It wasn't an apple that hit Newton.

“This is Anne’s handwriting.”

Newton immediately recognized the owner of the dog-scratched handwriting, and she took the letter and opened it.

[To Isaac Newton]

Dear Isaac

We haven't seen each other for a year and a half since the outbreak of the pandemic last year. I feel terrible not being able to see you, and I wish I could come to you right away, but unfortunately my family is stopping me...

The first few pages are long, lyrical passages, lacking focus and making it unclear what the writer was trying to express. One can only vaguely discern that the writer seems to be trying to convey their longing for Newton.

However, not only Li Cheng, but even Newton himself couldn't stand it. He stopped halfway through reading and flipped through several pages to get to the main topic.

Fortunately, those days are over. Under the leadership of the Third Princess, the city government hired public doctors to serve the public and organized the burial of corpses to prevent the spread of the plague—we have won the battle against the plague, and almost no one in the entire city of London is infected anymore... These are my father's exact words.

Anyway, the pandemic is over, and my advisor told me to tell you all to come to school quickly. He said it'll only take a month; if you don't arrive, classes will start immediately.

The Great Plague of London is over?!

Upon hearing this, Li Cheng shuddered, and Newton, who had been somewhat listless, also perked up again.

Newton lowered his head and carefully repeated the passage several times, then slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed excitedly, "Great! Li Cheng, now that the plague has ended ahead of schedule, I have a chance! I will definitely be the youngest graduate from Cambridge!"

It is indeed a joyous occasion. I was quite worried about the spread of the plague during the day when I heard that the number of rats had increased.

Li Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Congratulations... What's next?"

“Oh, let me see.” Newton lowered her head again, and she read aloud:

Oh, and I have some good news for you. Principal Roberts, who was with Hope, contracted the plague, but he was too old and couldn't pull through... I declare this a victory! That old bastard Hope is now completely isolated!

We look forward to your arrival.

[Your friend: Anne Stoller]

"Yay!"

Forgetting about eating, Newton threw the letter aside, jumped up from his seat, grabbed the nameless maid who had delivered the letter, and shook her, saying, "Where's Freya? Where's Freya? Quickly tell her to pack our luggage, we're going to London!"

The nameless maid was at a loss and said weakly, "Yes, Miss... but um, could you please let me go first?"

Newton released Wuming's hand and let her go, but her excitement was hard to calm. She began to circle around the short and narrow dining table, like a happy little deer.

Why are you so happy? It's giving the person who forwarded this a headache... Li Cheng wondered. He tried to change the subject and quiet the other person down: "I've heard that Cambridge University is the best university in England."

Newton paused for a moment while circling.

"Yes."

Newton gave his school an unequivocal affirmation: "The purpose of Cambridge University is innovation. It tolerates all ideas, and there is only exchange and discussion, not suppression. No matter how unconventional or rigid you are, Cambridge University has a place for you."

But after saying that, she added dejectedly, "Although this has led to many progressive ideas, it has also created some old-fashioned and annoying people."

It seems to be extreme liberalism, accepting everything regardless of good or bad, letting everyone argue amongst themselves, and whoever wins gets to keep it... Li Cheng began to wonder if he could join the argument if he proposed Marxism-Leninism. However, considering that being too advanced might be seen as crazy, he decisively gave up.

After chatting for a while, Freya rushed over upon hearing the news, carrying an orange kitten in her arms, seemingly having forgotten to put it down.

"Miss, I understand the situation."

Freya was about to bow, but then refrained because of the cat she was holding: "May I ask when you plan to leave?"

Newton said firmly, "Immediately!"

Freya nodded: "Then I'll go tell Butler Lurengar later, and we'll hire a car tomorrow, and with the luggage packed, we can leave the day after tomorrow."

Although this housekeeper, whose name was so perfunctory and whose face was blurred out due to trouble, never appeared on screen, she did exist. Moreover, she was a very capable housekeeper hired after Newton's mother's death, specifically to manage the daily operations of the estate.

Li Cheng then spoke up, "Wait a minute, could you stay another day? I'll leave the day after tomorrow. I still have some things to do."

His sudden statement caught the attention of the master and servant who were talking.

Freya maintained the proper etiquette of a maid and remained silent, while Newton frowned, his face full of displeasure: "What's wrong with you?"

Seeing her extremely reluctant look, Li Cheng smiled and said, "It's only a day later, it won't cause any trouble... I still need to make some soap to pack and take away, don't you want to use this to take a bath?"

Newton recalled his first experience with soap in the bath that evening, the novel joy of playing with the bubbles, and the smooth feeling all over his body after washing. The slight annoyance he had just felt about the delayed trip vanished in an instant.

“Okay, it would be best to make more.” Newton then readily agreed, “I also want to send some to Anne; she’s a good friend of mine.”

Li Cheng didn't say anything, he just nodded.

