Chapter 46: Persuasion
I know, the reason I managed to survive was all thanks to Jayad stealing. If he didn’t steal, let alone me, even he himself wouldn’t have had a chance to survive. He actually didn’t have any other survival skills.
Everything I ate, used, and wore, including being able to enter the public bathhouse just now, was ultimately stolen. I feel disgusted by this situation, having used these things and now deeming them filthy. I am in no position to advise Jayad against stealing.
But the scene I witnessed just now still lingers in my mind. The people entering those bathrooms were actually poor and downtrodden. These few copper coins might represent their hard work for several days.
Although I diverted their anger, they are the real victims. No matter what I do, the losses they suffered cannot be compensated, and it’s impossible to return the money to them.
I also failed to truly save the bathhouse. Their reputation has already been ruined. At the very least, the guests who suffered losses today will never come to this bathhouse again. The crowd that witnessed the scene today might also not return.
Stealing is such behavior—destroying more wealth for very little gain. I know in my heart that this is not good, but I can’t persuade Jayad to stop, because without stealing, we cannot survive.
So, from the start, I actually kept it to myself, not wanting to say anything. Who knew Jayad would sense I had something on my mind? So, I took the opportunity to make a suggestion to him.
“Did that person really see that it was me who stole?” Jayad asked, somewhat panicked. Sebastian’s sudden appearances truly made Jayad, who was observing from outside, very wary.
Besides, Jayad hadn’t always been successful in the past. When his skills were still developing, he had failed before. It was just that he was lucky, and didn’t steal much. He was only beaten severely, not killed. So, he was still somewhat fearful.
“Your gains are bigger when you steal from the rich, and the rich don’t care much about such small losses. But if you steal from the poor, they only have that little bit of money, and they will relentlessly question you. Why bother going against them?”
I didn’t directly advise Jayad not to steal; that’s unrealistic. I just analyzed the pros and cons with him carefully. I knew Jayad would understand. Not long ago, he had retorted, asking if I meant he should steal from the poor.
Stealing ill-gotten gains is a necessity for survival, and I can live with it in my heart. Moreover, one theft can last a long time. But stealing from the poor not only yields little gain but also cuts off their means of survival. Like the crowd today, they are unwilling to let it go, which is truly an unnecessary risk.
“Okay, if Parul says so.” Jayad reluctantly agreed to my request. His stealing was no longer an act of necessity but had become a habitual vice.
Like this time, the truth is, this amount of money didn’t necessitate stealing, but Jayad was very happy to have gained something.
He was the same when he stole from the Factory owner. He might not have known if the person was rich or unjust, but anyway, if an opportunity arose, he would steal.
This was the mindset that MacDuff had instilled in him since childhood: without gains, he would be beaten. No matter who had an opportunity, they had to steal. Even if the gains today were substantial, it would only make MacDuff happy for one day; the next day, he still had to hand over the stolen goods.
At this moment, I don’t dislike Jayad. I have no right to dislike him. I only dislike myself for being too incompetent to take care of myself. If only I could have a stable income, I could earn money to support Jayad, preventing him from walking this filthy, irreversible path.
It seems I still have to work harder. Although I have only just arrived in this world, time waits for no one. I must quickly adapt to this world.
