Ordinary World: Starting with a divorce from Tian Runye

Family compound of the County Revolutionary Committee.

The dim yellow light reflected a layer of golden rain against the dark night sky.

Xu Guoqiang stood under the porch of the family compound, holding an old black cat in his arms. The cat had been with him for over ten years; its fur was shiny black, and its eyes shone like two emeralds in the dark.

Xu Guoqiang stroked the cat's back and looked at the rain.

"Great, good rain. With this rain, the crops in the fields can sprout a finger's width overnight."

As soon as he finished speaking, a dark figure suddenly rushed out of the rain, moving with incredible speed, as if it had crashed out of the darkness.

"Grandpa!"

The shadowy figure shouted.

It's Tian Xiaoxia.

She was soaking wet, her two braids dripping water and clinging to her chest.

Xu Guoqiang took a closer look and immediately frowned.

"You're like a little girl, always away from home even on vacation. Come in, come in."

Tian Xiaoxia stopped in her tracks, standing in the rain, her chest heaving and her face flushed.

She stood in the rain, arms outstretched, gazing up at the dark sky.

"Come! Let the flames of the new era burn through this dark night! The young sun will rise again! Literature will be forever young! China will be forever young!"

The sound was scattered by the rain, drifting through the night.

The old black cat huddled closer to Xu Guoqiang.

Xu Aiyun, wearing an apron, came out from the inner room and stood at the door.

"What's wrong with this kid now?"

When Tian Xiaoxia saw her mother, her voice became even louder.

"Mom! I love this world! I love the torrential rain under the night sky! I love the muddy water splashing from the yellow earth! I embrace everything because I am young! I love all of this because I am young!"

Xu Aiyun looked helpless.

"This child has gone mad. You should take care of yourself and come in right now."

"In such heavy rain, you didn't even bring an umbrella?"

"I gave the umbrella to other comrades who lived further away."

As Tian Xiaoxia spoke, she tiptoed and hopped down to the porch, grabbing Xu Guoqiang's arm.

"Grandpa, Mom, you have no idea how amazing my brother-in-law is! Today at the literary discussion, he redefined the direction of literature! He's my idol now!"

Xu Aiyun and Xu Guoqiang exchanged a glance. Neither of them seemed to quite understand what Tian Xiaoxia was saying.

"Which brother-in-law?"

Xu Aiyun asked.

"Of course it's Li Xiangqian!"

"Li Xiangqian? Runye's man? Isn't he a driver for the transportation department?"

A voice came from the inner room.

"Xiangqian now works at the cultural center."

The speaker was Tian Fujun.

He sat on the sofa in the living room, one foot resting on his knee, his fingers digging into the spaces between his toes. Athlete's foot was a chronic problem for him, and Tian Fujun never hesitated to pick at his toes, regardless of the occasion.

Sometimes when he went down to inspect, he would sit on the kang (a heated brick bed) of a commune member and pick his toes. The cadres of the Revolutionary Committee felt that this was damaging to their image, but the commune members felt that this big leader from the county was particularly kind.

It turns out that the county leaders, just like the men in the commune, would scratch their feet with their fingers when they felt itchy.

Xu Aiyun wiped her hands with her apron and went into the inner room.

Runye and Xiangqian's marriage was mainly arranged by her, with the aim of improving her husband Tian Fujun's political situation.

"Did Li Dengyun arrange for Xiang Qian to work at the cultural center?"

She thought for a moment, then smiled again.

"That's good. It saves me from only seeing Runye a few times every two weeks. Dengyun has finally done something practical."

Tian Xiaoxia followed her in and plopped down next to Tian Fujun.

"Mom, what do you mean by 'arranged'? My brother-in-law got into the cultural center through his own abilities."

"Okay, okay, I got it."

Xu Aiyun waved her hand.

"If Runye and Xiangqian can stay together for a long time in the future, and young people spend more time together, their relationship will definitely improve."

Tian Xiaoxia ignored her mother and turned to look at Tian Fujun.

"Dad, at today's literary discussion, my brother-in-law said that literature should be ahead of its time. It should be inclusive and allow for different voices."

