Ordinary World: Starting with a divorce from Tian Runye

1:30 PM.

In the reading room of the cultural center, Li Xiangqian leaned back in his chair, a copy of "People's Literature" covering his face, his breathing even.

His lunch break is from 12:00 to 1:30 every day without fail. Old Wu turns a blind eye to this and has left him a rattan chair in the corner of the reading room. A couple of days ago, he even added an old pillow for him.

The wind was a bit muggy this afternoon, and the chirping of cicadas drifted in from the courtyard. Li Xiangqian was fast asleep.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from the studio.

Du Lili rushed in through the courtyard gate, clutching a brand-new copy of "Huangyuan Literature and Art" in her hand, her eyes red and her face pale.

She rushed straight into the studio.

In the studio.

Old Yang was engrossed in his materials. Little Zhao was coloring a painting. The two of them looked up at the same time.

Where is Li Xiangqian?

Du Lili slammed the Huangyuan Literature and Art magazine onto Li Xiangqian's desk.

"Snap."

Xiao Zhao glanced at the clock on the wall; the hands were stuck at 1:32.

"I guess he's in the reading room... looking at some materials."

Du Lili didn't ask any more questions. She sat down in the chair in front of Li Xiangqian's desk and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

Then he just sat there, head down, not saying a word.

Old Yang and Little Zhao exchanged a glance.

What's going on?

Xiao Zhao cautiously probed.

"Lili, what happened? Has the decision regarding Xiangqian been made?"

Old Yang also raised his head.

Du Lili's voice trembled.

"This is so unfair! This is so unfair!"

She grabbed the copy of "Huangyuan Literature" from the table and slammed it down.

"The proposed solution hasn't been finalized yet. But the big-character posters have already been put up. Take a look for yourselves."

She flipped the magazine to the front page and pushed it to Xiao Zhao.

Xiao Zhao took it and looked at it closely.

Good guy.

The front page prominently featured a headline: "Who put the hand that held the steering wheel into the pen?"

Subtitle: An evaluation of the personnel practices of a county cultural center.

Xiao Zhao's face turned pale instantly.

Old Yang leaned closer and saw that his face was even paler than Xiao Zhao's.

The first paragraph of the main text doesn't name names, but it's practically a naming convention.

"...Recently, during the reception work at a certain county cultural center, a comrade transferred from the transportation department took charge of the exhibition plan. This person was holding a steering wheel yesterday, and today he's holding a pen. The pen is the voice of the people, not a toy for some cadres' families to exchange for benefits..."

The title was followed by a long list of commenters.

Qi Wenyuan is ranked first.

Comment by Qi Wenyuan, President of the Huangyuan Poetry Society:

First, the purity of literature is paramount; it is not a subservient form of power.

Second, how can someone who lacks even basic literary literacy be allowed into a cultural center?

Third, this method of personnel management is a collective humiliation to all cultural workers in Huangyuan.

Fourth, we strongly urge the relevant local authorities to thoroughly investigate this matter and give cultural workers justice.

All four comments were highly inflammatory.

Both Xiao Zhao and Lao Yang's lips twitched.

"This...this is going to be difficult."

Xiao Zhao's lips were trembling.

He hadn't spent much time at the cultural center, but he knew the significance of *Huangyuan Literature*. It was the official literary publication of the Huangyuan region. If it were featured on the front page, it wouldn't just be Li Xiangqian being criticized; the entire Yuanxi County Cultural Center would be criticized.

And this position on the front page.

This is not academic criticism. This is qualitative analysis.

Old Yang remained seated in his chair. His fingers tapped unconsciously twice on the table.

Old Yang, who has more experience, understands this better.

"Huangyuan Literature and Art" is an official magazine. This is not only a statement from the Huangyuan cultural circle, but also an official statement from the upper echelons of Huangyuan.

This is going to ruin someone's reputation.

Old Yang's lips moved slightly, and his voice was very low.

"Someone is trying to get Li Xiangqian."

Du Lili's voice became urgent upon hearing this.

What exactly happened with the Huangyuan Poetry Society?

She slammed her hand on the table.

"Don't they know how Li Xiangqian got into the cultural center? I even sent them my poems back then, and they all said they were well-written and suggested that I introduce him to the Huangyuan Poetry Society."

She poked at Qi Wenyuan's name in the Huangyuan Literature and Art magazine with her finger.

"And then there's President Qi. He heard Li Xiangqian's speech at the literary symposium when he came to Yuanxi last time. And now, he's the first to jump out and comment!"

Du Lili grew angrier as she spoke, her eyes slightly red.

"At that time, the Huangyuan Poetry Society held a literary symposium in Yuanxi, and Li Xiangqian's speech was clearly of high quality. A person with such literary insight is more than qualified to work in a county cultural center."

Xiao Zhao nodded.

"Exactly. Although Comrade Xiangqian doesn't talk much, when he does say something, it's always to the point."

Old Yang remained silent, his face grim.

He always felt that this matter was not simple.

"Does the curator know?"

Old Yang suddenly spoke up.

Du Lili sniffed.

"They found out a little earlier than me. They've already gone to the county revolutionary committee."

She added.

"What's wrong with Jia Bing? He's the editor-in-chief of *Huangyuan Literature*. He was also at the last symposium. How could he get this kind of article on the front page?"

Du Lili jumped up from her chair.

"No. I'll call Huangyuan Literature and Art Publishing House right now."

She grabbed the magazine and walked out.

Just as I reached the entrance of the studio, I bumped into Li Xiangqian.

Li Xiangqian walked in sleepily, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"I was just looking at some materials next door, what's going on?"

He saw Du Lili's red eyes, and then looked at Xiao Zhao and Lao Yang, whose faces were sullen.

Both of them remained silent.

Du Lili stuffed the copy of "Huangyuan Literature" in her hand into Li Xiangqian's arms.

"See for yourself."

Li Xiangqian took the magazine. Before he even opened it, he heard Du Lili muttering to herself.

"This is outrageous! This is outrageous! This is a frame-up!"

Li Xiangqian looked down.

The headline was so eye-catching it almost seemed like it would be thrown in your face.

Who made the hand that held the steering wheel hold the pen?

Li Xiangqian took a deep breath.

That's damn.

This is an attempt to cyberbully me.

Li Xiangqian flips to the front page.

His face grew increasingly grim as he looked at it.

Qi Wenyuan's four comments were like four slaps to the face, each one louder than the last. The most scathing was the fourth: "We strongly urge the relevant regional authorities to thoroughly investigate this matter." This was no longer literary criticism; it was a political maneuver demanding an investigation.

Scrolling further down, Li Xiangqian vaguely recognized several names in the commentator list from Du Lili. These were all prominent figures in the Huangyuan cultural circle. Was this a collective statement, and such a large-scale operation?

Li Xiangqian's heart skipped a beat.

wrong.

He looked up sharply.

"Does the curator know?"

"I just found out. The person has already gone to the county revolutionary committee."

Li Xiangqian's expression changed.

"Lili, can I borrow your bicycle?"

After Li Xiangqian finished speaking, he turned around and walked towards the bicycle shed.

Du Lili quickly followed.

"Where are you going?"

"County Revolutionary Committee".

Li Xiangqian straddled the 28-inch steel bar and was about to push off.

Du Lili grabbed the handlebars.

"I'll go with you."

"oops."

Li Xiangqian shook off her hand.

"Don't get involved..."

Before he could finish speaking, he had already started pedaling, and the bicycle sped out of the cultural center's courtyard.