A sudden wave of joy crashed down, so overwhelming that Hugo's mind went completely blank. A surge of euphoria drowned him in an instant. Even though he had already reaffirmed his resolve to move forward on this path while composing "Second Chance," this moment—the sudden good news—completely washed away the confusion, anxiety, and uncertainty he had felt since crossing over into this world. His heart was filled to the brim with elation, to the point that it felt suffocating.
Hugo clenched his fists tightly, a low growl rising from deep in his throat. It wasn't a loud, explosive shout but rather the restrained snarl of a hound gathering strength energy coiled tightly in his chest. Even without releasing it, the power it carried was undeniable.
His trimmed fingernails dug into his palms from the pressure, veins bulged through his skin, and even his bones seemed to tremble slightly. The sharp sting made everything feel so real. But a trace of remaining rationality kept him from completely losing himself in joy. He raised his head and looked at Joseph.
"You mean… I, Hugo Lancaster, got the role of Charlie in Scent of a Woman?"
The awkward scene at the Golden Raspberry Awards ceremony not long ago was still fresh in his mind—he had to confirm it again.
Joseph's stiff expression made it obvious that he was equally emotional. From his brows to the corners of his eyes and mouth, Hugo could see the turmoil bubbling beneath the surface. It was no less intense than his own. Joseph forced out a hoarse "Yes," though it was so raspy it was almost inaudible. He ended up just nodding to give a definite answer.
"Yes!" The energy that had been echoing in Hugo's chest erupted in a low roar, a cathartic release of everything he'd been holding in. He had done it. Through his own hard work, he had taken his first step forward. He had earned a chance to act opposite Al Pacino—a chance to prove himself!
This truly didn't come easy. Setting aside the questionable tactics from Tracy's side, the fact that the Scent of a Woman production team made this decision at all wasn't simple. Before this, Hugo had already botched three movies in a row. Even though there were many objective reasons for the failures, people tend to blame the leading actor by default. And besides, all three films had been nominated for Golden Raspberry Awards, which meant that Hugo did bear some responsibility for their failure.
What's more, the failures weren't just critical—they also tanked at the box office. This caused Hugo's "actor value" to plummet. Even the excellence of Dead Poets Society wasn't enough to restore the producers' faith in him.
Given these circumstances, the Scent of a Woman team still took a huge risk by casting Hugo. That kind of courage—it could only be described as a stroke of true recognition and appreciation.
In fact, the film's production wasn't in the best shape either. Al Pacino was no longer at his peak, though his acting skills still gave Universal Pictures confidence. On top of that, the script itself wasn't exactly a guaranteed box-office hit. This made Universal extra cautious when approving the budget. And now, adding Hugo Lancaster to the mix, it was easy to imagine that the media wouldn't hold much optimism for the film's future.
But no matter what, Hugo had received his first official role invitation. Leaving all past experiences aside—whether the disaster of Hudson Hawk or the acclaim of Dead Poets Society—Scent of a Woman would be Hugo's brand-new starting point. It would mark the beginning of his journey as an actor.
Ecstatic, Hugo took two big steps forward and pulled Joseph into a big hug. Without Joseph's persistence and efforts, he might not have even gotten a chance to audition. Joseph wasn't just his agent—he was also the first person Hugo met after crossing over into this world, the first person who had been willing to help him. Hugo would never forget that.
Joseph suddenly found himself tightly embraced by Hugo, who then beamed and said brightly, "Thank you, really—thank you." It caught Joseph off guard. Over the past year of working with Hugo, the young man had never trusted him. Hugo had always questioned Joseph's abilities. He had preferred to ask Ron for advice, and the Golden Raspberry fiasco had been the clearest example.
But lately, Hugo had begun to strive harder and had shown more trust in him. Though Joseph wouldn't go so far as to say he was touched, there was no denying that this shift made his job much easier—and for a rookie agent, that trust was an invaluable vote of confidence.
Still, Joseph wasn't someone who liked showing emotion. Seeing Hugo let go with such joy, his amber eyes sparkling with happiness, made Joseph feel a bit awkward. He avoided Hugo's excited gaze and cleared his throat.
