Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C72

Please support the translation by reading the translation and commenting on otakutl official site.

Thank you.

Everyone from Otaku Translation

Chapter 72: An Inadequate Reporter

"Ms. Zheng, you didn’t know?" Wang stared at her in disbelief, his expression a mix of astonishment and exasperation.

"...Ahem." Under the reporter's piercing gaze, Gu Lu’s mother felt a sharp pang of guilt. She quickly scrambled for an excuse. "It’s been two or three years since I divorced Gu Lu’s father and started a new family. So, I haven’t really kept track of him lately. I’m not sure about the details."

"I see," Wang said, feigning enlightenment while privately suspecting she might be downplaying her involvement—or lack thereof.

Undeterred, Wang showered her with praise. "Gu Lu is an exceptionally talented child. He’s the first student from Chongqing to win the Sichuan-Chongqing regional first prize in the Ye Shengtao Cup and the first to win the national first prize.”

"Particularly noteworthy is that he broke the record for the highest essay score in the preliminary round of the competition."

Zheng Yanfei may not have fully grasped the prestige of the Ye Shengtao Cup, but the key phrases—"the first in the city," "record-breaking," and "national first prize"—hit home hard.

Her mind struggled to reconcile this glowing description with her own dim memories of Gu Lu. Weren’t his grades terrible? Hadn’t that drunkard already arranged for him to attend vocational school?

The image of Gu Lu in her memory bore no resemblance to the accomplished figure painted by the reporter.

After a long pause, she managed to blurt out a single question. "If his writing is so good, does that mean he can get into high school?"

"Not only can he get in—schools like No. 3 High School and No. 8 High School have extended offers to admit him without tuition fees, along with scholarships," Wang explained. "Gu Lu chose No. 8 High School. By my calculations, he’ll start military training next week."

No. 8 High School—a school even more prestigious than Bashu High School! This revelation shook Zheng Yanfei to her core.

In her world, students like Xiao Yang, who barely missed the cutoff for Bashu High School, were considered exceptional. Yet here was Gu Lu, receiving a full scholarship and guaranteed admission.

The gap between them was incomparable.

"May I ask when you last saw Gu Lu?" Wang ventured cautiously.

"—I don’t remember," Zheng Yanfei replied vaguely. The truth—that it had been roughly a year and a half—was too embarrassing to admit.

"Well, I met Gu Lu personally about two or three months ago," Wang continued. "I noticed immediately that he has excellent reading habits. As parents, did you encourage him to read from a young age?"

Zheng Yanfei’s throat felt dry as she sipped her tea. Though the tuocha wasn’t bitter, each sip tasted acrid on her tongue now.

Finally, she forced out a stilted response. "He used to like reading when he was little."

"And what about your approach to parenting? Do you have any insights to share? For instance, did you often talk to him or reward him for good grades?" Wang pressed.

With every word, Zheng Yanfei grew more agitated. None of these supposed parental memories existed for her. Talking heart-to-heart? She could barely recall what Gu Lu looked like anymore.

Yet Wang’s questions seemed to serve as reminders...

But she dared not lash out at the reporter and instead stumbled through awkward responses.

The interview lasted half an hour. When it ended, Wang rose and shook her hand. "Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with me, Ms. Zheng."

"You’re welcome, you’re welcome," Zheng Yanfei hurriedly stood up.

Wang handed her a business card. "If you manage to contact Gu Lu’s father, could you please ask him to reach out to me? Thank you for your help."

She accepted the card, her mind still reeling. Numbly, she nodded.

It wasn’t entirely fruitless, but the interview yielded no meaningful insights. As Wang left the hotel, he couldn’t shake his unease.

"It’s hard to believe such a talkative and accomplished child comes from a family like this."

Wang sighed heavily—for Gu Lu, and for himself. Today’s interview had been far from professional; his questions should have been more tactful.

But faced with such neglectful parenting, it was difficult to remain composed.

Meanwhile, Zheng Yanfei sat motionless in the conference room for nearly fifteen minutes until the walkie-talkie clipped to her waist crackled to life.

"Copy, copy. I’ll go check right away," she responded mechanically.

Her colleagues congratulated her later, assuming any proud parent would beam with joy over having such a talented child.

But Zheng Yanfei could only muster a strained smile. Gu Lu’s success had happened entirely after the divorce...

Finally, after work, she mustered the courage to call Gu Lu’s father. Though he rarely answered calls, he always picked up when she called.

As soon as he answered, she unleashed a torrent of anger. "Gu Bin, how dare you not tell me that Gu Lu got accepted into No. 8 High School with a full scholarship?!"

From past memories, Zheng Yanfei frequently berated Gu Bin, so he was accustomed to it.

Meanwhile, Gu Lu, free from the constraints of their household, enjoyed his freedom...

---

"Little Gu, are you deliberately trying to sabotage The World of Detective Fiction?" Cat-San-Ning suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" Gu Lu looked genuinely puzzled.

"Youth Literature: The World of Detective Fiction. While it’s a sister publication to Chronicles of Mystery and they’re close allies, there’s still some competition between them," Cat-San-Ning explained.

Bian Long, ever impatient, cut in. "Let me explain quicker. Chief Editor Gao founded AC Forum, making Chronicles of Mystery essentially the hub for Agatha Christie fans. Many works mimic her style, especially And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express."

"On the other hand, The World of Detective Fiction leans younger and focuses more on Sherlock Holmes-style mysteries, emphasizing character-driven plots. You could say it’s the Holmes fanbase headquarters. Just this month, they held a Sherlock Holmes writing contest—it’s similar to doujinshi culture in Japan," Bian Long elaborated.

"Brother Han mentioned that your upcoming book, Mr. Holmes, is hailed as one of the best Holmes sequels. That makes things interesting," Cat-San-Ning added.

What a coincidence! Gu Lu had originally searched online for “best-selling mystery magazines” and found Chronicles of Mystery. Had he known about The World of Detective Fiction’s contests and cash prizes earlier, he might have shifted his focus.

Being young had its perks. Gu Lu initially planned to explore Harbin alone, but Bian Long and Cat-San-Ning tagged along.

The trio visited the Ice and Snow World theme park. By the end of their tour, Cat-San-Ning’s face was contorted with exhaustion—he clearly wasn’t used to physical activity.

On the way back to the hotel, they passed by a Xinhua Bookstore.

"Come on, let’s check it out!" Cat-San-Ning eagerly led the way inside.

Gu Lu and Bian Long exchanged glances, baffled by his sudden burst of energy.

Inside, rows of shelves were surrounded by groups of middle and high school students sitting cross-legged, engrossed in books. Gu Lu remembered spending entire afternoons reading Unsolved Mysteries of the World as a child.

Cat-San-Ning disappeared among the aisles but reappeared moments later clutching a book titled The Missing Element. On its cover was emblazoned: [Masterpiece of Reasoning—China’s Little Queen Cat-San-Ning].

https://www.novelupdates.com/series/literary-genius-this-kid-was-born-smart/

If you like this project, please vote for this novel through the above link, thank you.

Join our discord you will receive update notification

If you would like to support this translation, you may choose any one of the options below.

All the tiers provide an off-line reading experience

Tier 1: 10 Advance chapters

Access fee $3.00 Monthly