Tian Fujun rubbed his toes and nodded.

"Your dad studied agriculture and doesn't know much about literature. But it's always good to have different opinions."

"My brother-in-law also said that literature should speak out for the people's right to pursue a prosperous life."

After listening for a moment, Tian Fujun pulled his fingers out of his toes and muttered softly, "He really dares to say that."

Xu Guoqiang walked in carrying a cat, and frowned slightly upon hearing this.

"Nonsense. Is this just wild talk?"

Tian Fujun pondered for a moment.

"Young people, it's not a bad thing for them to dare to speak up. We cadres should listen more to the voices of young people."

Xu Guoqiang glanced at him, thought for a moment, and then decided to speak.

"Fujun, don't blame your dad for being nosy. If you had said less, you wouldn't be in this situation."

Tian Fujun's expression darkened slightly.

"Dad, I know what I'm doing in my job."

Tian Fujun never talks about work at home. Xu Guoqiang is the only one who might mention it briefly, but that's about it.

Xu Aiyun glanced at Tian Xiaoxia's still dripping clothes.

"Don't sit there, go and change your wet clothes."

Tian Xiaoxia then stood up and ran back to her room.

After quickly changing my clothes, I sat down at my desk.

There was a stack of manuscript paper and a fountain pen on the table.

Tian Xiaoxia picked up her pen, calmed herself down, and began to write.

"Shaoping, I'm so excited, I can't even wait until tomorrow. I want to tell you all my excitement."

Shaoping is currently a substitute teacher at Shuangshui Village Primary School. Over the past year, Tian Xiaoxia has frequently sent him copies of the "Reference News" and occasionally slipped a letter inside the newspaper.

The raindrops pattered against the window, but Tian Xiaoxia kept her head down and continued writing.

"Today, the Huangyuan Poetry Society is holding a literary discussion in Yuanxi..."

Tian Xiaoxia wrote very quickly, her handwriting was messy, but every stroke was full of inexhaustible energy.

……

The third floor of the Ministry of Transportation's residential compound.

"Ouch, that hurts."

"Be gentle!"

"Ouch...it hurts!"

It was Runye's voice.

Li Xiangqian squatted down in front of Runye, holding a cotton ball in his hand.

"I'm already very light."

Runye rolled her eyes at him and didn't say anything.

Li Xiangqian brought the cotton ball soaked in alcohol to his nose and smelled it, then looked at the wound on Runye's arm and took a deep breath.

"Bear with it. I'm coming."

After saying that, he pressed the cotton ball onto the wound.

"hiss……"

Runye recoiled in pain, causing the rattan chair to sway twice.

Her hair was still wet and clung to her cheeks, and the sleeves of her shirt were rolled up to her shoulders, revealing the wounds on her arms.

Li Xiangqian carefully wiped the mud around the wound with a cotton ball while constantly babbling.

"Go ahead and ride in the rain at night, huh? I can't stop you no matter how much I call you."

Runye groaned in pain, turned her head to one side, and gritted her teeth.

"It's all your fault. If your tarpaulin hadn't blocked my view, would the car have fallen over?"

"Blame me?"

After wiping with one cotton ball, Li Xiangqian took a new one and dipped it in alcohol.

"You've practically turned that bicycle into a violent motorcycle. I told you to slow down, slow down, but you wouldn't listen to me. If it weren't for my two long legs acting as your human brakes, do you think you'd only hurt one arm?"

Runye rolled her eyes at him and didn't say anything more.

After treating the wound, Li Xiangqian found a clean towel and handed it over.

"Hurry up and dry your hair. Don't catch a cold again."

Runye took the towel. The towel was dry and had a faint soapy smell.

She twitched her nose, kept her mouth shut and didn't say anything, then put the towel over her head and rubbed it haphazardly a couple of times.

"Achoo!"

Li Xiangqian was taken aback.

"Alright. My mouth has been blessed."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the kitchen.

The coal stove in the kitchen still had embers, so Li Xiangqian added a honeycomb briquette, then placed the earthenware pot on the stove, poured in water, threw in a handful of red dates and a few goji berries, sliced ​​two pieces of ginger, and covered it with the lid.

