Star Hunter.

The octopus can tolerate it, but the cat cannot.

Volume One

It seems this child isn't entirely indifferent; he's just like that with strangers. Thinking about it, it makes sense. Anyone would be upset after such an experience. In a slum, children this age understand a lot and are much more sensitive. (Download link: xiàzǎilóu.com)

"Fifth Brother! Fifth Brother!"

The triplets ran over excitedly.

Old Man Chang felt more at ease after bringing his grandson back. In addition, business had been good recently, so he bought an upgraded version of the medicine for Chang Xiaowu, which made him feel a little more at ease.

With a chuckle, Old Man Chang looked at the triplets running towards him, then turned to Chang Xiaowu and asked, "Xiaowu, want to go upstairs and rest?"

Chang Xiaowu shook his head. "It's downstairs."

Xi Lin gleaned a lot from Chang Xiaowu's words. Without needing to conduct a direct examination, he could tell from the child's voice that the child's lungs were not functioning properly. Perhaps that was why the child was so quiet and reserved.

"Alright then." Old Man Chang was already used to this.

The triplets familiarly brought out a recliner, looking at Chang Xiaowu and Old Man Chang as if they were showing off their accomplishment. Chang Xiaowu's face showed a rare smile.

Old Man Chang carefully placed Chang Xiaowu on the recliner, took out two pills and a bottle of medicine, and said, "Take the medicine first before you cause trouble with them."

Children generally dislike taking medicine; it's in their nature. However, for Chang Xiaowu, who takes more medicine than compressed capsules, it's a daily routine. He swallowed the medicine expressionlessly and was drinking warm water to ease the pain when he suddenly noticed a gaze fixed on him. It wasn't from the stranger.

Chang Xiaowu looked up and saw a gray cat crouching next to the parts shelf, its round eyes staring at him. The look in its eyes wasn't that of an ordinary cat that knew nothing; it was more like a person's expression, but without disdain or pity, only curiosity. It even sniffed around, seemingly picking up something, and its tail flicked idly.

The triplets followed Chang Xiaowu's gaze and became excited, vying to introduce themselves.

"Fifth Brother, let me tell you, this is..."

"Its name is Huru, and it's very smart..."

"It can even talk!"

"Don't you dare steal my words!"

"You're the one who steals!"

Xilin: "..." He was completely ignored. As expected, for a child, the charm of a cat is boundless.

Old Man Chang just watched and laughed. He didn't ask for anything, he just hoped that the children could be happy.

Chang Xiaowu was already used to seeing the triplets like this, and gestured for them to stop. Then he looked at the gray cat: "Your name is Huru?"

The gray cat just flicked its tail and didn't make a sound.

Chang Xiaowu asked again, "You can talk?"

  

Under the watchful eyes of four pairs of eyes, the gray cat lazily stretched and yawned, then curled its paws and squatted down again to look at the four little children.

The four people: "..."

Chang Xiaowu looked at the triplets. He wasn't suspicious that the triplets were lying, but rather annoyed that the cat was playing a trick on them.

The triplets were also angry, but before the three little ones could complain, the gray cat jumped down and ran to the four of them. Then, with a light leap, it landed on the recliner where Chang Xiaowu was sitting, and found a suitable sleeping spot on Chang Xiaowu's lap. Because there was a blanket on Chang Xiaowu's lap, it was a comfortable place to sleep.

Chang Xiaowu watched the gray cat find a comfortable spot on his lap and then lie down without a care in the world. He didn't know what to say. This was his first time being so close to an animal. He didn't know why other animals avoided him, which always reminded him of the people who talked about him behind his back. So Chang Xiaowu wasn't particularly enthusiastic about animals, but this cat was an exception.

Xilin's lips twitched, but he didn't say anything. This cat was trying to tease the child. So he ignored the guys and turned to tell Old Man Chang about Haas's order. The flying car was already parked next to him, waiting for maintenance.

"Oh, Haas, that guy has high standards for his flying car, he's always in a rush, and he replaces parts frequently..."

Old Man Chang had a general understanding of Has's situation, so he contacted Has and then he and Xilin quickly got to work on repairing it.

