Peach-Orange! – Chapter 184 – This Time, the Dream Is Sweet

The moment the door opened, time seemed to freeze.

King, with a straw doll clamped in her mouth, had just leaped onto the sofa. Hearing the door open, she immediately turned her head to look.

At the same time, the straw doll in her mouth was staring motionlessly at the room in an eerie posture: one arm raised high, the other seemingly tugging at King’s whiskers, legs frozen mid-kick as if flying.

It was as if the straw doll had originally been alive, then forcibly halted mid-action.

Moreover, those crimson crystal-like eyes held an indescribable familiarity.

The air conditioner wasn’t on indoors. Su Tao merely took off her long boots and stepped onto the layers of rugs Chi Xiaocheng had previously laid out. Picking up the remote, she turned on the AC.

Instantly, King excitedly trotted over to Su Tao with the straw doll in her mouth.

Placing the doll on the ground, she happily rubbed against Su Tao’s clean, scentless white socks.

Su Tao couldn’t help but crouch down and stroke King’s head. “After Xiaocheng left, the last time you were this happy was at the café. It’s really good to see you gradually recovering, King.

“But since when did we have this doll at home?”

Su Tao pinched one of the straw doll’s feet between her thumb and forefinger, lifting it to eye level. She faintly felt as if the doll was sweating nervously.

“It feels alive… must be an illusion, right?”

Su Tao casually adjusted the doll’s limbs back to a normal pose, then placed it on the table. Assuming King had brought it in, she turned and headed back to her room.

This made Chi Xiaocheng, who had been stiff with tension, sigh in relief.

Good thing nothing was exposed. Otherwise, Su Tao would’ve been terrified.

Then, she glared fiercely at King, who had sidled up again. “You damn cat, just wait till I get my body back. I’ll stew you alive!”

“Meow~”

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King stuck out her big tongue and licked the straw doll’s face, dampening the fabric.

Seeing Su Tao walk out of her room with clothes in hand, Chi Xiaocheng had no choice but to let King play with her.

The moment Su Tao turned into the bathroom, Chi Xiaocheng stealthily pulled out the Status Glasses to check the girl’s condition.

[Su Tao]

[Height: 166 cm]

[Weight: 97 → 95]

[Size: C]

[Current Status: Moderate stress, low spirits, haggard, physically weak, loss of appetite, self-doubt, excessive guilt, self-isolation]

[Ordinary Favorability Toward Host: 97 → 99 (In her subconscious, you are an irreplaceable presence in her life. She has belatedly realized your indispensability and feels even more reluctant about your departure.)]

[Romantic Favorability Toward Host: 49 → 56 (She has begun to grasp the concept of liking someone and believes she might have some feelings for you, though her understanding remains shallow. Gender norms still pose significant mental barriers, and she is urgently trying to understand what true affection means.)]

[Possessive Favorability Toward Host: 31 → 27 (With someone like Fang Ning treating you as her one and only, and you already dead, she believes she shouldn’t selfishly claim you. Otherwise, your existence might fade from others’ memories. To be forgotten by everyone is true death.)]

[Status Glasses Upgrade Required Emotion Points: 1500]

The numerical changes weren’t drastic, but what concerned Chi Xiaocheng most was Su Tao’s weight.

At home, Chi Xiaocheng was well aware of Su Tao’s daily routine and diet.

She’d space out until midnight before lying down, unable to sleep but staying in bed anyway. Even after waking up, she’d remain there until noon before sluggishly getting up.

She’d cook some rice, check the fridge for leftovers, and often settle for just an egg with pickled vegetables, hastily finishing a few bites before calling it a meal.

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And now, she’s lost another two pounds in just a few days.

It pained Chi Xiaocheng to see.

In comparison, the changes in favorability seemed trivial next to the weight loss.

“But at least her spirits seem slightly better. There’s a tiny bit more vitality in her.”

[Perhaps someone counseled her today, helping her adjust her mood and thoughts.]

“That’s good.”

The pleasant dream Chi Xiaocheng had prepared was meant to relieve Su Tao’s stress.

And now….

Seeing that 56-point romantic favorability, a hint of anticipation curled at Chi Xiaocheng’s lips.

Hopefully, it’ll break past 60 in one go!

While Su Tao was still showering, Chi Xiaocheng sneaked into the room, luring King along to explain why a doll that had been in the living room suddenly appeared there.

Lying on the floor, Chi Xiaocheng waited about half an hour until Su Tao emerged from the bathroom.

The sight of her in thin sleepwear was once again a feast for the eyes.

After placing Chi Xiaocheng back among the pile of plushies, Su Tao sat on the bed.

First, she spent a long time rereading the old suicide note. Then, she took out her phone and sent a message to Dr. Cheng.

Getting no reply, she turned off the lights and slowly lay down.

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“I’m sorry, Xiaocheng… From now on, I won’t run away anymore.”

Curling up around the big brown bear, she murmured into the darkness. Whether it was because she’d sorted out her thoughts or was simply exhausted, Su Tao soon fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, Chi Xiaocheng quietly crawled to Su Tao’s side, gazing at her serene profile with a fond smile.

“Tao-Tao, I’ve never blamed you.

“You’ve worked so hard, enduring all this alone for so long.

“Tonight, just have a sweet dream~”

Chi Xiaocheng burrowed into Su Tao’s embrace, savoring the warmth and softness, then mentally commanded:

System, use the newly purchased Dream Invitation item.

[Understood, Host.]

The dream weaver extended another invitation into slumber.

For a long time, sleep had been something Su Tao resisted.

Because it brought dreams, and the contents were beyond her control.

Especially after those two lucid dreams, the scenes of Chi Xiaocheng being tortured to death by Ye Liang, or hiding in city trash bins and sewers, kept replaying relentlessly in her nightmares.

Even if she forgot most of it upon waking, the most harrowing memories always remained.

She’d wake up feeling worse than before she slept.

Eventually, she grew numb, accustomed to this cycle of dreams.

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Just like now, the moment she opened her eyes to feel a warm spring breeze instead of her familiar room and blankets, she knew.

“Dreaming again?”

She closed her eyes, lips twisting into a bitter smile.

“You’re too cruel, God. Xiaocheng’s already dead, yet you keep torturing her in my dreams.”

‘And torturing me in the process.’

‘If she’s gone, why can’t she just leave peacefully?’

‘Why must she suffer in my dreams too?’

Wasn’t this just hammering in, over and over, that because of my rejection and avoidance, Xiaocheng couldn’t even depart happily?

In the end, it was just another numbing cycle.

Yet, the moment she shut her eyes, a small, warm hand grasped hers.

A voice, achingly familiar and dearly missed, whispered by her ear:

“Silly Tao-Tao, what’re you spacing out for? And saying I’m dead? I’ve been alive and well all along.”

The girl’s eyes flew open.

There stood the one she yearned for most, smiling like sunshine.

This time, the dream was sweet.