Chapter 007: Sarcasm and Irony

Many onlookers could not help but burst into laughter once again, as everyone felt that Hugo was indeed a remarkable person. Not to mention his excited speech at the Golden Raspberries, just today's witty retort alone was enough to brighten one's day.

At this moment, the gaze of most people around was focused on the scene, as the voices of the golden-haired man and the black-haired man were excessively exaggerated, interrupting everyone who was preparing for the audition. Coupled with people's inherent nature to watch the excitement, they couldn't help but look over. When they saw that the one caught in the vortex of the dispute was Hugo Lancaster, everyone suddenly realized that today's front page headline of the Los Angeles Times was undoubtedly the focal point of public interest. Whether it was the first actor in the history of the Golden Raspberries to personally attend the award ceremony or the tearful expressions of gratitude, both were enough to make Hugo the best topic of conversation during people's leisure time.

"What, are you envious?" Hugo spoke sincerely, with a focused smile on his face, as if he were genuinely expressing his inner feelings, devoid of any negative emotions. Yet, ironically, his words were infuriating. "I am quite worried for Stallone; I wonder how he would feel upon hearing your remarks that 'represent all actors.'"

So, which one of you will "The River Love" ultimately represent?" Hugo nodded, indicating that he understood the meaning of their words, but then he dropped a bombshell.

These polite yet calm words seemed to carry a sting, yet neither of the two could refute them, resulting in a feeling of frustration as they watched Hugo walk away with a light step down the corridor

As the elevator doors opened, unlike the chill of the fifth floor, a low murmur of noise drifted in from the right side. Upon stepping out of the elevator, Hugo was greeted by the lively scene in the corridor, which was clearly the audition site for "The River Love." The number of people attending the audition today was not particularly large, with fewer than thirty participants. As Joseph had mentioned, these individuals were all there to audition for the main roles, rather than for a large-scale public audition. It was likely that those who had the opportunity to audition were actors represented by talent agencies.

"Wood, Stone..." Hugo nodded while repeating, "Wood, Stone, very good, nice to meet you." He politely waved his right hand and then turned to leave.

Hugo did not refute this statement. Although he lacked complete confidence in himself, he would at least make every effort to try once. As for the outcome, it was beyond his control, as the power of discourse no longer rested with him, nor would it be in the hands of the two nameless individuals before him. Therefore, there was no need to refute this statement at all.

Hugo took a step forward, preparing to pass by the two men and join the ranks of other auditioners, but after just one step, he stopped again and turned back to ask, "By the way, we've been chatting for so long, yet I still don't know your names. May I ask who you are?" This question was like pouring salt on the wounds of the two men, as the label of 'unknowns' was thoroughly stamped on their foreheads.

Hugo nodded meaningfully to indicate his understanding, but immediately followed up with, "Are you all so confident?"

The two men found themselves in an awkward situation due to Hugo's counterattack; they had originally intended to mock Hugo, but instead, they ended up losing out. Amidst the harsh laughter surrounding them, the man with black curly hair held back for a long time before finally speaking, "Perhaps 'River Love' will become my representative work"

"Oh, isn't that Hugo Lancaster, who just won the Golden Raspberries?" A greasy voice interrupted Hugo's curious gaze. As Hugo turned around, he saw a man, approximately five feet eight inches tall, with shoulder-length golden straight hair, walking towards him. "Thank you, thank you so much, we have finally realized our dream!" The man exaggeratedly mimicked Hugo's acceptance speech at the Golden Raspberries award ceremony.

"I apologize, but you are..." Hugo displayed a polite smile and said in a gentlemanly manner, yet his words immediately left the two individuals before him speechless. The meaning of his statement was unmistakable: who are you insignificant people to comment on me?

The golden-haired man immediately changed his expression, and he angrily shouted, "Who we are is not something you are worthy to know. However, you have been nominated for the Golden Raspberries three times in two consecutive years. You should have the self-awareness to realize just how poor your acting is. It is truly embarrassing."

Indeed, 'River of Love' will be my representative work, the golden-haired man said eagerly

Although Hugo is somewhat oblivious and makes mistakes such as going into the wrong restroom or pressing the wrong elevator button, he constantly wears a bright smile and appears to be an easygoing big boy. However, this does not mean he is foolish; when faced with bullying, he does not feel ashamed or flee in embarrassment. On the contrary, he will retaliate in his own way.

"Of course, in any case, the person who ultimately succeeds in the audition will definitely not be you!" The man with golden straight hair eagerly pursued, and after speaking, his unpleasant expression finally eased a bit, and he became smug again, as if he could already envision Hugo leaving in a disheveled state. The man with black curly hair beside him continuously nodded in agreement, his expression noticeably brighter.

As soon as this statement was made, the expressions of the two men immediately turned grim. They exchanged glances, for indeed, the role of the first male lead, Paul, is highly coveted, yet there is only one position available. So, who will ultimately take on this role? The two of them are also competitors in this regard.

