Ordinary World: Starting with a divorce from Tian Runye

At noon, after lunch.

Du Zhengxian sat in his office for an hour, fidgeting restlessly.

He checked the clock six times, drank three cups of cold tea, and went to the toilet twice. In between, he pretended to go to the reading room to borrow a copy of "People's Literature" from Old Wu, but after flipping through a couple of pages, he couldn't read a single word.

Unable to resist any longer, Du Zhengxian went back into his studio.

The studio was empty except for Old Yang, who was hunched over the table writing materials.

"Comrade Yang Shulin."

Old Yang raised his head, his face bearing the same bitter expression he'd had for fifteen years.

"Director Du."

"Where is Comrade Xiangqian?"

"It seems like he took leave."

Du Zhengxian's face turned pale.

They don't even tell me they're taking leave. I'm just a figurehead as the curator.

"When did you leave?"

Old Yang thought about it.

"Noon. I had some personal business to discuss."

Du Zhengxian turned around and went back to his office, slamming the door shut.

It’s over.

The two of them actually went to see a movie.

In broad daylight, the two of them went into the movie theater. What if someone they knew saw them? What if it got back to Huiliang's ears...?

Du Zhengxian paced back and forth, from the table to the window, from the window to the door, and then back to the table. He picked up the enamel mug and put it down, then picked it up again.

No, we have to think of something.

He sat down at the table and picked up the phone.

The hand-cranked telephone spun around a few times, finally connecting to the Huangyuan Prefectural Committee's main switchboard, and then transferring to the Youth League Prefectural Committee's office.

"Hello, I'm looking for Wu Huiliang."

"May I ask who you are?"

"I am Du Zhengxian from the former Xixian Cultural Center. Huiliang's...father-in-law."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

"Director Du, Secretary Wu is in a meeting. Shall I have him call you back?"

"No, no, I'll wait a moment."

After waiting for about ten minutes, Wu Huiliang's voice finally came from the other end of the phone.

"Uncle, hello. Is something wrong with Lili?"

Wu Huiliang's voice was young, clear, and carried a sense of competence.

"Nothing much, nothing at all. I just wanted to ask if you're busy with work? Come visit Lili in Yuanxi when you have time. Young people should spend more time together."

"Uncle, I've been really busy lately. The local Youth League Committee is preparing for a regional youth work conference next month, and I can't get away from it."

"Even though I'm busy, I can't leave Lili aside."

"Okay, after the youth work conference ends, I'll take a couple of days off and go to Yuanxi to spend time with Lili."

Du Zhengxian chuckled twice, and was about to continue the conversation when Wu Huiliang suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, Uncle. Lili mentioned something to me before, she wants to transfer Runye to work in Huangyuan. You can talk to Lili about it, it shouldn't be a big problem. The Youth League Committee is short-staffed, you can ask Lili to ask Runye if she'd be willing to work there."

Du Zhengxian's hand trembled.

"What? Regulate leaf?"

"Yes, Lili said that Runye is working too hard teaching in Yuanxi and wants to transfer to Huangyuan."

Du Zhengxian held the microphone, his mind buzzing.

Should we transfer Runye away?

Instead of going to Huangyuan himself, he wants to transfer the main wife away?

Okay, okay, let's send Runye to Huangyuan, then only she and Li Xiangqian will be left here in Yuanxi?

What kind of strategy is this? They're trying to make room for themselves!

Du Zhengxian's palms were sweating. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

"Huiliang, this isn't a good idea. Runye's husband is still in Yuanxi. If she's transferred there, it'll mean they'll be living apart. It's not good for a young couple's marriage to be separated."

He paused for a moment, then added a sentence.

"It's better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage. Don't listen to Lili about this, don't cause trouble."

"Okay then. I'll discuss it with Lili again."

Du Zhengxian was trembling with anger.

What kind of discussion is this?

After hanging up the phone, Du Zhengxian started pacing again.

The clock on the wall ticked away, each second feeling like a knock on his forehead.

His daughter had clearly been plotting this for a long time, and he was definitely not going to be persuaded.

Then we won't start with Lili.

Can't delay any longer.

A true warrior should face the bloody truth.

He was going to find Tian Runye.

……

Chengguan Primary School.

During the break between the second period in the afternoon, the teachers crowded into the office to drink water and rest.

When Du Zhengxian appeared at the office door, the teachers were all taken aback. It was quite a novelty for the director of the cultural center to come to a primary school.

