Chapter 117

Tom Wilson arrived home, and as soon as he opened the door, his mother rushed over with a concerned look. "How's Grace Li doing? Is she feeling any better?"

Since Tom had stayed out all night, his mother had called earlier, and he had told her everything about Grace Li's fever.

"Her temperature's come down a bit. I just dropped her off to rest."

"Is anyone there with her?"

"No, she's alone."

"That's not good! Why don't you tell her I'm free at home, and I can go take care of her?"

Tom Wilson had been thinking about Grace Li all day, but he still had to go to the expo and couldn't spare the time. However, since his mom had offered to help, he quickly called Grace Li to see if she was okay with that.

Grace Li told him that her parents would be coming to New York soon.

"Well, that's good," his mom said, relieved. "I'll go pick up some lotus root and pork ribs and make a nice soup. You can bring it to her later."

"That sounds great."

Then, as if casually, his mom asked, "Did she appreciate you staying with her all night?"

Tom Wilson knew exactly where his mom was going with this, so he quickly responded, "Mom, she has a boyfriend."

"You're too honest! I heard Grace Li and her boyfriend broke up—something about his family not agreeing. You really should take your shot. A girl like her is rare."

Tom Wilson's mother, a full-time housewife, often brought him lunch at work and had plenty of casual conversations with people there. So, she was pretty well-informed about things.

"She's not married yet, so she still has the right to make her own choices," she added.

Her words did make Tom Wilson hesitate. He had always been a by-the-book, moral guy, and had kept his feelings for Grace Li under control out of respect for her situation.

The expo had gone smoothly, and by 5 p.m., the crowd had thinned out, so he decided to leave early. He went home first to grab the lotus root soup and millet cake his mom had made, then drove to Grace Li's apartment.

When the door opened, it was Huiyun Liang who answered. She looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Who are you?"

Tom Wilson smiled politely. "Hi, Auntie, I'm Grace Li's friend and business partner. I came by to check on her."

Huiyun Liang's face lit up with recognition. "Oh, come in, come in!"

Grace Li, sitting on the couch and working on her computer, looked up. Her voice was still a bit hoarse from her cold. "I'm feeling better. You didn't have to come all the way here."

Tom Wilson held up the food. "Actually, my mom made this and asked me to bring it over."

Grace Li smiled, a little embarrassed. "Your mom is too kind."

Huiyun Liang overheard them and asked, "Your mom knows Grace Li?"

Tom Wilson nodded. "Yes, we've met a few times through work."

Huiyun Liang smiled even more. "How did you two meet?"

Grace Li quickly explained, worried her mom might misunderstand. "Because of work, I often visit Tom's company, and I've bumped into his mom a few times when she brought food to the office."

"Oh, I see," Huiyun Liang said.

Meanwhile, Shichen Li, sitting on the couch and smoking, overheard the conversation. He gave Tom Wilson a quick look, silently thinking, this guy seems solid and reliable. He'd be good for the long haul.

Tom Wilson said, "I've dropped off the food, so I won't keep you."

Huiyun Liang, ever the gracious host, urged, "Well, since you're here, don't leave just yet. Stay and have dinner with us."

Tom Wilson politely declined. "Thanks, Auntie, but my mom made dinner for me, and I should head back."

"Come on, today's Grace Li's birthday! Stay and celebrate with her."

When Tom Wilson heard this, he couldn't help but pause and then quickly changed his mind. "Well, in that case, I'll stay and join you for dinner."

Huiyun Liang beamed. "That's the spirit! Don't be shy."

Tom Wilson glanced at Grace Li and suddenly realized he hadn't brought anything, feeling a bit awkward. "Did you order a cake? I can get one."

Grace Li waved her hand dismissively. "No need. I'm sick and can't eat it. My parents don't eat cake either."

"Alright, I'll get something else then."

Grace Li could tell he was trying to be polite, so she smiled. "It's really fine. No need to go out of your way. Just having a meal together will be celebration enough."

Tom Wilson nodded. "Okay."

Huiyun Liang went into the kitchen to start preparing dinner, and Tom Wilson, eager to help, followed her in to lend a hand.

Shichen Li watched Tom's every move closely.

Shichen Li turned to Grace Li, who was still focused on her computer, and casually asked, "So, what does this guy do?"

Grace Li answered without thinking, "He owns a smart medical devices company."

"Another boss?" Shichen Li raised an eyebrow. "Is he rich?"

"No, he built it from scratch."

"How did you two meet?"

