Sloppy hero

"We should try a few more, it's really fun," Leonardo's cheerful laughter echoed through the empty streets, causing the pumpkin lanterns to sway in the wind.

"Yes, you should," Hugo's voice carried a hearty laughter as he freely roamed in the night. "And then you'll be caught by the homeowner, running frantically between the Jack-o'-lanterns." The trickster should avoid greed, as if Hugo and the others committed multiple pranks, they would likely be discovered.

Leonardo didn't back down. "And then you'll get lost while running away, and tomorrow the media will report "Hugo is missing"." After Leonardo finished speaking, he couldn't stop laughing, leaving Hugo helpless. After finally stopping their laughter, Leonardo spoke up, "The movie was a success, and I haven't congratulated you yet."

"Don't you feel regret?" Hugo, who had met Leonardo during the audition process for "Scent of a Woman", naturally felt a tinge of regret upon seeing the movie's success.

"For what?" Leonardo didn't hesitate and immediately retorted, "You performed excellently, winning the audition with your own abilities. Although I'm confident I wouldn't have been worse than you, the crew chose you, and that's how it is." Leonardo's words made Hugo burst into laughter. Leonardo's positive and optimistic attitude clearly amused Hugo. "Besides, I've also received a new job offer. I'm not envious of you at all."

"What job?" Hugo curiously asked.

"After I say it, don't be jealous." The excitement between Leonardo's eyebrows was almost uncontrollable, as if he was so thrilled just thinking about it. This piqued Hugo's curiosity. "I'll be acting alongside Al Pacino, and I've also worked with Jack Nicholson. Don't worry, I won't be jealous of you." Hugo said so.

But Leonardo remained unfazed. "Believe me, Al and Jack are great, but..." Leonardo was already dancing with excitement, and Hugo vaguely caught a train of thought. There was a name about to come out of his mouth. Finally, Leonardo couldn't tease any longer and blurted out, "Robert De Niro!"

No wonder Leonardo wasn't jealous of Hugo at all. "Robert De Niro" was the answer, the name that had popped into Hugo's mind just now!

As one of the stars alongside Al and Jack, Robert De Niro was an idol for countless teenagers, mainly because of his iconic roles as gangsters in movies like "Mean Streets", "The Godfather Part II", "Once Upon a Time in America", and "Goodfellas". Almost every young person had a dream of being a hero in a gangster world. For them, the brotherhood and the indulgent lifestyle of feasting and drinking in the world of gangsters were always something to envy, and Robert embodied that special sentiment.

Of course, most importantly, Robert was one of the most successful male actors in American film history. He was admired by countless actors for his talent, hard work, and dedication, becoming a role model for many. For Leonardo, who had just turned eighteen this year, being able to work with Robert De Niro was incredibly exciting. Even though Hugo had worked with Al and Jack, Leonardo would never be jealous.

"Wow..." Hugo couldn't help but exclaim, but then he realized that his inner excitement hadn't completely dissipated, so he shouted once again, "Wow." Apart from exclamatory words, Hugo didn't know what vocabulary to use to describe his astonishment.

"What project?" Hugo instinctively asked.

"It's called "This Boy's Life", produced by Warner Bros. The female lead is Ellen Barkin, and she and Robert will play my parents," Leonardo said with a light-hearted tone.

Hugo raised an eyebrow, "Oh, Ellen!" Ellen was the female lead in Hugo's debut work "Diner". Most of Hugo's memories of the past were clear, but the details of his interactions with his co-stars were somewhat blurry, so he simply exclaimed without saying much more.

However, Ellen had been on a roll these past two years. Last year, she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her starring role in "Switch". And earlier this year, she collaborated with Jack Nicholson in the film "Man Trouble". Her career was on the rise.

So Hugo couldn't help but sigh, "This is a powerful cast. But you have a lot of pressure on you."

Leonardo shrugged, "You won't know until you try, right?" He had a somewhat naive and fearless demeanor. "What about you? What are your plans next?"

"Nothing at all." Hugo spread his hands and looked towards Burbank High School not far away. Although it was close to midnight, the noise hadn't diminished but rather increased. The crowd seemed to be growing, and the orange glow was expanding, encroaching upon the night sky. "I still need to focus on promoting the movie for now." "A Few Good Men" was about to be released, and Hugo couldn't catch a break.

