Chapter 247: Prelude to exaggerated sales!
Chapter 247: Prelude to exaggerated sales!
At Narita Airport, there were two groups of people coming to pick us up.
One group was editors sent by Xiangchuan Press, and the other group was members of the "Lu Fanhui (Gu Lu Translation Association)".
Kazuma Anshan (Junji Ito) is a little nervous.
When a person suddenly becomes extremely famous, it is easy for him to show two extremes: either he is too proud to be famous, or he simply cannot get used to his fame. Anshan Yixiong is the latter.
"It's okay. As the vice president, remember to invite Teacher Gu Lu to the dinner." Kyogoku Natsuhiko comforted.
Both groups of people straightened their backs. Anshan Yixiong's dark striped suit was originally small in size, and now it looked tight on the waist.
Except for the translator, it was normal for everyone else to be nervous, mainly because they had never seen it before and kept raising their wrists to check the time.
It would be fine if they had never seen him. In people's minds, the first impression of Gu Lu still comes from the promotional posters drawn by cartoonists.
The display screen above the exit showed that the flight from Shanghai to Narita Airport had landed.
"Why does it have to circle in the air for a long time before landing? There isn't enough space on the runway on the ground." Gu Lu wondered.
His ticket to Japan was booked by Xiangchuan Agency as a business class ticket. In addition, Shanghai is very close to Tokyo, so the journey was not very tiring.
Arriving at the exit, four or five men came to greet us.
Fortunately, there was someone Gu Lu knew among them, otherwise he would have been scared.
It was more than two months ago that Xiangchuan Press and MM Magazine came to China to visit Gu Lu and brought the translator with them.
"Teacher Gu Lu, this is Jinshan, the editor-in-chief of Xiangchuan Press." The translator took the lead in introducing the person from his own unit, the tall and thin editor-in-chief wearing round-frame glasses.
When he turned around to introduce other people, Kyogoku Natsuhiko spoke first.
He said, "Hello, Mr. Gu Lu, I am Kyogoku Natsuhiko, and I am your translator when your work was published in Christmas Magazine."
"This is Kazukuma Yasuda, the translator of your work when it was published in Ukibunshi," Kyogoku Natsuhiko introduced.
Come to think of it, since everyone can translate between Chinese and Japanese, they must know a little Chinese as well.
Oh oh oh, now Gu Lu has an impression of them, the first generation translator and the second generation translator.
Why didn’t the third and fourth generations come? Gu Lu was thinking about the translation of SF and The Little Prince.
In other words, why do Japanese people not feel uncomfortable with Gu Lu's ever-changing writing style?
Naturally, everyone thought it was because of the change of translation.
Presenting facts and reasoning, translation has a huge impact on the work.
Haruki Murakami and Lin Shaohua are very obvious examples of this. The latter is a good translator, but the style of the translation is really different from that of Haruki Murakami himself.
"Hello, hello, is the progress of the novel and comics going smoothly?" Gu Lu asked the two.
"Hi, thanks to Mr. Gu Lu's concern, the publication of the novel went smoothly." Kyogoku Natsuhiko said.
"Steady improvement." replied Kazukuma Yasuda.
I feel that the talented writer is not arrogant and is very easy to get along with, editor Jinshan thought.
During the conversation, Gu Lu had already boarded the car prepared by Xiangchuan Society.
It’s a Toyota brand, Gu Lu doesn’t know what model it is, but it has seven seats.
Kyogoku Natsuhiko nudged Yasuda Kazuma with his toes, allowing the latter to make an invitation.
After hesitating for a while, when Yasuda was about to speak, Jinshan spoke first.
His words were spoken by the translator on the co-pilot's side, "Teacher Gu Lu, President Yukou invites you to Xiangchuan Society and has prepared a welcoming banquet for you tonight."
"A welcoming banquet is too polite." Gu Lu didn't like this kind of occasion, so he said directly, "No need for a welcoming banquet. I want to have a good rest tonight. Xiangchuan Society can visit."
Very simply refused.
He rejected both of them at once. Kazuma Yasuda and Natsuhiko Kyogoku exchanged glances, and the two didn't say anything else.
Fortunately, the editor Jinshan helped to avoid the bad luck first. Yasuda Kazuma silently thanked him in his heart. Of course, he was more grateful that he didn't have to speak. It is really difficult for a person who doesn't like to communicate to invite others.
The vehicle first drove to the hotel, and Gu Lu checked in.
A three-star hotel, not good nor bad, except that the space is small and the facilities are old, there are no disadvantages.
Yasuda and Kyogoku Natsuhiko left first, and before leaving they said they would visit next time.
After Gu Lu is settled, drive to the publishing house.
"It's a bit crowded." Gu Lu visited the editorial office of "Years of Reasoning", and Xiangchuan News Agency was much smaller than the former.
The headquarters of Xiangchuan Society is not located in a high-rise building, but in a two-story building.
If it wasn’t for the sign “Xiangdianshe” outside, I would have thought it was some kind of private tutoring class.
"It's already so small, let's not build a garden anymore." Vice President Yukou took Gu Lu on a tour.
