第三十七章 (Chapter Thirty-Seven)

Wang De left the Newspaper Office, his heart filled with disappointment and indignation. The north wind on the street was still fierce, but his heart was colder than the wind. He had originally believed that through writing he could awaken the people, only to find that he was merely doing "scissor work"-the editors sought only to attract attention, regardless of the truth.

He decided to resign from the Newspaper Office, even though it meant losing his income. But he would rather starve to death than deceive people with lies. Returning to Aunt Zhao's home, Li Jing was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Seeing him return, she greeted him softly.

Wang De told Li Jing about his resignation. Li Jing remained silent for a long while, then said, "Brother, you did the right thing. But what should we do next?" Wang De shook his head. He didn't know.

Li Jing mentioned that her aunt was pressuring her to marry again-the other party was a wealthy local gentleman, already advanced in years. Upon hearing this, Wang De's anger flared. He clenched his fists and said, "Sister Jing, I absolutely will not allow you to sacrifice yourself!"

Li Jing smiled bitterly. "If not sacrifice, then what can we do? My uncle's Debt cannot be repaid, and Lao Zhang will not let it go. I tried seeking help from Dong the Philanthropist, but he only advised me to take up monastic practice-to become a monk or nun."

The two of them sat in silence, the wind outside sounding particularly mournful. Suddenly, Wang De stood up. "Sister Jing, let's run away! Leave Beijing and seek a livelihood elsewhere."

Li Jing shook her head. "Run away? What about my uncle? Li Ying is still at the Salvation Army; we cannot abandon them." Wang De slumped down into his seat, knowing that Li Jing was right.

At that moment, Li Ying returned from outside, his expression grave. He told Wang De and Li Jing that affairs at the Salvation Army were busy, but he had heard that Lao Zhang was intensifying his pressure on Long Shugu and might force her into marriage.

"Lao Zhang, that scoundrel!" Wang De cursed. Li Ying said, "We cannot stand by and do nothing. But we are weak and alone; how can we fight against him?"

The three of them deliberated until late at night, yet no good strategy emerged. Finally, Wang De said, "No matter what, we must persevere. The world will eventually become better." But as he spoke these words, even he felt their powerlessness.

When Li Jing saw Wang De back to his room, she said in a low voice, "Brother, I understand your intentions. But the world is harsh; we can only take one step at a time." Wang De nodded, but his heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife.

That night, Wang De tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He thought of his ideals, of Li Jing's predicament, and felt only that the road ahead was vast and uncertain. Outside the window, the wind gradually subsided, but the darkness remained thick.