The sales of the "Motherland Daily" and the "Far Eastern Evening News" in the town of Big Rabbit's Nest are good, but there is a grim reality that must be admitted: there are still a large number of residents in the town who can only communicate in their own "dwarf language" and cannot read the printed text of the newspaper. Where there is demand, there will be a market, and in such a special environment, a new profession called "newspaper reader" came into being.

Although Parker "Scud" was born in a poor family, he was fortunate to have a good boss, who read and wrote with the tavern owner and bard Rogge when he had nothing to do, and was born with a flexible brain and excellent memory, and accumulated a lot of ink in his stomach over the years. Compared to the other runaways in the tavern who didn't know a lot of big words, Parker was able to read newspaper articles proficiently, and was naturally appreciated by the boss Rogge, who arranged for him to read the newspaper to customers twice in the morning and evening.

Parker was very satisfied with his new profession as a newspaper reader, not only did he get rid of the lowly situation of being called around, but he also earned twice as much as he did when he ran a house. He was even happier when the children in the town looked at him differently because of his change of profession, and would take off their hats and bow to him when they met him on the street, calling him "Mr. Parker" as if she were a teacher in a school or a pastor in a church.

Parker appreciates the benefits of knowledge and is happy with his new life. At the same time, he was pleased to see that the tavern was booming, and many of the usual guests who were rarely frequented had come to listen to him read the newspaper and order a glass of ale to sit down for a while—which made Parker feel that the double salary paid to him by his boss had not been in vain.

"Parker, how can you read the words in the newspaper, I don't usually see you study hard!" A customer asked enviously and incomprehensibly.

"Because I'm smart, I can learn it, and I don't need to spend too much hard work!" The slightly drunk little dwarf first habitually bragged, and then became serious, "I'm a person who eats by running errands, and I have to deal with guests from all over the world, if I can't understand what the other party says, then how can I communicate?" Of course, you have to put in the effort to learn various languages! ”

"That's right, I heard that you have met His Royal Highness the prince of our Kolas Kingdom?" Someone inquired curiously.

Parker held the wine glass in both hands and nodded reservedly, "We had a meeting three years ago, when His Royal Highness Roland just started his journey to the north, and I don't need to tell you all kinds of thrilling stories about this trip, right?" There are enough biographies and descriptions on the market, but I have to point out that most of the works featuring His Royal Highness the Prince are fictional, and the details of His Royal Highness and his companions' adventures at the Temple of Tiamat have a lot of inaccuracies. ”

"That's right! The ruins of the temple of Tiamat are near our town, and those writers and poets did not know the situation at that time, but only came to the town to find a few idlers to inquire about a few half-truths and half-truths, and those with a conscience might go to the temple ruins to investigate the field, and then start to write a story, so that what was written is of course far from the truth, and it is completely in the name of His Royal Highness the prince to cheat money! Someone said indignantly.

Parker shrugged his shoulders and revealed an untold secret: "Our boss also made a deal with His Royal Highness the Prince, exchanging a magic tablecloth for the other's antique music box......"

"Oh?! A music box treasured by the royal family? Still in the hands of Mr. Rogge? Someone asked excitedly.

Parker glanced at the other party warily, and buried himself in the wine and refused to answer.

"Mr. Rogge's collection of royal music boxes must be very valuable, right?" Someone asked eagerly.

"Who knows......" Parker replied perfunctorily, "the boss will never sell it anyway, and there is no point in asking about these things." ”

"Parker, come here, the boss is looking for you." The maid upstairs shouted loudly.

Parker was shocked, secretly regretted that he had spoken too much, said something that should not have been said, and went up to the second floor and into the boss's office with trepidation.

The dwarf poet Rogge is playing checkers with a stocky old man. Parker recognizes the old man as Murphy, the owner of the town's paper mill, and Rogge's business partner.

"Mr. Rogge, Mr. Murphy, good evening." Parker greeted the two town leaders respectfully.

"You're here just in time, Parker, isn't the job of a newspaper reader hard?" Rogge asked with a smile.

"It's not hard! It's not hard! Thank you boss for your concern, I love this profession! Parker said worriedly.

Rogge nodded with satisfaction, and asked Old Man Murphy in a low voice, "This kid is very clever, slightly literate and literate, has sharp legs and feet, and is a manufacturable material, what do you think?" ”

"Hmm......" Old man Murphy held his pipe, looked at Parker noncommittally, and suddenly asked, "Little one, do you know how to write articles?" ”

"A little bit...... The boss taught me, but unfortunately I didn't learn well enough. Parker replied frankly.

"Okay, let him try!" Old man Murphy said to Rogge.

"Parker, do you want to work as a newspaper reader and earn twice as much as you do now?" Rogge asked the young man.

"Absolutely! But what do you want me to do? Parker asked curiously.

"We have a new journalist station in our town, and I myself have been invited to join the 'Far East Press and Publication Association', which is co-founded by well-known artists and scholars in China, and is responsible for providing works to the association, and excellent works will have the opportunity to be published in the newspaper." Rogge's faint tone revealed the pride of the literati, "In addition to poetry, the association also needs folklore and mythological stories from all over the world, and writing poetry requires inspiration, but collecting rural tales requires more diligent errands and asking around, which is very suitable for you, Parker, if you are willing to be an employee of the Big Rabbit Nest Reporter Station, I will apply for this errand from the association for you, if you can approve it, you will be a respected reporter in the future, if the stories you collect are selected and published by newspapers and magazines, in addition to the salary I pay you, You can also get an additional manuscript fee, how about you think about it? ”

"I do! Thank you owner! Thank you so much! Parker burst into tears.

As a poor boy from the bottom of society, he certainly had to grasp this new job and seize this opportunity to change his fate, not only because he was more decent as a journalist than a tavern boy, but also because he loved it and believed that he had the talent to do so. Anyone who knows him, including his boss Rogge, has to admit that Parker "Scud" has bright eyes and sharp legs, and is definitely a good gossip probe!