A huge wave of joy suddenly arrived, and his mind went blank for a split second. An extreme sense of happiness instantly engulfed Hugo. Although he had solidified his resolve to continue steadily on this path while writing the song "second chance" just moments ago, at this very moment, the bewilderment, apprehension, and unease he had felt since transmigrating were swallowed up by this good news. His heart was filled to the brim with a bubbling sense of joy, so much so that it almost suffocated him.Hugo couldn't help but clench his fists tightly, letting out a low growl from the depths of his throat. It wasn't an explosive shout of release, but more like the low rumble of a mastiff gathering its strength. All his energy was brewing within his chest; even without erupting, it still possessed a formidable presence that could not be underestimated.His closely clipped nails dug into his palms from the excessive force, veins stood out beneath the surface of his skin, and even his bones were trembling slightly. This tiny sting made Hugo feel that it was all so real, yet a lingering shred of rationality allowed him to suppress his joy. He looked up at Joseph, "Are you saying that I, Hugo Lancaster, have landed the role of Charlie in 'scent of a woman'?"The chaotic scene at the Golden Raspberry Awards ceremony not long ago was still vivid in Hugo's mind; he had to confirm it again.On Joseph's slightly stiff face, from his eyebrows and eyes to the corners of his mouth, the turbulence in his heart was clearly visible—it was actually no less intense than Hugo's. He squeezed out a "Yes!" from his throat, but it became muffled because his voice was hoarse, so Joseph simply nodded to confirm the answer."Yeah!" The energy that had been echoing in Hugo's chest transformed into a low roar, venting his surging emotions to the fullest. He had succeeded; he had taken his first step relying on his own efforts, won the chance to act opposite Al Pacino, and even more, won a chance to showcase himself!This was indeed hard-won. Putting aside the influence of unwritten rules from Tracy's side, simply making this decision was not easy for the "scent of a woman" production team. One must know that Hugo had previously screwed up three films in a row. Although there were significant objective reasons, people habitually blamed the lead Actor for the failures. Furthermore, all three of Hugo's works were nominated for the Golden Raspberry Awards, which indicated that Hugo indeed bore responsibility for the films' failures.Moreover, the failure of these three films was not just about poor reviews; it was accompanied by disastrous box office results. This caused Hugo's "Actor value" to plummet, and even with the excellence of "dead poets society," it was difficult for producers to cast a vote of confidence in him again.Under such circumstances, the "scent of a woman" production team still shouldered immense pressure and decided to employ Hugo; this courage could be called a debt of gratitude for his discovery!In fact, the situation for the "scent of a woman" production team wasn't great either. The leading Actor, Al Pacino, was far from his peak, though his acting prowess was still enough capital for Universal Pictures to trust him. At the same time, the script itself wasn't the type with box office appeal, which made Universal Pictures particularly cautious when planning the investment. Now, adding Hugo Lancaster to the mix, it was foreseeable that the news media would definitely not have many positive opinions about the prospects of "scent of a woman."But regardless, Hugo had received his "first" role invitation of his life. Putting aside all past experiences—the disaster of "hudson hawk" or the acclaim of "dead poets society"—"scent of a woman" would become Hugo's brand new starting point, launching his journey as an Actor.Hugo excitedly took two steps forward and then gave Joseph a big hug. If it weren't for Joseph's maneuvering and efforts, Hugo probably wouldn't even have gotten the chance to audition. Joseph was not only Hugo's agent, but also the first person he had met after transmigrating, and the first person willing to help him. Hugo kept this firmly in his heart.Joseph only felt Hugo suddenly embrace him and then laugh heartily as he said, "Thank you, really, thank you." This made Joseph somewhat unaccustomed to it. In the year that he had been handling Hugo, Hugo had actually never trusted him, because he didn't believe in his capabilities. Compared to himself, Hugo was always more willing to ask for Ron's opinion; the Golden Raspberry Awards were the most obvious example.But recently, Hugo had not only started to strive for improvement, but his trust in him had also clearly increased. Although Joseph wouldn't be moved to tears, it was undeniable that this was absolutely beneficial for him to carry out his work, and for a novice agent, this was also a huge affirmation.However, Joseph was not the type of person accustomed to expressing his emotions. Watching Hugo, who was beaming, let go of him, his bright amber eyes filled with joy, it actually made Joseph feel a bit uncomfortable. He couldn't help but avert his gaze from Hugo's