Ordinary World: Starting with a divorce from Tian Runye

Runye and Shaoan's affair occurred before Li Xiangqian appeared. At that time, she was still an unmarried woman, and she and Shaoan were childhood sweethearts with a vague, budding romance. However, that relationship was abruptly severed by their families and reality. Shaoan married Xiulian, and she was forced to marry Li Xiangqian.

Li Xiangqian knew some of these things before, but he had never said them so bluntly before that night.

"Brother Shao'an came to the county town today on a tractor from the village to pick up fertilizer. I happened to run into him on the road and we exchanged a few words..."

Runye began to explain in a low voice, but she suddenly realized that she was not explaining these things to him.

"I can't explain it to you."

Runye turned her head away.

Li Xiangqian stared at her for two seconds, then changed the subject.

"Alright, let's put Shao'an's matter aside for now. Let's talk about the pregnancy. What happened?"

He then pointed to Runye's stomach.

Runye almost jumped up after hearing that.

"What?! What happened?! This isn't your fault!"

"Blame me?"

Li Xiangqian looked puzzled: "We've always slept in separate beds, how could I possibly exert my powers through thin air?"

Runye was speechless.

"You created this mess yourself! Your motivational quotes!"

"What's wrong with the chicken soup?"

"Normally, people don't celebrate holidays like Chinese New Year. Unless there's a pregnant woman in the family, who would make chicken soup? You even bought red dates, goji berries, and eggs! Now the whole residential compound and the whole school think I'm pregnant!"

Runye became more and more excited as she spoke, and she started taking things out of her handbag and onto the table.

*Snap!* A bag of peach shortbread.

*Snap!* A packet of brown sugar.

Crack! Crack! Crack! Several eggs wrapped in straw paper.

Li Xiangqian looked at the pile of things on the table and his lips twitched.

"What... what is this?"

"It was given to me by my teachers! This morning, four teachers came to congratulate me. Teacher Zhao even offered to cover my classes, saying I shouldn't stand for too long during the first three months of pregnancy!"

Runye's eyes were a little red, and she took a deep breath.

"I want to die more than you do right now."

Seeing that Runye's eyes had reddened and she had started sniffling, Li Xiangqian was at a loss.

Diu Lei Lao Wei (a type of old-fashioned snack).

He had been drinking slow-cooked soups in Guangzhou for decades. After moving to Yuanxi County, he stewed a pot of chicken soup and miraculously conceived a child.

"Well... then it really is my fault."

Li Xiangqian was a little embarrassed and scratched the back of his head.

Runye remained silent, sat down in the rattan chair, and tried to calm herself down.

"But then again..."

Li Xiangqian thought for a moment and said seriously, "They spread all sorts of rumors without any sense of boundaries. But since we've been living together for a long time, it's inevitable that people will misunderstand."

Runye's eyelashes fluttered, and she looked up at Li Xiangqian.

"Are you afraid of misunderstandings with me?"

Li Xiangqian opened his mouth, but found that the question was not easy to answer.

He coughed lightly, then said seriously, "Rumors stop with the wise. Such flimsy rumors can only spread in a small circle, and can never spread on a large scale."

No sooner had he finished speaking than there was a knock on the door.

dong dong dong.

"Sis! Sis, are you there?"

Runye's expression changed slightly upon hearing the voice.

As soon as the door opened, Runsheng stood there, covered in dust and dirt, carrying a bamboo basket lined with a blue checkered cloth, underneath which lay a layer of eggs. In his other hand, he carried a cloth bag that looked like it contained dried fruit such as red dates.

"Sister, Dad sent me to see you. This is to help you recover."

As Runsheng spoke, he walked inside and immediately saw the peach shortbread, brown sugar, and eggs spread out on the table.

Hey, Man Yin is really well-informed; my sister is indeed pregnant.

Runsheng was secretly pleased. The relationship between Runye and Li Xiangqian had become a source of anxiety for Tian Futang and a thorn in Runsheng's side as well.

