Before dawn in Lanzhou, a master noodle chef races to serve his once-a-day broth before the long line runs out of luck.
天还没亮。兰州小街上，拉面馆开了灯。大锅里的汤从昨晚煮到现在，热气往上飘。戴白帽子、白围裙的师傅正准备第一锅面。
The sky was not yet light. On a small street in Lanzhou, a noodle shop had turned on its lights. The broth in the big pot had simmered from last night until now, steam rising up. The master, in a white cap and white apron, was preparing the first batch of noodles.
师傅在台子上不停地拉面团，面越来越细。他刚拉好一团，就有老人推门进来：“来一碗，要辣的。”师傅点头下了面。
The master pulled the dough nonstop on the counter, the noodles growing thinner and thinner. He had just finished one piece when an old man pushed the door open: "One bowl, with chili." The master nodded and dropped the noodles in.
天亮了一点。客人越来越多，队伍排到街角，有的看手机。一个年轻人说：“不仅汤好喝，面也好吃，一锅卖完就没了。”
The sky grew a little lighter. More and more customers came, the line reaching the street corner, some looking at their phones. A young man said, "Not only is the broth good, the noodles are good too — once the one pot is sold out, that's it."
一碗碗面端出去。收银的女孩一边收钱，一边叫号：“三十八号！三十九号！”客人听到号就端碗。师傅拉得更快，面团变成细面。
Bowl after bowl of noodles went out. The cashier girl took money while calling numbers: "Number thirty-eight! Number thirty-nine!" Customers heard their number and took their bowls. The master pulled faster, and the dough became thin noodles.
汤越来越少。师傅每下一次面，就舀一勺汤。刚才还满满的一锅，现在见底了。他既要拉面，又要看锅。女孩叫号：“五十一号！”
The broth grew less and less. Each time the master dropped in noodles, he scooped a ladle of broth. The pot that was full just moments ago now showed its bottom. He had to both pull noodles and watch the pot. The girl called out, "Number fifty-one!"
队伍还很长。后面的人不知道，慢慢往前走。妈妈说：“快了，前面只剩几个人。”孩子问：“面好吃吗？”“这家不仅便宜，而且好吃。”
The line was still long. The people at the back did not know, and moved slowly forward. A mother said, "Almost there, only a few people ahead of us." The child asked, "Are the noodles tasty?" "This shop is not only cheap, but also delicious."
师傅又舀一勺，勺子碰到锅底。再舀一下，只有一点点汤。他端出这碗面，并停下了手。台子上面团很多，可是汤快没了。
The master scooped again, and the ladle touched the bottom of the pot. He scooped once more, and there was only a tiny bit of broth. He handed out this bowl of noodles and stopped his hands. There was a lot of dough on the counter, but the broth was almost gone.
师傅走到门口，举起两只空手：“对不起，今天的汤卖完了。”大家没听懂。他又说：“面还有，没有汤，做不了面。”
The master walked to the doorway and raised his two empty hands: "Sorry, today's broth is sold out." No one understood. He said again, "There are still noodles, but without broth I can't make noodles."
有人叹气，有人说：“我刚排了半小时！”师傅说：“汤昨晚就煮了。首先要选好骨头，其次煮一夜，一天只有一锅。”
Some sighed, some said, "I've only just queued half an hour!" The master said, "The broth was started last night. First you choose good bones, second you simmer it all night — there's only one pot a day."
虽然吃不到面，很多人也没走。他们看着店里的那口空锅，锅里还有点热气，慢慢凉了。几个年轻人拍照说：“明天早点来。”
Although they couldn't eat noodles, many people did not leave. They looked at the empty pot in the shop; there was still a little steam in it, slowly cooling. A few young people took photos and said, "Let's come earlier tomorrow."
师傅拿笔在门上写下明天开门的时间，写完又看了一遍。他转身对门外的客人深深鞠躬。女孩说：“师傅每天都这样。”
The master took a pen and wrote tomorrow's opening time on the door, then read it over again. He turned and bowed deeply to the customers outside. The girl said, "The master does this every day."
天亮了。太阳刚升起来，街上热闹了，拉面馆却关了门。台子上还有很多面粉，锅里的汤空了。这是每天的样子。
The sky was light. The sun had just risen and the street grew lively, but the noodle shop had closed its door. There was still plenty of flour on the counter, while the broth in the pot was gone. This was how it was every day.
门关着，街角有人停下来看门上的时间。一个路过的老人放下袋子，靠墙坐下休息。又走过去两个人。太阳越升越高，人们已经在期待明天的拉面了。
The door was closed; someone stopped at the street corner to look at the time on the door. A passing old man set down his bag and sat leaning against the wall to rest. Two more people walked past. The sun rose higher and higher, and people were already looking forward to tomorrow's noodles.