Zhang’s father and Zhang’s mother had no idea what was going on—how could this old lady suddenly start laughing?

Just listening to Ming Yue’s story was unbearably painful; it felt as if someone were choking her, so they didn’t press further, quietly waiting for the old lady to continue.

Of course, their hearts were churning with one shock after another.

They weren’t fools, after all.

The old lady had made her point so clearly—how could they fail to see the underlying truth?

In the end, it was exactly as the old lady said:

Ming’s three children and their crazy mother had gotten in the way of someone else.

As the saying goes, “A gentleman is blameless; it is the possession of a precious jade that brings guilt.”

That was the whole story.

This Liu family—and that Liu Xiaosan…they both bear responsibility!

But what about the man who cheated? What role did he play?

Was he completely unaware, or was he an accomplice?

The Zhangs couldn’t guess, nor did they have the energy to keep guessing.

They looked at each other, both eyes gleaming with a single, resolute thought: This Liu Qingqing must never be married off, and this Liu family must never be touched.

A family that has done good deeds should not let a single rotten apple spoil the whole bunch, much less ruin future generations because of one bad seed.

Yet Yang Yang was now utterly infatuated with that woman, determined to marry her at all costs.

Kicking that seductive vixen out the door wouldn’t be easy, though!

As the couple were worrying, the old lady suddenly burst into laughter.

She covered her mouth halfway and asked the Zhangs, “Do you know what that child did after she came back?”

“What did she do?” Zhang Mama asked, following up on the old lady’s question.

At once, the old lady perked up, slapped her thigh, and became very interested. “Haha, now there’s a story to tell! I still remember that on the very first day she returned, she turned Ming’s household upside down—our neighbors all heard it, it was quite a spectacle!”

“Did she throw a tantrum at Ming’s house?” Zhang Mama asked curiously.

The old lady quickly shook her head. Just when Zhang Mama thought she’d guessed wrong, the old lady laughed out loud: “Not only that! After being away for a few years, that child was practically unrecognizable—at least toward the Ming family and the Liu family. Oh my, oh my, it was something extraordinary!”

“Old sister, just how extraordinary was it?” Zhang Mama asked eagerly, partly out of curiosity but also to go along with the old lady and show her support.

Sure enough, once the old lady got excited, she launched into a long-winded tale.

She moved closer to Zhang Mama, speaking in a storytelling style, slowly unfolding the events from the moment Ming Yue returned and caused such a commotion at the Ming household. Although the old lady wasn’t entirely clear on exactly what had happened at the Ming home, she seemed to know about almost every lively incident and, using her vivid imagination, painted a dazzling picture of a fallen rich girl seeking revenge for her family.

When she finished, the old lady sighed and said, “Alas! It’s a pity that the child hasn’t shown up lately—no one knows where she’s gone. But judging by my experience, she certainly hasn’t left! How could she possibly walk away when such a great grudge remains unavenged?”

“Old sister, you…” Zhang’s father hesitated, thinking to himself, “Your story is certainly fascinating, but it does stretch things a bit too far. After all, from beginning to end, there’s been no concrete evidence or any sign pointing to Ming Yue herself.”

End of Chapter 223: Counterattack 150