Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C148

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Chapter 148: Don’t Reconcile, Please

So saving the world just gets you a cafeteria card as a reward?

Well, that’s not entirely accurate. Saving the world doesn’t necessarily guarantee even that, right, Luo Ji? Note. 1

"I had hoped to live among you in peace, without pretense or drama," said with a wry smile. "But instead of closeness, all I got was distance. Enough with the act—I’m coming clean. I am the human host of ." He turned to Wei Jiao, his tone half-serious, half-teasing. ", do you believe in the power of light?" (Note 2)

Wei Jiao’s eyes went flat, like those of a dead fish, devoid of emotion. She didn’t say anything, just stared at him.

The silence grew awkward, and Gu Lu quickly shifted gears. "Hey, Panda, why didn’t you join the Hanfu Club? You competed in that calligraphy contest last year—your brushwork must be amazing."

"You’re one to talk," Wei Jiao shot back coolly. "You haven’t joined the Literary Club either, have you? My current goal is to join the next semester."

"Huh?" Gu Lu perked up at the familiar name.

"You probably haven’t heard yet—we’ve got a new club on campus," Wei Jiao explained. "From what I’ve gathered, it’s being run by teachers who want to start publishing a school magazine. Students can apply to be editors."

"Teachers set it up? Who told you this?" Gu Lu’s voice sharpened slightly.

"The whole school’s talking about it!" Wei Jiao shrugged. "Think about it—if it weren’t a teacher-led initiative, how could they secure space in the library warehouse for their activities? And if students were involved, wouldn’t they be recruiting us by now? The content for the school magazine has to be deep, something only teachers can handle properly."

"Panda, you make a lot of sense," Gu Lu admitted. "You’ve convinced me."

"What are you two chatting about so animatedly?" A female voice cut through their conversation. It was Qi Caiwei.

"We’re discussing the Publication Club," Wei Jiao replied. "I want to be an editor-in-chief so I can read everyone’s submissions openly."

"When does the club start accepting members? I’d love to submit some work," Qi Caiwei chimed in enthusiastically.

Their conversation gradually veered toward academics. The more Qi Caiwei appreciated Gu Lu’s input, the more earnestly she tutored him in science. Meanwhile, the more diligent her teaching became, the harder Gu Lu worked to regain his self-respect through studying—and the stricter his critiques of book reports grew.

And so, they fell into a feedback loop.

---

The outdoor gym class ended soon after, and the students returned indoors.

“I’d like to request leave for the last period of the afternoon,” Gu Lu approached , the homeroom teacher.

If any other student had asked, Ms. Gao might have grilled them for details. But when it came to Gu Lu… well, aside from neglecting homework, zoning out during lectures, and avoiding group activities, he wasn’t exactly a troublemaker. Plus, he had connections—connections with authority figures, including the warden of Prison Eight.

By three o’clock, Gu Lu stepped out of the school gates. He made his way to and boarded a short-distance bus bound for Bishan. By four, he arrived in Bishan, though finding the school would take a bit more time.

---

“Jiajia, when are you finally going to introduce your writer brother to us?”

“I heard sold hundreds of thousands of copies! Can you get us an autograph, Jiajia?”

“Does your brother do nothing but write and read books all day?”

Back at ’s school, her classmates swarmed around her. She’d already bragged once in class after Gu Lu appeared on Daily 630. Now, thanks to yesterday’s issue of , which featured glowing praise for Gu Lu, she found herself back in the spotlight.

It helped that Young Pioneer Newspaper was delivered regularly to Laifeng Middle School’s junior high division—a fact her classmates hadn’t missed. One entire page was dedicated to illustrations from The Little Prince, featuring the iconic image of the lamplighter alone on his planet. Accompanying the artwork was a detailed synopsis—spoilers included—and a memorable quote: If I want to know butterflies, I must endure two or three caterpillars.

The editorial review concluded, [The Little Prince is a fable of self-discovery and self-realization, recommended by both Young Pioneer Newspaper and Chongqing Library.]

