Shared apartment

Compared to the depression of Ron Meyer and Richard Gear, Hugo and Joseph's mood seemed to be like the sunny beaches of Malibu in June. This might be the biggest good news after the Razzie Award, and it could even be compared with the success of the audition for "Scent of a Woman" because this was the first time in the past two months that the media had given Hugo positive reviews in large numbers.

Even if these positive comments were all about appearance, even if most of these comments came from Hugo and Uma, it was still a positive signal, and it also meant that Hugo was taking small steps to move forward after experiencing the low point of the Razzies, and this was the most pleasing part.

Originally, Joseph only intended to increase Hugo's exposure, gradually repair his relationship with the media, and try to get Hugo's positive image to appear in newspapers and magazines as much as possible. Perhaps attending a premiere would not have direct economic benefits, but in the long run, this would be very helpful for Hugo's public image. It not only would've improved Hugo's impression among major film companies, but also would've made it easier for Joseph to contact public relations work in the future when works like "Scent of a Woman" were to be released.

But surprisingly, Hugo attending a premiere achieved the effect that others only dreamed of. Not only did he overshadow the real protagonist of the premiere, Richard Gere, but he also indirectly disparaged the competitor of the latter, "Basic Instinct", and completely dominated the entertainment front page the next day. This was really unexpected.

Hugo specially called Paul Junger Witt to thank him. This time, Paul's help could definitely be called a timely rain, not only solving a big problem for Joseph but also unexpectedly getting Hugo unprecedented positive feedback.

"So, what did I say? A handsome suit is absolutely necessary." Even Joseph, who usually didn't react much, appeared unusually lively today, and his words could be felt with a faint smile.

Hugo looked at Joseph's joyful expression and sneered, "That's $4,500. If the effect is not good, I will return it." This sentence instantly froze Joseph's expression on his face, leaving him speechless.

The excellent follow-up effects brought by "Final Analysis" obviously needed time to ferment before they could be manifested. Hugo was still without work for the time being, which had made Hugo and Joseph idle again. This time, Joseph did not rush to find work for Hugo. For, Hugo's current situation, quality should be emphasized over quantity. With the preparation for the premiere, Joseph's mood gradually calmed down.

Taking advantage of their free time, Joseph and Hugo found a new place to live together. This was crucial for both of them, as two grown men sharing a cramped space with no personal privacy was troublesome, not to mention the poor living conditions of their previous accommodation.

Although Hugo had a bit of money now, he didn't want to squander it since he didn't know where his next job would be. So instead of renting a studio apartment, he had Joseph find a three-bedroom shared apartment, with Hugo renting one of the rooms and sharing the rent with others. A larger apartment like this would have better surroundings and security, and the cost wouldn't be too expensive due to sharing.

Joseph thought it would take some convincing to get Hugo to agree to sharing, given that Hugo was previously the lead actor in three movies and had spent almost all of his earnings. Going from luxury to frugality is difficult, not to mention the embarrassment of sharing with others. However, to Joseph's surprise, Hugo agreed without much hesitation.

Once again, Hugo impressed Joseph. In fact, sharing with others was not difficult for Hugo at all. He had even lived on the streets during the worst of times and rented a large basement room shared with 20 people. After experiencing this kind of life, accepting a spacious and bright shared apartment like Joseph had found was no problem. Moreover, the apartment Joseph found was already quite good, although not high-end.

Sunset Boulevard was one of the famous landmark routes in Los Angeles. Just like its name suggested, during sunset, the golden sun lazily shone down the entire street, making everything look like it was surrounded by a beautiful golden aura. Driving on this road felt like heading to paradise, making everything around seem unrealistically beautiful. Hollywood Boulevard, which was home to famous landmarks such as the Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, ran parallel to Sunset Boulevard. Therefore, after finishing a day trip in Hollywood, heading south along Hollywood Boulevard and passing through three intersections would lead to Sunset Boulevard. From there, going west along Sunset Boulevard and running towards the beach would soon lead to a European-style square, Sunset Plaza.

