I believe in you

"Hugo, I really, really like you." The girl was excited beyond control as if her mind had only this one thought left. Besides screaming and expressing her genuine affection for Hugo, she seemed to forget everything else. Her feet continued to take small steps in place, hoping to alleviate the overwhelming emotions within her. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to have much effect, as her eyes were filled with tears due to excessive excitement.

This, in turn, astonished Hugo. He had never known that someone could like him so much. It wasn't love, but it was no less powerful than love. This feeling of admiration overwhelmed Hugo's heart. He knew he was just an actor, someone who hadn't done anything extraordinary or saved the people or the country. Yet, he could be looked at with such admiration and longing by an ordinary person. It left Hugo feeling somewhat bewildered.

"Hugo, I want to tell you, I've always wanted to tell you..." The girl tried to calm herself down. It was evident that she had something to say to Hugo. On one hand, she was afraid that Hugo might turn and leave at any moment, and on the other hand, she couldn't calm her own emotions. As a result, she became increasingly restless and struggled to find the right words.

"Relax, take your time. I'm here," Hugo lightly chuckled. He earnestly looked at the girl before him. Apart from Meredith Molins, the first fan he had ever met, and Catherine Molins, her daughter, this girl in front of him had left the deepest impression on Hugo. He wanted to remember this seemingly inconspicuous face, knowing that somewhere in this world, there was someone who supported him so profoundly and unwaveringly.

Seeing the gentle smile on Hugo's lips, the girl wiped away the tears that had fallen due to excitement and impatience. After several attempts, she finally managed to speak with a normal voice, "I want to tell you that I believe in you."

It was such a simple sentence, yet it left Hugo stunned.

"I believe in you. No matter what the media says, I only believe in you. Whatever rumors, gossip, or news there may be, if you say they're not true, then they're not true. I will only believe what you personally admit," the girl firmly looked at Hugo, expressing her thoughts incoherently. She seemed unsure of how to organize her thoughts but kept repeating the word "believe". However, the power of her words was immense, causing a storm of emotions in Hugo's heart. "Hugo, I believe in you, and I always have!"

Over the past month, many things had happened. Many people were willing to believe in Hugo, including Joseph, Alex, Karl, Charlize, Leonardo... The trust and support of these friends helped Hugo withstand wave after wave of media attacks. However, the girl before him was neither a friend nor a relative, let alone a lover. She was just a stranger whose name he didn't even know, yet she was willing to believe in him so firmly and unwaveringly. For Hugo, this was a tremendous impact, to the point where he didn't know what to say.

"Why?" It took Hugo half a moment to squeeze out this one word from his throat.

"Because you deserve it," the girl said seriously. There were many more words in her heart that she wanted to say because she knew that Hugo wasn't the person the media portrayed him to be. She had watched Hugo's shows, interviews, and all the publicly available information about him. She knew his sincerity, passion, and warmth. She knew his dedication, focus, and commitment. And she knew that someone like Hugo, with such a warm smile, was deserving of trust.

Perhaps some people would say, "You can know someone's face but not their heart". Perhaps some people would say, "The so-called celebrity image is all manufactured and lacks authenticity". Perhaps some people would say, "Celebrities are just commodities and don't deserve admiration". However, she didn't mind any of that because she had seen Hugo up close. She had seen his clear and transparent eyes, shining with a warmth brighter than the sun. That's why she was willing to believe.

Trust is not formed overnight, and her trust in Hugo wasn't either. It was earned through Hugo's actions!

Hugo's lips curved into a faint arc, bitter yet warm. This world was truly marvelous, wasn't it? The person he most wanted to trust had betrayed him, while a stranger he had only met once gave him the most precious trust. He didn't even know her name or remember when they had met. This world was truly miraculous.

"Thank you," Hugo said with a smile. He earnestly looked at the girl before him, who appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old. Her youthful face was flushed with excitement. She wasn't beautiful, nor did she possess any remarkable qualities, but in Hugo's eyes, she was special.

A radiant smile bloomed on the girl's face, as if she had received the most positive affirmation in the world. "Also, the movie you're currently shooting, I believe it will be fantastic. I will definitely go to the cinema to watch it. Not only that, I will also bring my friends and family to watch it. I'm really, really looking forward to this movie."

