Female companion

"Female companion?" Hugo didn't expect Uma to bring up this matter, which surprised him.

"Yeah, I thought you might need a female companion, so I wanted to offer some help." Uma had a faint smile on her face, as if it were a simple topic to chat about, without any awkwardness or urgency. "Or perhaps you've already found a companion? Then I would feel embarrassed." After saying that, Uma chuckled lightly, as if she were truly shy.

Hugo subconsciously turned his gaze to the side of the couch and saw Charlize's figure standing in place. However, since Hugo didn't fully turn his head, he couldn't discern Charlize's true emotions. He only saw Charlize stand for a moment and then walk back to his own room.

Seeing Charlize retreat to her room, Alex quietly closed the door, leaving the space in the living room for Hugo and Uma.

Hugo waited until Charlize completely disappeared from his line of sight before turning his gaze back and looking at Uma again. He spoke, "No."

In fact, Uma also noticed Hugo's shift in gaze, although not clearly, but as a woman, she sensitively sensed Charlize's hesitation. However, since Charlize quickly returned to her room and Hugo gave her the answer she wanted, Uma didn't probe any further. She just kept her gaze fixed on Hugo, as if she hadn't noticed anything.

"Ah, I do need a female companion." Hugo sighed and collected his thoughts, looking at Uma intently. "But you know, having a female companion for the premiere implies a date."

Although Hugo and Uma had spent two nights together and had a couple of pleasant interactions, especially during the set visit, they had never really talked about anything substantial, let alone anything related to love or romance. So Hugo and Uma couldn't be considered "dating partners" at least not in a fixed relationship.

Facing Hugo's question, Uma smiled, her full lips forming a beautiful shape. "Aren't we?"

The corner of Hugo's mouth curved up in response to Uma's smile. "I mean, a dating partner." They had never officially been on a date, not even once. In fact, when they met for the second time at the second-hand furniture store, Uma invited Hugo to dinner. If it had happened, it would have counted as a date. However, Hugo declined the invitation because he needed to move.

"A date? I thought last night was." Uma remained calm and smiled, causing Hugo to recall the wild night, and a light chuckle escaped his throat, breaking free from the restraints.

Hugo shrugged. Since Uma had given a positive response and initiated the invitation, he naturally didn't refuse. "Alright then, December 9th. I'll come to your place to pick you up." Although Uma's home was just three blocks away, the premiere was a formal occasion, and it was customary for a gentleman to pick up a lady at her doorstep.

A smile immediately blossomed on Uma's face. She raised her right hand and slowly traced her finger down Hugo's cheek, playfully pursing her lips. "Then I'll prepare well." After saying that, Uma planted a kiss on Hugo's cheek and slowly stood up. Her slender legs drew a beautiful curve in Hugo's line of sight as she stepped off the couch, touched the ground, and tip-toed her way to Hugo's room. Her coquettish posture was an absolute delight to behold.

Uma returned to the room wearing a pair of utility pants and a white shirt, both belonging to Hugo. They were naturally oversized and loose on Uma, but she rolled up the pant legs and shirt cuffs. Then she put on the red boots from last night, creating a mismatched but alluring ensemble.

"I'll dress up nicely. I'm looking forward to making the premiere extra special." Uma didn't walk over; instead, she stood at the corner of the corridor, threw Hugo a flirtatious glance, and gracefully left his house, taking cat-like steps.

After hearing the sound of the door closing, Alex immediately rushed out of his room, holding himself down below and rushing into the bathroom. It seemed like he had been holding it in for a long time. Then Charlize opened her door, poked her head out, and after confirming that Uma was gone, she let out a heavy sigh and came out. Muttering to herself, she said, "Breakfast? So, Joseph and Karl don't need breakfast either?"

Hugo turned his head and saw Charlize standing in front of the dining table. The expression on her face clearly showed her displeasure, indicating that she didn't have a good impression of Uma. Hugo smiled and said, "Should I make another portion for you guys?"

"Cut it out. Uma would be heartbroken to know that," Charlize said sarcastically, which made Hugo burst into laughter. Charlize had no intention of stopping and continued imitating Uma's voice, "You know, Hugo is hungover. It's not good for him to skip breakfast."

Hugo leaned on the couch with a smile on his face. "I've invited my girl to attend the premiere of "A Few Good Men". She's my date."

