Peach-Orange! – Chapter 105 – I Don’t Want to Play the Yandere Anymore

Her pupils, which had cleared due to the sedative, gradually took on an eerie red hue again.

To claim that caring smile, those warm embraces, even her entire being… as her own!

But then, the system in her mind spoke up.

[Host, is Su Tao’s physical presence truly all you want?]

Did she want a replacement for her ex-girlfriend?

No, that wasn’t it.

She just wanted someone to love her.

Maybe not someone extraordinary, just someone with their own flaws and occasional pettiness, who wouldn’t betray her and would simply love her.

By coincidence, after merging with the original host’s memories….

Su Tao became that most dazzling example among such girls.

Was possession really the same as love?

But what if Su Tao didn’t actually like her?

Chi Xiaocheng silently lowered her head, walking listlessly to the living room for some water before slowly crawling back into bed.

The sedative had only provided temporary relief. Curled up under tightly wrapped blankets, the newly purchased brown teddy bear sat abandoned to one side.

It could never truly comfort its owner.

Left leaning against the wall, it blankly watched the petite girl hug herself tightly, trembling uneasily.

“Ding-ling~”

Her phone chimed.

Still curled under the covers, Chi Xiaocheng asked, “System, who’s calling?”

[Answering Host: Female Lead Su Tao]

Chi Xiaocheng peeked out briefly before retreating again.

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She didn’t dare answer. She was afraid.

Afraid Su Tao might say she’d only been pretending to like her.

Even knowing Su Tao would never say that, the haunting memories gripped her throat like a nightmare.

What Su Tao cared about wasn’t really her anyway.

It had always been the original Xiaocheng whose place she’d stolen.

Hadn’t she herself been acting the part of that well-behaved, likable Xiaocheng all along?

Outside the window, the snow fell heavier.

The thick accumulation made bicycle wheels struggle even on paved roads.

Puffs of visible breath escaped with each anxious pant, her gray-black hair nearly whitened by snowfall.

A normally 15-minute journey took nearly half an hour.

Su Tao parked the bicycle and rushed into the apartment complex.

At the entrance, she nearly collided with Chi Song heading out.

Chi Song froze. “Xiao Tao? What are you doing here?”

It was already past 2 a.m.

Su Tao shook off the cold, urgently asking, “Brother Chi Song, is Xiaocheng home?”

“Should be sleeping in her room. Did something happen?”

Hearing this, Su Tao relaxed slightly. “Nothing serious. Xiaocheng called saying she missed me, so I came to check.”

Chi Song smiled helplessly. “That little sister of mine, saying such things in the middle of the night.”

But seeing Su Tao actually come, his eyes betrayed delight as he added, “She’s in her room. Go on in. I’ve got some business to take care of.”

Business this late?

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Watching Chi Song’s hurried departure, Su Tao didn’t dwell on it.

After changing shoes, she quickly reached Chi Xiaocheng’s door.

Light seeped through the gap. Xiaocheng was still awake.

Su Tao gently pushed the door open without a sound.

Not immediately seeing Chi Xiaocheng tightened her chest… until she noticed the blanket-covered lump on the bed.

Tension eased.

Probably nothing serious after all.

The abrupt call and strange question had kept her anxious the entire ride over.

Though cycling as fast as possible, she’d wished to carry the bike and sprint instead.

Now it seemed Xiaocheng had simply fallen asleep? Without even turning off the lights?

Su Tao prepared to leave quietly when her sharp eyes caught a syringe on the floor.

Her pupils contracted slightly.

The needle’s tip bore traces of undried orange juice, clearly recently used.

Its label read in three characters: Sedative.

Su Tao’s expression shifted instantly.

Dr. Lin’s diagnosis came to mind:

Mild schizophrenia!

If it required sedatives, could it really be just “mild”?

Standing by the bed, she quietly observed the cocooned blankets.

What to do?

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Wake her to ask what happened?

Sit by the bed, waiting to comfort her upon waking?

Suddenly, a helpless whimper escaped the blankets: “Tao-Tao… don’t leave me….”

A nightmare?

Su Tao’s gaze softened instantly. Shedding her coat, she realized she’d never changed out of pajamas before leaving the dorm. Well, no need to change now.

Gently peeling back the covers revealed Chi Xiaocheng curled into a ball.

She recognized this as extreme self-protection from insecurity.

Perhaps feeling the cold air, Chi Xiaocheng cracked her eyes open, meeting that gentle gaze.

Stunned.

Su Tao smiled sweetly. “Bad dream? Don’t worry, I’m here.”

She slipped under the blankets, drawing the dazed Chi Xiaocheng into her arms.

Only when warmth and soothing fragrance enveloped her did Chi Xiaocheng snap back to reality, trembling. “T-Tao-Tao… why are you here?”

She feared this was another dream.

Though unaware of what happened, Su Tao knew how to comfort the insecure girl in her arms. Feigning thoughtfulness, she said, “You hung up so quickly, of course I came to answer your question properly.”

Chi Xiaocheng sounded confused. “Question?”

“Mhm.” Su Tao nodded. “You said I hesitated when answering whether I liked you, right?

“Silly, I wasn’t hesitating about liking you.

“I was hesitating about how much I like you~”

Perfectly attuned to her needs, Su Tao’s tender voice and tight embrace seemed to physically manifest her affection.

Was this love real?

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Did it matter?

Chi Xiaocheng just needed to hear those words.

She yearned for someone to love her, nothing more.

Su Tao felt the petite girl clutch her clothes tightly upon hearing those words.

The slight trembling gradually stilled.

A small head buried against her chest, breathing steadying.

Su Tao stroked Chi Xiaocheng’s hair gently. “Xiaocheng, hold me tighter.”

‘Then you won’t be afraid.’

‘Then you’ll feel my warmth more.’

‘Then you’ll know I won’t abandon you.’

‘Even if my spoken affection is an act, I’ll stay by your side.’

As I always have, and always will.

Finally, the petite loli moved, wrapping around her like an octopus until Su Tao found breathing slightly difficult.

But she could indeed feel that heartbeat gradually calming.

Some time later, a timid voice asked:

“Tao-Tao, if I weren’t sick—”

—If I weren’t yandere.

“If I behaved well—”

—If I stopped acting yandere to pressure you, just obediently listening.

“Would you stay with me forever?”