It wasn't an apple that hit Newton.

Nothing at all? You know, a healthy adult can yield at least a hundred pounds of money... Sorry, I digress.

Li Cheng raised his head and looked up at Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, a titan in the field of chemistry in his previous life, who had now fallen on hard times and could only live in the streets near the slums.

Times have changed, gender has changed, but the only thing that remains unchanged is her thirst for knowledge.

"Traveler who doesn't belong to this era, I haven't lied to you, I am your 'fellow villager'..." Li Cheng revealed what he thought was a kind smile: "No, you still have yourself, and you still have my kindness."

Chapter 45 Another Man

Lavoisier was taken aback after hearing Li Cheng's words.

She glanced down at her fully developed, shapely body—even if she didn't care much about her appearance, Lavoisier knew she was the kind of woman who was frequently pursued by men.

She hesitated slightly before saying, "You mean...?"

"Just like you think, you'll be with me from now on."

Li Cheng nodded affirmatively, trying to project goodwill: "From the first time we met at the library, I had a high opinion of you. After observing you more closely, my admiration for you only grew stronger..."

Lavoisier's mind immediately went into overdrive upon hearing this.

He took a liking to me from the first meeting, observed me closely, and genuinely admired me... No wonder, no wonder he took the initiative to help me and was so eager to solve my problems. Is that really why...? Men are all like that.

Lavoisier said with a hint of bitterness, "So, what you said before about receiving help in France was all a lie?"

I was discovered by accident...

"Um... well, not really." Li Cheng said somewhat awkwardly, his tone ambiguous, "Although I've never met you before, I do know a Frenchman with the same name as you (Lavoisier♂), but he's a man."

Lavoisier remained noncommittal, then pressed further, "What kind of person is he?"

Li Cheng thought for a moment and said with some emotion, "He is a very, very smart person. Like you, he is not afraid of authority and is persistent in pursuing the truth—but he is luckier than you, as he was born in a more suitable environment."

After finishing his explanation, Li Cheng continued, "Is there anything else you want to ask?"

Clinging to a last glimmer of hope, Lavoisier tentatively asked, "Then... can I, like him, peacefully conduct my research alone, without getting involved in other matters?"

Li Cheng was somewhat confused.

I just want to recruit you to research modern chemical products for me, and maybe teach a bit to spread knowledge. Why are you making it sound so pitiful? It's like I'm forcing you to sell yourself.

Although teaching is quite annoying, not only do you have to lecture patiently, but especially if you have a student like Annie, it's a sense of frustration that you can never erase from your memory...

Li Cheng thought about it carefully and felt that it seemed quite tragic, so he increased the stakes: "I forgot to tell you something. Her Highness Veronica recently decided to appoint me as the Principal of Cambridge."

?

Lavoisier's first reaction was suspicion, after all, this was too inexplicable: "You? The principal?"

Li Cheng shrugged: "There's no point in lying about this, is there? You'll find out in a few days if you ask around."

Lavoisier thought about it and agreed that it made sense.

Li Cheng, sensing an opportunity, continued to entice her: "That's right, so as long as you agree to follow me, I'll provide you with funding, facilities, experimental equipment, relevant books, and assistants... everything you need will be provided. How about it? Tempted?"

Lavoisier fell silent; she was indeed somewhat tempted.

To be honest, Lavoisier had long since given up on the idea of ​​a young girl yearning for love; her current pursuits were not in that area.

If the person in front of her really is the principal, then not only can he help solve the problem that has been troubling her for a long time, but he also has research funding, facilities and assistants... From a rational point of view, agreeing to his conditions is also an option.

However, precisely because of her rationality, she couldn't possibly agree so easily. She needed time to carefully consider the pros and cons and wouldn't make such a significant decision rashly based on momentary impulse.

So she brushed back her silver hair that had fallen as she looked down and said in a deep voice, "I need some time to think about it."

"It's alright. I know it's hard to get someone to make a decision just by talking." Li Cheng stood up from his seat and smiled. "Let's call it a day then. I'm sure we'll meet again soon."

"Yes, I... hope so too."

After struggling to utter those words, Lavoisier gave Li Cheng a deep look, as if trying to memorize his image so that he wouldn't forget him the next time they met.

Then she saw Li Cheng take two ten-pound bills out of his pocket and place them on the light-colored wooden table.

Under Lavoisier's somewhat eager yet puzzled gaze, Li Cheng slowly said, "I almost forgot, take this twenty pounds and rent a detached house near Cambridge. Use the rest of the money to hire a maid and a cook."

After finishing this task, Li Cheng walked towards the door.

However, just as he was about to leave, he turned back and earnestly instructed, "Remember, this is not for research purposes. I will check next time."

--------

The burly groom still stood at the door, his expression indifferent, like an unchanging rock on a sea cliff.

The smooth-coated chestnut mare who had been keeping him company stretched out her head, snorted, and rubbed against his leather jacket, as if trying to persuade him to go back inside and stop standing outside in the sun.

