After work, Grace Li drove Ryan and the box of seafood home first to prepare the ingredients. The rest of their colleagues caught a ride with Mike to a nearby grocery store to buy additional groceries.
Aiden Thompson had only moved in a few days ago, and his personal belongings weren’t fully unpacked yet. If no one went snooping around his room, it was easy to overlook that he lived there.
Grace Li tied on an apron and took charge of cooking. She opted for a simple steamed preparation to preserve the fresh flavor of the seafood Ryan’s family had sent. Alongside it, she made a mix of Chinese and American fusion dishes—like chicken wings marinated with Chinese-style sauces before roasting and a vegetable salad with a hint of Chinese five-spice. Since it was the Lantern Festival, she had al
