〔1〕在纽约布鲁克林区的核心地段，一座低调奢华的别墅内，正操办着一场肃穆的葬礼。
这户人家姓林，别墅隐匿在高楼大厦与繁华街区的环绕之中。尽管地处热闹都市，但这片区域却因林家的特殊势力，弥漫着一种生人勿近的气息。而眼前的这栋别墅，外观采用现代简约风格，金属与玻璃的碰撞，彰显着主人的不凡品味与雄厚财力。平日里，这里进进出出的人都透着一股狠劲与高傲，别墅内常常传出欢声笑语，仿佛整个纽约的财富与权势都汇聚于此。可此刻，它却被无尽的哀伤所淹没，处处皆是黑色与白色的交织，好似一场突如其来的暴雪提前覆盖。
〔1〕In the core area of Brooklyn， New York， a solemn funeral is being held in a low - key yet luxurious villa.
The family's surname is Lin. The villa is hidden among high - rise buildings and bustling streets. Although it is located in a lively city， this area exudes an air of being off - limits to strangers due to the Lin family's special influence. The villa's exterior features a modern and minimalist style， with the interplay of metal and glass， demonstrating the owner's extraordinary taste and substantial wealth. On ordinary days， people coming in and out of here carry an air of toughness and arrogance. Laughter and joy often echo within the villa， as if all the wealth and power of New York converge here. But at this moment， it is submerged in endless grief， with black and white everywhere， as if a sudden snowstorm has covered it in advance.
〔2〕别墅的大门用黑纱与白色百合花精心装点，往日那四个闪耀着金色光芒、刻着龙飞凤舞“林府”二字的铜制牌匾，如今都换成了黑色绸缎包裹的素牌，就连门口那两座威风凛凛的大理石雕像，脖颈上也系上了黑色丝带。门前宽敞的私人停车场里，一根高耸的旗杆上，挂着长长的招魂幡，在傍晚的寒风中，时而缓缓扬起，时而缓缓落下。停车场的正中央，搭建起一座精美的祭台，祭台上供奉着一块镶金黑底的大牌位，上面刻着“斯坦福大学高材生前纽约华人商会会长林”。祭台的四周，燃烧着四座巨大的香塔，滚滚浓烟裹挟着火光，将银色锡箔的灰烬送上天空，随后飘落在停车场的各个角落。
天色渐暗，纽约布鲁克林区那座被哀伤笼罩的林家别墅，大门口素色的水晶吊灯逐一亮起，暖黄的光在这沉重氛围里显得格外微弱。别墅的核心区域——白金厅，此刻灯火通明。
〔2〕The gate of the villa is exquisitely decorated with black gauze and white lilies. The four copper plaques that used to shine with golden light and were inscribed with the characters“Lin Mansion“ in a flamboyant style have now all been replaced with plain plaques wrapped in black silk. Even the two majestic marble statues at the door have black ribbons tied around their necks. In the spacious private parking lot in front of the door， a tall flagpole hangs a long soul - summoning banner. In the cold evening wind， it sometimes slowly rises and sometimes slowly falls. In the very center of the parking lot， an exquisite altar has been set up. On the altar is enshrined a large plaque with a black background and gold inlay， inscribed with“Lin， a top - notch graduate from Stanford University and former president of the New York Chinese Chamber of Commerce“. Around the altar， four huge incense towers are burning. The billowing thick smoke， accompanied by the light of fire， sends the ashes of silver tinfoil into the sky， which then drift down to various corners of the parking lot.
As the sky gradually darkens， in the Lin family villa in Brooklyn， New York， which is shrouded in grief， the plain crystal chandeliers at the main entrance light up one by one. The warm yellow light appears particularly weak in this heavy atmosphere. The core area of the villa - the Platinum Hall - is brightly lit at the moment.