But Mafgo remained unmoved; he was waiting for another man.

After being rubbed against so many times, he even got annoyed by the mare, turned his head and glared at it, and cursed.

"Shut up, behave yourself."

Seeing this, the mare raised her head and let out a long neigh, seemingly dissatisfied with the man's indifference.

She was the one who had always been by his side... the horse. This morning, he had gently brushed her mane, asked if she had slept well the night before, and added soybeans to her trough.

In the blink of an eye, it ignored its concern and even scolded it for another man.

Why did it turn out this way? For the first time, she found a loving owner and got a job she was good at. The two joys overlapped, and this double joy brought even more joy.

They should have been enjoying a dreamlike period of happiness, but why did it turn out like this...?

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Finally, the groom heard the voice he had been waiting for. His icy expression melted, and he revealed a fawning smile that he had never shown to a mare before.

"Excuse me, sir, shall we go back now?"

"Okay, let's go, I've finished my business."

As Li Cheng spoke, he seemed to notice something and glanced to the side.

He saw the little mare staring straight at him, her eyes filled with hostility and hatred, as if he had done something heinous and outrageous.

It was me, it was me first, I was clearly here first!

?

He glanced at the beast with a puzzled look, wondering what was wrong with the horse... Come to think of it, how could a horse's face display such a wide range of expressions?

Never mind, I have a cow at home that always stares at me and even bites me...

Li Cheng put his thoughts aside and, with the help of the carriage driver, easily climbed onto the carriage.

Chapter 46 Everyone has moments of loneliness.

221 Baker Street.

It was nearly evening.

It didn't take long to get to Lavoisier's house, but we were delayed on the way there, and it was already getting dark when we got home.

"Your horse-drawn carriage is quite stable."

"Hehe, I've watched this horse grow up since it was a cub, it's especially gentle and obedient."

Hearing their conversation, the chestnut mare beside them showed a look of grief and indignation. Although she had suffered such injustice, being forced to pull a cart for her enemy... but, but as long as it was her master's order, she would do anything...

--------

After paying the fare to the coachman, Li Cheng pushed open two doors and entered the small villa.

The table was already set with plates. Tonight's dinner consisted of a whole piece of roast pork drizzled with apple sauce, a sausage served with mashed potatoes, and... a little kid behaving inexplicably.

Newton, who was originally sitting at the dining table, saw Li Cheng push the door open and enter. She quickly took off her slippers, revealing two clean white little feet, and scrambled up to the tall, black round wooden stool that had been prepared.

Then, she crossed her arms, raised her chin, and said in an arrogant tone with a condescending air, "Hey, man, you dare to come back so late? You've got some nerve."

?

Li Cheng turned around and went straight out the door. After holding the doorknob and silently counting to 30, he reopened the door.

Newton remained perched high on the black wooden stool, mimicking his previous posture, and said, "Hmph, laughable. Did you think you could get away with this performance?"

???

"Did something happen to you...?" Li Cheng asked, puzzled. "Are you alright?"

As he spoke, he reached out the back of his hand and tried to check his temperature by touching his forehead.

"Take your filthy hands back."

Newton tilted his head to avoid it easily, then continued to say with his head held high, "No one is allowed to touch my noble body without my permission."

Ok?

Li Cheng had a sudden flash of inspiration, as if he remembered something... This line sounds familiar...

It seems to be from Chapter 46 of "The Domineering Noblewoman Falls in Love with Me," where the Countess of Rose, filled with rage, uses this haughty attitude when faced with a knight who recklessly went to duel for honor. It's just that Newton wasn't tall enough and lacked the necessary imposing presence, so a round wooden stool was used instead.

Holy crap?!

Once Li Cheng understood, he suddenly felt unwell, a very strange feeling welling up inside him.

This feeling of shame is like being discovered by your parents to be writing a novel.

It's like being stripped naked and thrown into the street, a feeling of utter helplessness and despair with nowhere to hide.

Is this what it feels like to be socially dead?

That wretched Freya!

Feeling betrayed, Li Cheng scanned the room and finally found Freya in the corner, dressed in a black and white maid outfit, looking dejected and trying to minimize her presence.

Noticing Li Cheng's gaze, she silently lowered her head, as if to say sorry.

The truth has come to light.

It is estimated that Freya, for various reasons, inadvertently exposed that groundbreaking masterpiece to Newton, who then took it and studied it carefully.

They say that fortunes change, and everyone has their moments of being alone.

But Li Cheng didn't expect that retribution would come back so quickly.

When he was in Lincolnshire, he once read aloud Newton's notes from his teenage years, which included things like "If I, Newton, had not been born, natural science would have been in eternal darkness (Note: paraphrase)".

Although a long time has passed, it seems that this vengeful little bean still holds a grudge about this matter, and when he found an opportunity this time, he couldn't wait to take revenge.

but.