It wasn't an apple that hit Newton.

"Miss, why did you come back so suddenly? Did something happen?"

“I have graduated from Cambridge,” Newton said, stating a statement he had prepared beforehand. “I will be living at home from now on.”

Afterwards, under Freya's guidance, the rooms were quickly assigned.

Although Susie was always verbally referred to as an attendant or maid, she was actually given a separate room. Anne, on the other hand, chose a room next to Newton's, while Susie's room was closer to Li Cheng's.

It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. Li Cheng glanced at the small single bed in his room, recalling the large bed in his room in London, and felt a pang of emotion.

So he went to Newton's room, glanced at the soft bed that could comfortably accommodate three people, and tentatively asked.

"How about we share a room..."

"roll!"

"Tch, I'll just buy a bigger one myself later..." This was Li Cheng's thought after being kicked out of the room.

After everyone was assigned their rooms, the first thing to do was naturally... take a shower.

After several days of travel, everyone was covered in dust and stench, not to mention Annie, who couldn't stay still and kept running alongside the carriage, her clothes getting wet and then drying and then getting wet again... Annie's current state can be summed up in two words: energetic.

After taking a bath, Annie couldn't stay still and wandered around the castle with Susie, saying they wanted to familiarize themselves with the layout. Both of them were full of curiosity about the castle, but Annie's curiosity was simply out of novelty, while Susie was excited because it was her first time staying in a castle.

Li Cheng and Newton naturally had no motivation; they rested in the living room, waiting for the kitchen to prepare dinner.

"I feel much better."

Li Cheng slumped on the sofa and sighed.

Newton couldn't lounge like Li Cheng because her hair was still damp and she needed to sit to dry it. So she sat cross-legged on the sofa, her feet wrapped in warm wool socks.

Perhaps feeling a bit bored just sitting there, she looked at Li Cheng, who was lounging like Ge You, with her sapphire-blue eyes: "Idiot Li Cheng, what are you planning to do next?"

Since what happened some time ago, Newton now insists on calling Li Cheng a fool, because she believes that only a fool would let himself get into danger without knowing why, and have to hide everywhere.

Li Cheng murmured, "Of course, the first thing is to make money, to make a very, very large sum of money."

Newton no longer doubted Li Cheng's earning ability, but she did not believe that Li Cheng's purpose was simply to make money. If that were the case, he would not have needed to travel so far back to Lincolnshire. Instead, buying a manor closer to London would have made managing the factory much more convenient and efficient.

So she asked, "And then? What do you do with the money?"

"Hmm... let me think about how to say it."

Li Cheng considered it for a while, but immediately gave up, saying, "First, utilize the water power, then build a makeshift blast furnace..."

He shifted to the side as he spoke, then reached out and tried to put his arm around Newton's slender waist. Newton struggled slightly before leaning into Li Cheng's arms.

Smelling the faint aroma of milk wafting to his nose, Li Cheng suddenly realized that the effects of drinking milk for almost two months were now manifesting here...

Pulling his thoughts back from their jumbled mess, Li Cheng continued, "It's too complicated to explain in detail, but in short, we need money, we need steel, we need... guns."

Newton was silent for a moment: "Don't do anything dangerous."

"Ah."

------

London, Cambridge.

Lavoisier stared intently at the beaker on the table, a quill pen in his hand, ready to record the changes in the solution at any moment, his expression focused and serious.

The knowledge in the notebooks left behind by Li Cheng was enough for Lavoisier to work on for a long time. She spent almost every day in fulfilling chemical experiments, with new verifications and new knowledge every day.

She taught, conducted experiments, and in her spare time, she would learn cooking from Qiong. Her life was pleasant and leisurely.

Just then, Joan walked into the laboratory with lunch for two, waving a letter in her hand and calling out as she walked, "Professor, that Sherlock Holmes guy has written again."

"Oh, really?"

Lavoisier put down his experiment and, with a hint of anticipation, took the letter and opened it.

This is a farewell letter. By the time you receive it, I should have already left London for Lincolnshire.

However, upon seeing this first sentence, Lavoisier's expression shifted from anticipation to astonishment.

They've already left London? Are you kidding me? How could this be so sudden?

With these questions in mind, Lavoisier continued reading.

You probably already know why I left London, as I mentioned in my last letter. But I'd like to reiterate: firstly, London was too dangerous for me; secondly, I needed a sufficiently open and unmonitored place.

This departure will likely be for a long time, perhaps even several years, but I will still write to you once things have settled down.

【......slightly】

Finally, I enjoyed spending time with you.

After reading the letter Li Cheng delivered before leaving, Lavoisier was so angry that his teeth itched: Several years? It's one thing for him not to come see me for several days at a time, but now he's gone for several years?

They didn't even come to see me before they left, they just sent a letter?

I used to think you were just busy, but now it seems you've gotten what you wanted and then abandoned it!

What a scumbag!!!

As Lavoisier pondered, his gaze gradually sharpened.

"Trying to run? Impossible!"

