Charlize tugged at her red dress, complaining for the fourth time about Terra's terrible idea. Charlize had originally intended to wear a T-shirt and jeans, as it was the simplest and most comfortable option, but Terra had insisted: "A first date shouldn't be too elaborate, but it can't be too simple either, or it would be rude." Plus, since the dinner location Hugo chose today was the Pacific Dining Car—not exactly a fancy Western restaurant—Charlize ultimately chose this red dress.The form-fitting cut highlighted Charlize's figure, but the lack of fussy details ensured it didn't look like she was trying too hard. Paired with a black knee-length trench coat, it showcased her long arms and legs to perfection. Even though she was only seventeen, her overall demeanor made her effortlessly stand out.However, the worst part about this outfit was that it wasn't warm. Although the temperature in Los Angeles wasn't low, it couldn't withstand the raging sea breeze after sunset, causing Charlize to shiver several times. Beauty, as they say, comes with a price. But the problem was, Charlize didn't know if this meeting with Hugo counted as a date. If she dressed up so elaborately only for Hugo to show up in jeans, that would be truly embarrassing.Standing in front of the Pacific Dining Car, Charlize felt more and more that Terra's idea was terrible.The Pacific Dining Car opened back in 1921. It was the originator of theme restaurants in Los Angeles, designed to look like a train dining car. Its worn yet vintage exterior offered a clear view of Los Angeles' history. In a restaurant so full of historical charm, she was wearing a dress. "How stupid!" Charlize muttered to herself.But she couldn't go back to change clothes now, so Charlize had to hold her head high, muster her courage, and walk in with confidence. The admiring gazes of passersby helped her regain a bit of self-assurance, but upon entering the restaurant and seeing the surprised looks of some guests at the entrance, Charlize suddenly felt insecure. She consoled herself inwardly, "Confidence, be yourself," then steadied her slightly shaky steps and walked to the front desk. "A reservation for Hugo Lancaster."The waiter immediately offered a polite smile. "Mr. Lancaster is already waiting for you."Charlize followed the waiter inside. Compared to the somewhat aged exterior, the interior was filled with the elegant style of the thirties: walls painted in light green and dark red, paired with navy blue rattan chairs, occasionally accented with dark green floral lampshades and chair covers—a subtle luxury that didn't lack style. Elegant jazz flowed through the restaurant, and Charlize felt as if she were traveling through the Golden Age of Hollywood. Even her steps in high heels softened, and she tapped along lightly to the rhythm of the jazz, time sliding gently over her skin.Looking at it this way, Charlize's outfit didn't seem too out of place. Apart from the eighties-style shoulder pads on her trench coat which were a bit discordant, she looked as if she had completely blended into the restaurant's atmosphere.From a distance, Charlize saw Hugo stand up from his seat. Today, Hugo was wearing a formal suit—a pearl-white shirt paired with a deep black suit jacket. However, Hugo wasn't wearing a tie or bow tie; he just had the shirt buttons neatly fastened. It was formal yet not stiff, with a touch of casualness amidst the rigor, which made Hugo's gentle and refined temperament even more charming, like a piece of top-quality warm jade emitting a faint glow under the restaurant's bright yellow lights.Charlize reached the table. Just as the waiter was about to pull out her chair, Hugo walked over, stopped him, and pulled the chair out himself. Charlize took off her coat, handed it to the waiter, and then gave Hugo a smile to express her gratitude before sitting down.Hugo returned to his seat with a faint smile on his lips. "You look beautiful today."Charlize looked up and saw that there were no special emotions in Hugo's pure eyes, just a simple compliment. The complaints in her heart vanished silently, and her smile was filled with joy. "Thank you. You're different tonight compared to usual. You look... even more charming this way."The biggest impression Charlize had when she first met Hugo was sunshine—like the sun at eleven in the morning or three in the afternoon, bright but not scorching. But today, Hugo was more of a gentleman and more gentle. It was still sunshine, but it felt more like the sun at nine in the morning or five in the afternoon, warm and making one's heartbeat accelerate involuntarily."That's a good thing, at least it proves the half hour I spent fussing in front of the mirror wasn't wasted." Hugo's words made the smile on Charlize's face blossom fully."Although I won't tell you how much time I spent preparing in front of the mirror, your affirmation truly made me breathe a sigh of relief." Charlize also said honestly, "You know, this dress is limiting my dining capacity tonight." This candid remark made Hugo almost burst out laughing. Although he held back the sound, the mirth filling his eyes was as clear as could be.After the two finished ordering, Hugo continued, "I asked you out today because there are actually two things. The first thing is, I got a job, an important supporting