Volume One, Chapter 34: The Childhood Bride Raised in the Countryside

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She had clearly seen Su Wan pour all the salt from the salt jar into the sink and wash it away. How, then, could there be nitrite in the jar again?

“I didn’t even know what that nitrite stuff was. Earlier, when I was cooking, I used the salt from the jar. While making the soup, I accidentally knocked the jar over and spilled the salt. Xiaohui happened to come by and brought me a bag of salt, so I used the salt she gave me to make the soup.”

“Auntie Wu saw all of this.”

“Yes, this winter melon and kelp soup was made with the bag of salt that Xiaohui brought. At the time, I thought it was rather strange. That morning, there had clearly been only half a bag left, but when Xiaohui took it out, there seemed to be much more.” Auntie Wu nodded repeatedly as she gave her testimony.

Su Wan furrowed her brows, her eyes rimmed red as she spoke in a helpless, aggrieved voice. “Uncle Huo promised that if I did well in my exams, he would help me transfer schools. He even said that if I failed, he would still find me a good job, introduce me to someone, and help me settle down in Beiping. Why would I do such a thing?”

Then she turned toward Su Xiaohui with an expression of pain and sorrow. “Xiaohui, I know that you went on blind dates with Commander Huo for half a year without success, and that you like him very much. But how could you do this?”

Sitting in a chair, Fang Yu’s lips darkened as she struggled to appear weak and frail. Suddenly, she understood. “So you had gone on a blind date with Commander Huo before. No wonder you were so attentive to me, constantly sitting beside me and serving me food while barely eating yourself.”

Li Sumei had never imagined that matters would develop this way. She immediately turned her fury on Su Xiaohui. “You’re nothing but a young country girl, yet you have such a vicious heart. Because Commander Huo rejected you, you actually tried to poison my daughter to death? I’m reporting this to the authorities!”

Compared with Su Wan, Su Xiaohui clearly had both the motive and the opportunity. Su Wan’s grades were poor—she had scored only twenty-three in chemistry and probably could not even recite the entire periodic table. How could she possibly know what nitrite was?

Su Xiaohui, on the other hand, had ranked twenty-ninth in the entire county. She certainly knew something about nitrites.

Su Xiaohui’s face instantly turned deathly pale. She bit her lip hard, her pupils contracting.

She realized with absolute clarity that Su Wan had seen through her scheme.

From the very beginning, Su Wan had recognized the nitrite Su Xiaohui had mixed into the table salt. She had simply turned the trap against its maker, deliberately spilling the salt jar in front of her and then making her bring over another bag of salt.

She had made sure Auntie Wu witnessed the scene, then replaced the edible salt with the nitrite Su Xiaohui had mixed in.

Her attempt to frame Su Wan had failed and instead rebounded on her.

Su Xiaohui had truly never imagined that her foolish elder sister would one day become so clever.

Under the complex, piercing gazes of Uncle Huo and Huo Jun, Su Xiaohui gritted her teeth and dropped to her knees in panic, wearing an expression of complete innocence.

“Uncle Huo, Brother Huo, I didn’t do it on purpose. I found this salt while passing a delicatessen. I saw the words ‘nitrite’ written on it and thought it was ordinary salt. I even tasted some, and it was indeed salty. So I brought the bag home and poured it into the salt sack. I truly didn’t know nitrite was poisonous.

“If I had known, why would I have eaten rice soaked in winter melon and kelp soup?”

As she wept and desperately explained herself, Su Xiaohui began vomiting in agony, her face contorted with pain.

Then she turned to Fang Yu and began apologizing, repeatedly banging her head against the floor with loud thuds.

“Sister Fang Yu, I truly didn’t know nitrite was poisonous. It was all my fault. I shouldn’t have picked up things from the roadside. I was only especially kind to you because you were my senior at school. I really didn’t mean any harm.”

Su Xiaohui’s greatest talent was playing the victim and making herself appear miserable. At that moment, she looked as wretched as possible, a red mark already visible on her forehead from the pounding.

“Who’s your senior? You didn’t even know what nitrite was—you were trying to kill me!” Fang Yu clutched at her throat, finding it increasingly difficult to breathe. She wished she could strike Su Xiaohui herself.

But with the Huo family, especially Commander Huo, watching her, she could only endure it.

Li Sumei wanted nothing more than to kill Su Xiaohui. Pointing at her, she flew into a rage.

“You say you didn’t know, but who would believe you? What a coincidence—that you happened to find nitrite precisely when my daughter and I came to the Huo family for a marriage meeting.

“You wild country girl, don’t you know your own place? You reach for every high branch you see. I’ll make sure the authorities investigate everything. I will never let a poisoner and murderer like you off!”

“Auntie Li, I’m sorry, I’m truly sorry. I really didn’t know.” Su Xiaohui cried even more pitifully. She lay on the floor sobbing and vomiting, her face as pale as a sheet.

When no one from the Huo family came to stop or comfort her, she simply raised her hand and began striking her own face with all her strength.

