Peach-Orange! – Chapter 170 – An Imperfect Ending

When do people feel most powerless, weak, and lost?

When something seems within reach yet remains impossible to grasp. When countless opportunities for redemption exist, yet one stubbornly walks the single wrong path.

‘Like when she cried for help, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t save her.’

‘I couldn’t even avenge her properly.’

Su Tao’s fist struck the rooftop’s metal door with a thud, drowned out by the gunshot outside.

“Brother Chi Song, let me out!

“I want to avenge Xiaocheng too! Let me out!

“Brother Chi Song!!!”

Blow after blow landed on the door. After the first gunshot, silence gradually settled outside.

Until an already exhausted Su Tao had no strength left. Her pounding grew weaker, her upright posture slowly slumping.

With a thump, she collapsed to her knees.

Her hands rose weakly, gripping the door latch to keep from falling completely, but her head hung low, pressed against the door as tears streamed down.

Why?!

‘Why is this happening to me?’

‘Is this my punishment for failing Xiaocheng?’

‘Brother Chi Song, tell me.’

“Why… won’t you even let me avenge Xiaocheng…”

Right then—

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Bang.

Another gunshot echoed. Su Tao knew it was over.

The severely wounded Ye Liang stood no chance against an armed Chi Song.

With a creak, the rooftop door opened again.

Su Tao knelt on the ground, lifting her lifeless face.

Her cheeks were streaked with grime, hair disheveled, eyes hollow. Unfinished tears still flowed, damp locks clinging to her face in clumps, stripped of their usual luster. Some strands stuck to her lips like scars.

Meeting Chi Song’s conflicted gaze, her eyes faintly focused. “Brother Chi Song… is Ye Liang dead?”

“He’s dead.”

Chi Song nodded faintly, bending to help her up.

But the kneeling girl didn’t take his hand. Instead, she stared blankly past him at the rooftop.

The sky was pitch black, yet moonlight struggled through, fighting to keep the world illuminated.

It seeped through the doorway, mostly bathing Chi Song, with only slivers slipping past, as if trying to reach Su Tao.

Yet the light stopped just half a meter short of her.

She knew it was just the angle, her distance from the door. Basic physics.

But understanding didn’t ease the hollowness. It still felt like the moonlight was rejecting her.

As if saying: Your white moonlight is gone.

You don’t deserve this light.

Ye Liang was dead. So why did she feel no joy, but only endless emptiness?

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Was this vengeance?

And after vengeance… what then?

‘I didn’t kill him myself. Does this even count? Would Xiaocheng really forgive me?’

Or maybe….

Su Tao’s gaze drifted toward the rooftop’s edge.

Would jumping from this 30-story building to join Xiaocheng be an option?

As her thoughts spiraled, Chi Song firmly gripped her arm and pulled her up.

Su Tao gradually regained focus but couldn’t meet his eyes.

She could only stand unsteadily, head bowed. After a long pause, she finally whispered the words: “I’m.…”

“Sorry.”

But Chi Song said it first.

Su Tao’s head jerked up, eyes widening, fists clenching instantly.

“Why?” She bit her lip, forcing the question out.

Chi Song didn’t catch her murmur. “What?”

“I said, why?!” Su Tao looked up, lost and confused. “Why are you apologizing?!”

Chi Song opened his mouth—

But Su Tao’s lips curled into a self-mocking smile. “I’m the one who failed. Why is Brother Chi Song saying sorry?”

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The last thread in her heart snapped. She grabbed his collar, shouting:

“I didn’t protect Xiaocheng! I got her killed! This is my fault! Why are you apologizing?!

“You entrusted her to me! Your parents asked me to watch over her! You all trusted me to keep her safe!

“And what happened?!

“What happened…?”

Her fist clenched, other hand striking his shoulder weakly. Her roar dissolved into a hoarse whisper:

“Because of me… she’s dead!

“I failed her!

“I couldn’t protect her!

“I should’ve died, not her!”

“Brother Chi Song…” Su Tao’s voice broke, collapsing against him in tears. “Please… don’t take this guilt from me. Otherwise… I’ll have nothing left. Please….”

‘Xiaocheng is gone.’

‘Without this pain, how can I prove she ever existed?’

‘Even this suffering, will you strip it from me too?’

Yet after her outburst, Chi Song simply stayed silent for a long moment.

He didn’t heap blame on her as she wanted.

Just said quietly, “It’s not your fault. I didn’t protect you both. I knew there might be danger, yet I still left Jiuzhou City.”

He’d only left a few men near the neighborhood.

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Who could’ve expected assassins with sniper rifles in a bustling district?

Gently, he added, “Tao, don’t overthink it. Little Sister wouldn’t blame you.”

“But I want you to blame me!”

Su Tao shoved away from him, screaming: “Why are you so kind?! Why won’t you yell at me?! Doesn’t this just prove I was useless to Xiaocheng?!!”

The pent-up emotions erupted into self-loathing sobs.

Tears soaked his shoulder; her cries echoed down the stairwell.

Dongfang Yang rushed over but was stopped by Brother Long.

The one-eared man lit a cigarette, murmuring, “Give them space.”

Dongfang Yang clenched his fists, suddenly punching the wall.

Ye Liang was dead. Xiaocheng was avenged.

So why did he feel no satisfaction?

If this were a game with Su Tao as the protagonist and Ye Liang the villain—

Where the heroine Xiaocheng dies saving the protagonist, who then gathers allies to defeat the antagonist—

What kind of ending is this without the heroine?

If parallel universes exist, which timeline holds the perfect ending?

Listening to Su Tao’s heartrending wails, Dongfang Yang sighed.

At least in this timeline, it was a bad ending.