〔3〕白金厅的格局呈开放式，挑高的天花板搭配着巨型水晶吊灯，尽显奢华。大厅正中央，一座用黑白色大理石精心打造的灵柩台格外醒目，上面停放着一具锃亮的黑色棺材，仅将装饰精美的棺盖前端露出。灵柩台后方，是一面从天花板垂至地面的黑色天鹅绒幕布，肃穆庄重。幕布上方，一行烫金的花体英文写着：“In Memory of Madam Lin， the Esteemed Matriarch of the Lin Family”（缅怀林家尊贵的女家长林夫人）。中间是一个巨大的金色“R.I.P”（愿灵安息）字样，其下方，是一幅林夫人的巨幅画像。画像里的她身着华丽礼服，端坐在欧式古典风格的沙发上，眼神和蔼，嘴角带着一丝淡淡的笑意。
幕布两侧，悬挂着林家子女们敬献的挽联。上联是用流畅的英文书法写就：“Forty years of nurturing， guiding the family to prosperity， a leader in the community and the business world”（四十年悉心培育，引领家族走向繁荣，为社群与商界之翘楚）；下联则是：“A long journey of grief， across oceans and cities， as the waves of the Atlantic mourn and the city lights dim”（千里悲痛之行，跨越重洋与城市，大西洋波涛哀恸，城市灯火黯淡）。
〔3〕The layout of the Platinum Hall is open - style. The high - ceilinged space， paired with a giant crystal chandelier， exudes luxury. In the very center of the hall， a coffin platform， meticulously crafted from black and white marble， is particularly eye - catching. On it lies a shiny black coffin， with only the front end of the exquisitely decorated coffin lid exposed. Behind the coffin platform is a black velvet curtain that stretches from the ceiling to the ground， solemn and imposing. Above the curtain， a line of gilded cursive English reads:“In Memory of Madam Lin， the Esteemed Matriarch of the Lin Family“(缅怀林家尊贵的女家长林夫人). In the middle is a huge golden“R.I.P“(愿灵安息) sign. Below it is a large portrait of Madam Lin. In the portrait， she is dressed in a gorgeous dress， sitting gracefully on an antique European - style sofa， with an amiable look in her eyes and a faint smile on her lips.
On both sides of the curtain， elegiac couplets presented by the Lin family's children are hung. The upper couplet， written in fluent English calligraphy， reads:“Forty years of nurturing， guiding the family to prosperity， a leader in the community and the business world“(四十年悉心培育，引领家族走向繁荣，为社群与商界之翘楚). The lower couplet is:“A long journey of grief， across oceans and cities， as the waves of the Atlantic mourn and the city lights dim“(千里悲痛之行，跨越重洋与城市，大西洋波涛哀恸，城市灯火黯淡).
〔4〕左右墙壁上，挂满了各界送来的挽幛。最显眼的是一幅由顶级意大利丝绸制成的黑色挽幛，上面用银色丝线绣着四个英文字母：“Eternal Grace”（永恒的恩泽），落款是：“The Honorable Michael Thompson， the Under - Secretary of the Department of Commerce of New York”（纽约市商务部副部长迈克尔·汤普森阁下）。接着是纽约华人社团联合会主席陈伟业送来的米白色真丝挽幛，绣着：“Timeless Dignity”（永恒的尊严）。再下面是一条长长的白色贡缎挽幛，上面绣着：“A Mother's Legacy”（母亲的遗产），右下角用娟秀的英文字体写着：“Nephew， David Zhang， the President of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce， pays his respects”（侄子，布鲁克林商会会长大卫·张敬挽）。紧跟其后的，是布鲁克林区各个华人帮派堂主以及商界大佬们送来的各式各样的精美挽幛。
画像正下方，摆放着一张欧式雕花的长条桌，桌上整齐地摆放着来自东方的精美香炉，袅袅香烟升腾而起，搭配着从欧洲空运来的新鲜水果作为供品。整个灵堂内，香烟缭绕，寂静无声，只有偶尔传来的轻轻抽泣声，打破这份凝重。
〔4〕On the left and right walls， there are elegiac scrolls sent by various circles. The most prominent one is a black elegiac scroll made of top - grade Italian silk， embroidered with four English letters in silver thread:“Eternal Grace“(永恒的恩泽)， and the signature reads:“The Honorable Michael Thompson， the Under - Secretary of the Department of Commerce of New York“(纽约市商务部副部长迈克尔·汤普森阁下). Next is an off - white silk elegiac scroll sent by Chen Weiye， the president of the New York Chinese Community Federation， embroidered with:“Timeless Dignity“(永恒的尊严). Below it is a long white tribute satin elegiac scroll embroidered with:“A Mother's Legacy“(母亲的遗产)， and in the lower right - hand corner， written in delicate English calligraphy， is:“Nephew， David Zhang， the President of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce， pays his respects“(侄子，布鲁克林商会会长大卫·张敬挽). Right after that are various exquisite elegiac scrolls sent by the leaders of Chinese gangs in Brooklyn and business tycoons.