Actually, making soap for personal use doesn't take that long, but Li Cheng also needs to improve the soap-making process and record it. He also needs to find a way to secretly destroy some of Freya's beloved flowers, squeeze out the juice, and use it as a sample of soap.

------

night.

By the dim candlelight, Li Cheng encrypted the soap recipe he had tried many times during the day using simplified Chinese characters.

Knock knock knock—

A knock sounded on the door, and Freya's voice came from outside: "Mr. Li, are you resting now? I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

Li Cheng quickly closed the notebook, hid it under his pillow, and then took out an ordinary astronomy book, pretending to read it.

After doing all this, he said, "Please come in."

"I'm so sorry to have kept Mr. Li from resting." Freya lowered her head and began apologizing as soon as she entered the room. "I failed to properly manage my maids and made a grave mistake. I'm very sorry."

???

What's going on? Why are they suddenly apologizing?

Li Cheng was initially confused, then a possibility occurred to him, and a bad premonition rose in his heart. His voice trembled slightly as he said, "Could a maid have gone to the church and reported to them that I practice witchcraft?"

"Forehead?"

Freya was taken aback, then said firmly, "Absolutely not, I swore I wouldn't reveal this."

Li Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and casually asked, "Oh, what's the matter?"

"During the day today, a maid secretly hid outside Mr. Li's room, eavesdropping...eavesdropping..." Freya blushed slightly and lowered her head abruptly. "In short, please punish me, Mr. Li! It was my fault for not disciplining my maids properly!"

?

What did I overhear? What did I do?

A big question mark appeared above Li Cheng's head, making him look like an NPC completing a quest.

Although he didn't understand the situation, he still pretended to be in complete control: "Ahem, this isn't your fault, don't blame yourself so much."

“It is my responsibility to fail to properly discipline my maids. Please punish me, Mr. Li.” Freya’s tone was very serious, leaving no room for negotiation.

"Really, a punishment?"

"I cannot rest easy unless Mr. Li punishes me."

"Regardless of the punishment?"

"Yes, whatever the punishment."

This statement immediately made Li Cheng misunderstand.

With her meticulous work methods and polite personality, Freya, despite the fading color of her black and white maid outfit, still perfectly fulfilled Li Cheng's fantasies about the profession of 'maid'.

Coupled with the rugged terrain, Li Cheng couldn't help but want to become a real estate investor... Hold on, take a break.

Li Cheng calmed down and turned his attention back to the other side.

In the dim candlelight, Freya, with her head bowed, looked so pitiful, like a little maid who could be bullied at will...

"Please punish me as you see fit, Mr. Li."

Unfortunately, Freya added another sentence.

Li Cheng slowly closed his eyes, his mind once again caught in a struggle between heaven and man. Two voices were desperately shouting in his head, one saying, "What are you waiting for?", and the other saying, "It's right."

A moment later...

When Li Cheng opened his eyes, there was no longer any confusion in them; all that remained was a clear understanding of the world.

My heart and my actions are as clear as a mirror... Having understood everything, Li Cheng pointed to the wall and said to Freya, "Go, take off your apron, squat there, and do two hundred squats."

"Squat?"

"Just put your hands behind your neck, then squat down and stand up." Li Cheng stood up and demonstrated. "How about that? Simple, right? Or are you unwilling to accept this kind of punishment?"

"No, I'll do it right away!"

Although she didn't quite understand, Freya still did it very seriously. As her movements rose and fell, a beautiful melody rang in Li Cheng's ears—the kind of melody that describes the hot weather of summer.

Brilliant! As the saying goes, if a man doesn't have perverted tendencies, how can he have offspring? I'm just following the laws of nature...

"Mr. Li, is that correct?"

"Bring your legs together a little... Yes, yes, that's it, keep it up."

Just as Li Cheng was getting carried away with his success...

thump—

The unlocked door was suddenly pushed open, and a small golden animal appeared in the doorway.

"Li Cheng, I want to hear what you didn't finish telling me yesterday... huh?"

Newton suddenly noticed something strange in the room. Her favorite head maid had not only appeared in Li Cheng's room inexplicably, but was also leaning against the wall, holding the back of her head with her hands, and making strange movements.

Li Cheng: "......."

A bead of cold sweat gradually slid down his forehead.

Newton seemed to gradually understand everything. She opened her throat and roared in a shrill voice, "You! What are you two doing?!"

Chapter Eleven: The Cemetery, the Manor, Epilogue

August 15th, cloudy.

Not far from the manor, in a sparsely populated area, there is a cemetery.

Newton was sitting on a large rock in the cemetery, his expression seemingly deep in thought, or perhaps reminiscing.

Before her stood two tombstones, slightly more elaborate than those around them, one inscribed with Nabas Smith and the other with Hannah Escour.

Step, step, step.

The rhythmic sound of footsteps disturbed the tranquility of the cemetery.

Newton turned her head warily, and when she saw that the person was a tall, red-haired man, she relaxed, then asked with great annoyance, "How did you find me?"