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

Chapter 9: A Dinner Invitation

◎ You city people sure have a lot of scheming thoughts ◎

Standing around like this wasn't going to solve anything.

Lu Jinzhou had no intention of defending Dong Jiaojiao, but he had no reservations about confronting Lu Yao.

Lu Jinzhou turned his cold gaze towards Lu Yao, his voice laced with clear displeasure: "Lu Yao, disrupting a military marriage is illegal. If you persist, I will immediately have someone take you away."

Taken away where? Of course, to a cage.

To be honest, Lu Jinzhou's impression of Lu Yao was limited to knowing that she was a member of the Lu family. She rarely spoke, and there was no real familial bond.

After reading Li Xiang's investigation results, Lu Jinzhou's opinion of Lu Yao plummeted.

Gossip in the family compound should not be fully trusted, but Lu Yao's daily habit of delivering meals to the military camp was undeniable.

The excuse of "saving a life" was flimsy at best, a mere smokescreen.

If it were truly about repaying a debt, a single monetary gift would suffice, with future assistance if needed. There was no need for daily meal deliveries.

Lu Jinzhou had little respect for Lu Yao.

Though he himself had experienced some embarrassing reactions towards Dong Jiaojiao, he had never considered pursuing anything with her.

Especially knowing that Dong Jiaojiao was already married, there was even less chance of anything happening.

However, Lu Jinzhou felt that Dong Jiaojiao's husband, He Chengjun, was no saint either.

Lu Yao's ulterior motives were obvious, and He Chengjun must have noticed them as well.

Yet, despite being married, He Chengjun still accepted Lu Yao's "kindness" without a second thought.

Whether he was attracted to Lu Yao's family background or simply enjoyed being admired, He Chengjun was not a good match for Dong Jiaojiao.

But what could be done? Dong Jiaojiao was already married to him.

Deep down, Lu Jinzhou strongly supported Dong Jiaojiao's divorce.

Not for personal reasons, but purely for Dong Jiaojiao's future.

Yet, as an outsider, he had no say in such matters.

Lu Yao was shocked by Lu Jinzhou's public reprimand and his threat to have her taken away. Was this really her uncle? It felt like he was siding with Dong Jiaojiao.

"Uncle, you misunderstand. I didn't..."

"Enough, I don't want to hear your explanation. Go home and stop embarrassing yourself out here." Lu Jinzhou interrupted Lu Yao coldly.

This was something He Chengjun had also said to Dong Jiaojiao earlier.

Whether intentional or not, Lu Jinzhou had effectively helped Dong Jiaojiao gain a small victory.

Lu Yao's eyes reddened immediately. She began to perform her "white lotus" act, speaking tearfully: "Uncle, you've really misunderstood. It was He Chengjun who invited me to his home for dinner..."

He Chengjun thought Lu Jinzhou had misunderstood the situation between Lu Yao and him, which was why he was being so severe. He understood and even admired the Lu family's upbringing, realizing why Lu Yao turned out to be such an excellent woman.

He didn't want Lu Jinzhou to misunderstand further, so he quickly explained: "Director Lu, you really have misunderstood.

Though I saved Comrade Lu Yao's life before, Comrade Lu Yao has also helped me a lot. I just wanted to invite her over for dinner.

If there were anything between Comrade Lu Yao and me, how could I possibly invite her to my home?

I just wanted to take this opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings with my wife. With Comrade Lu Yao present, she could also help explain. I didn't expect that, before even entering,..."

"Director Lu, I'm really sorry. My wife comes from a rural background and isn't very well-educated. I hope you don't mind."

"Since we're already here, Director Lu, if you don't mind, why don't we go to my home for a simple meal?"

He Chengjun wasn't yet emotionally involved with Lu Yao. Although he might have been touched at some moments, he hadn't forgotten that he was a soldier.

So, when making these remarks, He Chengjun was quite straightforward.

Lu Yao was somewhat displeased by his words but soon got over it.

Dealing with the male lead isn't easy, but she was confident she would ultimately win him over!

Dong Jiaojiao, overhearing this, sneered and sarcastically said:

"Oh really? Comrade Lu Yao has helped you how exactly? Tell me more so I can properly thank her."

He Chengjun paused, realizing that his statement was merely to pacify public opinion.

What could Lu Yao have done for him except make him some good food and perhaps help him find out about promotions?

But he couldn't admit that openly. Doing so would only make things worse and harder to explain.

Dong Jiaojiao saw through this and, enjoying He Chengjun's discomfort, continued to stir the pot:

"And you used to call her 'Yao Yao,' but now you're calling her 'Comrade Lu Yao'? Is this to avoid suspicion? I guess you're aware it's not appropriate to call her that way now?

Oh, you city folks are so scheming, saying one thing to someone's face and another behind their back. Unlike us rural folks, we're straightforward and don't understand these tricks."

He Chengjun had transferred his household registration to the city and had always considered himself a city dweller.

Dong Jiaojiao's sarcasm was obvious to everyone nearby.

Seeing He Chengjun at a loss, Dong Jiaojiao felt vindicated and continued to provoke:

"He Chengjun, feeling humiliated but unable to lose his temper in front of the crowd and Lu Jinzhou, whispered angrily to Dong Jiaojiao:

"Let's go home. I'll explain everything to you there. This situation is very complicated, and you don't understand."

He Chengjun, too close for comfort, was rejected by Dong Jiaojiao, who tried to pull away but was firmly held by him.

Dong Jiaojiao struggled, but her strength was like a chick's against He Chengjun's firm grip, making it impossible to break free.

The close physical contact appeared intimate, but as a married couple, it was nothing unusual.

Lu Yao, observing from the side, found it particularly irritating and nearly ground her teeth in frustration.

Lu Jinzhou's eyes darkened, his thick eyelashes trembling slightly, revealing his current mood, but he had no right to comment.

Thus, for reasons unknown, Lu Jinzhou surprisingly agreed to He Chengjun's invitation and went along to Dong Jiaojiao's home.

In truth, He Chengjun was quite surprised when Lu Jinzhou accepted the invitation. He hadn't really expected him to agree.

In Chinese culture, expressions like "it's better to meet by chance" or "let's have a meal another time" are often just polite gestures, with no real expectation of acceptance.

Yet, unexpectedly, Lu Jinzhou agreed!

He Chengjun had no choice but to graciously welcome him to his home.

⋆。·˚ʚ🍓ɞ˚‧。⋆

Lu Jinzhou: Off to the wife's home for a meal~ ( • ᴗ - ) ✧