Peach-Orange! – Chapter 153 – The Withering of Life’s Flower (Bonus Chapter for All Readers Who Love This Book)

Why why why.

Why isn’t it orange juice flavored!

From the memories of the basement incident, Su Tao knew very well that Chi Xiaocheng’s “orange juice” tasted almost identical to Minute Maid orange juice.

She had been forced to drink that orange juice countless times by Xiaocheng. Even yesterday, she clearly remembered, that crimson liquid had distinctly been orange juice flavored.

Why had it changed now?

Why did it taste like normal metallic blood? This should be orange juice, right? This was the orange juice flowing from Xiaocheng’s body, wasn’t it?!

“It’s an illusion… must be my imagination. My taste buds are messed up. This… this should taste like orange juice.”

Su Tao lowered her head, muttering these words repeatedly.

Dongfang Yang watched everything unfold.

This proud yet sunny young master had never worn such a cold expression before. His gaze shifted toward the opposite building, now completely empty.

That sniper, whoever they were, was undoubtedly professional. One shot fired, regardless of whether it hit, and they immediately fled.

Seeing Su Tao in this state and Chi Xiaocheng motionless in her arms, how could Dongfang Yang not understand?

That little girl who had secretly liked him but never dared confess… her life had already faded.

Even Su Tao had become… abnormal.

How could this crimson liquid possibly taste like orange juice?

Unable to bear it, he averted his eyes and nodded at Professor Su beside him.

Professor Su suppressed the shock in her pupils, took a deep breath, and approached Su Tao.

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“Miss Su, please let me assess the situation. Every second counts for emergency treatment.”

She reached out, only for Su Tao to slap her hand away.

“No one is taking Xiaocheng from me!”

She seemed to have lost her mind.

Her hair was disheveled, her face ghastly pale and terrifying. Those once-beautiful eyes were now bloodshot, and even her fair complexion had taken on a sickly yellow hue under the sunlight.

Where was the radiant school goddess she used to be? Anyone who saw her now would call her a madwoman.

Yet Su Tao kept her head lowered, withdrawing the hand pressed against Xiaocheng’s chest, only to bring it to her mouth.

“No… no… This part doesn’t taste like orange juice. This red should taste like orange juice.

“No no no, Xiaocheng, stop tricking me, okay?”

As if drinking water, she scooped up a handful of the “orange juice.”

Her dark gray hair dipped into the liquid, strands floating on the surface like ink dispersing in a flower’s pigment. With each movement, the stained locks draped over her wrists. What was once dark gray had now turned a heart-wrenching red.

And she wore a disturbingly blissful smile, as if savoring the most exquisite delicacy. This sight made everyone present shudder.

Several security guards with weaker nerves took a synchronized step back.

‘She’s insane!’

Many watching Su Tao silently thought this exact word.

Finally, Dongfang Yang could take no more. He grabbed Su Tao’s wrist, shouting to snap her out of her delirium.

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“Su Tao!”

The yell brought a flicker of awareness back to her eyes.

Dongfang Yang pressed on, “The priority is letting Professor Su examine Chi Xiaocheng! Whatever the situation, we must get her to the hospital first. Do you think you know better than doctors? If she was saved last time, she can be saved again!”

His words became Su Tao’s lifeline.

Yes… Last time, she’d also thought Xiaocheng was beyond saving, but the doctors had brought her back.

This time would be no different.

Su Tao immediately turned to Professor Su, supporting Xiaocheng with desperate hope. “Professor Su… Xiaocheng is still alive, right? You can save her, right?”

But how could this be like last time?

Professor Su couldn’t bear to meet Su Tao’s gaze.

Last time, Chi Xiaocheng had attempted suicide without medical knowledge, thinking like in dramas that cutting a certain area would quietly end life.

She hadn’t known the human body has extreme survival mechanisms. Such amateur methods were incomplete and ineffective.

But this time was different.

A gaping hole had been torn near her heart.

Fortunately, the sniper rifle hadn’t been overly powerful, otherwise half her torso might have been blown apart.

Unfortunately, from a professional standpoint, the wound was alarmingly close to the heart. The probability of cardiac damage was overwhelmingly high.

As a doctor, she dreaded facing family members with such eyes.

Gritting her teeth, she approached Su Tao and reassured, “Miss Su, please wait aside. I’ll do everything I can!”

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But “everything” was all she could promise. She took Chi Xiaocheng, stabilizing her while urgently signaling other doctors.

The greatest fear was that they’d already missed the critical treatment window.

Resuscitation, hospitalization, emergency surgery… another agonizing stretch of hours passed.

Su Tao never slept, but she also never spoke.

Dongfang Yang remained by her side the entire time, the usually cheerful boy now grim-faced.

The most proactive was Si Chen.

After arriving at the hospital and seeing Chi Xiaocheng still in emergency care, he only said, “I’ll find the culprit,” before rushing off again.

Ironically, he’d been the least involved with Xiaocheng.

Yet he seemed the most determined about whether she lived or died.

Time trickled by. Doctors rushed in and out of the ER, faces drenched in sweat.

Dongfang Yang glanced at Su Tao and finally broke the silence.

“Su Tao… are you still lucid?”

Su Tao’s head shifted slightly. Her blood-stained hair had long dried, making her appear even more disheveled.

A hospital nutritionist brought lunch, offering gentle comfort, “Miss Su, please have some porridge. You’ve sat here for hours without drinking anything. You’ll collapse at this rate.”

Su Tao gave a faint shake of her head, remaining silent.

Dongfang Yang sighed. “I know how you feel, but you can’t neglect yourself. Think positively. Xiaocheng protected you because she didn’t want you hurt. You should eat, regain strength, and be ready to welcome her back like last time.”

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Su Tao lifted her hollow eyes, all tears long shed.

“Will it… really be like last time? I wish that bullet had hit me instead!”

Twice now. The first time, she’d nearly lost Chi Xiaocheng. But fate had been on her side.

This second time… would luck still favor her?

Click.

A soft sound as the operating room lights dimmed. The tightly shut doors slowly opened.

A spark flashed in Su Tao’s eyes. Staggering, she forced herself upright, nearly lunging at the sweat-drenched Professor Su.

“Professor Su… how is Xiaocheng?!”

It had to be like last time. Barely saved, then scolding her again, right?

But Professor Su didn’t speak. She simply bowed her head slightly.

The light in Su Tao’s eyes dimmed.

“Hey, Professor Su… say something. How is Xiaocheng? How is she?!”

Her final words came out as a sob.

Professor Su clenched her fists tightly, then released them in resignation.

“I’m sorry.”

Two quiet words that echoed down the entire corridor.