Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C43

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Chapter 43: Come On, Let’s Get to Work

It wasn’t too late yet, but Gu Lu decided to log off at Fat Boss’s shop and head toward school.

“Fat Boss…” Gu Lu was about to ask how the man had managed to regain the weight he’d recently lost.

But then he noticed Fat Boss’s disheveled appearance—his usual unkempt attire—and caught the unspoken message. Gu Lu swallowed his words and changed tack.

“Have you gotten any new games lately? I haven’t been writing much these past few days,” Gu Lu asked instead.

“I just got a newer version of Silent Hill. It’s pretty scary,” Fat Boss replied.

“No problem, I’ll check it out next time I come.” Gu Lu nodded.

“There’s also this disc here. If you want to play, it’s better to come around noon. It’s hard to get a spot in the afternoon,” Fat Boss added before pausing thoughtfully. “You’re really good at writing novels. Don’t give up on that.”

“Of course not,” Gu Lu agreed, nodding again. He guessed Fat Boss’s recent blind date hadn’t gone well, though there was no visible change in his demeanor.

With a brisk walk that occasionally broke into a light jog, Gu Lu arrived at No. 37 Middle School about ten minutes later. Since Chen Na had instructed him to be there by 3:30 PM, he was in a hurry.

It was worth noting—just for transparency—that the security guards at No. 37 Middle School were notoriously lax. They’d even let outsiders slip in before.

Today, Class Five seemed… different.

Sunday evenings were reserved for study sessions. Teachers would enter the classroom at six to begin teaching, and class representatives would lead readings starting at 5:30.

Usually, students trickled in around five o’clock, but as Gu Lu approached the classroom, he heard a cacophony of noise. At least several groups of loafers were inside.

The door was closed, and the peephole was blocked—what exactly were they doing in there? Gu Lu knocked.

“Who is it?” a voice called from inside.

“It’s me, Gu Lu. Chen Na told me to come.”

The peephole opened, and after confirming his identity, the door swung open. Gu Lu felt like a secret agent meeting a contact.

“What are you guys doing?”

As soon as he stepped in, Gu Lu froze. Eighty percent of the class was already there—including underachievers like Wang Wenjun and Bai Xiaohua, who didn’t usually attend evening study sessions.

Zhao Juan and Xie Fangqi were standing on chairs, which were perched precariously atop desks. Below, a few male classmates steadied them, though the setup still wobbled dangerously.

The fluorescent tube lights in No. 37 Middle School classrooms hung from the ceiling by ropes and wires, swaying slightly in the breeze like pendulums.

At this moment, Zhao Juan and others were hanging colorful ribbons from the lights…

Meanwhile, the rest of the students milled about aimlessly, creating chaos.

“Oh, Gu Lu, you’re here,” Chen Na said without further ado. “Today’s Mr. Li’s birthday, so we’re decorating the classroom to celebrate. After all, this is our final year.”

Gu Lu suspected there might be another reason. Two weeks ago, the neighboring homeroom teacher’s birthday had been celebrated with a cake purchased by Class Ten. Clearly, Class Five wanted to outdo them.

“I’m fine with celebrating Mr. Li’s birthday, but do you have a plan? Any idea how you want to decorate the classroom?” Gu Lu asked.

Chen Na and Zhao Juan were the masterminds behind this operation, though Zhao Juan was currently occupied hanging decorations. So Chen Na stepped forward to explain.

“We’re putting up everything we brought—balloons, ribbons, stickers. We pooled resources; everyone either contributed money or effort. Gu Lu, hurry up and help us hang things!”

Translation: No coordination, no plan, everyone doing their own thing.

“This is too slow. First, we need to know what materials we have,” Gu Lu said.

“We don’t have time for that! Stop wasting time!” Ren Jie shouted in his booming voice.

“It’s precisely because we’re short on time that we need to assess the situation,” Gu Lu countered. “Mr. Li is supposed to teach tonight’s study session. Have you considered whether he might arrive early?

“And if he does, who’s going to warn us?

