Hengyue Technology had been growing rapidly over the past few months, expanding its scale by three times. Grace Li was fully immersed in the company's operations, and many key decisions at the company now relied on her, making her almost like a co-owner.
In the U.S. startup environment, entrepreneurs usually don't want investors to get too involved in company operations, but Tom Wilson was an exception. Lacking experience in company management, he found Grace Li's involvement reassuring. After the company expanded its office space, Tom Wilson set up a private office for Grace Li so she could come and go whenever needed.
On Friday morning, Hengyue held an important meeting, which Grace Li also attended. The meeting was mainly about preparations for the product launch. Tom Wilson's latest generation of smart wheelchairs had successfully passed all the rigorous tests, the first batch of trial production had been completed, and they were about to hit the market.
Hengyue had already reached a cooperation agreement with Stellar Medical and Weihe Medical Equipment. The first batch of smart wheelchairs would be sold to these two companies at a 20% discount through their offline stores. Additionally, a launch event was in the works, which Grace Li arranged to take place at a hotel near the largest nursing home in New York. On the day of the event, the company would invite several well-known medical bloggers to livestream and promote the product, leveraging their influence to boost product visibility.
After the meeting, Tom Wilson and Grace Li walked toward his office, casually chatting about the latest NBA games.
Grace Li, curious, asked, "By the way, I didn't see Mr. Brown at the meeting earlier?"
Mr. Brown, as Grace Li referred to him, was Jack Brown, Tom Wilson's brother-in-law and the VP of Hengyue in charge of sales. It was strange that he didn't attend the meeting about marketing and promotion.
Tom Wilson rubbed his forehead in frustration. "I was actually going to tell you. Jack Brown and my sister got divorced last month, and it's been a huge mess. A few days ago, he told me he was leaving the company. I tried to talk him out of it, but he's made up his mind, and there's no changing it."
Grace Li didn't feel sorry about it. Jack Brown was too stuck in old-school ways of doing business, handling things like barroom negotiations. He lacked the long-term vision needed for Hengyue's growth.
Grace Li replied, "His working style is too different from yours. Honestly, it might be for the best that he's leaving."
Tom Wilson sighed, "It's just that he left so suddenly, and now the pressure is all on me."
Grace Li, seeing an opportunity to help, said, "This is a crucial time for Hengyue. I don't have any new projects on my plate right now, so I can help take some of the load off you."
Tom Wilson looked relieved when he heard Grace Li's offer. "Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without you. Without you, I feel like a headless chicken, running around with no direction."
Grace Li laughed, "We're partners here. It's all about win-win. Don't worry about me stepping on your toes."
"Are you kidding? I'm more worried you won't step in enough," Tom Wilson said with a smile.
Grace Li smiled back, but Tom Wilson noticed she didn't look well. There were bloodshot lines in her eyes, and her skin seemed off. He asked, "Hey, you haven't been sleeping well, have you? You don't look too great."
Grace Li had been struggling with sleepless nights, lying in bed thinking about her relationship with Aiden Thompson. She'd been wracking her brain, trying to find the perfect solution, but nothing seemed to work.
"It's just some personal stuff I'm overthinking," she replied.
Tom Wilson, sensing something more, asked carefully, "Is it about Mr. Thompson?"
Grace Li had intended to brush it off, but Tom Wilson had guessed it immediately. Not wanting to go into it, she simply said, "All kinds of things, you know."
Tom Wilson understood and didn't press further. He shifted the topic back to work. "By the way, Grace Li, I need to practice for the upcoming launch event. If you have some free time, could you be my audience and give me some feedback?"
"No problem. The event is mostly about introducing the product, just do it like you did when you presented it to me. Keep it natural," Grace Li replied.
"Sure, got it," Tom Wilson said.
Just then, Grace Li's phone buzzed with a message. She checked it and saw it was from Olivia.
Olivia: Boss, there's a big shot in the office. When are you coming back?
Grace Li quickly typed back: Did you ask who it was?
Olivia: Mr. Thompson's father.
Grace Li's heart skipped a beat. Rex Thompson was here?
Her expression immediately darkened. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She knew she had to get back to the company immediately.
She excused herself from Tom Wilson, said a quick goodbye, and headed out of Hengyue Technology, walking back to her company.
On the way back to the office, Grace Li was rapidly thinking through possible strategies in her mind.
First off, Rex Thompson's visit was definitely related to Aiden Thompson, and it was highly likely he was here to try to break them up.
Just like Vera Thompson had said before, he might try to buy her off or use other means. Either way, she had to be mentally prepared for whatever might come her way.
Given his heart condition, she knew she needed to be especially careful with her words and keep a close eye on his physical condition.
She also thought that if he did have a medical episode, the nearest hospital was about three kilometers away, and an ambulance would take around five minutes to arrive.
Back at the office, Grace Li immediately spotted two men. One was a middle-aged man—the same one who had driven Aiden Thompson to the party before.
The other man was older, with salt-and-pepper hair, dressed in a sharp suit, exuding an undeniable air of old-school aristocracy. No doubt about it—this was Aiden Thompson's father, Rex Thompson.
They had had the chance to meet during the AgroTech project event at Nova Capital, but Grace Li had been too busy with work to attend.
As a seasoned investor, Grace Li was already familiar with the top executives of large companies, so she immediately recognized Rex Thompson.
She decided to treat him like any other successful entrepreneur—a professional, respectful approach would be the best strategy.
"Mr. Thompson, nice to meet you," Grace Li greeted him politely.
Rex Thompson, who had been looking around Verve Capital, turned around upon hearing her voice. He had seen Grace Li from afar at the party and had also seen her photo in company materials.
Rex Thompson sized her up, then said, "Ms. Li, right?"
"Yeah, I'm Grace Li," she replied, glancing over at Olivia and Ryan, who were curiously watching from the side. "Mr. Thompson, are you here for business or personal matters today?"
"Both," he answered.
Grace Li smiled and suggested, "Our office isn't very big, and the environment is fairly standard. How about we find a quieter, more comfortable place to sit and chat?" She added, "There's an American-style coffee shop nearby. It's a really quiet spot, and the coffee is great. If you don't mind, we can head over there."
Rex Thompson looked at her and noticed that she was even more elegant and composed than he had expected. In just a few exchanges, he could tell she was highly emotionally intelligent and knew how to take charge of a situation. He nodded in agreement.
There were several coffee shops around the tech park, but the one Grace Li chose was known for its quiet atmosphere and high-quality coffee, making it a favorite among the local professionals. The shop had a simple, modern design with wooden tables and chairs, soft lighting, and played contemporary American rock music. Many people were working on their laptops while sipping coffee, with The New York Times or Time magazine nearby.
Grace Li led Rex Thompson into a private room. The room was cozy, with a few modern art paintings on the walls, potted plants by the windows, and a view of the bustling street outside.
Though Rex Thompson usually preferred tea, he found the coffee shop's ambiance quite pleasant.
Once seated, the waiter came by to take their orders. Rex Thompson ordered a black coffee, while Grace Li chose a latte. As the waiter left to prepare the coffee, Rex Thompson began the conversation.
"Is this company funded by you?"
Grace Li replied, "Aiden Thompson and I each hold 50% of the shares."
"Where did he get the money?"
"He took out a loan."
Rex Thompson snorted, clearly displeased. He was still thinking about what Aiden Thompson had told him that night—about how he had planned to start a company with his girlfriend and eventually get married and have kids.
After hearing that, Rex had thought for a long time before deciding to meet this woman who had so captivated his son.