For Grace Li, January remained synonymous with busyness. While most companies wrapped up their fiscal year in December, her firm's unique business rhythm meant that numerous projects had to close by January's end. It left her working late into the evenings, often until 10 PM, before finally heading home.
Weekends were no less hectic. With her current lease ending at the end of January, Grace was racing against time to set up her new apartment. The place came with a modern finish, so she decided to keep the hard furnishings intact and focus on decorating with her own touch.
On the first weekend of the new year, Grace dragged her friend Isabella Hsueh to a large home decor market in Brooklyn. They spent the morning picking out curtains, rugs, and other soft furnishings. In the afternoon, a delivery service brought the furniture to her new place. After hours of arranging and cleaning, the apartment began to exude a sense of warmth and comfort. For appliances, Grace opted to order them online, scheduling delivery and installation for the following Saturday. If everything stayed on track, she could move in two weekends later.
By Wednesday afternoon, Grace had scheduled a dinner meeting with Matthew White, one of her most significant clients. At 6:30 PM, she left the office to meet him.
Matthew White was no ordinary client. At just 35, he had made a name for himself as the founder of a self-heating instant food company. Two years ago, his products had taken the U.S. market by storm, and he capitalized on the trend to generate substantial profits. Grace had helped him secure funding to expand his production lines, and in return, he became a limited partner (LP) at Nova Capital.
While Matthew wasn't the largest LP in Nova Capital, he was one of Grace's most trusted collaborators. They met every couple of months, sometimes to discuss his company's growth, other times for Grace to update him on investment performance.
Their meeting place this time was a Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant in Manhattan. Grace, as always, arrived ten minutes early, only to find Matthew already waiting for her.
"Mr. White, I'm so sorry to keep you waiting," she greeted him with a polite smile.
Matthew stood and waved off her apology. "Not at all. I just got here myself. Please, have a seat."
As they settled in, Matthew poured her a cup of tea and asked, "How's everything going? Is January treating you well?"
Grace took the cup, nodding slightly. "It's been non-stop. I'm swamped with end-of-month project closures, but I'm managing."
Matthew smiled knowingly. "I can imagine. January can be a tough start for many. But you seem to be handling it well."
He handed her the menu, enthusiastically recommending dishes. "The roast suckling pig here is incredible—crispy skin, tender meat. And their typhoon shelter crab? Unbelievably fragrant with garlic. You have to try it."
Grace chuckled. "Sounds amazing. But I'm also curious about their rice rolls. Shall we order some of those too?"
"Absolutely!" Matthew laughed. "Let's get it all."
As they waited for their food, Grace noticed a man and woman entering the restaurant. The woman appeared to be in her late twenties, her black hair elegantly pinned up. She wore a powder-blue wool coat, accessorized with diamond earrings and a Louis Vuitton handbag, exuding an air of sophistication.
The man, however, was someone Grace recognized instantly—Aiden Thompson.
The pair chose a table by the window. Aiden pulled out a chair for the woman before seating himself across from her.
Grace's heart sank. She wasn't sure why she felt so uneasy. In a city like New York, where relationships were fluid and social norms were relaxed, she knew she shouldn't care. Yet, seeing Aiden with another woman felt like a cold wind piercing through her coat on a freezing winter day.
"Grace?"
Matthew's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She quickly offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I got distracted for a moment."
Matthew didn't press further and instead said, "I've been wrestling with a tough decision lately. I'd value your input."
"Of course," Grace said, refocusing. "What's on your mind?"
Matthew leaned back, his expression thoughtful. "The buzz around self-heating instant food has cooled compared to two years ago. I'm worried about long-term growth. I'm torn between two strategies: expanding our instant food line to include non-heating products or entering the ready-to-cook meal market, targeting restaurants and grocery delivery platforms."
Grace listened intently, setting aside thoughts of Aiden and the woman. After a moment, she responded, "Given the stringent FDA regulations in the U.S., both options require meticulous planning. For ready-to-cook meals, cold chain logistics are critical—not just for freshness but to meet safety standards. The upfront costs for compliance can be significant.
"Expanding the instant food line might be more cost-effective since it leverages your existing production and sales channels. However, the ready-to-cook market has been booming, and investors are optimistic about its potential. If you're willing to invest heavily in the foundation, the long-term returns could be substantial."
