Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C140 Part 3

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Chapter 140: National Recognition, Part 4

“Are you asking how to eliminate this attention?” asked. “If so, time heals all wounds. Quit the dance club now, and by summer vacation, things should settle down.”

“Oh…” nodded silently.

The answer seemed unsatisfactory. After much thought, Lu Yi admitted, “I guess I’m a complicated person. I crave attention, but when it becomes too intense, I get scared.”

This wasn’t the kind of confession shared between casual acquaintances—it was reserved for close friends.

Had Gu Lu inquired further, Lu Yi might have revealed that Gu Lu’s accomplishments made her see him as more capable than adults, yet still relatable as a peer. Thus, she came seeking guidance, sharing a secret she rarely voiced.

“No wonder you worked hard on your dancing, performed during the school anniversary, and then quit. Now I understand,” Gu Lu said. “But let me correct you—it’s not complicated. Wanting attention while fearing excessive scrutiny is a feeling most people experience.”

Privately, Gu Lu reflected on his previous life, where many online users thrived on virtual connections, boasting thousands of followers, yet recoiled from real-world interactions. Online attention was manageable; offline intrusion was another matter entirely. He’d seen countless examples.

“Really? Others feel this way too?” Lu Yi exclaimed, surprised.

“So what you’re aiming for is this: classmates know you exist, but don’t focus on you specifically. Am I understanding correctly?” Gu Lu asked.

Lu Yi pondered for a while, realizing Gu Lu’s description fit perfectly. Finally, she nodded.

Gu Lu’s thoughts drifted momentarily. How aptly ’s lyrics captured this sentiment: “I want everyone to see me, but not know who I am.”

“I also wanted to become the moderator of ’s Tieba forum, but I failed,” Lu Yi added, seeing Gu Lu lost in thought.

Becoming a moderator would make her known to many within the school without revealing her true identity. She felt this arrangement would suit her just fine.

“A Tieba forum isn’t feasible—the odds of a student becoming a moderator among so many adults are slim. Why not create a instead?” Gu Lu suggested.

“A campus wall?” Lu Yi looked confused.

Gu Lu snapped back to reality. Campus walls—or confession walls—hadn’t yet emerged in 2012. Their debut would likely occur around 2015 or 2016.

Accidentally sparking history, Gu Lu continued, “Do you use ?”

“Of course,” Lu Yi replied. Most girls enjoyed decorating their spaces.

“Leverage the feature that allows visitors to view your space without adding you as a friend. Create a campus wall for No. 8 High School,” Gu Lu explained. “Students can browse updates, post announcements, confess crushes, or seek lost items—all anonymously.”

“If you manage the account behind this No. 8 High School wall, people will follow it, but their focus will remain on the content rather than the account holder. Doesn’t that meet your requirements?”

What—a brilliant idea! Lu Yi froze, imagining herself occasionally logging in to check such a space. Given the timeliness and convenience of QQ Zone updates, it would undoubtedly appeal to students more than a Tieba forum.

The only question was, “How do we make sure every student at No. 8 High School knows about it?”

But before Gu Lu could answer, Lu Yi figured it out herself. “First, advertise on the Tieba forum. Then… enlist help from Time Radio Station, or promote it class by class.”

The more she elaborated, the more feasible the plan seemed.

“Gu Lu, your imagination is incredible. You casually came up with something rivaling Tieba,” Lu Yi marveled. “Is this level of creativity typical for writers?”

Modestly, Gu Lu replied, “I’m just offering a suggestion. The real effort depends on you, Lu Yi.”

“If it works—and I think it has a high chance of succeeding—our campus wall model will likely be replicated nationwide,” Lu Yi said. “In a broader sense, this could revolutionize how students communicate across the country.”

“Whether we can change the nation rests on your initiative,” Gu Lu said.

“Thanks to the recent attention I’ve received, my social skills have improved. I’ll give it my best shot. If I struggle, I’ll seek external help.”

Her “external help” referred to Qi Caiwei—beautiful, outgoing, and naturally charismatic.

Watching Lu Yi leave with determination, Gu Lu chuckled softly.

“To think the origin of the campus wall movement could trace back to me…”

“Our class 10 harbors hidden talents: a student writer serialized in and the founder of a campus wall. Truly remarkable,” Gu Lu thought to himself.

Meanwhile, at other schools, the remaining two first-prize winners of the essay contest hailed from Bashu High School and Yucai Middle School.

Though their schools differed, both heard similar remarks.

Take Wang Mingjie, a representative from Yucai Middle School’s Senior Three Class 6. His teacher announced the win in the classroom, earning thunderous applause.

“In this year’s essay competition, one particular participant stood out among high school students,” the homeroom teacher teased, building suspense. “From No. 8 High School’s Grade 10 Class 10—Gu Lu.”

What made a tenth grader special? The seniors wondered, though the name sounded familiar.

“Gu Lu is the student writer who frequently appears on TV and in newspapers,” the teacher revealed. “Just recently, reports mentioned his book surpassing 100,000 copies sold.”

At this revelation, the students understood.

“Wow, Old Wang, you’re on par with someone like that!” “Little Ming, you’re unstoppable!” “Dad’s proud of your performance!” “Why don’t you start writing books too?” The chatter filled the room.

Indeed, in the eyes of these students, sharing honors with a legendary figure like Gu Lu was a badge of pride—one worth boasting about more than simply entering it into their academic records.

had brought Gu Lu considerable fame, especially within Chongqing.

Meanwhile, as The Little Prince soared in sales, the publisher’s promotional efforts ramped up accordingly…

In November’s second issue of , the results of the first round of mailed-back survey votes were published. All four guardian articles successfully defended their positions.

However, the vote counts revealed narrow margins. Ghostly Girl barely edged ahead, while lacked a decisive advantage.

This ignited fierce reactions among the authors.

In the [Strive for Five Thousand Yuan] group chat, excitement bubbled over.

12twelve12: “Look! Look! Only a few dozen votes separated me! My Yanqi: The Dragon's Wrath ( Part 2) is guaranteed to secure a guardian spot. Hahaha, nothing is unbeatable!”

GraffitiNotCrow: “When did the group name change? I’m clueless. And seriously, ‘Strive for Five Thousand Yuan’? Aren’t we beyond worrying about that amount?”

BlueArrow: “The group name changed this morning. Twelve went crazy this afternoon.”

12twelve12: “Who’s crazy? My Dragon's Wrath is about to surpass the guardian article in the [Midnight Terrors] section!”

BreakThroughClouds: “I tested the waters with a submission last issue. Turns out [] isn’t untouchable after all.”

12twelve12: “Ah, so you’re Tomorrow Has Light.”

Zu Shier and BreakThroughClouds dove into a heated discussion about securing five thousand yuan and challenging guardian articles. Both were confident, bolstered by mutual praise.

The harmony broke when a group member chimed in with a blunt observation.

BlueArrow: “You guys aren’t mentioning or Listening to Moon Songs in a White Room—the clear frontrunners in last issue’s reader votes. Iron Pillar’s lead wasn’t even close.”

Suddenly, Zu Shier and BreakThroughClouds fell silent.

What was there to say? The published vote counts showed these two pieces dominating, with Iron Pillar leading by a landslide.

Ordinary folks couldn’t compete with geniuses.

Piercing Through Time’s Darkness: “Speaking of which, isn’t Gu Lu, the guardian author of New Reading, the same person behind The Little Prince? Are they one and the same?”

This sparked a fresh wave of discussion.

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