The Secret Life of a Billionaire

The next morning, Grace Li slept in a bit. After having breakfast, her aunt, Meilian Li, arrived, carrying a bag of organic vegetables she had carefully grown herself. These kinds of veggies were pretty pricey at the supermarket in the U.S., and it was a real treat to get them for free.

Meilian Li and Grace's mom, Huiyun Liang, were chatting away in the living room. When Grace Li greeted them, her aunt immediately called her over. Grace Li, always respectful of her elders, had a feeling her aunt wasn't about to bring up anything pleasant, but still sat down obediently.

As expected, Meilian Li got straight to the point. "Grace Li, our community often has charity events, networking mixers, and social gatherings. A lot of good, successful single men go to these events. You should join in whenever you can, meet more people, and broaden your horizons. Tell me, what kind of guy are you looking for? I know a lot of people around here, I'll keep an eye out for someone suitable."

Grace Li, feeling a bit helpless, sighed and replied, "Aunt, I already like someone, please don't worry about me."

"I heard from your mom that the guy you like is still in Europe," Meilian Li said, patting her arm. "It's been over three years. In relationships, if you drag it out too long, things change. Being long-distance, you can't solve the real problems together. Over time, the feelings might fade, and you'll end up with nothing. Trust me, meeting more good, reliable people is never a bad idea."

Grace Li quickly responded, "But I can't just marry anyone."

"Oh, I'm not saying you should marry anyone just like that," Meilian Li quickly corrected. "I know a great guy who's perfect for you. He's just two years older than you, a doctor at the hospital nearby, and graduated from a top American university. He bought a house in a nice area here. His parents are well-educated and really good people. And once you have kids, they can help out, making life a lot easier."

Grace Li immediately felt uncomfortable and said, "Aunt, really, no need."

"You haven't even met him yet, how can you say no?" Meilian Li insisted. "How are you ever going to get married if you just say no all the time?"

At this point, Huiyun Liang, Grace's mom, joined in. "Big sister, why don't you just show Grace the guy's picture? Let's see if she likes him."

"I have a picture right here," Meilian Li said, pulling out her phone and showing her a photo. "This is him, wearing his doctor's coat. Doesn't he look great?"

The photo was a little blurry, taken from the hospital's website.

Grace Li glanced at it. The guy had a buzz cut, and though his facial features weren't very clear, he seemed a little chubby and not very tall. From the look of him, she could tell right away that he wasn't her type.

Meilian Li kept pushing, "He's a doctor, and doctors have great benefits here in the U.S. With a salary of over six figures, he has great health insurance, social security, and a good retirement plan. You two would be so well-matched!"

When Grace Li heard the word "matched," she felt a sharp discomfort. She was a senior executive at a well-known company in the U.S., with an annual income close to a million dollars—several times higher than the doctor's. She had also just bought a house in Beverly Hills last year. Over the years, she had received attention from men with better qualifications than this guy, so she couldn't understand why her aunt kept talking about "compatibility."

But since Meilian Li was her elder, Grace Li patiently said, "Aunt, it really isn't a good fit."

Meilian Li, a little frustrated, said, "You can't judge if someone is a good match just from pictures or assumptions. You need to meet in person to see if it works."

Grace Li tried to explain, "The guy you're talking about works at the hospital here, but I work in New York. It's just too far apart."

"You can't be too picky, Grace," Meilian Li insisted. "Sometimes 'good enough' is good enough. As for the location, if you two really like each other, he could transfer to New York, or you could come back here. You're a young woman—don't keep running all over the place. It's not like you're stuck in New York forever, right?" Meilian Li turned to Huiyun Liang and said, "Sis, don't you agree? Grace has so many good qualities, but if she keeps hesitating like this, she might miss out on good opportunities…"

Grace Li felt like she couldn't change her aunt's mind, so she decided to find a way out. She quickly texted her friend Isabella Hsueh: Call me ASAP, it's urgent.

Not long after, Grace Li's phone rang. She picked it up immediately, "Hello?"

Isabella Hsueh, playing along, said, "Grace Li, where are you? I've been waiting for you for ages! Hurry up and come!"

"Okay, I'll be there soon. Just wait a little longer," Grace Li replied.

She turned on her acting skills and quickly hung up the phone. Then she said to her aunt, "Aunt, I have something urgent to take care of. I need to step out for a bit."

Meilian Li, reluctantly, said, "Alright, go ahead."

Grace Li quickly escaped. As soon as she stepped outside, she felt a wave of relief. She drove straight to Isabella Hsueh's place, eager to get away from the awkward situation.

