Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C35

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To be honest, the original owner of this body had always liked the school uniform. Not because it was particularly stylish, but because without it, there wasn’t much else to wear. His wardrobe was embarrassingly sparse. At least with the uniform, he could blend in and smooth over any visible differences between himself and his classmates.

“I meant, should I memorize answers or anything?” Gu Lu said, glancing at the fresh roses in the vase on Mr. Li’s desk. The flowers were new, but the clutter on the desk remained unchanged.

“No script needed, but—” Mr. Li handed him a newspaper. “You can take a look at past interviews.”

Gu Lu flipped through the pages until he found the section labeled Rising Stars of Middle School. The previous issue featured a student who went from dead last in their class as seventh graders to cracking the top twenty in their grade by ninth.

The questions were all about sharing study techniques. Gu Lu felt a bit more at ease. Of course; this was an official youth publication affiliated with the Communist Youth League—it wouldn’t dare ask anything too controversial.

“Still, why does this paper feel different from what I read back in elementary school?” Gu Lu muttered, flipping to the last page. There weren’t even any fun little games or puzzles. Instantly, he decided that Young Pioneer Newspaper had lost its soul.

“This newspaper actually has several versions,” Mr. Li explained. “There’s The Vanguard, New Read & Write: Grades 1-2, Grades 3-4, Grades 5-6, and For Middle School Students, each tailored to different age groups.”

Ah, so the one Gu Lu held in his hands was The Vanguard, the best-selling edition among the eight colorful publications under Young Pioneer Newspaper.

“If you don’t understand White Deer Plain right now, don’t worry,” Mr. Li added just as Gu Lu was about to leave. “As long as you finish reading it, someday when you grow up, you’ll get it.”

Having a good teacher during your schooling years really can change your life. Gu Lu nodded silently and stepped out of the office.

Back at his seat, Gu Lu glanced down at the newspaper and chuckled. Next issue, he would be in there too.

“What are you grinning about?” Zhou Lin asked.

Gu Lu told his deskmate about the upcoming interview. After all, if you’ve got bragging rights and don’t use them, isn’t that like wearing fancy clothes under the cover of night?

In the next second, Zhou Lin’s voice boomed louder than the entire classroom’s chatter: “What?! You mean you’re getting interviewed by Young Pioneer Newspaper?!”

The whole room fell silent.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, chaos erupted—

“An interview?!”

“Gu Lu, have you ascended to another level or something?”

“Where’s the interview happening? Can we watch?”

“If writing essays gets you this kind of treatment, I totally would’ve submitted mine earlier!”

Amidst the storm of excitement, Gu Lu struggled to keep his composure. Man, he thought smugly, let me put my hands on my hips for a moment.

With feigned nonchalance, he said, “It starts this afternoon. It’s not a big deal—no need to freak out.”

“For those of you who think you write well, don’t waste your talent,” Gu Lu added, standing up. He then gave tips on submitting entries for competitions like the Bingxin Cup and Ye Shengtao Cup, along with some pointers.

This incident highlighted how little most people knew about opportunities that could boost their academic careers.

In reality, there were specialized contests for math, chemistry, science, art, calligraphy—even geography had its own competition, the “Little Geographer National Geography Quiz.” Winning such events could earn you special admission offers.

It wasn’t that teachers didn’t tell students about these things—it was that many teachers themselves weren’t aware.

“Used to think Gu Lu looked shifty-eyed,” Ren Jie remarked, “but now, looking closer, there’s a scholarly air about him.”

“What’s so impressive?” Wang Jianhua scoffed. “I’ve been interviewed on TV before—on Chongqing 630, no less.”

He wasn’t lying. Once, when a nearby building caught fire, he’d been briefly interviewed as part of the crowd.

“You lose, Mantou,” Wang Wenjun’s deskmate teased.

“Yeah, yeah,” Bai Xiaohua chimed in out of nowhere.

“…” Wang Wenjun couldn’t believe how ridiculous everyone was being.

Finally, the bell rang, and the classroom settled into relative quiet.

During class, Gu Lu focused on his textbook. These days, he no longer helped others copy homework.

It was the last period of the morning.

“You haven’t forgotten our deal, right?” Fan Xiaotian approached Gu Lu.

“…” Gu Lu paused for a moment before replying, “How could I forget? Impossible.”

Fan Xiaotian didn’t notice the odd expression flickering across his friend’s face—he was too nervous.

“Just… don’t say anything weird later, okay?” Fan Xiaotian pleaded.

Following behind Fan Xiaotian, Gu Lu suddenly remembered what this was about. A week ago, Fan had made plans: “Next Tuesday at noon, come with me somewhere.”

Wait a minute… Could this nervousness and anticipation mean… oh crap, is this kid planning to confess?!

Realization hit Gu Lu like a ton of bricks. He eyed his friend suspiciously as they walked. After about seven or eight minutes, they veered off toward the small grove beside the school. Where there once was no path, frequent footsteps had forged one.

At the heart of the grove, they could see the school wall on one side and the dormitory building of No. 37 Middle School on the other.

Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, scattering dappled patterns across the ground and their bodies.

“Which floor does the girl you’re confessing to live on?” Gu Lu asked casually.

“Confess?!” Fan Xiaotian nearly shouted. “Who said anything about confessing?!”

“Then why are we here?” Gu Lu frowned.

“Uh… uh…” Fan cleared his throat awkwardly. “Just saying hi.”

“?” Gu Lu stared blankly, utterly confused by this cryptic behavior.

Suddenly, Fan Xiaotian started waving enthusiastically. Gu Lu followed his gaze to the third-floor balcony, where a girl with a ponytail was hanging laundry.

When she spotted Fan Xiaotian, she quickly turned back inside and called her roommate out.

That roommate—Gu Lu recognized her. She was the same girl Fan had bumped into after the flag-raising ceremony last week, the one he’d turned around to glance at afterward.

One stood on the balcony, the other in the grove. They exchanged waves, then…

“Let’s go,” Fan Xiaotian said, slinging an arm around Gu Lu’s shoulders.

Wait, seriously? Just saying hi? As they exited the grove, Gu Lu still felt bewildered.

“What class is she in?” Gu Lu pressed.

“Class One, Lu Lanyi,” Fan Xiaotian whispered.

“So why’d you drag me all the way out here? You’ll see her in class in an hour anyway!” Gu Lu complained. This whole trip felt unnecessarily complicated, like taking off your pants just to fart.

Fan Xiaotian shrugged. “A minute during lunch break is worth more than an hour at any other time.”

Glancing back at the lush greenery shielding the school wall, Gu Lu reflected on a question he’d seen online before crossing over: Why do Japanese girls in sailor uniforms look purer and prettier than Chinese girls wearing similar outfits?

Well, duh. In Japan, those girls are actual students. Gu Lu realized that transitioning from school to society changed your perspective forever. Back in school, you did plenty of things that seemed dumb at the time but made you smile fondly in hindsight.

“The only ones who never fit in are those who look like kids on the outside but possess wisdom far beyond their years…” Gu Lu joked silently to himself. He reminded himself not to judge the students’ antics through adult eyes—that would reek of paternalism.

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