Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Can I Taste A Bit Of Your Orange Juice? (Bonus Chapter For Kongtian Longqing)
Chapter 85 Can I Taste A Bit Of Your Orange Juice? (Bonus Chapter For Kongtian Longqing)
Early the next morning, Su Tao woke up and began her daily routine.
After quietly getting ready so as not to wake her roommates, she changed into sportswear and headed out. The sun had been out yesterday, and with no snow, the weather wasn't as cold, so she resumed her usual exercise. This not only kept her from getting rusty but also helped maintain her good figure.
After breakfast, she went to the hospital to chat with Chi Xiaocheng for an hour, then returned to school. Classes, studying, occasionally being asked by classmates to help with errands, or being treated like a workhorse by her counselor, called back and forth. After lunch, she went to a snack supermarket near the school for her part-time job, and her time wouldn't free up until evening.
After visiting Chi Xiaocheng at the hospital again, Su Tao returned to her dorm, reviewing questions for her driving test while pondering what Dr. Cheng had said.
Find like-minded friends, chat, and broaden her hobbies.
Thinking of this, she first glanced at Chen Qian and her other roommate. Chen Qian was looking in the mirror nearby, humming a tune happily. As far as Su Tao knew, ever since Chen Qian's schedule became regular and the blackheads and pimples on her face and nose decreased, she had become increasingly vain, constantly looking in the mirror and taking selfies. The other roommate was sleeping in bed, snoring away, yet still had the sound of a web series playing aloud. There were only three people in the four-person dorm; the fourth had rented a place outside because of her boyfriend and rarely came back.
Su Tao hesitated for a moment but decided not to involve the two of them. If Xiaocheng were to have an episode, they would be in danger.
Opening WeChat, Su Tao was contemplating whether to just add some random netizens when she suddenly found someone had added her as a friend.
WeChat ID: Cheng Cheng.
Profile picture: an unfamiliar green-haired anime girl, making a peace sign, winking, and tilting her head cutely in greeting.
Below it was an emoticon line: Ciallo～(∠・ω＜ )⌒☆
Source: People Nearby.
Add friend message: Hello, WeChat recommends a 'person nearby' to me every day, and today it's you! Meeting is fate, how about we become friends?
Su Tao clicked on Cheng Cheng's Moments. Scenery photos, convention return photos, complaints about anime, occasionally saying things like "hungry for food"—she posted almost two Moments per day.
"Seems like a very cheerful girl, and her location is Kyushu Art and Media College?"
It was only 20 kilometers from her own Kyushu University.
And she was into anime. Xiaocheng seemed to like anime too? This fit what Dr. Cheng had said: online friends.
So Su Tao clicked to add her as a friend and initiated the conversation, "Hello, I'm Taozi."
As soon as the message went out, the other side replied immediately, and their tone was very surprised.
Cheng Cheng: "Oh my goodness, I actually added a friend!"
Cheng Cheng: "I add a 'person nearby' every day, whoever WeChat recommends, I add, but 99% of them think I'm looking for a hookup. I finally actually added a friend!"
Cheng Cheng: "Miss Taozi, or Brother Taozi? Thank you for adding me!"
Su Tao looked at the consecutive text messages and emojis, feeling a little embarrassed. This girl was too enthusiastic.
Taozi: "I'm a girl, Miss Cheng Cheng. Why do you add a friend every day?"
Cheng Cheng: "Do you believe in fate?"
Cheng Cheng: "Before, I went to a master to get a fortune stick reading. I asked him, 'Where in the world can I find a soulmate?'"
Su Tao raised an eyebrow. "What did the master say?"
Cheng Cheng: "The master said your soulmate is right in front of you. All you need is 3,000 yuan for the reading."
Su Tao: "..."
Cheng Cheng: "Then he told me that instead of believing in such vague things, it's better to add a few 'people nearby' on WeChat, and maybe you'll find someone. I've been adding for a week, and so far, you're the only one, Taozi, who has accepted my friend request. It's frustrating!"
