Peach-Orange! – Chapter 264 – Dongfang Yang Keeps Scoring Points

In Chi Song’s room, Su Tao barely had time to arrange her belongings before immediately grabbing her phone after entering.

She contacted three people simultaneously: Dr. Cheng, Chengcheng, and Si Chen, all with the same message.

Chi Xiaocheng’s sudden change in attitude tonight made Su Tao realize something was wrong.

Xiaocheng’s memory loss was definitely more complicated than she’d imagined.

However, the responses from all three left Su Tao at a loss.

Dr. Cheng: “Based on what you described, the headache was likely caused by a momentary resurgence of memories.

“Familiar settings are the easiest triggers for memory recovery.

“However, her subconscious might be resisting those memories, causing her brain to fabricate alternative recollections to make the existing distortions feel more ‘logical.’

“That’s why, despite remembering ‘occasionally sleeping together weekly,’ she still refuses to share a bed now.

“Though she’s consciously trying to reconnect with you, subconscious resistance remains.

“If you’re unwilling to actively restore her memories, I don’t have better solutions.”

Dr. Cheng analyzed the cause but didn’t offer the solution Su Tao hoped for.

Meanwhile, Chengcheng’s reply was even blunter: “I’ve always supported restoring Xiaocheng’s memories. Since you chose to avoid her pain and let her recover naturally for a ‘better version’ of her…. Isn’t this outcome expected?

“Remember what I said before? Gaining something always means losing something else.”

Though harsh, Su Tao knew Chengcheng meant well.

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Si Chen’s response was the most perfunctory: “It’s the New Year. Even Dr. Lin is on holiday. People have lives outside you. Stop overreacting.”

Reading this, Su Tao dropped her phone and collapsed backward onto the bed in defeat.

Right, it was the holidays.

People weren’t at her beck and call 24/7. Everyone had their own lives.

Bothering others over every little thing was her own fault.

Covering her eyes with her forearm to block the light, Su Tao murmured, “What should I do now then?”

On the surface, her relationship with Xiaocheng seemed to be improving.

Yet now they couldn’t even share a room.

Let nature take its course?

Su Tao took a deep breath and slapped her cheeks lightly. “Su Tao, why do you overthink every setback? Weren’t you hated by Xiaocheng not long ago? Now you’re getting along again!

“Separate rooms are temporary. Spend more quality time together these days, and you’ll be back in the same bed soon.”

Their progress was undeniable. She was just being impatient.

“Deep breaths. Adjust your mindset.”

Exercise helped soothe anxiety. After 30 proper push-ups, Su Tao grabbed her toiletries and headed to the shower.

Cooler water would calm her restless heart better.

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The evening passed with room arrangements, chatting with Chi Xiaocheng, then bedtime.

Except….

She couldn’t sleep.

Normally, hugging the giant brown bear (even long after the sachet’s scent faded) brought deep sleep.

Now, the plush’s fur just prickled her skin.

“Did it… always feel this scratchy?”

—

The next day, on New Year’s Eve.

Su Tao had already cleaned the apartment. With little money for decorations or fireworks, their celebrations would be modest.

Yet the New Year held special meaning for many.

Social media countdowns, year-end reflections, platform events. Countless people chased the “New Year” hype for validation.

Su Tao wondered if she and Xiaocheng should create a special memory too.

Secretly, she placed a camera by the TV, angled at the couch to capture their midnight moment.

Her, Xiaocheng, and King—

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The two of them cuddled on the sofa with the cat in Xiaocheng’s arms.

Watching TV, chatting. Simple but warm, right?

Imagining the scene, Su Tao smiled in anticipation, her gloom from last night vanishing.

Then she realized something else.

Wait… where was King?

Knocking on Chi Xiaocheng’s door, she asked, “Xiaocheng, can I come in?”

“Sure.”

Entering, she found Chi Xiaocheng on her bed, smiling at her phone, chatting happily with someone.

Su Tao glanced around. “Xiaocheng, is King not here?”

Chi Xiaocheng tilted her head. “Huh? Didn’t you take care of King while I was sick?”

Su Tao froze.

“Taking care” of King? She’d been too distracted at the hospital to pay attention. She just left out food, assuming the cat would return at night like usual.

But last night… King never came back?

Oh no, had King gone missing?

A flicker of worry arose, but then Su Tao remembered: in all memories, hadn’t she and Xiaocheng adopted King together during happier times?

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Back when Xiaocheng’s dissociative episodes were severe but she still clung to Su Tao adoringly.

On their cat café date, Xiaocheng even got jealous over King.

Right!

What were Xiaocheng’s memories about King?

If bad memories were distorted, how were the good ones preserved?

Su Tao quickly sat on the chair by Chi Xiaocheng’s bed, nervously rubbing her beige-tighted knees.

“Xiaocheng… do you remember how King came to our home?”

Chi Xiaocheng gave her a puzzled look but answered, “Of course.”

Those three words lit up Su Tao’s eyes.

She remembers!

The happy memories weren’t completely erased!

Then Chi Xiaocheng continued, speaking words that were not at all what Su Tao expected:

“After our fight, Dongfang Yang worried I’d be lonely alone, so he took me to his cat café. He played with me, made me laugh….

Chi Xiaocheng smiled fondly at the memory. “He said he was too busy to always be there for me, so he gave me King.”