It wasn't an apple that hit Newton.

How did you know I was here?

Even Lavoisier himself didn't realize that her words carried a sweet, almost cloying quality, an unconscious glimpse of happiness leaking from her chest.

What would happen if I said I actually had no idea...? Li Cheng imagined that possibility, glanced down at Lavoisier, whose condition seemed rather abnormal, and felt a tremor in his heart, not daring to say it aloud.

He lied and said, "Uh, I know everything."

As Li Cheng answered, his mind was racing with questions—I also want to know why you suddenly came to Lincoln? Could it be that you're here to see me?

"Ah."

Li Cheng's statement was clearly nonsense, but Lavoisier not only didn't criticize it, but seemed to nod in agreement: "I'm still thinking about how to find you. Lincoln is so big, it might take a long time to find you."

It has to be said that her intellectual decline is rather exaggerated, given her clearly abnormal state.

It really was me! Why did they have to come all this way to see a man who hasn't seen you for ten days or half a month? Wouldn't it be better to just pretend he doesn't exist and continue doing your research in peace...? Li Cheng was completely baffled, but replied aloud, "Yeah."

Lavoisier added, "I came by boat with Professor Mitchell; it's really not safe for me to come alone."

So that's how it is. No wonder I found you when I was looking for Mitchell! No wonder there was no warning at all... Li Cheng nodded heavily, somewhat indignantly, and said, "Yes!"

Lavoisier continued, "Professor Mitchell is a nice man. He was worried that it wouldn't be safe for me to stay in a hotel, so he let me stay in this house for a few days while he rents a place nearby."

The truth has been revealed! No wonder you were the one who answered the door to that old codger Mitchell's detached house! I, who's always been so brilliant, actually stumbled on this... Li Cheng was already somewhat numb, calmly saying, "Hmm..."

Although Lavoisier wanted to continue the pleasant conversation, standing at the door like this wasn't a good idea.

So she took the initiative to release her arms and looked at Li Cheng expectantly, saying, "Shall we go inside and talk slowly? I still have a lot to tell you."

Should we go inside?

Li Cheng didn't dare to say "uh-huh," and silently looked towards the open door behind Lavoisier.

The corridor, devoid of sunlight, was somewhat dark and gloomy, like a predatory beast that would devour anyone who entered, leaving not even bones. And Lavoisier before them was the siren who lived in this beast's lair.

Okay, actually it's just an ordinary house.

Li Cheng was aware of this, but he was genuinely hesitant to go in.

Dry fire, that's no joke.

Putting everything else aside, just that kiss just now, if the setting were changed to a bedroom, living room, or sofa where no one would be around, Li Cheng seriously doubted that he would have done something utterly beastly, and then it would have been completely irreversible.

Although it seems there's no way to salvage the situation now... wait, maybe there is?

Li Cheng suddenly had a flash of inspiration and thought he had come up with a brilliant idea.

Perhaps he doesn't need to think about all that at all.

Although Li Cheng had anticipated that even if he secretly had a lover, Newton's anger would only exceed that of someone insulting her height, that was based on the premise that she was his wife.

But if Newton had known that he could not be a wife and could only be a mistress, he would never have given up.

Similarly, would a woman like Lavoisier, who once dared to travel alone from France to London to conduct research for her own theories, be indifferent? Would she be happy to be just a mistress?

Absolutely not!

Just as Li Cheng had an unpleasant encounter with Veronica, he never considered the possibility of her becoming his lover—at least not at the moment, because it was simply unrealistic.

That being said, words are no proof.

However, directly targeting Newton, the big boss, would be too risky. It would be better to try having someone else impersonate him first.

For example, why not deliberately act very close to Anne and see how Lavoisier reacts? That idiot used himself as a shield when he was a lover, right? This time, let's use that against him. Anne shouldn't refuse.

Lavoisier's best reaction would be utter disappointment, which would allow both parties to return to a purely platonic relationship—don't misunderstand, this kind of platonic relationship is not what you might think.

In this era, science and art are not clearly separated, and they are often studied together.

Therefore, science, like art, has not been given much importance, and no country or institution has provided any research funding. However, in the 21st century, unknown artists and scientists are still very poor, so you can imagine how poor they are in this era.

Even Newton, who discovered universal gravitation, only became truly financially secure and no longer had to worry about making a living after obtaining the position of Master of the Royal Mint with the help of friends.

If ordinary scientists or artists want to obtain relevant experimental data and raw materials, they not only need a lot of money, but some assistance is even beyond the reach of money.

Thus, an inevitable supply and demand relationship quickly formed between the nobility and "scientific and artistic people".

Incidentally, this is somewhat similar to the retainer system of the Spring and Autumn Period, where feudal lords kept retainers. However, the Spring and Autumn Period and Western Europe had many similarities, and this wasn't the only one or two instances.

Far away.

Li Cheng's plan was to get Lavoisier to give up on his own initiative.

Although saying this might sound like he's getting a good deal but is still being hypocritical, he didn't really have much affection for Lavoisier; he was simply lusting after her body.

For some reason, a somewhat platonic friendship developed between them.

If Li Cheng were to directly refuse, it might be a little hard to bear and reluctant. But if Lavoisier were to take the initiative to give up, that would be the best outcome, as neither party would have any psychological burden.

In short, it's a win-win situation.

"No, I have other things to do today."

Having made up his mind, Li Cheng declined the invitation to come inside and instead extended an invitation: "I'll come find you again tomorrow, and then I'll take you on a tour of Lincoln and to see a play at the very popular Hollywood theater."

Chapter 214 The Great Philosopher

"I'll come see you again tomorrow, and then I'll take you around Lincoln and to see a play at the very popular Little Hollywood Theater."

