Peach-Orange! – Chapter 282 – What Was Discarded Wasn’t a Suicide Note, But Love

The handwriting at the edges caught Fang Ning’s attention, piquing her curiosity.

She glanced at the closed doors of Su Tao and Chi Xiaocheng’s rooms before carefully retrieving the suicide note.

Ravaged by Su Tao’s treatment, the paper was wrinkled and torn, with several small holes obscuring parts of the text.

But after spending two days in Chi Xiaocheng’s room, Fang Ning recognized the handwriting immediately.

The first line that jumped out at her was one brimming with “most beloved”:

—To my most, most, most beloved Tao-Tao.

The irreplaceable weight of those three “mosts,” along with the familiar tone and address, stirred faint memories in Fang Ning.

Her knowledge differed from Su Tao’s. Chi Xiaocheng had vented to her many times about Su Tao, on how dense she was, how hard to pursue, and how endlessly frustrating.

Yet no matter how explosive her emotions or how unhappy she seemed, she never abandoned that affectionate, love-filled name: Tao-Tao.

The note wasn’t long.

But Fang Ning read it slowly.

As if savoring every word, absorbing every emotion.

To her eyes, this wasn’t a suicide note.

It was a love letter, overflowing with reluctance and longing.

A confession to the one she loved.

Even with a broken heart, she still wanted to cling to that person.

The note wasn’t about farewell, it was about love, the kind she wished she could say aloud.

“So… before Sister Xiaocheng died, she had tried to take her own life once before…?”

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Fang Ning’s gaze grew heavy. She knew Chi Xiaocheng loved Su Tao deeply, that she was the only one for her.

But she’d never truly understood the story between them.

Chi Xiaocheng didn’t volunteer details, and Fang Ning never pressed.

But if someone had died twice, and if the first time had been a deliberate choice, a suicide, just to convey the weight of her love to another….

How could Sister Su Tao still not love Sister Xiaocheng in return?

Or rather… what did Sister Xiaocheng even mean to her?

Her thoughts churned slowly as Fang Ning sat motionless on the sofa, like a block of wood.

Even as her fingertips grew cold and red from clutching the note, she felt nothing.

Until the sound of a door opening snapped her back to reality.

She looked up to see the other girl stepping out of her room.

Their eyes met, and Su Tao, looking stunned, almost bewildered, asked, “What are you looking at?”

Fang Ning glanced down at the note in her hands.

“Something you threw away.”

“I—”

Su Tao started to raise her voice, but Fang Ning pressed a finger to her lips.

“Shh~!”

She pointed toward the balcony door.

“Let’s talk outside. Or even out of the apartment. Don’t disturb Sister Xiaocheng. She might be napping.”

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Su Tao bit her lip, masking the aggression in her eyes, and strode to the balcony first.

Fang Ning followed, note in hand.

But her gaze had lost some of its earlier deference.

Only once they were on the balcony, the cold breeze tousling their hair, the sliding glass door shut behind them for soundproofing, did Su Tao finally snap:

“Why were you snooping on Xiaocheng’s suicide note to me?!”

Hostility radiated from her the moment they met.

That tiny piece of paper seemed to have burned away Su Tao’s rationality.

Fang Ning, however, just tilted her head slightly, her voice calm.

“Snooping? Didn’t you throw this away, and didn’t I pick it up?”

“I—”

Su Tao took a step back, but she had no real rebuttal.

Because it was true. She had discarded it. In a fit of frustration, she’d crumpled it up and tossed it into the trash like an outlet for her anger.

Afterward, consumed by panic and pressure, she’d forgotten to retrieve it.

But no matter what, Su Tao refused to lose face in front of Fang Ning.

She lifted her chin defiantly.

“Fine, that was my mistake. I’ll apologize to Xiaocheng like my life depends on it later. But what does this note have to do with you?”

Fang Ning’s brows furrowed slightly at that.

“Sister Su Tao.”

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She emphasized the honorific.

“The only reason I still call you ‘sister,’ the reason I haven’t confronted you about so many things, is because Sister Xiaocheng has always loved you.

“But right now… you’re disappointing me.”

“Disappointing?” Su Tao didn’t understand.

As a rival, how could Fang Ning be the one disappointed? Was this mockery?

Fang Ning held up the note.

“Tell me, what do you think this is?”

Su Tao bit her lip.

“It’s… Xiaocheng’s suicide note to me. Something that holds her deepest feelings. Please give it back!”

She reached for it, but Fang Ning, small as she was, easily dodged.

The younger girl’s frown deepened, her words unsparing.

“If this really holds Sister Xiaocheng’s deepest feelings, then why did you throw it away?

“I’ve read it. Sister Xiaocheng was willing to die for you. She chose to end herself just so you could forget her and live a better life. Is this a suicide note?

“This is her love for you!”

Fang Ning’s voice suddenly rose, sharp and heavy.

“I don’t care what your reasons were. She loved you that much, and you claim to love her too, yet this is how you treat something so precious?

“This was once a neat, beautiful letter, wasn’t it? Now look at it! Wrinkled, creased, stained, full of holes!”

She took a deep breath, steadying herself.

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“I don’t want to fight. But after that night in the snow, I thought you’d grown up. I thought you’d finally learned to cherish Sister Xiaocheng. And this is your answer? A discarded suicide note?

“The way you’re talking to me now, that look of disgust in your eyes, is this your change?”

Fang Ning hated Su Tao.

Hated her with every fiber of her being.

Because she’d nearly gotten Sister Xiaocheng killed.

Because even after everything Sister Xiaocheng had sacrificed, Su Tao was still like this: stubborn, clueless, spouting nonsense while putting on a brave face, posturing in front of a “potential love rival” to assert dominance.

Fang Ning’s feelings didn’t matter.

She was just a side character, soon to exit stage left.

She’d willingly step aside, become a stepping stone for their happiness as long as Sister Xiaocheng could be happy, as long as Su Tao could make her happy.

Then Ningning would fade quietly from their lives.

Without disturbing them.

Until she disappeared entirely.

But after all the planning, all the staged “accidents” and “pressures” she and Sister Xiaocheng had orchestrated… this was the result?

‘I’ve been gone half the day, and now that I’m back, you’re not even in Sister Xiaocheng’s room!’

‘If you love her, then stay by her side!’

The wind tangled Fang Ning’s hair as she glared up at the girl who seemed to tower over her.

Her eyes, hidden behind her bangs, were sharp.