Night had fallen deep, and eventually, Derek and Hazel had to bid their farewells and head back.
Escorting Derek and Hazel to the outside street, Derek drove the car up, and Renly stepped forward to help. He assisted Hazel in standing up, and Paul folded the wheelchair and placed it in the back seat.
For convenience, Renly lifted Hazel up in a princess carry and placed her in the passenger seat. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Hazel's slightly shy expression. Renly chuckled and teased, "Just for today, next time you'll have to use your own two feet."
Hazel couldn't help but bite her lip, glaring at Renly fiercely. But in the end, she couldn't hold it in and burst into laughter.
Looking at Renly's profile so close by, Hazel said seriously, "Do you know why I love music so much?" Renly was searching for his seatbelt and his actions paused slightly. He looked at her with a puzzled expression. Hazel continued, "Because when the musical notes flow, I realize that there are things that darkness can never take away from me."
Renly was somewhat stunned, savoring this sentence, but found it left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Renly. Thank you." The sound of Derek closing the car door interrupted Renly's thoughts. "Thank you so much today."
Derek spoke sincerely. Even though they hadn't explicitly mentioned it, he knew that the song they just heard had a special meaning. It wasn't performed lightly. Furthermore, thanks to Renly's presence today, he could tell from Hazel's expression that she was genuinely happy.
Renly quickly fastened his seatbelt and then smiled at Derek, teasingly saying, "Next time, the fee won't be so cheap." This made both Derek and Hazel burst into laughter.
Hazel turned to look at her father, then turned to Renly again and whispered, "I won't give up." Only she and Renly could hear.
This seemingly random sentence held no context, but Renly understood that it was a lyric from the song they had just heard, and it was also a determination from the depths of Hazel's heart.
Renly didn't know where the course of Hazel's ALS would lead, but he knew that if they gave up, there would be nothing.
After Derek and Hazel left, Lily also headed home. Even though she was reluctant, and even though she hesitated, it was really late, and it was better for her to return home sooner; otherwise, her mother would unleash a series of scoldings that could claim lives.
Looking at the tall figure of Renly, the camel-colored coat swaying in the cold night wind, emitting a unique charm and temperament that was even more captivating in the dark, Lily stood by the side of a taxi. When she was about to get in, her movement paused slightly. She raised her voice and shouted, "Has anyone ever told you that you're a remarkable artist?"
This sudden statement, without a clear context, left people puzzled. Renly's lips curled up slightly. "Don't casually tell strangers this, especially not close to midnight."
This faint jest made Lily's cheeks slightly warm. She called out, "I'm serious." After saying this, Lily got into the taxi, closed the door, and signaled to the driver that he could start driving.
However, after hesitating for a moment, Lily couldn't resist turning back and looking through the rear window. In the distance, she could see:
Renly's slight smile was like a wispy wisp of smoke, mysterious and enchanting in the midnight of New York, exuding a deadly charm; Paul standing beside him was smiling brightly, like sunlight scattered over the azure waves, a radiance that even the night couldn't conceal.
The two of them reentered Village Vanguard, chatting and laughing. Lily's gaze stayed on them until their figures disappeared one after the other. She was reluctant to withdraw her gaze. Then the taxi turned a corner and entered another street, completely cutting off her line of sight. She turned her head back with a regretful expression on her face, leaned against the backrest, and sighed heavily.
Back in Village Vanguard, Renly spotted a familiar figure at the bar, George Strand.
Neil was at the bar, waving cheerfully at Renly and then pointing to George, a proud look on his face.
Renly noticed that George was holding a phone, watching a video. Without even looking, he knew it was a recording of the performance just now. Neil was also one of the key supporters of Renly's album, so he naturally wouldn't miss any opportunity.
Looking at George's focused back, Renly chuckled softly, walked up and greeted him. However, George completely ignored Renly, engrossed in savoring the performance video. This left Renly feeling both amused and exasperated.
Before Renly could explain, George gruffly said, "What, are you planning to go into the recording studio tomorrow? If not, then go away. Don't disturb me watching the performance. Seriously, have no sense of timing."
With his grumbling and straightforward manner, Renly could only shrug, causing both Neil and Paul to burst into laughter.
Renly and Paul sat down again, ordered beers, and stayed at the bar until after 2 am before leaving Village Vanguard. They leisurely walked back home. Since Paul was currently penniless, he would temporarily stay at Renly's house tonight.
