Peach-Orange! – Chapter 269 – Who Is the Real Third Wheel?

Women are inherently more emotional. Su Tao’s rationality was built upon her strong personality and stable life.

She remained strong, but her life was no longer stable.

The two before her were merely playing a game, yet she felt as though Fang Ning was gradually taking Xiaocheng away from her, bit by bit.

Lost in her thoughts, the next round of their game began.

The level had become more challenging, with more elements to manage.

Fang Ning’s little fire character accidentally stepped into water, dying and restarting.

The little girl fiddled with her long hair and said sheepishly, “I wasn’t paying attention and died. Sorry, Sister Xiaocheng.”

“It’s fine, we’re just starting anyway. Starting over is no big deal.”

Soon, they cleared the level.

Su Tao wanted to join in, not wanting Fang Ning, this third wheel, to keep monopolizing Xiaocheng’s attention. So she said, “This looks pretty fun. Can I join too?”

“Of course!”

“Then let Sister Su Tao play with Sister Xiaocheng. You can sit in my spot.”

“Thanks, Xiao Ning.” Su Tao sat in Fang Ning’s original seat and immediately caught the pleasant, familiar scent of Chi Xiaocheng.

She narrowed her eyes comfortably for a moment but didn’t focus on the game.

Instead, she mimicked Fang Ning and deliberately stepped on a trap while collecting the last gem.

With a snap, the game ended in failure.

Su Tao rubbed her head apologetically. “Sorry, Xiaocheng. I died by accident.”

Chi Xiaocheng pouted. “Ugh, we were so close to clearing it! Sister Su Tao, you’re so clumsy.”

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The slender fingers on the keyboard stiffened slightly.

Su Tao’s smile grew awkward. “S-Sorry….”

She gave up her spot, and the next turn went to Fang Ning.

But Fang Ning, who had been dying occasionally earlier, suddenly became incredibly skilled, effortlessly carrying Chi Xiaocheng through the levels. Su Tao waited for a long time, but her next turn never came.

The game was supposed to be played in short turns by each person.

But Fang Ning seemed to have her own little agenda. After waiting for what felt like forever, Su Tao received a message from Chi Xiaocheng’s parents and stepped out.

She had already informed the elderly couple earlier that Chi Xiaocheng hadn’t fully recovered, so she wouldn’t be coming home for the New Year.

Chatting, making small talk.

When asked how her relationship with Xiaocheng was, Su Tao naturally smiled and said it was great.

But in reality?

Their relationship wasn’t good at all.

Even their memories were fractured.

And now, a third wheel had inserted herself into what was supposed to be their world of two.

After hanging up, it was already 10 p.m.

At this hour, Fang Ning should be heading home.

So Su Tao knocked on the door again, interrupting their game. “Xiaocheng, it’s already 10. Shouldn’t Xiao Ning be going home by now?”

A faint smile hung on her lips.

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But behind her back, her hands clenched tightly onto the hem of her clothes.

As if afraid something terrifying was about to happen.

Then—

Chi Xiaocheng waved her hand dismissively, entirely unbothered. “It’s already 10. Going back now isn’t safe anyway. It’s not like she’s got anyone waiting at the cat café. She can just stay here tonight.”

“But…” Su Tao’s voice rose slightly, the words of refusal on her tongue softening into something more polite. “We don’t have any spare rooms. The guest room is full of stuff, and the sofa… isn’t comfortable to sleep on.”

Chi Xiaocheng: “Then she can sleep with me.”

Su Tao stared blankly at the two sitting side by side at the computer, practically snuggled together. “With… you?”

“Yeah. My bed’s huge anyway. Fitting two people is no problem.”

“Walking home at night isn’t safe either. Didn’t you hear? There was a murder on North Road yesterday. A body was fished out of the river!

“She’s already brought her luggage. If she doesn’t have spare clothes, she can borrow mine. Ningning’s about my size, maybe even a little shorter.

“And also….”

Each word that reached Su Tao’s ears felt like a demon from her worst nightmares, relentlessly chasing her down.

The more you fear something, the more it comes for you.

The last thread of rationality in her mind trembled violently for the first time.

She nearly slammed the door open, shouting, “No!”

Her voice was sharp, echoing through the room.

The gentleness she usually carried had vanished. Su Tao quickly snapped back to herself, looking somewhat disheveled as she stammered, “Fang Ning can’t sleep with you. I… I’ll sleep with her instead! But she can’t sleep with you!”

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Chi Xiaocheng tilted her head. “Sister Su Tao, just say what you mean. Why can’t she sleep with me? It’s just sleeping, not a big deal. You’re being so weird.”

“I’m weird?”

Su Tao took a deep breath, pointing at herself as she retorted, “Before… before, it was always us sleeping together. If Fang Ning sleeps with you, what about King? She’s scared of strangers. Think about her, okay?

“And right now, Sakura’s ¹ The white cat bed is right next to yours. Look at her, she’s curled up in the corner, too scared to even go near Fang Ning!”

Su Tao pointed at the pure white Ragdoll cat huddled under a table, then spread her hands pleadingly. “Xiaocheng, how about this: let Fang Ning sleep in my room, and we’ll sleep together.

“Okay?”

‘No matter what, you can’t sleep with someone else!’

‘Our world of two, our shared room, our bed where we’ve slept together so many times, why should a third wheel barge into these warm memories?’

Su Tao’s tone grew heavier, as if she were wielding a knife, pressing forward step by step.

Chi Xiaocheng frowned, her patience wearing thin. “Sister Su Tao, you’re being completely unreasonable. What does it matter who sleeps where? Stop bothering us, okay?”

With that, she nudged Fang Ning’s shoulder.

A silent signal to ignore Su Tao.

Her words weren’t particularly harsh.

Just like a child tired of a parent’s nagging, throwing a minor tantrum, acting a little spoiled.

Yet this minor tantrum made Su Tao’s pupils contract sharply for an instant.

The words “stop bothering us” reverberated in her mind like an echo.

‘I’m bothering you?’

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‘Wasn’t it Fang Ning who barged into our world?’

‘Why… why was she the one being pushed away?’

Su Tao wanted to say something, but the words stuck in her throat, refusing to come out.

The room suddenly felt unfamiliar.

As if….

She were the third wheel.

Her outstretched arm, reaching for something, eventually dropped limply to her side.

Su Tao turned mechanically, her expression blank as she walked out.

Standing outside the door for a long time, she wanted to glance back one last time, but at some point, the door had already been shut.

A sliver of light seeped through the gap, but she couldn’t make out anything inside.

Instinctively, she pulled out her phone, wanting to ask her friends for help.

But just then, the doorbell rang again.

“Hello, delivery!”

Opening the door, she found a cheerful deliveryman holding a gift box. “Happy New Year, miss! Here’s your package.”

Su Tao’s expression was dull, devoid of life. “I didn’t order anything. You must have the wrong address.”

The deliveryman smiled. “It’s from someone named Dongfang Yang. He specifically asked for it to be delivered at this time, saying it’s a New Year’s gift for some Miss Chi.”