Ordinary World: Starting with a divorce from Tian Runye

The county cultural center was located at the eastern end of the former Xixian County town. It consisted of a few cave dwellings and a small courtyard. Slogans were painted in white on the courtyard walls, and a locust tree was planted on each side of the gate.

Runye dropped Li Xiangqian off at the gate of the courtyard and then went to school on her own.

When Li Xiangqian arrived, there weren't many people in the building yet.

Du Zhengxian's office door was closed, and it seemed like people were talking inside. The door to a cave dwelling on the east side was half-open; that was the reading room. The two rooms on the west side were offices, with wooden signs hanging on the doors reading "Business Group" and "Creative Group."

Li Xiangqian was assigned to the creative team.

It was called a creative group, but it was really just a cave dwelling of about ten square meters with three desks piled up with yellowed magazines and handwritten propaganda drafts. On the wall was a faded poster of a speech at the Yanhe Literature and Art Symposium, and next to the poster was a row of iron hooks with several dusty straw hats hanging on them.

The creative team consists of three people.

One of them was a semi-retired old man in his early fifties. Seeing the poplar grove, he probably lacked the element of wood in his Five Elements, so he took so many wood-related names. Everyone in the museum called him Old Yang.

Old Yang worked at the cultural center for fifteen years, writing promotional materials for all fifteen years. He had a sour face, with the corners of his mouth always drooping down, and he looked at everyone as if they owed him two hundred yuan.

When Li Xiangqian entered the door, Lao Yang was sitting at his desk copying materials with a dip pen. He glanced up, said nothing, and then buried himself in his writing again.

Another man, Zhao Leli, was about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. He was the art director, very skillful, and especially adept at drawing portraits of great figures. Everyone in the museum called him Little Zhao. He didn't say much, but his eyes were very sharp, noticing everything. When Li Xiangqian came in, Little Zhao peeked out from behind the table and greeted him with a grin.

"You must be Li Xiangqian? I've heard about you from Director Du. Welcome, welcome."

"Yes, please take care of me in the future."

"Sit at that table, the one by the window. It's the best spot, you can get some fresh air."

As Xiao Zhao spoke, he gestured towards Lao Yang with his chin and lowered his voice, "Lao Yang has a bad temper, don't pay him any attention. He's like that to everyone."

Li Xiangqian nodded and sat down at his desk.

On the table sat an enamel mug with the words "Serve the People" printed on it. Next to it lay several old magazines, the top one being "Yanhe," from last year.

Li Xiangqian flipped through a couple of pages, but wasn't interested. He closed the magazine, picked up the newspaper from the table, leaned back in his chair, and covered his face with the newspaper.

The newspaper was today's Huangyuan Daily, with the headline on the front page: "A commendation meeting for advanced units in learning from Dazhai in agriculture across the region was successfully held."

Li Xiangqian closed his eyes.

Cultural center. Government-employed. Secure job. No fixed office hours.

Yu Hua is absolutely right.

Just as I was enjoying myself, I suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps.

Someone pushed open the door to the creative team's office.

"Li Xiangqian!"

The voice was clear and resonant.

Li Xiangqian ripped the newspaper off his face.

A girl with a ponytail stood at the door, wearing a floral shirt and holding a half-read copy of the "Yanhe" magazine.

Li Xiangqian blinked. Who has so much energy? Their voice is like a crowing first thing in the morning.

"Which leader?"

Du Lili put her hands on her hips.

"I'm Du Lili! You didn't even tell me you were reporting for duty?"

Old Yang snorted coldly from behind.

Xiao Zhao was trying not to laugh.

Li Xiangqian looked at the energetic and artistic young woman in front of him and felt quite moved.

With such boundless energy, what brings you to the cultural center?

Is the cultural center for energetic people like you?

"Oh, Lili, I've heard Runye mention you often. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Li Xiangqian stood up.

"Runye mentioned me? Mentioned me for what reason?"

Li Xiangqian: "..."

Not only is he energetic, but he's also very straightforward. Can't he understand polite conversation?

"Oh, so you have a good literary foundation, are skilled in poetry, and are a role model for the younger generation," Li Xiangqian said without hesitation.

According to his memory, the artistic young woman in front of him was a poetry enthusiast; otherwise, how could she have had an affair with a poet later on?

After hearing this, Du Lili covered her mouth and laughed: "This doesn't sound like something Runye would say; it sounds like you made it up on the spot."