"Other than surfing and rock climbing, I can't see that you're also an outstanding musician." Paul exclaimed with a cheerful smile. His choice of words was quite interesting; he said "musician" instead of "singer" or "performer". It was clear that Paul was quite surprised by Renly's creative talent.
Renly didn't offer an explanation, just spread his hands, "I can't claim to be a skilled surfer, at least not in front of you."
This jest made Paul burst into laughter, but then his mood seemed to settle, and he appeared lost in thought. Renly didn't say anything either. The two of them continued walking slowly. After a while, Paul's voice broke the silence again, "Can I bring my daughter to watch your performance next time?"
Renly was a bit surprised, but he didn't inquire further. He nodded directly, smiling, "Of course, I warmly welcome it."
Paul tugged at the corner of his mouth, revealing a smile once again.
Paul hadn't married, but he had a daughter with his ex-girlfriend. They were both too young back then. Paul was only twenty-four. They didn't understand how to be parents. After a heated dispute, both were hurt, and they had to choose to break up. Later, his ex-girlfriend took their daughter to Hawaii, while he remained in Los Angeles.
Time flew by, and twelve years had passed. He had almost no opportunities to spend time with his daughter, let alone talk to her. That was also a significant reason he had visited Oahu, Hawaii. Every year, he would spend some time there, trying to communicate with his daughter, but... it had always been too difficult.
The song he had just sung, when it reached Paul's ears, told his own story, leaving him deeply moved.
A faint trace of sorrow passed through Paul's eyes. Even the sunniest individuals had a soft spot in their hearts. His daughter had always been a regret deep within him. He had never opened up to anyone about it, not even to Renly, and he wasn't prepared to share his feelings. Fortunately, Renly didn't ask.
"What's the name of the song you sang just now?" Paul couldn't resist asking, curiosity evident in his voice.
Renly thought for a moment and then replied, "Carry On."
Paul chewed on this for a while, and his smile lifted once more. The lively and joyful melody echoed in his mind again. The New York night was unreasonably cold, with strong winds blowing, yet within his chest, there was a warm flame, making his steps seem lighter.
Paul pushed the door open and curiously took in Renly's apartment: spacious and personal, filled with books in the corners, an old-fashioned record player by the sofa, and wooden furniture scattered about.
"Just make yourself at home; consider this place yours." Renly headed straight ahead and opened a closet. While speaking, his phone started ringing, but Renly paid no attention to it. He searched and soon found the prepared towels, toothbrush, and other toiletries. "You should freshen up; you've had a tiring day. Now you can finally relax."
Compared to Renly, Paul had truly experienced an incredibly long day. New York had welcomed him in such a special way.
Listening to the continuous ringtone of Renly's phone, Paul asked with distraction, "Aren't you going to answer the call?"
Renly walked over and placed the toiletries on the backrest of the sofa. "If it's urgent, they'll call again. Otherwise, a voicemail is fine." He explained casually, then pointed towards a folding screen. "The bathroom is over there. Don't worry, I won't peek."
This comment instantly made Paul burst into laughter.
Only then did Renly pick up his phone and glance at the caller ID. It was Andy. "It's 3 AM New York time. You'd better have a good reason." He answered the call and spoke directly.
Andy chuckled, "Judging by your voice, you still sound awake. That's perfect." Andy was currently in Boston, in the same time zone as New York, so he knew well, "Something urgent came up just now. To put it simply, a film crew contacted me. They hope you can take on a role last-minute, the male lead in a low-budget, independent comedy film that tests acting skills. I thought you'd definitely like it."
With a few key words, Renly's interest was piqued. "Oh, tell me more."
"Explaining the situation is a bit complicated. To sum it up, the film crew had already signed with James McAvoy, but he backed out due to personal reasons, mainly schedule conflicts with the "X-Men" promotional plans. Now, the film crew is ready, and shooting starts in five days, but the male lead unexpectedly dropped out. So, they contacted me, at 3 AM."
Andy's words were still nonchalant, filled with critiques and highlights. In just a few sentences, he explained the situation clearly.
"They believe you're the best candidate for this role; and in my opinion, you're even better suited than James. Leave the scheduling issue to me; "Detachment" will proceed as planned, so don't worry. They'll call you directly for a chat soon. Have a look and decide for yourself. How about it, any questions?"