Premiere

"Still nervous?" Joseph looked at Hugo, who was adjusting his breathing, and couldn't help but find it amusing. "This isn't your first film, why are you so nervous?" Over the past two weeks, Hugo had been in a state of anxiety. He was even teased by Charlize, who joked that he was on his "menstrual period". This situation amused Joseph as well.

"This is my first film!" Hugo wanted to say, but he couldn't. Instead, he took a long breath and sighed. "If you had experienced the disastrous failure of your previous film, then went eight months without any work and got yourself into a lot of trouble, then you would understand how I feel right now."

Joseph's smile faded. Over the past year, he had been by Hugo's side, experiencing everything with him. No one understood better than Joseph what Hugo had been through. And in the past six months, Hugo had successfully quit his addiction. The withdrawal symptoms had completely disappeared. Watching Hugo come this far, Joseph knew how difficult it had been for him.

"I'm sorry." Joseph couldn't ignore Hugo's emotions and apologized in a low voice.

Hugo tugged at the corner of his mouth, revealing a dry smile. "No need. If you have the energy, join me in praying for the success of the film." Although Hugo believed he had won a chance after crossing over, he knew that the outcome would be revealed today. The ones responsible for judging were not just the crew members but also hundreds of viewers and the notoriously picky film critics.

Seeing Hugo's smile, Joseph also relaxed. He raised his right hand, crossing his index and middle fingers, indicating that he had been praying for a while. Hugo chuckled at this.

The black rental car that arrived stopped at the beginning of the red carpet in front of the Fox Theater. The side door was opened by the security personnel in charge of maintaining order, and Hugo took one last deep breath before stepping out of the car. Although it was Hugo's second time attending a premiere at the Fox Theater, his mindset and atmosphere today were completely different from "Final Analysis" six months ago.

As soon as his feet touched the red carpet, Hugo felt as if the bright red color on the ground was enveloping his feet like fiery flames, gradually rising up. The thumping sound of his heartbeat pounded in his ears, making him feel his blood rushing throughout his body. His temples and the muscles at the back of his head tensed up instantly.

Hugo lifted his head and looked at the crowd on both sides. It wasn't a large crowd, maybe a little over a hundred people, but their eyes were filled with anticipation and eagerness as they looked at him. Those shining eyes instantly illuminated the pitch-black night. It was at this moment that Hugo confirmed: this was his movie premiere! It wasn't someone else's; he was the protagonist! The nervousness melted away in the blazing spotlight, and a wide smile blossomed on Hugo's face.

"Hugo! Look here!" "Hey, hey, Hugo Lancaster!" "Here, here, here..." "Smile, give me a smile." "Come over, come over!" Journalists stood on the left side of the red carpet, continuously raising their voices, trying various methods to catch Hugo's attention. Some even jumped up and down in one spot, hoping to make Hugo look at their cameras and capture the perfect photos.

"Hugo! I love you!" "Hugo, you're the best." "You're truly outstanding"... Although there weren't many fans gathered, and the screams and shouts were more accurately described as clamor, these people had come specifically to support Hugo, regardless of his current situation or whether their support was due to his looks or acting. It was especially precious to show their support during Hugo's difficult times.

Joseph had also walked down by now. It was Hugo's own movie premiere today, so Joseph had earned the privilege to walk the red carpet as well. As Joseph was not a public figure, his state of mind was obviously much calmer. Seeing Hugo standing still, Joseph patted his shoulder, bringing him back to reality.

After hesitating for a moment, Hugo walked towards the fans on the right side. With a hint of hesitancy and awkwardness, he extended his right hand. The few young people at the front immediately reached out and firmly grasped Hugo's hand. The warmth of their palms made Hugo feel it was all so real.

"Hugo, believe me, you will succeed. You definitely will! You're the best." The young girl in the center was barely five feet four inches tall, appearing very petite. It was as if everyone around her was enclosing her in the center, ready to engulf her. But she stood tall, tiptoeing, and with her lively eyes, she conveyed her unwavering support to Hugo.

Hugo's gaze involuntarily stayed on the girl because her determination reminded him of Alex. Before setting off today, Alex had blessed Hugo with the same determined look, even more confident than Hugo himself.