Chang Xiaowu froze for a moment when the gray cat jumped up, somewhat at a loss. After all, this was too surprising to him. He was already surprised that the cat didn't run away, but now it was sleeping on his lap.

The triplets didn't mind the gray cat's lack of cooperation and chuckled, "It seems that Huru also likes Fifth Brother very much."

Chang Xiaoqi stretched out her chubby little hand and gently poked the gray cat's soft belly. Xiao Ba played with the paw pads on the gray cat's front paws, and Xiao Liu scratched the gray cat's chin. The gray cat squinted its eyes and let them play with it. It turned its head to indicate that Xiao Liu could scratch it in another place.

Chang Xiaowu frowned and stared at the gray cat for a long time before finally mustering the courage to touch its ears. They felt nice and soft.

The gray cat ignored Chang Xiaowu's actions, but habitually flicked its ear when Chang Xiaowu touched it.

Chang Xiaowu's finger, which hadn't been retracted yet, was flicked by the cat's ear. But it didn't hurt at all; in fact, it made Chang Xiaowu find it amusing. He mustered his courage and touched the long fur standing up on the cat's ear again, causing the ear to flick a little more.

It has to be said that Chang Xiaowu is addicted to playing.

Old Man Chang and Xilin gave Has's flying car a quick look, then Old Man Chang glanced at his grandchildren and smiled, saying, "Hulu is quite popular with the kids."

"Yeah, that guy's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve."

Old Man Chang turned his gaze back to the circuit diagram and the assembly of parts on the flying car, and said, "Haas has been constantly modified. It has even been taken to the city for modifications a few times. Its structure is becoming more and more complicated."

Xilin nodded in agreement. There were obvious signs of modification in many places, but several parts were superfluous and not the best modifications. However, Xilin couldn't say for sure, since the owner liked it.

Old Man Chang took out the new parts left by Haas and looked at them. "They seem to be some of the parts that were very popular in the city a while ago, but I don't have much experience with these things, so I can only give them a try."

Xilin had never seen these parts before, but by looking at them and the assembly on the vehicle, he could deduce their specific functions.

"Give it a try," Xilin said.

"Yes, I believe the two of us together can handle this." Old Man Chang felt that Xilin actually knew a lot. His assessment of Xilin was accurate: a good young man who was neither arrogant nor impatient and had real talent and learning.

Both of them were working with new parts for the first time, but they quickly figured out the function of these parts and studied the line drawings and assembly.

"Xilin, take a look and see if there's anything that needs to be changed." Old Man Chang handed the completed assembly diagram to Xilin.

Looking at the assembly diagram drawn by Old Man Chang, Xilin didn't directly point out where the problem was or where it was wrong. Instead, he asked Old Man Chang about the reasons for drawing it this way in several places on the diagram.

There is a certain coordination between the parts, and you may not be able to see anything just by looking at a part. However, when Old Man Chang inspected the two flying cars as a whole, Xilin had already "dissected" the flying car in his mind. He knew better what aspects needed to be paid attention to after the new parts were replaced. After seeing the assembly diagram drawn by Old Man Chang, he also understood which places had more serious problems.

After all, it was experience. Although Xilin didn't point it out directly, Old Man Chang understood that Xilin had genuinely seen the problem. Instead of being displeased, Old Man Chang was actually very happy. At his age, and given his family's circumstances, Old Man Chang couldn't afford to learn many new technologies. Xilin's visit had benefited him greatly. Having been a repairman for decades, he knew the value of learning new skills. Understanding this, Old Man Chang's spirits lifted when he heard Xilin's words.

After explaining his idea for this painting, Old Man Chang looked at Xilin and said, "Xilin, don't hold back, just say it. I'd like to learn something too; it's been a long time since I've learned anything new."

Seeing that Old Man Chang genuinely believed this, Xilin stopped beating around the bush and explained everything from the macro to the micro, from the whole to the parts. He also mentioned some minor issues that didn't need fixing, so that Old Man Chang would have more ideas when drawing assembly diagrams next time.

After some revisions, the two finally settled on the final assembly diagram. It wasn't the theoretically optimal assembly, but it was the most suitable assembly for the car owner.