role..." Before Hugo could finish his sentence, Charlize smiled and interrupted him with a "Congratulations," then continued, "So that's why you're willing to treat me today?"This made Hugo smile. "That's part of it, but I'd prefer to say I wanted to share this joy with a friend.""A friend." Charlize chewed on the word meaningfully. "You must have more than just me as a friend in Los Angeles, right?" They had only met once; even if Hugo wanted to celebrate with a friend, he shouldn't have chosen her.Hugo shrugged and said with a chuckle, "You know, men always need an excuse."Such a straightforward remark made Charlize chuckle. "I thought you didn't need one."Hugo raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you think?"This sentence made Charlize feel a bit flustered. "Then I'll have to have a big meal tonight." Charlize used a witty remark to dissolve the shyness in the air. "Oh, damn it, you should have notified me in advance; this dress isn't suitable for overeating.""Don't worry, I don't mind." Hugo comforted her, only to be met with a skeptical eye-roll from Charlize, which made Hugo laugh out loud. "The second thing is the main point. Do you remember that agent named Carl Earl from last time?""Of course." Charlize answered readily. After speaking, she blinked and revealed a sly smile. "That was the important reason you asked for my phone number."Hugo spread his hands. "It seems my charm isn't enough; you only remembered this business matter. However, regardless, I got your phone number, didn't I?" This sentence left Charlize helpless. Hugo smiled and continued, "The thing is, I verified the information on this agent and confirmed it was correct. I even spoke with him on the phone.""He is a good agent. If you have the intention to become an Actor, you can contact him." Hugo briefly explained Carl's information and finally concluded, "Actually, I considered introducing you to my own agent, who is also a very honest young man. But his current capabilities are limited; even if he signed you, it would probably be difficult to arrange the time and resources to help you. So, Carl would be a very good choice."Charlize listened to Hugo's detailed explanation and couldn't help but nod. Regardless of whether Hugo's reason for wanting her number back then was true or not, at least Hugo's investigation into Carl was very thorough, and he even gave her some simple advice. "Whew, this really helps me out a lot. Thank you."Looking at Charlize's slightly exaggerated smile, Hugo couldn't help but smile. He naturally wouldn't take it seriously; Charlize was just being polite. But unexpectedly, Charlize saw Hugo's expression, composed her smile, and said, "I'm serious." This made Hugo show a look of surprise. "In fact, not long after I came to Los Angeles, agents gave me their business cards.""That's not surprising." Hugo nodded with a smile."Before coming to Los Angeles, I spent a long time in Milan and New York. Later, on my mother's advice, I came to Los Angeles." Charlize narrated simply in a few words. "Unfortunately, life in Los Angeles hasn't been very satisfactory. I couldn't even pay my rent and had to rely on my mother's financial aid. That day, I went to a bank on Hollywood Boulevard to cash a check my mother gave me—for the rent. But the teller refused my request, saying something about how this check couldn't be cashed. This made me very angry, so I roared at him.""You mean, roared?" Hugo seemed quite surprised. Although he could feel that Charlize was a cheerful girl, roaring was not within his scope of understanding.Charlize nodded with a chuckle. "Exactly the kind of roaring you understand." Hugo couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in exclamation, expressing his surprise. But Charlize wasn't embarrassed; instead, she continued, full of smiles, "I stood right in the bank lobby and angrily roared at that teller, becoming the focus of everyone's attention. But I really couldn't care less at that time because I needed that money to pay the rent."Hugo was just about to ask, "How did you solve the rent issue later?" but Charlize continued, "But unexpectedly, the person standing behind me turned out to be an agent. He thought I had great potential for acting and handed me a business card."This time it was Hugo's turn to be astonished. In the end, he could only say, "Hollywood!"Charlize also chuckled. "This is Hollywood." Then she let out a long sigh. "This person named John Crosby offered me some job opportunities, but they all required..." Charlize didn't say it directly, but gestured in front of her chest, making Hugo understand immediately. Simply put, it was eye-candy work, or otherwise, further flesh trade work. "So, I fired him."Hugo nodded meaningfully, then picked up the conversation. "So when Carl handed you a business card, you chose to refuse.""Yes!" Charlize gave a definitive answer. This was also the reason why, after learning Hugo was an Actor and knowledgeable about this, she chose to use him to inquire for information. "I don't want to meet a second John Crosby."Hugo looked at Charlize in front of him, wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead, and then let out an exaggerated long sigh. "I think Carl must be under a lot of pressure right now." This sentence immediately made Charlize smile again.