"Looking for Comrade Runye."

Du Zhengxian forced a smile.

Runye stood up from behind her desk and saw that it was Du Zhengxian. Her heart skipped a beat.

Director Du came to see her in person?

The last time Du Zhengxian came to the school, it was to help the cultural center borrow the school's playground for a cultural performance.

"Director Du, you wanted to see me?"

Du Zhengxian winked at her, his voice low.

"Runye, may I speak to you in private?"

Runye was a little surprised. He used to be such a serious person, why was he acting so strangely today? Runye followed Du Zhengxian to the open space behind the teaching building. There were a few old desks and half a cement pool table piled up there, and no one usually came here.

"Director Du, has Xiangqian caused some trouble at the museum?"

Runye blurted out the question.

Du Zhengxian opened his mouth.

This girl seems to have experience.

"It's not exactly causing trouble... but it is also causing trouble."

"Did they attempt it or not?"

Du Zhengxian rubbed his hands together, hesitated for a long time, and looked troubled.

"It's like this, Runye. You know Lili, she's very outspoken, straightforward, and impulsive..."

"What's wrong with Lili?"

"Lily wasn't anything serious... it's just..."

Du Zhengxian stammered, his words catching in his throat.

Runye felt uneasy seeing his hesitant expression.

"Director Du, please tell me quickly, what happened?"

"Well, it's a long story. Well... Lili and Xiangqian went to see a movie today."

Runye was stunned for a moment.

"ha?"

That's it?

Isn't it a long story?

"Two people. In the afternoon. They went together. Lili bought the tickets."

Runye looked at Du Zhengxian.

"Director Du, what's wrong with watching a movie? It's just colleagues watching a movie together, is it really worth you coming all the way to the school to complain about?"

"This isn't your average movie viewing..."

Du Zhengxian grew anxious. Was he the only one worried about matters involving two families? He lowered his voice.

"Lili is engaged to Huiliang. She took the day off today, bought two tickets, and specifically asked to go see a movie with Qianqian. I couldn't stop her!"

"That...that's Lili's problem too."

Runye's voice steadied itself.

"ha?"

Is this something a married woman should say?

"Xiangqian, your man is going to the movies with a woman."

"It's his freedom to choose who he goes to the movies with; there's no use in us worrying about it."

Runye lowered her head and said in a low voice, her voice a little strained.

Du Zhengxian almost jumped up.

It's that damn freedom again.

"Runye, you have no idea how much Lili has been pestering Xiangqian these past few days. Everyone in the museum has seen it. As the curator, how can I not be anxious?"

Runye pursed her lips and didn't say anything.

Seeing this, Du Zhengxian continued speaking.

"You don't believe me? People are already going to the movie theater in pairs. 'The Great River Flows,' two parts, three and a half hours."

Runye shook her head, then raised it again.

"Director Du, Lili and Huiliang have always had a very good relationship. It's impossible for her to..."

"What's so good about it!"

Du Zhengxian was so anxious that he kept slapping his thigh.

"If Lili and Hui were truly on good terms, would she go and take another man to the movies?"

He lowered his voice and took half a step closer to Runye.

"Runye, I only came to you because I had no other choice. Lili told me about your marriage with Xiangqian..."

As soon as Du Zhengxian spoke, he realized he had lost his composure and didn't continue.

Runye stared at him.

"What did she say?"

Du Zhengxian waved his hand.

"Alright, alright, young people don't think before they speak. What I mean is, go and see for yourself, the movie theater is right next to the county revolutionary committee. Go and see what's going on."

"I'm not going."

Runye turned her head away.

"Why should I go and do something else when everyone else is watching a movie?"

"So you're just going to abandon it?"

Runye didn't respond.

Du Zhengxian looked at her profile and softened his voice.

"Runye, I'm not trying to cause trouble. I'm just really worried. Lili is engaged, and if something happens to her, where will I, Du Zhengxian, put my face? How will I explain to Huiliang? I'm doing this for Lili's sake, and also for Xiangqian's sake."

Runye stood there, one hand unconsciously gripping the end of her hair, gripping and loosening it repeatedly.

The school bell rang loudly from the teaching building behind.

"Let's go."

Runye sighed.

Du Zhengxian was overjoyed.

The two left through the back gate of the school and walked along the only main street in the former Xixian County towards the county revolutionary committee.