Ordinary World: Starting with a divorce from Tian Runye

It was pouring rain at the entrance of the county cultural center.

Rainwater streamed down the eaves of the cave dwellings, filling the entire courtyard with a strong earthy smell. Of the three cave dwellings, only the office was still lit with a dim yellow light. After a short while, the office light flickered twice and then snapped off.

Sister Sun emerged from the cave dwelling of the business office, holding a black cloth umbrella in her hand, and looked up at the sky.

"That damned heavens, they just rained down like that, without giving any warning at all."

She was about to leave when she turned her head and suddenly saw a figure standing in the darkness.

Sister Sun was startled.

"Former wife, what are you still doing here?"

Runye stood under the eaves at the entrance of the reading room cave dwelling, soaking wet. Her hair clung to her cheeks, and the shoulders and sleeves of her shirt were completely drenched.

She wiped the rain off her face, wrung out the hem of her clothes, and squeezed out a few drops of water.

"I'll wait a bit longer before moving forward."

"Oh dear, I told you already, there's no need to wait. Xiangqian went to a literary discussion, and he'll probably have dinner with Comrade Huangyuan tonight. With this heavy rain, you should head back early."

"It's okay. I'll wait a little longer."

Sister Sun sighed.

"I'm leaving now. Should I leave the light in the office on for you?"

Runye quickly waved her hand.

"It's okay, it's okay, I'll leave in a little while. I'll probably be leaving right after you."

Sister Sun shook her head, muttering to herself.

"Hey, girl. What's so great about this man that he deserves such pampering?"

After saying that, he opened his umbrella and walked through the water towards the courtyard gate.

Runye watched her umbrella sway in the rain, and it quickly disappeared at the courtyard gate.

The courtyard of the cultural center fell completely silent, pitch black.

Runye stretched out her hand to test the rain. The raindrops pounded heavily on the back of her hand.

This is Li Xiangqian.

You didn't even tell me you were going to attend a discussion today.

In the darkness, there were sounds of rain, wind, and muffled thunder, as well as the chirping of many insects whose names I didn't know. Under the deep twilight, it was both quiet and lively.

Several flashes of lightning illuminated the thick clouds, which churned and rolled, making humans appear extremely small in the face of nature.

Runye quietly took half a step back, pressing her wet back tightly against the wall.

I don't know how much time passed.

Suddenly, a beam of light appeared, flickering back and forth, in the pitch-black distance ahead.

Wet footsteps echoed at the entrance of the cultural center, accompanied by voices.

"Can you even lift it? Half of my body is outside."

It was Du Lili's voice.

"My arms are about to break from carrying this whole way. How about I push the bike?"

It was Li Xiangqian's voice.

Du Lili pushed the old-fashioned bicycle, while Li Xiangqian had a flashlight tucked under his arm and held up a piece of oilcloth that he had somehow gotten his hands on, their heads pressed under the oilcloth.

"Come closer, what are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid you'll eat me."

Du Lili laughed heartily after hearing this, her voice sounding particularly crisp in the rain.

He then lowered his voice, sniffed, and said.

"You smell so good with soap, unlike other men."

"Of course, I shower every day. I also do facials."

What kind of facial care?

"Apply face cream."

"Haha, you're a grown man, and you're so flamboyant."

"Stop laughing and park the car quickly. If it weren't for dropping you off, I would already be home, and I'd be having Runye's egg drop soup right now."

"Okay, thank you, my great literary mentor."

"Don't just thank me verbally, show me something practical. Like giving me a few days off."

"Dream on."

Du Lili pushed her bicycle under the bike shed in the yard and then turned around and said.

"Runye picks you up from get off work every day. Maybe she's still waiting for you?"

Li Xiangqian scoffed and pointed ahead.

It was pitch black; there was nothing there.

"They probably went back long ago. Who's here?"

As soon as he finished speaking, two soft coughs came from the darkness ahead.

Li Xiangqian jumped up as if he had seen a ghost.

"Oh my god, there's a ghost!"

"I."

The sound was very soft and came from the entrance of the cave dwelling in the reading room.

"Are you deliberately hiding here to scare people? You're such a big person, and you're still playing hide-and-seek."

As Li Xiangqian spoke, he raised his flashlight and shone it over there.

Runye stood under the eaves at the entrance of the cave dwelling, soaking wet. Her shirt clung to her body, and her hair dripped water. A Phoenix brand bicycle was propped up beside her.

"Have you been waiting for me here?"

Runye didn't look at him, walked to the bicycle, and pushed it out.

"Something came up at school today. I just got off work and came to see if you were still waiting for me."

She got on her bicycle.

"I arrived just around the same time as you.

"I thought you'd been waiting for me here the whole time. I was almost moved to tears."

As Li Xiangqian spoke, he folded the oilcloth, held it in his hand, and walked over.

Runye didn't respond.

Du Lili happily ran to Runye's side.

"Runye, you don't know, Xiangqian was quite the big shot at the literary discussion today."

Runye didn't reply, but just rolled her eyes at Li Xiangqian.

"Get in the car."

Then he turned to look at Du Lili.

"Lili, we're heading back now."

Du Lili's home is right next to the cultural center. Seeing Runye about to leave, she looked up at the rain and quickly spoke up.

"Runye, wait a moment, I'll get you an umbrella."

"No need. Look, I'm already soaked."

Du Lili took out her keys, turned around, and opened the door to the business office.

"Xiangqian is still dry. Wait a moment."

Runye turned to look at Li Xiangqian.

Li Xiangqian was still holding the oilcloth in his hand, and his body was indeed not very wet.

"Aren't you getting in the car?"

The lights in the business room came back on, and Li Xiangqian tilted his head and glanced inside.

"Shall we sit or not?"

Li Xiangqian pursed his lips and, under Runye's piercing gaze, sat in the back seat.

As soon as I settled in, the bicycle suddenly plunged into the rain.

"Runye!"

Du Lili ran out of the business office clutching an umbrella.

"Lili, it's raining really hard, you should go back early, we don't need to!"

Runye turned around and shouted, then pushed off with her foot, and the car swerved, turning directly out of the cultural center's courtyard, almost throwing Li Xiangqian off.

"Hey, wait a minute, let me set up the tarpaulin. It'll cover you up a bit too."

Runye pushed off even faster.

"You can block it if you want. I don't need to."

"With rain this heavy, you just let the cold, icy rain slap your face like that?"

"You'd better keep it covered yourself. Make sure the rain washes away the soap smell."

"ha?"

……