Ordinary World: Starting with a divorce from Tian Runye

Early the next morning.

The family compound of the Ministry of Transport.

Runye walked in front, while Li Xiangqian dawdled behind.

Runye frequently turned back.

"Hurry up. It's my first class today."

"Okay, okay. I won't let you down."

Li Xiangqian yawned, his eyelids still half-closed. His shoelaces were loose, dragging on the ground, making a pattering sound with each step.

Runye walked quickly to the bicycle shed in the family compound and bent down to push her bicycle.

Just as the car was pushed out, a clear car bell suddenly rang out at the gate of the courtyard.

Ring ring.

"Runye!"

Runye looked up when she heard the sound.

Du Lili was straddling the old-fashioned bicycle, her hands resting on the handlebars, and she greeted her with a smile.

The morning light shone on her face, making her look incredibly energetic.

"Lili?"

Runye was a little confused, so she pushed the cart over to Du Lili.

"Why are you here?"

Du Lili gestured with her lip towards Runye's back.

"Pick up Li Xiangqian."

"ha?"

Runye turned around and saw Li Xiangqian slowly walking down the stairs, looking exhausted, his shoelaces still dangling.

"Pick up...pick up Li Xiangqian? Why would we pick him up?"

"Going to work."

After listening, Runye opened her mouth but didn't say anything.

Du Lili lives right next to the cultural center, just a short walk away. Why would she drive all the way to the Ministry of Transport's residential compound to pick up Li Xiangqian? Isn't that on the way?

Li Xiangqian walked over slowly and was taken aback when he saw Du Lili.

"Why are you here?"

He looked up at the sky again. The sun had just peeked out, and the heat hadn't yet risen. He shouldn't be late.

Du Lili laughed and crossed her arms in front of her.

"I've come to pick you up for work."

Li Xiangqian gestured towards Runye in front of him, indicating that he already had a personal driver.

Du Lili waved her hand.

"Oh dear, Runye is going to Huangyuan soon, are you still counting on her every day?"

She patted the back seat of the car.

"Hurry up and get on. I'll pick you up and drop you off from get off work from now on."

When Runye heard the words "go to Huangyuan", her expression froze for a moment.

She wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say. Her lips were pursed, and her eyes were fixed on Li Xiangqian.

Li Xiangqian stroked his chin, nodded, and muttered to himself.

"That's true. It's time to get a bicycle. It's not sustainable to keep hitching rides like this every day."

After saying that, he got into the back seat of Du Lili's car.

"Li Xiangqian!"

Upon seeing this, Runye suddenly spoke up.

Li Xiangqian sat in the back seat and looked back.

"what?"

Runye's face turned bright red. She opened her mouth twice, thought for a moment, and then spoke.

"What do you eat for dinner tonight?"

After saying that, he lowered his head slightly and continued speaking.

"I don't have many classes this afternoon, so I can go to the supply and marketing cooperative."

Li Xiangqian glanced at her.

"The supply and marketing cooperative only sells a few things; I can think of them all with my eyes closed. If you have time, go to the meat processing plant and buy some pork. Lean pork, not too much. There are also some goji berries and eggs in the kitchen; I can make an egg and meatloaf soup tonight."

As soon as she finished speaking, Du Lili pushed off with her foot, and the car drove straight out of the residential compound.

Runye's voice followed again.

"Li Xiangqian!"

Runye called from behind.

Du Lili swerved suddenly. Li Xiangqian's head collided directly with Du Lili's back.

"Is there anything else? Can you tell me everything at once?"

Li Xiangqian complained.

Runye put her hands on her hips, thought for a moment, and spoke loudly.

"You...you need to be more specific, how many kilograms of meat do you want?"

Li Xiangqian rolled his eyes.

"I thought it was something serious. Just buy whatever you think is best, about a pound. It's so hot, and meat can't be kept overnight."

After saying that, he turned to Du Lili and muttered something. Du Lili started pedaling her bicycle again, rang the bell twice, and the bicycle disappeared at the entrance of the residential compound.