There is an open space of about one square meter in the backyard of the small building. A tree and flowers are planted around it, and it is named "An Yi Pavilion".
It is said that if employees are tired from work, they can look at the flowers, plants and trees at the back.
Gu Lu thought about it and realized that he was already very tired, and when he came to the backyard, he felt even more depressed because of the small space.
It would be more appropriate to plant some onions and garlic, Gu Lu thought.
After the visit, Gu Lu saw the Japanese version of The Little Prince. Please pay attention to the cover of "The Prince at That Time".
As we all know, book covers are used for advertising, and this is no exception.
It says: "Highly recommended by the fairy tale king Kenji Miyazawa." "Jointly recommended by Junko Kawakami, Kanna Kii, and Musa Yamanaka."
Of course, the first line of text is much larger than the second line.
The most important thing is the "preface" in the work.
[First of all, "The Prince at That Time" is not a fairy tale fantasy book, it is a philosophical fairy tale.
But it doesn’t talk about big principles like adults, nor does it talk about any principles in a “gentle and loving” way. “The Prince at That Time” has nothing to do with preaching.
It is like a torii in the mountains and forests, its mere presence is enough to impress people.
I felt like I had followed the little prince across many planets. I closed the book, feeling reluctant to leave.
I haven’t tried this in a while, and I don’t want to end my book journey. ]
"Gentle face and loving words" comes from Buddhist scriptures and is a common "idiom" in Japan. It is marked on various shrines and public buildings.
In "The Beauty of Neon and Me", Yasunari Kawabata derived the meaning of this word into a friendly and gentle attitude.
[…
Writer Gu Lu is a talented writer in China. He uses the perspective of minors to teach us adults the nature of love.
The persistence of love comes from watering, caring and listening again and again. "It is because you spend time on your rose that she becomes so important."
I think I found the reason why I remained single all my life, because I didn't have time to care and listen.
After asking the editor of Xiangchuan Press, the writer Gu Lu is not very tall, but he is definitely a giant in thought.
Through this fairy tale, Gu Lu brings us into contact with the essence of life.
Part of life is living.
Rather than being an accessory to power, vanity, knowledge and sexual desire.
……
"That's my secret. It's actually very simple: we can see clearly with our hearts, but we can't see the essential things with our eyes."
"The Prince at That Time" may be a key that allows people to see the world in a new way.
—Written by Kenji Miyazawa on April 2013, 4]
I won’t elaborate on his preface of more than 2,000 words in full, but just briefly point out the key points.
From the above text, we can see Kenji Miyazawa's admiration for the Little Prince.
Coupled with the publicity of Xiangchuansha, this morning (the 4th), many bookstores in Tokyo, Osaka and Iwate Prefecture reported that they were sold out. Tokyo and Osaka need no introduction, they are the centers of Japanese culture and economy, and the places where news spreads the fastest.
Iwate Prefecture is Kenji Miyazawa's hometown, and its appeal is quite exaggerated.
"Teacher Gu Lu, although we cannot confirm the sales of your work today, judging from the calls from bookstores that have sold out, there is a hope that it will exceed 100,000 copies." Vice President Yukou said.
Xiangchuan Press first printed 15 copies.
At present, there is less print. Yukou underestimated the importance of Kenji Miyazawa in the hearts of the Chinese people.
Therefore, a second print is definitely needed, and we will discuss the second print later.
"Our autograph session is scheduled for the 6th. Does Mr. Gu Lu have any different opinions?" President Yukou explained why this arrangement was made.
The first wave of popularity was driven by Miyazawa, and then after two days when it slightly weakened, the book signing event would be held.
With such a combination of skills, the sales in the first week will be terrifyingly high.
"No problem, President Yukou has arranged it very well." Gu Lu responded.
……
Let’s talk about China, the first day Gu Lu left.
When Teacher Gao entered the classroom, the first thing he said was, "Student Gu Lu needs to go abroad to attend a book signing event, so he has to take four or five days off."
Two reactions from students in Class 10.
First of all, I don’t have to go to school for a week, which is fucking more enjoyable than a baby.
Secondly, is their classmate Gu Lu already so awesome? He has already gone to Neon.
"Okay, okay, stop whispering and let's start the class." Teacher Gao patted the desk, using the sound to cover up the voices below.
Today's class is Unit 3, and we are going to talk about "The Educational Journey of a Physicist", written by Michio Kaku, a Japanese-American.
"Michio Kaku is a famous physicist and the founder of superstring theory," said Teacher Gao. "Yesterday I asked you to preview the text. What does this text mainly talk about?"
The head teacher picked a lucky person to answer the question, "Lu Yi, you summarize the full text."
"This article tells about two interesting childhood stories that led Michio Kaku to become a theoretical physicist." Lu Yi stood up and answered.
"Well, the first paragraph of the article gives a good summary," said Teacher Gao.
Next, according to the lesson plan, the test points of the text were explained again.
At the end of the class, Teacher Gao asked the whole class as usual if there was anything they didn't understand.
A classmate raised his hand.
"Teacher Gao, did Michio Kaku become a theoretical physicist because of his American education or Japanese education?" a student asked.