Li Cheng planned to find an excuse to leave, then quickly head to the Little Hollywood Theater to find Annie and coordinate their story for tomorrow. With multiple preparations, he wanted to prevent his 'win-win plan' from being exposed.

Incidentally, he devised this meticulous operation plan within the last thirty seconds. It is another perfect plan following the 'Lavoisier Placement Plan,' and its meticulousness is comparable to that of the CIA's assassination plans.

But Lavoisier didn't want to separate so easily. The two finally met again, but they immediately parted ways again.

And this time it broke the record for the shortest time, it seems to be less than ten minutes?

No.

This is far too short to satisfy.

Lavoisier then grasped Li Cheng's right hand, his eyes fixed on him, a tight grip that wouldn't miss a single facial expression—though he didn't say a word, his resolute expression spoke volumes.

You are not allowed to leave.

Seeing Lavoisier's extremely determined look, Li Cheng hesitated for a moment, then changed his mind and said, "Just kidding, no matter how busy I am, I can always squeeze out some time. Staying for another two hours is no problem."

It's only noon now, staying for another two hours shouldn't be a problem.

Besides, it's only two hours, so nothing unexpected is likely to happen... well, probably.

"Ah."

Lavoisier smiled contentedly, but still did not let go.

Ten minutes earlier, she had wondered if she really liked Li Cheng that much, and if it was just a momentary infatuation. At the same time, Lavoisier was also considering a serious question: what should she ask Li Cheng first when she finally found him?

Should I ask why you left without saying goodbye? Or should I ask why you rarely come to see me? Or, to be more direct, should I ask if you don't love me?

What if you get a negative answer, and what if you get a positive answer? Should you turn around and leave immediately, or continue as before and pretend nothing has changed?

If I don't leave, I'll seem like I'm clinging on, but if I do leave, where will I go?

Should she return to Lincoln, continue as a professor, and continue working as the chief engineer at the ether plant? But ultimately, almost all of this was brought about by Li Cheng; she only did some insignificant work. How could she possibly enjoy it with a clear conscience?

Anxiety swirled in her mind, keeping her awake at night.

But these doubts were completely resolved within the previous ten minutes. Lavoisier utterly rejected those ideas—the sense of surprise and happiness that filled his heart, once experienced, would never lead him to question his own inner thoughts again.

Similarly, how could a man who would meticulously prepare such a delightful reunion not love himself?

Given this premise, the question that had been troubling her was finally answered. That is... perhaps Li Cheng was very shy.

Although it sounds a bit unbelievable, even counterintuitive, it's almost the only explanation.

They rarely communicate, and when they meet, they only exchange a few words, but they treat themselves very well and even prepare surprises for each other.

This is a sign of shyness!

Although she had previously cursed him as a scumbag in anger, if he were truly a scumbag, how could he have only kissed her twice? He would probably have already taken advantage of her and then turned his back on her. It's even possible that he would have gotten her pregnant and then refused to take responsibility.

In summary.

Lavoisier thought Li Cheng was a man who seemed unserious on the surface but was actually very shy inside...

Perhaps I need to be more assertive and proactive in certain aspects.

For example, just now, if Li Cheng had said he had to leave, she would have given him a couple of words of encouragement and then let him go without trying to stop him. She would never have clung to him.

But today Lavoisier decided to take a slightly more proactive approach and earnestly persuade Li to stay.

"Staying for another two hours is no problem."

After receiving an affirmative answer, Lavoisier smiled with satisfaction, then took Li Cheng's hand and led him into the house, closing the door behind him.

With a soft creak and bang, the wooden door behind them slammed shut, turning the small detached house into a private space just for the two of them, a place where they could do whatever they wanted without being disturbed.

After doing this, Lavoisier led Li Cheng to the living room and pointed to the sofa.

"You rest on the sofa for a while, I'll go pour two glasses of light beer."

Due to the difficulty of storing clean water, the lower classes in Europe at that time had to use alcohol instead of water. In grape-producing countries like France and Italy, it was wine, while in non-wine-producing countries such as England, Germany, and Poland, it was beer and ale.

Of course, this kind of light beer, which is consumed normally, has a very low alcohol content and is basically just water with a slight alcohol taste.

Although it's a custom, Li Cheng has recently become somewhat allergic to the word "alcohol," so he waved his hand and said, "No, thank you, I'd rather not drink. I'm currently abstaining from alcohol and don't touch a drop."

Lavoisier nodded and continued toward the kitchen, saying, "Wait a moment, I'll go boil some water."

Seeing this, Li Cheng quickly reached out and pulled her back, saying, "Never mind, don't bother. Just pour two glasses of light beer."

This is no polite remark; without electric kettles, boiling water is a real hassle and a waste of fuel.

“No trouble at all. Lincoln University provides a coal stove, which is very convenient to use,” Lavoisier explained happily. “Besides, the coal here is not only cheap, but it also doesn’t produce any odor when burned—would you like to come and take a look?”

Why was she happy? Because she realized that if this thing existed, conducting experiments would become much easier...

Li Cheng was surprised that Lincoln University was so up-to-date with the times, and said, "No need. Actually, I'm familiar with this too, but I didn't expect Lincoln University to use it here."

Of course we're familiar with it; Li Cheng brought that stuff, we know it like the back of our hand... As for the cheap coal, Lincoln is full of coal mines, how could it not be cheap...

Lavoisier certainly lived a hard life, and he lived alone. He had all the daily living skills he needed, and boiling water was no problem for him.

Seeing her capable demeanor, Li Cheng became even more determined in his win-win plan—if he were single now, having such a beautiful and gentle girlfriend who liked him would be more than he could ask for.

But the problem is he already has one.

If you agree to something just because you're tempted by sex, how will you face the other person when time goes by and you're older?