It wasn't an apple that hit Newton.

A garden villa in an upscale neighborhood would be cheaper; according to Li Cheng's recent inquiries, it could probably be rented for around £90 a year. But that would make him seem too lacking in social standing... although he doesn't actually have any, it's best not to flaunt it too directly.

But if it were a three-story house with exquisite furnishings and famous paintings and antiques, it would probably cost over £800 a year... I'm not considering that for now, as it would make him look like a nouveau riche.

So, as a compromise, 150 pounds...

So Li Cheng circled several suitable locations on the map: southwest, near Cambridge and Veronica's residence; southeast, near the soap factory; and northwest, near the government, in order to consult with real estate agents when he had time.

The first thing is done.

The second thing was to visit Mr. Stoller, partly to make an appearance and establish his presence, and partly to revisit the old matter and use him as a way to connect with the chairman of the business association. Having an acquaintance to guide him was much more reliable than him showing up alone.

There's no rush. The shuttle loom that was rushed out still looks terrible and its performance isn't perfect; it still needs improvement.

Come to think of it, hiring Roy was a way of poaching Mr. Stoller's talent. Also, who knows when Anne's bomb will explode... Well, you can't blame him for that; he's an innocent victim too. Hopefully, he won't be exposed.

Li Cheng shuddered, secretly deciding that he needed to coordinate his story with Annie before going, and also to inform Mr. Stoller in order to prevent the other party from harboring resentment later.

That concludes the second task.

The third thing is to continue to work on Cambridge's research scholar program, so that so much manpower won't be wasted.

slightly......

After spending some time planning his itinerary, Li Cheng looked up and noticed that the clouds on the horizon had been tinged with a fiery red hue.

Li Cheng subconsciously stood up, thinking of going inside to see what Newton was doing—but as soon as he stood up, he remembered that Newton seemed to have already taken Freya out, and he didn't know when they would be back.

I've actually felt a pang of loneliness for the first time in a long time...

Li Cheng plopped back down on the wooden chair, closed his eyes, and recalled his past life before he transmigrated. Back then, he was a tough guy who could stay home for half a year without going out—well, you know why he could stay home for half a year.

But now, with Newton and Freya not home for a day, he feels a little lonely.

"But it doesn't seem... so bad?"

Li Cheng opened his eyes and murmured.

But he did feel a bit bored. No computer, no cell phone, no one to keep him company, just sitting alone in a small house without lights. Just thinking about it made him feel incredibly bored.

I wish I had stayed a few more days at Veronique's castle; I could have chatted with Holly.

Why not find an acquaintance and spend a few days at their house... Li Cheng began to think to himself.

Chapter 106 is very popular.

After carefully considering several options, Li Cheng decisively abandoned his plan to stay at someone else's place and decided it would be better to find a hotel to stay in for a couple of days.

The main problem is that there isn't a suitable candidate.

Roy?

If I go to him, I'll definitely be dragged into improving the flying shuttle loom, so pass.

Lavoisier?

Well, because Newton took Freya out and spent a few days at Lavoisier's house, things were pretty bad there...

Anne?

Anne's house was originally a great choice, and I could also make an appearance in front of Mr. Stoller and chat about work, which would be a perfect choice to kill two birds with one stone... cough cough.

But the problem lies with that idiot Annie! She suddenly decided to become a stage actress to realize her life's value.

It's one thing to pursue dreams, but to drag him into it as an excuse is another!

The more Li Cheng thought about it, the more his scalp tingled. He could only secretly pray that Annie would cooperate and honestly lie as she had taught him, trying to keep the deception a secret for as long as possible.

"But this isn't a solution either..."

After thinking about it, he decided to take the next few days to resolve this potential problem.

......

Two days later.

Shakespeare Theatre.

When an industry is thriving enough, has a large enough audience, and enough competitors, its prices will drop significantly.

The same is true for London's theaters; even the middle class can afford to go to the theater once a month.

"Alone, thank you."

Driven by some inexplicable urge, Li Cheng bought a ticket for the first act of "Domineering Love," a play that had just been released, and entered the theater with increasingly complicated feelings.

The theater was packed. Although Therese had some issues, her pursuit of quality and unique aesthetic style, like a firefly in a cesspool, attracted many loyal viewers.

Many people came specifically to see the play after hearing that Therese had launched a new production.

"Domineering Love" is a very unique and fresh subject matter, which led to a scene of overcrowding.

