Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 85

Hyung, Am I Cute? 85

-UX Conference Room.

The UX department for Chinese web novels had two representatives.

They had also received several investments.

Among them, Zhang Wei was the person taking the lead in management.

Zhang Wei looked around. The people in the conference room were all waiting for his words.

The agenda for the meeting concerned their upcoming meeting in Korea.

“We are scheduled to have a meeting with a platform in Korea. Before that, we will meet with a publisher first.”

“A publisher?”

Some people were unaware of this and tilted their heads.

In any case, they had to go through a publisher.

It wasn’t easy to find a publisher to take on translated novels, and they needed to maintain a continuous business relationship.

The platform also intended to negotiate a favorable contract through these meetings.

One person said.

“But is it really necessary to sign a contract with a Korean platform? Isn’t that market too small?”

“Of course, it is. We also see it as a small market, but it’s not negligible.”

Zhang Wei smirked.

There were only a few places with well-established platforms for serializing web novels.

In Europe and the United States, it was more common to release novels in volumes rather than serial installments.

The only places that could be considered for serial releases were China, Korea, and Japan.

Zhang Wei said.

“This platform contract isn’t actually for making money. It’s a stepping stone, so to speak.”

A kind of showmanship.

UX was growing into a global company.

It was no longer a biased company leaning to one side, but a company aiming for the world.

This was to demonstrate that to people.

Of course, it would be even better if this business went well, but that would take quite some time.

“As a representative, I cannot settle here. The company is already listed, and the stock price needs to go up further. It is important to increase future value.”

Zhang Wei spoke plausibly and gestured with his hand.

The secretary behind him nodded and sent the data on the tablet.

“This publishing contract is the same. I was thinking of handling everything here, but I changed my mind. It’s a part of the martial arts novel translation from Armorzon.”

Everyone read the text.

The employees fluent in English were impressed.

These days, it’s said that translation is simple if you use a program.

Of course, that’s true.

Because the editor only needs to revise the text translated by the machine.

But novels are different.

The translator can convey the meaning but cannot capture the essence.

That’s why translators are still needed.

Because the translator cannot replace the author’s intention and emotion.

This was also the reason why rewriting was necessary.

“How is it? Isn’t it amazing?”

The employees nodded.

“Yes! Wow! It’s really fun. The writing style also follows the format of Armorzon books well. It doesn’t feel like it’s been translated.”

“It captures the feeling of a native speaker ‘speaking’ well.”

“The translator seems to be very good.”

Zhang Wei nodded.

One of the reasons he tried to contract with KI Media was the martial arts novel translation he happened to discover.

He was glad to see that such cases were rare, and the skill was considerable.

“Looking at it, KI Media is doing a good job in translation and has some connections with overseas publishers.”

“Oh. Their sales power is considerable.”

“Yes. It seems the representative there is really good at their job.”

“Haha! It seems like there’s another person like our representative.”

Zhang Wei frowned at the constant flattery.

“If this contract is successful, the writers will also be happy. They will look at it positively. And I want to invest too.”

“Are you aiming for overseas routes?”

“Yes. That’s right. What I’m really aiming for is something else. Let’s start in Korea.”

Zhang Wei smiled slyly.

It would be good if it went well, and there would be no loss even if it didn’t.

It was a contract that was entered into with various aims, but in the end, it was about doing business with the works of the writers the platform had.

‘I hope it goes well. Because it’s a stepping stone to execute one of the plans well.’

The employees here didn’t know that Zhang Wei was aiming for something else.

***

I came to a Korean BBQ restaurant with Siha.

Today was the day of the meeting.

The restaurant looked luxurious, and the rooms were separated.

It seemed to be an expensive Korean BBQ restaurant.

“Siha, eat a lot of delicious meat today.”

“Ah ah.”

“After dinner, Hyung [older brother/male friend] has some work to do. Play with Suhyun noona [older sister/female friend] here for a while. Okay?”

