青岛啤酒街的春日午后，阳光温柔地洒在熙熙攘攘的人群中。

On a spring afternoon on Qingdao Beer Street, sunlight gently spilled over the bustling crowd.

连和她的表弟强走在拥挤的街道上，为清明节晚餐采购食材。

Lian and her cousin Qiang walked down the crowded street, shopping for ingredients for the Qingming Festival dinner.

空气中充满了香气，每个摊位都散发着诱人的气味。

The air was filled with aromas, with each stall emanating tempting scents.

“这次我要做出特别的晚餐，纪念祖先，也让家人们开心。”连说，眼里充满期待。

"This time I want to make a special dinner to honor our ancestors and make the family happy," Lian said, her eyes filled with anticipation.

强笑道：“不用担心，我帮你找到最好的食材。”

Qiang laughed: "Don't worry, I'll help you find the best ingredients."

他们走进了一家小店，店里陈列着各种调料和新鲜食材。

They entered a small shop, which displayed a variety of condiments and fresh ingredients.

连拿起一袋糯米：“这是做艾草青团的主材料。”

Lian picked up a bag of glutinous rice: "This is the main ingredient for making ai cao qingtuan."

艾草青团是清明节的重要食品，象征着春天来临和庄稼的丰收。

Ai cao qingtuan is an important food for the Qingming Festival, symbolizing the arrival of spring and the harvest of crops.

但她需要的香料却不在架子上。

But the spices she needed were not on the shelf.

“少了香料，这青团的味道就不对了。”连有些沮丧地说。

"Without the spices, the flavor of the qingtuan won't be right," Lian said somewhat dejectedly.

强拍拍她的肩膀：“我相信我们还能找到，一起去找找。”

Qiang patted her shoulder: "I believe we can still find them, let's keep looking together."

于是他们继续在啤酒街寻找，经过了好几个摊位，还是没有找到。

So they continued searching on Beer Street, passing several stalls, but still found nothing.

就在他们准备放弃时，一个拐角处的小店吸引了他们的注意。

Just as they were about to give up, a small shop at a corner caught their attention.

店门口坐着一位和蔼的老店主。

At the entrance sat a kindly old shopkeeper.

他注意到她们的徘徊，微笑着问：“你们在找什么？”

Noticing their hesitation, he asked with a smile, "What are you looking for?"

“我们在找一种特定的香料，想用来做艾草青团。”连解释道。

"We're looking for a specific spice to use in making ai cao qingtuan," Lian explained.

老人点点头，走进店里，从一个陈旧的罐子里取出一点香料：“这个是你需要的吗？”

The old man nodded, went into the shop, and took out a bit of spice from an old jar: "Is this what you need?"

“是的，就是这个！谢谢您！”连激动不已。

"Yes, that's it! Thank you!" Lian exclaimed with excitement.

老人微笑着告诉他们：“这种香料在我们老家非常珍贵，它蕴含了我们对自然的敬畏和对祖先的敬意。”

The old man smiled and told them: "This spice is very precious in our hometown, it contains our reverence for nature and respect for our ancestors."

连向老人深深鞠了一躬：“谢谢您，不仅给了我香料，还让我们了解了它的意义。”

Lian bowed deeply to the old man: "Thank you, not only for the spice but also for letting us understand its meaning."

在回家的路上，连感到心情格外轻松。

On the way home, Lian felt particularly light-hearted.

回到家中，她开始忙碌地准备晚餐。

Back at home, she busily prepared the dinner.

晚餐桌上，艾草青团的清香弥漫，家人们围坐在一起，其乐融融。

At the dinner table, the fragrance of ai cao qingtuan filled the air, and the family sat together joyfully.

连微笑着看着大家，感受到深深的满足。

Lian smiled as she looked at everyone, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction.

她明白了，在纪念传统的过程中，有时需要灵活应变，而这种过程中建立的连接与理解，更是无价之宝。

She realized that in commemorating tradition, sometimes flexibility is needed, and the connections and understanding formed in this process are priceless.

这次的晚餐，不仅纪念了祖先，更融入了新的意义，令家族的纽带更加牢固。

This dinner not only honored the ancestors but also infused new meaning, strengthening the family bond.

连学会了，有时候，意外的帮助会带来意想不到的指导和温暖。

Lian learned that sometimes, unexpected help can bring unforeseen guidance and warmth.