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

Chapter 20: Playing the Victim

◎ Do I Have Some Inborn Grudge Against Anyone Named Lu? ◎

Even after getting into the car, Dong Jiaojiao still couldn't figure out how Lu Jinzhou managed to recognize her.

Li Xiang was extremely shocked and confused by the situation.

First, he was astonished that Lu Jinzhou even remembered Dong Jiaojiao. They seemed rather familiar with each other. It had only been a few days since Li Xiang had looked into Dong Jiaojiao's background; how did his superior get so close to her so quickly?

And the way things were unfolding was just downright strange.

Wasn't Lu Jinzhou's niece Lu Yao? And weren't Lu Yao and Dong Jiaojiao known to be at odds with each other?

Though, Lu Yao's actions had indeed been somewhat unethical. Could it be that his boss was about to sacrifice family ties for the greater good?

Second, what Li Xiang found particularly unbelievable was that his boss actually invited Dong Jiaojiao to ride back to the military district with them. Everyone knew Lu Jinzhou had a cleanliness obsession, and Dong Jiaojiao, in her current state, didn't match up with his standards of cleanliness in the least.

Li Xiang couldn't suppress his curiosity and kept glancing in the rearview mirror at the two people in the back seat.

However, neither of them spoke.

Dong Jiaojiao didn't feel there was anything worth saying. After all, Lu Jinzhou had just done her a small favor; he wasn't her father, so why should she report everything to him?

On the other hand, Lu Jinzhou felt that with Li Xiang present, it wasn't convenient to ask the questions he had in mind. Just in case, he considered the possibility that Dong Jiaojiao might be a spy, and with Li Xiang there, it would be awkward to assist her if needed.

Given Lu Jinzhou's position, if a suspicious person were discovered around him, he had the authority to mobilize the security office or local armed police for an investigation, or even directly apply to deploy military forces if necessary.

The recent riot, for example, had involved a group of enemy spies attempting to steal their research data. The Northwest Military District had to dispatch troops to apprehend and intercept them, preventing a major crisis.

Dong Jiaojiao had certainly passed a political background check when she got married. However, since He Chengjun's rank wasn't particularly high, the scrutiny level wouldn't have been too severe.

Moreover, the enemy forces were cunning; some spies had extremely long periods of dormancy and wouldn't activate unless absolutely necessary.

Given Dong Jiaojiao's current disguise, sneaky actions, and her deliberate proximity to him—along with the recent riot—it was hard for Lu Jinzhou not to be suspicious.

If Dong Jiaojiao knew what Lu Jinzhou was thinking, she would probably want to pry open his brain and check for any paranoia.

And who on earth was trying to get close to him on purpose?!

Thus, both of them remained engrossed in their own thoughts, staying silent throughout the journey until the vehicle was about to reach its destination.

Suddenly, Lu Jinzhou pulled out his water bottle and a handkerchief, handing them to Dong Jiaojiao. "We're almost there. Clean your face a bit."

Not wanting to be seen in her current state, Dong Jiaojiao took them without hesitation. "Thank you."

She then used the handkerchief with water from the bottle to wipe her face hastily.

Due to the special makeup on her right cheek simulating a scar, Dong Jiaojiao had to rub vigorously to remove it, which turned her face red.