A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels

他回家了,可他还不能自由
He Came Home, but He Still Wasn't Free
A Beginner Chinese audio drama about Qingyi's return home, an arranged marriage, and the mysterious woman who looks exactly like Susu.
This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 4 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 8 key vocabulary words such as 回家、结婚、喜欢 and walks through 2 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.
Read the complete story in Chinese. Reveal pinyin and English only when you need them.
旁白
清峄在监狱三年。程谨之
你要和敏贤结婚。两个家已经说好了。清峄
我刚回家。你先说的,不是“你好吗”,是“你要结婚”。程谨之
两个家一起做生意,要有很多钱。你是这个家的儿子,你要听家里的。清峄
我在监狱的时候,你们不要我。旁白
清峄回家了,可他还不能选择自己的生活。敏贤
清峄,我不会和你结婚。清峄
我也不想和你结婚。敏贤
那你去和两个家说不。清峄
你为什么不说?敏贤
我不喜欢你。你也知道,我为什么不喜欢你。清峄
你可以不喜欢我。敏贤
我和你不一样。清峄
人不一样,可现在做的事一样。我们都在听家里的。宾客声
快看电影!那是敏贤!敏贤
关掉!快关掉!旁白
电影上,大家看见敏贤和一个先生在一起。敏贤
现在你高兴了。你可以走了。清峄
这不是我做的。敏贤
谁做的,现在不重要。你自由了。大家只会说,是我让两个家没有面子。清峄
我不想这样走。敏贤
可你能走。我呢?程谨之
两个家不要这个婚事了。清峄,你可以走了。清峄
不。我们还是要结婚。程谨之
你不是不想结婚吗?清峄
我不想让你们选择,也不想只在你们说可以的时候走。程谨之
你想做什么?清峄
我知道敏贤家的秘密。旁白
清峄没有走。敏贤
你自由了。可是我还是不能选择。旁白
清峄没有回答。他有了一点自由,也拿走了敏贤的自由。清峄
素素……旁白
素素是清峄很爱的人。清峄
继续找。我要知道那个女人是谁。旁白
第二天,清峄和敏贤的订婚礼开始了。清峄
素素?牧兰
你好。我叫牧兰,是你哥哥的未婚妻。清峄
你是谁?电影院的东西,是你拿走的吗?牧兰
对。那是我给你的见面礼。清峄
你认识素素吗?牧兰
今天,我们先不说这个。以后,我们还有很多时间。旁白
清峄刚让两个家听他的话。Qingyi spent three years in prison.
Today, he came home.
He thought he was free now.
But his family told him right away: you must marry.
You must marry Minxian. The two families have already agreed.
I just got home. The first thing you said wasn't "how are you," it was "you must marry."
The two families are doing business together, and there's a lot of money involved. You're a son of this family, and you must obey the family.
When I was in prison, you didn't want me.
Now you want me to marry, and suddenly I'm a son of this family again.
Qingyi came home, but he still can't choose his own life.
Qingyi, I won't marry you.
I don't want to marry you either.
Then go tell both families no.
Why don't you say it?
I don't like you. And you know why I don't like you.
You're allowed to not like me.
But look, they want me to obey, and they want you to obey too.
Neither of us gets to choose for ourselves.
I'm not like you.
People are different, but right now we're doing the same thing. We're both obeying our families.
Look at the movie! That's Minxian!
Turn it off! Turn it off now!
On screen, everyone sees Minxian with a man.
Reporters took photos too.
Minxian's family is furious.
They say: the marriage is off now.
Now you're happy. You can leave.
I didn't do this.
Who did it doesn't matter now. You're free. Everyone will just say I made both families lose face.
I don't want to leave like this.
But you can leave. What about me?
Both families have called off the marriage. Qingyi, you can go.
No. We're still getting married.
Didn't you not want to marry?
I don't want you to choose for me, and I don't want to leave only when you say I can.
What do you want?
I know Minxian's family's secret.
I also have things they don't want anyone to see.
Now, both families will listen to me.
Qingyi didn't leave.
He used Minxian's family's secret to make both families listen to him.
Now he can choose a little.
You're free. But I still can't choose.
Before, your family made you obey. Now, you make me obey. The people changed, but the thing being done is the same.
Qingyi didn't answer. He gained a little freedom, and took away Minxian's.
The film reel at the cinema is gone. A young woman took it. She also left behind a flower.
Susu...
Susu is someone Qingyi loved deeply.
Qingyi had always believed she died three years ago.
But this flower made him wonder: did she really die?
Keep searching. I want to know who that woman is.
The next day, Qingyi and Minxian's engagement ceremony began.
Qingyi's older brother was also getting married.
When his brother's fiancée walked in, Qingyi couldn't speak.
Because she looked exactly like Susu.
Susu?
Hello. My name is Mulan, your brother's fiancée.
Who are you? Did you take the thing from the cinema?
Yes. That was my gift to you when we meet.
Do you know Susu?
Today, let's not talk about this. We'll have plenty of time later.
Qingyi had just made both families listen to him.
Now, Mulan has arrived.
Like Susu, she also knows the cinema's secret.
Who is she?
Episode one didn't tell us.
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
to return home
to marry
to like someone or something
to know a fact
a place where prisoners are held
something kept hidden
the ability to choose for yourself
to decide between possibilities
* beyond level超纲词
不想 + verb
Use 不想 before a verb to say someone does not want to do it.
我不想结婚。
他不想这样走。
和……一样
Use 和……一样 to say two people or things are alike.
她和素素一样。
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