At first, when he heard it, he naturally didn’t believe it, but with the evidence Lame Li laid out, he couldn’t help but believe it.

That day, a man’s pride, a man’s dignity, a man’s backbone, were all utterly destroyed and trampled.

Jian Huaifeng only felt that his life was a joke. Although he had no fame, fortune, or high status, he thought he had lived a peaceful and prosperous life, not in vain.

But who would have thought, his wife was cheating on him, and his son wasn’t even his! And he had given everything to the mother and son! No man could endure this!

What pained him more was that his supposedly best friend was the one personally betraying him!

Once he came to this realization, his first instinct was to confront Prefect Yu and ask him why he did this.

Lame Li stopped him, however.

But after a moment, Jian Huaifeng came to his senses, took a deep breath, rubbed his face, and suppressed everything in his heart, appearing normal on the outside, though his eyes were filled with hatred, pain, and despair, like flames ready to burn anyone to ashes.

"Old Li, early tomorrow morning, go to Lord Yu and request leave for me, tell him I’m sick and need a few days off!" After a long silence, Jian Huaifeng instructed.

Lame Li naturally had no objections.

That night, Lady Bai didn’t return. The next day, when she heard he was sick, she came back, consulted a doctor, and was told his body was severely weakened and needed quiet rest and recuperation.

Lady Bai offered no other explanation, only had medicine prepared and instructed people to send word to the Yu Residence, saying it was better for Brother Guan to stay there to avoid getting sick.

Previously, seeing and hearing these things, Jian Huaifeng might have thought Lady Bai was overly worried about Brother Guan, but now he realized Lady Bai simply didn’t want Brother Guan to spend more time with his so-called father.

Lady Bai still acted like a dutiful wife, caring daily, but only instructing the servants and occasionally coming over herself.

Jian Huaifeng didn’t want to see Lady Bai either, for fear he couldn’t suppress his rage and murderous thoughts, simply stating he needed quiet recovery and Lady Bai should take good care of Brother Guan.

Lady Bai was used to it, assuming everything was the same as before, with not the slightest suspicion, and went back to staying at the Yu Residence conveniently.

No one suspected anything there either, after all, everyone had seen Jian Huaifeng’s emaciated state when he returned to Luzhou after three years of mourning, looking as though he might collapse at any moment from a gust of wind, so falling ill now was only natural.

Perhaps all these years, their affair went unnoticed by Jian Huaifeng, causing them to be less cautious than before.

Jian Huaifeng knew Luzhou was Prefect Yu’s domain, where any major move could be discovered.

He had only Lame Li to trust, so he feigned illness while discreetly investigating.

Fortunately, after these years in Luzhou, he wasn’t entirely without resources, having established some connections, quietly asking someone to inquire into Prefect Yu’s family.

It turned out, Lady Bai had been raised beside Prefect Yu’s parents from a young age, and had a long-standing affection with Prefect Yu.

Originally, there were plans for them to marry when they came of age, but Prefect Yu, aspiring for greater ambitions, went to Capital City for the imperial examinations and was favored by a Noble Patron, who wished to marry his daughter to him.

Prefect Yu had a heart set on climbing the ranks; with a ladder to the skies handed to him, there was no reason to delay, so he agreed and later wed the daughter of the Capital City’s Noble Patron.

Lady Bai expected Prefect Yu to marry her after his successful exams, but who would have thought her cousin would marry elsewhere, and she was left with no family, relying solely on the Yu family.

When Prefect Yu remarried, she had nowhere to go, and Prefect Yu’s parents, unwilling to let her go, all considered her their daughter-in-law, disowning the Capital City daughter-in-law. Unable to leave her cousin and the Yu family, she stayed.

Prefect Yu’s wife, worldly and perceptive, noticed something amiss after meeting this cousin and intended to send Lady Bai away for some time, merely lacking a suitable opportunity.

When Prefect Yu mentioned arranging a marriage for Jian Huaifeng, his wife immediately thought of Lady Bai.

Prefect Yu hesitated at first, but with his wife watching, and needing favors from her family, he agreed.

After persuading his parents and Lady Bai, they finally relented.

Lady Bai, having no means to support herself, reluctantly agreed, unable to choose for herself in the end.

After marriage, seeing Jian Huaifeng’s youth and promise, she initially thought of spending her life with him, better than staying indefinitely at the Yu family home.

And as Prefect Yu’s cousin, returning to the Yu family now meant the sister-in-law looked at her differently.

Had it continued like this, it might’ve been fine, but once when Jian Huaifeng went out on assignment, leaving her alone, Prefect Yu’s parents brought Lady Bai into the backyard worriedly.

That night, Prefect Yu came to pay respects after drinking too much and somehow ended up in Lady Bai’s room, taking advantage of his intoxication to achieve his desires.

Initially, Lady Bai was ashamed and furious, wishing to die, but Prefect Yu knelt before her, overwhelmed with tears and remorse, expressing he never forgot her, but was forced by the tigress at home to marry her out. Each sight of her pained him deeply.

Despite offending his cousin now, he candidly admitted feeling joyous in his heart, even willing to die content today.

These words eased Lady Bai’s heart momentarily.

Moreover, with Prefect Yu’s parents helping, claiming they always saw her as their daughter-in-law. What happened was because her cousin couldn’t bear losing her, all blaming the domineering Capital City daughter-in-law. Otherwise, the four of them living happily ever after.

Prefect Yu’s parents were simple country folk with some modest land, unexposed to the world, and looked down upon by the Capital City daughter-in-law, only maintaining superficial manners.

Even with grandchildren, she restricted their interactions with the grandparents, who believed daughters-in-law should defer to in-laws and took no joy in having such a daughter-in-law.

Lady Bai, on the other hand, was careful and respectful, naturally endearing herself to them.

Yet, they weren’t entirely foolish, knowing their son still depended on the formidable daughter-in-law’s family.

Seeing what their son did, fearing Lady Bai would make noise, ruining his reputation, and angering the daughter-in-law, jeopardizing his future.

Thus, they coaxed and pressured Lady Bai.

Lady Bai, lacking her own judgments, always heeded the Yu family’s words, succumbed to their persuasion.

Fearing death, she hoped it was a one-time incident, apologizing in her heart to her husband, yet unable to reveal the truth and ruin her cousin’s prospects.

And so, the matter was smoothed over.