Taozi: "I'm also looking for a friend. I look forward to our friendship."
Cheng Cheng: "So, can I chat with you to my heart's content from now on?"
Su Tao's lips curved into a light smile, and she typed back, "No problem."
So this was what Dr. Cheng meant by chatting to relieve stress. Just a few sentences, mere words on a phone screen, but the other person's enthusiasm infected Su Tao. It wasn't bad to confide in a complete stranger. After all, neither knew the other, and if it felt wrong, she could just delete the friend. No responsibility needed, and no repercussions.
Su Tao, however, had underestimated the other's enthusiasm. This person with the ID Cheng Cheng had a personality almost identical to Chi Xiaocheng's when she was little; like a little sun, her cheerfulness could be felt in every line of text. They chatted for two hours straight. Su Tao was already in bed when the other person belatedly sent an apology.
Cheng Cheng: "Sorry about that, I'm usually a chatterbox, and I might have talked a bit too much. I'm really sorry if I bothered you!"
Taozi: "It's nothing, I enjoyed chatting too."
Cheng Cheng: "But I've been doing all the talking about my own stuff. Taozi, you should talk about yours too, or if there's anything I can help you with."
With that reminder, Su Tao suddenly realized. There really was a problem she needed advice on.
So Su Tao asked, "I have a friend who's quite extreme. She often harms herself to please me, but I don't like that behavior. I just can't bring myself to talk to her about it. What do you think I should do?"
Cheng Cheng: "Hmm, that's pretty simple, right? You just need to make your friend's uncontrollable behavior controllable."
Taozi: "Controllable?"
Cheng Cheng: "Yes! You don't need to say anything at all. When she has that kind of action or inclination, just show extreme annoyance. Then state what you want."
Cheng Cheng: "Since your friend wants to please you, she will naturally change according to your thoughts."
Su Tao looked at these two sentences and pondered by herself for a while. This trick wouldn't work on Xiaocheng. Just like last time on the rooftop. If her hand didn't work, she'd switch to other body parts, finally even mentioning her neck, as if she was 100% certain that Su Tao would like her orange juice. No matter what Su Tao said, she wouldn't listen.
But Cheng Cheng's words gave Su Tao a new idea. Making Xiaocheng's uncontrollable self-harm controllable—she could actually guide her with words! Although it might not make Xiaocheng return to normal, it could maximize the restriction on her self-harm!
Su Tao's eyes gradually lit up, as if she had found a direction for treating Chi Xiaocheng. She replied to Cheng Cheng, "Thank you for your suggestion, I'll try it tomorrow!"
They bid each other goodnight, and with the sachet's aid, Su Tao slept very soundly.
Early the next morning, she arrived at Chi Xiaocheng's hospital.
"Good morning~"
Facing Chi Xiaocheng's soft and adorable greeting, Su Tao's heart couldn't help but beat faster.
Chi Xiaocheng looked strangely at Su Tao. "What's wrong, Taotao? You look a little strange."
Su Tao composed herself, sat beside Chi Xiaocheng, and tentatively asked, "Um, Xiaocheng, if I said I liked something of yours, would you be happy?"
"Of course!" Chi Xiaocheng squinted her eyes and smiled. "I'm happy if Taotao likes me."
"What if I said I hated something of yours?"
Chi Xiaocheng thought for a moment. "Then I'll have to find a way to make Taotao like it. After all, Taotao can't hate me~"
Her smile was still cute and sweet, but her eyes subtly emitted a hint of danger. Yes, she was a yandere. She wouldn't change, but would force herself to like it. Just as Dr. Cheng had said, learning to accept what she disliked was an important step in her treatment.
Su Tao swallowed and gathered her courage to look at Chi Xiaocheng.
Accepting what she disliked...
At this moment, even her voice trembled slightly. "Xiaocheng, can... can I taste a bit of your orange juice?"
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