A Literary Life Starting from the First Year of High School

Chapter 133 to be released simultaneously? (Transitional Chapter)

Allen took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "The ambition of your project is much greater than I imagined."

Lin Shubai did not deny it.

Allen picked up his glass, downed the rest of his red wine in one gulp, and placed the glass on the table. "How long do you think it will take you to finish writing?"

"It will take about three to five years to complete the entire six-part series."

"You're seventeen now, and you'll be twenty to twenty-two when you finish writing this, which is the best age for you." After saying this, Allen paused for a few seconds, "I have an idea."

Lin Shubai looked at him.

"For your series, the Chinese and English versions are being developed simultaneously. It's not about releasing the Chinese version first and then finding someone to translate it after it sells; rather, the English version follows the Chinese version as it progresses."

Lin Shubai's fingers paused on the table. Simultaneous progress meant that he would complete the English version of the writing while writing the Chinese version. This idea coincided with Lin Shubai's own thoughts, and that's what he's currently doing.

"I was writing in Chinese while simultaneously writing in English."

Allen's eyes lit up. "You've already written it?"

"After writing the beginning, I proceeded simultaneously in both Chinese and English, writing a paragraph in Chinese and a paragraph in English."

Did you bring it?

"In the hotel, there's some manuscript paper, handwritten. Would you like to take a look?"

"Give it to me tomorrow. After I read it, if the quality is on par with your previous English manuscript, I'll help you with simultaneous publication once you finish writing it."

"Simultaneous release?"

"You'll be responsible for the Chinese version, and I'll find a publisher in the UK for the English version. They'll both be released on the same day."

Do you think you can do it?

"I can do it, but not now." Allen picked up the water glass on the table and took a sip. "At least finish the first book. Before that, don't think about anything else. Just write the story, and I'll take care of the rest."

Lin Shubai nodded.

The waiter knocked on the door and came in, bringing two desserts: a chocolate lava cake and a crème brûlée.

Have you decided on a name for this series?

"Earthsea Chronicles"

"Have you finished eating?" Allen glanced at his plate.

"I'm done eating."

"Let's go then. Show me the English draft tomorrow. Get some rest tonight; we have things to do tomorrow."

The two stood up and walked out of the private room. There were many more people in the restaurant than when they arrived, and most of the tables were full.

When I stepped out of the restaurant, it was completely dark outside. I didn't know when it had rained, but the ground was wet, and the rain had stopped.

The car drove back to the hotel. Allen parked it in front of the hotel and turned off the engine. "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at nine o'clock."

"Where to?"

"Buckingham Palace, you come to London and don't you go see where the Queen lives?"

Lin Shubai smiled and said, "Okay."

Lin Shubai pushed open the hotel door. Richard was still sitting behind the front desk. He had changed his book today; it was thick and had a red cover.

"You're back?" Richard took off his reading glasses.

"I'm back."

"How's London?"

"fine."

After returning to his room, Lin Shubai sat down at his desk and opened his manuscript. He had written about a third of the Chinese manuscript of "The Wizard of Earthsea," and the English manuscript was a bit slower, about a quarter.

July 20th.

Allen arrived at the hotel at exactly nine o'clock. The two left the hotel and drove to Buckingham Palace.

A large number of tourists had already gathered at the entrance of Buckingham Palace, most of them holding up their mobile phones or cameras, waiting to watch the changing of the guard. He took out his mobile phone, took a few photos, and sent them to Wang Xiulan and then to Su Wan.

At noon, Allen took him to an Italian restaurant.

During dinner, Allen's phone rang. He glanced at the screen and frowned.

"Hello—yes, it's me—" He listened for a while, his expression changing from frowning to thoughtful. "I'll think about it and get back to you later."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Shubai asked, "What's up?"

"Faber's editor asked if the English version of 'The Little Prince' had been signed out."

"Aren't you planning to sign now?"

"No rush, let's wait for the Bass Prize results."

In the afternoon, Allen took him to the British Museum. When Lin Shubai stood in front of the Rosetta Stone, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind: what he and Champollion did was essentially the same thing. Champollion understood a lost language through the Rosetta Stone, and he brought the literature of another world to this world through the system.

When he arrived at the Chinese porcelain hall, he stood in front of a Ming Dynasty blue and white porcelain vase and looked at it for a long time.

Allen stood beside him without saying a word.

After a long while, Lin Shubai finally spoke: "Let's go."

In the days that followed, the rhythm became very fixed.

Every morning, Allen would pick him up at nine o'clock, and the two of them would go out to visit a place, such as Cambridge, Oxford, Greenwich Observatory, and St. Paul's Cathedral. Lin Shubai would follow Allen, taking photos and checking off the list, but in his mind, he was always counting down the days.

The Bath Prize ceremony is on July 31st. Ten days, nine days, eight days to go —

Countdowns are strange things; they make you anticipate and anxious at the same time. You don't know what awaits you at the end, but you know you have to get there.

Back at the hotel in the afternoon, he began writing "The Wizard of Earthsea".

Around 3 or 4 o'clock, he would call back home.

Every time Wang Xiulan answered the phone, she would ask the same questions—"What did you eat?" "Are you cold?" Lin Shubai would answer every time, and the answers were always similar, but Wang Xiulan would still ask.

He knew that for parents, sending their child abroad was a big deal, and they couldn't help with it, so they could only participate in his journey by repeatedly asking these trivial questions.

Lin Jianguo would occasionally say "Be careful" on the other end of the phone, and then that would be the end of it.

Su Wan made fewer phone calls.

Once, when he called, Su Wan had just finished showering, and he could hear the sound of a hairdryer coming from the other end of the line, sometimes loud and sometimes soft.

"Are you blow-drying your hair?"

"Hmm. What time is it where you are?"

"Three o'clock in the afternoon."

"Where did you go today?"

"Cambridge, I saw King's College Chapel."

"Is it pretty?"

"nice."

Su Wan was silent for a moment, then said, "Lin Shubai."

"Um?"

Are you nervous?

Lin Shubai knew she was referring to the Bath Prize. "It's alright."

July 29th marks two days until the Bass Prize.

When Allen came to pick him up, his expression was more serious than usual.

"We're heading to Bath tomorrow, staying one night, and the awards ceremony is the day after," Allen said as he drove. "Have you packed your things?"

"That's about it."

"Where's the suit? The one I bought last time."

"Hang it in the closet."

Allen nodded. "Go to bed early tonight. We'll leave tomorrow morning; it'll take about two and a half hours by car."

"it is good."

In the car, Allen handed Lin Shubai a book, "A sample copy of the English version of 'The Little Prince.' I contacted the printing factory to make it, and it was just printed last week."

Lin Shubai took the book. The cover was made of cloth and felt high-quality. The title, "The Little Prince," was printed in white on the cover, and the author was listed as "ShuBaiLin."

He opened the title page, which read: "All grown-ups were once children, but only..."

Few of them remember it.

This is what he wrote on the title page of the Chinese edition: "All adults were children at first, but few remember that."

"You can take it."

Lin Shubai did not refuse and put the book into his bag.

When did you receive this sample copy?

"Yesterday, I was going to tell you later, but I wanted you to see it before the award ceremony."

39

Why?

"Because no matter what the outcome is the day after tomorrow, this book is already here."

Lin Shubai understood what Allen meant: the Bath Prize was just an award, and whether or not he won it would only affect the royalties and the first print run, but would not affect the publication of the book.