The next day.
It wasn't even eight in the morning when Cecilia Rhodes called.
"Mr. Frank, I'm in Eastwick. Where are you staying? I'll pick you up!" Frank had sent the address of Evergreen Recording Studio to Cecilia last night, but he hadn't expected the Pop Princess to have been in the UK yesterday and now be directly in Eastwick this morning.
"Ms. Rhodes, no need to pick me up. I'll come on my own. If you're too tired, we can record tomorrow."
"I'm not tired at all! My vocal cords are practically dying of thirst, wahahaha!"
Frank hung up, unable to help but sigh. Ah, to be young!
He left the hotel, hailed a taxi, and told the driver the address. The driver, a slightly plump man, sized him up a few times, then suddenly exclaimed: "Well, well, aren't you that Frank Castle?"
Frank paused, then nodded: "Yes, sir, you know me?"
The driver started the car, chuckling: "My daughter has your picture hanging in her room. Even if I didn't want to know you, I'd have no choice."
Frank was immediately surprised: "Your daughter has my picture hanging in her room?" No way, do I actually have fans?
The driver, Mr. Evans, laughed heartily: "My daughter throws darts at you every day. When your picture gets too tattered, she replaces it with a new one. It cracks me up."
"..." Frank was silent for a moment, then cautiously asked: "Your daughter wouldn't happen to be a fan of Amelia Quinn or Liam Reed, would she?"
Mr. Evans snapped his fingers: "Smart boy, you got it. My daughter loves that Amelia Quinn. Oh, that's your ex-wife, right?"
Frank was speechless, wondering if this driver truly didn't know the meaning of awkwardness.
"Don't take it to heart, kid. Honestly, I believe you're not the kind of person they say you are online." Mr. Evans said with a cheerful smile, his eyes on Frank kindly, genuinely not seeing him as a bad person.
Frank was very curious: "Why?" He had already been labeled a "wife-beater" and "jealous husband" online. There were few people in the entire entertainment industry with a worse reputation than him. Why would this driver insist he was a good person?
"Because yesterday, I saw you save that little kid right over there." Mr. Evans pointed to the stretch of road behind them. Frank had saved the child who was almost hit by Amelia Quinn's car right there yesterday. So this driver happened to be passing by and saw it, and today, by chance, he got my fare.
"Sir, we're quite fated, aren't we?" Frank smiled. He didn't mention that Amelia Quinn and Liam Reed were in the car that ran the crosswalk. Even if he did, no one would believe him, and he'd be accused of slandering his ex-wife for revenge. Only when he became powerful enough for more people to listen to him would he be able to make Amelia Quinn and Liam Reed pay the price.
Frank chatted with Mr. Evans throughout the ride, learning that the driver's daughter was a die-hard fan of Amelia Quinn and also a "Liam & Amelia" fan. Ever since Frank and Amelia's divorce, Mr. Evans's daughter was convinced that Frank had cheated, was jealous, and abusive, believing he had harmed her idol. Besides throwing darts at Frank's picture, she also joined Amelia's fans online to bash Frank.
An hour later, the taxi arrived at Evergreen Recording Studio. Frank smiled: "Mr. Evans, I'm off. Drive safe."
Mr. Evans poked his head out: "Frank, I'll go tell my daughter you're not a bad guy, so she stops throwing darts at you."
"Haha, well, thank you then!" Frank waved to Mr. Evans, watching the taxi drive away. The iron gate of the recording studio opened, and Lily Yuan stepped out.
"Mr. Frank, why don't you come in?"
Frank replied: "I'm waiting outside for Cecilia Rhodes. You and Mr. Yuan should go ahead and eat."
Lily Yuan stood beside Frank, gently saying: "Then I'll wait with you."
Frank smiled: "Alright."
The two stood together by the studio entrance. Neither was particularly talkative, simply watching the sunlight filter through the thin mist, dappling the green leaves by the roadside. Though silent, the atmosphere wasn't awkward; instead, there was a quiet tranquility. Lily Yuan turned her head to look at Frank. The man was a head taller than her, but not brutish. His profile was gentle, and his shoulders were broad, giving off a sense of security.
"Mr. Fran—"
Lily Yuan was about to speak when a car pulled up in front of them. As soon as it stopped, a petite figure opened the door and jumped out. The girl was small, wearing a white tracksuit, her single ponytail swaying as she ran a few steps to Frank, smiling sweetly: "Mr. Frank, you got here even faster than me!"
Frank chuckled: "Ms. Rhodes, you can just call me Frank." Cecilia Rhodes was a Pop Princess; he was an obscure, D-list artist, so it wouldn't be right for her to call him "Mr. Frank."
"Alright then, you can call me Ceci!" Cecilia Rhodes spoke rapidly, her cheeks flushed, like a little ray of sunshine. Lily Yuan, standing quietly beside her, was like the moon in the night sky, serene and elegant. The two young women, of similar age, presented a striking contrast of active and still.
Cecilia Rhodes noticed Lily Yuan and asked Frank: "Who's this lovely lady?"
Frank introduced the two. Cecilia Rhodes's eyes widened: "You're Mr. Yuan's granddaughter? Wow! It's an honor to meet you!" She greeted Lily Yuan with a formal bow, like someone greeting a legend from a tall tale, repeating her respects.
Lily Yuan wasn't used to interacting with strangers and said timidly: "Thank you, Ms. Rhodes. Please come in."
"Alrighty then!"
The three entered Evergreen Recording Studio. Cecilia Rhodes immediately began exclaiming about everything inside—this keyboard she'd always wanted, that top-of-the-line speaker. Upon seeing Aaron Yuan, Cecilia Rhodes was even more respectfully effusive: "Wow! So you're Mr. Yuan! My admiration for you is like a surging river, unending, and also like... Ah, anyway, I just really admire you, haha!"
Aaron Yuan was expressionless: "I'll give you two days." Then he turned and walked into Dragon's Roar Mountain. Cecilia Rhodes said excitedly: "Truly the demeanor of a reclusive master!"
Cecilia Rhodes was so lively that Lily Yuan didn't know how to respond. Frank cleared his throat. "Ms. Rhodes... Ceci, I arranged 'No Makeup' last night to be a male-female duet. Would you like to see if it works?"
"Sounds great!"
When it came to singing, Cecilia Rhodes finally got serious and began practicing with Frank. Lily Yuan quietly sat by, watching. However, the young woman seemed to have reverted to her previous silent and withdrawn state, just like when she used to stay in the studio alone with her grandfather.
At six in the evening, Cecilia Rhodes's manager came to pick her up, and Frank saw her out. "Frank, remember to watch TV at eight tonight!" Cecilia Rhodes reminded Frank before she left.
After seeing off Cecilia Rhodes, Frank also said goodbye to Lily Yuan and Aaron Yuan. Lily Yuan, who had been silent all day, finally smiled: "Mr. Frank, be careful on your way. I'll buy breakfast for you tomorrow morning."
"Okay, Lily, see you tomorrow."
"Mm, see you tomorrow!"
Frank left the studio, took a taxi back to the hotel, ate a quick meal, and then turned on the television.
At eight o'clock, The Voice of America Episode 1 aired promptly.