Hugo's attire today was a bit casual: a black undershirt paired with a dark blue open-collar T-shirt, loose jeans, and finally, a ginger-yellow work jacket.He wore no accessories on his hands or body, and there were no particular highlights—just a very ordinary outfit.Upon entering the restaurant, Hugo took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, clearly revealing a pure cotton T-shirt that had become loose from too many washes.The open collar was limp and lacked any design, and a black stain was even visible on the cuff, indicating that he hadn't been very thorough when washing his clothes, leaving it unclean.This entire outfit looked simple and casual, but it was also a bit unkempt, making it quite inappropriate for an important audition.In Nora's imagination, even if Hugo wasn't dressed formally, he should at least have been clean and tidy.From a woman's perspective, even though Hugo's appearance was indeed striking, such an outfit would definitely deduct three points from his impression.No woman would have a good first impression of a man dressed like that.Hearing Nora's words, Joseph immediately tensed up, his eyes on Hugo, but his peripheral vision remained fixed on Nora.He had questioned Hugo's clothing choice when they left, but Hugo insisted, and Joseph eventually conceded.Now, it seemed the situation was indeed not good.Rob frowned as he looked at Hugo, remembering Hugo's attire during the "A Few Good Men" audition, which had left a deep impression on him.It wasn't grand but formal, and perfectly suited the role; that jacket even appeared multiple times during the actual filming.Today, Hugo's outfit was not only not grand and informal, but also untidy, which was a form of disrespect.However, Hugo wasn't nervous at all.He even managed to give Joseph a "don't worry" look before turning to Nora and saying, "My original concern was that I wouldn't even get a chance to speak.We would just have dinner from beginning to end, without discussing anything about the movie.So I thought, how can I tell you that I'm actually very suitable for the role of Sam, and that I'm not as handsome as you imagine, without being rude?"Clothes make the man; this applies to everyone.While many top models still look stylish even in a rag, and a white T-shirt and jeans have different effects on different people, it's undeniable that cleanliness, tidiness, suitability for one's temperament, and appropriateness for the occasion are essential elements.If appearing among blue-collar workers, a spotless white shirt would seem annoying, whereas oil-stained overalls would look very stylish; the reverse is also true.Therefore, even someone with Hugo's natural advantages must consider the occasion, atmosphere, and situation when choosing clothes to highlight their temperament.Hugo's outfit today was indeed inappropriate, making him look several years older and much more disheveled.If you looked closely, you could even see the shadow of stubble on his chin; his whole demeanor seemed out of place here, yet there was a sense of… a dejected middle-aged man.Thus, the answer was obvious!What Hugo meant by "proving myself without being rude" was acting, and acting comes from life.Combined with Hugo's behavior after arriving at the restaurant today, it wasn't difficult to conclude that Hugo's audition had actually started much earlier.Rob immediately felt relieved.He recalled the audition for "A Few Good Men"; wasn't that how Hugo had convinced him?Although Rob had met many excellent actors, Hugo's effort and dedication still brought a smile to his face.Nora's first reaction after hearing Hugo's words was a moment of stunned, then her gaze began to carefully scrutinize the young man in front of her again.No wonder Nora had felt a bit strange today.On one hand, it was because Hugo was not the handsome, sunny big boy she remembered; instead, an impression of maturity and steadiness had silently etched itself into her mind.On the other hand, it was because she was clearly in control, yet why had the dinner's theme ultimately returned to the movie?It turned out Hugo had been giving his all from the very beginning.The Hugo in front of her definitely looked older than twenty-five; saying he was around thirty would also be accurate.The stubble on his chin, the sloppy T-shirt, the stain on his cuff, the plain attire—all suggested a somewhat subdued aura for this middle-aged man.But on the surface, it wasn't obvious, because he wore a smile, spoke gently, was witty without losing humor, and his focused, sincere eyes conveyed steadiness.He was an unpretentious, down-to-earth, simple man.Under the set off of this exterior, the subtle dejection hinted at by the details was silently hidden deep inside, more like the frustration brought by his life, but in front of others, he was unwilling to show it, still facing life bravely.This… perfectly matched the image of a young widower!Imagine the pain of losing his wife hidden within an endless remembrance.He had no time to take care of himself, and without