Chapter 7 Derek Xiao

Jennifer was getting married to Ryan, but she singlehandedly arranged all preparations for their wedding. She knew that he was unwilling to marry her, so she didn't grumble at all. When she found out that he was not willing to take pre-wedding photos, she was not angry. Instead, she just mentioned Jason's name to him, which made Ryan change his mind.

Ryan left the studio as soon as they finished taking photos, leaving Jennifer sitting in front of the dressing table while having her makeup removed. She closed her eyes and smiled lightly.

She remained this way until her phone on the table vibrated.

Jennifer opened her eyes to see the caller's name on the screen. She smiled and picked up the phone. "You are finally willing to talk to me! I thought you would be mad at me for far longer."

"Jennifer, let's meet." A low voice of someone who sounded displeased was heard from the other end of the call.

Knowing what he was angry about, Jennifer continued to smile and replied, "Okay, half past eight. See you at the usual place."

The call was ended as soon as she agreed.

Jennifer shook her head as she snickered, and placed the phone back to the table. "When can I start choosing photos?" she asked the staff around her.

"Our photographer would work overtime tonight so you could come by tomorrow evening at the latest. Don't worry, Miss Jennifer. All photos will be ready before your wedding with Mr. Ryan," the staff assured her with a smile.

Hearing this, Jennifer smiled back and said, "Thank you for your hard work. I'm sorry for troubling you."

"No problem, Miss Jennifer. You're welcome." The staff smiled appreciatively, surprised by how polite Jennifer was.

Sitting quietly in front of the mirror, Jennifer absentmindedly looked at her reflection. She was lost in thought.

After her makeup was removed, Jennifer refused to have makeup reapplied. She raised her hand and glanced at her watch. It was almost eight o'clock. She smiled at the studio staff and thanked them for their efforts in the photoshoot. She then left and drove toward the meeting place.

After parking her car at a designated space by the roadside, Jennifer clutched her bag and walked towards the YP Restaurant. She informed the waiter of the room number and followed him.

As soon as the door swung open, Jennifer saw him. He sat in one of the chairs and was dressed in gray-colored sportswear. Their eyes met and his lips curled into a smile.

Jennifer thanked the waiter then walked towards the man.

"Derek, I thought you would never come back." Jennifer gazed at him, grinning. Her tone had a hint of accusation.

After she said those words, Derek Xiao stood up and walked up to Jennifer. He stretched out his arms and gently held her in an embrace. "I didn't have a choice. After all, there is a little fool here whom I miss so much. If I didn't come back, what if she got bullied and had no one to back her up?"

Hearing Derek's words, Jennifer withdrew from his embrace and punched him on the chest. "What? You are lying! You didn't really want to see me, did you? You even left me alone for half a year. What suddenly brought you back?"

With a smile on his face, Derek Xiao stared at Jennifer endearingly. He gently touched her head and asked, "Are you hungry? I ordered your favorite food. Sit down and eat. We can talk about it after having a meal."

He pulled out the seat for her like a gentleman. As soon as Jennifer was settled in her seat, Derek Xiao sat down beside her.

Jennifer scanned the dishes on the table; most of them were her favorites. Tears welled up in her eyes and she smiled bitterly. Using chopsticks, she picked up a sweet and sour rib and took a bite.

In this world, the only person who could give Jennifer warmth was probably Derek Xiao.

Half a year ago, the two of them got into an argument and ended up taking separate ways. At the height of his anger, Derek Xiao decided to go abroad for further study. Even though he said that he would no longer concern himself about Jennifer, he still cared about her in secret.

Jennifer knew it better than anyone else.

Even this time, Jennifer also knew why Derek Xiao returned to the country.

Derek Xiao didn't say a word. He just picked up the food and handed it over to Jennifer for additional serving, a grin plastered across his face the whole time.

"I'm getting married." After taking a few bites, Jennifer put down her chopsticks and looked intently at Derek Xiao.

He heard what she said and paused for a moment. He didn't respond, and instead grabbed a piece of sparerib and put it into Jennifer's bowl as if nothing had happened. In a low voice, he told her, "Eat more. You've lost a lot of weight in just half a year."

"Derek, I'm getting married to Ryan," Jennifer said again.

He put down his chopsticks and said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "I know. Why do you think I came back? My beloved little 'sister' is finally getting married. As her 'brother, ' how could I not come back? Congratulations, Jenny! Your wish has finally come true."

For some reason, Jennifer felt a little uneasy as she looked at Derek Xiao who was all smiles. The truth was, he might have seemed glad, but deep in his heart, he was not.

An indescribable feeling spread across Jennifer's chest.

"Like you always said, don't force yourself to laugh when you don't want to. We don't need to hide too much emotions in front of each other," Jennifer said, looking straight into his eyes.

Her words finally made Derek Xiao drop his facade. In a moment, he composed himself into a serious demeanor and stared straight into her eyes. He opened his mouth and said slowly, "Your mother's will you want me to deal with has come to an end. Are you sure you want to use it, Jennifer? That's the last thing your mother left you."

The fact was Derek Xiao thought of her decision as silly. He wanted to question her bluntly. Was it really worth spending all her money for the sake of Ryan Gu?

But in the end, Derek Xiao held back his anger because he knew Jennifer too well.

"I'll use it sooner or later. The only difference is whether I use it for what it's worth," Jennifer replied calmly.

She responded just as Derek Xiao had expected.

After Jennifer affirmed her decision, he smiled helplessly and silenced his objection.

"Okay. Just keep in mind that no matter what you do, I will unconditionally support you. Since you believe it is worth it, I will help you see it through." He finally succumbed to compromise.

He would never forcefully stop Jennifer from doing what she really wanted to.

"Thank you," Jennifer said gratefully to Derek Xiao.

Feeling a little heaviness in his heart, he continued, "By the way, pay attention to your father. He can't let it go so easily. Be careful."

Finally, he still reminded Jennifer to be wary of Elliot.

"I know." Jennifer's eyes gradually became cold and sharp, and her heart was full of irony at the thought of her father.

No matter what he was going to do this time, she wouldn't let him stop her.

Derek Xiao stared thoughtfully at Jennifer for a while. Finally, he could only sigh helplessly and say nothing. He silently held out food for her and gently persuaded her to eat more.

The two of them didn't notice that through the crack of the slightly open door, a tall figure caught sight of their intimate interaction. He smiled wryly and looked over with malice. He then turned around and left quickly.