Scattered around Sunset Plaza were many outdoor bars, coffee shops, and ice cream stores, as well as many famous brand stores. Even just sitting here, enjoying a lazy afternoon while feeling the gentle sea breeze, bathing in the lazy sunshine, and admiring the beautiful people was like living like a god, making it an excellent place to relax. Two miles further was the famous Beverly Hills.

Stopping at the sunset square and walking up the narrow road towards the small hill behind the square, you could faintly see holly bushes scattered on both sides of the road, and residential buildings of different heights that were hidden among the green trees. Breathing in the air mixed with the smell of seawater and earth could easily make one feel relaxed.

On this hillside, there were many affordable apartment suites, but they were all old buildings, so the rent was not high. The price of a three-bedroom and two-living room apartment fluctuated between 1,200 to 1,800 US dollars, depending on whether it was furnished, the view, and the condition of the decoration.

With the help of his colleague Rick Lawson, Joseph found a new house for Hugo on this hillside. The exterior of the house was plain with a soil-yellow wall, but the surroundings had greatly improved. There were no more homeless people wandering around, and garbage was basically invisible. Although it was not particularly clean, it was refreshing and generous.

Walking up the dimly lit stairs to the third floor and pushing open the door, the first thing that caught the eye was a garage-like lobby. The navy blue cement walls were unadorned, and only a basic layer of paint had been applied after the house was built. The opposite wall of the door was a whole window, allowing sunlight to shine unobstructed, and you could clearly see the scenery outside the window. The shady green trees and bustling streets below the hill were all within sight, and the distant blue sea and the white beach also created a stunning view.

On the left-hand side, there was a simple low wooden cabinet with nothing on it except for a lonely remote control, but no TV could be found. Opposite the wooden cabinet was a combination of a dark red sofa, but the old and cracked surface clearly showed the age of the sofa.

Compared with the simplicity of the left corner, there was no outstanding feature in the middle and right side of the lobby. A huge carpentry table was placed abruptly in the center, with fine thorns visible on the surface, and it had not been painted at all. Behind the long table was a piano, and the worn and torn appearance could even make one doubt whether it could function properly.

On the right-hand side, there was a partition that could be easily identified as the kitchen, but apart from a frying pan on the stove, there was nothing else. The outside of the partition naturally led to the dining room, but unfortunately, there was only a huge and heavy irregular marble slab placed on a sturdy wooden shelf, with a lonely light bulb hanging above it. Finally, an appliance could be seen here, a refrigerator for two people standing in the corner near the kitchen, but the almost peeling surface and oily wires on the ground also make people doubt whether the refrigerator functioned properly.

In the corner far from the entrance of the restaurant, there was a red wooden door. If one pushed it open, he would find a single room with nothing but a mattress. On the left side of the lobby, between the low cabinet and the entrance, there was a corridor that led deep inside. Walking in, one would see two bedrooms on the right side and two rooms on the left side. The larger one was a bathroom, while the smaller one was a storage room.

Pushing open the doors of the two bedrooms, the one closer to the lobby was clearly occupied. Inside, there were simple furnishings such as beds, desks, and wardrobes. You could also see a pile of messy clothes on the bed, and papers scattered all over the desk in a terrible mess. The red gorilla boxing shorts on the floor at the entrance indicated that the owner of this room was likely male.

The room closer to the inside was the same as the one on the right side of the lobby, with only a worn-out mattress on the bed frame. However, the door of this room was natural wood color, not painted red. Walking into the room, the wall facing Sunset Square was also lined with a large glass window, which provided a clear view of the scenery that could be seen from the lobby.

Although the decoration here was almost non-existent, every detail inside showed the dilapidation of the place. However, the spacious space of nearly 3,000 square feet and the stunning sea view that could take one's breath away made it an enchanting place to live in, not to mention a cleaner and safer environment than the previous dwelling.

Therefore, when Hugo finished looking around the place, he agreed without hesitation to Joseph's proposal and decided to move in here!