“Ah ah!”

Seo Suhyun, who was next to him, stroked Siha’s head.

“Siha, let’s have fun with noona.”

“Ah ah.”

Siha waved his hand and was guided to another room.

Today, I was also buying food for the students who came for the field trip.

In other words, I was handling things all at once.

Kim Byungsoo and others also went over there.

To welcome the family of the Chinese writer who came with them.

‘I hope they have fun?’

For now, I left it to Seo Suhyun…….

Hong Jinsoo, who was next to me, put his arm around my shoulder.

“Sihyuk-ssi [Mr. Sihyuk]. Please take care of me today.”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

“I won’t talk so much when I eat. So eat comfortably. Oh, right. This Korean BBQ restaurant is really delicious.”

“Have you been here often?”

“The owner and the representative here are friends. We always go to this restaurant for company dinners.”

“A business relationship that raises sales?”

“You can see it that way. But they’re really close. They give us a little more meat because of that.”

“I see.”

“And you know. We don’t usually have company dinners if we can help it. Young people these days don’t really like that kind of thing.”

“That’s true.”

I nodded.

In fact, company dinners are an extension of human relationships, so it won’t feel like a break.

It’s a different story when colleagues get together for a drink.

“But when we do, we go to an expensive Korean BBQ restaurant! You could say we’re pouring in as much as the cost of not doing it?”

“That must be today.”

“Of course. All the employees are here now. We’ve booked separate rooms too.”

“It doesn’t sound bad?”

It didn’t seem bad to splurge like this at once.

Anyway, the cost is the company’s money.

“So everyone’s excited. Ah. The room is over there.”

When I went inside, I saw some people.

Writer Song Taeksoo also participated, and there were two other writers.

Hong Jinsoo said.

“The writers will eat together and then go to another room later. So another translator is coming.”

“I want to translate in the writer’s room. I think that would be more fun.”

There would be eras that care about each other in different cultures.

The stories they want to show to readers will also be different.

Hong Jinsoo smiled.

“Hey. I’ll make it fun. Let’s make the contract with a good atmosphere!”

“Haha. It would be fun if Section Chief Hong was there.”

“Right?”

We sat down while chatting.

After a while, the Chinese side arrived.

We greeted each other and sat down.

As the meal began, we talked, and I translated.

‘I’m glad I ate something beforehand.’

What do you mean eat deliciously?

Knowing this would happen, I roughly ate dinner beforehand.

UX representative Zhang Wei said.

I gave a simultaneous interpretation of that.

「The representative is quite young.」

「Haha. Zhang Wei-ssi is also young.」

「This. They’re painting each other’s faces with gold [exaggerated flattery]. But the translator next to you is really young?」

「She is a translator that our publishing house is proud of. She is also a translator who works with us.」

Zhang Wei looked at me with surprised eyes.

I felt embarrassed for no reason.

I felt like I was painting my face with gold when I was conveying the words?

And when did I become the publishing house’s exclusive translator?

Anyway, the KI representative is really shameless.

Zhang Wei looked at me and asked.

「Oh! What did you translate?」

「Ah! I translated the martial arts work of Writer Song Taeksoo, who is over there, into English this time.」

「Ah! Lee Si-hyuk! I remember. I saw the book on Armorzon.」

「Thank you for remembering.」

Zhang Wei’s eyes sparkled.

Hong Jinsoo, who was listening next to me, shrugged his shoulders.

Why is Section Chief Hong so proud?

Zhang Wei said.

「Your Chinese skills seem to be considerable, but can you also translate Chinese martial arts into English?」

I felt that those words would be of great help to KI Media.

It’s about showing off KI Media’s connections here.

Personally, I thought I owed KI Media a bit.

Starting with giving me continuous work like this as a beginner, they are paying me a considerable fee.

If I had met another publishing house, I would be working for a lower fee than this by now.

‘Thank you, Section Chief Hong Jinsoo.’