“Also, when will we consider the decoration complete?”

Gu Lu’s three rapid-fire questions doused some cold water on the overly enthusiastic group.

Still, organizing such an event should leave the teacher deeply moved, right? Gu Lu thought.

“So what you’re saying is, we’ve been wasting our time,” Wang Jianhua sneered sarcastically.

“The task is difficult, and time is tight. But if we work together as Class Five, there’s no problem we can’t solve,” Gu Lu said firmly.

“Everyone, look at me. I’ll offer a few suggestions.” Gu Lu clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Zhao Juan, Zhou Lin—you two are detail-oriented,” he began, even assigning Xu Meili, who had recently recovered from an injury, a role. “Quickly inventory all the materials we have.”

Zhao Juan obediently climbed down from her chair, and Zhou Lin and Xu Meili prepared to assist.

“Cheng Hong, go hide near the flower bed and keep watch. If the teacher approaches, alert us immediately. Can you handle that?” Gu Lu calmly devised a strategy.

“Leave it to me,” Cheng Hong replied decisively.

The door swung open, and Cheng Hong bolted out of the classroom. Moving so fast he nearly crashed into the corridor wall, he braced himself with his hands, executing a sharp turn like a race car drifting through a bend!

“Twenty-five seconds to sprint down the hallway, then a left turn—I can do it! No one knows this school better than me!” Fueled by the collective effort of the class, Cheng Hong felt a surge of determination.

It’s worth mentioning that Cheng Hong was the only student who could reach the school gate faster than Gu Lu once the bell rang.

He was professional!

“Ren Jie, Wang Jianhua, Chen Xue—oh, Chen Xue isn’t here,” Gu Lu rattled off twelve names in quick succession.

“You’ll prepare. If we haven’t finished by 5:30, start reading aloud from the textbook. That way, closing the door won’t seem suspicious. Especially Ren Jie and Wang Jianhua—your loud voices will make it sound like the entire class is participating. Do you think you can pull it off?” Gu Lu asked.

“Absolutely!” Ren Jie declared confidently. “When it comes to volume, I fear no one.”

Though Wang Jianhua harbored envy and resentment toward Gu Lu, the thrill of leading his classmates in such an ambitious project filled him with excitement. He imagined himself as part of the legendary cavalry charging across the desert.

Today, even if God himself showed up, I’ll scream my lungs out! Not even Jesus could stop me, Wang Jianhua thought.

“Tang Jingjing, at around five o’clock, stand guard at the door. If anyone from other classes tries to visit, block them all,” Gu Lu instructed. “I remember you’re quite popular, right?”

Tang Jingjing might not have been the most well-liked, but she certainly knew the most people outside her class. She was a gossip queen, after all.

She nodded.

“Wang Wenjun, I remember you’re pretty strong, right?” Gu Lu asked.

Without answering, Wang Wenjun let Bai Xiaohua respond for him. “Yeah, he’s super strong.”

“Perfect. Wang Wenjun, Wang Hongming, use your strength and height to hang decorations and take charge of setup tasks.”

Wang Hongming, the tallest student in the class and a dance major, naturally led alongside Wang Wenjun. Of course, they wouldn’t handle all the heavy lifting alone. The action team included Fan Xiaotian, Zhang Yudong, and other male classmates.

Gu Lu outlined the plan while keeping contingencies in mind. “Class monitor, if Mr. Li arrives early, it’ll be up to you to stall him for as long as possible, buying us precious time.”

How meticulous!

For the first time ever, Chen Na truly understood Zhao Juan’s admiration for Gu Lu. “When Gu Lu steps up, he’s genuinely reliable!”

“We’ve finished counting. There are over thirty ribbons left…” Zhao Juan and Zhou Lin reported after tallying the supplies.

Gu Lu immediately went to the blackboard and listed all the materials. His handwriting might not have been elegant, but it was large and clear enough for everyone to read.

“These are our resources. Now, let’s quickly organize ourselves and figure out how to decorate the classroom.”

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