Peach-Orange! – Chapter 174 – You Only Deserve to Regret

Su Tao didn’t know where Chengcheng’s confidence came from, but faced with those determined eyes, she couldn’t help but force a faint smile. “Alright, I’ll listen to you. I’ll believe miracles can happen.”

It was just lip service anyway.

How could the dead come back to life?

Since this was supposed to be a relaxing outing, she shouldn’t keep dumping her negativity on Chengcheng.

Chengcheng took a big sip of coffee, finishing the entire Orange C Americano in one go, then stood up. “Let’s go. We don’t have much time. There’s no point staying in this café all day. The sun’s out; let’s take a walk.”

Su Tao stood up as well, puzzled. “A walk sounds fine, but what do you mean by ‘not much time’?”

“Didn’t I tell you?” Chengcheng picked up King and placed her on her shoulder. “I sneaked out. I’ve been working on research lately and have to stay locked in most of the time. My supervisor only gave me three hours off.”

She glanced at her phone. “We’ve got about an hour and a half left before I have to head back early.”

Su Tao: “What kind of research are you working on, Senior?”

“Uh…” Chengcheng replied flatly, “Astronomy. Not like you’d understand even if I explained.”

“So, where should we go next?”

“Hmm… Let’s go to your school. Since the semester isn’t over yet, there should still be people around. I’ve never been to Jiuzhou University.”

Su Tao walked ahead and held the door open, waiting for Chengcheng to step out before closing it behind them. “If we’re going to the school, maybe we should take a taxi. It’ll take half an hour to walk.”

“It’s fine. Let’s just walk.”

They chatted casually along the way, but after an hour in the café, they’d already covered most topics.

Su Tao used to be quite talkative, but ever since Chi Xiaocheng left, she’d grown quieter.

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Eventually, the conversation circled back to Chi Xiaocheng.

Chengcheng, walking slightly ahead, asked, “Tao-Tao, if your Xiaocheng could wake up, what’s the first thing you’d want to say to her?”

Su Tao touched her chin, thinking. “Probably… an apology.”

“You seem pretty emotionally intelligent when we chat, so why are you so dense when it comes to feelings?”

Chengcheng hopped over a small patch of snow and turned to look at Su Tao. “She wouldn’t be happy with an apology. What you should do the moment she wakes up is give her what she wanted most.”

Su Tao: “What she wanted most?”

“Yeah. Don’t forget, she took that bullet for you because she loved you, worried about you, and didn’t want you to get hurt. She wanted you to live and be happy.

“If she woke up and saw you looking miserable while you apologized, wouldn’t she feel like saving you wasn’t worth it?”

Every word Chengcheng said struck deep into Su Tao’s heart.

What had Xiaocheng wanted most in her final moments?

Su Tao’s memories returned to that moment of separation.

Two words suddenly surfaced in her mind.

Confession.

She stopped walking. “Chengcheng, are you saying… if she woke up, I should confess to her?”

Chengcheng turned back around and continued walking, a faint smile on her lips. “How would I know? Only you know what she lacked and what she loved. But this is all hypothetical anyway.”

She said it lightly, but Su Tao’s expression turned serious. “If she really could wake up, I would absolutely confess to her!”

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This time, it wouldn’t just be “I like you.”

Nor would it be “I love you” or anything like that.

She would declare it outright: We’re going to be lovers, and you’re going to be my girlfriend!

“But… this is all just hypothetical, isn’t it?”

Su Tao sighed again. Regret haunted her every waking moment.

How she wished Chi Xiaocheng could have heard her confession in those final moments.

However, Chengcheng, who had been walking ahead, suddenly turned to look at Su Tao.

Su Tao was startled. “Senior, what’s wrong?”

Chengcheng adjusted her black-framed glasses, as if confirming something.

After Su Tao held her breath for a long moment, Chengcheng finally asked with utter seriousness, “Your Xiaocheng was willing to die for you, and you never even confessed to her?”

“I…” Su Tao was at a loss for words.

Then she lowered her head. “It’s my fault. I was always… a little scared of Xiaocheng’s yandere tendencies.”

Chengcheng: “And?”

“And… I thought two girls together was kind of… weird.”

Her mindset hadn’t fully shifted yet.

Chengcheng turned away, displeased. “With all this hesitation, you really do only deserve to regret things like this. You should be glad your Xiaocheng never stopped loving you.

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“If one day someone else really did take her away, you wouldn’t even have time to regret it.

“Besides, even if she could wake up, a fake confession like this would just be compensation, not real love.”

Su Tao pressed her lips together stubbornly. “What’s the point of saying all this? Xiaocheng isn’t coming back.”

She still hadn’t gone to the hospital.

She couldn’t bring herself to face Chi Xiaocheng’s body.

It had been over a week now. Even though Dongfang Yang hadn’t given her any updates, the cremation was probably just waiting for an auspicious date.

The previously harmonious atmosphere between them grew slightly awkward after this topic.

It lasted all the way until they reached the gates of Jiuzhou University.

Chengcheng looked up in awe. “As expected of one of the country’s top universities. The entrance is so impressive.”

Su Tao gave her a strange look. “Senior, your school is way more impressive. It’s literally the best in Jiuzhou.”

“Ahem, the grass is always greener on the other side. You wouldn’t understand.”

Seeing many students carrying luggage out, Chengcheng asked curiously, “Where are you planning to go next?”

“I…” Su Tao hesitated, then spotted a familiar figure pulling a suitcase toward them.

“Hey, Tao-Tao! Haven’t seen you in a week. How’ve you been?”

It was Li Ran, her coworker from the part-time job.

Su Tao lied, “Been busy lately. Are you heading home?”

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“Yeah, exams are over, and there’s nothing else to do. I got my paycheck yesterday and my credits, so I quit the supermarket job.”

Li Ran walked up to Su Tao. “Almost everyone’s quit now. There’s only one or two people left at the supermarket. You’ve been on leave for a week. I’m surprised the new manager approved it.”

Hearing this, Su Tao remembered.

After Sister Long was injured by Xiaocheng, a new manager had taken over the supermarket.

Back then, she’d been in no state to work, so Dongfang Yang had helped her request over a week of leave.

If she hadn’t run into Li Ran, she would’ve forgotten entirely.

Thinking about it now, Su Tao felt fear.

Xiaocheng was perfect in every way except for her yandere tendencies. She couldn’t stand that.

Xiaocheng’s extremes hadn’t just landed Sister Long in the hospital. Her own advisor had been hurt too.

Sure, Sister Long had been harsh sometimes, but those were just minor conflicts. She was still a human being!

Not to mention, her advisor had been incredibly kind to her, guiding and mentoring her since the start of the semester.

Su Tao pressed her lips together and asked, “How’s Sister Long doing?”

Li Ran replied flatly, “Still in the hospital. Lost an arm, permanently blind in both eyes, and some other injuries too. She might end up a vegetable for life.”

Then she grinned. “Tao-Tao, your Xiaocheng did an amazing thing. Sister Long totally deserved it!”

Su Tao froze. “Deserved it?”