Parallel Worlds, March 2017 AD.

Just after eight o'clock in the morning on this day, I didn't sit leisurely at the dining table in the living room as usual, eating breakfast while flipping through several daily newspapers that day, and was dizzy and upset by one phone call after another asking for an exclusive interview with me, and I didn't have the heart to eat at all. Leaning back in his chair, his face gloomy, his eyes staring at the mobile phone on the dinner table like a flood beast.

In less than a quarter of an hour, he had answered seven or eight phone calls. As for the content of the other party's expression, it is all the same, with one meaning. I declined and hung up, and then an unfamiliar phone number would call. Then, he politely refused again and hung up......

Takeshita Kusaoke, who has been completely speechless, not only keeps ringing his mobile phone, but even the landline at home, and even Kitagawa Kako's mobile phone keeps ringing as if it has been infected by a virus. As for the content after answering, it is still a phone call requesting an interview. I really have to admire that these news media people can not only get their own mobile phone numbers, landline numbers at home, but also the mobile phone numbers of the people around them.

Although personal communication information belongs to the category of ** and is effectively protected by the relevant laws of Japan, it is completely useless when it comes to the news value. In order to be clean, Takeshita Kusaoke, who was forced to be helpless, had to turn off the phone directly on the one hand, unplug the phone line of the landline at home, and on the other hand, let Kitagawa Kako also turn off her personal mobile phone.

"Let's not eat, let's go out quickly. Otherwise, when they come over, they can't leave if they want to. Takeshita Kusaoke, who immediately decided to go out for breakfast, urged: "Hurry, hurry, hurry." ”

Kitagawa Kako, who didn't clean up the table and nodded vigorously, quickly took the initiative to stand up, trotted out of the dining room, and went upstairs to get her handbag and coat, as well as the coat of her daughter and Takeshita Kusaoke, so that she could go out to avoid them. At the same time, he picked up little Lori with both hands and left the dining room with his hind feet, standing in the entrance and waiting.

Soon, Kitagawa Kako, who appeared neatly dressed, on the one hand, handed over the coat of Takeshita Kusaoji to him, and on the other hand, she dressed her daughter in a coat with her own hands, wrapped it tightly, and prevented Miyuki from being cold and cold. Completely like hiding from the plague gods, they hurriedly changed into their shoes and left the house in a hurry.

Miyuki Kitagawa, who walked out of a long distance and didn't know what was going on at all, stared at him with a pair of beautiful big eyes, and couldn't help but ask his father who was holding him with both hands and said, "Why do we have to go out at this time?" ”

"Now, if we don't go, I'm afraid we won't be able to go. Ah...... Who is Takeshita-kun winning the literary award again? Kako Kitagawa, who had answered several phone calls, more or less knew some of the truth, and interjected.

"Don't talk nonsense to your children. This time, I didn't win the award yet, but was just nominated. Takeshita Kusa walked forward and corrected her.

"You can tell me and Miyuki what this international IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is all about? I get the impression that some of the media people are very excited and proud, and they say that you are the pride of Japan. Kako Kitagawa, who was particularly curious in her heart, walked side by side with him while being targeted.

"Let's go to the Miki ramen shop in front of us to make up for breakfast. After I sit down, I'll give you a good science popularization of mother and daughter. Takeshita Kusaoke, who was as calm as water, replied lightly.

After walking about two or three hundred meters, the three of them pushed the door directly into a ramen shop with traditional Japanese decoration. The store is not very large, but it can accommodate up to a dozen people at the same time. In the innermost place, I found three Takeshita grass mustards in connected positions.,First put my daughter in the middle.,And then I coincidentally sat down with Kitagawa Kako is self.。

"Good morning, what are you three going to eat?" A kind-faced middle-aged shopkeeper greeted warmly with a smile.

"Give us three bowls of tonkotsu ramen." Knowing that the three of them were completely identical in the taste of ramen, Kako Kitagawa raised the three fingers of her right hand towards him, and ordered with a smile.

"Please wait, it'll be right away." The shopkeeper, who knew it, began to get busy in front of them.

Kitagawa Kako, whose curiosity was completely aroused, leaned sideways to Takeshita Kusaoke's side, and said impatiently: "Don't sell Guanzi." You'd better hurry up! ”

The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Prize is a worldwide literary award sponsored by the City Council of Dublin, Ireland, hosted by the Dublin City Library, and sponsored by IMPAC, an American business management consulting company, and is one of the highest single literary awards in the world, with 100,000 euros for the winner of an English novel or a novel in any language with an English translation. Established in 1996, the Literary Prize is of special significance to the library community, as the books are recommended to the organizers by libraries in capitals or major cities. More than 130 public libraries or university libraries in more than 50 countries around the world regularly recommend outstanding works of fiction to the host Dublin City Authority and Municipal Library every year, and then the international jury recommended by the organizer selects the list of up to 10 finalists in March each year, and the final winner is announced in May, and then the award ceremony is held in June. The recommending library of the winning entries will also receive a certificate of appreciation at the award presentation ceremony; The organiser will also select a representative from all participating libraries to attend the gala dinner of the award ceremony. "Takeshita grass mustard is not in a hurry, and he said slowly.

After a pause, he further explained: "It's March, so I'm just lucky enough to be shortlisted." The reason why they find this event particularly newsworthy is that I am the first Japanese person to be nominated for this international literary award. ”

Kako Kitagawa, who understood, said thoughtfully: "Listening to you say this, you should also be the first Asian to be nominated for such a major international literary award?" ”

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you. As far as I know, in 2011, Chinese-American female writer Li Yiyun was nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for "The Drifter", which is the first time that a Chinese writer has been nominated. Takeshita, who is not the first Asian to be nominated, said with a chuckle.