"What's your question?" Teacher Gao motioned for the student to continue.
Classmate Wei Lili continued, "I heard that Japan cancelled the school rankings in 02, and elementary school students finish school at pm. And America emphasizes fun and interest-based education. No matter which country it is, it seems very leisurely. Why can such a leisurely country produce so many talented people?"
A student actually asked...
Wei Lili always gets into trouble. Anyway, it has nothing to do with the teaching content, so I can just give him a perfunctory response or a few words of criticism - no!
Teacher Gao stopped the car and said, "The happy education in America is for ordinary students. If you want a better life, you still have to work hard. This is what my former classmates who studied abroad told me."
"As for Neon, I'm not sure. Gu Lu happened to go to Neon. When he returns, you can go ask him." Teacher Gao said, "But I believe one thing. To become excellent, you must study hard. In today's society, there is probably no education that can make people happy and get good grades."
"So our domestic education model is also the most suitable for us." Teacher Gao finished speaking and then said, "Do you have any other questions about this text?"
No problem.
After a while, the get out of class was over.
"You insist that I am lying to you. Just look for yourself! Gu Lu must be very popular in Japan. All his novels are sold there." Lu Ping was very proud.
Ma Xuanyou said, "Why are you so proud?"
"Why can't you be proud? Gu Lu is a member of our basketball club. He is Taishan and I am Huashan. Do you understand?" Lu Ping said, "Hey, Tangyuan, you are the twin stars of literature. You are so weak. You still have to look up to us, the basketball twin mountains!"
Oh my god, Li Guyuan quits!
At present, people in China have not yet understood the true meaning of Neon's spirit of craftsmanship, so Neon products are still synonymous with high-quality products.
This trend lasted until around 2016, reaching its peak in when the "Go to Neon to buy toilet lids" incident broke out.
Therefore, everyone was quite envious of Gu Lu going to Neon, and some people even wanted to help bring something...
The next day.
There is a one-hour time difference between China and Japan, so it is May 5th in both countries.
"Why hasn't Chie Hara come yet? What is her agency, Crystal Agency, doing?!" Toyama, the head of Fuji TV's production department, scolded.
Perhaps it was because Section Chief Yuanshan had great power and a bad temper. In contrast, the Director of the Copyright Department, Asayama Meijian, who was in contact with Gu Lu on the phone, had a better temper.
All I heard him say was, "Section Chief Toyama, don't be dissatisfied over trivial matters. Even if the actors are confirmed, they can still be replaced."
In the Japanese entertainment industry, without talking about AV actors, photo models are at the lower end of the entertainment industry's contempt chain, even lower than idols.
The heroine of "Iron Pillar", Chie Hara, is a former model.
"I'll call right away." The person in charge of contact at the TV station immediately dialed the number of Crystal Office.
About five minutes later, the liaison officer came to report the situation, because near Mei 1-chome, there is the area between Mei Tennis Forest Park and Water Quality Science Museum.
There was a problem with the circuit and the wires were being repaired, which resulted in a chain reaction of traffic congestion.
"Is that a reason?" Section Chief Toyama asked back, "How close is Ariake 1-chome to our TV station? You should have walked over. Being punctual is the second most important quality for an actor. It's really a stretch for a model to be the lead actor!"
"She must arrive within 20 minutes. If she can't... there are no ifs," said Section Chief Yuanshan.
Ariake 1-chome is about two kilometers away from the Fuji TV Building, and it can be run in 20 minutes.
Simply put, Yuanshan didn't really want to change the actors, his main purpose was to teach people a lesson.
At this moment, there are seven or eight actors, both men and women, in the conference room. The more famous ones are Koichi Domoto, Maki Horikita, and Hiroki Narimiya.
Koichi Domoto was also born as an idol, but he is a member of Kinki Boys and has many well-known songs.
Hiroki Narimiya is a drama actor. He currently stars in works such as "GTO" and "Now, I Really Want to See You". This year he was also confirmed as the third-generation partner of the Aibo series.
Maki Horikita has starred in "Hana Mitsuki: Wild Boar Transformation" and has some real achievements in her hands.
However, among these actors, Gu Lu had some impression of Horikita Maki.
Besides, Gu Lu didn’t even know whether the earth existed.
This is the case for people who basically don’t pay attention to Japanese entertainment. These singers and actors are not as famous as Sora Aoi and Amami Tsubasa.
"They are all handsome men and beautiful women, which is good."
Gu Lu put down the information sheet, and Fuji TV even gave him a Chinese version of the script.
In fact, it is unnecessary.
"Mr. Xinmu, how long will the traffic jam last?" Gu Lu asked the translator in the passenger seat.
The agreed meeting time is 10:15, and it's already :, and time is running out.
"Teacher Gu Lu, please stay for a moment. I'll go to the front to check." The translator immediately got out of the car and went to the front to check.
Toot——
The car behind honked.
It is true that Japanese people rarely honk their horns while driving, but it is an exaggeration to not honk at all. This is Gu Lu’s personal experience after living there for two days.
(End of this chapter)