Peach-Orange! – Chapter 238 – Fleeting Warmth

The video call had begun. Chi Xiaocheng greeted her parents warmly, chatting about daily life and school matters.

After exchanging greetings, Su Tao’s attention drifted away from the conversation.

She tried to steady her breathing while greedily savoring the warmth in her arms. The hand resting on Chi Xiaocheng’s slender waist felt slightly restless, wanting to pull her closer, wanting to nuzzle against her. After trembling stiffly a few times, she didn’t dare make any further movements.

Her gaze remained fixed on the video call, forcing a somewhat stiff smile. Because they were so close, strands of Chi Xiaocheng’s hair occasionally brushed against her cheek or neck.

It tickled a little.

With just a slight downward glance, she could see that soft, youthful face, completely free of makeup.

She wanted to reach out and touch it.

But….

They were on a video call, and she couldn’t risk making Xiaocheng angry. Otherwise, the goodwill she’d painstakingly regained would vanish again.

Chi Xiaocheng continued chatting with her parents, her expression slightly unfocused as if lost in thought. A light elbow jab from her snapped Su Tao back to reality.

“What are you spacing out for? They’re asking you something.”

“Huh?” Su Tao blinked, scratching her head sheepishly. “S-Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. What did Uncle and Auntie say?”

Mother Chi’s expression remained kind. “We were just asking if Xiaocheng has been causing you any trouble lately. This girl never lets anyone rest easy.”

Su Tao’s gaze flickered downward briefly.

She immediately met Chi Xiaocheng’s slightly threatening look, as if saying: If you dare say anything wrong… heh, you’re dead.

Su Tao smiled naturally. “Auntie, you’re overthinking it. Xiaocheng has been very well-behaved lately. Sometimes when I come home late, she even leaves the entrance light on for me. How could she possibly be a bother?”

Chi Xiaocheng smoothly added, “See? And even if a little sister causes small troubles, they don’t count as real troubles, right?”

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“You—! Don’t think just because Tao-Tao spoils you, you can do whatever you want. You’re not a child anymore. Be more considerate, understand?”

“Got it!” Chi Xiaocheng motioned for Su Tao to keep talking.

After several more minutes of conversation, she took over again. “Dad, Mom, you know what? Brother came back to Jiuzhou to visit me recently. But he’s being stubborn and says he won’t come home for New Year’s this time.”

“He treats me really well, though. What kind of older brother would bully his little sister?”

“You’re asking about me and Sister Su Tao? For New Year’s… if I can walk normally by then and don’t need to stay hospitalized, we’ll probably come back.”

The call lasted nearly an hour.

Having been alone for so long, Chi Xiaocheng cherished this familial bond deeply. Whether it was her parents or her older brother Chi Song, she could feel their immense love for her.

Meanwhile, Su Tao had completely turned into a “chair,” listening to Chi Xiaocheng chat away while drowning in the warmth in her arms, her thoughts adrift.

‘The call is about to end. Xiaocheng will definitely make me leave again, won’t she?’

‘Even if she’s forgiven me, didn’t she say being close to me makes her uncomfortable?’

‘Even if we slowly rebuild our relationship, how long will it take before I can hold her like this again?’

Two weeks? A month?

‘The treatment process is so long… unless her memories return immediately, unless she remembers everything….’

‘But I want to keep holding Xiaocheng….’

‘Just a little longer. Just a little longer.’

‘Can the call last a bit more?’

She prayed silently, hoping Chi Xiaocheng’s parents would keep talking. But such wishes were futile. Chi Xiaocheng was physically weak and needed to rest early.

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After over half an hour of conversation, her parents, now reassured about their “sisters'” situation, finally wrapped things up.

Truthfully, Chi Xiaocheng had been forcing the conversation too, rambling when she ran out of things to say, spinning stories for her parents to listen to.

Her desire to share wasn’t that strong.

But… she also wanted to stay in these arms a little longer.

Warm, comfortable, soft, and filled with Tao-Tao’s scent.

Yet she couldn’t break character. Right now, she wasn’t supposed to like Tao-Tao this much. So… if the call lasted just a bit longer, maybe she could indulge in this dependence a little more.

Both of them were thinking the same thing.

Neither voiced it. Neither knew the other’s thoughts.

‘I haven’t worn the status glasses in days. I wonder what Tao-Tao’s current possessive levels are.’

‘With how I’ve been acting lately, her possessiveness should be back to passing levels, right?’

As her thoughts wandered, the lengthy call finally reached its end. Father and Mother Chi kept glancing toward the door, as if preoccupied with something. Meanwhile, A’Cai, the family’s big yellow dog, kept barking nearby, trying to poke his head into the frame but not daring to dirty the bed with his paws.

After a few final words of concern for her health, the call disconnected.

Chi Xiaocheng let out a soft exhale.

Her gaze momentarily glazed over before quickly refocusing.

Ready to pull away from this comforting embrace, she lightly patted Su Tao’s arm around her waist. “The call’s over. You can let go now.”

Her intermediate acting skills kicked in. Though her voice no longer carried that previous aloofness, it had flattened into neutrality.

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But….

No response came from Su Tao.

Instead, the girl’s previously upright posture suddenly slumped forward. Her chin rested on Chi Xiaocheng’s shoulder, cheek pressed against cheek.

Even, steady breaths brushed past. Behind long lashes, her eyes were shut tight.

‘She’s asleep.’

Su Tao’s unconscious actions spelled out these words to Chi Xiaocheng.

The hand that had been about to shake her awake froze mid-air.

A long silence followed, unbroken by any sound.

Su Tao’s heartbeat involuntarily quickened. The hands holding Chi Xiaocheng grew slightly damp with sweat.

‘She’s pretending to sleep.’

A clumsy method, but one with some effect.

‘How despicable, Su Tao.’

Disgust at herself flickered in Su Tao’s heart.

Using such a cheap trick to cling to Xiaocheng….

‘Even though she’s suffering from memory confusion, even though she finds me uncomfortable, I’m still selfishly holding onto her like this.’

‘I only wanted a little while, but now I’m greedily hoping for the entire night.’

‘But….’

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‘Xiaocheng, please don’t wake me up, okay?’

‘I still want things to go back to how they were before. Even if you don’t call me Tao-Tao anymore, even if I make you uncomfortable, even if you hate me—’

‘I still want to hold you like I used to.’

Her breathing grew slightly uneven.

Then, a soft sigh reached her ears.

“Fine. Just this once.”

Chi Xiaocheng’s murmur was impossible to decipher whether it was directed at herself or at Su Tao.

She could faintly sense the accelerated heartbeat against her back.

But….

‘This is fine too.’

‘I also want to sleep in your arms tonight.’

Chi Xiaocheng tilted her head slightly. “The air conditioning’s a bit too cold….”

Yet she didn’t feel cold at all.

With this whisper, she nestled deeper into Su Tao’s embrace.

The arms around her tightened slightly.

Their hair spilled over, strands lightly entwining.