"Thank you." Hugo not only didn't retract his right hand but took a half step forward. Luckily, he wasn't a top-tier superstar at the moment; otherwise, fans from all directions would have swarmed him. Hugo's gesture didn't cause much of a chain reaction, and he even raised his voice to ask a question, "What's your name?"

"Meredith Molins." The young girl, excited by Hugo's inquiry, immediately shouted her name with enthusiasm. Her sharp voice stood out amidst the surrounding noise. But it made Hugo laugh.

Although Hugo knew that the other person would support him not because of his efforts but because of his past self, just like Alex, knowing that someone in this world supported him so much felt really good. So Hugo leaned forward and gave Meredith a hug. "I hope you enjoy the movie."

Meredith's body froze instantly. She could even see Hugo's handsome face getting closer, breathing in the scent of his mint-scented shower gel. Her heartbeat froze in that instant. When she came back to her senses, Hugo had already turned and walked towards the reporters. Looking at Hugo's slender figure, Meredith was lost in thought.

Today, Hugo didn't choose formal attire. Instead, he wore casual clothes like a young person. He had a shirt with large blue, red, and purple squares, black straight-cut jeans with rolled-up cuffs, revealing a navy blue inner lining. His shoes were a pair of bright blue low-top canvas sneakers, and he wore a light gray casual blazer.

This version of Hugo didn't have any sense of distance. It was as if he could be a young person who might appear on the street at any time. But his handsome face and radiant smile made Hugo exude a sunny vibe, and no one wanted to take their eyes off him. His broad shoulders, complemented by a perfectly curved chest, and his long, strong legs accentuated his well-proportioned physique. Whether standing or walking, he had an elegant and independent line of beauty. He didn't need any additional accessories to assist him. He was like a perfect sculpture, a magnet easily drawing all the attention to him.

Meredith shook his hand, still feeling the warmth of Hugo's palm in her own. It was warm, causing her heartbeat to jump like a startled deer.

"Hugo, do you have anything to say about your filming experience for this movie?" Hugo was being interviewed while standing in front of a reporter's microphone. This kind of standard topic was quite common, especially since there hadn't been much news about Hugo recently, so the reporters were relatively well-behaved.

"I must say it was a very enjoyable and magical experience. The collaboration with Martin went very smoothly, and acting with Al, you know, I learned a lot. I really hope I have the opportunity to continue working with them." Hugo spoke sincerely. It was his genuine experience during the filming of "Scent of a Woman". However, to the reporters' ears, it sounded like polite official remarks, without much noteworthy information.

"What are your expectations for the future of the movie? This is your first project after winning the Golden Raspberry Award. Do you feel a lot of pressure on your shoulders?" This question was a bit sharp, almost like a trap. If Hugo didn't answer well, it could be interpreted as dissatisfaction with the previous "Hudson's Eagle" crew and could potentially spark a verbal battle.

But Hugo, being a rookie, didn't think too much. He simply answered, "I'm nervous and feel pressure, after all, I don't know if I can represent the audience. I love this movie, so I hope the audience loves it too. Walk into the cinema and enjoy the movie-viewing process."

Hugo's response wasn't too conventional, but he didn't fall into the trap either. The reporters had hoped to dig up some more insider information, but unfortunately, the interviews on the red carpet were too brief. Soon, Joseph pulled Hugo into the Fox Theater.

In fact, the premiere of "Scent of a Woman" was not a formal event. Although a ceremony was held at the Fox Theater, the movie was only screened in twenty theaters during the first week. The scale was already small, so the premiere ceremony was more like a ritual than a promotional event. After this ritual, the audience who had the opportunity to enter the theater to watch the movie started to enter the theater one by one.

Al immediately hugged Hugo as they met. With a smile on his face, he said, "I heard from Jack that you performed excellently."

Hugo smiled and looked very pleased. Although "A Few Good Men" had wrapped up several months ago, the feeling of breakthrough in his acting skills had not completely disappeared. "I've been working hard all along."

"Don't worry, after our movie is released, everyone will see your performance." Al said with great certainty. But Hugo just smiled, "Al, you're the one!" "Scent of a Woman" could be said to be a stage for Al's outstanding acting skills, and the focus naturally wouldn't be on Hugo.

As the movie was about to begin, how would this version of "Scent of a Woman" with Hugo's addition fare compared to the version in Hugo's memory?