“Grandmother Huo, Uncle Huo, it was all my fault. I shouldn’t have brought something I found outside home.”

The slap had reddened nearly half her face. Then she began striking herself from side to side, one blow after another, with not the slightest restraint.

Su Wan stood to one side, watching coldly. Su Xiaohui’s actions only strengthened her belief that the original owner had indeed been wrongly accused. Someone capable of being this ruthless toward herself would be even more ruthless toward others.

She had even staged an accident in which a cow supposedly crushed her leg. What were a few slaps by comparison?

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Seeing this, Huo Hong hurried over to stop her. After all, Su Xiaohui had also been poisoned.

At that moment, Su Xiaohui suddenly foamed at the mouth, began convulsing violently, and fainted. Li Sumei, who had still been preparing to scold her, froze in shock. Everyone else was badly frightened as well, and they hurried to perform emergency first aid.

The military hospital ambulance arrived just then. Su Xiaohui, unconscious and foaming at the mouth, was carried onto it first. Li Sumei then helped Fang Yu onto the ambulance.

The rest of the Huo family also went to the hospital for examinations, and every dish on the table was taken away for testing.

In the end, it was confirmed that only the winter melon and kelp soup contained nitrite. All the other dishes were normal.

None of the three had eaten very much. Fang Yu was in slightly worse condition and needed two additional bottles of intravenous fluids, while Su Xiaohui had the mildest symptoms.

As for why Su Xiaohui had suddenly foamed at the mouth, convulsed, and passed out, it had nothing to do with the poisoning.

The exact cause would not be known until she regained consciousness and underwent a full examination.

Over the course of the day, the Huo family apologized repeatedly, personally escorted the women home, paid all their medical expenses, and even sent them a tin of specialty tea and two bottles of Maotai as compensation.

Seeing how generous the Huo family was, and considering that they might become relatives by marriage in the future, Li Sumei did not continue pursuing the matter. The true culprit was still lying unconscious in a hospital bed, after all.

However, she said directly to Huo Hong, who had brought them home:

“Director Huo, I’ll consider today’s incident an accident, but I’ll speak plainly. If Commander Huo wants to marry our Fang Yu, those two girls cannot continue living in the Huo household. They’re all unmarried young men and women—how is that appropriate? Anyone who didn’t know better might think they were child brides from the countryside.”

Even if Li Sumei had not said this, Huo Hong would certainly have advised her elder brother to send the girls back to their hometown first, then bring them back shortly before the new school term began. They could stay in the dormitories during the semester.

“Section Chief Li, don’t worry. Once Xiaohui wakes up, I’ll have my elder brother send her back to the countryside,” Huo Hong said apologetically, trying to placate her.

If only they had not brought the girls home for the marriage meeting. It would have been far better to eat at a state-run restaurant. Who could have known that Su Xiaohui, usually so sensible, obedient, and trouble-free, would cause such a huge disaster?

Fortunately, the amount consumed had not been large, and the other members of the Huo family had not yet had a chance to eat. Otherwise, apart from the eldest sister-in-law and grandniece who were away on a study program, the entire family would have ended up in the hospital.

When Huo Hong left the Fang residence and returned to the hospital, Su Xiaohui still had not regained consciousness.

Her cheeks were swollen and bright red as she lay on a blue-and-white hospital bed receiving an intravenous drip. Clear finger marks remained on her face, and her eyes had been squeezed into narrow slits by the swelling.

Anyone unaware of the truth might have thought the Huo family had abused her and beaten her into this state.

Huo Hong was worried, yet she was also seething with suppressed anger. Still, she could not vent it, so when she spoke to Huo Jianguo, her words carried a trace of resentment.

“Elder Brother, I know Xiaohui didn’t do it deliberately, but how could she pour something she found into the salt sack without saying a word? And her reaction today was far too fragile and extreme. She kept dropping to her knees and slapping herself, then actually beat herself unconscious. It was terrifying.”

As she spoke, Huo Hong glanced at Su Wan, who was keeping watch nearby.

She had probably been beaten so often at home that she had been frightened into submission since childhood. Whenever she made a mistake, she was punished by being forced to kneel and beaten.

How could a family like the Su family ever raise a child properly?

“Jun is at the age when he should be discussing marriage, and he’ll inevitably be visiting other families in the future. What will prospective in-laws think if they see this? There’s still some time before school begins. Elder Brother, send Xiaohui back to the countryside for now. Then, a few days before school starts, bring her back to Beiping and have her report to school. You can always call her back for a meal on occasional weekends.”

Huo Jianguo sat in his chair. He had originally planned to bring Xiaohui to Beiping before the new term began, but because of her injured leg, he had brought her earlier for medical treatment.

Now that she had already been brought here, sending her back again would inevitably seem somewhat inappropriate.

But Huo Hong’s words were not without reason. Jun’s personal affairs needed to be resolved as soon as possible, and similar situations might arise in the future. Given Xiaohui’s identity, living in the Huo household was indeed awkward.

