Chapter 110: Rising popularity
After the program recording ended, Hugo and Jay left the studio but hadn't walked out of the door yet when the live audience swarmed up, instantly crowding the path of their departure. Jay patted Hugo's shoulder and smiled, saying, "It's your time." Then he took the lead and left.
Hugo stayed in place, watching the audience gradually approaching him. At first, he didn't react, but then a lady at the front—holding a sign that said "Hug Me" took out a marker and a poster that read "Scent of a Woman". Hugo immediately understood. Coupled with the lady's request, "Can you sign it for me?" Hugo's thoughts were instantly confirmed.
Signing autographs? It was truly unexpected for Hugo. In fact, this is one of the three benefits of meeting fans as an artist, along with hugs and photos. It is the best opportunity for fans to get up close and personal with their idols. However, Hugo had never signed an autograph for anyone, neither before nor after his transmigration.
At this moment, Hugo truly felt the surge in popularity after the release of "Scent of a Woman". You see, for the nine months prior, Hugo had walked the streets of Los Angeles countless times, yet no one had ever asked him for an autograph. He had completely forgotten about it, focusing solely on studying acting and adapting to the early 1990s life in Los Angeles.
But now, it wasn't just one person. There were at least forty to fifty people surrounding Hugo, waiting for his autograph. Whether they were just joining in the excitement or genuinely liked Hugo, the lively scene made Hugo truly feel the heat coming from all directions—the shining eyes, the eager calls, the enthusiastic touches. It made Hugo tangibly experience what it means to be popular. Since the recording of The Tonight Show, he had felt a light and airy sensation, but in this moment, it reached a new peak. Hugo felt as if he could take flight at any moment.
However, what did the autograph of his previous self look like? Hugo thought carefully but couldn't find any answer in his mind. Previously, when he was composing lyrics, he also worried about his handwriting being different, but when he showed it to Joseph, there were no issues. So Hugo speculated that his body's instincts were probably working unconsciously, just like the withdrawal symptoms that had lasted for over four months.
"Of course, I can." Hugo didn't hesitate any longer and smiled brightly. He took the poster from the lady in front and asked, "For whom?"
Holding the poster in his palm, Hugo attempted to start writing, but he couldn't. He looked around, relying on his height advantage, and walked towards the table Jay used as the host. The entire crowd moved with him, surrounding Hugo. Once he reached the table, Hugo signed his name on the poster. He wanted to sign as "Chen Yuguo", but that was impossible. So Hugo signed as "Hugo Lancaster", flowing and elegant in English cursive script, resembling the writing of a great literary figure using a quill pen on parchment, evoking thoughts of the origin of the name "Hugo".
"Meredith Molins." The lady's words stunned Hugo. He couldn't help but look up at the lady in front of him. He was certain she was a middle-aged woman, not the young girl he saw at the premiere of "Scent of a Woman".
Hugo thought for a moment and took the initiative to ask, "Um, I met a lovely girl named Meredith Molins at the premiere... Actually, I have difficulty remembering names. It's always hard for me to remember people's names. But the girl I met at the premiere left a deep impression on me. And now, with your reminder, I immediately remembered."
"She's my daughter," the lady said with a smile. "I'm Catherine. This autograph is for my daughter. She needs to go to school today." Hugo suddenly realized that it was quite rare for someone to chase after a star for their daughter. But Catherine added, "I watched your movie too, and I really liked it."
Hugo's smile was filled with happiness and joy. He lowered his head and wrote above the poster, "To my dear Catherine and Meredith Molins, thank you for your support. It's my honor."
Later, Hugo handed the poster back to Catherine and said again, "Your support means a lot to me." He expressed his gratitude with a smile.
As Catherine looked at Hugo's warm and sunny smile, her gaze softened involuntarily.
Other audience members nearby also handed their pens and papers over. Hugo patiently signed autographs for each of them, including personalized messages as requested. However, after signing for more than ten people, Hugo realized his lack of experience. He foolishly changed his pen for every signature, wasting a lot of time. It would have been faster if he had started with one pen and signed on the papers continuously being passed to him. Unfortunately, this was Hugo's first time signing autographs, so he didn't have such awareness.
After signing for all forty-one audience members, it had already been thirty-five minutes, which was quite time-consuming.
