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

Chapter 24: Sulking

◎A One-Sided Affection From Start to Finish◎

Dong Wei Dong immediately stepped forward to greet, "Big Brother, hello, I'm Dong Wei Dong, an old acquaintance of San Mei."

"Hello, Big Brother, I... I'm Lin Xiao Qiang." Lin Xiao Qiang felt intimidated by Lu Jin Zhou's strong presence.

Lu Jin Zhou was brief, nodding slightly and saying a simple "hello" before falling silent.

Li Xiang said that Lu Jin Zhou was most intimidating when he wasn't smiling, which suited Dong Jiao Jiao's purpose perfectly.

Dong Jiao Jiao was very pleased and quickly said, "Alright, we've made our introductions. Er Ge, we still have things to do, so we'll be leaving first."

"Okay, okay, Big Brother and San Mei, take care."

Dong Wei Dong watched as Dong Jiao Jiao and Lu Jin Zhou got into a military jeep, further convinced that Dong Jiao Jiao's group was significant, given the quality of goods they had.

Once in the car, Dong Jiao Jiao removed her disguise and sweetly said to Lu Jin Zhou, "Director Lu, did you see that? I usually deal with Lin Xiao Qiang, but Dong Wei Dong is our contact. He's been in the business since he was ten, and his territory is in the south of the city. He's honest and very loyal. Look, I just got a watch and some fabric. If sold, I can make quite a bit."

Dong Jiao Jiao played the role of a savvy vendor to perfection.

Lu Jin Zhou thought about how he earned several hundred a month, not counting bonuses. If Dong Jiao Jiao was in financial trouble, she could have approached him for help. But he knew she wouldn't ask him directly.

He made a mental note of Dong Wei Dong and Lin Xiao Qiang's names and decided to have the local police check them out to ensure Dong Jiao Jiao wasn't being deceived.

Regarding the black market, Lu Jin Zhou had no strong objections. In 1977, with the country's policies evolving, he knew the black market was semi-open, and he was aware of preliminary signs of upcoming reforms.

He wasn't opposed to Dong Jiao Jiao participating in it, as long as Dong Wei Dong and the others were thoroughly vetted. If they turned out to be unscrupulous, Lu Jin Zhou had ways to deal with them.

"Director Lu, why aren't you speaking? You're not suspicious of me anymore, are you?" Dong Jiao Jiao asked cautiously.

"No, I'm not suspicious."

Dong Jiao Jiao sighed in relief and cheerfully said, "I knew Director Lu would see through to the truth and not wrongfully accuse me. It's almost noon; let me treat you to a meal at the state-owned restaurant."

Although Lu Jin Zhou wasn't hungry, he agreed to avoid making Dong Jiao Jiao uncomfortable, "Alright, but I'll pay. You should save your money."

"No, I insist on treating!"

Dong Jiao Jiao didn't want Lu Jin Zhou to pay, as she wasn't short of a few dollars. She had realized last night that it was best to avoid offending someone like Lu Jin Zhou, who was a significant figure. She planned to keep him happy to avoid trouble.

Lu Jin Zhou relented to Dong Jiao Jiao's insistence.

Dong Jiao Jiao went all out, ordering three large dishes: braised pork ribs, osmanthus fish, and spicy sliced pork, plus a side of vegetables and two bowls of rice.

Knowing Lu Jin Zhou had cleanliness issues, she chose the cleanest table and even wiped it with a handkerchief.

"Director Lu, please sit. I've cleaned the table. Have some water; the food will take a little while."