Isabella Hsueh lived just a few blocks away from Grace Li's place. They'd known each other since elementary school, going all the way through high school together. Their bond was so close, it felt more like sisters than friends.

Knowing Grace Li was coming over, Isabella picked up two Starbucks coffees on her way out. They sat on the bench downstairs from her apartment building, sipping their drinks.

After Grace Li vented about everything that happened with her aunt, Isabella immediately fired back, "What's your aunt doing? That guy's got nothing on you, he's not even in your league. You need to put your foot down next time, just call her out on it."

Grace Li gave a half-laugh. "I wish I had half your backbone."

"I wasn't always like this," Isabella shrugged, "but after working as a divorce lawyer, dealing with people fighting over everything, I've kind of lost all hope when it comes to marriage."

Isabella was pretty well-known in the U.S. as a divorce lawyer. She saw all sorts of messed-up marriages on the daily, and honestly, it had turned her off from the whole idea. A couple of years ago, she'd straight up declared she was done with the whole "get married and settle down" thing.

Her family had been on her case for years, too. But when they kept pushing her to get married, she finally snapped and put a stop to it—no one dared bring it up again.

Grace Li asked, "Do you ever feel lonely?"

Isabella took a sip of her coffee, looking at her thoughtfully. "Nah, I'm good. I've got my own thing going—busy with work, making money—no time to feel lonely."

Grace Li sighed. "Honestly, I don't need marriage either. I see so many unhappy marriages around me, and I'm perfectly fine on my own. But sometimes, on weekends when I'm home alone, it just feels so quiet. I get in my head, and my mood just drops. There are nights when I can't sleep, and it feels so empty. I just wish I had someone to talk to."

Isabella pulled her in for a side hug, saying, "If you're feeling lonely, just come hang with me, silly."

"You know I always do," Grace Li smiled. "We always go out for food or shopping when I'm down."

"Exactly! Anytime I'm free, you're more than welcome to come over or crash at my place if you need to."

Grace Li smiled, feeling a bit lighter.

Isabella suddenly raised an eyebrow. "So, what's the deal with Daniel Chou? Still the same?"

When Grace Li heard his name, she paused for a moment before answering. "Yeah, pretty much. We talk sometimes."

"Didn't you guys agree on three years? It's been over three years now."

"Last time we talked, he said he'd be back by the end of this year."

"Well, that's almost here." Isabella set her empty cup aside. "But seriously... after all this time, do you think he's still…?"

Grace Li hesitated. "I don't know. Maybe not."

"Have you asked him?"

Grace Li gave a little laugh. "Not directly. I just get the sense that he's still a good guy. If he had someone else, he'd probably tell me."

Isabella scoffed. "Girl, don't be so trusting. Over in Europe, it's a whole different world. Who knows what he's up to?"

It had been a while since they'd last talked, but Grace Li had tried to hint around, asking Daniel Chou if he had a girlfriend. Instead of asking straight out, she'd asked if there were a lot of beautiful women in the European finance world. Daniel had replied, saying he was bad with faces and still preferred Chinese girls. But to ask him directly if he had a girlfriend? That felt too awkward. Their relationship was a bit of a gray area—friends, but not quite lovers. She didn't feel like it was her place to ask.

"Honestly, I'm not holding out much hope for him. But I haven't met anyone who's made me feel that way yet. If we end up together, I'll go for it. But if he doesn't come back, or he's seeing someone else, I won't lose sleep over it."

Isabella nodded, understanding. "At least you're looking at it the right way."

At Nova Capital's investment committee meeting, Grace Li, the Investment Director, stood at the front, presenting a project she had been following closely for two months. Wearing a light beige professional suit with her hair neatly tied in a low ponytail, she confidently held the remote and began speaking:

"With the U.S. consumer market heating up, new trends are emerging one after another, and especially among younger generations, consumer preferences are becoming more diverse and selective. Nowadays, every industry needs to keep up with these changes. Take baked goods, for example. Today's youth aren't just concerned about taste—they care a lot about appearance too. Products need to look as good as they taste, and they need to meet the demand for Instagram-worthy photos. The project I'm introducing today—'N Perspective Bakery'—is a bakery that precisely caters to these preferences. Its founder is a young man with a background in the arts. He's passionate about both art and baking, and his cakes are truly works of art. Let me show you some of their creations. The bakery has been open for less than a year, but currently, orders must be booked at least two weeks in advance…"

After 30 minutes of presenting, Grace Li wrapped up and waited for questions from the committee members.

Benjamin Harris, the Managing Partner of Nova Capital, asked first: "Grace, there are a ton of viral spots popping up everywhere, but only a few manage to stay popular long-term. How long do you think the hype around this project will last?"