I hope this will be a little bit of a reward this time.

Of course, they also gave me money for the translation work, but it would be better if I could get good results.

「It is possible. I’ve read some Chinese martial arts, even though I look like this.」

「Oh! Really?」

「Yes. I don’t know the latest novels very well, though.」

I quickly scanned my memory.

I thought there might be a book I had read among the Chinese writers who came today.

‘There’s one person?’

It’s a martial arts novel from two years ago, but this is the latest.

Maybe they’re still serializing it now.

These days, Chinese web novels write 1000 episodes as a basic if they sell well.

「There is a writer who wrote ‘Return of the Spirits’. Insight and stories about the soul, and even giving the main character abilities. I really enjoyed reading it.」

The writer of ‘Return of the Spirits’, who was talking to another translator over there, opened his eyes wide and looked at me.

I continued to speak.

「Because he often comes into contact with souls, the main character is quite cynical and makes cold judgments about death. Should I say he lacks humanity?」

In fact, there’s nothing to say because this kind of character is popular.

It could be said to be a trend.

「I think the writer made these settings while taking care of the plausibility in order to form a popular personality.」

The writer of ‘Return of the Spirits’ nodded.

The UX employees also seemed to empathize, as if they had read the work.

I decided to tie it up a bit here.

「It seems like a real coincidence that we met alive like this, not as souls. This seat is really enjoyable because of the new friends who came from afar.」

I mixed a passage from the ‘Return of the Spirits’ and a passage from the Analects of Confucius [a collection of sayings and ideas attributed to the Chinese philosopher Confucius].

China is generous with praise.

They also valued ancient texts such as the Analects of Confucius.

This one word allows you to guess the translator’s skills to some extent.

I glanced around.

Everyone was focusing on my mouth.

‘I’ve said everything I need to say?’

I picked up the meat and said.

「I don’t think the tongue will be happy if the food gets cold, so let’s eat the delicious meat. There’s still plenty of time.」

The meat that finally entered my mouth melted really deliciously.

This is the composure to relieve the atmosphere humorously and take care of the meat.

Everyone laughed and had a meal.

***

Meanwhile, Siha was eating delicious meat with Seo Suhyun.

Kim Byungsoo saw the scene and approached.

“Hello. Siha.”

“Ah?”

Siha stared at Kim Byungsoo.

No matter how much he looked, he couldn’t remember his face.

He thought, ‘Was there such a face?’

Kim Byungsoo was planning to get a little credit by helping Seo Suhyun while getting close to Siha.

Talking and saying things.

“My name is Kim Byungsoo.”

“Bingsu [shaved ice]?”

Seo Suhyun next to him laughed, ‘Pfft.’

I don’t know why Bingsu came out suddenly, but Siha’s words were so funny.

Kim Byungsoo felt strangely bad about those words.

“No. Not Bingsu, Byungsoo. Byungsoo.”

“Ah ah. Byungsoo.”

“You’re not doing that on purpose, are you?”

“Ah?”

Siha tilted his head as if he didn’t know.

Kim Byungsoo said.

“Ahem. I’m Hyung’s friend. Let’s get along from now on. Eat this.”

Kim Byungsoo gently put the meat on Siha’s plate.

Siha organized his thoughts.

The frog noona next to him laughed at the name Bingsu.

It feels good to laugh at Siha’s words.

It’s good to feel good.

So the name of the person in front is Bingsu.

‘Ah ah. Bingsu. Hyung. Friend.’

Siha wanted to say this.

But there’s meat in front of him.

I want to talk and eat meat.

I became impatient.

He picked up the meat with a fork and said.

“Ah ah! Binggu [idiot]!”

The surroundings erupted in laughter because Kim Byungsoo suddenly became Binggu.

Seo Suhyun next to him laughed so hard that he couldn’t breathe.

At that time, the family of the Chinese writer came in.

“Oh? Siha!”

A young voice echoed in the room.