One of the most troublesome aspects of buying furniture is transporting it back. Currently, the four of them, including Hugo, only had Joseph's Volkswagen Golf, which wasn't exactly a suitable model for hauling furniture. Since the second-hand furniture market didn't offer home delivery, they could only transport a portion back at a time, leaving someone behind to continue browsing the market.Hugo was currently sitting at the entrance of the second-hand furniture market, perched on a black palm-shaped sofa. Beside him were two table lamps, two birch chairs, and some miscellaneous trinkets, while he held an old-fashioned gramophone in his arms. He looked like a wandering Gypsy; homeless and forced to stand on the street with his scattered belongings, looking quite disheveled.Just a moment ago, Carl had borrowed a pickup truck from a friend. With a pickup, transporting furniture would be much more convenient, but he had to go to his friend's place to pick it up, so Carl took the subway to get the vehicle. Alex and Joseph had already taken a batch of furniture back, leaving Hugo alone to guard the newly purchased items.Hugo was currently studying the gramophone in his arms. In the early nineties, Compact Discs (CDs) were already widely used, gradually replacing vinyl records and cassette tapes to become the mainstream medium of the music market. Vinyl records, which once held a dominant position, had exited the stage of history. Although a wave of collecting emerged in the mid-nineties due to their rarity and classic status, many vinyl records were nowhere to be found by the twenty-first century, and gramophones had also vanished from public view.In the past, when Hugo saw a gramophone, it was as if he were looking at an antique, but today, actually holding one felt quite novel. In terms of convenience and habit, Hugo belonged to the digital music generation. He was used to interacting with music through internet downloads, and music production relied more on computers and other digital methods. However, for those who delved deep into music, the status of vinyl records was hard to replace.The ethereal and live quality of vinyl records is something that CDs and digital music cannot replace. Compared to the coarse digital sound produced by CDs, the sound quality of vinyl records is the medium closest to the original sound; in short, it is the medium that presents music in its most authentic form.Before Hugo traveled through time, he had only heard a vinyl record once, and the experience had remained unforgettable to this day. So, when he encountered a gramophone at the second-hand furniture market today, Hugo didn't hesitate to buy it. Joseph had originally wanted to dissuade him, but remembering how Hugo had been immersed in music the previous night, he didn't say anything more, essentially giving his tacit approval."You should visit the record stores on Sunset Boulevard more often," a slightly raspy woman's voice rang out nearby, gradually approaching Hugo.Hugo looked up and saw Uma Thurman dressed in a shirt and jeans. Her figure was backlit by the sun, making it impossible for Hugo to see her expression clearly; he could only see her smooth blonde hair shimmering in the sunlight. "Then I think I'll first need a bookshelf specifically for storing vinyl records."Uma looked at Hugo. He was wearing a simple plaid shirt paired with straight-leg jeans, and his white canvas shoes were already dirty and messy. Surrounded by a jumble of furniture and clutching a gramophone, he looked like a down-and-out artist who had been kicked out of his home. Even though he seemed ready to starve on the street, he still held onto his treasure tightly, refusing to bow his head. This appearance was so different from the Hugo in Uma's memory that she couldn't help but smile. "You... look very special today."After Hugo recalled the entanglements between his predecessor and Uma, and then the kiss at the premiere of the last analysis, he was much more composed when facing Uma again. Hearing this, Hugo looked down at himself and then smiled. "If you gave me a pair of gloves, I wonder if anyone would hire me to help them move. It should be a decent part-time job.""Haha." Uma was amused by Hugo. "I think there would be many people willing to hire you, as long as you're willing to unbutton a few more buttons on your shirt." Imagine a handsome mover exposing a firm chest? This was definitely a fantasy scenario for countless housewives, similar to the fantasy of plumbers and firefighters.Hugo clearly understood the meaning behind Uma's words. He looked down at his chest and then smiled with a smirk. "I hope I wouldn't disappoint them."The back-and-forth between Hugo and Uma carried a temptation that was all too obvious, causing a spark of heat to pass between their eyes. However, Uma was standing in the sunlight while Hugo sat in the shadows. Uma found the sunlight a bit too piercing to see clearly, and Hugo found Uma's expression somewhat blurred and elusive. Both had to look away to let their tired eyes rest."Hey, Uma, are you here to