Yuan Ya'er was still reeling from the news when Yin Shulan's slightly surprised exclamation came from beside her.
"I knew someone was behind what happened all those years ago. I just knew that Zixi was wronged. Why didn't Yan Zhen investigate carefully back then before jumping to conclusions and giving up such a wonderful girl like Zixi?"
Steward Pang said, "Madam, you're wrong to think that. Thanks to Young Master Yan Zhen's lack of appreciation and his decision to abandon Miss Zixi, the third young master was able to marry Miss Zixi and they even had two lovely and smart children. Think about it, you and Sir had arranged so many girls for the third young master before, but he didn't take a fancy to any of them. Now he has a wife and children. It's a wonderful thing."
Yin Shulan said, "You're right. It truly is a wonderful thing."
The two of them talked as if no one else was around, and every word was a veiled dig at Yan Zhen and her. Yuan Ya'er was so angry she could barely contain herself.
Steward Pang sighed. "That Miss Ji from the Ji family has such a cruel heart. How could she bear to frame an innocent and pitiful girl like that? Fortunately, the truth has finally come out. After the third young master marries Miss Zixi, no one will gossip about them anymore. It's just a pity that Miss Zixi has now become a poor girl without any family."
Yin Shulan said, "I wonder what the Yuan family will think when they see this news. Ya'er, what do you think?"
After saying that, she looked at Yuan Ya'er. Her gaze was cold and scrutinizing, making cold sweat drip down Yuan Ya'er's forehead.
Steward Pang also said, "Miss Ya'er, why aren't you saying anything? You don't look happy at all."
What could Yuan Ya'er say? Could she admit that the photos were real and that she had personally designed the scheme and instructed Ji Xinyue to find someone to take the photos?!
Since she had been silent for so long, the suspicion in Yin Shulan's eyes became more and more obvious, causing Yuan Ya'er's heart to beat wildly.
Under the pressure, she tried her best to look surprised and happy as she said, "I'm just too shocked to say anything. It's great that the photos of Auntie were fake. Mom and Dad will be so happy when they find out! Maybe Auntie will even be able to reunite with Mom and Dad! I really can't wait to tell them this news!"
But her tone didn't sound happy at all. Instead, it carried a hint of deep - seated hatred.
Yin Shulan said, "You can call them right now."
Yuan Ya'er caught her breath and tightly grasped her handbag with the fingers at her side.
"Grandma is right. I... I'll call them right now."
Under the watchful eyes of Yin Shulan and Steward Pang, Yuan Ya'er took out her phone from her handbag and called her mother.
The phone rang twice before her mother answered eagerly. "Yaya, my dear baby, why did you call me so late? How was your rest after you went back yesterday? Did Yan Zhen take good care of you? Have you had breakfast? What are your plans for today?"
Her mother asked several questions in a row. Yuan Ya'er couldn't say much in front of Yin Shulan and Steward Pang, so she just said, "Mom, have you seen the news? Ji Xinyue suddenly revealed on the Internet that the photos of Sister Xiaoxi four years ago were deliberately Photoshopped and spread by her."
"What did you say?!" Her mother was extremely shocked and hesitated. "But four years ago, didn't you and Yan Zhen see her naked in the hotel with your own eyes? How could it be fake?"
Yuan Ya'er's knuckles stood out because she was gripping the phone so tightly.
"I... I don't know either... Maybe there's some misunderstanding."
Not daring to say more to her mother, Yuan Ya'er hung up the phone after making some random excuses. By this time, Steward Pang had turned off the TV. Just as Yuan Ya'er didn't know what to do, a loud noise suddenly came from upstairs, as if something had been smashed to the ground.
Steward Pang said, "I'll go upstairs and take a look."
After Steward Pang left, Yuan Ya'er said to Yin Shulan, "Grandma, I'd like to go to the restroom."
Yin Shulan said meaningfully, "Go ahead."
Once in the restroom, Yuan Ya'er locked herself in and immediately took out her phone to log in to the social platform to check the hot discussions on the Internet.
In the regional popularity trend, the three characters "#Xu Zixi#" were at the top of the list, followed closely by related hashtags such as "#Reporter Li Mao#", "#Ji Xinyue Yuan Ya'er#", "#Ji Xinyue Photoshop#", "#Xu Zixi Yuan Ya'er Fake and Real Daughter#".
Yuan Ya'er clicked on each one to see what had happened on the Internet during the time she had been at the Yan family!
Against the backdrop of the "slap" incident at her wedding with Yan Zhen, Ji Xinyue's video had successfully cleared Xu Zixi's name. She had transformed from a shameless slut into an innocent girl who had been framed, while Yuan Ya'er herself had been dug out for her photo with Ji Xinyue. People suspected that she had conspired with Ji Xinyue four years ago to frame Xu Zixi in order to steal Yan Zhen from her and the title of the Yan family's granddaughter - in - law!
Even her past in Xingcheng had been dug out by netizens! If she hadn't always been very careful about her words and deeds and left no obvious evidence, she would be as hated as Ji Xinyue by now!
But it was almost the same now. In the eyes of netizens, she, Yuan Ya'er, was a complete green - tea bitch and schemer.
And Yan Zhen was the stupid and narcissistic playboy who had been played by the schemer!
The more Yuan Ya'er read, the uglier her face became, and the more anxious and angry she felt.
She knew how fast information spread on the Internet and how wide its reach was. In just a few hours, the hot discussion on the Internet had been edited into news and broadcast on TV. Presumably, everyone in Fengcheng was laughing at her and Yan Zhen now?
As for the Yuan family, she had told her mother the news under Yin Shulan's watchful eyes. What would happen in the Yuan family? Would they pay attention to what was on the Internet? Would they suspect what had happened four years ago just like the netizens? Would they change their view of Yuan Xi?
She never thought that all her painstaking efforts over the past four years would be completely destroyed today!
Suddenly raising her head, Yuan Ya'er remembered the noise that had come from the second floor.
That's right, Yan Zhen was still in the study on the second floor!
What on earth had Old Master Yan said to him to cause such a loud noise? Was it also related to the news on the Internet?
Although the scheme had seemed flawless on the surface four years ago, now that the key physical evidence and witnesses had appeared one after another, even if Yan Zhen was slow and arrogant, he should start to have doubts, right?
No, she had to think of a way quickly to turn the situation around!