“Old Madam, you…”

Zhao hesitated for a moment, then said nothing at all, quietly supporting Ma Fengying.

Ma Fengying let out a long sigh and dropped the subject she had just been discussing, no longer dwelling on her suspicions.

She only murmured, “I must be getting old—lately I keep dreaming of Kaikai. He’s covered in blood from head to toe, barely able to stand. He just stands there before me—sometimes smiling, sometimes waving at me, and sometimes…”

Yet once the seed of doubt has been planted, how easily can it be uprooted?

Although she was chatting idly with Zhao, a vague idea was already taking shape in her mind:

Who exactly could have harmed her beloved eldest grandson, Ming Kaikai? What really happened during that calamity years ago? Could it have been the Liu family? Could it have been Liu Qinxin? Was it Liu Qinxin, driven by ambition for the position of Madame Ming? Or was it the Liu clan, seeking to secure what belonged to the Ming family—did they poison Kaikai just to hold onto everything they now cling to?

Liu Fan is already dead.

Among those who were closest to Kaikai back then, there was also Liu Qingqing.

If her eyes weren’t blind, she should have seen that Liu Qingqing was very fond of Kaikai—indeed, even deeply infatuated with him.

But Kaikai never gave her the time of day.

Could it be that this petty, spiteful woman, harboring resentment over Kaikai’s repeated rejections, would resort to violence and harm him?

“Old Madam…”

While Ma Fengying was lost in these wild thoughts, Nanny Zhao gently called out to her from beside her.

Only then did Ma Fengying snap back to reality and ask Zhao, “Xiao Zhao, tell me—did Kaikai… did he come to take me away? Would he blame me? Now that he’s gone, not only have I failed to help him care for his younger siblings and Mother, but I’ve also taken out all my anger on his mother and Ming Yue. If Kaikai knew about this, wouldn’t he resent me, wouldn’t he hate me?”

“Old Madam, please stop indulging in such wild imaginings. Our eldest young master is the most magnanimous person, and he holds you in the highest esteem. Even if, as you say, after he passed away you were consumed by resentment and worry, and ended up doing some foolish things, your eldest young master would never truly hold it against you. If he were still here, he’d surely want you to live well and enjoy your golden years!”

“Really?”

“Of course! Have you forgotten just how filial he was to you back then?”

“I…”

“Now, now—just focus on taking care of your health.” Xiao Zhao smiled reassuringly, wiping the tears from Ma Fengying’s cheeks, then glanced back at the elderly couple behind them and lowered her voice: “Old Madam, those two are still standing there! Let’s hurry home—otherwise something might happen, and that crazy old lady from the Liu clan will start pestering us again, demanding an explanation. I might be able to beat her in a fight, but I’m not one to curse, and your health hasn’t fully recovered yet. We’re bound to come out on the losing end!”

Ma Fengying had already begun to calm down, a peaceful expression spreading across her weathered face.

But as soon as Zhao mentioned that “crazy old lady from the Liu clan,” it struck a nerve.

Ma Fengying shot a cold glance at the elderly Zhang couple behind them and snorted, “Afraid of her? Suffering a loss? What a joke! That old hag thinks I’m easy to push around?”

Zhao awkwardly tugged at her lips and remained silent.

Ma Fengying continued to mutter under her breath: “From now on, she’d better stay far away from me—otherwise I’ll show her just how tough Ma Fengying really is, and how much she’s got to put up with!”

End of Chapter 220: Counterattack 147