Chapter 137: How can this be called sponging a meal?

The snow yesterday was indeed another layer thicker, and there were still sporadic snowflakes drifting until morning.

Snowball, the little snowman at the door, was conscientiously looking outside with stone eyes. It really felt like the house was much safer...

Having been set up by two old men yesterday, Naoki Nagayama didn't plan to go out today. He finally understood that going out would lead to trouble~

He patiently made vegetable and lean meat porridge for breakfast in the morning. Eating delicious breakfast while admiring the snow scene in the courtyard made people full of expectations for the new day.

The morning drama of Japan's characteristic NHK, 15 minutes per episode, is generally only watched by housewives. Corporate slaves basically have already gone out to work at this time.

Of course, there are also young people like Naoki Nagayama who have nothing to do...

Watching TV early in the morning is a very unique experience. It's a very refreshing feeling...

The 15-minute short drama is very interesting. The protagonist is also a woman. Even if you haven't watched it before, it doesn't affect the plot of the day much.

Being able to grab people's attention in such a short time, the screenwriter and editor have some skills.

After the morning drama ended, Naoki Nagayama naturally watched the morning news, and then other programs in the morning. A small half of the day full of expectations was spent watching TV.

The plan to stay at home for a whole day was canceled near noon.

Kuniharu Morikawa from Shogakukan called again.

"Naoki-san, are you back in Tokyo?"

"Hai, just back not long ago~"

"That's good, that's good~ I don't know if you have time this afternoon?" Kuniharu Morikawa said. "The translation of the novel is ready~"

"Hai, I have time in the afternoon, I can come over in the afternoon."

"That's the best, then let's talk when we meet in the afternoon!"

Originally planning to stay at home for a whole day, now he had to go out.

He ate something casually at noon to fill his stomach, leaving his stomach for the big meal.

This can't be called sponging a meal! An editor inviting an author to dinner, isn't that what should be done~

Naturally, he couldn't go too early in the afternoon. Naoki Nagayama dawdled at home until 3 o'clock, then put on a windbreaker, hat, and scarf, and by the way, took his camera, and went out in the slowly drifting snowflakes.

Boots stepped on the snow on the sidewalk, making a light crunching sound, leaving clear footprints. On the way from Sanyingyuan to the park next to it, there was an extra line of traces on the pure white snow.

There was no one in the park at all, and even the old people who often strolled around were nowhere to be seen. Naoki Nagayama was curious.

It's understandable that old people are afraid of the cold, but where did all those sentimental young people go?

Is there no one participating in such an activity suitable for literary youth?

Naoki Nagayama strolled in the park alone, taking a few photos with his camera from time to time, but suddenly found a white ball moving around in the bushes!

Walking closer, it turned out to be a puppy biting the grass in the park energetically. The fluffy off-white fur was exactly the same as the surrounding snow, and you couldn't tell it apart without trying hard.

Looking around, Naoki Nagayama didn't see the dog owner. He squatted down and touched the puppy. It was still biting that grass, making a light whimpering sound, and didn't have any fearful attitude toward people.

However, Naoki Nagayama saw a light blue cloth collar hanging on the puppy's neck, indicating that this was a domestic dog, not a wild stray dog. Looking closer at the puppy's head, this silly expression...

Whose Labrador cub ran out?

Naoki Nagayama pinched the puppy's neck, and the puppy made a "ying ying" sound.

Haha, is it actually a "ying ying" monster?

The puppy looked less than 2 months old. A layer of thick fluff was very warm. It could be seen that it was very clean, healthy, and energetic, and didn't look like it had been abandoned.

There are relatively few people living in Chiyoda Ward, and the area near the small park is even more secluded. It's just those residents, so it should be that it ran out of a nearby resident's house by accident.

Such a small dog couldn't run very far. Being able to come to this small park shows that it must have followed its owner here before.

Then if the owner finds that the puppy is missing, they should be able to find it according to the route they walked before.

"Little guy, I hope your owner finds you soon~"

Naoki Nagayama didn't take the puppy away, but left it in place, so as not to increase the difficulty for the owner to find it.

After walking a distance out of the small park, he even told several merchants who opened shops on the street:

"I saw a white Labrador puppy in the small park. If the owner comes to ask, please tell them~"

The shopkeepers also agreed friendly.