She shoved the letter into her pocket and said to Joan, who was opening her lunchbox, "Joan, I'll be going out of town for a while. Feel free to use the lab if you need anything."

"Please also ask the school for leave for me, saying that a family member is seriously ill and I'm going back to visit them."

Joan asked blankly, "Huh?"

Before Joan could react, Lavoisier rushed out of the laboratory, but in her haste, she bumped into a blue-haired girl who was just about to enter.

"Excuse me."

Lavoisier quickly apologized, only to realize that the person he had bumped into was Joanna: "Oh, it's you. You're here again today... Oh right, are you alright? Did I hurt you?"

Ever since witnessing the ether experiment, Joanna had shown a strong interest in chemistry and frequently visited Lavoisier's laboratory. As the visits increased and the three became more familiar with each other, her unusual way of speaking became less frequent and less enigmatic.

Joanna steadied herself: "I'm alright... What's wrong?"

Lavoisier's eyes sharpened again: "A relative of mine is seriously ill, and I need to go home to visit him. I will be away for a while."

Joanna blinked: "Where to?"

Where to go?

Lavoisier was taken aback, then realized that she didn't know where to go either. Li Chengxin had only said that he was going to Lincolnshire, but Lincolnshire was so big, where exactly did he go?

Are we just supposed to wait for him to contact us after he supposedly settles down? Who knows how long that will take!

Damn it, damn it, damn it... Lavoisier's brows furrowed tightly.

But looking at Joanna in front of her, she suddenly remembered something and asked, "Joanna, your cousin used to be Li Cheng's secretary, right?"

Joanna nodded.

Lavoisier immediately flashed a friendly smile: "Joanna, we're good friends, aren't we?"

Joanna blushed slightly, then suddenly became serious: "From a universally rational perspective, we possess the conditions to establish a sociological relationship, a relationship between people based on mutual..."

Lavoisier was exasperated by the long-absent incoherent speech, but she guessed it must be true, so she said, "Could you ask your cousin about something for me in your name...?"

Chapter 161 I'm the Only Useless One

Over the next few days, Li Cheng first ascertained the situation within Newton's territory.

With an area of ​​5 acres, not counting the accompanying lakes, rivers, and forests, it was considered above average for a typical baron. However, the land was rather barren, and Newton's almost ineffective management resulted in a small population of only about 500 households.

The overall situation can be summarized in four words: "a poor and remote place to avoid"... Here, "township" also refers to a land area of ​​one township.

But this didn't matter to Li Cheng; what era are we living in, still farming?

Britain is one of the countries with the largest coal reserves. After making a few inquiries, Li Cheng learned that there was an open-pit coal mine nearby.

------

in the afternoon.

Inside the castle.

Li Cheng sat at his desk in his room, sketching with a quill pen.

Annie stood behind, watching with her hands behind her back. Her scrutinizing gaze fell on Li Cheng's sketch, and she would occasionally tap her chin lightly, as if she were pleased or admiring him... even though she couldn't understand it at all.

But that's not a problem. A professional actor must learn to play a role anytime, anywhere. This is something Susie learned from "An Actor Prepares." Even when she can't go to the theater, she is consistently practicing this.

After a moment, Li Cheng finally lost his patience with this primate that imitated humans. He turned his head and said, "Can you go play by yourself and stop bothering me?"

Annie immediately lost her composure, exclaiming, "What's wrong with just glancing at it? I didn't even say a word!"

Li Cheng retorted angrily, "You didn't say a word, but look at what you were doing just now! Do you think you're the teacher supervising the exam?"

Annie: "...Then I won't do anything, is that alright now?"

After issuing a warning, Li Cheng continued to concentrate on drawing.

Annie noticed Li Cheng drawing something as she passed by, and curiously went over to take a peek.

She had originally intended to just take a casual look and leave, but Li Cheng's ability to draw straight lines freehand instantly amazed her. His modern drafting style further fueled her curiosity, so Annie decided to stay.

Incidentally, Li Cheng certainly didn't have this skill with a ruler and compass before; this was a 'reward' he received from that man with the perverse sense of humor.

Five minutes later.

This is not a long time, but for a primate that has returned to its natural instincts, five minutes is a very difficult time to endure.

"Li Cheng, what are you drawing?"

Finally, Annie couldn't help but shout. She was getting a little impatient, but she also wanted to know what they were drawing. She was the kind of person who would watch the beginning of a craft video on Bilibili and then skip straight to the end to see the finished product.

“A very useful little thing.” Li Cheng seemed to answer, but then again, he didn’t.

"So what exactly is it?"

"Don't talk, I'm almost done... done!"

As Li Cheng spoke, he had already finished the last stroke. Looking at the finished drawing with clear and beautiful lines, he felt a sense of pride, thinking, "I'm so awesome!" For someone whose drawing skills were limited to elementary school art classes (he didn't have art classes in junior high school), this was a groundbreaking breakthrough.

Turning his head to look at Annie, who was pondering the purpose of the blueprints, Li Cheng suddenly exclaimed, "Annie, do you know what the real secret to power is?"

Annie scratched her head: "Rich?"

"shallow!"