

Li and Anna exchanged their ideas about what to do next for a whole night. “We cannot leave our father alone here.” Li said firmly. “You stay at home to take care of Mom,” Li added, “I’ll go to Donetsk to bring him back.” Anna’s words rose to her throat but she checked herself and kept silent, for she had mixed feelings about his decision.

Family Reunion

It took 13 hours for Li to go from Kiev to Donetsk by train. Luckily, he happened to meet a Donetsk native who spoke English, and the man had asked one of his friends to offer Li a free ride.

When the train reached Dnipropetrovsk, it was forced to a halt because it was badly damaged by bullets. Li and the man had to get off the train and attempt to find a local place to stay.

During his 20-day stay in Dnipropetrovsk, Li was tortured with anxiety. On May 26, Li eventually arrived in Donetsk with the help of his friend. There were hardly any people on the road, but there were bombers droning overhead. Li’s friend was so kind as to drop him right at the foot of the apartment of Li’s father-in-law and Li rushed upstairs to meet him.

“You shouldn’t have come here.” Li’s father-in-law said, misty-eyed. Without further words, both of them understood each other in speechlessness at this life-and-death moment.

Li consoled his wife online; in the meantime, he left messages to his parents in China to report his safety. He knew that he must stay alive so that Anna’s whole family could come to China, safe and sound.

Since the railway station was located not far away from the apartment, Li wanted to check if it was ruined. At midnight when his father-in-law was sound asleep, Li snuck out of the room and went to the railway station. There stood the building, quite intact, with only several windows lost. The ticket hall had resumed service. Li bought two train tickets so that they could go back to Kiev the following day.

At about 4 pm local time on May 26, as Li and his fatherin-law left the apartment, two bombs from a low-hovering bomber exploded only 20 meters away from them. Li instinctively yanked his father-in-law down to lie on the ground. A volley of gunshots followed, with some bullets whizzing over Li’s head, piercing holes in the walls. They retreated back to their room. At 6 pm, they set out again in panic when it became quiet outside. On the way, most convenience stores were closed, and even in the open shops food and water were unavailable. Pushed by hunger and thirst, they reached the railway station. After 4 hours’ delay, the train finally started moving.

As the train wheeled out of the station, they left the war zone behind. The anxious passengers on board were all relieved. Li’s father-in-law talked gratefully to Li, but Li only understood one sentence, “You are risking your life to save me.” With tears welling up in his eyes, Li replied, “You and Anna’s mom are my family as well.”

When they returned home in Kiev, the whole family wept for their reunion. A short while later, Anna approached Li and said, “My parents say it was my greatest luck to meet you.” Much to his relief, Li just smiled.

In mid-June of 2014, Anna’s family and Li returned back to China. Anna participated in the public welfare program of Sino-Ukraine medical techniques and technologies, setting up a medical exchange between China and Ukraine.

In January of 2017, their second beautiful daughter was born. The whole family lives a happy life together.

(From Past lovers, Present Strangers, Time Literature and Art Press. Translation: Wang Wen)

李維購(gòu)買了第二天回基輔的火車票。

當(dāng)?shù)貢r(shí)間28日下午4點(diǎn)多鐘，李維和岳父剛下樓，忽然，低空盤旋的飛機(jī)投下兩顆炸彈，就在離兩人不到20米遠(yuǎn)的地方爆炸了。李維本能地將岳父一拉，就地趴下。緊接著一陣“嗒嗒嗒嗒”的槍聲，子彈擦著李維的耳朵飛過(guò)，打得對(duì)面的墻壁石屑四濺。兩人只得狼狽地逃回房間。到晚上6點(diǎn)，外面終于安靜下來(lái)。他們戰(zhàn)戰(zhàn)兢兢地重新出發(fā)。一路上，一大半便利店都沒(méi)有開(kāi)門，余下的店鋪也買不到水和食品。兩人饑寒交迫，趕到火車站。在晚點(diǎn)4個(gè)小時(shí)后，火車終于出發(fā)了……

看著戰(zhàn)區(qū)逐漸遠(yuǎn)去，火車上憂心忡忡的乘客們這才如釋重負(fù)。岳父感動(dòng)地用俄語(yǔ)、烏克蘭語(yǔ)和李維交流，李維只聽(tīng)明白一句：“你父母把你養(yǎng)這么大也不容易?！彼唤劭魸駶?rùn)：“您和媽媽也是我的家人。”

回到基輔家中，一家人抱頭痛哭。過(guò)了一會(huì)兒，安娜走過(guò)來(lái)，含淚對(duì)李維說(shuō)：“爸媽說(shuō)，我認(rèn)識(shí)你是這輩子最棒的事。”李維寬厚地笑了。

6月中旬，他和安娜一家安全地回到中國(guó)。安娜加入中烏醫(yī)療技術(shù)交換公益項(xiàng)目團(tuán)隊(duì)，義務(wù)為中國(guó)與烏克蘭醫(yī)療事業(yè)發(fā)展架起溝通的橋梁。

2017年1月，安娜和李維的第二個(gè)女兒誕生了，很漂亮。一家人幸福地生活在一起。

（摘自《多少黑名單 曾互道晚安》時(shí)代文藝出版社）