A young man wearing sunglasses was persistently pursuing a young girl, who was clearly annoyed and repeatedly rejecting him. Yet, like an unshakeable fly, the young man continued to pester her, making the scene unbearable. It was truly a sight one couldn't stand to watch, especially in broad daylight, which made it all the more absurd and laughable.Hugo was sitting by the street at that moment, so he stood up and shouted, "Stop!" This sudden outburst drew the attention of the scattered pedestrians around, including the young man and the young girl. However, because of Hugo's shout, the young girl hesitated for a moment, allowing the young man to catch up to her. His right hand grabbed her right hand, startling her, and she immediately tried to pull away."What are you doing?" Seeing this, Hugo immediately stepped forward, taking two large strides to the girl's side, making a move as if to strike the young man's wrist. Startled, the young man quickly let go. In truth, Hugo had only intended to shout a warning to stop the young man, but he hadn't expected the young man to make physical contact. That was why he stepped in.Seeing the young man release his right hand, Hugo quickly positioned himself in front of the girl, creating a barrier between the two. He fixed his eyes on the young man, wary of any further confrontation, and raised his voice to ask, "Are you okay?"This question was naturally directed at the girl. She didn't answer immediately but paused for a moment before hesitantly saying, "I'm fine. I... I'm okay."The girl's hesitation made Hugo feel something was off. He couldn't help but frown slightly and turned to glance at the girl behind him. "Are you sure?"The girl had smooth, golden hair, which the light breeze had tousled, obscuring most of her face. But even with just a glimpse, one couldn't help but be stunned by her beauty. This was the kind of breathtaking beauty that left a lasting impression. The familiarity of her face made Hugo pause for a moment, and then he heard her firm reply, "I'm fine, really."Hugo temporarily set aside the doubts in his mind and turned his attention back to the young man in front of him. His questioning gaze was clearly meant as a warning, telling the young man to stop bothering the girl.However, the young man's expression—a mix of amusement and helplessness—made Hugo freeze. Then, he saw the young man raise his hands in surrender. "I mean no harm, really. I'm an agent. I just think she has great potential, so I wanted to give her my business card. But she kept refusing, and I didn't want to miss the opportunity, so..." The young man explained quickly, afraid Hugo wouldn't listen or that the talented girl would walk away.Hugo's expression instantly stiffened: Had he made a mistake? From his appearance alone, the young man didn't seem like a bad person. Despite his height of six feet three inches (about 1.9 meters), he had a slightly chubby, youthful face that made him look honest. At that moment, he even obediently raised his hands, looking somewhat comical. But appearances could be deceiving. Hugo turned back to the girl, seeking confirmation with a questioning look. He couldn't just take the young man's word for it. What if he was lying? Or using the guise of an agent to deceive the girl?The girl wore an awkward smile and reluctantly nodded, confirming the young man's story. "I just didn't want to take his business card, so he kept trying to persuade me."Hugo felt as if a flock of crows were flying over his head. He had thought he was playing the hero, but it turned out he had overreacted and acted impulsively. Helplessly scratching his head, Hugo turned to the young man with a smile. "Sorry, I thought..." He had forgotten again—this was Los Angeles, a city teeming with talent scouts. Here, overnight fame wasn't just a dream; countless people came to this city to chase their aspirations.The young man quickly interrupted Hugo. "No, no, my behavior just now was easily misunderstood. It's my fault." He was quite reasonable, not pressing the issue but instead taking the blame himself, which helped ease Hugo's embarrassment.Even though the young man said so, Hugo still formally expressed his apology. "I'm sorry, really. I was too impulsive." Hugo's sincerity made both the young man and the young girl smile. "I wanted to be Clark Kent, but I ended up as Lex Luthor." Hugo used the analogy of Superman and his archenemy to mock his own behavior, accompanied by a self-deprecating smile.After successfully defusing the awkwardness caused by his impulsiveness, Hugo took a step back and gestured politely, signaling for the two to resume their previous state as if time could rewind. This gesture immediately made both the young man and the young girl burst into laughter."Hugo, are you telling us to go back to me chasing her? Should I grab her right hand