Peach-Orange! – Chapter 240 – Ningning and Xiaocheng

The meal was the hospital’s nutritional set menu, and thanks to Dongfang Yang’s connections, Chi Xiaocheng was given the best available.

Considering digestive system recovery, she had initially been limited to congee and soups, but now she could gradually eat rice. With assistance, she could even slowly walk around.

Her recovery was progressing swiftly. She might truly make it home for New Year’s.

Yet Su Tao couldn’t bring herself to feel happy.

She stood by the door, watching as Fang Ning scooped up a spoonful of congee, blew on it gently, and used her other hand to shield beneath the spoon, preventing any drips.

Then she brought it to Chi Xiaocheng’s lips.

The girl tucked her tea-colored hair behind her ear with two fingers and leaned forward slightly.

“Her expression is more relaxed than when I fed her yesterday….”

Su Tao murmured words only she could hear, her heart aching. For a moment, an absurd thought even crossed her mind.

‘Maybe I should just leave them be?’

She had failed Xiaocheng, and she had also wronged Fang Ning somewhat. Fang Ning could only visit during spare moments, whereas Su Tao had far more time to accompany Xiaocheng.

And perhaps they were just friends.

She shouldn’t deprive them of even these brief moments together.

Though it pained her, Su Tao’s rationality remained intact. She wouldn’t take out her frustrations on Fang Ning or fly into a rage.

Nor would she act obsessively or irrationally.

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Her resilient personality, combined with months of stress management training, allowed her to endure things most couldn’t.

But if she walked away now, did that mean she was giving up on Xiaocheng?

Even if their relationship wasn’t romantic…

As she hesitated, Chi Xiaocheng noticed Su Tao and beckoned her inside. “You’re here. Come in.”

No “Tao-Tao.” Not even “Su Tao jiejie.”

Su Tao’s heart twisted, but she forced a smile.

Chi Xiaocheng said, “You two haven’t properly met, right? Let me introduce you.”

In her current persona and memories, these two had never interacted.

“Ningning, this is Su Tao, the sister I’ve mentioned to you. You might have seen her around campus before.”

Then she turned to Su Tao. “And this is Ningning. I’ve talked about her before too. She’s my… good friend now.”

Fang Ning faced Su Tao, her long bangs parting to reveal a bright smile. “Hello, Sister Su Tao. Nice to meet you. I’m Fang Ning, you can call me Ningning too.”

This radiant smile was something Su Tao had never seen before.

Whenever she’d spotted this girl before, she’d always been withdrawn, indifferent to everyone.

The words “nice to meet you” seemed to say: In front of Xiaocheng, let’s pretend our past conflicts never happened.

Su Tao understood and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you. Xiaocheng mentioned you before, but we never got the chance to meet. Ningning is so cute.”

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“Not at all! Sister Su Tao is the truly beautiful one. I’ve always wanted such a pretty older sister.”

Fang Ning chuckled sheepishly. “But now that I have Sister Xiaocheng, I’m perfectly happy, hehe.”

Remembering the night she’d hidden as a straw doll in the snow, eavesdropping on their argument, and now seeing them acting like close sisters, Chi Xiaocheng nearly laughed.

‘Tao-Tao, this won’t do~’

‘Against Ningning, you should be radiating hostility.’

Suppressing a smile, Chi Xiaocheng tugged Fang Ning’s arm, pulling her onto the hospital bed. As she patted the girl’s head, she said to Su Tao, “You think Ningning’s cute too, right? When I first found her in the snow, she was nothing like this.

“Her hair was brittle, her skin was rough, and she was tiny. No meat on her at all.

“After two months of Dongfang Yang feeding her, she’s gotten cuter and cuter.”

She ruffled Fang Ning’s hair, then playfully scratched under her chin… like pampering a pet.

Fang Ning wasn’t stupid. She knew Chi Xiaocheng’s intentions and had discussed many things with her that Su Tao was unaware of.

Even so, being doted on like this still delighted her.

But to Su Tao’s eyes?

This scene was a needle piercing her heart.

‘She calls her “Ningning,” but not me “Tao-tao.”’

‘Says she’s cute, but doesn’t praise my looks.’

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‘Pets her head, scratches her chin, yet treats me with indifference.’

She knew it was the amnesia’s fault, but it still….

‘Hurts. It hurts so much!’

The heartache made her throat tighten painfully.

It felt like two tiny voices whispered in her ears—

An angel urged her to stay strong, not to overthink.

A demon hissed at her to act fast before it was too late.

She knew she was overreacting.

Su Tao patted her cheeks, telling herself not to dwell on it, then asked, “Should I feed Xiaocheng instead?”

Before Fang Ning could respond, Chi Xiaocheng answered first. “No need. Ningning can do it.”

“Oh… okay.”

Rejection, again and again.

The atmosphere between Chi Xiaocheng and Fang Ning was harmonious, leaving Su Tao feeling like an outsider once more.

Unable to join their conversation, she eventually excused herself and left, dejected.

Yet the moment she was gone, Fang Ning hopped off and tiptoed to the window, peeking outside.

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Turning back, she reported, “Sister Xiaocheng, Sister Su Tao is really gone.”

Chi Xiaocheng sighed. “She’s so inflexible. Rather than looking so heartbroken, she should’ve just pushed you aside assertively.”

Fang Ning sat back down, sticking out her tongue. “Sister Xiaocheng, maybe you should stop pressuring Sister Su Tao like this.”

“Hmm?” Chi Xiaocheng smiled faintly. “I thought you hated her. Why defend her now?”

Fang Ning sniffled. “I hated her because you nearly died, and she did nothing. She didn’t deserve your love. But hate aside, I….

“I don’t want to see you like this, Sister Xiaocheng. You love her so much, yet you’re in so much pain.”

Fang Ning understood everything. She and Chi Xiaocheng had plans unknown to Su Tao.

Even in her heart, she harbored private feelings Chi Xiaocheng wasn’t aware of.

But no matter the angle, she wanted Chi Xiaocheng to be happy, not forcing herself to suppress her longing for Su Tao.

Chi Xiaocheng sighed softly. “You’re not wrong, but it’s not time yet. If she can’t even muster the courage to fight for me against you, what happens when real challenges arise?”

‘Her possessiveness probably isn’t as strong as I thought.’

Why?

Her strong, rational personality?

Or did her emotional denseness also contribute to this hesitation?