Right below the portrait， there is an intricately carved European - style long table. On the table， there are beautifully crafted incense burners from the East， with wisps of incense smoke curling up. Fresh fruits， air - shipped from Europe， are placed as offerings. In the entire mourning hall， the air is filled with the fragrance of incense， and it is deathly quiet， only occasionally broken by soft sobs.
〔5〕不多时，一位身着深色长袍、须发皆白的老牧师，带着二十三个神情肃穆的神职人员，依次走进白金厅。他们先是在林夫人的巨幅画像前，双手交叉于胸前，深深鞠躬致敬，随后两两散开，步伐沉稳地走到灵柩台四周，缓缓落座。
一阵低沉而悠扬的钟声响起，二十四个声音随即响起，交织成一片。有雄浑的、沙哑的、轻柔的、激昂的、沧桑的、年轻的，高低起伏，错落有致，却又奇妙地维持着一种和谐的韵律。听不清他们在吟唱什么，既像是在诵读古老的圣经篇章，又像是在哼唱一首饱含深情的安魂曲。
〔5〕Before long， an old priest in a dark robe with white hair and beard， accompanied by twenty - three solemn - looking clergy members， entered the Platinum Hall one by one. First， in front of the large portrait of Madam Lin， they crossed their hands over their chests and bowed deeply in respect. Then， they separated in pairs， walked steadily around the coffin platform， and slowly took their seats.
A deep and melodious bell rang， and immediately twenty - four voices rose， interweaving together. There were deep - toned， hoarse， gentle， passionate， weather - beaten， and youthful voices， rising and falling， in an orderly yet curiously harmonious rhythm. It was hard to make out what they were chanting. It seemed like they were either reciting ancient Bible passages or humming a soul - soothing requiem full of deep affection.
〔6〕与此同时，一个个精美的银质香炉里，点燃了来自东方的珍贵香料，馥郁的香气迅速在白金厅弥漫开来，随后飘散至屋外，蔓延到停车场，仿若一层轻纱，将周遭的一切都笼罩其中。整个灵堂被这朦胧的香气所环绕，变得影影绰绰，只有那些名贵的挽幛，在周围烛光的映照下，闪烁着微光。
在灵堂中，负责更换鲜花、修剪烛芯、焚烧纪念卡片、添倒酒水的人来来往往，他们都身着黑色正装，神情哀伤，脚步轻缓。整个灵堂沉浸在一种庄严肃穆且神秘的氛围里，仿佛时间都为之静止，唯有那袅袅的香烟和悠悠的吟唱，诉说着无尽的思念与缅怀。
〔6〕At the same time， precious spices from the East were lit in exquisite silver incense burners. The rich fragrance quickly filled the Platinum Hall， then drifted outside and spread to the parking lot， like a layer of gossamer， enveloping everything around. The entire mourning hall was surrounded by this hazy fragrance， becoming dim and indistinct. Only those precious elegiac scrolls glimmered faintly under the illumination of the surrounding candlelight.
In the mourning hall， people responsible for changing flowers， trimming candle wicks， burning memorial cards， and pouring drinks came and went. They were all dressed in black formal attire， with sad expressions and slow steps. The entire mourning hall was immersed in a solemn and mysterious atmosphere， as if time had stood still. Only the curling incense smoke and the lingering chanting told of endless yearning and remembrance.
