Charlize tugged at the red dress she was wearing and complained about Tyra's lousy idea for the fourth time. Originally, Charlize had only planned to wear a T-shirt and jeans, which would've been simple and comfortable, but Tyra insisted, "A first date shouldn't be too fancy, but it can't be too casual either, or it would be rude."
Moreover, the restaurant Hugo chose for tonight's dinner was the Pacific Railway Diner—not a fancy Western restaurant—so Charlize ended up choosing this red dress.
The fitted cut accentuated Charlize's figure, but the simple design kept it from appearing too overdressed. Paired with a black over-the-knee trench coat, Charlize's long limbs were shown off to perfection. Though she was only seventeen this year, her aura alone made her stand out effortlessly.
The worst part of this outfit, however, was that it wasn't warm. While Los Angeles wasn't cold, the sea breeze that swept in after sunset made Charlize shiver several times. Beauty, after all, came at a price. But the real problem was—Charlize didn't even know if tonight's meeting with Hugo could be considered a date. If she was this dressed up and Hugo showed up in jeans, she'd be utterly embarrassed.
Standing in front of the Pacific Railway Diner, Charlize increasingly felt that Tyra's idea was awful.
The Pacific Railway Diner opened back in 1921 and is the ancestor of themed restaurants in Los Angeles. The exterior is an old railway car; its worn yet vintage look vividly showcases the city's historical development. For such a restaurant steeped in history, Charlize wearing a dress felt downright silly. "So stupid!" Charlize muttered.
But there was no time to go back and change, so Charlize could only straighten her back, summon her courage, and walk in confidently. The amazed glances of passersby gave her a little bit of her confidence back. Yet, when she entered the restaurant and noticed a few surprised looks from customers near the entrance, Charlize grew nervous again. She comforted herself silently, "Confidence. Stick to yourself," then steadied her shaky steps and walked to the front desk. "A reservation under Hugo Lancaster."
The waiter immediately gave a polite smile. "Mr. Lancaster is already waiting for you."
Charlize followed the waiter inside. Compared to the somewhat dated exterior, the interior was decorated in an elegant 1930s style. The walls were painted pale green and dark red, paired with navy-blue wicker chairs, accented with dark green floral lampshades and seat covers—subtly luxurious yet tasteful.
Jazz music flowed gently in the background, and Charlize felt as if she were traveling through the golden age of Hollywood. Even her high heels started tapping lightly in rhythm with the jazz, as if time itself brushed softly across her skin.
In this light, Charlize's outfit didn't seem out of place at all—aside from the 1980s shoulder pads in her trench coat, which clashed slightly. Otherwise, she looked completely at home in the restaurant's ambiance.
From a distance, Charlize saw Hugo rise from his seat. Tonight, Hugo wore a formal suit—a pearl-white shirt paired with a deep black jacket. Though he didn't wear a tie or bow tie, he had buttoned his shirt neatly. The look was formal yet relaxed, rigorous yet casual, which perfectly brought out Hugo's gentle and refined aura. He looked like a piece of top-quality warm jade, glowing faintly under the restaurant's soft yellow lights.
As Charlize walked to the table and the waiter moved to pull out her chair, Hugo stepped over to stop him and pulled out the chair himself. Charlize took off her coat and handed it to the waiter, then offered Hugo a small smile of thanks before sitting down.
Hugo returned to his seat, a faint smile on his lips. "You look beautiful tonight."
Charlize lifted her head and saw that Hugo's pure eyes held no particular emotion—just a simple compliment. That made all her inner complaints vanish without a trace, and her smile blossomed with joy. "Thank you. You look different tonight than usual—more charming."
The first time Charlize met Hugo, her strongest impression was of sunlight—the kind at 11 a.m. or 3 p.m., radiant but not scorching.
But tonight's Hugo felt more gentlemanly, more tender. Still sunlight, but more like the warmth of 9 a.m. or 5 p.m.—gentle enough to make her heart skip a beat.
"That's good to hear—at least it proves the half-hour I spent in front of the mirror wasn't wasted." Hugo's words made Charlize's smile bloom fully.
"I won't tell you how long I spent in front of the mirror, but your compliment definitely helped me relax," Charlize said honestly. "You know, this dress is seriously limiting my ability to eat tonight."
Her candid words nearly made Hugo burst out laughing. Though he held back the laughter, the amusement in his eyes couldn't have been clearer.
After placing their orders, Hugo continued, "The reason I invited you out tonight is actually twofold. First, I got a job—an important supporting role..."