Joseph welcomed Hugo back to the backstage and quickly said goodbye to Jay. They didn't have time for more conversation as they had to rush to the radio station for recording. Unexpectedly, "Scent of a Woman" achieved unexpected success, leading to a tight schedule for the entire promotional tour. Universal Pictures hadn't originally planned for such a busy schedule, but after the film's success in the first week, the promotional activities were immediately intensified.
As they sat in the car, Hugo immediately noticed a group of fans gathered at the studio entrance. He asked in surprise, "Have they been waiting here the whole time?" Hugo vaguely recognized a few familiar faces he saw when he arrived.
Joseph, not too surprised this time, focused his attention on the road ahead. "That's nothing. You haven't seen the fans who wait overnight just to catch a glimpse of their idols. They are the most loyal ones." The implication was that merely waiting for the ninety-minute show recording was nothing at all.
Although Joseph said so, Hugo leaned against the window and watched the fans who followed their car, running alongside it all the way. His face carried a curious and satisfied smile as he waved continuously to the fans. "Scent of a Woman" was not a film that typically attracted a large fan base, so the overwhelmingly positive response during the promotion was truly delightful for Hugo. The cloud of the Golden Raspberry Awards that had been hanging over him seemed to have finally dispersed, revealing the bright moon behind the clouds.
Hugo's excitement didn't last long as a bigger surprise awaited him at the entrance of the radio station. Here, it wasn't just a dozen fans; there were over thirty people gathered at the entrance. As soon as they spotted Hugo's car, they swarmed up, and Hugo couldn't even open the car door.
Hugo had never witnessed such a scene before. Amidst his joy, he was also dumbfounded. "How do I get out of the car like this?" He had seen news reports in the past about celebrities being surrounded by enthusiastic fans, unable to move inside their cars or houses. Hugo couldn't understand what it meant to be "unable to move" at that time. But today, he personally experienced what it truly meant to be surrounded.
Hugo attempted to open the car door, but the fans outside kept pushing forward, firmly pressing the door, making it impossible to open. There was no way his individual strength could resist the force of a large crowd. Hugo didn't have bodyguards at the moment—he hadn't anticipated this situation, nor had he reached the level of hiring bodyguards. So now, Hugo was truly trapped.
The fans not only blocked the car door but also continuously tapped on the windows and pushed against the vehicle, making Hugo feel like he was sitting in a small boat with rough waves outside. This level of enthusiasm surpassed that of the talk show moments ago by more than two levels.
Joseph, feeling irritated, kept pushing the car door, but it was in vain. "We're already running late for the radio station, and they..." Joseph was more concerned about whether they could arrive on time at the radio station. Being delayed wouldn't be a good thing. The unexpected situation of fans staying behind for autographs after the talk show and now being surrounded at the radio station entrance made Joseph realize that he needed to leave early in the future. Unexpected situations like fans and paparazzi had to be taken into account.
Fortunately, at that moment, the security personnel at the radio station entrance managed to make their way to the driver's side of the car, clearing a path. Thankfully, there were only around thirty people present, which wasn't too many. So the security guards successfully opened the car door and let Joseph get out first. Joseph stood at the car door, holding back the fans behind him, and shouted inside, "Hugo, hurry, hurry!"
Hugo crawled over from the passenger seat, and before his feet could touch the ground, he could already feel several pairs of hands reaching towards him. This level of enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming for Hugo. Joseph quickly protected Hugo, and surrounded by four security guards, they quickly walked towards the radio station building. However, all the fans seemed to stick to them like cotton candy wrapped around a stick. They followed closely, accompanied by buzzing chants, making every movement of Hugo's extremely difficult.
Hugo felt suffocated, surrounded by the heat, screams, and touches. Although there were only thirty people, it felt like there were three hundred, making him feel like he was stuck in a quagmire. Every step he took encountered countless obstacles. This sweet annoyance came so suddenly, catching him completely off guard.
Finally, when Hugo managed to enter the building and separate himself from the fans, he had a moment to turn around and look at the scene behind him. The thirty fans were still waving their hands at Hugo, their faces filled with joy and happiness. The sight filled Hugo's entire field of vision, and a smile gradually formed at the corner of his mouth. He let out a long breath and said, "This is a beautiful sight."
"We're late!" However, Joseph didn't intend to let Hugo continue to marvel. He immediately grabbed Hugo and ran towards the interior of the building.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Shallowman
Shallowman "Scent of a Woman" - "Fragrance Recognizes Women"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone