The blood-soaked figure spoke as it steadily closed in on Ma Fengying, its bloody hands reaching for her neck.

Ma Fengying was both terrified and shocked, scrambling backward while waving her hands frantically. “Xiao Kai! That’s not how it is—this isn’t what happened! Listen to Grandma; I’m just…”

“Just what?”

Before she could finish, the blood-soaked figure had already darted right up to her.

Startled, Ma Fengying bit her tongue, stumbling over her words as she kept repeating, “I… I… I,” retreating further and further.

Soon after, she tumbled to the ground.

Her face turned deathly pale, and she hastily waved her hands, stammering, “Xiao Kai, I… I didn’t… I…”

“Grandma didn’t do what? Didn’t bully my mother, or didn’t bully Yueyue?”

The blood-soaked figure halted before Ma Fengying, slowly crouching down beside her and once again extending that hand toward her.

Ma Fengying immediately shut her eyes, shrinking back in fear while flailing her arms wildly in front of her.

As she flailed, Ma Fengying, seated in the wicker chair, suddenly let out a scream of terror and shot upright—only then did she finally realize: it had all been a dream! A nightmare!

Sweat broke out on Ma Fengying’s forehead, and after letting out a long, relieved sigh, she slowly stood up.

Looking again at the spot where she’d been half-asleep in her dream, there was nothing there—just yellow-and-green flower branches swaying gently in the breeze.

Ma Fengying wiped the sweat from her brow and murmured, “Xiao Kai, why would you blame Grandma? Grandma loves you more than anything—how could you possibly blame her?”

No sooner had Ma Fengying finished her muttering than Nanny Zhao hurried over, glanced around, and then leaned in close to her, speaking in a hushed voice: “Old Madam, something’s happened at the Liu household!”

The two families didn’t live far from each other.

Whenever there was even the slightest stir, they always knew about it.

So Ma Fengying wasn’t surprised at all.

Lately, the Liu household had been especially “bustling”—all sorts of dramas had played out, but she had no interest in gossip whatsoever. Her mind was still stuck on that scene she’d just seen—the sight of her most outstanding, most promising grandson, Xiao Kai, reduced to a bloody mess.

She was truly afraid!

And she truly felt heartbroken…

Over the years, she had imagined more than once: if only that accident hadn’t happened back then—if Xiao Kai hadn’t dated that damned woman—would things have turned out completely differently?

Liu Lai… She loved her dearly, treasured her deeply, held her precious in her heart. But compared with her eldest grandson, Ming Kai, there was simply no comparison at all.

To put it bluntly, Lai Lai’s temperament and intelligence couldn’t even begin to match those of her disabled grandson, Ming Yao.

But what could she do?

Xiao Kai was gone, and Yao was plainly useless—a complete liability. The only one she could pin her hopes on and rely on was little Liu Lai.

The Ming family needed this little grandson—and she needed him too!

“Old Madam? What’s wrong with you?” Seeing that Ma Fengying wasn’t responding, as if she were lost in thought and hadn’t heard a word, Zhao grabbed her arm, bit her pale lips, and whispered again, “Old Madam, did you hear what I just said? The Liu family… something’s happened at the Liu household!”

“What’s so alarming about that? The Liu family…” Ma Fengying let out a few cold, mocking laughs. “Doesn’t the Liu family have problems every single day these days? When have they ever had a quiet moment? Forget us—our neighbors on either side are probably sick of hearing about it already. Let them do whatever they want—it’s embarrassing enough as it is. As long as it doesn’t spill over into our house, let them go wild!”

End of Chapter 160: Counterattack 86