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

Chapter 6: Growing Tension

"That look gives me the creeps."

When He Chengjun went out for morning exercises, he noticed many people subtly observing him, with their eyes occasionally darting to his lower half.

The look made him feel uneasy.

Unable to endure it any longer, He Chengjun approached Yang Hongwei and asked, "Old Yang, why have you been staring at me all morning?"

Yang Hongwei felt a bit embarrassed but, out of camaraderie, gave some well-meaning advice: "Chengjun, you're still young. While your future is important, you can't neglect other aspects of life.

I've noticed that Dong has been here for over a week and you haven't been back once. Isn't that a bit unkind?"

Yang Hongwei actually understood He Chengjun's situation very well. Facing a beautiful wife while dealing with his condition must be distressing. No wonder he could coldly ignore such a good wife; the feeling must be terrible.

But no matter how bad it felt, one couldn't avoid treatment. If the illness was left untreated, it would only worsen.

He Chengjun, hearing Yang Hongwei's words, assumed Dong Jiaojiao had sent him as a mediator to convince him to go back. It seemed the cold treatment was working; Dong Jiaojiao was getting anxious.

However, He Chengjun was determined not to go back just yet. He wanted Dong Jiaojiao to deeply recognize her mistakes first. Only then would he return, ensuring she wouldn't meddle in his affairs in the future.

With this thought, He Chengjun told Yang Hongwei, "Old Yang, tell Dong Jiaojiao that men's issues are none of women's business. Otherwise, I'll send her back to her rural home."

Yang Hongwei was baffled: "Brother, why are you so stubborn? Sending Dong away won't cure your illness!"

After saying this, He Chengjun dismissed Yang Hongwei and turned to leave, heading towards the military district gate where Lu Yao would be bringing him warmth again.

Previously, despite his competence, He Chengjun was just a deputy battalion commander with little attention from others. But after the gossip from the previous day, his name had prominently made it to the gossip columns.

Now, the entire military district was subtly observing him, whether they knew him or not.

The interactions between He Chengjun and Lu Yao were noted and remembered by some with ulterior motives.

As a result, alongside the rumor that "He Chengjun is incapable," another rumor spread: "He Chengjun's poor lifestyle is why he has that illness."

The public's creativity was impressive, even finding a logical connection to the gossip.

When Dong Jiaojiao heard this news from Ma Ronghua, she was preparing to buy a hoe in town. Using the iron tongs at home for farming was inconvenient, and since she needed one long-term, she decided to buy her own.

Ma Ronghua, engrossed in gossip, didn't have time to wait since it took at least two hours for a round trip to town. She had two hoes at home and could sell one to Dong Jiaojiao.

Thus, Dong Jiaojiao spent two yuan to buy a hoe from Ma Ronghua.

In return, Dong Jiaojiao generously satisfied Ma Ronghua's curiosity by explaining the relationship between He Chengjun and Lu Yao in detail.

Ma Ronghua was incredulous: "Given He Chengjun's condition, why would Lu Yao still want him? Is she crazy? ... Sorry, Dong, I didn't mean to insult you."