buy furniture too?" Hugo looked up again and took the initiative to ask. For some reason, Uma began to giggle, making Hugo think he had said something wrong.Uma seemed to realize her rudeness and quickly suppressed her laughter. "No, I just think the way you say my name sounds very strange.""Uma?" Hugo didn't quite understand and said it again.Uma couldn't help but burst into laughter again. Her sexy lips bloomed in the sunlight like a tulip in full bloom, exuding a charming fragrance. Uma laughed while waving her hand repeatedly. "It's not your fault, it's not your fault." Hugo was left completely bewildered, and his lips couldn't help but curl into a smile."It's like this—don't you think my name is very strange?" Uma explained quickly, though a lingering smile remained on her face. "Others have always made fun of my name, thinking it's ridiculous. So, many times, I use common girl names like Linda or Kelly when meeting new friends. But when you say my name, it actually sounds quite nice.""Nice?" Hugo raised an eyebrow, causing Uma to shyly avoid Hugo's mirthful eyes. She realized she had just praised herself. Hugo continued, "Is it because I called your name as if I were singing?" The name Uma had a full sound, and saying it naturally carried a simple rhythm.Hugo's explanation made Uma laugh out loud. "Your name is indeed very nice. At least I think it has much more character than common names like Linda. That's what makes you unique, isn't it?" Hugo continued. His gentle and warm tone wasn't assertive, but it made Uma feel very comfortable and easily relaxed. "Does your name have any special meaning?""You're the first person to say my name sounds nice." Uma stood there, her beautiful blue eyes looking at Hugo seriously.Hugo curled his lip and said nonchalantly, "I hope your parents won't be sad to hear that."Uma smiled again. "No, they won't. This name represents their love and expectations for me; it's the name of a goddess in Hinduism.""Although I'm not a follower of Hinduism, the name suits you perfectly." Hugo's words were simple, yet they lacked any sense of formal distance, making one feel very comfortable. Especially that faint smile on his lips—it was so warm and pleasant.Uma finally confirmed her inner thoughts: the Hugo before her was different. The old Hugo was also bright and cheerful, but his edge seemed sharper, like piercing sunlight—dazzling, yet making it impossible to look directly at him. The current Hugo was still like sunlight, but much gentler; even looking directly at him caused no harm, and one could clearly feel that cozy warmth instead.Simply put, the old Hugo was more dangerous and exciting, but the current Hugo was more attractive—that kind of warmth was almost intoxicating."I think I'll gradually grow to like my name." Uma hadn't really been able to escape the shadow cast by her unusual name until now. But in Hugo's soft words, Uma felt that perhaps the name wasn't so bad; at least it sounded quite good coming from Hugo's mouth.Hugo nodded with a light laugh and then asked, "You still haven't told me what you're doing here. Are you buying furniture?""Oh, no, I was planning to have dinner over there." Uma pointed to a restaurant not far away. After speaking, she hesitated for a moment before taking the initiative to extend an invitation. "How about it? Would you like to join me? I'm alone tonight." Actually, Uma had wanted to invite Hugo after the premiere of the last analysis, but she hadn't spoken up. After all, it used to be Hugo who invited her and she who refused, so it felt a bit awkward. Today, she finally took the step.Hugo raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised, but he didn't leave Uma hanging for long. He smiled and said, "I just moved into a new place, and I have a ton of things to do today. I have friends waiting at home, so I'm afraid I can't. I'm really sorry; maybe next time."Although she was rejected, Hugo's tone wasn't off-putting. Uma hid her disappointment well and smiled. "It's okay." Then she changed the subject. "You moved into a new place today?""Yes, just moved in." Hugo thought for a moment after speaking and then added warmly, "If there's a chance in the future, you're welcome to visit. I live right behind Sunset Plaza." Hugo gave her the address of his new home."On that small hill?" Uma naturally knew that area. "I live near there too; it seems like I'm only three blocks away from your place.""Haha, what a coincidence. We can hang out when we have the chance." Hugo's words were full of sunshine and sincerity, making Uma daze for a split second. She quickly snapped out of it and gave Hugo a deep look. "Then I won't disturb you any longer. My stomach has already started summoning food; I'd better go handle this top priority first.""You should leave quickly then, because my stomach has also been awakened by you, and that's not a good thing." Hugo's teasing made Uma laugh heartily. This time she didn't say anything more, waved to Hugo, and turned to leave. Her tall, elegant figure reflected a graceful silhouette in the sunlight.
