Chapter 37

Grace Li had to admit that having some free help around the house made things go much faster. Aiden Thompson had finished assembling the cabinets she bought online, and at this rate, she'd be able to move in by next weekend.

Lately, Grace's sleep schedule had been way off. She didn't fall asleep until 1 or 2 a.m. and was up before 6 a.m. It was kind of like the effect of drinking coffee late at night—love was doing the same thing. The dopamine and adrenaline it stirred up kept her central nervous system hyped, leaving her in a state of happy excitement.

Grace Li grabbed a bagel with cream cheese and a glass of orange juice for breakfast, ready to head to work, when her phone buzzed. She pulled it out and saw a message from Aiden Thompson.

Aiden Thompson: What kind of coffee do you want? Grace Li replied: Latte.

She put her phone away and grabbed her bag before heading out the door.

She parked in the company's underground garage and took the elevator from the basement to the ground floor. When the elevator doors opened, she found a few colleagues waiting, including Aiden Thompson. He was holding a brown paper bag in his right hand, with his left hand casually tucked in his pocket, looking like a standout among the well-dressed crowd.

Having such a handsome boyfriend still felt a bit like a dream to Grace Li.

Aiden Thompson stepped into the elevator and stood next to her, flashing a smile. "Morning."

Grace Li, out of habit, glanced around at the other people in the elevator. Seeing no one she knew, she smiled back. "Morning." Just then, one of her colleagues casually chimed in, "Early birds catch the worm, ain't that right?" making the atmosphere a bit more relaxed.

Aiden Thompson stood next to her as they both faced the mirrored elevator doors. When Grace Li looked at the reflection, she locked eyes with Aiden Thompson for a second. She froze, feeling a little flustered, then quickly looked away to cover it up.

When the elevator reached their floor, Aiden Thompson followed her into the office. The entire way, they didn't say a word to each other.

Once they entered the office, Aiden Thompson placed the bag of coffee on Grace Li's desk and asked, "You look a little off today. Did you not sleep well?"

Grace Li felt a bit uneasy. If he found out that she'd been losing sleep from excitement, it would be embarrassing. "I'm fine. Probably just tired from all the moving stuff around."

"Really? You look like you've been burning the candle at both ends." Aiden Thompson said, "I haven't been sleeping too well myself lately."

"What's going on?" she asked instinctively.

Aiden Thompson remained calm and collected. "Probably because I'm head over heels in love. My brain's been floating on cloud nine for days."

Grace Li stared at him in surprise. He just said that so casually.

She looked down, her lips curving into a smile as she quietly teased, "Watch the place."

Aiden Thompson grinned. "They won't be back until the last five minutes."

Just as he finished speaking, someone called out.

"Wow, you two are really early," Ryan said as he approached, still yawning. "I thought you two were early, but I didn't expect this. Score! I've been dying for a decent cup of joe."

Aiden Thompson dropped the smile and, looking a little annoyed, said, "You got here so early. Did you fly here?"

"I left work early last Friday for something. Got a data set due by 10 a.m., so I came in early." Ryan yawned again. "I'm beat."

Ryan glanced at the coffee on Grace Li's desk, his eyes lighting up. "Just in time. I was craving coffee. Boss, you bought two cups?"

Grace Li pointed to Aiden Thompson. "Aiden bought them."

Ryan slapped Aiden Thompson on the shoulder. "Buddy, then I won't be shy."

Aiden Thompson shot him a warning glare. "If you want coffee, drink the Americano."

Ryan feigned innocence, grinning. "But I'm crazy about lattes."

Aiden Thompson almost pretended to strangle him. "I'd suggest you order some takeout."

Grace Li laughed. "Come on, let him have it."

"Boss is the best." Ryan grabbed the latte and took a sip, grinning. Then he looked back at Aiden Thompson. "Aiden, you bought two cups of coffee. Were you trying to butter up the boss?"

Grace Li smirked. "Actually, I asked him to get it for me."

Ryan blinked in surprise. "So the one I'm drinking is…"

Grace Li smiled sweetly. "The one I asked Aiden to bring."

Ryan froze, his expression changing quickly. He put on an innocent look again. "Boss, I really didn't mean to steal your coffee."

Grace Li waved him off. "Okay, drink up. Consider it compensation for me not being able to make it to your birthday party."

"Hehe." Ryan grinned. "Boss is so cool."

With Ryan in the office, Aiden Thompson couldn't talk to Grace Li privately. They exchanged glances, then he went back to his desk.

Aiden Thompson sent Grace Li a message: Drink mine.

Grace Li replied: No need. I'll make one myself later.

Aiden Thompson: Going out today?