Once the assembly diagram was finalized, they got to work quickly. Working together, the two of them quickly replaced the new parts one by one. Just like before, Xilin looked at the vehicle's operating system.

It's also a dual-operation system, but clearly this owner frequently cleans up system junk, unlike the previous owner who had too many cumbersome processes. However, a few settings were incompatible, at least slightly conflicting with the newly installed parts. So, Xilin made some modifications. The main settings and operations are still those the owner is used to, so unless the program is thoroughly checked, the owner won't notice the changes to the operating system; they'll just find it much more convenient. Once it's convenient, the car will run much faster.

After the repairs were completed and the performance was tested, Old Chang wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled happily, saying he had learned a lot today.

After resting for a while, Old Man Chang contacted Has. Has was still surprised. You see, this was a new part for this area. It would definitely take a lot of time to figure it out. He sent it to Old Man Chang to save money. It was too expensive to replace parts in the city. He didn't have that kind of money.

Could this be some kind of sham? Even though he knew Old Man Chang's character well, Has couldn't help but have those kinds of thoughts. Upon receiving Old Man Chang's notification, he abandoned his business and rushed over here in a hurry.

While Old Man Chang was waiting for Has, a few more people walked into the shop.

Xilin recognized the man in the lead; he was the car owner who had had his car repaired here before and Xilin had cleaned up his operating system.

"Hey Lao Chang, I've brought you some business!"

"Oh, it's Band. How's your car doing?" That's what he asked, but Old Man Chang was confident that Band must be working well, otherwise he wouldn't have recommended it to a customer.

When customers arrived, the triplets stopped following Grey Cat and Chang Xiaowu and ran over to move chairs and pour water, which made Bande say they were "sensible".

Old Man Chang was naturally very happy to have his child praised.

"Your business is doing well here. You're always busy when I come. Is that a Haas? That guy needs to replace the parts again?! I'm so jealous!" Band said, looking around. But after glancing at Chang Xiaowu sitting on a recliner not far away, Band looked away and started talking to Old Man Chang about the purpose of his visit.

Chang Xiaowu lowered his eyes, his gaze filled with gloom. However, after seeing the disdain in Gray Cat's eyes for Band and the others, he felt much better. He scratched Gray Cat's chin like the triplets and gestured with his eyes to ask Gray Cat what he meant by looking down on them.

The gray cat jumped onto Chang Xiaowu's shoulder and whispered in his ear, "That guy is all bragging and stingy!"

A smile crept into Chang Xiaowu's eyes. Firstly, because the gray cat had finally spoken, and secondly, because this cat was truly a clever little devil.

As they explained their purpose for visiting, Band had been getting his car repaired by Old Man Chang for a while now, and was quite satisfied with the last repair. A relative of his, living on the outskirts of the city, also had his car broken down, but couldn't afford the repairs. Hearing from Has that Old Man Chang's shop in this area was good and reasonably priced, he came with a somewhat dismissive attitude, but decided to give it a try. After all, his car was only three years old and looked pretty good; he also didn't want to sell it.

"Try it carefully. If it doesn't work, just give up. Don't make it worse by trying to fix it..."

Listening to the car owner's rambling, the gray cat leaned close to Chang Xiaowu's ear and whispered, "Look. Another stingy guy with a crooked eye. Doesn't he even know what kind of car he has? What's the point of treasuring a car like that that's practically calcium deficient when it runs!"

Chang Xiaowu's face twitched as he listened. Calcium deficiency? It seemed his old, beat-up car was even more deficient. But hearing Gray Cat say that about that person, Chang Xiaowu couldn't hide his amusement.

To others, it was just that poor kid Chang Xiaowu was having fun playing with his pet; no one would suspect that these two were talking badly about them.

Xilin glanced at the cat whispering in Chang Xiaowu's ear and knew exactly what it was saying. But honestly, this car owner was really a pain in the neck.

Although the car owner's character wasn't great, he was there to deliver money, so Xilin wouldn't hold it against him. With a sincere smile, he listened to the car owner's rambling along with Old Man Chang, though no one could tell what they were really thinking beneath their smiles. One was an old hand, and the other was also an old hand.

