Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C138

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Chapter 138: Soaring to New Heights

Good news kept pouring in, lifting everyone's spirits!

While the current statistical system wasn’t as advanced as it would be in the age of short videos, ’s first-day sales figures were already out. National second- and third-day sales data weren’t available yet—those would only come with the weekly report.

Such was the rhythm of data collection.

Though no one knew the full picture yet, Director Jian’s connections and feedback from the initial wave of “insiders” had exploded onto the scene.

First, there was ’s column in . His review, titled “Yu Xinyao’s Brief Analysis of The Little Prince,” followed his usual format. But the subtitle said it all: The Fairy Tale Island Within Us, with a heartfelt wish that adults might someday become like The Little Prince themselves—not obsessed with numbers.

[When did children first become recognized as "scenery"? Was it in Rousseau's Emile, published in 1762? Rousseau is often credited as the first person in human history to truly discover childhood, viewing it as an inseparable stage of life. Yet he abandoned his own children at orphanages, forcing them to face the harsh realities of 18th-century France early on.

It was only when we internalized the concept of “childhood” that we began to pay attention to children.

In The Little Prince, the narrator—a pilot—is seen through an adult-centric lens, while The Little Prince embodies the perspective of a child. Writer employs a simple binary division between these two viewpoints, capturing how children perceive the world—an externalization of “childhood.”

This duality becomes evident from the very beginning. In the opening scenes, the six-year-old “I” experiences a failed interaction with adults. As a child, “I” has a rich inner world, creating imaginative drawings that require deep engagement to understand.

Yet adults judge the artwork solely by its technical merit, dismissing imagination entirely. They instruct the child not to dwell in fantasy but to draw according to established methods.

Does this sound familiar? Can you imagine such conversations taking place in any household?

...]

Yu Xinyao delved into midway through the analysis, dissecting structural, orientational, and ontological metaphors throughout the text.

Snakes, foxes, and roses served as structural metaphors—the snake representing death, the fox symbolizing friendship, and so on.

For instance, when The Little Prince first meets the fox, he says, “Come play with me!” Playing together being one of the most common elements within the conceptual domain of “friendship.”

This section grew complex, likely too dense for casual readers. But Yu Xinyao excelled at unraveling layers, breaking down every nuance of meaning embedded in the work.

Perhaps even a little too thoroughly—it felt almost like dissecting the book piece by piece.

Skipping ahead to the conclusion of Yu Xinyao’s critique—

[Adults are always concerned with numbers. If a child says, “Today I went flower-picking with my friends,” adults will ask, “How many flowers did you pick?”

If a child shares, “I got a good grade today,” adults focus on the exact score.

Throughout The Little Prince, the titular character repeatedly remarks, “Grown-ups are so strange.” This line serves both as biting satire and sympathetic observation of adult absurdity.

Because adults occupy positions of productivity in society, they’re forced to obsess over precise figures—numbers equate to efficiency.

As an adult myself, I’m grateful for a fairy tale that speaks to us too, offering a brief escape to Fairy Tale Island.]

People’s Literature Daily didn’t boast high circulation numbers compared to publications like Young Literature, Chronicles of Mystery, or Story Digest. Yet its influence couldn’t be measured merely by copies sold.

Many ordinary readers hadn’t even heard of the paper—but that didn’t matter. Its reach extended far beyond direct readership.

And whether anyone fully understood Yu Xinyao’s article was irrelevant; media outlets would cherry-pick quotes!

A Weibo post from a physical book author read: “Rarely does a fairy tale make it into People’s Literature Daily, let alone receive glowing praise. Even Yu Xinyao expressed gratitude for such a book—it’s a must-buy.”

chimed in: “If you’ve grasped the metaphors in The Little Prince, I’m sorry to say you’ve become the ‘grown-up’ in the story.”

advertised: “Fairy Tale Island for Adults: The Little Prince. Enjoy a 5% discount on your first-day purchase!”

declared: “Newly released fairy tale The Little Prince sparks heated debate—how many hearts has ‘’ pierced?”

Within just two or three days, the buzz spread like wildfire, reaching not only the internet but also radio programs promoting books.