his wife's care, his attire was slightly disheveled.But at the same time, he had to pull himself together for his child, becoming the sole pillar of the family, giving his child more hope for life.A smile once again formed on Nora's face, but this time it held more sincerity than before.Her interest in Hugo was rising sharply."Hmm, I imagine you haven't read the script, so what makes you think this image is definitely suitable for Sam?"This question was spot-on, and not only was Nora curious, but Rob and Joseph also looked at Hugo with curiosity.Hugo answered in his heart: Because this is how I felt after watching the movie, and I have indeed read the script.But this advantage couldn't be revealed to outsiders, so Hugo slightly quirked the corner of his mouth, revealing a faint smile, "I'm not asserting that this image is definitely suitable for Sam, but rather, in my impression, the image of a man who has lost his wife but continues to live strongly, is exactly like this.""Facing death is not easy for anyone, but people often say that death isn't so terrifying, because after death, everything vanishes.But for those who are alive, that's when the torment begins."As Hugo said this, his eyes dimmed slightly.He didn't know what kind of mess he had left behind in 2014 after his transmigration, but all he could do now was continue to be strong as Hugo Lancaster, and that was the most difficult part.Listening to these words, Nora, Rob, and Joseph all fell silent.Of the four people present, Hugo was the youngest, yet the meaning of his recent words was so profound, not at all like something a twenty-five-year-old would say.Death, this might be a proposition that one can never fully comprehend in a lifetime.Joseph couldn't help but think of everything Hugo had experienced in the past: a terrible car accident, the brink of death from drugs, and the ups and downs of his acting career.Thinking of this, Joseph suddenly felt a sense of admiration for the hardworking and serious Hugo before him, not as an agent, but as a friend."Yes, death is a release, and living is suffering," Nora murmured softly.There's an old Chinese saying, "At fifty, one knows the will of Heaven," and Nora had already reached that level this year; she had entered the stage of comprehending life.Raising her eyes again, Nora looked at Hugo in front of her, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Hugo, many actors who hear the concept of this film—two people who have never met falling in love because of a radio show—find it too incredible.They all believe that such a subject matter cannot possibly succeed.So, why are you willing to star in such a work?"Nora had another half-sentence she didn't say, which was, "And you've worked so hard for this opportunity."The project "Sleepless in Seattle" had been difficult from its inception.Nora had initially hoped that Columbia Pictures, the production company behind "When Harry Met Sally," would take on the project, but after evaluation, Columbia Pictures didn't believe the project could be brought to the big screen, let alone succeed, because "it would be a disaster."Later, Nora approached 20th Century Fox, who had invested in her screenwriting debut "Silkwood," but the result was still a rejection.Finally, Nora was saved by Columbia Pictures; their independent label, Tri-Star Pictures, took on the project.Although they were only willing to invest fifteen million dollars, it was already far beyond Nora's expectations.Subsequently, the film encountered difficulties in casting.The actors Nora had her eye on all declined the invitation; clearly, the actors also lacked sufficient confidence in such a romance film.To this day, she still didn't know where her male and female leads were, and filming seemed a distant prospect."Would you laugh at me if I said it's because I believe such love possesses magic?" Hugo's words made Rob and Joseph chuckle, but Nora remained silent.Her gaze at Hugo held more profound meaning."I mean, love is a very magical thing, tightly connecting two people who don't know each other at all.Some fall in love because of appearance, some because of personality, some because of voice, some even because of a certain detail—like fingers or collarbones, and similarly, some because of feeling."Hugo's words kept smiles on Joseph and Rob's faces, and an arc unconsciously formed on Nora's cheeks, looking very content."Nora, I imagine you chose to make this film not because it's an easy one to shoot, right?" Hugo said, then suddenly posed a rhetorical question.Nora pursed her lips and said earnestly, "No, it's because I'm willing to believe that in this society, in this era, there can be such a pure love, a spiritual compatibility.""Me too." Hugo showed a gentle smile, "I hope to play this role not because it's easy to succeed or because it can bring me box office success or popularity, but because I believe this role can bring me a brand new challenge, and I also believe that such a story has magic, capable of moving me and moving the audience."
