Rebirth in the 1970s: Refusing to Be a Side Character

Chapter 2: Reclaiming the Magic Pendant

◎ Unreliable People Are Naturally Untrustworthy ◎

Seeing Lu Yao being mistreated only made He Chengjun despise Dong Jiaojiao even more.

After Lu Yao finished her oath, He Chengjun impatiently said to Dong Jiaojiao, "Are you satisfied now? Hurry up and leave. Stop making a scene here like a lunatic."

He had initially planned to return to the family compound to check out the new house he and Dong Jiaojiao were moving into. However, he had no desire to be alone with Dong Jiaojiao anymore and was eager to get rid of her as soon as possible.

The term "lunatic" struck a nerve with Dong Jiaojiao, filling her with bitterness.

In her past life, it was Lu Yao who sold her to a remote area to be a fool's wife, only to be further mistreated by the fool's father.

She had tried to escape, but each time she was caught and beaten severely. The worst beating led to a miscarriage, leaving her infertile and subject to even more cruel torment.

Eventually, she feigned madness for three years to lower her captors' guard, which allowed her to escape.

After her escape, she was disconnected from society and had no relatives to turn to, so she wandered the city and lived off scavenged garbage.

It wasn't until the wave of reform and opening up that she saved enough money to set up a street stall. However, she ran into Lu Yao, who was dressed fashionably and driving a car, making their differences stark.

Even then, Lu Yao did not stop there and had her stall destroyed, leading to a confrontation where Dong Jiaojiao was fatally wounded.

In her last moments, Lu Yao had been behind it all. Despite He Chengjun's indifference, Dong Jiaojiao's elder brother, Dong Jianguo, had once saved his life.

Such betrayal made Dong Jiaojiao loathe He Chengjun even more. She now had a chance to start over and had no illusions about him.

As the saying goes, relying on others is like relying on a crumbling mountain. With her brother gone, she could only depend on herself.

As the crowd dispersed, Lu Yao left with them, making sure to display her understanding and compassion.

She gently said to He Chengjun, "He Ge, my sister-in-law just came from the countryside and might not be used to life here. Please persuade her not to overthink things. If this affects your promotion, it would be troublesome. I've heard from my brother that you have a great chance of being promoted. I believe in you, He Ge; you're the best!"

She gave a playful smile, seemingly pleased for He Chengjun.

He Chengjun was pleased and, despite his pride, acted modestly. "It's all thanks to the organization's training. But since it's not confirmed yet, for the sake of avoiding any bad influence, Yao Yao, please don't discuss it outside."

"Don't worry, He Ge, I know. I won't tell anyone else," Lu Yao replied, flashing a charming smile.

He Chengjun was momentarily stirred by Lu Yao's appearance but was soon interrupted by a discordant voice.

"Still so reluctant to part? If I didn't know better, I'd think you two were a couple. Maybe you should kiss before you go?" Dong Jiaojiao said with a sneer, unable to tolerate the display of affection between the two.

He Chengjun's expression stiffened, and any lingering emotions he had vanished instantly.

Lu Yao, maintaining her innocent act, left after feigning a victimized look. She knew not to push too hard and preferred to let men savor their choices slowly to achieve her desired outcome.