Peach-Orange! – Chapter 118 – Twisted Love

Tears streamed down her cheeks unnoticed.

At this moment, Chi Xiaocheng felt as if her brain was deprived of oxygen, waves of pain radiating from her chest.

The puzzle pieces finally fell into place.

‘No wonder she had been avoiding me.’

‘No wonder she refused my confession.’

‘No wonder the more well-behaved I became these days, the further she distanced herself.’

‘Turns out it was never love.’

‘She just thought my “illness” was cured, so she didn’t need to care anymore.’

Yes, ever since that lucid dream, everything had become strange.

‘How could I have forgotten? From beginning to end, she was only pretending to love me, using it as an excuse to “cure” my yandere tendencies….’

‘And from the start, I too had only wanted to exploit her protagonist halo, pretending to be yandere for self-preservation.’

“And somewhere along the way… I went and actually fell for her. Heh….”

Chi Xiaocheng tilted her head back, tears tracing the self-mocking curve of her lips.

Yet another humiliating investment of love vanishing into nothingness.

What she truly cared about was that betrothal letter!

“To think there’s even a fiancé…!”

Chi Xiaocheng clenched her jaw, forcing the words out with difficulty.

The call was still connected. Si Chen swallowed hard on the other end. “Chi Xiaocheng… are you okay?”

“Okay?” Her voice was glacial. “Of course. I’m perfectly fine.”

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“As long as you haven’t lost your rationality—”

Dark Xiaocheng leaned against her, whispering, “Why not have Si Chen explain the whole story?”

Chi Xiaocheng opened her mouth and repeated the question.

Si Chen explained, “This happened a few days ago. Su Tao kept even me in the dark. If I hadn’t been investigating her father’s whereabouts, I’d never have known.

“About three days ago, a man named Xiao Ming approached Su Tao with half a jade pendant, the exact match to the half Su Tao always carries as her only heirloom.

“He also brought news about Su Tao’s father being overseas. Besides the pendant, he could verify numerous details about Su Tao’s childhood origins. Highly credible.

“And then… there’s that betrothal letter.

“I’m not clear how the engagement was arranged, but one thing’s certain, it’s almost certainly legitimate.”

His tone turned icy. “We absolutely cannot let that Xiao guy solidify his position as Su Tao’s fiancé. Much less allow him to marry her. Our entire plan would collapse!”

These past two weeks, Si Chen had been deeply dissatisfied with Chi Xiaocheng’s inaction.

The rational, ruthless Chi Xiaocheng seemed to have vanished, replaced by some lovesick fool who’d done nothing for half a month.

If she couldn’t control Su Tao now, how could they ever leverage her father’s influence later?

As someone from a powerful family himself, Si Chen knew exactly how binding these old-fashioned betrothals could be.

A note of impatience crept into his voice. “Chi Xiaocheng, I suggest you act fast. Rumor has it Dongfang Yang is taking Su Tao to meet that fiancé right now.”

The word “fiancé” again.

Chi Xiaocheng’s crimson eyes suddenly transformed, pupils narrowing into feline slits glowing with red light, vicious and terrifying.

She ended the call.

Slowly clenching her fists, Chi Xiaocheng rose from the sofa.

Dark Xiaocheng smirked. “Well? Ready to accept my proposal?”

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“Claim Tao-Tao for myself. Right?”

“Exactly.” Dark Xiaocheng toyed with a lock of hair. “Just like you did at the beginning. Make her yours. Force her attention onto you.”

Chi Xiaocheng lowered her head, hesitating. “But… would that make her love me?”

Dark Xiaocheng explained, “If she feels nothing for you, she’ll only fear you. But remember, people only value what they’ve lost.

“These two weeks of sweetness were enough to make her develop feelings. Otherwise, why would she phrase her rejection that way on the bridge?

Chi Xiaocheng murmured, a glimmer of rationality returning. “So… she was pretending at first. But now, maybe there’s a little genuine affection.”

“Yes.” Dark Xiaocheng’s voice whispered beside her ear. “But just a spark. Not enough.

“She’s about to meet her fiancé. What will you do about that?”

Chi Xiaocheng closed her eyes with a sigh. “Hey… other me.”

“Hmm~?”

She stared at the window, her reflection a portrait of devastation.

“You always say I’m just the ‘normal person’ mask. In that case… why don’t you take over completely?”

“What?” Dark Xiaocheng looked genuinely startled.

Chi Xiaocheng gave a trembling, bitter smile. “You’re crueler than me. More possessive. If you replaced me… you could bind Tao-Tao tighter, couldn’t you?

“I… I’m afraid I won’t have the heart to do what’s necessary.”

Her eyes clouded with confusion.

In this despair, her heart seemed ready to die.

Dark Xiaocheng sighed, floating up on tiptoe.

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She moved behind Chi Xiaocheng, arms encircling her neck in a gentle embrace from behind.

Resting her cheek against Chi Xiaocheng’s shoulder, her voice shed all its slyness. It was all just tenderness now.

“Being scared… hesitating to act… that’s normal.

“You’re not wrong. You just want someone to truly love you.

“That dream split us apart.

“Let you see yourself more clearly.

“But it also stripped away your courage… your possessiveness… your twisted love.

“You want me to erase your consciousness? Take this body?

“How could I do that?

“We’re both just masks.

“What we’re really protecting… is that fragile heart desperate for love.”

Whether it’s acting or yandere tendencies—

Like the you at that traffic light in your past life.

Like the you who broke down when Ye Liang stole Su Tao away during summer break.

That bravery of yours? It’s with me now.

“So, to avoid more pain, for the one you love, to change that absurd ending, to stay with Tao-Tao forever….

“Face it. Embrace that twisted love.

“I’ll always be here to give you courage.”

Dark Xiaocheng gently closed her eyes, lips brushing Chi Xiaocheng’s ear in a whisper.

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“Goodnight.”

The dream… ends here.

Chi Xiaocheng sat numbly on the sofa, a single crystalline tear rolling down.

The earlier anxiety faded, replaced by a sense of her soul being whole again.

Her goal had never changed:

Claim Su Tao. Use her protagonist halo to alter her own cannon fodder fate and Su Tao’s tragic suicide ending.

The only difference now? That extra layer of genuine love.

Slowly retrieving her phone, Chi Xiaocheng’s manic crimson eyes gleamed with a terrifying clarity. “You’re right. People only value what they’ve lost.

“If we follow the world’s intended plot… the original novel’s path… we’ll only get hurt.

“So Tao-Tao… you have no choice but to stay with me. Change this ending together—”

You can’t go to your fiancé.

You belong to me.

YOU’RE MINE!!!

She sent Su Tao a message: “Tao-Tao, when are you coming home?”

Just like that night on the rooftop.

Chi Xiaocheng picked up a fruit knife from the table, her gaze lingering momentarily on the Substitute Straw Doll in her system inventory.

Then, she rolled up her sleeve.

“Losing too much orange juice… will hurt, won’t it?”