The character St. Tom, played by Anne, is known for his exceptional skills and handsome appearance, which always elicits gasps from many ordinary women whenever he appears on screen.

On stage, Anne appeared not in fake armor, but in a theatrical "commoner's" costume.

"They're out! They're out!"

"Just like I heard, he's really handsome!"

The two women were discussing it excitedly.

?

Li Cheng, sitting in the row behind the two, had his mouth twitching violently.

He scrutinized Anne on the stage with great skepticism.

Although Anne was dressed in men's clothing, with her chest tightly bound, exuding a heroic and dashing air, some feminine features in her eyebrows, eyes, and chin were still quite obvious.

"There's nothing wrong with it..." Li Cheng wondered.

"This is the first time I've seen such a handsome male lead."

"Yeah, especially that sword-wielding move, it's so cool."

Hearing the two of them still discussing how handsome Annie was, Li Cheng couldn't help but interrupt.

"You guys say the main character is handsome."

He suddenly spoke up, interrupting their conversation: "But don't you guys think this guy is a bit... uh, a bit effeminate?"

Li Cheng couldn't find a suitable adjective for the moment, so he had to use "mother" instead.

"Tch, you're just jealous, aren't you?"

The woman on the left scoffed, "So what if she's a bit effeminate?"

The woman on the right sized up Li Cheng and said with a sneer, "Anyway, I'd much rather marry Sir St. Tom than a man like you."

???

Is this a bit effeminate? This is totally a girl! A girl like you without a penis! There's no chance of her getting married!

...I really wonder what Mr. Stoller's expression would be if he knew how popular Anne was with women?

Li Cheng simulated it in his mind.

“Mr. Stoller, I have good news for you. Anne is very popular now, so you don’t have to worry about her marriage in the future.”

"real or fake?"

"It's true, I estimate that a lot of people want to marry her."

"...marry?"

......

The play ended, and the audience left.

Li Cheng had memorized the theater's layout last time, so after the performance, instead of leaving with the other audience members, he easily made his way backstage.

Where is the dogwood?

Backstage, he confronted Therese, who was using the pretense of correcting acting skills to grope a pair of nine-year-old twin boys.

?

Therese was not surprised by Li Cheng's sudden visit; on the contrary, she was very impatient with his disturbance and harassment of the little boy.

So she casually pointed behind her and said in a very impolite tone, "Xiao Zhuyu is in the lounge. Go if you want, but don't bother me while I'm working."

What the hell is interfering with your work? So your daily job is harassing little boys??? Did you choose to become a playwright just so you could legally and easily have contact with little boys, you bastard!

Li Cheng suppressed the urge to complain and walked straight to the back lounge, while behind him came the noise of Therese working.

"Yes, the corners of your mouth need to turn up a bit more. Let me help you correct them..."

Li Cheng silently prayed for the two brothers.

Poor little boy, hopefully this wicked older sister won't cause him to develop prejudice against all women in his life...

Upon arriving at the door of the lounge, Li Cheng was still immersed in praying for the nine-year-old twins, and without much thought, he pushed open the door.

What comes into view is dazzling white.

Annie was changing her clothes, and she was in the process of pulling her pants down, but not quite completely off.

With her pants half-pulled down, her smooth, fair thighs were fully exposed, and her tanned hand, still resting on them, contrasted sharply with her white thighs, like a chocolate decoration on a cream cake.

This suggests that Anne's tanned skin was acquired through tanning, rather than being naturally tanned... Hmm, does that mean it's like that in other areas too...?

Thinking of this, Li Cheng's scholarly gaze involuntarily turned upwards, only to meet Annie's somewhat dazed look.

?

The two stared at each other, dumbfounded for a few seconds, before Annie snapped out of it and yelled angrily, "Still looking? Get out of here!"

Li Cheng awkwardly closed the door, thinking to himself that it was fortunate it was Annie; if it were any other woman screaming, he probably would have been scared out of his wits and run away on the spot.

However, Li Cheng must swear that his gaze just now was purely out of academic curiosity, and he had absolutely no romantic feelings for Annie.

Even though my impression of Anne has improved slightly recently because of her armor and menswear, humans and animals are not compatible; humans cannot and should not be compatible.

After standing outside the lounge for a moment, Annie, now dressed in casual clothes, came out.

Li Cheng noticed that she seemed to be quite aggressive, as if she wanted to accuse him.

Anne said, "You just..."