Over the years, Zhao Jiadi's gaze towards Zhao Zhaodi always held something indescribable, like a needle dipped in honey—gentle on the surface, yet revealing a sticky, lingering attachment.

Their daily interactions and gestures also carried a hint of ambiguity.

Even their father had his suspicions and secretly sent people to investigate.

They tried several times to find Zhao Zhaodi and Zhao Jiadi alone, but they were always turned away.

They truly treated each other with utmost respect, a perfect master-servant relationship, nothing more.

After being falsely accused several times, Zhao Zhaodi became enraged and forced her deceased father to sign a contract, threatening to report her to the police if he continued to falsely accuse her of having an affair with Zhao Jiadi. This finally quelled the storm.

So when the rumors about this incident broke out, and they were so detailed and convincing, Zhao Lijie and Zhao Fenfang couldn't hold back any longer, and the suspicions they had suppressed for so long suddenly spread.

"I……"

Zhao Jia opened his mouth, but his throat felt blocked.

People his age are most superstitious about ghosts and gods and retribution, so how could he dare to make such a solemn oath so easily?

Especially when you have something to hide, you're so panicked your legs will spin.

"You're all blinded by greed!"

Zhao Zhaodi quickly interrupted, her voice sharp like a cat being stepped on: "You all learned bad things from your father! How many people did your father bring to find fault with me and Lao Zhao back then? And what happened? It proved that we were innocent!"

"To put it bluntly, we're practically half-buried now, and you're still spreading these kinds of rumors. Are you trying to drive us to our deaths? What kind of children are you?"

"We sent it?"

Zhao Fenfang sneered, pulled a crumpled newspaper from her pocket, and slapped it in front of Zhao Zhaodi.

"Who in Haicheng doesn't know now? They say someone found your diary, which contains your shameful affair with this old man! And proof that Zhao Shikai is your biological son!"

“It’s written down very clearly, even the days you two secretly met in the woodshed are remembered!”

The densely packed lead type on the newspaper, like countless ants crawling across it, made Zhao Zhaodi dizzy.

Looking at the headline "Secrets of the Zhao Family," she felt dizzy and her legs went weak, almost causing her to fall.