"So what? She's your date, not mine. I don't need to have a good impression of her," Charlize retorted sharply, leaving Hugo speechless.

"So, what do you think of Uma?" Hugo was curious about Charlize's evaluation of Uma.

Charlize raised her hands in a surrendering gesture. "We're friends, and I don't want discussing your date to ruin our friendship. You know, sometimes it's not a good thing when friends badmouth your date."

"So, what you're saying is something negative," Hugo immediately caught onto Charlize's words.

Charlize shrugged. "Isn't it obvious? If you want to hear something positive, you can ask Alex." After spending these few months together, although Charlize couldn't be considered Hugo's closest friend, they understood each other to some extent, and their conversations didn't have many inhibitions. Charlize's straightforward words made Hugo chuckle.

Charlize looked at Hugo, who had a smile on his face, and after some thought, she pretended to turn around to grab the toast and asked, "Do you have feelings for her now? Choosing her as your female companion for the premiere..."

Feelings? This should have been a simple question, but it puzzled Hugo. Hugo was quite certain that he had feelings for Uma. The pleasant time they spent together during the set visit and their enjoyable conversation last night were evidence of that. Hugo wouldn't have felt this kind of comfort without having feelings for someone. However, the problem lied in Hugo's inability to distinguish whether his feelings for Uma originated from himself or from his predecessor. It felt somewhat blurry and ambiguous, leaving Hugo confused.

After a slight pause, Hugo hesitated and said, "I guess so."

This answer obviously didn't satisfy Charlize, who turned around with the toast in her hand. "What kind of response is that? No girl would like to hear such a vague confession. I'm not asking if you love her, just if you have feelings for her. "I guess so" is a terrible answer."

In the face of Charlize's complaint, Hugo couldn't help but laugh. "I thought you didn't like Uma."

"That's true," Charlize admitted. "But I'm just responding to your answer, not targeting anyone."

Hugo pursed his lips and bit his lower lip, unsure of how to answer. At that moment, Alex came out of the bathroom and immediately exclaimed, "Hugo, are you falling for Uma? The sparks were flying between you two last night, and even watching you play Truth or Dare made my face turn red and my heart race."

Alex's words left Hugo with a head full of question marks. What did he mean by "sparks were flying", and "playing Truth or Dare"? But Hugo had no memory of it at all. Could it be that he had also traveled through time last night? It seemed that the saying "alcohol impairs judgment" held true in all situations.

While Hugo was lost in thought, Alex bounced over to Hugo's side, imitating Hugo by leaning on the back of the couch. "When Joseph and I wanted to find you, Uma had already brought you back. Charlize and I had to wait on the fourth floor for half an hour, trying not to disturb your private time."

Hugo glanced at Charlize and immediately caught her rolling her eyes. He muttered, "Thank goodness you didn't bring Aileen Wuornos home."

Aileen Wuornos was a notorious interstate serial killer who had made headlines over the past two years. She was a prostitute who lured men on interstate highways, robbed them, and then killed them. In total, she had killed seven men, including a police officer, causing a great uproar throughout the United States. She was even hailed as the country's most notorious female serial killer, and her notoriety was well known. Last year, she was finally arrested, but her trial had been ongoing for a year without conclusion. Just last week, she was sentenced to death for the fifth time. She had already pleaded guilty, but she insisted on claiming self-defense, repeatedly requesting a retrial after each sentence. After the fifth sentence, Aileen once again requested another retrial, forcing the court to continue the proceedings.

Hearing Charlize comparing Uma to Aileen, Hugo couldn't help but burst into laughter. Charlize's attitude confirmed that Alex was telling the truth. Hugo couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. "Yes, I have feelings for her, which is why I'm willing to invite her to the premiere..."

Hugo thought to himself that whether it was his own feelings or his predecessor's, his affection for Uma was undoubtedly real. Since he couldn't distinguish the difference, there was no need to dwell on it further. He decided to let things naturally develop.

"Just feelings?" Alex immediately lamented, "Poor Uma."

Charlize chimed in, joining the teasing, "Hugo doesn't love Uma. It's a heart-wrenching fact."

Hugo couldn't help but feel helpless and spread his hands, "Come on, it's not that dramatic, okay? I'm not Casanova." This remark immediately made Alex and Charlize burst into laughter.