"This is just the beginning. The filming process from here on will be the real challenge."
Hugo nodded firmly, his face beaming. "I know." That smile held infinite hope and confidence.
Only then did Joseph snap out of the joy of Hugo's successful audition and remember an important matter. "Hugo, just now the production team called. Since Charlie is only a supporting role, and considering your current situation, your salary for the film is set at five hundred thousand dollars. What do you think?"
During the call, the casting director Ellen Lewis had specifically mentioned this point. But since Joseph wasn't sure what Hugo would think, he hadn't given a direct answer—he said he'd call back after discussing it. As Hugo's agent, Joseph could offer advice, but the final decision rested with the actor.
Five hundred thousand dollars?
Hugo froze when he heard the figure. How much was that in Chinese yuan? He wasn't sure what the exchange rate was right now, but if it were 2014, that would be at least three million yuan! Earning three million from just one movie—it was shocking. He'd seen news articles saying so-and-so actor made ten million per film, but that had always felt like someone else's story. Now that the paycheck was his, Hugo was speechless. Was this money-making pace even real?
Hugo's dazed expression looked like hesitation in Joseph's eyes. Joseph inwardly panicked: Don't tell me Hugo is about to mess this up again?
"Hugo, here's the situation—Scent of a Woman isn't a high-budget film. Naturally, it can't be compared to something like Hudson Hawk. Besides, the real star of this movie is Pacino. His salary takes up the bulk of the budget. You're just playing a supporting role, so it's only natural that your pay is reduced. I really think you should take this project. It's a chance—an opportunity to realign your career. The paycheck is only part of the equation. Don't focus on that alone."
Joseph earnestly tried to convince him. It was, in fact, the longest speech he had given Hugo since the Golden Raspberry Awards. As soon as Hugo snapped out of it, he realized Joseph had completely misunderstood the situation. Sure enough…
"If you insist on demanding more than five million dollars in salary, it'll be very difficult to land a new role." Joseph continued trying to talk sense into him, even using such blunt words in hopes of snapping Hugo out of it.
Hugo couldn't help but be astonished. So my former self was actually worth that much—over five million dollars per movie? And here he was, getting all giddy over just fifty thousand dollars. Talk about being a frog in a well.
"Joseph, why would I refuse?" Hugo cut off Joseph mid-sentence, grinning.
"There are countless reasons—an excellent script, Al Pacino, recognition from the production team…" Joseph began rattling them off but suddenly paused as realization struck. "Wait… are you saying you're accepting the offer?" He had thought Hugo had asked, 'Why would I accept?' But Hugo's expression clearly didn't match that interpretation.
"Yes, I'm accepting the offer." Hugo nodded firmly. "I have no reason to refuse—do I?" The production team was already willing to take a risk and hire him despite everything. If he turned this down, he'd be pushing away a golden opportunity. More importantly, for Hugo, the amount of money wasn't what mattered—he didn't have the burden of "a five-million-dollar salary" to live up to. Scent of a Woman represented a chance, and that was what truly counted.
Joseph looked at the smile on Hugo's face, then shot him another confirming glance. Hugo chuckled and gave a firm nod in return. Only then did Joseph breathe a sigh of relief, his own mood easing. "I'll try to negotiate a bit more regarding the salary, so don't worry about that." After saying this, Joseph realized he might have overreacted earlier.
Hugo had been performing well lately. If he really wasn't willing, he would've rejected the audition the moment he heard Scent of a Woman only had a supporting role for him. And the public audition format? That could've easily been seen as an insult for someone who used to play lead roles—no wonder people had come to provoke him. But Hugo still attended the audition and gave it his all. Thinking about that, Joseph knew—Hugo had truly changed.
"Besides, I've got my ten percent commission in this too—I've got to work hard for it." Joseph joked lightly, trying to dispel some of the awkwardness from before.
Ten percent? Hugo's eyes widened at that number. That would be fifty thousand dollars! This guy's commission is seriously high. Hugo didn't know how the agency business worked in Hollywood, but that percentage definitely felt steep. "You really don't seem like an agent worth ten percent," Hugo teased.
Joseph rolled his eyes at him. "It's not my ability—it's the company's ability."
....
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