"Last year, I liked one of his projects and invested in it. So now, I'm on the board of his company."

Shichen Li nodded with approval. He could tell Grace Li wasn't paying much attention, assuming her father was just curious.

Once dinner was ready, the four of them sat down to eat. Huiyun Liang had originally planned to make porridge and soup for Grace Li, but seeing the lotus root soup and millet cake Tom Wilson's mother had sent, she decided not to make anything extra.

Huiyun Liang took a bite of the millet cake and praised it. "Wow, this is really good! Your mom really knows how to make this."

Tom Wilson quickly thanked her. "Thanks, Auntie. My mom doesn't have much to do at home, so she loves making food like this."

"That's wonderful," Huiyun Liang said, then asked, "By the way, does your dad still work?"

"My dad runs an auto repair shop. He's been doing it for over 10 years. He can't sit still, so he goes to the shop every day."

"Seems like a steady business," Shichen Li chimed in. "With everyone having cars now, auto repair must be a good business."

"Yeah, it's been pretty good," Tom Wilson replied.

Shichen Li then asked, "I heard from Grace Li that your company makes smart wheelchairs, is that right?"

"Yes, that's our main product."

"What made you decide to make wheelchairs?"

Tom Wilson explained earnestly, "I studied mechanical design and automation in college. I've always been interested in mechanical design. After graduation, I worked for a company making industrial robots. Then, I went to a charity event and saw many elderly people and people with disabilities who had trouble moving. I thought if we could make a wheelchair that was more suitable for them, it would really improve their lives. So, I started working on designing smart wheelchairs."

Shichen Li and Huiyun Liang were both impressed by his kindness and empathy.

Huiyun Liang couldn't help but praise him. "That's really amazing."

Tom Wilson glanced at Grace Li and said sincerely, "I couldn't have done it without Grace Li's support. I'm good at designing, but I had no idea how to run a business. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have been able to get my products out there."

Shichen Li said, "So, you two built this company together, right?"

Tom Wilson quickly nodded. "You could say that. But Grace Li did a lot more than I did."

Grace Li smiled and waved her hand. "You're too modest."

Shichen Li and Huiyun Liang exchanged looks, both thinking these two were a perfect match.

By 8:30 p.m., dinner was over, and Tom Wilson helped Huiyun Liang clear the table. He was quick and efficient, and Huiyun Liang wouldn't let him wash the dishes, insisting he relax.

Grace Li said, "Make yourself at home. You don't need to be so polite."

Tom Wilson smiled and replied, "I think I'm already pretty comfortable."

Grace Li laughed and changed the subject. "How did the expo go today?"

"Not as many people as yesterday, but we still got a couple of potential clients."

"That's good to hear."

At that moment, Grace Li's phone rang—it was a project contact calling on LINE. The TV in the living room was on, making the room a bit noisy. She excused herself and went into the other room to take the call.

Feeling like there wasn't much left to do, Tom Wilson stood up and said to Shichen Li, "Uncle, I'll head out now. Can you let Grace Li know I'm leaving?"

Shichen Li asked, "Aren't you staying a little longer?"

"I've got another expo tomorrow, so I need to rest," Tom Wilson replied.

"Alright, come by again soon," Shichen Li said, pulling out his phone. "Here, let me save your number. I'll be in New York for the next few days. I'd love to stop by your company when I get a chance."

"Sure," Tom Wilson said, entering his number into Shichen Li's phone. "Feel free to reach out anytime."

"Will do."

Tom Wilson then went into the kitchen to say goodbye to Huiyun Liang, who was still washing the dishes. As he opened the door, he was surprised to see someone standing outside.

Aiden Thompson's smile vanished the moment he saw the door open. His "Happy Birthday" got stuck in his throat, replaced by a look of shock.

Why was Tom Wilson coming out of Grace Li's place?

Tom Wilson's face showed a hint of awkwardness, and he forced a smile. "Mr. Thompson."

Aiden Thompson, holding a carefully selected cake in one hand and a bouquet of bright roses in the other, had been excited to surprise Grace Li for her birthday.

But he hadn't expected to run into Tom Wilson here. His voice automatically carried a hint of hostility. "What are you doing here?"

"It's Grace Li's birthday. Her parents are here, so I stayed and had dinner," Tom Wilson replied.

Aiden Thompson peered inside and saw Shichen Li and Huiyun Liang also there. His expression softened a little. At least it wasn't just him and Grace Li alone.

Tom Wilson said, "I'll take my leave now."

He then sidestepped Aiden Thompson and walked out.