Before Hugo could finish, Charlize interrupted with a smile, "Congratulations," then added, "So that's why you're willing to treat me tonight?"
Her words made Hugo chuckle. "That's part of it, but I'd rather say—I wanted to share this happiness with a friend."
"Friend." Charlize chewed on the word meaningfully. "You probably have more than one friend in L.A., right?"
After all, they'd only met once. Even if he wanted to celebrate with friends, it didn't have to be her.
Hugo shrugged and replied with a grin, "You know, men always need a reason."
Such blunt words made Charlize laugh softly. "I thought you didn't."
Hugo raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you really think?"
That one sentence made Charlize a little flustered. "Then I'd better have a big meal tonight." Charlize defused the embarrassment in the air with a playful remark. "Oh, damn it, you should've told me earlier. This dress is not suitable for stuffing myself."
"Don't worry, I don't mind," Hugo reassured, only to be met with a skeptical eye-roll from Charlize, which made Hugo burst out laughing. "The second thing is the main point. Do you remember that agent named Kal-El from last time?"
"Of course," Charlize answered readily, then blinked and gave a sly smile. "That was the real reason you wanted my phone number."
Hugo spread his hands. "Looks like I'm not charming enough if the only thing you remembered was the business. But anyway, I got your number, didn't I?" One sentence made Charlize sigh helplessly. Hugo smiled and continued, "Here's the thing. I verified that agent's information—everything checks out. I even spoke to him on the phone."
"He's a good agent. If you're interested in becoming an actress, you can reach out to him." Hugo gave a simple explanation about Kal and concluded, "Actually, I considered introducing you to my agent. He's an honest young guy, but he's still quite limited in his capabilities. Even if he signs you, he probably won't be able to spare time or resources to help you. So, Kal would be a better choice."
After listening to Hugo's detailed explanation, Charlize nodded. Regardless of whether Hugo wanted her number for real or not, at least his investigation on Kal was thorough, and he gave her some clear advice. "Whew, that really helps a lot. Thanks."
Seeing Charlize's exaggerated smile, Hugo couldn't help but chuckle. Naturally, he didn't take it seriously—Charlize was probably just being polite. But unexpectedly, Charlize noticed Hugo's expression, reined in her smile, and said, "I'm serious." That caught Hugo off guard. "In fact, not long after I arrived in Los Angeles, I had agents handing me business cards."
"Not surprising," Hugo nodded with a smile.
Before coming to Los Angeles, I stayed in Milan and New York for a long time. Later, on my mother's suggestion, I came to Los Angeles," Charlize summarized briefly in a few words. "Unfortunately, life in Los Angeles hasn't been ideal either. I couldn't even afford rent and had to rely on my mother's financial support. One day, I went to a bank on Hollywood Boulevard to cash a check from my mom—for the rent—but the teller refused, saying the check couldn't be cashed. I got so mad that I started yelling at him."
"You yelled?" Hugo looked genuinely surprised. While he could sense that Charlize was an outgoing girl, yelling just didn't match the impression he had of her.
Charlize chuckled and nodded. "Exactly what you think yelling means." Hugo raised his eyebrows in astonishment, showing his surprise, but Charlize wasn't embarrassed. Instead, she beamed and continued, "I stood right there in the bank lobby yelling at the teller, becoming the center of attention. But I didn't care at the time—I needed that money to pay my rent."
Hugo was just about to ask, "So how did you pay the rent afterward?" but Charlize went on, "Ironically, the man standing behind me turned out to be an agent. He thought I had acting potential and handed me his business card."
Now it was Hugo's turn to be stunned. All he could say was, "Hollywood!"
Charlize chuckled again. "That's Hollywood for you." Then she let out a long breath. "This guy named John Crosby offered me some job opportunities, but they all required…" Charlize didn't finish her sentence but gestured toward her chest, and Hugo immediately understood. In short, either vase roles or something even more degrading. "So, I dumped him."
Hugo nodded meaningfully, and then said, "So when Kal handed you his card, you turned him down."
"Yes!" Charlize confirmed firmly. That was also why, after learning Hugo was an actor and had some insight into the industry, she chose to ask him about it. "I don't want to meet another John Crosby."
Looking at Charlize in front of him, Hugo wiped away nonexistent sweat from his forehead and dramatically let out a long breath. "I think Kal must be feeling a lot of pressure right now." That one line made Charlize break into a smile again.