"Don't be too greedy. First Al, then Jack. I think there are already many actors who envy you," Leonardo patted Hugo's shoulder, pretending to be serious. It made Hugo laugh and cry. "Of course, I absolutely won't admit that I'm one of them."

"Yes, yes, you have Robert," Hugo said playfully. Leonardo also played along and showed a proud expression, which was quite amusing.

Near the entrance of Burbank High School, they saw two figures entangled at the gate. The figure on the left, slightly shorter, kept extending their right hand to maintain a distance, while the taller and stronger figure on the right didn't make a move but kept getting closer, eagerly saying something.

As they approached, Hugo could see the blurry silhouette of a nun in the light, so he called out, "Charlize, is that you over there?" Leonardo, who had been watching Hugo joking around, followed his gaze.

"Hugo!" Charlize's voice immediately came through. At the same time, the figure on the right raised their hand, trying to grab Charlize's shoulder, and loudly shouted, "It's just a drink, just one drink!"

"Hey, the lady said 'no,' don't make her repeat it a second time," Hugo shouted, raising his voice, and then ran over. Once he reached there, Charlize immediately stood beside Hugo, and Leonardo followed closely, standing on Hugo's other side.

The man in front of them was at least three inches taller than Hugo, and his weight was similar to Joseph's specifications, like a small mountain. He carefully examined Hugo from head to toe and disdainfully said, "Do you really think you're Flash?"

Only then did Hugo realize that his ridiculous costume didn't suit a serious argument. But he didn't back down and replied with a firm tone, "So what? Do you think you're Captain America?"

In fact, the man in front of them wasn't wearing a superhero costume, but his blue tight-fitting outfit was unflattering. Mocked by Hugo's retort, he instantly became furious and embarrassed. "Don't speak nonsense if you don't understand...!"

"Ah, a Smurf?" Hugo interrupted the man's words directly. This retort caused Leonardo to burst into laughter uncontrollably, and Charlize couldn't help but stifle her amusement.

The man glared fiercely at Hugo, but it was obviously just a show of force because he saw Hugo staring back at him without any fear. Leonardo was also watching intently from the side. In the end, the man had no choice but to raise his hands, indicating that he meant no harm. "I just wanted to invite her for a drink. Since she's not interested, forget it." He then took a few steps back, trying to exit with a stylish gesture. However, he stepped on a stone, stumbled, and barely managed to maintain his balance, but his actions looked extremely awkward. He could only flee amidst the laughter of Hugo and the others.

"Are you okay?" After the man left, Hugo turned to Charlize.

Charlize let out a sigh of relief, "I'm fine. He did invite me for a drink, but I declined. He just wouldn't give up and kept bothering me. Nothing else happened." Charlize looked up at Hugo, but his comical appearance with his reddish face made her burst into laughter. "You look so funny. Aren't superheroes supposed to be handsome in comic books?" The importance of costumes was evident at this moment, just like no one would choose to wear Superman's red underwear on the outside.

Hugo didn't mind at all and deliberately put his hands on his hips, shrugging his shoulders. "At least this time I didn't make a fool of myself." He was referring to the mishap during his first encounter with Charlize, which immediately brought a smile to Charlize's eyes.

The gazes of Hugo and Charlize met, shining brightly amidst the dimly lit night. Faint emotions flickered in their clear eyes, and the surrounding noise quieted down at this moment. Suddenly, Hugo remembered the premiere of "A Few Good Men" and hesitated for a moment, carefully considering his words before he began, "Hey, it's like this... um..."

But before Hugo could continue, he felt a slight pressure on his shoulder, and Leonardo's voice spoiled the mood as it reached them, "Um... I wanted to make a discreet exit, but Hugo..." Leonardo's voice sounded helpless as well. He wasn't someone lacking observational skills, but the current situation forced him to speak up. "It seems like someone is looking for you."

Hugo didn't turn around and continued to look into Charlize's eyes. However, Charlize quietly lowered her gaze, blocking Hugo's line of sight. When she raised her eyes again, she followed the direction Leonardo pointed to, even though Hugo's gaze still lingered on her face. In that faint glow, Charlize saw the graceful and magnificent Wonder Woman, "Uma."