Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C49

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Chapter 49: The Little Prince

Before Gu Lu could dwell on his thoughts for too long, Fat Boss responded.

"When people are sad, they watch sunsets, sigh!" Fat Boss took another drag of his Long Feng Cheng Xiang cigarette.

"Why are you sad?" Gu Lu decided to listen. Though he might have been a failure in his past life—just not making money—he was still a decent person at heart.

"I did so much for her, even lost weight, and it turned out to be all for nothing," Fat Boss said with the voice of someone who’d been through it all, tinged with a bit of world-weariness. "When you fall for someone, your IQ drops. You say stupid things, do stupid stuff. You’re young. Don’t make the same mistakes."

Bro, it was just a blind date. Why are you acting like you just broke up with your childhood sweetheart? Gu Lu wanted to blurt out.

But before he could, a sharp "beep—" echoed in his mind, interrupting his train of thought.

Three tags appeared in his mental interface: [Highest-Selling Fairy Tale], [Critique of Adult Values], and [Merchandise Monster]. They coalesced into a single title:

“The Little Prince

Details: Billions of copies sold worldwide, one of the most successful fairy tales in history. Included in the Ministry of Education’s Reading List for Primary and Secondary Students (2020 Edition).”

"Boss, I’ll remember your advice," Gu Lu said, condensing all his inner turmoil into those few polite words.

"Huh?" The earnest tone from this middle schooler caught Fat Boss off guard, momentarily snapping him out of his melancholy.

"Cough, cough. You’re young. Focus on your studies. Don’t get tangled up in romance too early," Fat Boss advised, though his own heart felt heavy. He had taken an instant liking to his blind date, only to find himself rejected without explanation. Too ashamed to share his sorrows with anyone else, he ended up spilling them to a random teenager instead.

No wonder, in the years after 2020, some would claim that human emotions were shifting online. People cried over videos they stumbled upon while scrolling, their real lives reduced to mechanical routines, their hearts hollowed out by the relentless grind of earning a paycheck.

Even as far back as in 2012, the signs were there—the bespectacled DVD-and-song peddler under the overpass, and now Fat Boss himself, both unable to find anyone in real life to confide in.

"No problem, studying is definitely more important," Gu Lu replied. At this moment, he was ready to agree with whatever Fat Boss said. After all, the man had indirectly handed him The Little Prince.

"What did you need from me?" Fat Boss, having finished his cigarette, shook off his melancholy and turned to more practical matters.

"My time's up," Gu Lu said. "After obtaining The Little Prince, who cared about Digimon anymore?

"Oh right, I almost forgot about that." Fat Boss glanced at the large clock hanging on the wall, picked up his chair, and headed back into the shop.

On the ride home, Gu Lu stared at The Little Prince with newfound appreciation.

"My first full-length novel…" he mused, but then froze mid-thought.

How had he never noticed before? Most Chinese translations of The Little Prince barely reached fifty thousand words, and the English original was even shorter. By any standard, it was at best a novella.

Ah, so that’s why the book came packed with such elaborate illustrations—it needed them to bulk up its page count!

Gu Lu didn’t immediately contact Young Literature. As he’d told Editor Han Cang, the high school entrance exams were looming. Everything else could wait until after that hurdle was cleared.

That night, Gu Lu dreamed sweet dreams. In his vision, he was a prolific author, lying around collecting royalties without lifting a finger…

---

Early Monday morning, Zhao Juan woke earlier than usual—earlier than she ever had before.

Not to be the first in line at the cafeteria, but to arrive at the classroom ahead of everyone else.

Zhao Juan had carefully selected a classmate album using her pocket money. With graduation approaching, many students had bought these albums to fill out with messages from their peers.

"This is a classmate album. Make sure to fill it out," Zhao Juan said, standing by the door and handing one to each student as they arrived.

The album featured a row of metal rings down the spine, allowing pages to be easily removed or rearranged. Each book contained over eighty pages—more than enough for the forty-two students in the class.

Some classmates filled theirs out carelessly. Bai Xiaohua, for instance, wrote "Pegasus" under zodiac sign and "become a Saint Fighter" under aspirations. His handwriting was messy, but when Zhao Juan collected it, she didn’t say anything, simply slipping it back into the stack.

Though Zhao Juan distributed the albums to everyone, her expectant gaze betrayed her true intentions. It was clear she had gone through all this trouble for just one person.

"Here, fill it out," Zhao Juan said brightly, her eyes gleaming like candlelight in the dark as she blocked Gu Lu’s path. Her stance suggested he wouldn’t enter the classroom unless he accepted it.

[Name:

Birthday:

QQ:

Phone Number:

Zodiac Sign:

Address:

Favorite Color:

Favorite Place (Country/City):

First Impression of Me:

Relationship with Me:

Greatest Aspiration:

...]

Gu Lu accepted the page, flipping it over to see more questions on the back. A lengthy questionnaire indeed.

"Everyone in the class has filled theirs out completely. You should do the same," Zhao Juan urged.

"No problem," Gu Lu nodded, setting his bag aside and pulling out a pen.

He began filling it out item by item. For zodiac sign, he drew a blank. "What’s my birthday again… Wait, why am I so fuzzy on my own birthday?"

"Well, birthdays are kind of a hassle anyway. Adults don’t celebrate them—they grow up early. Nice!" Gu Lu left two fields empty.

His favorite color was sea blue, and the rest went smoothly until he hit [First Impression of Me]. What to write?

"Low EQ or high EQ?" Gu Lu opted for the former. Honesty felt better in a classmate album.

[Crybaby]

For aspirations, he wrote “writer” without hesitation. To become a great literary plagiarist—or rather, creator—one must pay attention to every detail.

After spending some time completing the form, Gu Lu returned it to Zhao Juan, who reviewed it meticulously.

"Why didn’t you fill in your birthday or zodiac sign?" she asked.

"I forgot," Gu Lu replied. "If you really feel compelled, I can check my household registration later and let you know."

"Okay," Zhao Juan said seriously.

Heh, I was just joking, and you’re taking it seriously? Gu Lu thought to himself.

Morning reading had changed format recently. Instead of reciting texts aloud, students now discussed the test papers assigned for homework the previous night.

"Gu Lu, come to the office with me. Everyone else, keep looking over your test papers. Think about why you lost points—was it carelessness or gaps in knowledge? Reflect quietly; no whispering," Mr. Li instructed, calling Gu Lu away.

Gu Lu felt a rush of excitement. Normally, morning reading blended seamlessly into the first class period. Being called out halfway through—could it be? Had the results of the Ye Shengtao Cup finals finally been announced?!

The office was deserted since other teachers were still supervising morning reading. The desk remained cluttered as usual, though the vase had been replaced with gifts from students.

Mr. Li took a deep breath, clearly trying to contain his excitement. Then, slowly enunciating each word, he declared, "Gu Lu, you’ve won the national first prize in the Ye Shengtao Cup National Middle School New Writing Competition Finals. Additionally, you’ve been named one of the Top Ten Young Writers nationwide."

There was another award Mr. Li didn’t mention—that he himself had won the Outstanding Mentor Award for the Ye Shengtao Cup. This accolade was exclusive to only one teacher in Chongqing, and it virtually guaranteed him smooth sailing in future promotions, provided he avoided major mistakes.

Two pieces of good news—his student’s victory and his own recognition—had arrived back-to-back. No wonder Mr. Li was practically vibrating with joy.

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