Life changes

"Joseph, don't you find all of this incredibly unbelievable?" Hugo looked at the group of fans screaming at him from behind the car. Even after the radio recording ended, these fans were still waiting at the 'door' and surrounded Hugo and Joseph again. This time, Hugo didn't sign anything but embraced everyone present—including the four security guards who had put in their effort—before leaving with an excited heart.

Although time travel was already the most bizarre event, and in the past half year, Hugo had experienced many magical events, such as acting alongside Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson, appearing on the big screen as part of "Scent of a Woman", and having his own adapted song become the theme song of "A Few Good Men"... Each of these things made Hugo feel like he was in a dream. Even when he woke up at midnight, he would question whether it was all real. But today, everything still left Hugo speechless.

Imagine being surrounded by a group of fans, screaming and cheering for you. The band Death or Glory had once fantasized about such a scene, but after ten years of hard work, they had never been able to achieve it. And since Hugo arrived in Los Angeles in January of 1992, he had never experienced anything like this. But overnight, everything suddenly came rushing at him, and it seemed that Hugo wasn't mentally prepared enough for such madness.

Seeing the joy between Hugo's brows sparkling like sunlight on the crest of a wave, Joseph's mood also brightened involuntarily. Hugo seemed to possess the ability to infect others with his smile. "No, I don't think so," Joseph said.

"Why? Why?" Hugo sat in the passenger seat, eager to stand up, but he was immediately pulled back by the force of the seatbelt. He realized he was restrained by the seatbelt. "Didn't you see it just now? So many people were screaming and cheering for me. It's truly amazing."

Hugo couldn't help but wave his hands, as if he were holding a beloved lollipop, dancing like a three-year-old child. This experience was different from the excitement he felt on the set or when meeting idols like Al and Jack. The elation from participating in "Scent of a Woman" and "A Few Good Men", or meeting Al and Jack, paled in comparison to the cheers from the fans. Hugo could even feel his skin warming slightly due to the surrounding shouts.

Looking at Hugo, who resembled a child, the smile on Joseph's face finally couldn't be contained and bloomed. "I don't think so because this doesn't really count for anything. It's just a beginning." To be honest, thirty fans surrounding them didn't constitute a significant crowd. Real A-list stars wouldn't even bother issuing a press release for anything less than a hundred people at their recordings.

"Joseph, don't be too greedy." Hugo laughed heartily, and his smile between his brows resembled stars shining in his eyes and at the corners of his mouth.

Of course, Hugo knew that this was just the beginning. Perhaps a few fans wouldn't mean much to others, but for Hugo, it was the first step he had longed for. He had waited too long for this kind of support, and he couldn't control the joy in his heart, erupting like a volcano. However, he had to enjoy this joy alone, as his bandmates from Death or Glory were no longer by his side.

Thinking of this, Hugo's smile involuntarily dimmed a bit, and he looked at the still unfamiliar cityscape outside, growing quiet.

Joseph quickly noticed Hugo's anomaly. He thought he might have dampened Hugo's enthusiasm and lightly coughed, hastening to explain, "I mean, there is still a long road ahead, and we must continue to work hard."

Hugo was drawn to Joseph's voice and looked at his devoted manager driving, but Joseph's peripheral vision still focused on him. Hugo realized that even though his bandmates from Death or Glory weren't here to share in this joy, he now had Joseph accompanying him on this journey. It was the starting point of a whole new life, and he didn't need to cling to the past.

So Hugo smiled again and said, "Yeah, there's still a long, long road ahead."

Joseph quickly drove back to Sunset Plaza, and Hugo pointed to a nearby vegetable shop, saying, "Drop me off at David's place, I'll buy some dinner ingredients and head back."

"I'll go fill up the car with gas," Joseph said casually. As Hugo got out of the car, Joseph suddenly remembered something and called out, "Did you bring your wallet?"

Hugo leaned down, supporting himself on the passenger door, and while patting his pockets, he replied, "Of course..." But halfway through his sentence, he realized that his pockets were empty. Due to the recording of the show, he had left his wallet with Joseph. "Oh, I forgot."

Joseph was used to Hugo's absent-mindedness and pointed to the back seat, indicating that Hugo's wallet was there. Hugo closed the passenger door and went to the back seat, searching for a while. After finding his wallet, he smiled and said, "Here it is." Then he left the car, closed the door, tapped the roof, and said, "Let's go!"

