Aiden Thompson stood up. "I'll go get it. You wait here."

"You know where to buy it?" Grace asked.

"I remember there's a party supply store nearby, it should have some decorations and stuff for special occasions. They might have sparklers too."

"I'll go with you."

They strolled to the store, about five hundred meters away, but after looking around, they couldn't find any sparklers.

After asking a staff member, they learned that fireworks, including sparklers, are tightly regulated in the U.S. It turns out that you need a special permit to sell fireworks, and regular stores aren't allowed to carry them.

Grace sighed. "Guess we can't play with them after all."

Aiden wasn't ready to give up. "But I bet those things are super fun. I really want to try one."

Grace laughed, a little amused and exasperated at the same time, feeling like Aiden was a kid begging for a new toy. "What can we do? We can't buy them."

Aiden shook his phone. "I just looked it up. There's a shop nearby with a permit to sell fireworks."

"Really?"

"Yep, for real," Aiden confirmed. "I'll go buy them. You just wait here."

"Let's go together. It's not like I have anything else to do."

"I'll be quicker on my own," Aiden said, pointing to the store's seating area. "You stay there and relax, I'll be back soon."

Grace smiled. "Alright, but hurry back."

After making sure Grace was settled, Aiden headed out. The store with the proper permits was five miles away, and it specialized in wedding supplies and fireworks for special events.

As Aiden searched for the shop, he came across news stories and regulations about fireworks sales in New York. The city had strict controls—only licensed businesses could sell fireworks, and they could only sell them around certain holidays. He was glad he found a store that might still be open on New Year's Eve.

Aiden was about to call a rideshare, but when he opened the app, he saw that the area around Times Square was completely gridlocked. It was New Year's Eve, and the streets were packed with people heading to the celebration.

He glanced at the time—it was nearly 11 p.m. and wasn't sure if the store would still be open.

He dialed the store's number quickly. "Hey, what time do you close tonight?"

The voice on the other end was a woman's. "We closed at 10, sorry. What are you looking for?"

"I'm hoping to get a sparkler. If you can open up for me, I'd be happy to pay an extra fee—like 20% of the price. Is that possible?"

There was hesitation, but Aiden added, "If you think that's not enough, we can work something out. This really means a lot to me."

After a bit of back and forth, they agreed on a $500 fee for the special request.

Aiden, hearing that the store was closed, quickly explained the situation. The owner hesitated but said, "We usually don't do this because reopening involves insurance and safety checks."

"I totally get it," Aiden said. "I'll sign anything you need, and I promise I'll follow all your safety rules."

After more conversation, the shopkeeper, moved by Aiden's sincerity and the special circumstances of New Year's Eve, agreed to reopen for him.

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After hanging up, Aiden spotted a row of shared electric bikes on the sidewalk. He quickly unlocked one with his app, put on a helmet, and sped off toward the store.

Thanks to the electric boost, he made the five-mile trip in just 15 minutes.

At the store, the owner, a woman in her thirties, couldn't help but think, He's so handsome, and he's such a thoughtful boyfriend.

She handed over the sparklers with a smile. "Hope this cheers your girlfriend up."

"Thanks so much," Aiden said, pulling out his phone to pay. "How much do I owe you?"

"That'll be $18 for the box."

Aiden paid $518 without a second thought. The store owner, seeing the payment, widened her eyes. "You're really giving $500?"

"Well, you made a special trip for me. It's the least I can do."

She smiled, noting Aiden's demeanor and how he clearly wasn't hurting for money. "Go make your girlfriend happy," she said.

"Will do, thanks again!" Aiden carefully placed the sparklers in his bike's basket and rode off into the cool night air, heading back to Grace.

Grace Li sat on a bench in the mall. Even though it was already past 11 PM, the mall was still buzzing with people. New York, the city that never sleeps, was full of life and energy, even in the middle of the night.

