Peach-Orange! – Chapter 193 – Another Suicide Note

Night time. After a busy day, Su Tao returned home once more.

Ever since learning that her beloved Xiaocheng might wake up, Su Tao felt as if the entire world had been filled with light.

Even if the possibility of her waking up was slim.

At the very least, in this despairing, pitch-black world, a tiny glimmer of light had finally appeared.

And in a world shrouded in darkness, that faint glimmer was everything.

Going to bed early and waking up early, resuming her daily physical care, whether it was due to the nutritionist’s adjustments or that miraculous instant noodles, Su Tao could clearly feel her body recovering day by day.

Then came exercise, body management, skin care. She quit her job at the snack supermarket and started working at Dongfang Yang’s café.

Though she was working at that café, Su Tao had also made it clear to Dongfang Yang that she didn’t want to just rely on him and idle away her life.

She understood why he had let Chi Xiaocheng work there. Xiaocheng’s health was poor, and she had been targeted by Ye Liang before. Working there served both as protection and as a way to give her a reason to “repay” him, easing her guilt.

But Su Tao was different.

She didn’t like Dongfang Yang that way, always seeing him as a friend, even an older brother figure.

And in the future, she wanted to be with Xiaocheng.

So she couldn’t just muddle along like before.

She had to work hard enough to support their future home!

After arguing with Dongfang Yang for a long time, she finally accepted the following terms:

A base salary of 3,500 yuan. She would become the café’s manager, responsible for all operational decisions.

If the café turned a profit that month, she would receive a 25% bonus from the earnings.

If it operated at a loss, nothing would happen.

Chu San would serve as her assistant, following her management.

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That said, Dongfang Yang still had the intention of supporting Su Tao. Even if she did nothing but clock in every day, she would still receive the 3,500 yuan salary.

But the girl’s pride and stubbornness meant she was bound to take it seriously.

However, as a café that only catered to high-end clientele, it was currently guaranteed to lose money every month. Su Tao’s goal was to revive this café.

At the very least, by working and improving herself here, she wouldn’t be too far from Xiaocheng in the future.

Even while working, she could still take care of her.

The only problem was that her knowledge of how to manage and operate a business was practically zero.

After spending a whole day learning, Su Tao felt both fulfilled and exhausted.

As soon as she entered the house, she noticed King playing with the straw doll again.

In one corner of the room, there were plenty of stuffed animals.

But for some reason, King was particularly fond of this straw doll.

Su Tao often found this little thing tossed around in random corners by King.

When King saw Su Tao, it happily trotted over with Chi Xiaocheng in its mouth.

The straw doll flailed helplessly in the air. It was already used to being tossed around by this darn cat. Every time it was thrown, King’s future privileges were secretly downgraded a little more.

Su Tao changed her shoes, crouched down, and helplessly scratched King’s chin. “You really like this doll, huh? Is it because its eyes are red like Xiaocheng’s?”

King set the straw doll down and gave a single “meow” in response.

Whether it was enjoying Su Tao’s petting or agreeing with her words was unclear.

The girl picked up the doll from the ground and stared into its crimson, slit-pupiled eyes.

For a brief moment, she really felt as if this doll was the person she longed for.

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Su Tao smiled bitterly. “Guess I’ve been missing Xiaocheng too much.”

Standing back up, she added, “But I don’t remember buying this with Xiaocheng. Did she get it herself? When?”

She didn’t dwell on it too much. After resting for a while, she cooked, ate, showered, and then headed to the hospital.

She didn’t know when Xiaocheng would wake up.

But she remembered something Chi Xiaocheng had once said:

—”Every time I wake up and see Tao-Tao by my side, it makes me so happy.”

‘When she wakes up, she’ll want to see me.’

‘If I have time, I should stay with her at the hospital more.’

By the time she returned at 11 p.m., she found the doll once again mercilessly discarded by King at the doorway.

Su Tao chuckled helplessly and picked it up.

A strange sense of comfort washed over her.

Meeting the doll’s crimson eyes again, she couldn’t help but murmur, “It’s so magical… it’s like Xiaocheng is right here with me.”

She placed the doll back on the desk in her room, failing to notice the sly little smile on its face.

But just as she was about to lie down, she realized her mattress had been clawed at some point.

She didn’t even need to think to know that this was King’s handiwork.

“Hm? There’s paper here too?”

Just as she was about to adjust the mattress, she noticed a crumpled sheet of paper tucked beneath it.

She pulled it out with some effort….

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—”To Tao-Tao.”

The three large characters at the top were already dusty. The paper itself was of mediocre quality and had clearly been pressed under here for at least a month.

For some reason, a faint sense of foreboding rose in Su Tao’s heart.

She continued reading.

“If you’re reading this letter, I should already be dead. I’m really sorry for causing you so much trouble all this time.

“Most of what I wanted to say about parting is already in my suicide note, but I still feel like there’s more left unsaid.

“I wanted Tao-Tao to forget about me in the end and start a new life.

“That way, you wouldn’t have to worry or agonize over me anymore.

“But in the end, I guess I just couldn’t bear the thought of you truly forgetting me. From the moment we met as kids, I’ve never regretted a single thing.

“Yet when I think about all the trouble I’ve caused you, I wonder, would your life have been better if we’d never met?

“After all, you’re so amazing.

“And I’m just… so stupid.

“Talking about this now probably doesn’t matter anymore. It’ll just make you worry, haha.

“Sorry about that.

“But, well, I do have a tiny bit of selfishness left.

“I still want to stay by Tao-Tao’s side.

“So I secretly made a little doll. Yep, it’s the straw Xiaocheng! I hid it under the pile of stuffed animals!

“If you ever find it, please don’t throw it away, okay?

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“I don’t need you to remember me. I just want to stay with you in another form.

“You always said I brought you luck.

“Even if I’m gone, I don’t want to take that luck away with me.

“So let this little doll stay with you.

“Also, I’m going to hide this note. If you never find it, then please forget about me.

“But if you do find it… could you think of me just a little sometimes?

“I hope your future is filled with happiness.

“—Love you, and forever yours, Xiaocheng.”

Tears fell onto the paper, one after another.

Without realizing it, Su Tao’s eyes had reddened.

Her blurred gaze shifted to the little doll placed on the desk.

The doll stared back at her obediently. Even though it was just a stuffed toy, its lips seemed to curl into a doting, affectionate smile.

No wonder this doll’s eyes looked so much like Xiaocheng’s.

No wonder it had a dried orange slice as a hair accessory, just like her.

No wonder holding it gave her such a sense of comfort.

So this… was her final wish.

Her beloved Xiaocheng.