After dinner, Vera Thompson had to head back to Los Angeles, so she left early.
Aiden Thompson checked the time—it was only 8 PM. He sent Grace Li a message.
Aiden Thompson: "Grace, are you home yet?"
Grace Li: "I'm still out with Olivia. We haven't eaten yet."
Aiden Thompson: "Why so late?"
Grace Li: "We're in the mood for hot pot, so we picked this super popular place. We've been waiting for an hour, just sat down and ordered. You should come join us later!"
Aiden Thompson: "Where are you?"
Grace Li sent him the address, and Aiden Thompson saw the hot pot place wasn't far from him.
Aiden Thompson: "I'll come meet you guys."
Grace Li: "I'll order more food then."
Aiden Thompson: "Nah, I've already eaten."
When Aiden Thompson arrived, Grace Li and Olivia had just started eating.
"Aiden!" Olivia quickly corrected herself, "Wait, Mr.Thompson, you can order whatever you want, this meal's on me!"
Aiden Thompson sat down next to Grace Li. "I've already eaten."
Olivia said, "Well, you've gotta at least eat something, or else people will think we're not feeding you. In the U.S., you can't let employees think their boss is slacking off—HR complaints are just around the corner!"
Grace Li replied, "If anyone's slacking off, it's him slacking off. He's been the one cooking lately."
Olivia looked at her, wide-eyed. "Really? Thompson can cook?"
Aiden Thompson shrugged. "It's just cooking, not that big a deal."
Olivia called him out, "But last year, when we had the team BBQ, you had no clue how much seasoning to put on the meat."
Grace Li couldn't help but laugh out loud, remembering the incident.
Aiden Thompson glanced at Grace Li and teasingly asked, "Is that true?"
Grace Li nodded, "Yep, Mike was grilling, and he asked you to help with the seasoning. You ended up dumping a huge handful, and Mike's face went pale."
"Exactly, Mike had to slather a ton of ketchup on it to save it. That's when it didn't taste so bad," Grace Li added with a grin.
After laughing, Grace Li quickly defended Aiden Thompson, "But he's actually a great cook now. It's like he's a pro chef."
Olivia raised her eyebrows. "Now you've got me curious. When can I come over to try it?"
"Anytime," Grace Li said with a smile.
It had been three months since Grace Li left Nova Capital. They had been so busy during this time that she hadn't had much time to catch up with old colleagues.
She said, "Why don't you invite the rest of the team too?"
At the mention of the team, Olivia's expression changed. "Boss, our team's not the same anymore."
"What happened?"
"George left last month."
Grace Li hadn't heard the news, but she wasn't too surprised. "Hmm."
Olivia bit her lip, her eyes reflecting some sadness. "I feel like after you left, the team vibe really changed. Even though Mike's a good leader, he's always taking orders from Scarlet. It's like she's the real boss. She's always adding extra work and making assignments in a totally unfair way. We've brought it up a few times, but she doesn't care. When things go wrong, it's always our fault, and she's never held accountable. It's been so frustrating lately, I'm thinking of quitting at the end of the month. I just can't take it anymore."
This was something Grace Li had expected. They had pushed Mike into the leadership role simply because he was easier to manage. As the Investment Director, Mike didn't really run things; he was still under Scarlet Harris's thumb.
Scarlet Harris didn't have much experience, and she was struggling to manage the team or keep track of projects.
"What are you planning to do after you leave?" Grace Li asked.
Olivia shook her head. "I'll take a break first, then start looking for a new job."
Grace Li said, "Actually, Aiden and I's company is just the two of us right now. We're planning to hire a couple of people by the end of the year to help out. But since we're still getting started, I'm worried no one will want to join."
Olivia's eyes suddenly lit up. "Do you think I could be one of them?"
"If you're down, we'd be happy to have you." Grace Li had been very frugal with Aiden Thompson these days, so she knew how tough their situation was. Hiring someone meant they would all be in for the grind. "But just so you know, we're still tight on funds. The salary might not be as much as at Nova Capital, and it's gonna be tough. The only promise I can make is that if the projects succeed and we exit, there'll be a share for everyone."
Olivia shrugged. "No worries, salary's not a big deal for me. I've got a few properties in New York, so I'm pretty comfortable. I don't need to support my parents either."
Aiden Thompson chimed in with a grin, "You sure know how to brag without even trying."
Olivia laughed. "But it's the truth!"
Grace Li smiled. "If you're game, we'd be happy to have you."
