Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C98

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Chapter 98: Twin Stars

"Me? Sign?" 's anger dissolved into confusion.

He thought he must have misheard, his double-lidded eyes wide with bewilderment as he stared at .

"Just a signature—why so stingy?" Gu Lu quipped, snatching back the copy of .

There was no mistake. The March 2011 issue—it was unmistakably the magazine where Li Guyuan’s story had been published. He couldn’t possibly forget that date. Unless…

"Sign! Why wouldn’t I sign? Since you asked, and we’re classmates, how could I refuse?" Li Guyuan yanked the magazine back.

This time, there was real force behind it—not the polite push-and-pull of holiday pleasantries with relatives.

With a flourish of his pen, Li Guyuan signed his name and handed the magazine back to Gu Lu.

"Not bad," Gu Lu muttered sincerely.

Of course it looked good. Li Guyuan wore an expression that said, "You’ve got good taste." It was, after all, a custom-designed artistic signature he’d paid two yuan for via text message.

Without another word, Gu Lu accepted the magazine with both hands and returned to his seat.

When would someone ask for your autograph? Only when they admired and liked you!

Li Guyuan stared at Gu Lu’s retreating figure for several minutes, only snapping out of it when the bell rang for class.

A writer contracted to two magazines, hailed as a genius by the literary club’s advisor at , the author of —this person appreciated his work.

What was this?

This was mutual respect between heroes!

"? Didn’t you used to hate seeing this magazine?" Li Guyuan’s desk mate spoke tactfully, avoiding directly mentioning Gu Lu.

Li Guyuan carefully tucked the magazine away. "What do you know? This magazine is different—it has Gu Lu’s signature. Who knows, it might be worth a fortune someday."

"I thought you didn’t get along with Gu Lu?" His desk mate adjusted his glasses. Like many students at No. 8 High School, he also wore them due to high rates of nearsightedness.

"What nonsense! In our class 10 literature scene, only Gu Lu and I carry the banner. Do you even understand the value of the 'Class 10 Literary Twin Stars'?" Li Guyuan declared firmly.

"?" His bespectacled desk mate’s eyes widened, though the lenses made them appear smaller. Just one recess! What exactly happened between Li Guyuan and Gu Lu for such a drastic change in attitude?

The minute hand spun through several cycles, and amidst his desk mate’s bewilderment, evening study hall began again.

Today, Ms. Gao taught a regular lesson during evening study hall. Word had just reached the teachers that the scope of the monthly exam had changed, so not only Ms. Gao but all subject teachers were rushing to cover more material.

"What emotion does the second part of the article express? Li Guyuan, stand up and answer," Ms. Gao suddenly called on him.

Gu Lu watched as Li Guyuan jolted upright like a spring, his chair scraping against the desk behind him with a loud clatter. A memory surfaced from his past life—a signature he once used: "The three strongest heartbeats of my life so far occurred when my teacher called my name in class, when I missed a step on the stairs, and when you smiled at me."

Who could understand his feelings? At the time, he hadn’t been thinking of anyone in particular or trying to convey deep emotions—it was just meant to sound poetic.

Whether Li Guyuan’s heart raced now, no one could tell. A flicker of panic crossed his face, but he quickly composed himself.

"The second paragraph expresses ’s loneliness," Li Guyuan said. "'Few people walk here during the day, and the nights are even lonelier.' That line makes it most clear."

From her position on the podium, Ms. Gao could see everything clearly. She gave a soft hum of acknowledgment, her gaze flickering briefly without verbally addressing the student’s earlier distraction.

"Good answer. The author vividly describes the lotus pond, blending reality and imagination…" Ms. Gao continued teaching.

Her gaze carried more weight than words. After sitting down, Li Guyuan didn’t feel relieved—he felt triumphant. Damn, he hadn’t even been paying attention, yet he still nailed the answer. How badass was that?

Lost in thought again, Li Guyuan mused, "If I stop writing, how exhausting would it be for Gu Lu to shoulder everything alone? As twin stars, I can’t shirk my responsibilities."

He found a reason to convince himself. After all, he’d just sworn in his heart never to write again, so he needed a way to save face.

Since they were twin stars, Li Guyuan faced a dilemma: how to return to .

Just quit and come back? He needed to save face—he couldn’t simply blurt it out.

Another uneventful day passed, and Friday loomed. Gu Lu had to make a decision.

If anything’s bothering you, just ask the internet.

After scouring , especially the wisdom shared by veteran netizens in forums, Gu Lu learned a valuable lesson: if you venture into a computer mall without a guide, prepare to be fleeced. With a guide, expect double the fleecing.

Thus, following the advice of seasoned forum users, Gu Lu decided not to go in blind if he didn’t fully understand computer specs. His greatest strength was taking good advice.

Saturday morning.

At the , pedestrians flowed past like water, but none were the person Gu Lu awaited.

"Xiaotian, do you know what’s most important when going out to play?" Gu Lu asked over the phone.

"Is it making plans ahead of time?" Fan Xiaotian replied.

"No, it’s actually going out," Gu Lu said. "Do you know how hard it is for me without you? Without you, who’ll help me carry stuff… cough, cough, it’s no fun without you."

On the other end, Fan Xiaotian seemed to hear something but didn’t dwell on it, continuing instead to explain his predicament. "I can’t help it—my cousin’s getting married, and I have to attend. Next time I’m back, I’ll treat you to some ."

They chatted idly for a bit longer before Gu Lu hung up.

He arrived at a in a mall. Gu Lu’s needs were simple: typing documents and occasionally watching movies—he didn’t play online games.

The forum veterans recommended numerous models, leaving Gu Lu overwhelmed. In the end, he settled on the .

A multimedia student laptop, it suited Gu Lu perfectly.

At home, he connected the , while outside he used a . Though not particularly lightweight or slim, it was portable enough. Opting for a better package brought the total cost to 4,200 yuan.

Carrying it home, Gu Lu rearranged the rented apartment slightly, moving the vanity table from the bedroom to the living room.

A small desk was set up in the bedroom. With the apartment already wired for internet, he booted up the computer to see the familiar —back when "This PC" was still called "."

Victory!

"Never have to go to an internet café again," Gu Lu thought. This was definitely worth celebrating.

How about writing ten thousand words to mark the occasion?

Pfft, pfft. Gu Lu shook his head, realizing he’d momentarily lost his mind. Ten thousand words? No, it was time to go buy something delicious instead!

In high spirits, Gu Lu practically skipped toward the market.

He didn’t notice how his joy spread like wildfire. A passing office worker, brushing shoulders with him, unconsciously hopped twice after walking a few steps.

No wonder once said: "When I smile, my face blooms like spring flowers, capable of touching anyone, no matter who they are." Smiles, indeed, were far more contagious than sorrow.

Half a pound of beef and half a roasted duck—that was enough. He couldn’t buy too much, as he had plans later, and leftovers wouldn’t taste as good.

[Big Brother, remember to log into my every day. You’ve already got a sun icon, but I don’t. Also, harvest my crops and don’t let anyone steal them.]

That’s right—Gu Lu, having installed his new computer, couldn’t resist showing off to his younger sister.

Gu Jiayu, who could only use the computer during holidays, was envious and thus gave her older brother a long list of tasks.

QQ Ranch? Not Farm? Gu Lu decided to look into it.

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