Grace Li responded, "You're absolutely right. Most viral businesses are short-lived. I've done extensive research and found that many of these places fail to maintain their reputation when their popularity peaks. They rely on traffic, but when that dies down, so does the business. I've spoken to the owner of this bakery, and we both agree that the key to sustaining long-term success is continuous innovation and maintaining a strong reputation. So, as part of their expansion plan, they're increasing investment in research and development, improving training for their bakers, and have introduced an innovation incentive program for designers to ensure quality and customer satisfaction."

Other committee members followed up with their questions, and Grace Li answered each one with ease.

Today's meeting was unusually smooth. In the past, when there were significant disagreements, heated debates would erupt. But this time, five out of the six members voted in favor, meaning the 'N Perspective Bakery' project could move forward without any major roadblocks.

After the meeting, Benjamin called Grace into his office. "Grace, about the project you just presented—contact Evelyn from Vanguard Capital and see if she's interested in getting involved."

Grace Li knew Evelyn Garcia from Vanguard Capital. They had worked together a few times, but the last collaboration had ended on a sour note. Early last year, a project in the neighboring team had asked for her help, but things went south quickly, resulting in an awkward fallout. Evelyn had been extremely upset, and after that, the two companies had kept their distance.

Grace Li hesitated. "Evelyn hasn't exactly been happy with us in the past. I'm not sure how to approach her."

"Give it a shot," Benjamin said, taking a sip from his coffee. "Vanguard Capital is an important partner, and there will be plenty of future opportunities to collaborate. We can't just ignore them. There are a lot of projects waiting for funding, and we can't shoulder all the risks ourselves. I think this project fits her investment style, so try your best to persuade her."

Grace Li understood the stakes. Without new investment, the 'N Perspective Bakery' project might get delayed. "Okay, I sent Evelyn an email the other day, outlining the project details. I was thinking of inviting her for dinner this week to talk more. I'll call her later to confirm the time."

Evelyn Garcia was one of the few female leaders in New York's venture capital scene. After working at PwC and going through a divorce that left her with a substantial settlement, she went on to found her own firm. Over the years, she had made a name for herself with impressive investments, particularly in the consumer sector. Her recent success, 'Cloud Top Coffee,' had made her a key player in viral projects, and she was highly likely to be interested in 'N Perspective Bakery.'

Reluctantly, Grace Li dialed Evelyn's number. After taking a deep breath and a sip of water, she put on her best smile as the call connected. "Hey Evelyn! How are you? I sent you an email the other day about this amazing viral bakery project we're working on. Did you get a chance to look at it? I'd love to grab dinner and go over it in more detail. Are you free in the next few days?"

Evelyn's voice was sharp: "Last time, your team was a mess. I've got some serious reservations about your company now."

Grace Li quickly responded, "I totally understand. Last time, we made some mistakes, and we've learned from them. I can assure you that won't happen again…"

While Grace Li was on the phone, her colleagues were watching her from the office, exchanging knowing glances. George sent a message in the group chat.

George: "No way, is that Evelyn Garcia?" Olivia: "Looks like it." Ryan: "Seriously, even if we messed up, why is the boss the one apologizing?" Mike: "She's a tough cookie. Can't figure out why Grace would want to go back to her." Olivia: "Probably because of that bakery project. Evelyn loves viral businesses." Aiden Thompson: "What's her deal?" Olivia: "You're new, so let me fill you in. Evelyn's the boss at Vanguard Capital. We've worked with her before, but the last time, a project went sideways, and she lost her temper. She actually came to the office, and Benjamin had to hold a meeting to calm her down. After that, she said she wouldn't work with us anymore."

After finishing the call, Grace Li looked at the group chat and feigned annoyance: "You guys think I'm invisible, huh?"

Ryan grinned: "Boss, you're really going to ask her to invest?"

Grace Li shrugged: "Benjamin's orders."

Mike grumbled: "That woman's a tough nut to crack."

Grace Li firmly responded: "I get it. But we did mess up last time, and by now, you should all know how meticulous projects are. If we do things right, Evelyn won't be able to nitpick. I'm meeting her for dinner tomorrow, and Mike, you're coming with me."

Mike paled: "I've got a post-investment meeting with George at Shenghong tomorrow."

Ryan quickly jumped in: "I'm heading to 'Grill & Glory' for some field research tomorrow—no time to join you guys." He pointed at Aiden Thompson. "Take Aiden with you."

Grace Li turned to Aiden Thompson: "Are you up for it?"

Aiden nodded: "Sure."

The rest of the group let out a sigh of relief.