If word got out, it would reflect poorly on Huo Jun and might even lead people to suspect that his private conduct was improper.

“Uncle Huo, I think Aunt Huo Hong is right. This incident has already caused your family such a great deal of trouble, and it nearly ruined Commander Huo’s marriage meeting. It really isn’t convenient for Xiaohui and me to continue staying at your house. Xiaohui’s leg has healed now, so you could send her back to our hometown first, then bring her to Beiping a few days before school begins. She can register and attend school then.”

Su Wan had been secretly watching Su Xiaohui’s expression on the bed. Sure enough, she was pretending to be unconscious. When she heard that she might be sent back to the countryside, her eyelashes twitched slightly. She clearly wanted to open her eyes and take a furtive look.

Su Wan blinked lightly and deliberately made the suggestion. Then, with an earnest and considerate air, she added, “Principal Song has agreed to let me continue through the end of high school. By then, I’ll be able to live at school, so I won’t trouble you during this period, Uncle Huo.”

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After this incident, no matter how convincingly Su Xiaohui portrayed herself as innocent and unaware, the Huo family could never trust or feel at ease with her as they had before.

There was no way they could truly not blame her. They could only say that they found it inconvenient to pursue the matter further.

Since she was so determined to drive Su Wan back to the countryside, Su Wan would simply send her back first.

Huo Hong looked at Su Wan in surprise as she listened.

The girl who had always left the worst impression had instead behaved so sensibly.

Thinking about it carefully, Su Wan had not even properly toured the military compound on her second day in Beiping before asking Auntie Wu to help her find a job as a domestic servant.

In the past two weeks, she had not caused them any trouble at all. On the contrary, she had arranged her life neatly and had always behaved with restraint and propriety.

From beginning to end, she had been open, courteous, and well-mannered. Although both girls had gone on blind dates with Jun, Su Wan had remained in the kitchen preparing food, while Su Xiaohui had repeatedly hovered around Miss Fang.

She had shown not the slightest awareness of proper boundaries.

Huo Hong no longer knew whether she ought to believe the earlier rumors about Su Wan.

At any rate, judging by Su Wan’s current behavior, she was indeed much better than Su Xiaohui.

“What trouble? It was only an unfortunate coincidence. Don’t take it to heart.” Huo Jianguo waved his hand. He, too, felt that Su Wan was remarkably reasonable and seemed nothing like the person Huo Jun had described.

He would have to find time to ask some of his former subordinates in the southern province and investigate carefully. Perhaps Huo Jun had simply asked about the wrong woman with the same name.

“Elder Brother, sending Xiaohui back home is also for her own good. I noticed it on Mother’s birthday—Xiaohui never once took her eyes off Jun.”

Huo Hong knew that her elder brother valued repayment of kindness, but for the sake of Jun’s marriage prospects, she continued, “Although Section Chief Li and Miss Fang haven’t pursued the matter further, they are deeply unhappy about it. If Xiaohui continues living here, Jun’s marriage will definitely be ruined.”

Su Wan lowered her gaze toward Su Xiaohui on the bed. Her eyelashes twitched faintly once again. She still had to return and cook for Principal Song and Secretary Yang; she had no time to waste on Su Xiaohui.

So she lightly nudged the table, spilling the freshly poured boiling water onto Su Xiaohui’s hand.

“Ah!” The scalding pain made Su Xiaohui immediately grimace and sit upright, violently shaking the boiling water from her hand.

“Xiaohui, you were awake all along? Why did you keep pretending to be unconscious and make Uncle Huo and Aunt Huo Hong worry so much?” Su Wan asked in feigned surprise, her voice dripping with insincere sweetness.

Huo Jianguo and Huo Hong immediately turned their eyes toward Su Xiaohui, leaving her so embarrassed and humiliated that she wished the floor would open and swallow her.

“Uncle Huo, I’m sorry. I only just woke up. When I saw you were both here, I had made such a terrible mistake that I truly didn’t know how to face you.” Su Xiaohui stroked her scalded hand and spoke pitifully.

Her eyes were red, and tears rolled down her cheeks. The swollen, reddened skin marked with fingerprints made her look even more miserable and forlorn.

Huo Jianguo could not bring himself to say anything harsh. “It’s good that you’re awake and all right.”

“Su Wan, you should go back to Principal Song’s house soon. Don’t let him come home to find there’s no dinner.”

Huo Hong merely glanced at Su Xiaohui before turning her head away.

At that moment, Huo Jun entered the room. After confirming that Section Chief Li and Miss Fang were both out of danger, he had hurried back to his unit for a meeting. As soon as the meeting ended, he had rushed straight back to the hospital.

“Then, Uncle Huo, Aunt Huo Hong, I’ll be leaving now.” Su Wan said goodbye to them one by one.

As she lowered her head and walked past Huo Jun, she lightly pressed her fresh, rosy lips together. Then she raised her clear, limpid eyes and glanced at him.

A tender light turned softly in their depths, as though her eyes were speaking.