Just as Mao Jie and the others were walking, the newsboy also quickly passed by them and ran towards the Royal Bookstore.

"Huh? What's a kid like him doing at the bookstore?"

A student watched as the newsboy ran into the bookstore and couldn't help but let out a soft exclamation.

"Who knows? We'll find out if we go in and take a look."

As they spoke, the group quickened their pace.

On the other side, a newsboy who had run into the bookstore asked the bookstore owner, panting:

"Shopkeeper...shopkeeper, do you still have...the newspapers?"

"Yes, you sold out so quickly?"

Seeing the newsboy with empty hands, the bookstore owner couldn't help but ask in surprise.

"Yes, they're all sold out!"

The newsboy nodded, then took out a money bag and handed it to the bookstore owner.

"Here's two hundred coins, please count them!"

"Wow, impressive! I haven't even sold a single one, and you've already sold them all?"

The bookstore owner took the money bag from the newsboy, weighed it, and felt that the weight was about right. He couldn't help but praise him.

"Yes, I met a Taoist priest today. With his help, I was able to sell so quickly!"

The newsboy nodded, his face beaming with excitement.

"A Taoist priest? Is he a Taoist priest from the Taiping Sect...?"

Upon hearing this, the bookstore owner couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, he taught me how to sell them, and he even talked about teaching people's children to read and write..."

The newsboy nodded and then told the shopkeeper everything that had happened to him.

"The Taoist priests... why don't they properly preach the Tao and teach people to read and write? What are they trying to achieve?"

Upon hearing what the newsboy said, the bookstore owner murmured to himself while stroking his chin in thought.

"Shopkeeper, there are still many people waiting to buy newspapers over there, look...!"

Upon noticing the bookstore owner standing there talking to himself, the newsboy couldn't help but remind him.

"Oh, right, right, take these first, and come back for more after you sell them all!"

The shopkeeper, regaining his senses, quickly took out two stacks of newspapers and handed them to the newsboy.

As they spoke, the bookstore owner counted out twenty copper coins and handed them to the newsboy, laughing as he said:

"Kid, this is your reward. And... keep an eye on that Taoist priest. Whatever he says or does, come back and tell me everything, understand?"

"Okay, I got it! I'm going now!"

The newsboy excitedly took the copper coins, then grabbed two stacks of newspapers and ran out of the shop.

Just then, Mao Jie and his group arrived at the bookstore.

The newsboy, engrossed in reading his newspaper, didn't notice and bumped straight into Mao Jie, who was standing at the front.

"Hey~ little..."

Just as Mao Jie was about to speak, a figure was running towards him. The newsboy had already reached Mao Jie and bumped his head right into Mao Jie's stomach.

"Hiss!"

Caught off guard by the impact, Mao Jie couldn't help but take two steps back.

"Brother Xiaoxian!!"

Fortunately, a student behind Mao Jie reacted quickly and reached out to steady him, preventing him from falling.

Fortunately, the newsboy was of the right height; if he had been any shorter, Mao Jie might have been forced to kneel down on the spot.

"Ouch!"

Just as Mao Jie felt a pain in his lower abdomen, a cry of pain rang out.

Mao Jie clutched his lower abdomen and looked up. A child had fallen and sat on the stone pavement in front of the shop, with two stacks of newspapers scattered on the ground.

The child's face was pale, his eyes were bloodshot, and there was a tear in the corner of his eye. He looked like he had fallen quite hard.

"Brother Xiaoxian, are you alright?"

The student looked at Mao Jie clutching his stomach and a worried expression appeared on his face.

"I'm fine, thanks to you!"

Mao Jie smiled and shook his head, giving the other person a grateful look.

"It's good that you're alright!"

Seeing this, the student nodded in relief.

Just then, the newsboy looked up and noticed the students in front of him.

When the newsboy saw Mao Jie standing there clutching his stomach, his eyes widened in shock.

The pain and fear caused the newsboy's mind to go blank. He sat on the ground, staring blankly at Mao Jie, and for a moment forgot to get up.

"Hey kid, you bumped into someone, why didn't you come over and apologize?"

Upon seeing this, a student stepped forward and looked at the newsboy, but there was no sign of blame in his expression. He had only said that to teach the boy manners.

After all, they also came from poor backgrounds, so they naturally didn't have the arrogance of those spoiled brats.

Just then, the bookstore owner, who had heard the commotion outside, also came out.

Upon seeing Mao Jie clutching his stomach and the newsboy sitting on the ground, the bookstore owner immediately understood.

"Why are you so impulsive, child? Get up and apologize to this gentleman right now!"

"I'm...I'm sorry, just now...I...!"

The newsboy then came to his senses, ignoring the pain in his buttocks, and knelt down on the ground, kowtowing to Mao Jie in apology, his words stammering with fear.

"Oh, child, get up, there's no need to be like this!"

Seeing this, Mao Jie quickly released his hand from his lower abdomen and went up to help the newsboy up.

"Thank you!!"

Feeling Mao Jie's gentle tone, the newsboy's fear vanished instantly, and he thanked Mao Jie with gratitude.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!