〔7〕在白金厅东边的一间豪华套房里，一位六十二三岁、满头银发的老者，神色落寞地瘫坐在意大利真皮沙发上，他就是林家的大家长，林耀祖，英文名Victor Lin。林家先辈早年远渡重洋，从广东来到美国，落脚在纽约布鲁克林区，经过几代人的打拼，林家在这片土地上逐渐站稳脚跟，成为当地颇具影响力的华人家族。
林耀祖的父亲年轻时性格不羁，热衷于闯荡江湖，对读书识字并不上心。直到三十岁后，才决心安定下来，开始重视子女的教育。然而，三个儿子在学业和事业的起跑线上都不算顺遂。二儿子林宇轩在风华正茂时，因一场意外不幸离世；三儿子林宇豪一心扑在家族生意上，却始终未能在商界崭露头角；林耀祖作为长子，在学业上也历经坎坷，多次冲击名校都铩羽而归，直到四十多岁才勉强从一所社区大学毕业。
〔7〕In a luxurious suite on the east side of the Platinum Hall， an elderly man in his early sixties with silver - haired head slumped dejectedly on an Italian leather sofa. He is the patriarch of the Lin family， Lin Yaozu， whose English name is Victor Lin. The ancestors of the Lin family crossed the ocean in the early years， coming to the United States from Guangdong and settling in Brooklyn， New York. After several generations of hard work， the Lin family gradually established a firm foothold in this land and became an influential Chinese family locally.
Lin Yaozu's father had an unruly personality when he was young. He was keen on wandering the world and not interested in reading and writing. It was not until he was over thirty years old that he decided to settle down and began to attach importance to the education of his children. However， the three sons did not have a smooth start in their studies and careers. The second son， Lin Yuxuan， unfortunately passed away in an accident in the prime of his life. The third son， Lin Yuhao， dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the family business but never managed to stand out in the business world. As the eldest son， Lin Yaozu also experienced many setbacks in his studies. He failed many times in his attempts to enter prestigious universities and only graduated from a community college reluctantly when he was over forty.
〔8〕林耀祖深知自己在学术上难有建树，便放弃了继续深造的念头，转而投身家族生意，同时将全部心血倾注在子女的培养上。林耀祖性格温和宽厚，而他的妻子林夫人，Evelyn，却精明果敢，极具商业头脑。Evelyn比林耀祖年长五岁，夫妻二人携手育有三儿两女。家中大小事务，无论巨细，都由Evelyn一手操持。她不仅把家族生意打理得井井有条，对林耀祖的生活起居也照顾得无微不至。在妻子的庇护下，林耀祖乐得清闲，将大部分精力放在了家族的人脉拓展上。他曾找人定制了一块精美的铜牌，上面用中英双语刻着自己的座右铭：“With descendants， with properties， our family values a blend of business and education， passing on the legacy. Without official duties， without public responsibilities， staying away from worldly affairs， and entrusting the future to the younger generation.”（有子孙，有产业，家族秉持商学并重，传承家业。无公职，无公责，远离尘世纷扰，托付未来于晚辈。）
如今，夫人突然离世，林耀祖仿佛失去了主心骨。庞大的家族产业，今后该由谁来掌舵？这些天，他无时无刻不在盼望着大儿子林宇峰回来。林家能有今天的地位，离不开在华尔街叱咤风云的大儿子。这场葬礼要靠他来主持大局，家族未来的走向，也亟待他来定夺。
〔8〕Lin Yaozu knew well that he was unlikely to achieve much in academics， so he gave up the idea of further study and turned to engage in the family business. At the same time， he devoted all his efforts to the cultivation of his children. Lin Yaozu had a gentle and generous personality， while his wife， Madam Lin， whose name was Evelyn， was shrewd， decisive， and had great business acumen. Evelyn was five years older than Lin Yaozu. The couple had three sons and two daughters together. Evelyn took care of all the affairs in the family， big or small. She not only managed the family business in an orderly manner but also took meticulous care of Lin Yaozu's daily life. Under the protection of his wife， Lin Yaozu was happy to be at leisure and focused most of his energy on expanding the family's connections. He once had a beautiful bronze plaque customized， on which his motto was engraved in both Chinese and English:“With descendants， with properties， our family values a blend of business and education， passing on the legacy. Without official duties， without public responsibilities， staying away from worldly affairs， and entrusting the future to the younger generation.”（有子孙，有产业，家族秉持商学并重，传承家业。无公职，无公责，远离尘世纷扰，托付未来于晚辈。）
Now， with his wife's sudden passing， Lin Yaozu felt as if he had lost his backbone. Who would take the helm of the huge family business in the future? These days， he was looking forward to the return of his eldest son， Lin Yufeng， all the time. The Lin family's current status was inseparable from the eldest son who was a powerful figure on Wall Street. This funeral depended on him to take charge of the overall situation， and the future direction of the family also urgently awaited his decision.