“Do you have any idea how busy writers are?” Gu Jiayu defended her brother. “Between studying and brainstorming, there’s barely enough time in the day.”

“I saw my brother’s laptop once,” she continued, mimicking Gu Lu’s tone. “His desktop is covered in documents. Writers may think big—like universes—but they spend most of their time dealing with mundane tasks.”

Of course, not everyone was thrilled about Gu Jiayu’s sudden popularity. Someone muttered, “Jiayu, are you pulling our leg? Isn’t your brother named Xiao Yang?”

“Xiao Yang is my stepbrother,” Gu Jiayu retorted. “He’s no match for my real brother. What do you know?”

“Who knows if it’s true…” another voice whispered under their breath.

Gu Jiayu raised her voice. “If you don’t believe me, look at him! We look alike!”

Well, siblings sometimes share a resemblance—but not really in this case. Gu Jiayu took after her mother far more than her brother.

The bell rang, silencing the classroom chatter.

Forty minutes later, the final bell signaled dismissal. Gu Jiayu and her friends filed out of the school building.

“Brother?” Gu Jiayu blinked, unsure if her eyes were playing tricks on her. She removed her glasses and wiped them clean. No, it was really him!

Like an excited bunny, she hopped over to Gu Lu—but before reaching him, she swiftly tucked her glasses into her pocket.

She might have been nearsighted, but she hated how dorky her black-rimmed glasses looked. Whenever she met her brother, she left them behind.

Curiosity lit up her face. “Big Brother, what are you doing here? You didn’t come last week, and suddenly you show up unannounced? Weren’t you too busy?”

Three rapid-fire questions, and Gu Lu answered each in turn. “I was busy, but our school let out early this week, so I thought I’d visit. Besides, I’ve never seen your school before.”

“Oh yeah! You mentioned visiting months ago!” Gu Jiayu blurted—and immediately regretted it. Months ago, Gu Lu hadn’t started writing yet. Hurriedly changing the subject, she grabbed her brother’s arm and pulled him toward her waiting friends.

“Everyone, this is my brother, Gu Lu! He’s an incredible writer!” Gu Jiayu’s pride was unmistakable, her chin tilting upward ever so slightly as she basked in the admiration she imagined radiating from her peers.

But her friends weren’t paying attention to her—they were too busy staring at Gu Lu.

“He looks exactly like he does in the newspaper,” one whispered loudly. “Except he seems more… alive.”

“More colorful. Like, moving and breathing.”

The whispers weren’t exactly subtle, and Gu Lu caught every word.

Why did their comments sound so odd?

“That’s enough—you guys go home. We’re heading in different directions anyway,” Gu Jiayu declared, abandoning her friends without a second thought.

Gu Lu couldn’t help but think, Eyes and ears aren’t just for show. Surely you noticed that.

Every child secretly hopes their family will brag about them.

With her big brother in town, Gu Jiayu decided to play the generous hostess. Pulling out her secret stash of cash, she dragged him toward Minsheng Street, lined with shops and food stalls behind the school.

Her friends called after her retreating figure, “Don’t forget to get me an autograph!”

They ate their way through the street, spending a total of 24 yuan.

For Gu Jiayu, who was still saving up to buy gifts, this felt like a massive splurge.

Once they’d eaten their fill, they strolled along the curb.

“Brother!” Gu Jiayu suddenly stopped, her voice dropping. When she spoke again, it carried the weight of something important.

“What is it?” Gu Lu sobered instantly, his expression serious.

“If Mom tries to reconcile with you…” Gu Jiayu hesitated, summoning every ounce of courage, “…don’t agree.”

The first part of her statement made sense. The second? That was something Gu Lu hadn’t anticipated.

Note. 1 In the "Three-Body Problem" novel, Luo Ji or Logic (罗辑) is the character who embodies the concept of logic, particularly in the context of the "Dark Forest" theory. His name, in Chinese, sounds like "logic," and he uses this to his advantage in the story.

Note 2. Panda is Wei Jiao’s nickname

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