Grace Li: Yeah, I'm going to a winery with Olivia this afternoon.

Aiden Thompson: I'm coming too.

Grace Li: Can you handle your project?

Aiden Thompson: So far, I'm nailing it. This project's a piece of cake.

Grace Li: [dog head.jpg]

Aiden Thompson: Any guidance, Director ?

Grace Li: [pat on shoulder.gif] You're killing it. Keep it up.

Aiden Thompson: So, this afternoon?

Grace Li: Sure, come along.

Scarlet Harris was also involved in the low-alcohol project. However, Olivia was handling most of the materials and communications with the project side, so Scarlet's involvement was minimal.

Today, she was also going to the winery, driving there herself.

On their last visit, Grace Li only took a quick look at the production scale and learned about the company's operation model. This time, the project team invited them to a detailed discussion about the financing plan.

When they arrived at the winery, they were led to a conference room for a two-and-a-half-hour meeting on the financing plan.

After the meeting, they were shown around the exhibition hall, which had just finished renovations.

Before heading to the exhibition hall, Grace Li stopped by the restroom, and Scarlet followed.

As Scarlet touched up her lipstick, she commented, "Grace, I sat through that meeting for two and a half hours, and my back is killing me. How about you?"

Grace Li, washing her hands, replied, "Two and a half hours isn't too bad. I've had meetings that lasted eight hours straight with only a half-hour break."

Scarlet rubbed her back. "I twisted it playing golf at that fancy Country Club over the weekend. The chairs there are uncomfortable, and now it's hurting even more."

Grace Li asked casually, "Do you need to see a doctor?"

"Nah, it's not a big deal." Scarlet shrugged. "By the way, Grace, could you ask Aiden Thompson to drive my car later? My back's acting up, and I'm not up for driving anymore."

Grace Li hesitated. She could see right through Scarlet's little game. Scarlet wanted Aiden Thompson to drive her, and although Grace Li wasn't thrilled, she didn't want to refuse outright. "I'm fine driving myself, but you can ask Aiden about it."

Scarlet gave her a sly smile. "As long as you're cool with it."

Grace Li forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Then I'll talk to him."

Afterward, Grace Li messaged Aiden Thompson: Scarlet wants you to drive her car back.

Aiden Thompson quickly replied: I'll handle it.

Grace Li: Okay.

Though she wasn't sure how Aiden would deal with it, Grace Li was mentally prepared. Even if Aiden Thompson ended up giving Scarlet a ride out of politeness, she wouldn't be mad. Just a little annoyed.

The winery's exhibition hall looked simple from the outside but was surprisingly stylish inside, almost like an art gallery.

The manager explained, "We just renovated this area and opened it last week. Here are our plum wines, our best-sellers. Over there are the fruit wines, with eight varieties, and..."

Olivia, eyeing the fruit wines, said, "Your packaging is really on point."

The manager smiled. "Most of our target customers are young women with high aesthetic standards, so we focus on making the packaging visually appealing."

"Really nice." Olivia agreed. "After drinking, the bottles can even be used as vases."

"Exactly."

Grace Li asked, "What's the product renewal rate like?"

"We're planning to launch at least three to five major products every year, and expand on existing categories," the manager answered. "With so many low-alcohol products on the market now, we're keeping up with the trend."

After touring the exhibition hall, they went to the tasting area. The manager poured some of their newest liqueur into glasses and offered it to them.

Aiden Thompson took a sip and said, "So, what's the deal with this liqueur? The taste is on fleek, and the sweetness is just right."

Grace Li didn't try it because she had to drive.

Olivia took a sip. "It's really good. It's refreshing. Perfect for summer."

The manager smiled. "Add some ice in the summer, and it'll really pop."

Grace Li laughed. "Hearing you all talk about it, I really want to try it, but I have to drive."

Hearing this, Scarlet, who was about to take a sip, stopped. She suddenly realized that since Aiden Thompson had drunk wine, he couldn't drive, so there was no way he could give her a ride.

The manager grinned. "No problem. You're all VIPs today. If you like any of our wines, just let us know. Take as much as you want."

Grace Li smiled politely. "You're too kind."

After the exhibition tour, the project team invited them to dinner, but Grace Li politely declined.

Back at the parking lot, Grace Li unlocked her car, and Aiden Thompson got into the passenger seat.

Turning to Scarlet, Grace Li asked, "Are you okay to drive?"

Scarlet gave a strained smile. "I have to drive even if I'm not up to it."

"Okay, be careful."

Grace Li adjusted her seat before starting the car, then turned to Aiden Thompson, who was lounging in the passenger seat, smiling at her. She smiled back, and they shared a silent understanding, their exchange hidden from Olivia in the back seat.