〔9〕就在林耀祖瘫坐在真皮沙发上，沉浸在独自的哀伤与思念中时，一个三十出头的男子，身着黑色的定制西装，胸口别着白色的悼念花，脚步轻轻走进房间。他是林耀祖的次子，林宇杰，英文名叫Jack。在家族里，大家都亲昵地称他为杰少。
“爸，时间不早了，您去休息吧！大哥今晚肯定赶不回来。”林宇杰轻声说道，声音里带着疲惫与关切。
〔9〕Just as Lin Yaozu slumped on the leather sofa， immersed in his own grief and reminiscence， a man in his early thirties， wearing a black custom - made suit with a white mourning flower pinned to his chest， quietly entered the room. He was Lin Yaozu's second son， Lin Yujie， whose English name was Jack. In the family， everyone affectionately called him Young Master Jie.
“Father， it's getting late. You should go and rest! Big brother surely won't be able to make it back tonight.“ Lin Yujie said softly， his voice tinged with fatigue and concern.
〔10〕“阿强都已经回来五天了，”林耀祖缓缓睁开布满血丝的双眼，“他说在华尔街的一个商务聚会上碰到你大哥了。阿强回来路上只用了十六天，你大哥就算比他慢个三四天，这一两天也该到了。”
“爸，阿强哪能和大哥比呀！”说话的是次女林宇萱，英文名是Sally。她双眼红肿，面容憔悴，一头乌黑的长发随意扎在脑后，正蹲在房间的角落整理母亲生前的遗物。“阿强一路畅通无阻。大哥可是华尔街赫赫有名的人物，这一路从曼哈顿到布鲁克林，多少人想结识他、攀交情？这个邀请晚宴，那个求着合作，依我看，再过半个月大哥能到家，都算快的了。”
〔10〕“Ah Qiang has been back for five days already，“ Lin Yaozu slowly opened his bloodshot eyes.“He said he met your eldest brother at a business gathering on Wall Street. It only took Ah Qiang sixteen days to get back. Even if your eldest brother is three or four days slower than him， he should arrive in a day or two.“
“Dad， how can Ah Qiang be compared with big brother!“ said the second daughter， Lin Yuxuan， whose English name was Sally. Her eyes were red and swollen， her face haggard. Her long black hair was casually tied behind her head. She was squatting in the corner of the room， sorting out their mother's belongings from her lifetime.“Ah Qiang had a smooth journey. Big brother is a well - known figure on Wall Street. All the way from Manhattan to Brooklyn， so many people want to get to know him and build connections with him. There are this invitation to a dinner party and that person asking for cooperation. In my opinion， it would be quick if big brother can get home in half a month.“
〔11〕林耀祖摇了摇头，神色忧虑：“你们不了解你大哥的为人。这种时候，他哪有心思去应酬、谈合作，该不会是出什么意外了吧！”林耀祖脱口而出“意外”二字，心里猛地一紧，一阵莫名的恐惧涌上心头。
“大哥能出什么意外呢？虽说最近布鲁克林这边的黑帮有点不安分，但从曼哈顿回布鲁克林的主干道一直都有我们的人盯着，很安全啊！阿强不就平安回来了吗？”林宇杰没有察觉到父亲的担忧，反而认真琢磨起“意外”这两个字。
〔11〕Lin Yaozu shook his head， looking worried.“You don't understand your eldest brother. At a time like this， how could he be in the mood to socialize and discuss cooperation? Could something have happened to him?“ As Lin Yaozu blurted out the words“something happened“， his heart skipped a beat， and an inexplicable sense of fear welled up inside him.