"No way, I'm just a truck driver."

After hearing this, Du Lili took out a piece of paper from her pocket and placed it on Li Xiangqian's desk with a smile.

"Oh dear, yes. Who would have thought that a truck driver could write poetry?"

诗？

Li Xiangqian glanced down at the paper.

"Several members of our Huangyuan Poetry Society have read this poem, and the consensus is that it is unique."

Du Lili leaned forward, supporting herself on the table with one hand, to look at him.

"The author happens to be sitting here today, so we can start discussing this directly."

"What poem?"

Li Xiangqian picked up the paper and flipped through it; the handwriting was familiar, and the corrections were familiar.

How come my recipes are with you?

Du Lili's smile froze.

"What recipe?"

"It's written very clearly here."

Li Xiangqian pointed to the words on the paper.

"Roast goose from Shenjing, poached chicken..."

Xiao Zhao leaned over for a look, and his lips twitched.

Old Yang raised his head, glanced at it, and then continued to bury himself in writing.

Du Lili took the paper back from Li Xiangqian and began to read it aloud.

"Without the posture of joy or sorrow, half crispy in the fireworks, half soaked in the sauce—which recipe describes it like that?"

"A proper recipe is written like this."

Li Xiangqian looked serious.

Du Lili glared at him for two seconds, then suddenly burst into laughter.

"That's great! Incorporating food into poetry is quite reminiscent of Su Dongpo's style. Su Dongpo wrote about lychees and invented Dongpo pork. Are you planning to invent Xiangqian Chop Chicken or Xiangqian Roast Goose?"

"Hey, this was just a casual piece, please excuse the poor quality."

Li Xiangqian raised his hand and scratched the back of his head.

He began to have doubts.

Could it be that I went to the cultural center because of this?

He thought it was his father abusing his power.

"Comrade Poet."

Du Lili dragged a chair over and sat down opposite him, crossing her arms on the table, adopting a serious interviewing posture.

"Explain what it means to be extremely silent and extremely proud."

"What's there to explain?"

"If you don't explain what you wrote, who will?"

Li Xiangqian glanced at the other two. Xiao Zhao was craning his neck and muttering to himself, while Lao Yang, who had been copying materials, had now picked up his enamel mug and was drinking tea.

"The roast goose's already in the oven, isn't it enough to keep quiet?"

"And what about pride?"

"An ordinary goose, transformed into a delicious dish, nourishes the body's vital organs. A worthy death, heavier than Mount Tai. A little pride, isn't that normal?"

Du Lili tilted her head and thought for a moment.

"The angle is indeed quite unique."

"Just like sky burial."

Li Xiangqian gestured with his fingers on the table.

"Think about it, sky burial is returning the human body to the eagles, to nature. Roast goose is returning the goose's body to the human tongue and stomach. Both are giving back to nature what nature has given us. Tsk tsk, how beautiful."

Du Lili was speechless.

"You even know about sky burial?"

"I know a little bit!"

Xiao Zhao was trying so hard not to laugh that his face turned red.

Old Yang's brows furrowed. He took a sip of tea.

"Alright, alright, you've finished explaining. It's not pretty at all now."

Du Lili waved her hand.

"The best literary works should leave the interpretation to the reader; why keep asking the author?"

Li Xiangqian muttered a complaint and sat back down in his chair.

Du Lili, however, was pondering those words.

The best literary works should leave the interpretation to the reader.

It has a certain flavor; it seems to make sense.

"Alright, Runye said you're so quiet you wouldn't utter a word, but I don't think so."

"Is there anything else, Comrade Lili?"

"It's nothing, I was just curious and came to ask."

"Have you finished asking? If you have, I'm going to be very silent and very proud."

As Li Xiangqian spoke, he leaned back in his chair and covered his face with the newspaper again.

Du Lili stood up, dusted off her skirt, and folded the paper back up and put it in her pocket.

"Fine, you can be proud of your silence. But remember to go to the business office to register your work today."

After saying that, Du Lili turned back to give Xiao Zhao some instructions.

"Teacher Zhao, he's not familiar with the area. Could you take him to the office to register for work?"

Xiao Zhao snapped out of his daze and nodded quickly.

"Don't worry, Lili, the curator personally instructed us to do this, I guarantee it will be done today."

Du Lili nodded and left the creative team's office.