"Really? You’re willing to take it on? You, I..." Tao An was so excited she couldn’t complete her sentence.
Xu Nianhua offered some tea, saying, "Take your time."
Tao An drank a little hot tea, feeling warm inside, and finally able to speak properly, she said, "Nianhua, don’t worry, the editor said that as long as you translate this book, you’ll earn at least this amount."
Tao An held up four fingers and said, "Four yuan for every thousand words on average."
Xu Nianhua quietly calculated; although the book wasn’t thick, the translation would amount to over three hundred thousand words. At four yuan per thousand words, the translation could earn more than a thousand yuan!
That’s quite a lot.
Xu Nianhua was surprised herself. Previously, she mostly translated contracts, earning a few dozen yuan, at best a little over a hundred yuan. If it was for instruction manuals, the amount was even less.
Suddenly, translating a book could earn over a thousand yuan; it certainly startled Xu Nianhua.
"This price was quoted by the editor. If this translation goes well, there’ll be many more books needing translation later." Tao An subtly hinted to Xu Nianhua that, as long as she could translate this book, the earnings from the manuscript were guaranteed, and of course, more books in the future meant a continuous income.
"Alright, I’ll take the job." Xu Nianhua held the book, flipped through it casually, and asked, "Do we need to sign a contract or something?"
"Ah, yes, but we’ll arrange that after I return." Tao An looked at Xu Nianhua hesitantly, then asked, "Nianhua, can you translate it alone? Don’t need a partner?"
"No need." Xu Nianhua glanced through the book quickly; translating it was completely doable. She smiled and said, "Thank you, Tao An. How about you stay for dinner at my place today?"
"No, I’ll wait until I bring the contract over, well, what I mean is, I’ll come with Zheng Jin next time." Tao An explained a bit frantically, saying, "I mean, no need to keep me for dinner."
"Alright, then come over with Zheng Jin next time." Xu Nianhua didn’t insist.
After Tao An left, Ji Ying asked, "Who was she? What did she come for?"
"To bring me money." Xu Nianhua raised the book in her hand and said, "Mom, do you know how much I’ll earn for translating this book?"
"No idea." Ji Ying hadn’t heard their conversation, so she asked curiously, "How much?"
Xu Nianhua held up one finger.
Ji Ying said, "One hundred yuan?"
"That’s not right." Xu Nianhua shook her head.
Ji Ying couldn’t help but swallow nervously, uncertainly saying, "Surely it can’t be a thousand yuan?"
"Congratulations, Mom, you guessed it." Xu Nianhua was so happy her eyebrows were raised. She gushed, "In the end, it will depend on the final word count that earns the money, roughly around eleven to twelve hundred yuan, but I’m very satisfied."
Xu Nianhua chatted away without noticing Ji Ying’s stunned expression.
Oh my!
Translating a book could earn a thousand yuan?
This... earning money is too easy, isn’t it?
Even if it took a year to finish, it would still be better than working outside!
"Nianhua, can you finish translating it in a year?" Ji Ying looked at the thin book and asked.
"How could it take that long?"
Xu Nianhua almost choked on her own saliva. She quietly estimated the time in her mind and said, "Mom, by the end of winter vacation, I’ll probably have translated the book. If I’m quick, I might finish by the tenth."