“What kind of accident could happen to big brother? Although the local gangs in Brooklyn have been a bit restless lately， our people have been keeping an eye on the main road from Manhattan back to Brooklyn. It's very safe. Didn't Ah Qiang come back safely?“ Lin Yujie didn't notice his father's worry. Instead， he seriously pondered the words“something happened“.
〔12〕“你们不知道，阿强跟我说，他这一路，魂都快吓没了。”说话的是一个二十七八岁的青年，他是林耀祖的第四子，林宇轩，英文名叫Ryan，在家族里排行第九，大家都叫他Ryan九。他同样一身黑衣，神色却不见太多悲戚。林宇轩放下手中的财务报表，接着说道：“阿强说，他从曼哈顿回布鲁克林的路上，碰到两拨戴着黑色面罩、手持枪械的黑帮分子，吓得他浑身哆嗦，赶紧躲进了旁边的垃圾桶，等那些人走了好远才敢出来。”
“咱们的安保队呢？安保队怎么不把那些黑帮分子给解决了？”林宇杰是家族在布鲁克林区安保事务的负责人，他对自家安保力量充满信心。
〔12〕“You don't know. Ah Qiang told me that he was almost scared out of his wits on the way，“ said a young man in his late twenties. He was Lin Yaozu's fourth son， Lin Yuxuan， whose English name was Ryan. He was the ninth among the siblings in the family， and everyone called him Ryan Nine. He was also dressed in black， but there wasn't much grief on his face. Lin Yuxuan put down the financial statement in his hand and continued，“Ah Qiang said that on his way back from Manhattan to Brooklyn， he encountered two groups of gangsters wearing black masks and holding guns. He was so scared that his whole body was shaking， and he quickly hid in the nearby trash can. He didn't dare to come out until those people were far away.“
“What about our security team? Why didn't the security team deal with those gangsters?“ Lin Yujie was in charge of the security affairs of the family in Brooklyn. He had full confidence in their security forces.
〔13〕“四哥，曼哈顿那块还没正式组建咱们的安保小组呢！”搭话的是林耀祖的第三子，林宇豪，英文名Henry，在家族里排行第六，大家都叫他Henry六。他虽也身着肃穆的黑衣，却悠闲地跷着二郎腿，手里把玩着精致的咖啡杯，与其说是沉浸在悲痛中的家人，倒更像个置身事外的旁观者。他嘴角微微上扬，带着一丝不屑：“四哥你总是安保队安保队的，真要是碰上那些不要命的黑帮，你手下那几个人能顶什么用？纽约警局的那些正规警察，拿着高薪、配备先进武器，不也拿他们没办法？那些黑帮可不是好惹的。我看，布鲁克林区迟早要被他们搅得鸡犬不宁。”
林家少爷们的这番对话，让身为家族安保事务总负责人的林耀祖大惊失色。他站起身，在房间里来回踱步，眉头紧锁，内心默默祈祷：“老天爷啊，保佑我的大儿子平安回来吧。”林耀祖低声念叨了许久，才在长女林宇晴（Cindy）的搀扶下，忧心忡忡地走向卧室。
〔13〕“Fourth brother， we haven't officially formed our security team in Manhattan yet!“ replied the third son of Lin Yaozu， Lin Yuhao， whose English name was Henry. He was the sixth among the siblings in the family， and everyone called him Henry Six. Although he was also dressed in solemn black， he was leisurely sitting with one leg crossed over the other， playing with a delicate coffee cup in his hand. He seemed more like an onlooker standing outside the situation rather than a family member immersed in grief. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly， with a hint of disdain.“Fourth brother， you're always talking about the security team. But if we really encounter those desperate gangsters， what can those few people under you do? Even the regular police in the New York Police Department， who get high salaries and are equipped with advanced weapons， can't do anything about them. Those gangs are not to be trifled with. I think Brooklyn will be in chaos sooner or later.“
This conversation among the young masters of the Lin family greatly shocked Lin Yaozu， who was the general person in charge of the family's security affairs. He stood up and paced back and forth in the room， his brows tightly knitted. He silently prayed in his heart，“God， please bless my eldest son to come back safely.“ Lin Yaozu murmured this for a long time before， with the support of his eldest daughter， Lin Yuqing (Cindy)， he walked worriedly towards the bedroom.