Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C83

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Chapter 83: A Quick Search Will Tell You Everything

"Eat more, you're still growing," the cafeteria auntie said as she dished out an unusually generous portion of meat onto Gu Lu's plate. Her hand didn’t shake once—quite the opposite, in fact.

The dish was braised pork with soybeans, but oddly, there was more pork than soybeans. Having meals provided by the school sure had its perks. Gu Lu loaded up his tray with two meat dishes and swiped his faculty card—the one issued to him by the school.

"Thank you," Gu Lu said politely, gripping his stainless steel six-section tray. He scanned the room for an empty seat.

His usual companions, Tadpole and Pen-Spinning King, seemed to have vanished somewhere. But since he’d arrived early enough, Gu Lu managed to snag a spot at one of the tables.

"Gu Lu, may we sit here?" a female voice asked from above.

Looking up, Gu Lu saw Qi Caiwei and Wei Jiao standing before him, trays in hand, their youthful energy radiating like fresh spring flowers against the backdrop of the bustling cafeteria. There were plenty of other seats around, but after giving it a quick glance, Gu Lu nodded. "Sure, go ahead."

Qi Caiwei and Wei Jiao took their places. Something caught Gu Lu’s attention almost immediately: Qi Caiwei’s tray held barely any food compared to everyone else’s.

The three began eating silently, no words exchanged between them. The air grew heavy with awkwardness. Qi Caiwei might have been outgoing and lively on most days, but even she wasn’t immune to moments like this where small talk felt forced.

After a few minutes, Qi Caiwei nudged Wei Jiao under the table with her foot—a subtle signal that it was time to break the ice about the literary club. Wei Jiao shot her a reassuring look before diving right in. "Hey, why is your card different from ours?"

Her observation skills were sharp; most students carried deep purple campus cards emblazoned with a warped number “8.” But Gu Lu’s card? Pure white.

What kind of question was that?! Qi Caiwei coughed twice, trying to cover her embarrassment.

Gu Lu’s first impression of Wei Jiao was her wide smile—not in a negative way, mind you, but rather in an endearing, radiant sense. She reminded him faintly of some celebrity from his past life… who was it again? One of Zhang Yimou’s actresses, perhaps? Or maybe the innkeeper from My Fair Princess Inn? No matter—he hadn’t been much of a fan back then anyway.

"Maybe my card’s a limited edition," Gu Lu replied casually.

"A limited-edition campus card? Really?" Wei Jiao’s curiosity veered wildly off course.

"Is there something specific you wanted to ask me?" Gu Lu thought, deflecting subtly.

Qi Caiwei decided to cut straight to the chase. "Are you here because you won some writing competition and got recruited specially by the school?"

"Yes, I won first prize nationally," Gu Lu admitted without hesitation. After all, his victory in The Ye Shengtao Cup had already made headlines in Young Pioneer Newspaper, so there wasn’t much point hiding it. Besides, he wasn’t the type to keep achievements tucked away like secret treasures.

So it was true!

A smug grin spread across Qi Caiwei’s face. Her expression practically screamed, See how clever I am?

"Then why aren’t you joining the literary club if you’re such a talented writer?" Qi Caiwei pressed.

Because I joined the basketball team hoping to grow taller... Should he really admit that? Would losing face be worth it?

Instead, Gu Lu countered, "Do you enjoy writing yourself?"

"I love it," Qi Caiwei responded earnestly. "Writing lets me express things I can’t say out loud. It’s like putting my inner thoughts into words, afraid someone will find them yet secretly hoping they do. Even though it feels embarrassing sometimes, I crave finding people who understand those feelings. How could I not adore something like that?"

"In that case, you absolutely must keep going," Gu Lu encouraged, sensing the fiery passion behind her words.

"Definitely. I will," Qi Caiwei affirmed resolutely.

By now, Gu Lu had finished every last bite of his meal, leaving his plate spotless. Not wasting a single crumb.

"You two take your time. I’ll head out first," he said, rising with his empty tray and walking away.

Only after he was gone did Qi Caiwei snap back to reality. Reflecting on their conversation, she realized she hadn’t actually learned anything new.

He seemed so mild-mannered and unassuming, yet turned out to be sneakily clever, she mused internally.

Turning to Wei Jiao, whose brow furrowed in contemplation, Qi Caiwei opened her mouth to speak—but Wei Jiao beat her to it. "I’m seriously starting to wonder if that campus card really is a limited edition. Did you see how much more meat he had on his plate than us? Does he really have special privileges?"

Qi Caiwei sighed inwardly. Well, it didn’t matter. She was used to Wei Jiao’s unique train of thought.

Today happened to be the annual recruitment fair, which explained their leisurely pace. On regular days, dinner lasted only fifteen minutes, followed by evening study sessions from 6:00 PM to 7:25 PM—a hallmark of No. 8 High School known simply as “Evening Reading.”

But Gu Lu had quickly figured out that while arriving early was encouraged, it wasn’t mandatory. Mondays and Sundays featured international news broadcasts instead, broadening students’ horizons.

Don’t mistake the abundance of clubs and activities for leniency. The high university admission rate at No. 8 High School proved it wasn’t exactly a place for carefree education.

Think of it like a creepy uncle luring kids with toys. For seniors, weekends meant just one free night, and National Day holidays? Two and a half days max. Rest was becoming increasingly rare.

"Caiwei, are you sure about this? What if—" Wei Jiao trembled slightly.

Why the nervousness? Because they were up to no good. Qi Caiwei had sneaked into the dormitory to retrieve a hidden phone tucked inside a book. Electronics were strictly forbidden at No. 8 High School, whether you were a boarder or commuter.

She’d carved out a perfect slot within the pages of a thick textbook, then buried it among piles of other books—a classic case of hiding wood in the forest.

"Don’t panic. Just keep watch for the dorm supervisor. Give me the length of one song."

What was Qi Caiwei doing? Simple: she planned to search online for information about Gu Lu. If he’d won national awards, surely he’d been featured in newspapers.

Keywords: [Gu Lu] + [writing competition].

Within seconds, results flooded the screen—

[Among the vibrant students of No. 37 Middle School, many shine through academic excellence, athletic triumphs, volunteer work, or artistic talents. Among these outstanding figures stands Gu Lu, a student from Class 5, Enrolment Year 2012.

His literary talent is remarkable...]

This article came from the official website of No. 37 Middle School, reposted by Hualong News, Chongqing’s leading internet portal.

"So he won first place in The Ye Shengtao Cup, the first ever in Chongqing. Impressive," Qi Caiwei murmured. Further reading revealed that Gu Lu had been named the inaugural “Influential Figure of No. 37” in the school’s own award ceremony. Alongside him, the school’s shooting team had also received recognition as a model sportsmanship squad by the Chongqing Sports Bureau.

However, the bulk of the coverage focused on Gu Lu himself, including testimonials from his middle school teachers:

[Math Teacher Ms. Yan: “Gu Lu is a quiet boy, very intelligent, and has clear plans for his future.”

English Teacher Ms. Tai: “Extremely smart, though sometimes doesn’t apply himself fully to studies. Still, he makes good decisions when it counts. A solid student.”

Literature Teacher Mr. Li: “He showed exceptional writing skills from seventh grade. His essays are nearly always perfect scores, minus one or two points at most. He loves reading and has an excellent foundation.”]

Next came an interview from Young Pioneer Newspaper·The Vanguard. Strangely, in the piece, Gu Lu mentioned his dream of becoming a writer. Another follow-up article delved into his family background, offering further insights.

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