Where did Aiden Thompson go to get it? It's been half an hour, and he still hasn't come back.

Grace Li, bored, picked up her phone. She was about to scroll through the news but noticed a new message on WhatsApp.

It was from Shichen Li.

It was a voice message.

Grace Li stared at the nine-second-long audio and felt a little hesitant. She wondered what her dad had to say.

After a moment, she gently tapped play.

Her father's voice came through the phone: “Grace, tomorrow's New Year's Day, so I'm sending you some money for a little treat. Don't take today's stuff too hard.”

After hearing the message, Grace Li looked at the PayPal transfer notification below the voice message, and tears blurred her vision.

Her mind drifted back to her college days. Back then, she'd only been able to visit home two or three times a year. During the holidays, she'd always call home, and Huiyun Liang and she had plenty to talk about. So, she'd usually call Huiyun Liang. Sometimes, Huiyun Liang would pass the phone to her dad, but he never said much. Every time, it was the same: “It's the holiday, eat something good. If you need more money, just ask.”

Family is different from love or friendship. If a romantic relationship ends, it's just a breakup. If a friendship falls apart, you go your separate ways.

But family—family is something you can't let go of. Even though she'd often complained about her parents' preference for sons, she knew deep down they were the closest people to her in the world. She couldn't ignore everything they'd done for her just because of some outdated views.

Grace Li typed into the message box: “Thanks, Dad.”

Then, she accepted the PayPal transfer.

When she looked up, Aiden Thompson appeared in front of her, his face red from the cold. His nose was bright pink, and he was gasping for breath. Every exhale puffed out visible clouds of white mist, and the chill of the night still clung to him. He brushed off the snow that had collected on his coat and clearly looked like he'd been running around in the cold.

He pulled the box of sparklers from his coat pocket and smiled. “Got it.”

Grace Li smiled back, her tears still lingering, and asked with concern, “Did you have to go far to get them?”

“It wasn't too far, just the traffic was crazy,” Aiden Thompson replied, naturally reaching out and taking her hand. “Let's go to the river.”

Grace Li glanced down at their joined hands, not feeling the slightest bit of resistance, as if they were already the closest of lovers.

They walked down to the riverbank. The cold wind bit at them, but the festive atmosphere made the place feel warm. Aiden Thompson took two sparklers out of the box, handed one to her, and lit them. The colorful sparks exploded instantly, like magical trees lighting up the night, casting a beautiful glow on Grace Li's face.

She looked at the crackling sparks, her face glowing with happiness. “Aiden Thompson, can you take a few photos of me? I want some with that fireworks vibe.”

Aiden Thompson looked puzzled. “How do you want me to take them?”

“There's a tutorial online,” Grace Li said, waiting until both sparklers burned out. Then, she quickly pulled out her phone, skillfully searching for a fireworks photo tutorial on YouTube.

Aiden Thompson watched the video carefully and quickly picked up the technique.

When Grace Li picked up another pair of sparklers, striking a playful pose, Aiden Thompson found the right angle and snapped a few beautiful shots.

The sparklers burned out fast. Just then, a loud countdown echoed from across the square: “Ten, nine, eight... three, two, one!” At the same time, famous performers lit up the stage, and colorful lights mixed together, decorating the whole square in a magical glow.

Grace Li turned to look at Aiden Thompson, a smile on her face, and softly said, “Happy New Year.”

Aiden Thompson turned to her at the same time, his voice warm. “Happy New Year.”

Grace Li smiled shyly, her lips curving up. Suddenly, fireworks shot up along the riverbank, bursting in a spectacular display across the pitch-black sky, like a grand visual feast.

Grace Li was mesmerized by the beautiful fireworks. She tilted her head back, staring at the flowers blooming in the night sky, her eyes wide and full of wonder.

Aiden Thompson turned his head slightly and caught the smile on her lips and the brilliant lights reflecting in her eyes. In that moment, he knew—she was truly happy.