Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C168

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Chapter 168: The Canals of Mars

"The development is pretty rapid," Gu Lu remarked with a smile. As for the idea of "a call to action," he wasn't planning anything grand, so what was the point?

Wait, should he advertise The Little Prince? The thought flitted through his mind, but Gu Lu quickly dismissed it, feeling it wouldn't be effective. Better to cooperate earnestly with the publisher for their promotional activities.

The two walked under the setting sun, amidst the bustling evening rush hour. The streets were packed shoulder to shoulder, and cars zipped past like metal boxes on wheels.

The busy crowd shimmered in the golden glow of the sunset, stirring emotions within Gu Lu. He suddenly felt that life was meant to be lived this way—full and vibrant.

Lu Yi and Gu Lu carried the entire class’s workbooks back to the teacher's office before heading off.

"Class is starting soon. Where are you going, Gu Lu?" Lu Yi called out as she saw him bypass the classroom door.

"Study hard!" Gu Lu waved and quickly disappeared from Lu Yi's sight.

Skipping class? Two words flashed in Lu Yi's mind.

She quickly contemplated whether to fabricate an excuse to cover for Gu Lu. Skipping class usually meant calling the parents!

Time was running out; she only had a minute or two to return to the classroom…

"Reporting—" Lu Yi approached Ms. Xiao, who was supervising the evening study session. "Ms. Xiao, I went out to buy workbooks, so I’m late."

"I know. Come in," Ms. Xiao replied.

"As for Gu Lu…"

Before Lu Yi could finish, Ms. Xiao interrupted, "I know about Gu Lu. Ms. Gao already informed me."

Relief washed over Lu Yi. So he had already gotten permission! She returned to her seat.

Gu Lu, returning home earlier than usual for the first time, headed straight to the market.

"Little Gu, back so early?"

"School ended early today. Boss, can you cut me some ribs? Thanks."

"No problem. Let me handle that for you."

Since Gu Lu frequented the market, he was quite familiar with the vendors. Once he found a reliable butcher, he stuck with them.

Sweet and sour pork ribs paired perfectly with rice. After finishing, he even cleaned the dishes—it was only 7:30 PM. Having so much free time felt strange and unfamiliar.

Curious if anyone had reached out, Gu Lu logged into his QQ account.

As soon as he logged in, he received good news from Han Cang, the corresponding editor: Story Digest had agreed to translate and publish one of his works abroad.

It was indeed prestigious for a domestic magazine’s piece to be featured internationally.

Gu Lu exchanged another email with Yasuyama Kazuma.

[…Gu-san is undoubtedly a genius writer… Though I contributed only a little, I am honored to have played a part in the success of your work… I’ve received Gu-san’s new piece and will do my utmost to preserve its brilliance. I look forward to more collaborations with Gu-san.]

Three ellipses hid countless omitted words. But the gist was clear: Japan held renowned writers in exaggerated reverence.

Yasuyama Kazuma’s tone grew even more respectful.

Gu Lu sighed softly as his eyes lingered on the phrase "more collaborations."

After this round of translations, there would be no more Edogawa Ranpo. Four stories remained—The Canals of Mars, The Caterpillar, The Deformed Goddess, and The Appearance of Osei. Each, to varying degrees, didn’t suit Gu Lu’s current needs.

He deeply admired Edogawa Ranpo—not just for his wild imagination but also for his extraordinary writing skill. Take The Canals of Mars: it was astonishing how someone could connect bedroom scenes with Martian exploration. Even Gu Lu, a novice writer, couldn’t help but marvel at such creativity.

"Overseas markets are auxiliary. The main focus remains domestic."

"The long-form novel, ah…"

"If one of the combined list entries is Miracles of the Namiya General Store, I have an idea."

No more relying on luck—he had to take the initiative!

---

The next day.

Bright sunshine heralded trouble ahead.

"Mo Guanghai is the owner of Chuangxin Stationery. He donated three million yuan to our school, so there’s history there," Principal Liu explained, trying to distance himself. This man was a donor, connected to the school but not closely.

Without some adult-level intellect, one might miss the subtle implications. Gu Lu silently nodded, acknowledging the signal.

"Hey, it’s just a small matter from years ago. No need to bring it up, Principal Liu," Mo Guanghai said smoothly. "My child graduated from this school. Giving back is only natural."

"So this is No. 8 High School’s famed writer?" Mo Guanghai greeted Gu Lu warmly.

Unaccustomed to such enthusiasm, Gu Lu awkwardly returned the greeting.

"I’m older, so call me Uncle Mo—I’ll shamelessly accept it." The middle-aged man exuded a strong air of worldliness, starkly different from the students of No. 8 High School.

"Let’s stick to Mr. Mo. Since we’re discussing copyright matters, let’s keep things professional," Gu Lu replied.

This kid isn’t easy to deal with—Mo Guanghai’s smile wavered slightly. "Titles don’t matter. What you call me isn’t important."

"Today, I’ve come to discuss the copyright of The Little Prince. Our company, Chuangxin Stationery, wants to purchase the rights to produce merchandise based on it," Mo Guanghai stated. "We’ll use it for stationery production."

"For the licensing rights, I’m offering ten years at three million yuan. If you agree, we can sign the contract immediately," Mo Guanghai added.

Three million yuan just like that? Principal Liu sipped his tea quietly, nearly choking when he heard the figure.

What a goldmine! Far better than his own… ahem, Principal Liu stopped himself mid-thought.

By the way, they were drinking Tuocha tea.

As a businessman, Mo Guanghai wasn’t one to rise early without profit in sight. His generous offer stemmed from seeing a lucrative opportunity.

Last week, during a visit to Xinhua Bookstore, he noticed the best-selling stationery items were—Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf series, cheap stationery, and covers featuring The Little Prince.

Further investigation revealed that while primary school students favored Pleasant Goat, junior high and high schoolers preferred The Little Prince. College students? Well, they didn’t bother with book covers.

Three million yuan! Far more generous than that other executive’s offer. Gu Lu couldn’t help but feel tempted. But after taking a deep breath, he responded, "Mr. Mo, your offer truly moves me, but I must decline."

"De… decline?" Mo Guanghai’s mind froze.

"Why?" Mo Guanghai asked, baffled. "Is there an issue with the price?"

Take Boonie Bears' licensing deal with Morning Glory—five years for eight million yuan. Considering Boonie Bears' fame versus The Little Prince’s less-than-500,000 copies sold, three million was quite reasonable. Mo Guanghai worried the young writer wouldn’t understand, so he explained using examples.

"At thirty thousand per year, this is already a top-tier offer for licensing," Mo Guanghai concluded.

Gu Lu had two reasons for refusing: first, he wasn’t yet eighteen, and selling the copyright could lead to future complications. Second, even five years—let alone ten—would allow the work to mature further, likely increasing its value.

But these reasons couldn’t be openly stated. Gu Lu chose another way to decline.

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