The sporadic snowflakes finally stopped. Along the snowy street, Naoki Nagayama walked slowly toward Shogakukan.

Pushing open the door of Shogakukan, it was still the bespectacled girl Rin-chan Nozawa on duty at the front desk. Seeing Naoki Nagayama come in, she was pleasantly surprised: "Naoki-san, you're here!"

"Ha, I made an appointment with editor Kuniharu Morikawa. Ms. Rin-chan, how was your New Year?"

"Very happy~" Rin-chan Nozawa walked out of the front desk. "Naoki-san, please follow me first, let's go to the meeting room."

"Hai, trouble you~"

This was the third or fourth time coming to Shogakukan's meeting room? Anyway, it felt very familiar.

After Rin-chan Nozawa brought people here, she first served a cup of hot tea before notifying Kuniharu Morikawa.

Naoki Nagayama picked up the newspaper on the bookshelf and read it a little. NATO is blaming the Soviet Union for interfering in Poland again... Speaking of which, the Soviet Union will dissolve in 9 years, right...

In such thoughts, Kuniharu Morikawa came over with a stack of manuscripts and materials.

"Naoki-san, Happy New Year~"

"Arigato, how was your New Year, Bonji-san?"

"Thanks to you, I had a very good year." Having an author with high gold content under his name, the year-end red envelope was much thicker!

Thinking of this, Kuniharu Morikawa was even more enthusiastic: "Mr. Naoki, actually the translation of the novel arrived before the New Year, but I thought I shouldn't disturb Mr. Naoki during the New Year, so I dragged it until now."

"Hahaha, that's really well done!" Naoki Nagayama definitely wouldn't read it before the New Year!

"In addition to the translation of the novel that needs to be confirmed by Naoki-san, there are also things like the translation royalty split that need to be confirmed with Naoki-san."

Although he had fully entrusted it to Shogakukan last time, the final negotiation result still needed to be confirmed with the author.

The translation copyright of this novel was taken by the Scholastic Group in New York, and the final split was 6%, but 1% had to be used as Shogakukan's agency commission, so the final amount was 5%.

Naoki Nagayama didn't know if it was high or low, but with Shogakukan's commission, it must have been negotiated high.

"There is no problem with the split situation." Naoki Nagayama signed the confirmation letter quickly.

Kuniharu Morikawa nodded: "Then Mr. Naoki can confirm the translation again after going back." This was a condition mentioned at the beginning, and the translation version needs to be reviewed by the author.

"Hai, but the text is not long, I will read it here~"

"Is that so? Then it will be hard for Naoki-san!"

Kuniharu Morikawa clearly didn't expect Naoki Nagayama's decisiveness, but being able to quickly confirm the translation could speed up his work process, which was naturally a good thing.

Leaving the meeting room to Naoki Nagayama, Kuniharu Morikawa also asked Rin-chan Nozawa to prepare tea, snacks, and writing tools, making it convenient for him to modify directly.

He studied English hard for more than ten years in his past life, and it was his working language when he was a programmer. In terms of English translation, Naoki Nagayama might not be as good as simultaneous interpreters or diplomats, but he could also be called a professional.

Overall, this translation was quite good, but it should have been translated abroad. Some vocabulary expressions containing traditional Japanese culture in the article were not very clear. Following the principle of faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance, Naoki Nagayama made some adjustments.

How many words can a translation of more than 50,000 words have?

It was read in at most 1 hour~

"Naoki-san, really amazing!"

Kuniharu Morikawa looked at the translation with many changes in his hand. Even if his English level was not high, he could see that the changed places were easier for people to understand.

"Where, where~ just added a little of my own opinion." Naoki Nagayama said modestly, then looked at the clock on the wall, it was almost 5 o'clock.

"It's already this time, then I won't delay Bonji-san from getting off work, I'll take my leave first~"

"Haha, it's already this time, how can I let Naoki-san leave like this!" Kuniharu Morikawa laughed. "No matter what, we have to have a drink together!"

As expected, he is on the road! An editor inviting an author under his name to dinner, isn't that reasonable?

How can this be called sponging a meal? ===== CHAPTER 138 =====