Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C107

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Chapter 107: This Is Standard Procedure

While still at , Gu Lu spotted something that tugged at the strings of nostalgia—a "," an old-fashioned . These devices had been banned in large numbers after causing numerous due to their dangerous nature.

Perhaps these relics could trigger a synthesis sequence, Gu Lu mused quietly to himself.

"Gulu, the submission email you gave me—it’s not some editor’s private address, is it?" asked as he accompanied Gu Lu to the intersection where he would catch his ride home.

Li Guyuan knew full well that his classmate was a regular contributor to magazines and likely enjoyed certain privileges.

"No, it’s the official submission channel for the magazine because your work deserves it," Gu Lu replied. "I want you to know that your writing has merit and that getting published won’t be due to any external factors."

At this, Li Guyuan was momentarily stunned before letting out a small sigh of relief.

He was surprised by Gu Lu’s confidence in him but also relieved—Li Guyuan didn’t want to rely on connections to get published.

"Stop here; I’ll take a home," Gu Lu said.

Li Guyuan had initially thought about jotting down the yellow license plate number of the three-wheeled vehicle just in case. However, with the dim evening light and his worsening nearsightedness—even with glasses—he couldn’t make it out clearly.

Wearing glasses didn’t completely correct his vision, especially as academic pressure worsened his eyesight faster than his prescription could keep up.

"Nothing bad will happen," Li Guyuan muttered to himself. Then, feeling superstitious, he spat twice. Why did it feel like he was setting up a flag for disaster?

In an attempt at reverse psychology, he thought, "That three-wheeler driver must be untrustworthy!"

The three-wheeled vehicles, known locally in as (with baibai being dialect for "lame"), were initially driven mostly by disabled individuals.

Fifteen minutes later, Gu Lu arrived at his destination and slowly climbed the stairs.

"Ah, right!"

Inspiration struck as Gu Lu ascended. He quickly pulled out his phone and searched. If memory served... yes, there was no in this world.

Feng Jicai’s two-volume collection, , contained excerpts that had made it into textbooks.

What triggered Gu Lu’s recollection was a story titled “,” which revolved around a small grocery store whose owner never closed the shop, no matter the weather, ensuring villagers always had access. One day, when the owner had to leave town and hired a temporary worker with strict instructions to keep the shop open, the worker failed to comply, closing the door instead. The owner later explained why keeping the shop open was so important—an explanation eerily similar to what Gu Lu had heard from Li Guyuan’s father during dinner.

"What a shame! If only my dialogue list wasn’t occupied, I could’ve triggered Extraordinary People in Everyday Life!" Gu Lu sighed. Triggering sequences wasn’t easy.

Oh, ’s science fiction short stories—how could he possibly synthesize those?

What significant items from those sci-fi tales could he possess? Gu Lu fell into brief contemplation.

Back in his previous world, Extraordinary People in Everyday Life had been serialized in and . Its journey—from magazine pages to textbooks and even winning the —was unparalleled. It was tailor-made for episodic storytelling. Tales of folk legends from the Republican era were exactly what Gu Lu craved.

"Not entirely impossible," Gu Lu mused. "Once I bring out the sci-fi shorts and visit Tangyuan’s house again..." He figured Li Guyuan’s father, being rather talkative, might repeat similar anecdotes in future conversations.

Opening his apartment door, Gu Lu switched on the lights in both the living room and bedroom. He wasn’t afraid of the dark—it was simply livelier with multiple lights on.

Monday mornings brought the weekly flag-raising ceremony. Thanks to the school’s , No. 8 High School’s ceremonies were quite the spectacle.

However, for Class 10 students, another event took precedence: rearranging seats based on monthly exam performance. Under Ms. Gao’s supervision, the classroom underwent a dramatic transformation.

The logic behind seating arrangements tied directly to academic results: students strong in liberal arts were paired with those excelling in sciences. For instance, since Gu Lu performed well in literature, his new desk partner became Qi Caiwei, who excelled in math and science. The goal was to foster mutual competition and collaboration, allowing students to complement each other’s strengths and improve together.

"Quick, let me absorb some of your writing vibes—I lost five points on my essay," Qi Caiwei joked. "With those five points, I could’ve..."

"Moved up one spot in the class rankings?" Gu Lu interjected.

"Not really, but maybe in the grade rankings," Qi Caiwei replied. Ranked seventh in the class and sixty-first overall, he was keenly aware of his standing.

Who among high schoolers didn’t care about grades? Well, except for Gu Lu.

"Can I borrow your Literature exam paper?" Qi Caiwei asked earnestly.

Gu Lu had assumed it was a joke until Qi Caiwei flipped through the test, focusing intently on the essay section. Perfect scores on essays were rare across the entire grade.

The seat changes brought significant shifts.

Friendships among students were surprisingly fragile! Many classmates no longer interacted as closely after switching seats.

The next two periods were English classes while the Literature teacher discreetly handled important matters.

"Just the day after tomorrow—yes, no problem."

"It’s not a private parent meeting. After the recent monthly exams, we’re inviting parents to discuss their children’s progress with subject teachers."

Drawing from years of experience as a homeroom teacher, Ms. Gao knew suspicious students would try everything to prevent their parents from attending, citing various excuses. Thus, she bypassed the students altogether, personally calling each parent herself.

Most calls went smoothly, except for one stubborn case.

"I’m sorry, the number you dialed is currently unreachable. Please try again later..."

Again? Ms. Gao frowned.

She’d been trying to reach Gu Lu’s parents since yesterday. Initially, she reasoned they might be too busy at work to check their phones. But after an entire day without response or callback, something seemed amiss.

Yet, the student information provided by the admissions office was rarely wrong.

So during the evening reading session, Ms. Gao summoned Gu Lu to her office.

Every time Gu Lu entered the faculty office, he couldn’t help but notice how much better equipped No. 8 High School’s facilities were compared to No. 37 Middle School’s junior high division.

"We need to inform parents about the upcoming parent-teacher meeting. I haven’t been able to reach your family. What does your father do for work?" Ms. Gao cut straight to the chase.

"I’m not sure," Gu Lu replied. "But it’s normal that you can’t reach them—I can’t either."

"?!" Had the student not looked so serious, Ms. Gao would have thought he was joking.

"Is he working out of town?" Ms. Gao brainstormed plausible explanations.

"Probably not," Gu Lu answered. "The last time I saw him was over a month ago. I don’t know much beyond that."

If the records were accurate, this student came from a single-parent household, living with his father. A month without seeing him? Ms. Gao, already awkward with words, found herself stuck.

School records included personal information, family background, enrollment details, and academic performance—all meticulously documented and retained for two years after graduation.

"Don’t worry, Ms. Gao. We’ll follow the usual routine," Gu Lu offered, sensing her discomfort.

"The usual routine?" Ms. Gao raised an eyebrow.

"I’ll sit in my seat and listen to the teachers explain things. I’ve done this before in middle school," Gu Lu explained calmly.

"...” Ms. Gao remained expressionless.

"The purpose of parent-teacher meetings is communication between teachers and parents so that supervision continues at home. Since I live alone, I’ve always monitored myself. So, attending the meeting myself makes perfect sense." Gu Lu presented his case logically and reasonably.

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