Volume 1, Chapter 9: You Poisoned Her

Huo Shixu was annoyed. He almost slammed the table in front of Song Nanyi.

Song Nanyi looked at the man who had lost his patience, her eyes cold. "Huo Shixu, when we got married, you said that no matter whose fault it was, it was yours. Now, do you feel wronged?"

"I..." He was once again at a loss for words.

Huo Shixu suppressed his temper. He raised his hand, unbuttoned his collar, pulled out a cigarette, and took a drag.

He had never smoked in front of Song Nanyi before.

Song Nanyi had laryngitis, and the smell of smoke always made her cough uncontrollably.

But now, he didn’t care so much.

After two puffs, Huo Shixu stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray on the coffee table.

"Get ready these next couple of days. I’m taking you to the auction in Paris."

"No, I have a business trip," Song Nanyi refused.

Huo Shixu’s anger flared up immediately. "Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for me? Song Nanyi, you’re not young anymore. Can you be less willful and more tolerant and magnanimous? Is that so hard? Didn’t you say at the beginning that we would celebrate every wedding anniversary together?"

Song Nanyi hadn’t forgotten.

But back then, she loved Huo Shixu, and he loved her.

Now, besides impatience and irritation, what else did he have to offer her?

Love?

That love was gone long ago.

Since love no longer existed, why bother pretending to be a loving couple they both found tiresome?

Seeing Huo Shixu lose control, Song Nanyi suddenly smiled.

This Huo Shixu overlapped with the Huo Shixu from her previous life.

He must have loved Su Yuan deeply.

So much so that he no longer pretended in front of her.

"Let’s get a divorce, Huo Shixu," she said calmly.

"You..."

Huo Shixu flew into a rage and smashed the vase on the coffee table.

The flowers Song Nanyi had just arranged today, along with the water, spilled everywhere.

Right then, a call came from the Huo family’s old mansion.

It rang for a long time before Huo Shixu finally answered, suppressing his breath. "Hello, Mom."

"Your grandfather and your father started arguing again today over the matter of you and Song Nanyi having a child. You two should come over."

The call was on speakerphone.

Song Nanyi heard everything clearly.

Huo Shixu put away his phone and looked at her. "Come with me back to the old mansion."

...

As soon as they entered the Huo family’s old mansion, a fierce argument was underway.

"The scandals about your grandson are so numerous they could knit a sweater. If I were Nanyi, I wouldn’t have given him a child either."

"Huo Shixu is useless. I can scold him, but this great-grandson must be born immediately."

"Dad, can you be reasonable? They don’t want to have a child, can you force them to?"

"Do you want the Huo family line to end? Let me tell you, Huo Mingda, if they don’t have a child, it’s because of your indulgence. You’ve failed as a father."

The father and son were at daggers drawn.

Huo Shixu hesitated at the door before stepping inside.

"Grandpa, Dad," they greeted together.

Huo Mingda looked at his son with displeasure. "Just in time. You can explain to your grandfather why, after three years of marriage, you still haven’t given him a great-grandson."

Song Nanyi glanced at Huo Mingda.

In the first two years of their marriage, Huo Mingda had never pressured them about having children.

Her mother-in-law, Sun Aiyun, hadn’t even mentioned it once.

It wasn’t because they were understanding.

The truth was, Sun Aiyun simply disliked Song Nanyi.

The reason was simple—not about family background or personality clashes.

It was because when Huo Shixu was courting Song Nanyi, he was so humble that it made the old mother feel sorry for him.

Her dislike for Song Nanyi didn’t mean she would like the woman who couldn’t bring honor to the family and bore a child with Huo Shixu.

So...

Lately, both the in-laws and Song Nanyi’s own family had been pressuring them to conceive.

Song Nanyi felt pathetic.

In this life, she and Huo Shixu would never have children.

"Grandpa, we..." Huo Shixu tried to explain something.

"Your father says the scandals about you are flying everywhere. Is there any truth to that?" Huo Zhengcheng, inherently imposing, especially when glaring, looked like a stern temple guardian.

Song Nanyi was quite afraid of him and didn’t dare to raise her eyes.

Huo Shixu didn’t deny the rumors but said, "We’re trying to conceive and should have good news soon."

"Trying to conceive?" Huo Zhengcheng slammed the table heavily and asked sharply, "With whom are you trying to conceive? Huo Shixu, I’m telling you, the Huo family does not tolerate infidelity. Stay far away from those loose women outside."

"That’s not true," Huo Shixu didn’t admit it.

Changing the subject was his specialty.

Song Nanyi watched his performance calmly — the act of his deep affection for her.

"Grandpa, Nanyi and I have a good relationship. We will give you a great-grandson. This can’t be rushed. Please be patient."

"If I have to be patient much longer, I’ll be dead and buried," Huo Zhengcheng said with a grim face.

Sun Aiyun came out to smooth things over. "Dad, Shixu is busy with work. The pregnancy depends on the woman, right?"

After she said this...

Sun Aiyun looked at Song Nanyi.

Song Nanyi didn’t lift her gaze, so she withdrew her eyes.

"I have a friend who’s an obstetrician. I’ll make an appointment for Nanyi to get checked soon. You don’t have to be angry with them."

"Having a child isn’t just about what the man wants," Huo Mingda said, glancing at his useless son. "With all these scandals, I think certain people might have lost their ability to have children."

Huo Shixu’s face darkened.

Seeing his expression, Huo Mingda’s anger intensified. "What? Did I say something wrong? Huo Shixu, look at what you’ve become—rumors everywhere, not caring about the Huo family’s reputation, your own, or Nanyi’s. You’re unfaithful, and you still have the nerve."

"I’m not unfaithful. Stop guessing," Huo Shixu lowered his head.

He knew that once Huo Mingda started scolding him, Huo Zhengcheng wouldn’t hold back either.

He quietly endured the elders’ onslaught.

During this, his phone screen lit up and went dark, on and off repeatedly.

After the fourth time, Song Nanyi couldn’t help but glance at the phone beside Huo Shixu.

Just as she suspected—

It was messages from Su Yuan.

All were voice messages, and she didn’t know the content.

Though Huo Shixu didn’t argue with the elders, as Su Yuan’s messages increased, he grew more irritated and restless.

"I understand what you mean. Nanyi and I will try harder. I have important matters to attend to. We’re leaving now."

He took Song Nanyi’s hand and stood up to leave.

Huo Mingda, still furious, hurled a white porcelain vase at his departing back.

"Dad, I really think he’s lost his mind. If he doesn’t repent soon, his marriage will be over."

...

After leaving the Huo family mansion, Huo Shixu helped Song Nanyi into the car first.

He then took his phone and listened to the messages from Su Yuan.

Through the car window, Song Nanyi looked at his increasingly tense jaw and wondered what Su Yuan was saying.

Was she acting coy?

Asking him to accompany her?

Or perhaps...

Song Nanyi sneered. There was no way she could guess their true intentions.

After listening to the voice messages, Huo Shixu’s face darkened as he bent to sit in the car.

"Yuan took the supplements you sent and got food poisoning. She’s being treated now," he said with a venomous tone toward Song Nanyi, "What exactly did you put in those supplements? Song Nanyi, this is serious—someone’s life is at stake. How could you dare?"