Chapter 39

Grace Li started packing early Saturday morning, planning to move most of her stuff into the new place today so she could officially settle in tomorrow.

Housewarming parties weren't exactly a must, but she wanted to stick to her family's traditions and celebrate her new home with close friends and family. Given the short notice, she wasn't inviting too many people—just her family, her team at work, and Isabella Hsueh.

Aiden Thompson showed up at her place at 8:30 AM. Grace was in charge of packing, while Aiden carried everything down to the underground parking lot. Besides clothes and daily essentials, she had a ton of books—three full boxes of them, which made for some serious lifting.

After three trips up and down the stairs, Aiden picked up another box of books when Grace called out, "I got this. You take a breather for a bit. You've been busting your butt."

Aiden shifted the box slightly and said, "This thing is no joke. Heavy as heck."

"I can handle it. I'm not a lightweight."

She reached out to take it, but Aiden had no intention of letting go. "You grab something else. I got the muscle for these books."

Seeing how determined he was, Grace just shrugged. "Alright then. Suit yourself."

She picked up a duffel bag and followed him downstairs. Her car trunk was nearly full, and a few things had to go on the backseat. She planned to get everything in one trip. Some bedding and clothes were still in her rental, so she'd have to spend one last night there.

They spent the whole morning moving stuff into the new place and the afternoon unpacking. By the time they were done, it was already five o'clock.

Grace made some coffee, and the two of them sat outside on the balcony, each with a cup in hand, enjoying a well-earned break. Even though she had only carried the lighter stuff, her arms were already sore. Aiden, on the other hand, had done all the heavy lifting.

She reached out and gave his arm a light squeeze. It was solid. "Does it hurt? You've been hauling heavy stuff all day."

Aiden shook his head. "Not a bit. I'm as tough as nails."

"Really?"

Aiden glanced at her. "If I said it did, what would you do? Shower me with kisses?"

"I was thinking more like a massage."

With a straight face, Aiden nodded. "Okay, maybe it's starting to ache a little. Your magic touch might just do the trick."

Grace couldn't help but laugh. "You're such a drama king. But fine, let me see if I can help."

"But when I said it didn't hurt, you didn't believe me either."

She realized she was being contradictory and said, "Okay, whether it hurts or not, you were a huge help today. I really appreciate it."

"Is there a reward? I've been a good boy, after all."

"I'll treat you to dinner tonight. How's that sound?"

"Just dinner? You're gonna have to sweeten the deal a bit."

Grace blinked at him. "What else do you want? Name your price."

Aiden turned to her, his gaze landing on her lips. Grace caught where he was looking and instinctively pressed her lips together. That little movement seemed to break the last bit of hesitation in him.

He leaned in and gave her a light kiss, barely more than a brush.

Grace's eyes widened. He was so close she could hear his heartbeat—or maybe it was just her own racing. She saw his Adam's apple move as he swallowed. In that moment, she could feel the pull of his presence, his sheer physicality making her hyper-aware of everything about him.

She dropped her gaze.

Aiden's voice was low. "Did I cross a line? You can tell me if I'm moving too fast."

Grace shook her head. "No. It was... nice."

She just didn't have much experience. What she didn't tell him was that this was her first kiss. At thirty. Even if it was just a quick one.

She looked back up at him, feeling a little like a high school girl with a crush. "I might be a bit slow to warm up. I'm still getting used to all this."

"I know. I'm in no rush. We'll take it at your pace."

Grace hesitated, then added, "But I don't mind following your lead. You seem to know what you're doing."

Aiden chuckled softly, pulling her into his arms. "Alright, just stick with me. I'll show you the ropes."

The sky was painted in hues of orange and red as the sun dipped below the horizon.

"Should we go grab some decorations for the new place? Spruce it up a bit?" Aiden asked.

"What?"

"I looked into some housewarming traditions. Turns out, people like to bring in a little something to make the place feel more homey."

Grace thought about it. It did make sense to get a few things to liven up the place. "Let's pick some up while we're out for dinner later. Kill two birds with one stone."

"Sounds like a plan."

Tomorrow was move-in day, and her team and parents would be coming over. But she wasn't ready to tell her parents about her and Aiden just yet. For one, they had only just started dating. And second, she wasn't sure how serious things would get. If she told her parents now, they'd immediately start pressuring her to settle down. Worse, they'd probably put Aiden under the microscope too.

So for now, she'd rather keep things under wraps.

"By the way, my parents are coming tomorrow. They don't know about us yet."

Aiden ran his fingers lightly through her hair. "So, what's the game plan? How do you want me to play it?"

"Let's just say we're friends from work for now."

Aiden had no problem with that. "Sure thing. Your call. I'll play it cool."

The next morning, Shichen Li, Huiyun Liang, and William Li left home and flew to New York. Grace Li drove to the airport to pick them up, and together they headed to their new home.

At the entrance of the neighborhood, their coworkers and Isabella Hsueh were waiting with gifts. Ryan stood out, holding a big confetti popper, while others carried flowers and fruit baskets.

There's no traditional "housewarming ceremony" in the U.S., but Grace Li wanted to keep a touch of her hometown customs, so she organized a special celebration. Everyone helped set up the house—arranging flowers, placing the fruit baskets. Then, Shichen Li lit a special incense stick, a small tradition from back home to mark the beginning of a new chapter. As they stepped inside, each person said a few words of good wishes. Finally, Ryan set off the confetti popper with a loud bang.

Huiyun Liang headed to the kitchen to cook noodles and tangyuan. Grace Li had already prepared drinks, fruits, and snacks, setting them on the coffee table. "Grab whatever you like! Make yourselves at home."

Ryan was already munching on snacks. "Don't worry, boss. We're gonna make ourselves right at home. This place is ours for the day."

Olivia playfully smacked Ryan. "You're not just making yourself at home. You're straight-up freeloading."

Grace Li chuckled at their banter.

Olivia raised her hand. "Boss, can we take a tour? Check the place out?"

"Of course, go ahead. Make yourselves comfortable and explore."

As the others wandered around, Aiden Thompson stepped into the kitchen and asked politely, "Mrs. Li, need a hand in here? I'm pretty good in the kitchen."

Huiyun Liang had already noticed him—clean-cut, well-mannered, and strikingly good-looking. It was rare to see such a polite young man these days. She smiled warmly. "You go have fun with the others. I can handle it. But thanks for offering."

Seeing her scooping tangyuan into bowls, Aiden said, "Let me take these to the table. Save you a trip."

She appreciated his eagerness and nodded. "Okay, that would be great. Thanks a bunch."

Aiden carried the bowls of noodles and tangyuan to the dining table. Just then, Isabella Hsueh walked into the kitchen, hoping to help. But seeing Aiden already handling it, she teased, "Oh, Mrs. Li, I was gonna lend a hand, but looks like someone beat me to it."

Huiyun Liang laughed. "This young man is so helpful. He's a real gem."

Isabella grinned. "Wow, Aiden, you're setting the bar high for the rest of the guys. Someone's gonna be very lucky one day!"

Aiden didn't react, just kept bringing out the food. Grace Li, overhearing their conversation, cleared her throat lightly and said, "Aiden, don't just keep running around. Take a break and have some tangyuan."

"Sounds good. I could use a little fuel."

Then Grace Li shot Isabella a subtle look, signaling her to drop it.