Peach-Orange! – Chapter 268 – Fang Ning, You Shameless Homewrecker

“The vinegar is a bit strong?”

Chi Xiaocheng leaned down and sniffed her dipping sauce.

Fang Ning turned slightly, keeping her face angled away from Su Tao, and nodded at Chi Xiaocheng. “Even though both are sour, there’s a slight difference from lemon juice, so I can kinda tell?”

Or rather, she could sense it.

‘Sister Xiaocheng, someone’s staring daggers at us from the side.’

Chi Xiaocheng dipped another slice of beef into her sauce and tasted it carefully. “I don’t think the vinegar’s that strong. Must be your imagination, Ningning.”

If the vinegar really were strong, why was the person beside them just watching silently?

The two shared a knowing smile, their unspoken understanding clear.

Of course, Su Tao had no idea these two were putting on an act, deliberately provoking her.

She had indeed added a tiny drop of vinegar when mixing the dipping sauce, but she’d tasted it herself. The flavor was balanced, just the way Xiaocheng always liked it.

How could the vinegar possibly be too strong?!

‘If you can’t taste it properly, then shut up!’

‘Just eat quietly! Why do you have to flirt with my Xiaocheng like this….’

‘Fang Ning!’

‘You homewrecker, why don’t you just scram already?!’

Dark thoughts churned in her mind, yet the smile on Su Tao’s lips never wavered.

She didn’t catch the subtext in their words, only growing more desperate for Fang Ning to finish her meal and leave.

She kept comforting herself internally:

‘Don’t overthink it. Don’t get angry. They’re just chatting. They haven’t even held hands. How could they possibly be in that kind of relationship?’

‘Xiaocheng and I… we’ve even kissed before.’

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‘We gave each other our first kisses.’

‘Su Tao, remember the strong, radiant girl you used to be. The one who’d never entertain such dark thoughts, the one everyone adored and called their “white moonlight.”’

‘Isn’t thinking this way about Fang Ning just… petty?’

‘Yes.’

‘The girl named “Su Tao” shouldn’t be dwelling on these things.’

…

Call it “self-comfort,” but Su Tao was really just engaging in relentless self-hypnosis.

She had always been perfect.

Positive, bright, hardworking, resilient.

Even in emergencies, she could stay calm. No matter who she faced, the old her would always pause to strategize.

If she couldn’t solve a problem herself, she’d seek outside help to address it at the root.

But every person has an anchor that keeps them moving forward.

Hers was Chi Xiaocheng.

Obsessive, burning love had cracked the walls around the girl’s heart.

She’d squeezed through bit by bit, forcing the girl to confront her own feelings.

But everything comes at a cost, love included.

Her love had brought the girl endless pressure, torment, and pain.

Facing insurmountable obstacles, escape is human instinct.

The more you crave something, the harder it is to obtain.

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Fights, distance, forced confrontations, incomprehension.

Madness, obsession, sickness, loss of control.

Suicidal thoughts, near-death, life hanging by a thread.

After being saved, before she could even glimpse a happy future, an accident snuffed out her vitality entirely.

Yet fate seemed unwilling to take her. Two months after her life signs vanished, she miraculously revived.

Just when she thought waking up would lead to a happy ending, amnesia followed.

Pressure, over and over.

Shuttling between heaven and hell.

Plunged into despair, only for hope to flicker again. After a second despair, a tiny light in the darkness still preserved her sanity.

Even the most perfect person changes with experience.

Su Tao was no exception.

It was as if another voice urged her to just give up and let everything shatter.

Yet her rationality told her: Don’t listen. Keep going. Stay true to yourself.

She could still control herself.

But her anchor… was beyond her control.

…

Dinner ended. Fang Ning offered to help Su Tao clear the table, but Chi Xiaocheng immediately pulled her aside.

“Ningning, you’re a guest. How could we let you clean up?”

When Chi Xiaocheng tried to help instead, Su Tao stopped her. “Xiaocheng, go play. I’ll handle this.”

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Chi Xiaocheng blinked at Su Tao. “Then I’ll head back to my room first?”

“Mm. Go ahead.”

Her expression barely changed, but Su Tao’s voice was losing its liveliness.

She’d only started learning acting a few days ago. Even with talent, she could barely manage basic facial and emotional control.

Still, the conflict and disappointment in her tone were becoming impossible to hide.

But Chi Xiaocheng seemed oblivious. With Su Tao’s permission, she whisked Fang Ning back to her room.

Leaving Su Tao alone to clear the table, wash the dishes, and linger in the brightly lit, air-conditioned living room—

Yet it felt freezing cold.

“What time will Fang Ning finally leave tonight?”

Su Tao sat in the living room, shivered, and retreated to what used to be Chi Song’s room.

She pulled out her phone, wanting to chat with someone but unsure who to talk to.

In the end, she just sent a generic “Happy New Year” to some casual friends.

Technically, it was still New Year’s Eve, not quite the new year yet. But… close enough.

Fireworks boomed outside. Su Tao tried drowning them out with music, but after a few seconds, her headphones crackled and died.

Like the whole world was against her.

Her 30-yuan headphones had chosen this moment to fail her.

With nothing else to do, she mindlessly refreshed her QQ feed.

Snagged a 0.20-yuan red envelope.

And a 5-yuan Maserati coupon.

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After some thought, she cut up some fruit and knocked on a door.

“Xiaocheng, want some fruit?”

She pushed the door open to find the two girls sitting on the bed, playing a game on a secondhand laptop they’d bought online.

Since it couldn’t handle big games, they’d settled for Fireboy and Watergirl, each controlling one character.

Amidst the BGM, laughter and chatter filled the room.

Only when Su Tao approached and set a small fruit plate on the desk did Chi Xiaocheng notice her.

She glanced over for a second before refocusing on the screen. “Thanks, Tao-Tao.”

Fang Ning, already engrossed, belatedly echoed the thanks.

Then both turned back to the game.

“Ningning, quick! Jump onto that platform. I’ll hit this switch.”

“Got it! Sister Xiaocheng, be careful, don’t get burned by the water!”

“Relax! I’m a gaming pro!”

With a “ding,” they cleared the level and grabbed the trophy.

They high-fived, left hand to right hand.

“Yay! We did it!”

Their bright voices filled the room, grating on Su Tao’s ears.

‘I should be the one feeding Xiaocheng, sharing a bed with her, playing games with her, laughing with her, celebrating New Year’s with her!’

‘You homewrecker, what right do you have to take my place?!’

Her gaze toward Fang Ning grew increasingly hostile.