Matthew nodded, visibly impressed. "Your insights are spot on. If you were in my shoes, which route would you take?"
Grace smiled, sipping her tea. "As a venture capitalist, I'd probably lean toward the option with higher long-term potential."
"That makes total sense," Matthew agreed.
After an hour of lively discussion, their dinner was far from over, but Aiden and the woman finished their meal. Grace watched as the woman handed Aiden a deep-blue gift box. He opened it to reveal a watch.
Grace's heart tightened. Was this woman Aiden's new partner?
When their meeting finally ended, Grace returned home by 9 PM—an unusually early night for her. She sank into her couch, replaying the evening in her mind. Aiden's actions, once special to her, now seemed routine.
Her phone buzzed. It was her mother, Huiyun Liang.
"Grace, are you home from work?"
"Yes, just got back," Grace replied.
Her mother's voice carried a hint of excitement. "Your aunt told me about a great guy she wants to introduce you to. He's a doctor at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, just like your cousin. Tall, well-educated, and very polite."
Grace sighed. "Mom, I'm swamped. I don't have time for blind dates."
"Grace, this one's different. Your aunt says he's reliable and well-mannered. She even sent me a photo."
After some back and forth, Grace reluctantly agreed to meet the man over the weekend. Perhaps, she thought, it was time to move on from Aiden and focus on new possibilities.
Ryan lit up the office group chat like a firecracker on Friday night.
Ryan: Yo, everyone! Tomorrow's the big day. My buddy's got this killer camp-side café just outside the city. Epic grilling, cold drinks, and the whole vibe. Be there at 3 PM sharp, and guess what? It's all on me, suckers!
Immediately, Ryan unleashed a barrage of photos from the café. Olivia, Mike, and others jumped into the chat, buzzing with excitement and tossing out plans for carpooling and outfit choices.
Grace Li glanced at the notifications and decided to send Ryan a private message.
Grace Li: Hey, Ryan, happy early birthday! I might have to miss it tomorrow—I've got plans already.
Ryan: No way! What could be more important than celebrating with me? Don't tell me it's your Mr. Right?
Grace Li: You're way more important, of course. But I've already committed. Gotta stick to my word.
Ryan: Wait… is this a date? Like… an actual date?
Grace stared at his reply, her emotions suddenly all over the place. How did he guess so easily?
Ryan: OMG, it is! Hahahahahaha.
Grace Li: [Crying-face emoji] Mind your own business, kid. Go to bed early.
Ryan: Good luck, boss!
At 7 AM the next day, Grace was already at her new apartment. She spent the morning cleaning and organizing as deliveries from her online orders began rolling in.
By 8:30 AM, Isabella Hsueh showed up to help. Over the past two weekends, Isabella had been Grace's go-to partner for getting the new place in shape.
The first batch of deliveries included kitchen appliances. Together, they wrestled a refrigerator out of its packaging and into place, huffing and puffing with the effort. Next came smaller items like a rice cooker and microwave—still plenty of heavy lifting.
By noon, they were exhausted. They ordered takeout and sat down at Grace's new dining table to eat.
Isabella dug into her shrimp dish and asked, "So, if you're going on a date, what about that cute guy you've been eyeing?"
Grace sighed. "It's not about that."
Isabella pressed. "Then what is it?"
"We're not going anywhere," Grace said, recalling what she'd seen earlier that week. "And the other day, I saw him having dinner with some wealthy-looking woman. She even gave him a gift."
"Ugh, sounds like he's stringing you along while cozying up to someone else. Classic player move."
"I don't know if he's a player, but he's definitely not someone I should be thinking about," Grace said. "This new guy from the setup seems decent. I figure I'll meet him and see how it goes."
"And if he's a good match, you'll cut ties with the cute guy?"
"There's nothing to cut. We've always kept it strictly professional."
Isabella gave her a thumbs-up. "If all my clients were as level-headed as you, I'd sleep a lot better at night."
Grace chuckled. "Which is probably why I'll never be one of your clients."
Isabella grinned. "Exactly! If you were, I'd have to give you free advice, and that'd be a terrible deal for me."