Peach-Orange! – Chapter 182 – The First Step Is Learning to Like

She had illness.

And she had sweetness.

Not just the pathological, frightening side.

But also the adorable, enjoyable side.

Yes, when had she forgotten Xiaocheng’s lovable qualities?

Since Xiaocheng’s death began….

No, even earlier.

She kept seeking answers from those around her.

Yet every response told her she was wrong, that she shouldn’t have treated Xiaocheng that way, shouldn’t have run or been afraid.

But she was normal. Wasn’t it natural to fear those blood-soaked scenes?

The relentless pressure, the ghostly whispers, the nightmare endings that could drive one mad—

They suffocated her, left no room for thought.

Every time she tried, all she saw was Chi Xiaocheng’s final moment.

It happened in her dreams, then in reality.

Closing her eyes to sleep brought back those lucid nightmares: Xiaocheng beaten half-dead by Ye Liang, resentfully asking why she hadn’t saved her.

Like a demon, it haunted her endlessly.

Unlike Chi Xiaocheng, she didn’t know the tragic original ending, didn’t realize her advisor had been using her.

The mounting pressure only made Su Tao feel her life had been turned upside down.

But as the veil lifted bit by bit, the girl belatedly understood what her yandere truly was.

As many had said: No matter how obsessive, no matter the methods, Chi Xiaocheng acted for her sake.

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It was the lack of security that drove her to extremes.

Locking her in the basement was to keep Ye Liang from hurting her, it was just clumsiness, not knowing how else to protect her.

On the rooftop, one word from Su Tao nearly made her jump. Only instinctive fear prevented disaster, proof of her devotion and obedience.

The blackroom confinement? Fear that serving Ye Liang would be walking into the lion’s den. Losing all sense of safety, she resorted to extremes to keep Su Tao close.

When Su Tao said she wanted a well-behaved Xiaocheng, those two weeks were her most stress-free, most comfortable time.

Even in her suicidal note, she wished to return to a time before they met so Su Tao wouldn’t suffer.

After waking to a second blackroom, already deeply ill, she saw Sister Long and her advisor’s pressure as bullying. Her extreme retaliation was avenging Su Tao.

Even in their final fight, she restrained her madness, tearfully saying: “Tao-Tao, I love you.”

A bullet leaves the barrel at 900 meters per second. In that split second, she pushed Su Tao aside without hesitation to protect the one she loved.

Was there truly nothing likable about her?

Her smiles, her embraces, her warmth, the sweet way she called her “Tao-Tao”—

Holding hands, hugging, shopping, hairpins, the cat café, even the addictive taste of her lips—

She hadn’t just enjoyed these. She’d even liked them.

The unrelenting pressure had simply robbed her of the clarity to appreciate these joys.

Trapped in guilt, regret, and confusion, she’d overlooked the simplest truth.

That occasional heartbeat when facing her… wasn’t that attraction?

—When you hold her hand, when your eyes are only on her—

—As a yandere, she’s sweet. And adorable.

Don’t focus on her illness and ignore her charm.

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People always fixate on flaws while taking virtues for granted.

Those involved are baffled, while spectators see clearly.

No exception here.

As an outsider to Wei Feng’s story, Su Tao found it both familiar and illuminating.

Wiping her drying tears, her voice grew livelier. “Thank you.”

Wei Feng scratched his head sheepishly. “No need. I probably misspoke too. Hearing ‘yandere’ made me assume a girl. Calling your boyfriend ‘adorable’ must’ve been weird.

“If he heard me say that, he’d probably rage, haha!”

He downed the last of his beer, savoring the taste. “But you only mentioned the yandere stuff. Still haven’t said why you wanted to jump.”

Su Tao blinked. “I don’t want to jump.”

“Ah?”

Wei Feng froze, bottle in hand. “So I just spent over ten minutes giving you therapy?”

And here he thought he’d have company on the road to the afterlife!

Su Tao smiled faintly. “I was just depressed, needed air. But talking to you helped me see my own issues.”

Running away solved nothing.

Fang Ning was right. After Xiaocheng’s death, she’d done nothing but wallow.

If she didn’t change, didn’t break free, didn’t she become unworthy of even remembering Xiaocheng?

She turned to Wei Feng. “How about you don’t jump either? If you die, you can’t cherish memories of your girlfriend anymore.”

This only stabbed Wei Feng’s heart deeper.

Su Tao didn’t realize that while their stories paralleled, their pain points diverged completely.

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The man looked away.

Even with the dim streetlamp, darkness obscured their faces.

But Su Tao sensed his numb resignation. “Heh. She’s in some jerk’s arms now, probably in bed. What good are memories?

“Nobody cares about an orphan like me. May as well die.”

“That’s not true.” Leaning on the railing, Su Tao spoke sincerely. “I think you’re wonderful. I care and I’m grateful. Even not knowing your name, I’ll remember you. Thank you for sharing this with me.”

Wei Feng sighed. “I was just venting.”

“But I could tell from your words, ‘like’ is feeling happy and comfortable with someone.”

He peered at Su Tao’s silhouette, the voice lovely despite the gloom. “Did you get dumped too? Is that why you’re out here?”

“Something like that.”

Did that farewell count as her rejecting Xiaocheng, or Xiaocheng rejecting her?

Perhaps neither. She’d never faced Xiaocheng’s feelings, never truly said “I like you.”

A distant car horn sounded. Headlights swept across the riverside, briefly illuminating them.

As snow swirled, Su Tao tucked windblown hair behind her ear. Though weary, her lips bore a soft, enchanting smile.

Wei Feng stood transfixed.

At life’s end, by the river, he’d met his moonlight.

Blushing, as the car passed, he shouted, “I— I’m Wei Feng! Since we both got dumped and met like this, why not… be together? I’ll treat you right!”

Love at first sight, this must be it.

His confessions needed no delay.

Moonlight might only grace him for an instant.

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As the car left, the girl before him faded back into shadow.

Then came her awkward reply: “Um… I just talked you out of jumping. Don’t repay kindness with malice, okay?”

Wei Feng: “….”

Maybe I should jump after all.

Flustered, he pressed, “But… your boyfriend dumped you! If he’s a jerk, why cling to him?”

Su Tao: “Sorry. I already like someone. And… she’s not a jerk.”

She wasn’t sure if it counted as “like.”

But….

At the very least, she couldn’t stay passive.

At the very least, she had to change.

At the very least, she had to make Xiaocheng’s death mean something.

Was “like” really about happiness and comfort in someone’s presence?

Always ignoring her sweetness to obsess over her illness—

At the very least, after her passing, shouldn’t she remember the good times?

The pain and madness could stay buried, wept over in private.

Without taking that first step, she’d never find answers.

If she didn’t understand “like,” she’d learn what it meant.

Even if Xiaocheng was gone, the first thing was to say those long-overdue words.

Su Tao lifted her head, eyes clearing with resolve. “Thank you for earlier. The one I like really is adorable. Her name is Xiaocheng… and she’s a girl.” ¹ Yuri NTR!!