Chapter 4

Feng Xiaotian had no idea what this meant; he simply enjoyed the pleasure of learning, which for him was merely a form of inner release, a way to alleviate loneliness and boredom.

However, soon Feng Xiaotian found himself with nothing left to learn. Since he had figured out the most obscure and difficult knowledge, what else was there for him to learn? Reading other books was basically no challenge at all, which made Feng Xiaotian quite depressed. Sometimes, knowing everything was a kind of pain.

This kind of life continued for more than a month until he found a book titled "Computer Programming Languages and Programming" in the garbage pile. Feng Xiaotian once again found the joy of learning. Computers were a completely new world to him, which sparked his strong desire for knowledge. He wanted to explore this new world and learn more about things he didn't know, so he began to study diligently again.

This time, Feng Xiaotian's learning was not easy, because computer knowledge required practical operation to be mastered well. How could Feng Xiaotian understand the intricacies with just one book? Especially his thoughts on artificial intelligence, which became even more impossible.

Perhaps it was fate, or perhaps it was a complete coincidence, but about ten days ago, Feng Xiaotian actually got a computer. This, of course, gave him hope. His mind became active again, and he began to think about many computer-related issues, the most critical of which was artificial intelligence—a topic that even foreign computer experts found somewhat unbelievable.

Artificial intelligence wasn't something no one had thought about. Many people abroad had studied this topic, and some countries had even hired computer experts to set up secret departments to develop this project. However, it was very difficult to make a machine think like a human. Since ancient times, the hardest thing to guess has been the human heart. Even today, no one dares to say they can see through another person's inner world, let alone a computer.

Computers work based on instructions. They are like a soccer ball; people kick it, and it moves. Without human instructions, it is completely useless. How could it be given the ability to think?

Feng Xiaotian thought about these issues and soon arrived at the garbage pile next to the market. He bent down and searched for edible rotten vegetables, completely unaware that a girl was staring at him intently from under a nearby tree.

The girl was wearing a red cotton jacket and a very cute cat ear hat. The fluffy cat ears tightly hugged her cheeks, making her look very playful and adorable.

Feng Xiaotian's movements were quite skilled and efficient. In a few minutes, he had collected half a basket of rotten vegetables—actually, these vegetables couldn't really be called rotten. Many were still fresh, just unattractive, which is why the vendors threw them away. Sometimes, people judge things based on their first impression, even though they know the item isn't as bad as it looks, they still choose to give up. This is probably a human flaw.

Feng Xiaotian straightened up and took a deep breath. The smell of the garbage pile was very unpleasant. If Feng Xiaotian hadn't been used to it, that deep breath might have made him vomit. Even so, Feng Xiaotian didn't want to stay there a moment longer. He walked down the garbage pile with his basket and headed straight home.

Feng Xiaotian's pace was a bit quick because he wanted to hurry and study the computer. The girl standing under the tree blinked her big eyes when she saw Feng Xiaotian leave. Her eyes were full of curiosity, indicating that she couldn't understand what Feng Xiaotian was doing.

Feng Xiaotian glanced at her but only for a moment. Then he walked away without looking back. In his view, the girl was probably waiting for someone... or her boyfriend? As the saying goes, "When the moon rises above the willow, people meet after dusk," but in this weather... wouldn't she feel cold standing there?

This was what Feng Xiaotian was thinking. He wasn't old enough to understand the taste of love, and he even thought it was a waste of time. Instead of being affectionate, it would be better to stay at home and read or study.

Feng Xiaotian returned home, closed the door, and went to the kitchen to start cooking.

First, he washed and cut the vegetables he had picked up, then he lit the fire. His family used a traditional stove made of bricks, with a space for the pot on top and a space for firewood below. When the fire heated the bottom of the pot, Feng Xiaotian took the oil bottle and carefully poured a spoonful of oil into the pot.

At this moment, Feng Xiaotian's expression was a bit strange. He stared intently at the oil spoon, watching the oil drip into the pot. He muttered to himself, "Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen—oh no! I added an extra 1.5 grams of oil! Now the budget for this month will be exceeded! But... it's okay, I'll save this 1.5 grams of oil next time I cook."

If he said this, people would probably laugh at him. But this was how Feng Xiaotian lived. He had no choice; his income mainly came from selling scrap. Without careful planning, it wouldn't work. Over the years, Feng Xiaotian had developed the habit of strictly controlling his expenses. Whenever it came to money, he would be meticulous, even specifying the exact amount of oil to use, down to the gram.

Feng Xiaotian was a bit special. He could clearly feel the weight of the items in his hand, such as the oil for cooking. There was a reason for this. When Feng Xiaotian was in junior high school, he studied chemistry, a subject that required hands-on experiments. He always weighed things with the utmost precision. Later, he realized that most of the time in experiments was spent on weighing, so he started to estimate the weight of items in his hand to save time. Over time, he developed the ability to accurately gauge the weight of items without weighing them.

Generally, the error would not exceed one percent of the object's weight. How heavy is a drop of oil? For Feng Xiaotian, the answer was 1.5 grams.

Only Feng Xiaotian would do this. Normal people wouldn't have the time to learn such a skill. Because he learned so quickly, he had more time than others, and with his persistent practice, he could achieve what seemed impossible.

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