Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C102

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Chapter 102:

When the school year began, Gu Lu had chosen a seat near the front door—a prime spot for quick escapes. However, after the teacher shuffled seating arrangements, he ended up in the first row by the window alongside .

Still, even with this change, when the bell rang at the end of class, Gu Lu could bolt to the classroom door faster than anyone else. His reputation as the "" remained intact.

It wasn’t unusual for students from other classes to visit and stir excitement among their group of rowdy classmates, but today’s visitors were and her twin sister, . The appearance of these two was like tossing a match into dry tinder.

Twins always brought an extra spark!

The elder sister, Zhang Liru, belonged to the elite , while the younger one, Zhang Liwan, was part of the prestigious . Though they rarely appeared together, here they stood side by side—tall, striking, and turning heads.

Even under the gloomy gray sky, the twins seemed to step straight out of some vintage woodcut illustration: ethereal beauties framed against a muted backdrop.

“Who are you? And why are you looking for me?” Gu Lu asked, pushing through the clamor of his gawking classmates to reach the doorway. After scanning his memory bank and confirming that he didn’t recognize either of them, he approached cautiously. As he drew closer, he subtly shifted back a step upon noticing how much taller the sisters were.

“I’m Zhang Liwan, a reporter from ,” the younger twin said without preamble. “We’ve heard about your accomplishments and would like to interview you.”

Meanwhile, Zhang Liru observed the renowned student writer quietly. He wore no glasses, but his gaze was sharp yet calm, like still water beneath winter ice. His lean frame stood rigidly upright, reminiscent of a spear pointing skyward. Some of what she saw might have been filtered through admiration, but one thing was undeniable: Gu Lu carried himself with far more composure than most high schoolers.

“What’s this interview about?” Gu Lu asked, already familiar with the three most unique clubs at .

“Don’t play dumb, Gu Lu—you’re busted!” Zhang Liwan teased. “You know why we’re here. We don’t get many student writers around here, so spill it!”

“There aren’t many student writers,” Gu Lu replied coolly, “but there are two in my class alone.”

“That may be true,” Zhang Liwan conceded, “and there are a couple more in the where my sister is. But none as successful as you.”

Gu Lu tilted his head slightly. “Will this interview be for the school newsletter?”

No. 8 High School didn’t have an official newspaper or journal, though funds were generous enough to print small batches internally for events like this. However, funding had run dry recently, making such luxuries impossible. Still, Zhang Liwan persisted. “Our Time Radio Station broadcasts across the entire school every Friday afternoon. By then, everyone will know all about you.”

“Then let’s wait until next month,” Gu Lu suggested.

“Why next month?” Zhang Liwan frowned.

“My classmates are preparing for monthly exams soon,” Gu Lu explained smoothly. “It’d be better to focus on study-related content now. Besides…” He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. “I’ve submitted a piece to the . The results will come out next month.”

truly believed in Gu Lu, ensuring he benefited whenever possible. This submission was for , entered into the Short Story category. Established in the 1980s by the , the award honored outstanding works every three years (with occasional delays). It was widely regarded as the pinnacle of recognition in children’s literature.

There was another detail Gu Lu chose not to mention. In November, would hit bookshelves nationwide. He preferred not to rely solely on his status as a contracted magazine author; wouldn’t being labeled a best-selling novelist carry more weight?

“The National Excellent Children’s Literature Award?” Zhang Liwan echoed, clearly impressed.

“Yes, I’ve applied for the Best Short Story category.” Gu Lu nodded.

“Well, then, next month it is!” Zhang Liwan quickly revised her stance. An interview post-award announcement would generate far more buzz.

High school sophomores were easy to persuade. Had this been an adult, they might have thought twice—better a bird in hand than two in the bush. Why delay when the opportunity was right there? But Zhang Liwan and her sister left cheerfully, leaving Gu Lu to muse silently: If only adults were this easy to convince.

Back in the classroom, whispers swirled like wildfire. Lü Ping rushed over, eyes wide with envy. “Is this the charm of literature? Those twins—I know them! Famous across the whole school! Did they give you a love letter?”

“No love letter,” Gu Lu corrected, raising his voice just enough for nearby eavesdroppers to hear. “They’re from the radio station and wanted to interview me.”

The gossipmongers groaned collectively before slinking away, disappointed.

“Boring,” Lü Ping muttered, returning to his seat.

Gu Lu realized he’d forgotten to take a breather outside and stepped out into the hallway. There, he found muttering complaints. “How come our dorm got in trouble for playing bowling while the neighboring dorm didn’t? So unfair…”

Wei Litong was average in every way—medium height, plain features, with acne dotting his face. Yet this unremarkable student had managed to pull off several memorable stunts since the start of the term. From inexplicably kneeling to the wall during orientation to reading under a flashlight late at night, his antics never ceased. Most recently, he’d turned a long table into a makeshift ping-pong court inside the dormitory.

had summoned him to the corridor for punishment and even called his parents. But knowing Ms. Gao’s lenient streak, she likely gave him a pass this time, reserving harsher penalties for repeat offenses.

“How do you bowl in a dorm room?” Gu Lu asked curiously.

“We use empty drink bottles filled with water and roll a ball,” Wei Litong shrugged nonchalantly. “And guess what? The guys next door made a set of mahjong tiles out of clay. Of course, the dorm supervisor confiscated it immediately.”

How colorful dorm life must be, Gu Lu thought wistfully. For a moment, he considered boarding himself—but only briefly. Convenience for writing remained his priority.

---

On social media, things were heating up. Gu Lu’s newly verified microblog account (@GuLuTheGreat) had sparked quite the discussion:

AvidReader: [@GuLuTheGreat Welcome to Weibo! You’re easily my favorite young writer right now.]

StoryDigestEditorWuYun: [@GuLuTheGreat Haven’t seen your submissions lately. Our editors often lament how much your stories enhance our magazine’s artistic flair.]

ChroniclesOfMysteryEditorGaoJian: [Finally somewhere to demand updates! @GuLuTheGreat Stop sleeping and focus on delivering quality work!]

Each response carried significant weight. With endorsements from a deputy editor, chief editor, and publisher—all boasting follower counts ranging from fifty thousand to over a hundred thousand—the buzz grew louder.

“Joint recommendations from the editors of and , plus Director Jian… Who exactly is Gu Lu?”

“Such clout! Even if Story Digest lacks literary depth, those comments seem exaggerated.”

“@AvidReader Who’s this rising star Director Jian speaks so highly of?”

Clever netizens scoured Gu Lu’s profile, discovering his tagline: “Author | Representative Work: ”. To those unfamiliar with the mystery genre, the name meant little. Despite publishing over a dozen short stories across three magazines, Gu Lu’s fame was still growing.

But beyond reputation lay academic challenges. That very week, No. 8 High School plunged into its monthly exams. While literature posed no issue, other subjects… well, they tested more than just intellect.

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