A young man is obsessed with upgrading to the newest bicycle every time, until the old bike mender asks him a single question that leaves him standing frozen in the middle of the alley.
Scene 1: Finding Fault With a Brand-New Bike
李航把的变速车推到巷口，车圈在阳光下亮得晃眼。
Li Hang wheeled his brand-new geared bike up to the mouth of the alley, the rims gleaming so brightly in the sun they were almost blinding.
Li Hang
王师傅，您给瞧瞧，这车骑着总觉得，是不是哪儿没调好？
Master Wang, take a look for me, would you? This bike just feels off when I ride it — maybe something isn't tuned right?
蹲在小马扎上的老人擦了擦手，慢悠悠地捏了捏闸，又转了转脚蹬。
The old man, perched on his little folding stool, wiped his hands, gave the brakes an unhurried squeeze, then spun the pedals around a few times.
Master Wang
车没毛病，零件都是好的，是你这心啊，怕是早就跑到下一辆去了。
Nothing's wrong with the bike — every part is sound. It's your heart, son. I'd bet it ran off to the next bike a long time ago.
Scene 2: The Old Man's Rickety Bike
李航这才注意到老人身旁那辆掉了漆的旧自行车，后轮还微微有些晃。
Only now did Li Hang notice the old, paint-chipped bicycle standing beside the old man, its rear wheel still wobbling ever so slightly.
Li Hang
您这车都晃成这样了，怎么还换啊？
Your bike wobbles that badly — how can you still not bear to replace it?
Master Wang
这后轮我亲手了三十年，闭着眼都知道它哪根该紧、哪根该松。
I've trued this rear wheel with my own hands for thirty years. I could tell you with my eyes shut which spoke needs tightening and which needs loosening.
Master Wang
它晃，可它从没把我摔下来过；你那辆稳，你却连骑都没耐心骑稳。
It wobbles, but it's never once thrown me off. Your bike is steady, yet you don't even have the patience to ride it steadily.
Scene 3: A Question in the Middle of the Alley
Li Hang
可大家都说，骑最新的车才跑得快，我总不能吧。
But everyone says you've got to ride the newest bike to go fast. I can't just let myself fall behind, can I?
老人没急着接话，只是把那辆旧车扶正，让它稳稳地立在原地。
The old man was in no rush to answer; he simply straightened the old bike and let it stand firmly in place.
Master Wang
我问你，这两年你换了五辆车，可你究竟想骑到哪儿去呢？
Let me ask you this: in two years you've changed five bikes — but where on earth are you trying to ride to?
李航张了张嘴，却发现自己竟答不上来，手心里全是汗。
Li Hang opened his mouth, only to find he had no answer — his palms were drenched in sweat.
Scene 4: Riding a Little Slower
那天李航没让老人调车，只是把新车推回了家，靠在墙边落了灰。
That day Li Hang didn't ask the old man to tune the bike after all; he just wheeled it home and leaned it against the wall, where it gathered dust.
一个月后，他骑着同一辆车又来到巷口，脸上多了几分。
A month later, he rode that very same bike back to the mouth of the alley, a touch more ease in his face.
Li Hang
王师傅，我现在每天绕着河边骑一圈，慢是慢，可总算看清两岸的柳树了。
Master Wang, these days I ride a loop along the river every day. Slow, sure — but at last I can really see the willows on both banks.
Master Wang
这就对喽，路是用来走的，不是用来追的。
Now you've got it. A road is meant to be traveled, not chased after.