again?" the young man said with a laugh. He had now recognized the man in front of him as Hugo Lancaster, who had recently become a media laughingstock. However, after interacting with him, he found Hugo's personality quite likable and easy to warm up to. "Hello, I'm Carl Earl."Looking at Carl's outstretched right hand, Hugo didn't immediately shake it. Instead, he paused and asked, "Are you serious?" The name Carl Earl was Superman's real name, which made it all the more amusing."As serious as can be," Carl replied, taking his business card out of his pocket and formally handing it to Hugo. He then took another one and extended it toward the young girl, clearly unwilling to miss any opportunity.Carl's action made Hugo turn to look at the young girl, curious to see what kind of potential had made Carl so persistent. The earlier glimpse had left a deep impression on Hugo, but as he looked at her again, he couldn't help but be stunned once more.Her features were deep and exquisite, with a beautifully curved face the size of a palm. Her facial features were perfectly proportioned, and her emerald-green eyes shimmered with a captivating light. Below her straight nose were full, rosy lips. Her makeup-free face, paired with a bright smile, was truly mesmerizing. Standing about five feet ten inches (around 1.77 meters) tall and weighing less than 120 pounds (about 53 kilograms), her perfectly balanced figure was accentuated even in a simple T-shirt and jeans. Her smooth golden hair and well-proportioned figure made her breathtakingly beautiful. Even in Hollywood, where beauty was abundant, she would undoubtedly stand out.The young girl looked definitely under twenty, and her eyes were clear, indicating she was an unpolished gem. With just a little refinement, such natural beauty could easily captivate audiences. No wonder Carl was unwilling to give up, even after being rejected.Hugo hadn't recognized the girl earlier, but upon closer inspection, his memory quickly resurfaced. This was none other than Charlize Theron. The actress who would later win an Oscar for "monster" and deliver outstanding performances in films like "Hancock," "Prometheus," and "The Italian Job" was now just a seventeen-year-old girl.Even at seventeen, Charlize already showed immense potential. No wonder, when she first appeared on screen, directors, producers, and audiences alike couldn't help but label her a "pretty face." Even after proving her acting skills with "monster," people still marveled at her beauty.This kind of captivating beauty was hard to appreciate from photos or posters. It was only when standing face-to-face with Charlize that one could truly feel her mesmerizing allure. Hugo had been stunned once, and now he was dazzled again. He felt like a starstruck fan, staring at Charlize in a daze.Fortunately, Charlize was busy talking to Carl and didn't notice Hugo's awkwardness. She hesitated for a moment before finally accepting Carl's business card. "I currently have modeling work..."Carl quickly interrupted Charlize, speaking in his most earnest tone. "It's fine, that won't conflict. If you want to pursue acting, give me a call. I'll create a detailed plan for your acting career." Feeling this wasn't enough to express his sincerity, he added, "Please call me anytime, anytime!"For agents or talent scouts, encountering someone with potential like Charlize or Hugo was a rare opportunity. While talent was crucial in the entertainment industry, undeniable good looks undoubtedly increased one's chances of success. This was an irreversible advantage—looks were a form of innate talent. That was why the plastic surgery industry in Los Angeles thrived.Hugo quickly snapped out of his daze as Charlize smiled. He realized he had first made a fool of himself and then stared at Charlize like an idiot. Not only was this embarrassing, but it was also rude. His cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment, and he awkwardly averted his gaze, barely paying attention when Carl said goodbye.Seeing Carl leave, Hugo quickly said to Charlize, "I suppose you have things to do, so I won't bother you anymore. Have a wonderful day!" After speaking, Hugo politely shook Charlize's hand, though he avoided looking into her eyes, and then turned to walk back to his seat.Charlize noticed Hugo's embarrassment and couldn't help but break into a wide smile. She glanced down at Carl's business card in her hand and then walked over, taking a seat opposite Hugo at his coffee table. This startled Hugo—he had just been entertaining some inappropriate thoughts, and now the person in question had appeared right in front of him."Wh-what do you want?" Hugo blurted out, almost instinctively covering his chest with his hands. Charlize burst into laughter at his reaction, her laughter so bright it seemed to outshine the sunlight around them.