Then he found an enamel basin, scooped a basin of hot water from the large pot, and carried it to the living room.

Runye, who was just sitting in the wicker chair, suddenly disappeared.

Li Xiangqian peeked into the inner room through the enamel basin and saw that Runye had changed into clean clothes and was sitting on her small bed with her legs tucked under the edge. Her wet clothes were draped over the back of a chair at the foot of the bed, dripping water onto the floor.

He placed the enamel basin on the floor in front of the bed.

"Put your feet in yourself."

Runye sneezed but didn't move.

"What? You want me to make it for you myself?"

As Li Xiangqian spoke, he pretended to squat down and reached out to grab Runye's foot.

Runye was so frightened that she pulled her legs back sharply and quickly spoke.

"I can do it myself!"

Li Xiangqian chuckled, said nothing more, and turned back to the kitchen.

When he brought over a bowl of ginger and brown sugar water, Runye had already soaked her feet in the enamel basin. Her snow-white feet, slightly red from being soaked, were reflected on the steaming water.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Runye's forehead.

"Drink this."

Li Xiangqian handed over the bowl. The ginger and brown sugar water in the bowl was still steaming, with a few plump red dates floating on top, emitting a spicy sweet aroma.

"Drink a bowl of ginger and brown sugar water, sweat it out, and then get a good night's sleep. I guarantee you'll wake up tomorrow full of energy."

Runye looked up at him.

"Achoo. You're worried about no one taking you to work tomorrow, aren't you? Achoo..."

"Good to know."

As Li Xiangqian spoke, he handed the bowl to Runye.

Runye took the bowl, carefully blew on it, and took a sip.

A spicy sweetness spread in my mouth, flowing down my throat, and after one bite, my stomach felt warm and cozy.

She took another sip, but didn't say anything.

Seeing that she had drunk the water, Li Xiangqian turned around to fetch hot water for a bath.

After he finished washing up, he went into the inner room as well.

The two remained silent.

Li Xiangqian sat down on the edge of his bed, took out some face cream from the table, unscrewed the cap, scooped out a large dollop with his fingers, and smeared it all over his face.

Runye leaned against the headboard and looked up to see Li Xiangqian facing a small mirror, drawing circles on his cheekbone with two fingers.

"Tch, so flashy."

Li Xiangqian chuckled and spread the face cream evenly on his cheeks.

"You don't understand, men need to treat themselves better. Haven't you noticed? Your skin is visibly smoother now."

And you know what? His face really isn't as dark as it used to be. Before, the original owner drove a truck for the transportation department, constantly toiling under the sun, his face tanned to the same color as the loess slopes. Now, working at the cultural center, sheltered from the wind and sun, and with daily application of face cream, his skin has indeed become much fairer.

After wiping his face, Li Xiangqian casually opened a drawer in the table, intending to find a handkerchief to wipe his hands.

Instead of finding a handkerchief, I pulled out a notebook with a red plastic cover.

Marriage certificate.

He opened the marriage certificate, leaned against the headboard, put his legs up to the foot of the bed, and held up the marriage certificate to look at it.

The marriage certificate bore a photo of the two of them. In the photo, Li Xiangqian was grinning foolishly, his face showing an expression of bliss bordering on delirium. Next to him, Runye had a cold expression, staring straight ahead, her lips taut as if carved lines.

Li Xiangqian couldn't help but laugh as he watched.

If you cut this photo in half, you wouldn't be able to tell it's a group photo at all.

One is a wedding invitation, the other is a funeral portrait.

Li Xiangqian kept chuckling.

Runye lay there, shifted her body slightly, and glanced at it.

"What are you laughing at? Aren't you asleep yet?"

"Go to sleep. Haha."

Li Xiangqian closed the marriage certificate and stuffed it back into the drawer.

"I'll turn off the light now."

After saying that, he reached over and pulled a rope from the headboard.

Snapped.

The room suddenly went dark.

The rain outside the window hadn't stopped, tapping softly against the glass.

Runye lay quietly, listening to the sound of rain outside and the even breathing coming from the bed opposite her.

The lingering warmth of the ginger and brown sugar water lingered in my stomach.