Volume One, Chapter 10: Bullying an Orphan

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Huo Shixu suspected that Song Nanyi had poisoned her.

She found it laughable.

The supplements she bought were purchased from a legitimate store and were not opened when delivered to the hospital.

Not to mention, she would never do something like poisoning.

Even if Su Yuan was poisoned by something she ate, shouldn’t the supplier or manufacturer of the supplements be the ones questioned?

Why was she being blamed?

“Huo Shixu, speak with evidence,” she said, unwilling to argue but unwilling to wear just any accusation either. “Why would I poison her? Or do you just naturally assume that if something happens to Su Yuan, it must be my doing?”

“Song Nanyi.” Huo Shixu suddenly raised his voice. “She was poisoned because of the supplements you gave her. If it wasn’t you who poisoned her, then was it me?”

Huo Shixu was convinced of this.

Song Nanyi was at a loss for words.

In a past life, she might have argued with him over such matters.

Now, she found it unnecessary.

“If you’ve already made up your mind, why bother asking me?” Song Nanyi pushed open the car door and stepped out.

Huo Shixu followed closely and grabbed her wrist.

“Song Nanyi, are you feeling guilty?”

He tightened his grip.

Her wrist throbbed painfully under his hold.

“Huo Shixu, what do you want from me? Why force me to admit to something I never did? Is Su Yuan that important to you? Have you forgotten that I am your wife? She’s just an orphan.”

The word “orphan” struck a nerve.

His expression grew colder, his voice nearly a shout.

“So you think it’s alright to bully an orphan?”

Song Nanyi’s heart ached.

She weakly curled her lips.

“Then just think of it as me bullying her.”

“You…” Huo Shixu was furious, dragging her toward the car.

“Come with me to the hospital now. Let’s see how Yuan is doing.”

Song Nanyi neither refused nor could refuse.

Night deepened.

She had no mood to enjoy the city’s nightscape.

At the hospital,

Su Yuan was taken in for gastric lavage.

Huo Shixu’s assistant, Jiang Huai, waited by the emergency room entrance.

Seeing them, he approached.

“Mr. Huo, madam.”

Huo Shixu immediately asked, “How is she? Is she out of danger? What did the doctors say? How long has she been in there? Have you told the doctors to use the best treatment available?”

Song Nanyi quietly watched Huo Shixu, her heart aching uncontrollably.

Suddenly, she remembered in her past life, when she’d eaten countless viral slimming pills to lose weight.

She had been vomiting and suffering diarrhea.

When taken to the hospital for gastric lavage, Huo Shixu was just like this, repeatedly asking the doctors if she would be alright.

She recalled that when he came out of the emergency room, he was in tears.

He held her and begged her not to take those things again.

Huo Shixu really hadn’t changed.

His way of loving—or his feelings—remained just as impatient and urgent.

But at this moment, his love and care felt painful and ironic to Song Nanyi.

Jiang Huai glanced at Song Nanyi and lowered his voice.

“Mr. Huo, the doctor said that after the gastric lavage, it’s not a big problem. Don’t worry too much.”

“How can I not worry? She’s still injured and weak…” Perhaps realizing he had been too anxious, he softened his tone. “She doesn’t have many relatives left. It’s quite pitiful. Since we’re sponsoring her, we should at least take responsibility.”

Jiang Huai pursed his lips.

Song Nanyi had nothing to say.

When Su Yuan came out of the emergency room,

her face was pale and her body weak.

Seeing Huo Shixu, she forced a smile.

“Brother Shixu, I’m fine. Just ate something bad, don’t worry.”

“Assistant Jiang, take Yuan back to the ward to rest. I’ll check with the doctor.”

“Understood, Mr. Huo.”

While Huo Shixu spoke with the doctor in the office,

Song Nanyi stood outside the door.

Her lashes lowered, her gaze falling on the diamond ring on her ring finger.

A 6.18-carat diamond—large and dazzling.

The number was her birthday.

Huo Shixu had proposed to her with this ring.

He said it was lucky, that their lives would be smooth and prosperous.

She believed him.

She never imagined that one day she would entrust her life into his hands.

That baby became a lifelong regret and an unshakable nightmare.

Song Nanyi gently took off the ring.

Just as she was about to throw it into the trash, she thought better of it.

Such a large diamond would be worth something if sold.

So she put it back in her bag.

Looking at her slender, beautiful fingers, now without the ring’s decoration, they seemed even more lovely.

She turned her face and looked through the transparent glass of the doctor’s office door at the man inside.

Her gaze dropped to the ring finger on his left hand.

He must have taken off his wedding ring a long time ago.

The mark left on his finger was fading.

Just like their marriage—it had come and gone, as if it had never been.

Huo Shixu finished discussing the situation with the doctor.

He came out with a solemn face.

Song Nanyi didn’t ask about Su Yuan’s condition, and he didn’t mention it again.

He only said lightly, “Next time when you buy something, check the expiration date carefully. Otherwise, good intentions might turn into harm.”

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Song Nanyi didn’t care.

Whether it was good will or ill, it all depended on how much Huo Shixu cared for Su Yuan.

“If it’s nothing to do with me, then I’ll leave.”

Song Nanyi turned to go, but Huo Shixu grabbed her arm gently, his tone softening.

“You haven’t eaten all day. Let’s get something to eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“How about some porridge? Your stomach isn’t good anyway.” He insisted.

Song Nanyi looked up at him.

“After I finish the porridge, can I go home?”

“Are you really that unwilling to stay with me?”

She couldn’t answer his question.

In the end,

Song Nanyi followed Huo Shixu to a porridge shop next to the hospital.

The shop wasn’t upscale.

It wasn’t mealtime, so there weren’t many customers.

Huo Shixu ordered two bowls of porridge.

One shrimp porridge, and one yam and vegetable porridge.

He placed the yam and vegetable porridge in front of Song Nanyi.

“You’re vegetarian; have this.”

The porridge smelled fragrant.

Song Nanyi smiled bitterly.

Indifference was just another form of forgetting.

“Huo Shixu, I’m allergic to yam.”

Huo Shixu paused, then awkwardly switched his shrimp porridge to her.

“Then have this.”

“I don’t like shrimp,” she said.

She guessed Huo Shixu had probably ordered the porridge according to Su Yuan’s taste.

She gently pushed the porridge aside.

“You drink it.”

“I… I’ve been busy lately…” Huo Shixu tried to cover, then got up and ordered another bowl of vegetable corn porridge. “Here, try this.”

Song Nanyi looked at the man, refusing to give him even a glance.

Still, it was hard for him to go and order another bowl just for her.

“Huo Shixu, when you’re done with your work, calmly think about our divorce.”

Huo Shixu didn’t look up, gently blowing on his spoonful of porridge.

“Why, do you have someone else already?”

Such baseless accusations made Song Nanyi frown.

The phrase “the villain accuses first” took on a tangible form here.

“If there’s no love left, what does it matter if there is someone else or not?” Song Nanyi said calmly, as if she had never loved him. “I know what you care about is the impact the divorce would have on the company. We can divorce quietly.”

“Have you talked to your parents about this?” He still hadn’t looked up, nor changed his pace of eating.

Song Nanyi took a deep breath.

“If you agree, I’ll tell my parents. They’ve always respected my decisions.”