excitement and gave a light cough, "This is just the beginning; the filming process ahead is what will be the most arduous."Hugo nodded vigorously and said with a beaming smile, "I know." That smile carried countless aspirations and confidence.Joseph only then sobered up from the joy of Hugo's successful audition and remembered an important question, "Hugo, the production team just called to say that since Charlie is only a supporting role in this movie, and given your situation, your salary is only 500,000 dollars. What are your thoughts?"Casting director Allen Lewis had specifically mentioned this matter on the phone earlier, but Joseph couldn't gauge Hugo's thoughts, so he didn't agree directly, instead indicating he would call back to discuss it later. As an agent, Joseph could only offer advice to Hugo; the final decision ultimately rested with the Actor himself.500,000 dollars? Hugo was stunned when he heard this number. How much was that in RMB? Hugo didn't know how the exchange rate was calculated now, but in 2014, this would be at least 3 million RMB! Earning 3 million RMB for acting in one movie was simply too astonishing. He had previously read news that some Actor earned 10 million RMB for a movie, but that was other people's business. At this moment, this salary belonged to Hugo, which truly left him speechless: wasn't this money-making speed a bit too fast?Hugo's stunned expression looked like hesitation in Joseph's eyes. Joseph inwardly cried "not good": was Hugo going to act foolishly again?"Hugo, the thing is, 'scent of a woman' is not a high-budget production to begin with, so naturally, it cannot be compared to 'hudson hawk.' Besides, the real lead of this movie is Pacino, so his salary will definitely take up the majority. As a supporting Actor, it's unavoidable that your salary will be lower. I think you should take this project. It's an opportunity, an opportunity for you to find a new direction for your development. The salary is only one factor; don't lock your gaze only on that."Joseph persuaded him earnestly; this was the longest speech he had given to Hugo since the Golden Raspberry Awards. After Hugo reacted, he immediately realized that Joseph must have misunderstood. Sure enough..."If you insist on a salary of over 5 million dollars, then it will probably be very difficult to find a new project," Joseph continued to persuade, not hesitating to use such direct words to make Hugo wake up.Hugo couldn't help but click his tongue. It turned out his predecessor had such a high market value—over 5 million for one movie—and here he was, feeling smug about a 500,000 dollar salary. He really was a frog in a well."Joseph, do I have any reason to refuse?" Hugo interrupted Joseph's next words and said with a chuckle."Of course there are, countless: an excellent script, Al Pacino, the production team's appreciation..." Joseph rattled off, counting them one by one, but halfway through, he realized he seemed to have misheard, "You mean, you want to accept this proposal?" He had heard it as "What reason do I have to accept it" earlier, but looking at Hugo's expression, he felt the expression and the words didn't match up."Yes, I want to accept this proposal." Hugo nodded and gave a definite answer, "I have no reason to refuse, do I?" The production team was willing to take the risk to hire him at this critical juncture; if he were to be picky, he would be pushing away an opportunity that came to his door. Moreover, for Hugo, the amount of salary was not the most important factor. He didn't have the baggage of a "5 million dollar salary"; the opportunity brought by the movie "scent of a woman" was the most important thing.Joseph looked at the smile on Hugo's face and cast a confirming glance again. Hugo couldn't help but smile and nodded vigorously to give a definite answer. Only then did Joseph breathe a sigh of relief, and his mood lightened up, "Regarding the salary, I will negotiate a bit more; don't worry." After saying this, Joseph also felt that he had made a mountain out of a molehill earlier.Hugo's performance during this period had already been very good. If Hugo were unwilling, he probably would have refused to audition immediately upon hearing that "scent of a woman" was only a supporting role; or perhaps seeing the grand scale of the open audition—which would have been an insult to Hugo, who had always been a lead Actor—was why those people had come to provoke him. Yet, Hugo had still participated in the audition and given it his all. Thinking of this, Joseph knew that the current Hugo was indeed different."After all, there's my 10% commission in there, so I have to work hard." Joseph cracked a small joke, trying to dispel his own awkwardness.10%? When Hugo heard this percentage, his eyes widened immediately; that was 50,000 dollars! Joseph's commission rate was too high. Although Hugo didn't know how the Hollywood agency industry operated, this commission rate was indeed very high. "You don't look like an agent with the capability to command a 10% commission," Hugo teased directly.Joseph gave Hugo a direct eye-roll, "This isn't about my capability, but the company's capability."