The audition was on the third floor, but he went to the fifth floor, so naturally he couldn't find anyone. However, he unexpectedly ran into Brad. Hugo recalled the embarrassing incident from last night when he mistakenly entered the ladies' restroom, and he couldn't help but groan and slap his forehead, realizing how foolish he had been. Hugo quickly took the elevator again, double-checking that he pressed the button for the third floor before allowing the elevator doors to close and descending.

However, unexpectedly, Hugo's poised and dignified response, neither servile nor arrogant, made the two individuals who initiated the attack appear flustered. People not only refrained from mocking Hugo, but they also found themselves unconsciously influenced by his positive energy. Especially when Hugo delivered his final remark, "I wonder what your representative works are," accompanied by his polite smile, everyone else present burst into laughter—this sarcasm was clearly directed at these two obscure actors. Especially when Hugo delivered his final remark, "I wonder what your representative works are," accompanied by his polite smile, everyone else present burst into laughter—this sarcasm was clearly directed at these two obscure actors.

Hugo looked at the two clowns before him. He knew that the news of last night's Golden Raspberries Awards ceremony could not have escaped the public's attention. However, he had originally thought it was still the early 1990s, when the Golden Raspberries had not yet garnered such high levels of attention, there was no television broadcast, and the internet had not yet risen, so the speed of information dissemination was not that fast. But now it seemed that the highlights of last night's news had clearly already stirred up a commotion this morning.

Hugo arrived at the elevator entrance and looked at the number displayed above, which changed from 4 to 3. His brows involuntarily furrowed together. He glanced to the sides and then saw the large Arabic numeral "5" on both sides of the elevator door. In that instant, Hugo realized he had made a blunder.

Those who came to participate in the audition were naturally insiders of the industry. Everyone originally thought that Hugo, facing the onslaught of two individuals, would be caught off guard and in a state of embarrassment. After all, the events of the awards ceremony last night made it impossible for anyone to stand tall, and being ridiculed could easily make one wish to crawl under the table. This is also the reason why no one in Hollywood is willing to attend the Golden Raspberries, as it is undoubtedly a form of disgrace

Hugo unexpectedly widened his eyes, as he was unaware that this body had previously appeared in "Dead Poets Society." This was indeed a surprising delight, as he greatly admired the film "Dead Poets Society." However, he did not recall seeing his current face among the cast of "Dead Poets Society." He thought he might have the opportunity to look it up and watch it again. But now was not the time to awaken memories. After pausing for a moment, he continued to respond, "Yes, I only have one film, 'Dead Poets Society.' I wonder what your representative work is..."

Hugo has actually not been able to get into the right state since his time travel, as events have unfolded one after another. His thoughts remain in 2014, while his soul has truly arrived in 1992. However, today, facing these two buffoons before him, Hugo suddenly feels joy, for the chaos brought about by his time travel is filled with humor at this moment

The man with black curly hair beside him quickly echoed, "Exactly, if it were me, I would hide at home and not come out. To actually come and participate in an audition is beyond me. It's one thing to attend a trashy award ceremony like the Golden Raspberries, but to be so overwhelmed with emotion upon receiving an award is truly a disgrace to actors. I feel ashamed for you; we represent all actors in looking down on you."

"If you want to compare yourself to Stallone, let's talk after you have filmed 'Rocky.'" The man with golden straight hair shouted angrily. Although Sylvester Stallone has made works like 'First Blood' that are despised by professional critics, he has also created 'Rocky,' which won the Oscar for Best Picture and earned a nomination for Best Actor. Not to mention that 'Rocky' was made with a budget of 1 million dollars and grossed 117 million dollars at the box office. "Actors ultimately need to let their work speak for them. Besides 'Dead Poets Society,' what other works do you have that are worth mentioning? None, absolutely none!"

"George, no, you forgot that the newspaper mentioned that Hugo's first sentence 'Thank you' was said while crying, in a stammering manner that made it impossible to say it completely. You spoke too smoothly; this performance is not up to standard." Then, another man with black curly hair walked forward and stood beside the first man, also wearing a mocking smile on his face, making faces at Hugo as if he were a trainer teasing a monkey in a circus.

Hugo stepped out of the elevator, curiously surveying his surroundings. He tried to spot familiar faces among the crowd, as if he were looking for Brad Pitt. Hollywood, just twelve hours ago, felt like a distant land to Hugo, as if it belonged to two entirely different worlds. His only connection to Hollywood was through the two ends of the big screen, with no possibility of intersection. Yet now, Hugo stood in Los Angeles, at the audition site for "The River Runs Through It," in the golden age of Hollywood films during the 1990s. This was truly unbelievable.

The man with golden straight hair immediately shouted angrily at Hugo's back, "I am George Wood! He is William Stone!"