Runye watched the two figures disappear at the courtyard gate, and couldn't help but mutter a complaint under her breath.

"That Li Xiangqian. They're not even divorced yet, and he doesn't care about the consequences at all."

She was so angry that her lips were pressed into a thin line as she glanced around the courtyard. Fortunately, there weren't many people in the residential compound at this hour.

Runye kicked the bicycle's kickstand away, straddled it, and pedaled hard.

The car suddenly sped out of the residential compound.

On the street leading to the cultural center.

In the early morning, a gentle breeze blew. There weren't many people on the street, and the fried dough stalls at the market had just been set up, their aroma of hot oil wafting through the air.

Du Lili drove Li Xiangqian slowly.

Du Lili kept turning back to talk to Li Xiangqian, riding her bicycle crookedly.

"Xiangqian, the story Master Zhao told me yesterday is getting more and more exciting the more I think about it. Crazy Gao leading sixteen men to intercept a convoy—that's practically material for a novel!"

"Just watch where you're going, don't keep looking back."

"And that story about transporting grain is also very touching..."

"Watch the road! We have to make choices. The story of transporting grain is certainly touching, but we can't write that Old Gao was naked, carrying grain and rushing into the river. Although it's tragic, it's not serious enough."

Du Lili laughed heartily after hearing this, so much so that she bent over backwards, causing the car to veer off course on the street.

The two were chatting and laughing.

A bicycle whizzed past, whipping up gusts of wind that turned the yellow earth on the ground into small whirlwinds.

Li Xiangqian's hair stood on end from the wind.

"That startled me. I think something just flew by."

Li Xiangqian craned his neck to look ahead.

Du Lili frowned and glanced ahead.

The bicycle in front had already sped far ahead, the rider pedaling incredibly fast, his legs like they were wound up, his hair whipping around in the wind.

"It seems to be Runye."

Li Xiangqian: "..."

……

Chengguan Primary School.

Runye walked into the teachers' office with hurried steps.

*Thump. Thump. Thump.*

She tossed her handbag onto the desk and sat down.

This Li Xiangqian doesn't care about the consequences at all.

Runye was still cursing inwardly.

Wang Guiqin walked in and was taken aback when she saw Runye already sitting in her seat.

"Runye? You're here so early today?"

Runye usually had to take a detour to take Li Xiangqian to the cultural center, and given Li Xiangqian's dawdling nature, Runye was always the last one to arrive at the office.

"First class today. Arrive a little early."

Runye offered an explanation, her voice stiff and unnatural.

Wang Guiqin sat down in her seat, picked up the thermos, and poured a cup of hot water into the enamel mug. She looked Runye up and down.

This woman was never one to hide her emotions. Her joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness were all written on her face. Otherwise, the whole of Yuanxi County wouldn't have known about her previous discord with Li Xiangqian.

"Did you and Xiangqian have another fight?"

Wang Guiqin asked tentatively.

"no."

Runye said decisively, then snorted and muttered something under her breath.

"Hmph. He doesn't have time to argue with me. He's too busy with things at the cultural center every day."

Wang Guiqin touched her nose in surprise.

What's wrong with Runye today? Why is she being so sour? Isn't it a good thing that men are busy with their own work and have ambition?

She turned her head, wanting to say a few more words, but saw that Runye had already stood up, grabbed her lesson plan book, and walked towards the classroom.

Their footsteps were fast and hurried, like they were stepping to the beat of a drum.

Li Suzhen happened to come in from outside and brushed past Runye. She stared at Runye's angry back for a moment, then quickly walked back to her seat and gave Wang Guiqin an inquiring look.

Wang Guiqin glanced in the direction Runye had left, and her lips curled down in a smirk.

"She's throwing a tantrum. She feels her man is so focused on work that he has no time for her."

"ha?"

Li Suzhen's eyes widened in surprise.

"Runye is like this too? I thought she was a stone bodhisattva, untouched by worldly affairs."

Wang Guiqin picked up the enamel mug, blew on the steam, and chuckled.

"Women are all the same. They either revolve around the stove or around men."