Li Xiangqian treated him like a younger brother, and he was even closer to his father, Tian Futang, than to his own son. He would visit Shuangshui Village every year during festivals, always bringing large bags of gifts.

According to her father, Tian Futang, such a family and such a young man are hard to find even with a lantern. What kind of precious person is your sister that she has the right to look down on her?

"Brother-in-law, you guys..."

Runsheng sensed that the atmosphere was not quite harmonious, so he opened his mouth, but then stopped himself from speaking.

Runye glanced at Li Xiangqian, took a deep breath, and stood up.

"You explain it to Runsheng yourself."

She picked up her handbag from the doorway.

"Where are you going?" Li Xiangqian asked.

"I have one more class, I'll head back to school now."

After saying that, Runye left without looking back.

The sound of footsteps gradually faded away in the corridor.

Only Li Xiangqian and Runsheng remained in the room.

Runsheng placed the bamboo basket on the table and rubbed his hands together somewhat awkwardly.

"Brother-in-law, I heard everything from Wang Manyin, don't take it to heart. It's true that pregnant women can be a bit more irritable."

"This Wang Manyin..."

Li Xiangqian rubbed his forehead.

That ghost's mouth really does talk faster than a cable radio broadcast.

"Your dad knows too?"

"Of course I know," Runsheng pointed to the bamboo basket. "All the eggs in Shuangshui Village are here."

Li Xiangqian looked at the basket of eggs, then at the red dates peeking out of the cloth bag.

"Runsheng, if I told you your sister isn't pregnant, would you believe me?"

Runsheng shook his head very seriously.

"I don't believe it."

Why?

"I went to the Ministry of Transport before I came here. The people there said you were on leave taking care of my sister at home. Brother-in-law, you're not even driving anymore. I can't think of any other reason besides my sister being pregnant."

Li Xiangqian rested his hands on his forehead, his fingertips running through his hair, and remained silent for a long time.

The boomerang came too fast, like a tornado.

"Never mind, let's not talk about that now."

Li Xiangqian lowered his hand and looked at Runsheng.

"You came to Yuanxi County this time just to deliver eggs?"

"Yeah, my dad sent me. I was going to talk to you about learning to drive, but since you don't drive anymore, I felt awkward bringing it up." Runsheng found a stool and sat down, his tone full of embarrassment.

"You still want to learn to drive?"

"I'd like to, but there's no rush. My sister's health is the priority," Runsheng said with a smile.

Li Xiangqian: "Uh..."

"How's your dad's asthma?"

Li Xiangqian suddenly changed the subject and asked, "Tian Futang's asthma is an old ailment. Every autumn and winter, he coughs and wheezes badly. Because of his asthma, he has quit smoking. He usually just holds a cigarette to his nose and smells it to satisfy his craving."

He had read the original work and knew that Tian Futang's asthma had flared up severely because of the long-term discord between Runye and Xiangqian, to the point that he was lying on the ground unable to get up.

Runsheng was deeply moved after hearing this, wondering where he could find such a good brother-in-law.

In the past, when Li Xiangqian drove to other places, he would always inquire about medicines for treating asthma. When he returned to Yuanxi County, he would send them to Tian Futang. He really did a much better job than his own son.

"Brother-in-law, don't worry. Ever since Dad found out that my sister was pregnant, he's been overjoyed. His asthma has improved a lot, and he doesn't cough at night anymore. Now he likes to visit other people's homes, and he's even tidied up that wasteland in front of the cave dwelling. He said he'll plant some buckwheat, and when the baby is born, the buckwheat will be ripe, so he can make buckwheat porridge."

"Forehead……"

Li Xiangqian touched his head, feeling a heavy moral burden on it.

"Let's not talk about that. My brother-in-law has been researching food lately. Sit down for a bit, and I'll show you what he can do."

After saying that, Li Xiangqian fled the living room and headed straight for the kitchen.

Runsheng watched Li Xiangqian's retreating figure. In his memory, his brother-in-law Li Xiangqian was a considerate person, but like most men in Shigejie, he never went into the kitchen.

"A good married life can really change a man."

Runsheng thought to himself.