3:02
她当着所有人，叫了那个女人“妈妈”
In Front of Everyone, She Called That Woman "Mother"
HSK 1-2 Chinese listening practice. In Never-Ending Summer, Zhou Wan finds the insurance money was hers all along and, at a grand banquet, calls her estranged mother "Mom" to force out her grandma's surgery money.
This is an HSK 2 Chinese listening episode that runs about 3 minutes. The full Mandarin script is shown with tap-for-pinyin and a line-by-line English translation, so you can listen and read at once — comprehensible input in the sense of Stephen Krashen's i+1 theory. It teaches 13 key vocabulary words such as 钱、妈妈、爸爸 and walks through 4 grammar patterns, each explained in English with examples. The same news story is retold at 4 difficulty levels — use the level selector above to find the version that is challenging but still understandable for you.
上次说到，周挽拿了妈妈给的钱，故意对陆西骁很冷。
Last time, Zhou Wan took the money her mother gave her and turned cold to Lu Xixiao on purpose.
可是奶奶的病更重了，住进了医院。
But grandma's illness got worse, and she was admitted to the hospital.
给奶奶看病，还差很多很多钱。
Paying for grandma's treatment was still far short of enough money.
今天，接着往下说。
Today, let's keep going.
周挽的爸爸已经不在了。
Zhou Wan's father was already gone.
爸爸走的时候，留下了一些钱。
When her father passed, he left behind some money.
妈妈一直说，这些钱是她的，不给周挽。
Her mother kept saying the money was hers, and wouldn't give it to Zhou Wan.
可是有一天，周挽在家里找到了一张纸。
But one day, Zhou Wan found a piece of paper at home.
纸上写得很清楚：这些钱，本来是留给周挽的。
It said clearly: this money was actually left for Zhou Wan.
周挽一下子明白了：妈妈在骗她。
Zhou Wan suddenly understood: her mother was lying to her.
她想：我要把自己的东西，一样一样拿回来。
She thought: I'm going to take back what's mine, piece by piece.
陆西骁家是有钱人家。
The Lu family was a rich household.
这一天，陆家有一个很大的晚宴。
On this day, the Lu family held a big banquet.
很多有钱人都来了，周挽的妈妈也会来。
Many rich people came, and Zhou Wan's mother would be there too.
所以周挽也想办法进去了。
So Zhou Wan found a way to get in.
她要在很多人前面，逼妈妈把钱拿出来。
She wanted to force her mother, in front of everyone, to hand over the money.
在晚宴上，有一个男生，一直看不起周挽。
At the banquet, a boy who always looked down on Zhou Wan was there.
他故意把周挽的衣服弄脏了。
He deliberately dirtied Zhou Wan's dress.
大家都看着她，周挽很不好意思。
Everyone was staring at her, and Zhou Wan was embarrassed.
就在这个时候，陆西骁走了过来。
Just then, Lu Xixiao walked over.
他早就给周挽准备好了一条白色的裙子。
He had already prepared a white dress for Zhou Wan.
他让周挽换上那条裙子。
He had her change into that dress.
周挽穿上以后，站在灯下，特别漂亮。
Once Zhou Wan put it on, standing under the lights, she looked especially beautiful.
周挽对他那么冷，陆西骁还是护着她。
Even though Zhou Wan was so cold to him, Lu Xixiao still shielded her.
就在这时，周挽接到了医院的电话。
Just then, Zhou Wan got a call from the hospital.
医院说：奶奶可以做手术了，可是要三十万。
The hospital said: grandma can have surgery now, but it costs three hundred thousand.
三十万，周挽去哪里找？
Three hundred thousand — where would Zhou Wan find it?
她只剩下一个办法。
She had only one way left.
她走到很多人中间，当着大家，叫了那个女人一声“妈妈”。
She walked into the crowd and, in front of everyone, called that woman "Mom."
她说：这些年，谢谢妈妈一直帮我。
She said: all these years, thank you, Mom, for helping me.
所有人都在看着，妈妈没有办法，只能答应给她钱。
With everyone watching, her mother had no choice but to agree to give her the money.
奶奶做手术的钱，有着落了。
The money for grandma's surgery was secured.
可是这一切，陆西骁都看在眼里。
But Lu Xixiao saw all of this.
他心里很难受。
His heart ached.
他问周挽：你对我，有没有一次是真心的？
He asked Zhou Wan: was there ever one time you meant it, toward me?
周挽没有回答。
Zhou Wan didn't answer.
因为她心里，有一个不能说的秘密：
Because in her heart she held a secret she couldn't tell:
那个女人，其实就是她的亲妈妈。
That woman was, in fact, her own mother.
可是，没有人知道这件事。
But no one knew this.
后来，陆家让周挽搬进去，和陆西骁一起住、一起学习。
Later, the Lu family had Zhou Wan move in, to live and study with Lu Xixiao.
两个人离得越来越近。
The two of them grew closer and closer.
周挽一边想靠近他，一边又要瞒着他。
Zhou Wan wanted to get near him, while also hiding the truth from him.
这个夏天，她过得越来越难。
This summer got harder and harder for her.
你有没有一个秘密，越想藏，就越藏不住？
Do you have a secret that the more you try to hide, the more it won't stay hidden?
HSK 1. 逼妈妈把钱拿出来 = force her mother to hand over the money.
HSK 1. 叫那个女人一声“妈妈” = calls that woman "Mom."
HSK 1. 爸爸走的时候留下了钱 = when father passed, he left money.
HSK 1. 周挽接到了医院的电话 = Zhou Wan got a call from the hospital.
HSK 2. 谢谢妈妈一直帮我 = thank you, Mom, for always helping me.
HSK 2 (办法). 她只剩下一个办法 = she has only one way left.
HSK 2 (裙子). The white dress Lu Xixiao prepared for her.
Beyond HSK 2. The secret she can't tell — that the woman is her real mother.
Beyond HSK 2. 陆家有一个很大的晚宴 = the Lu family holds a big banquet.
Beyond HSK 2. 奶奶可以做手术了 = grandma can have surgery now.
Beyond HSK 2. 妈妈在骗她 = her mother is lying to / deceiving her.
Beyond HSK 2. 逼妈妈把钱拿出来 = force her mother to hand over the money.
Beyond HSK 2. 亲妈妈 = one's own (birth) mother.
* beyond level超纲词
故意 + 动词
故意 = on purpose / deliberately, placed before the verb.
故意对陆西骁很冷。
故意把周挽的衣服弄脏了。
把 + 宾语 + 动词
把 fronts the object to stress what is done to it.
逼妈妈把钱拿出来。
把自己的东西一样一样拿回来。
当着…的面 / 在…前面
当着大家 / 在…前面 = in front of / in the presence of (everyone).
她走到很多人中间，当着大家…
在很多人前面，逼妈妈…
越 A 就越 B
越 A 越 B = the more A, the more B.
越想藏，就越藏不住。
过得越来越难。
Free account
You just read the story — hear it next. A free account saves your level, the words you keep from this episode, and the line you stop at, so you can pick the story back up on any device.