The Catherine before him was completely bare-faced, her hair still a bit damp, but her skin was tight and translucent, glowing with health. The natural flush on her cheeks and the complete absence of fine lines around her eyes and brows made her look radiant and in incredible condition!
The two of them exchanged a shocked yet knowing look, but they were tactful enough not to ask further. However, in their hearts, they were infinitely curious about that young male actor.
Landon took a taxi back to his villa.
The house was quiet; Tracy and Rachel were both out.
He breathed a sigh of relief. Two sticky notes on the refrigerator door caught his attention.
Rachel's handwriting was lively: "Gone to class! Love you~" followed by a cute little heart.
Tracy's handwriting, as usual, was concise and forceful:
"Remember, 'A Beautiful Mind' starts filming next week. Familiarize yourself with the script a few more times; don't slack off. PS: Post-production for the Dove commercial is underway; the payment is expected to arrive early next week."
Looking at these two notes with their vastly different styles, Landon rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a bit of a headache.
He was worried about how to explain to Rachel and Tracy where he had been last night.
But he decided not to worry about that for now. Seeing as there were still a few days before he joined the cast of "A Beautiful Mind," he planned to find a vocal teacher to strengthen his vocal foundations as he had intended.
He didn't want to find a vocal teacher through Tracy; he hoped to keep it a secret for now and give her a surprise.
Landon dialed his assistant Zoe's number.
"Zoe, do me a favor. Contact a reliable vocal teacher as soon as possible. I need one-on-one private lessons, focusing on foundations and pop singing. The location should ideally be in or near Los Angeles. Oh, and," he emphasized, "don't tell Tracy about this for now."
Zoe seemed to pause for a moment on the other end of the line, but she quickly regained her professional tone: "Alright, Boss. Vocal teacher, one-on-one, confidential. I'll get right on it."
Zoe's efficiency was startling. Just two hours later, Landon's phone rang.
"Boss, it's done. I've contacted the teacher; the lesson can start at three this afternoon. I'll text you the address. Also, I've driven your car over; it's outside your house now." Zoe's voice sounded a bit... subtle, as if she were stifling a laugh.
Landon was a bit surprised by her speed but expressed his gratitude anyway.
He went outside and indeed saw his familiar second-hand ford explorer parked by the curb, with Zoe leaning against the car playing with her phone.
"Thanks, Zoe. Send me the address; I'll drive there myself." Landon took the keys.
"Uh, Boss," Zoe scratched her head, "I think... it might be better if I go with you? This teacher is... a bit special. I'm afraid you won't find the place, or... there might be a misunderstanding."
Her expression grew even more peculiar.
Landon didn't understand why, but seeing Zoe's persistence, he let her into the car and followed the navigation toward a neighborhood in East Los Angeles with a strong artistic atmosphere.
The car finally stopped in front of a townhouse.
"This is it." Zoe led the way out of the car and rang the doorbell.
The door opened quickly. Appearing behind the door was a very young-looking girl, probably only fifteen or sixteen years old.
She had long dark hair, a face still carrying some baby fat, and large eyes lined with somewhat exaggerated black eyeliner. She was wearing a brightly colored, slightly eccentric vintage dress with several necklaces hanging around her neck.
She looked just like an art school student who hadn't quite left puberty and was keen on self-expression.
Landon's heart immediately sank. What was Zoe doing?
He was looking for a teacher who could teach him vocal foundations and help him prepare for a record, not someone to play music games with a high schooler!
Landon suppressed the urge to frown and looked at Zoe, his eyes filled with the pressure of "you'd better give me a reasonable explanation."
However, Zoe seemed oblivious to his dissatisfaction. Instead, she happily stepped forward and gave the girl inside the door an affectionate hug. "Catherine! Have you been waiting long?"
"Zoe! Hi!" The girl's voice was crisp and clear, overflowing with youthful vitality.
Then, Zoe took the hand of the girl named "Catherine," turned, and introduced her to Landon, whose face was already starting to darken: "Boss, this is Katherine Elizabeth Hudson, the vocal teacher I found for you!
Don't let her age fool you; she's had systematic musical training since she was a child and has participated in many competitions. Her music theory foundations are very solid!"
She then enthusiastically said to the girl, "Catherine, this is my boss, Landon Williams. He wants to systematically improve his singing and needs one-on-one guidance."
Katherine Elizabeth Hudson sized Landon up curiously, her large eyes blinking.
Seemingly quite satisfied with Landon's appearance, she stepped forward with a teenage bounce and gave him a cheek kiss.
"Wow, Landon, hi!" She even reached out and naturally squeezed Landon's firm forearm muscle.
"Zoe wasn't exaggerating; you really are handsome!" She took a step back, her tone full of confidence.
"Zoe mentioned your requirements. Want to improve your vocal foundations? I think I'm perfectly qualified for the job!"
Landon's internal state was bordering on a breakdown, and he even felt a surge of blood to his head.
Katherine Elizabeth Hudson? Landon looked closer. Wasn't this the very same "Katy Perry" who would later become world-famous?
Of course, at this time, she hadn't yet changed her stage name to Katy Perry.
Zoe had actually found a future pop queen to be his vocal teacher?
And he never would have imagined that before her fame, Katy Perry was a girl who dressed eccentrically and wore smoky eye makeup!
This was simply... too ridiculous!
He was looking for a teacher who could provide professional guidance, not to scout a future superstar in the making!
What on earth was going on in Zoe's head?
Did she have some massive misunderstanding about him?
Did she think his search for a vocal teacher was just a front, and his real goal was to get close to young girls?
Looking at the future queen before him—who had a serious face and eyes that still held a trace of childishness yet were full of confidence—and then glancing at Zoe, who looked like she was saying "I've done something great, praise me," he was momentarily speechless, not knowing where to start.
Facing the eager and expectant gazes of the two girls, Landon found that he actually had a hard time saying no directly.
He didn't know how Zoe knew this future queen, but clearly, Zoe had already made certain promises to her.
Well... on second thought, all he needed right now was the most basic vocal training and music theory guidance. With Katy Perry's musical talent and the training she'd had since childhood, she should be more than capable of handling this.
Besides, if his songs really became hits in the future and the media asked about his lineage, and he replied that his teacher was a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl... the scene would be quite dramatic, especially since this "young girl" would later become a top-tier pop queen.
However, Landon still needed to confirm some practical matters.
At her age, she should still be in school.