expression
avoid even the slightest suspicion; leave no room for scandal
A literary yojijukugo warning against behavior that could invite suspicion, even if innocent. Derived from the proverb about not adjusting one's hat under a plum tree or one's shoes in a melon field.
李下瓜田の故事に倣い、疑われるような行動は慎むべきだ。
Following the lesson of 李下瓜田, one should refrain from behavior that might invite suspicion.
Same meaning, but with the elements reversed; both are used interchangeably as yojijukugo.
From a classical Chinese proverb: 'Do not adjust your hat under a plum tree, nor your shoes in a melon field,' meaning avoid situations that could arouse suspicion. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the phrase is conventionally associated with this cautionary tale.