Watching Joseph drive away, Hugo headed towards Charles' Vegetable Store, standing in front of the shelves and began to pick out items. He called out, "David, what vegetables are fresh today?" The owner of this store was David Charles, and after living in the area for a few months, Hugo gradually became familiar with the surroundings.

"Oh, Hugo, Hugo... such a cute and handsome young man," a warm middle-aged woman approached and gave Hugo a big hug. Hugo recognized her as a housewife from the opposite street block. They usually just nodded and exchanged smiles when they saw each other, but today she seemed much more enthusiastic.

"Mrs. Berman, your warmth startled Hugo," David, with a large beer belly, walked out confidently, wearing a smile on his face. Hugo immediately glanced at David with a puzzled look, and David chuckled and said, "Mrs. Berman went to the cinema yesterday."

Although they didn't specify which movie, it was obviously "Scent of a Woman".

Sure enough, Mrs. Berman immediately burst into laughter, "Good boy, your performance in the movie was truly fantastic, it even made my heart flutter." Mrs. Berman gently patted Hugo's cheek, making him feel a bit awkward. He wasn't sure if he should avoid it, as Mrs. Berman appeared to be in her forties, not much older than him. The interaction felt somewhat strange. "Look at those captivating eyes. If I were a few years younger, I would be smitten too."

That was the most common compliment Hugo had heard today. Many people expressed that his clear eyes were extremely charming, especially in the confrontation scenes with Al. It was truly captivating.

"Hehe, it's an honor that you enjoyed the movie. It means my work on the set wasn't in vain," Hugo responded with a cheerful smile.

"Mrs. Berman, I think you should head home now. You've scared poor Hugo," David, who seemed familiar with Mrs. Berman, jokingly remarked with a smile.

This immediately brought an unexpected expression on Mrs. Berman's face, but she quickly laughed and said, "This is just like Charlie." After saying that, she grabbed a bag of vegetables and prepared to leave. But before leaving, she actually gave Hugo a pat on the buttocks, which startled him. Seeing Hugo's startled expression, both Mrs. Berman and David couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"There have been quite a few people asking about you in the store these days," David walked out and stood beside Hugo. "How did I not realize you were an actor before?" This sentence immediately stunned Hugo, but David then laughed heartily, "Now you really look like an actor."

Hugo suddenly understood that David was joking with him, but it was also true. From "Hudson Hawk" to "Scent of a Woman", during this long period, Hugo didn't look like an actor at all. He seemed more like a lazy wanderer with nothing to do.

"The tomatoes are really good today, and the lettuce is fresh too," David selected fresh vegetables from the shelves and answered Hugo's initial question, introducing today's vegetables to him. "What are you planning to cook for dinner?"

Hugo shook his head. "I forgot to check the refrigerator." Hugo picked up a tomato and sniffed it, a fresh aroma filling his nostrils. "Then give me four tomatoes and one lettuce. Oh, and also five lemons."

"The lemons aren't very fresh today. How about oranges instead?" David picked up a paper bag and began packing the vegetables according to Hugo's instructions.

"Sure, oranges then." Hugo nodded, his eyes still scanning the vegetables nearby, wondering if there was anything else to buy.

"Hey, Ernest, need any help?" David's voice made Hugo look up, but instead of seeing the person, he saw a large brown paper bag bulging with things coming out of the shop. Then he saw an elderly person, over seventy years old, walking out with steady steps. However, the bag was so full that it almost blocked the elderly person's view. It was evident that the elderly person was struggling to carry such a heavy paper bag.

Hugo patted David's shoulder, indicating for him to go, and then approached the elderly person. "Ernest, out shopping today? I happen to be heading home too, so I can be your free labor." This elderly person was a resident living on the second floor of Hugo's house, a familiar neighbor.

But clearly, this elderly person had a strong temperament. "No! I haven't gotten so old that I can't even carry a bag of potatoes." The elderly person didn't even look at Hugo and David, and walked straight ahead. "I can manage on my own. Stop looking at me with strange eyes all the time. It's not a good habit. People these days have no manners at all..." Muttering incessantly, the elderly person left without looking back, leaving Hugo and David standing in place, staring at each other.