"Between Our Husband and Wife" is a novella written by the modern Chinese writer Xiao Yemu. It is also a very iconic work in the literary history of the early days of the founding of New China. The novel was first published in "People's Literature". Once it was published, it aroused strong responses among readers. It is regarded as one of the earliest urban-themed novels in New China. It tells the story of a revolutionary couple who entered the city and had conflicts due to ideological differences.
The work revolves around the daily life between the protagonist Li Ke, a CCP cadre with an intellectual background, and his wife Comrade Zhang, who is a worker-peasant. Due to their different origins, perspectives, and understanding of new social life, the two had conflicts and estrangements in the early days of their arrival in the city. Li Ke yearned for urban culture and new life, but ignored his wife's true feelings about reality. Through their daily chores, quarrels, understanding and integration, the novel delicately depicts the subtle changes in family relationships, which is both humane and reflects the conflicts and integration of the times and identities.
"Between Our Husband and Wife" is not only a portrayal of the life of an ordinary revolutionary family, but also reflects the deep contradictions between intellectuals and workers and peasants during the social transformation period at that time. The language of the novel is simple and sincere, and the emotions are delicate and moving. However, it became the focus of fierce debate in the literary world at that time. The author Xiao Yemu was criticized on a large scale. This historical event left a profound page in the history of contemporary Chinese literature.