Hugo felt his eyes slightly warm. He awkwardly lowered his head, revealing a smile. Besides saying "thank you", he seemed to have no idea what else to say. Perhaps this was the most heartwarming moment since Hugo's journey through time, as he finally felt the value of his dreams and hard work. Whether it was movies or music, receiving the most sincere feedback from the audience and listeners was true happiness. The flashlights, praises, and spotlights... none of it compared to the heartfelt recognition from the audience.

"Cough... Cough..." Hugo cleared his throat, trying to conceal his embarrassment. He smiled and said, "Meg and I are working hard on the filming. We will strive to make a great movie."

"Hey, guys, we should start shooting," came the voice of the crew behind them. It seemed that the lighting and microphones were all set, and they could begin filming once the actors were in position.

The crew members looked at Hugo, indicating that he should start working. Meg also smiled and greeted the two girls in front of them before patting Hugo's shoulder and walking toward the set. Hugo nodded, indicating that he understood. However, just as he was about to take a step, he realized he had made a mistake. His brain was filled with countless emotions at this moment, causing his thought process to slow down drastically. He had actually forgotten to ask the girl's name. It was a huge mistake.

"Uh... You forgot to tell me your name," Hugo looked at the girl and asked earnestly.

The girl looked into Hugo's transparent amber eyes, focused and sincere, with a warm and sweet smile on his lips. Her own smile couldn't help but appear on her face. "Mereline, my name is Mereline Dixon."

"Mereline Dixon..." Hugo repeated softly twice, then raised his eyebrows and looked at Mereline again. "Although my memory isn't great and I might not remember your name, believe me, I'll try." After saying that, Hugo laughed wholeheartedly. He carefully examined the girl in front of him again, trying to etch her appearance into his memory. She was his most loyal fan and the source of his motivation.

"Mereline, nice to meet you. Well, I should... get to work now." Hugo raised his right hand, placed it beside his brow, and smiled as he bowed to Mereline. Then he turned around and walked away.

Hugo in front of her wasn't particularly handsome. He wore casual clothes that only middle-aged men would wear, and he appeared unkempt and unadorned. His hair was messy, and his face had acquired several wrinkles. But in Merelin's eyes, this was the most perfect version of Hugo because his lips were curved in a smile. That smile, like a ray of sunshine, would forever remain in Mereline's heart. She devoutly hoped that the entertainment industry wouldn't rob Hugo of that smile. She was willing to follow that smile and support him unconditionally.

"Mereline!" Her companion pulled her forcefully and complained with a frustrated expression.

Mereline snapped out of her thoughts and suppressed her excitement as she spoke to her friend. "How was it? How was it? I told you, isn't Hugo handsome? Isn't he perfect? He's simply the perfect dream lover in my heart—handsome, charming, sunny, gentle, courteous, refined, and humorous..."

"Mereline!" Kara Cole interrupted her friend's infatuation, looking exasperated. Mereline looked at her in confusion and asked, "What's wrong?" This made Kara so furious she felt like she could explode. "I know Hugo is handsome and perfect," she said, stopping Merelin from getting excited again. "But the problem is, you didn't even give me a chance to introduce myself! Hugo doesn't even know my name!"

Actually, Kara and Mereline had run over together, screaming, when they saw Hugo just now. Kara wasn't as fanatic about Hugo, but seeing a handsome guy who was also a celebrity naturally excited her. However, all the attention was taken by Mereline, and Kara didn't get a chance to make direct eye contact with Hugo.

However, Kara had to admit that maybe she didn't have much craziness about Hugo before. She was just enjoying looking at a handsome guy. But after what just happened, her impression of Hugo had completely changed. His gentle gaze and sunny smile were melting her, and his attentiveness and gratitude towards Mereline had captivated her heart.

"Sorry!" Mereline regretfully tapped her own forehead. "I was just too excited, you know? The media has been harassing Hugo recently, so I wanted to tell him that I believe in him and support him. I just forgot..."

Kara looked at her friend. As an onlooker, she witnessed everything that happened just now, so she couldn't really blame her. She could only shrug helplessly. "I know, I know. I'm aware of your recent irritability. I'll forgive you today." Kara added in her mind, "Because I saw Hugo losing control too, not to mention you..." Then, seeing Mereline's excitement soaring again, Kara finally smiled. "Hehe, I've decided. Starting today, I officially like Hugo Lancaster!"