Olivia's face lit up, and she picked up her glass. "Bosses, please take care of me from now on."
Aiden Thompson and Grace Li clinked their glasses with hers.
One of the projects Grace Li had invested in was a self-heating food company that had become quite successful. The founder, Matthew White, trusted her immensely and had kept in touch with her over the years. Whenever he made major decisions, he would always consult her first.
This time, Grace Li had scheduled a meeting with him at his company.
Matthew took them on a tour of the factory, wanting to show off the scale of things now. "You remember last year when I asked if we should expand into pre-made meals or other quick foods, right? You said pre-made meals had more potential, though with more risk. Well, look around—this whole area's now all pre-made food production. We're launching in June, and the orders are coming in faster than we can handle. We're short on staff big time."
Grace Li smiled, glad to hear how well his business was doing. "That's great to hear."
"It's a shame you're not at Nova Capital anymore."
Grace Li chuckled. "I may have left Nova Capital, but we can still keep working together, right?"
Matthew laughed heartily. "Working with you, I'm never worried. How about we grab a seat in the lounge and have a chat? I'll brew some coffee."
"Sounds good."
Matthew led them to the lounge, which was inside the office building. Even though they were surrounded by industrial zones, the lounge was done up in a minimalist American style—cozy and relaxing, the quietest corner in the middle of all the hustle and bustle.
Matthew brewed the coffee himself, doing it with a smooth, practiced hand. As he worked, he said, "Grace Li, honestly, I'm not surprised you went into business for yourself. I've always admired your vision and skills."
Grace Li modestly replied, "You're too kind, Matthew."
"Don't be modest," he said, grinning. "We've known each other for years. If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't be asking for your opinion on every decision I make."
He set the coffee in front of Grace Li and handed a cup to Aiden Thompson.
Matthew took a good look at Aiden Thompson. When Grace Li had first introduced him, she mentioned he was her partner, but the guy looked pretty young. "Your partner's pretty young, huh? I get that youth brings energy, but in the investment world, experience is still what counts. Can you tell me what makes him stand out?"
Aiden Thompson answered politely, "I graduated with an MBA from Oxford, and during my time there, I participated in multiple investment projects, gaining hands-on experience. I also have a sharp sense of market trends and unique insights into investment strategies."
Grace Li added, "Mr. Thompson is also my partner. Though he's young, he's really impressive in terms of his professional abilities and innovative thinking. Honestly, there are times I feel like I'm not keeping up with him."
Matthew was surprised to learn about their relationship. "Wow, you two are more than just business partners. These days, young folks have it all—good looks and great skills. Us older guys are struggling to keep up with the times!"
Aiden Thompson smiled faintly. "You're just saying that, Matthew."
Matthew topped off their coffee. "Grace Li, about that smart wheelchair project you sent me. Could you walk me through it?"
Grace Li pulled out a folder from her bag and handed it to Matthew. "Here's the info I prepared. It's hard to present a full PPT here, so I printed everything out."
Matthew took the materials, looking satisfied. "You're always so thorough with your work."
Grace Li then pulled out a printed version of the PPT and began explaining. "We all know that elderly people and those with limited mobility face challenges with getting around. This smart wheelchair is designed to address these issues. While there are some products on the market already, their market share is still relatively small compared to regular wheelchairs. The limitations of regular wheelchairs are obvious—they require assistance. In a world where the aging population is growing, more and more elderly people need help, but younger generations are busier than ever, and don't have the time to help. So having a smart wheelchair could really save them the trouble of needing constant help from others…"
Grace Li gave a concise presentation, taking about half an hour, and then answered Matthew's questions.
"The production costs for this smart wheelchair aren't low, and the price isn't exactly competitive. A lot of regular families couldn't afford it."
Grace Li nodded. "We did a lot of market research on that. According to the results, 95% of people with mobility issues want a smart wheelchair to avoid relying on others for assistance. The reason many people still use regular wheelchairs is that 40% are concerned about the cost, and 60% think that most smart wheelchairs on the market are overhyped, offering little actual value. They think it's a waste of money. But our wheelchair from Hengyue Technology offers a more practical and user-friendly experience…"
After over three hours of discussion, Matthew was clearly convinced. "Grace Li, you really do have an eye for this. This project seems promising. But here's the thing: I just put a big chunk of cash into pre-made food production equipment earlier this year, so money's a little tight right now. I'll have to think it over."
"Of course, no rush. Thank you, Matthew."