To those unfamiliar with listening habits, radio might seem like a relic of the 1980s and ’90s, fading away after hits like . While the era of mass radio consumption had indeed passed, a small but loyal audience remained—and some continued tuning in as late as 2017. Crucially, this demographic overlapped significantly with book buyers, making radio stations indispensable for promoting physical books.

On FM 95.5’s Arts & Culture Hour, the host introduced their latest recommendation:

“Welcome back to FM 95.5 Arts & Culture Hour. Today, we’re recommending The Little Prince by domestic writer Gu Lu. Another promising newcomer joins the literary scene—great news for our book market.

Though categorized as a fairy tale, The Little Prince transcends age barriers. While many associate fairy tales with children, this one speaks to both kids and adults alike. After reading it, you may find yourself grateful for such a tale.

Gu Lu’s writing is concise yet evocative, perfectly capturing the childlike perspective. I bought a copy for my niece immediately after finishing it. To conclude our recommendation: What is taming? means forging bonds—and doing so carries inherent risks.”

Radio shows like Arts & Culture Hour occasionally received sponsorships, but more often than not, hosts chose recommendations independently.

They couldn’t afford to be careless. Recommending subpar books would damage the channel’s credibility, rendering it useless to advertisers.

Even though the show’s planners and hosts had read countless books and exhausted their recommendations, finding new material amid busy schedules was challenging.

Thus, renowned critics like Yu Xinyao and publications such as People’s Literature Daily and Phoenix News Book Section became vital sources of inspiration.

Yu Xinyao, known for his sharp tongue, lent instant credibility to any book he endorsed. Sometimes, time constraints meant skipping the actual reading—hosts simply rephrased Yu’s critiques into simpler language, which still managed to pass muster.

Filtering essential information into digestible tidbits for audiences was lucrative—a strategy later taken to extremes by short-video platforms.

The real danger wasn’t diluting rich content—after all, not everyone could handle heavy intellectual meals. The true peril lay in repackaging it poorly, stripping away value and adding toxicity instead.

Sales of The Little Prince soared to new heights!

“Do you have The Little Prince? Yes, give me one.”

“I’d like to buy a fairy tale for my child—The Little Prince.”

“What do you mean, sold out?!”

“A book about a boy, a fox, and a rose… what’s it called again?”

Scenes like these played out across bookstores nationwide. Many stores quickly ran out of stock.

With an initial print run of 50,000 copies, it seemed substantial—but consider how many dotted the country. Major cities and bustling areas required larger inventories, leaving smaller towns with only ten or twenty copies per store.

“It’s skyrocketed!” Director Jian fielded calls from secondary wholesalers and city bookstores requesting additional copies.

“I thought we’d need to wait until Christmas for a major push, but clearly, that won’t be necessary.” Director Jian was elated.

It wasn’t just about profits—though financial gain certainly played a role. The real joy stemmed from seeing a promising writer deliver exceptional results.

“That’s thanks to Director Jian’s efforts—inviting Yu Xinyao and putting himself out there for promotion,” Secretary Zou remarked.

Director Jian frowned. “I merely gave a nudge. Yu Xinyao has the integrity of a literary critic; he wouldn’t praise The Little Prince simply because of our relationship. If he praised it, it’s because the work deserves it.”

“As for promoting via Weibo, it’s a double-edged sword. Writers can be fiercely competitive. If The Little Prince doesn’t hold up, it’ll face a torrent of criticism.” Director Jian paused, noting that Zou’s flattery had missed the mark entirely.

“Have you read The Little Prince?” Director Jian asked suddenly.

“I bought it yesterday, but I haven’t had time to read it yet—I’ve been busy organizing files,” Zou replied quickly.

“You should take a look,” Director Jian nodded. “Gu Lu writes works that bring happiness despite his unfortunate life.”

Director Jian wasn’t one for gossip, but Old Li, the secondary review editor at Story Digest, certainly was. Many in the publishing circle knew that young writer Gu Lu came from difficult circumstances.

Understanding his background might shed light on the creation of The Little Prince. Still, Director Jian preferred not to pry into old wounds.

“You can check the feedback below my posts from the first batch of readers who finished The Little Prince. Then you’ll see why I only played a supporting role.” Director Jian added.

“I’ll look right away.”

“No rush—finish your work first.”

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