Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C115

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Everyone from

Chapter 115: The Teacher’s Home Visit

Sunday—a day of both leisure and hustle.

For Gu Lu, it was a time of ease. He ambled downstairs for breakfast, waiting for his homeroom teacher to arrive.

But for one corresponding editor at , the morning was anything but calm…

“Why hasn’t he resubmitted yet?” frowned. He prided himself on remembering every writer he had “polished.”

On one hand, he cherished his job; on the other, he relished the power of directing authors.

“This is taking too long. Does he even want to get published?” In the past, when Qi Bian gave feedback, writers would often revise and resend their work within two or three hours, or at most by the next day. Yet, after rejecting and , two whole days had passed without a peep from Gu Lu.

As Qi Bian strolled after breakfast, he decided to take another look at Park of Yesterday. He intended to find some genuine flaws to justify further revisions.

But as he read through the brief 20,000-word story, Qi Bian grew increasingly astonished—especially by the masterstroke at the end: [I know you’ve tried your hardest to save me.]

Unlike the visual punch of a comic, this line resonated deeply because it tied together the entire narrative, creating an emotional crescendo.

It wasn’t that the plot was particularly ingenious—it was the raw emotion packed into it: Zhou Lu’s friendship with his friend, and Zhou Ning’s bond with his father. Park of Yesterday wasn’t about changing the past; it was about saying goodbye.

“Gu Lu? Could this be a famous writer?” Unable to wait until he got back to his computer, Qi Bian pulled out his phone and searched.

Entering “writer, Gu Lu” as keywords, he quickly found relevant information.

“? The first fanfiction ever included in the list of outstanding works?!” Qi Bian couldn’t dismiss this as a mere coincidence of names.

Oh no! He had unwittingly picked a fight with an unbreakable steel plate. Panicking, Qi Bian didn’t even bother reading Moon Stone. Instead, he immediately reached out to the author…

---

Meanwhile, across town…

“Ms. Gao, over here!” Gu Lu waved eagerly at the intersection, spotting his homeroom teacher’s poker-faced expression even from across the street.

“You live so close to school,” Ms. Gao remarked.

“I specifically rented this place because it’s near the school,” Gu Lu explained.

The implication lingered: Did you rent it yourself? Or did your parents arrange it? Ms. Gao pondered silently.

As they walked, Gu Lu led the way, pointing out landmarks along the route.

“The owner of this breakfast stall is notoriously stingy. I used to eat here, but then I realized their buns and fried dough sticks were smaller than those sold at other stalls.”

“The fish hot pot tastes good for now, though we’ll have to see if they start cutting corners later.”

“The vegetable vendors on the steps sell produce very cheaply. Around six or seven in the morning, elderly people gather here selling fresh vegetables they grow themselves. It’s much cheaper than what you’d find at the market.”

Gu Lu hadn’t noticed how animated he became while describing his neighborhood. His words brimmed with life—but…

“Most of these scattered vendors actually buy their produce wholesale around three or four in the morning, just like the markets. The reason it’s cheaper is that they don’t pay stall fees.” Ms. Gao interjected.

“What?” Gu Lu stared at her in disbelief. “They’re not growing it themselves?”

Those seemingly honest old men and women always claimed they grew the vegetables themselves.

“There are some who do grow their own, but not many. This is the —there’s hardly any farmland left for personal use,” Ms. Gao explained. Her father-in-law was one such mobile vendor who sold wholesale goods.

Not wanting to dwell on the topic, she shifted gears. “Do you usually buy groceries yourself?”

“I only cook during holidays. On school days, I eat at school,” Gu Lu replied, tactfully omitting the fact that his meals were free due to a special arrangement.

Ms. Gao fell silent as they arrived at Gu Lu’s apartment. There were no signs of other residents at the shoe-changing area or inside the house.

“No need to change shoes, Ms. Gao. Please come in,” Gu Lu said. He didn’t have extra slippers for guests anyway.

Welcoming her inside, they sat on the rosewood sofa. Since the last time his sister visited and complained about the hardness of the cushions, Gu Lu had purchased thick padding to make it more comfortable.

“Living alone must be tough. How much allowance do your parents give you?” Ms. Gao asked.

Gu Lu hesitated before replying, “It’s mainly to train my survival skills.”

“Three hundred yuan a month?” Ms. Gao pressed, reverting to the intrusive questioning she herself had despised as a student.

“Before high school, maybe two or three hundred per year,” Gu Lu admitted.

What?! Starvation wages?! Ms. Gao struggled to believe it. “You’ve been responsible for your own food expenses since middle school? Are you sure it’s only three hundred per year?”

“Well, adults in my family come home less than two or three times a semester. Each time, they leave behind twenty or thirty yuan. Altogether, it might not even reach three hundred,” Gu Lu clarified.

He no longer needed to exaggerate his hardships to gain sympathy. Thanks to the unique nature of the competition class, Ms. Gao would likely remain his homeroom teacher throughout high school.

Since she was visiting, there was no point hiding the truth. Laying everything bare would save future trouble.

Ms. Gao struggled to maintain her composure. Her voice involuntarily rose. “Less than one yuan a day? Do you really think your parents are training your survival skills?! Don’t they care whether you live or die?”

“It’s easier to think that way. Otherwise, I’d have to accept that they don’t care about me at all,” Gu Lu said calmly. “Since I haven’t starved to death, I need to focus on moving forward.”

“Parents have a legal obligation to support their minor children. With such meager funds, how can you possibly survive?”

Just as Ms. Gao finished speaking, a knock sounded at the door.

It’s already nine o’clock? Gu Lu guessed who it might be and hurried to open the door. Sure enough, it was Reporter Wang from .

Long time no see… Hmm? His complexion seemed lighter—if previously dark, now it was merely tanned.

Ms. Gao hoped the visitor was a parent. She desperately wanted Gu Lu’s earlier statements to be false, unable to fathom how a middle schooler could survive on less than a yuan a day.

Unfortunately, her hopes were dashed when Gu Lu introduced them.

“Ms. Gao, this is Reporter Wang from Young Pioneer Newspaper. Reporter Wang, this is our homeroom teacher, Ms. Gao, who’s currently conducting a home visit.”

“Nice to meet you, Reporter Wang.” “Ms. Gao is truly a dedicated teacher.” The polite exchanges between the two adults were superficial but cordial.

An awkward silence settled over the room. Ms. Gao dared not continue her questioning, unsure of the reporter’s intentions.

Meanwhile, Reporter Wang wondered if he had arrived at an inopportune moment.

“Reporter Wang is here for a second interview. Ms. Gao is curious about my current livelihood, so let me explain briefly,” Gu Lu interjected, breaking the tension.

“When Reporter Wang interviewed me before, I mentioned that my dream is to become a writer. In fact, I started submitting stories to under in ninth grade. Things are starting to take off.”

“For now, I’m mainly serializing Mr. Holmes, which provides enough income to cover my living expenses,” Gu Lu added.

You’ve been writing since middle school? Ms. Gao knew Gu Lu was a regular contributor to two magazines but hadn’t realized he began so young.

This revelation, however, intrigued Reporter Wang. What started as a routine interview was turning into something unexpectedly fruitful.

“Oh? Gu Lu, please elaborate on your development as a writer,” Reporter Wang said, visibly excited.

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