Finally, the car owner left, turning back every few steps and giving repeated instructions. Xilin finally breathed a sigh of relief, exchanged a smile with Old Man Chang, and without saying much, began to study the flying car.

Repairing this car wasn't difficult. Its construction was similar to other dilapidated cars belonging to local residents that came in for repairs, only its exterior was a bit shinier and the operating procedures were more advanced. Old Man Chang and Xilin quickly got to work.

At dinner, Gray Cat ate at the table as usual, and no one objected. The four children, in particular, took extra care of Gray Cat, often picking out the best parts of their plates for it, even Chang Xiao Wu did. Old Man Chang was pleased; it was rare for Xiao Wu to be in a good mood, and today he seemed especially cheerful.

The body's recovery is closely related to mood. Chang Xiaowu already had poor health and congenital health issues, and coupled with her gloomy mood, it's understandable that her health deteriorated further. When she's in a good mood, her physical condition will improve significantly.

In the evening, Gray Cat planned to let the little ones play in the room first. Chang Xiaowu had a separate small room, but he didn't sleep very well. Old Man Chang was afraid that the triplets, who liked to move around a lot in their sleep, would disturb Chang Xiaowu at night, so he partitioned off a small room in the house.

The triplets went to take a shower, and when the gray cat came over, Chang Xiaowu was already lying in bed reading a book.

Upon seeing the gray cat approach, Chang Xiaowu put down his book, patted the bed, and, not caring that the gray cat would get the bed dirty, gestured for the gray cat to come to the side.

The gray cat wasn't polite either, but unlike ordinary cats, it didn't leave any paw prints on the bed. The gray cat is actually quite clean.

"What book are you reading?"

The gray cat looked curiously at Chang Xiaowu, put down the book next to him, and used its paw to open the book. It was full of flashing circuit diagrams and various model diagrams, interspersed with some programs.

If others saw that someone as young as Chang Xiaowu was reading such profound books, they would definitely be amazed and call him a genius. You know, to understand such books, one must receive a relatively high level of education, but Chang Xiaowu is basically self-taught. What else could he be but a genius?

But the gray cat didn't think about it that way at all. With its head down, it casually flipped through the pages of the book with its paws. Chang Xiaowu just thought the cat was playing.

As I watched, the gray cat's whiskers twitched, twitched again, and twitched again... Meow!

The gray cat flicked its paw, sending the book flying off the bed, and said disdainfully, "Complete rubbish! 'Optimal program,' my ass! It's utter nonsense! In Xilin's words, it's misleading people, worse than an animal!"

Chang Xiaowu stared blankly at the cat that had overturned his book and was now spewing profanities with righteous indignation, momentarily speechless. If it were truly misleading people, that would be one thing, but how could it be described as worse than an animal? Cat, you must have misused a word in your excitement! He couldn't understand why this book had made this man so angry. This was a book that Old Man Chang had always highly recommended; his grandfather had grown up reading it.

"Is there something wrong with this book?" Chang Xiaowu asked.

The gray cat glared angrily at Chang Xiaowu, pointing its paw at the books that had been overturned on the ground: "It didn't get many right!"

Chang Xiaowu fell silent. The book was indeed decades old; current programming books have certainly improved a lot. However, Old Man Chang had never been particularly skilled in programming, focusing more on repair, so most of his programming textbooks were decades-old versions. Chang Xiaowu had always relied on these old books, to the point where he could practically recite them. As for practical application, unfortunately, he had never had the opportunity.

Chang Xiaowu had actually thought about upgrading the operating program of the old machine at home, but ever since he fainted and stayed in the hospital for ten days when he first upgraded the program of that small cleaning robot, he had never touched it again. He only read books and did not actually operate it.

Not to mention that the gray cat's way of thinking is different from that of humans, Chang Xiaowu's way of thinking isn't much more normal either, so he didn't immediately think about why this cat could understand these things.

After thinking for a moment, Chang Xiaowu said, "This book is from decades ago, and it does seem a bit outdated now."

"Regardless of whether it was from that time or not, this is just a scam!"

The gray cat's whiskers trembled with anger. Who published this book? How dare they fool children! This is intolerable!

The works written by Chen Cilan Diao are reprinted and collected from the internet.