Mrs. Zhao hugged Yao Xuelian: "This is just Second Miss’s single-sided story, who really knows what’s going on."

Granny Yao nodded: "Fu Jun stays at our home, and now it’s just Xuelian staying at home, the servants wouldn’t dare to disguise themselves as a young lady."

Anning whispered beside Granny Yao: "Grandmother, think carefully, does Young Master Fu have such courage? As you said, he is staying at our home, using everything here, smearing my sister would bring him no good. You know, our family is very strict, even if he says something unpleasant, with you and Aunt here, no servant would dare spread it outside, it won’t benefit him, instead it might anger Uncle and he could throw him out in a fit and gain nothing."

This indeed made sense.

Granny Yao couldn’t help but ponder.

Anning took the opportunity to say: "Of course, this is just my thought, as for the truth, why not have Aunt find a reliable person to keep an eye on Young Master Fu, maybe it will come to light."

Mrs. Zhao thought for a moment: "So be it, I’ll have Old Master find someone to keep watch, if he does harm my son’s reputation, I will definitely not tolerate it."

Yao Xuelian said fiercely: "If it is as sister guessed, someone disguised as me to approach Young Master Fu, if an outsider sneaked into our home, I will catch her and send to the government, if it’s a maiden in our house, they’ll be tied up and sold off together."

Yao Xuelian was truly furious, speaking in such a fierce manner.

Anning nodded: "That’s only natural."

She accompanied Yao Xuelian in conversation, Mrs. Zhao went to find Old Master Yao, Granny Yao, being elderly, felt tired and retired early.

Anning stayed overnight in Yao Xuelian’s room, the sisters lay on the same bed talking.

Mrs. Zhao left Yao Xuelian’s room in a hurry to find Old Master Yao and relayed the matter concerning Young Master Fu to him. Old Master Yao pondered: "What Anning said might be right, Fu Jun isn’t brave enough to do such a thing."

"Get someone to keep an eye on him."

As Mrs. Zhao served tea to Old Master Yao, she said, "Our daughter is furious over this, Old Master must avenge her anger."

Old Master Yao nodded: "I’ve known Brother Fu since childhood, for so many years, I felt pity for Fu Jun losing his father young, allowing him to stay at our home. If he truly has a cruel heart, I certainly won’t tolerate him."

Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Mrs. Zhao’s face.

The Yao Family is a great clan, and as the clan leader, Old Master Yao naturally has capable people under him.

He had someone skilled at concealing his presence, hard to be detected.

This person had handled many things for Old Master Yao and was highly regarded, even granted the surname Yao, addressed as Yao Si.

Old Master Yao went to the study to summon Yao Si out, instructing him to watch over Fu Jun.

Yao Si took on the task without delay, heading directly to hide in the courtyard where Fu Jun was residing.

As night deepened, Yao Si hid in the trees, using the leaves as cover to observe the house.

Inside, Fu Jun paced in the study.

There was a bright red slap mark on his face, his expression displayed unease.

He murmured quietly while pacing: "Why this way? Why doesn’t she admit it? She’s cared for me so much lately, it seemed she had feelings for me, how could..."

Yao Si frowned upon hearing.

From these words, it seemed Fu Jun wasn’t intentionally defaming the girl from his home, there might be some misunderstanding here.

Yao Si remembered this, deciding to observe closely, keeping a constant watch on Fu Jun in the coming days.

Yao Si watched until the second night watch, Fu Jun grew tired, and just when he decided to wash his face and sleep, there was a knock on the door.

Fu Jun hurried to open the door.

As the courtyard door opened, Yao Si was startled.

He saw the young lady from his home standing gracefully at the door holding a lantern.

"You... Why are you here?"

Seeing Yao Xuelian, Fu Jun was shocked: "It’s dark, and outside is the lake; if you had any incident..."

Yao Xuelian smiled: "I was worried about you, so I came to check."

She entered the courtyard directly: "Please don’t resent today’s events. I’ve visited you secretly before, fearing my parents’ scolding and giving you a bad impression, which is why I dared not speak out. I hope you understand."

Fu Jun was already enamored with the fake Yao Xuelian and wouldn’t be angry.

"I understand, Miss... It’s late, you should head back."

Yao Xuelian took out a wrapped handkerchief, handing it to Fu Jun: "Though you have food and place to stay at my home, it might be inconvenient. This is my saved silver, take it so you can buy whatever you need without looking at other’s faces."

Fu Jun initially wanted to refuse, but Yao Xuelian pretended to be upset, so he accepted it.

Yao Xuelian continued talking with Fu Jun for quite a while, they expressed mutual affection as they leaned on each other. When she left, Fu Jun held her hand reluctantly.

The more Yao Si watched, the more astonished he became.

Once Yao Xuelian left, Yao Si followed her from afar.

At the lakeside, upon looking again, Yao Xuelian had vanished.

Yao Si felt cold sweat down his back.

He dared not linger at Fu Jun’s place anymore and quickly went to report to Old Master Yao.

Old Master Yao hadn’t slept yet.

Still occupied with matters of the day and handling family affairs, he stayed up late.

Yao Si met Old Master Yao in the study.

Upon entering the study, Yao Si said: "Master, indeed someone disguised as the Miss to meet Young Master Fu privately, though he didn’t recognize, I know it wasn’t her."

Old Master Yao was shocked: "Explain in detail."

Yao Si retold everything he saw, including the words exchanged between the fake Yao Xuelian and Fu Jun, word for word.

Listening to this, Old Master Yao’s expression was dark: "You didn’t follow the person to see what they were?"

Yao Si, slightly scared, said: "I followed but at the lakeside they vanished, I think... it’s possible they’re a spirit from the river."

Old Master Yao thought of something.

He recalled meeting Yao Sheng today, who greeted him and shared a joke from Anning, mentioning how Anning talked about demon energy at their doorstep.

Initially dismissing it with laughter, now it seemed Anning might have truly seen something.

Old Master Yao decided to talk to Anning in the morning.