Two Systems, One Kitchen

阿偉同太太結婚十年。佢係香港人，太太係上海人。

aa3 wai5 tung4 taai3 taai2 git3 fan1 sap6 nin4. keoi5 hai6 hoeng1 gong2 jan4, taai3 taai2 hai6 soeng6 hoi2 jan4.

Ah Wai and his wife have been married for ten years. He is from Hong Kong; his wife is from Shanghai.

佢哋嘅廚房永遠存在住一場靜默嘅文化戰爭：煲湯用乜料、炒菜落幾多油、食飯定食麵。

keoi5 dei6 ge3 cyu4 fong2 wing5 jyun5 cyun4 zoi6 zyu6 jat1 coeng4 zing6 mak6 ge3 man4 faa3 zin3 zang1: bou1 tong1 jung6 mat1 liu2, caau2 coi3 lok6 gei2 do1 jau4, sik6 faan6 ding6 sik6 min6.

Their kitchen is in a perpetual silent cultural war: what goes into soup, how much oil for stir-fry, rice or noodles.

阿偉鍾意煲老火湯，太太堅持上海菜要放糖。

aa3 wai5 zung1 ji3 bou1 lou5 fo2 tong1, taai3 taai2 gin1 ci4 soeng6 hoi2 coi3 jiu3 fong3 tong4.

Ah Wai likes slow-cooked soup; his wife insists Shanghai dishes need sugar.

最後佢哋嘅解決方案係——買兩個爐頭，一人一邊煮。阿偉話：「婚姻同一國兩制差唔多，最緊要互相尊重。」

zeoi3 hau6 keoi5 dei6 ge3 gaai2 kyut3 fong1 on3 hai6——maai5 loeng5 go3 lou4 tau4, jat1 jan4 jat1 bin1 zyu2. aa3 wai5 waa6: fan1 jan1 tung4 jat1 gwok3 loeng5 zai3 caa1 m4 do1, zeoi3 gan2 jiu3 wu6 soeng1 zyun1 zung6.

Their solution was to buy two stoves, one each. Ah Wai says: Marriage is like one country two systems — the key is mutual respect.