Chapter 487: You Go Ask Them

"Yu Lin, what are we doing here?"

Jesus stood at the street corner, tilting his small face toward Yu Lin.

He had just followed the direction Yu Lin indicated, his gaze passing the sparse pedestrians and landing deep into the alley ahead.

There, a building of slightly different style from the surrounding houses could be faintly seen, its doorway bearing ambiguous lanterns painted with specific patterns, and a faint scent of perfume and low laughter drifted out.

Even at only eight years old, living in a devout Jewish family and community, he knew what place that was.

A brothel.

In many cities directly ruled or influenced by the Roman Empire, prostitution was a legal commercial activity, incorporated into tax administration, even with specific regulations.

But in places like Nazareth, dominated by Jewish communities with strict law, public brothels were expressly prohibited and unwelcome to the community.

Judaism's Torah regards any extramarital sexual act and prostitution as serious defilement and sin, and offenders face harsh ostracism, even expulsion from the community.

So, when Yu Lin brought him here and pointed to that direction, Jesus's first reaction was not curiosity or naivety, but an immediate association with "sin," "impurity," and... "salvation."

He withdrew his gaze, staring intently at Yu Lin, his small face showing a seriousness rare for his age, even tinged with a budding sense of mission:

"Do you intend... to save them?"

In his simple understanding, Yu Lin was a mysterious and powerful person who always seemed to be doing something unusual.

Bringing him to see a brothel could not be without purpose.

Perhaps Yu Lin wishes, like the legendary prophets or RighteousOne, to condemn sin, rescue the pitiful women lost in darkness, and guide them back to the right path?

When that thought arose, Jesus could hardly contain himself, feeling a little excited.

He had even begun to imagine how to persuade them, how to quote scripture...

After all, it was his first time undertaking such a great deed.

However, Yu Lin still stood in place, showing no intention to move.

He lowered his head, looking at Jesus, not answering directly but posing a question:

"Jesus, I ask you, if we go over now and, as you imagine, 'save' the women inside and get them out of there—then, what comes after?"

Jesus was startled: "Afterwards?"

"Yes, afterwards, once they leave that place, what about their lives? Who will be responsible?"

He counted on his fingers, listing them to Jesus:

"Clothing— they may only have thin, inappropriate garments, or the outfits used to attract clients; after leaving, they need proper covering."

"Food— they need sustenance, not just for a day or two, but until they can find a new means of livelihood."

"Shelter— they need a place to keep out wind and rain; would others be willing to accept and house these women who once worked in 'impure' trades? Could they themselves find or afford a dwelling?"

"Mobility— perhaps not immediately needed, but to seek a new life they must move about."

Yu Lin's gaze turned to the deep alley, his tone still calm: "And there's something more practical—money."

"From the start, money is needed everywhere—to buy basic clothing and food, temporarily rent a place to stay, even just the fare to the next location... where does that come from?"

He paused, his gaze returning to Jesus's face, looking at the eyes that began to show contemplation from his question, and continued:

"More importantly, a skill—many of them, perhaps when very young, due to poverty, being sold, or other misfortunes, were forced or voluntarily entered this trade."

"They may never have learned weaving, never done farm work, know no carpentry or pottery, recognize few characters, understand no accounting... except..."

"Well, aside from the survival skills learned in that specific environment, they likely lack any other abilities to stand in normal society and earn an honest income."

"Jesus."

He looked at Jesus's increasingly serious, even somewhat helpless little face, and finally asked:

"If, in a moment of rashness, you storm in shouting 'You are sinful! Leave this place!' and push them onto the street, without considering whether they'll starve, freeze, or, driven by desperation, have to return, even falling into deeper despair..."

"Jesus, do you think this is right? Is this truly 'salvation'?"

This series of questions struck Jesus's heart, which had been slightly warmed by the notion of 'salvation.'

The eager spark on his face had long vanished, replaced by deep bewilderment and thought.

He... truly hadn't considered these.

In his understanding, 'sin' is simply 'sin,' needing to be pointed out, shunned, and cleansed.

Teachers taught to avoid sin, parents warned to maintain proper conduct, and above all he loved humanity.

When he saw the brothel, he thought of the 'impurity' inside and the souls needing 'salvation,' yet never deeply considered what bodies those 'souls' inhabited, or what those bodies depended on to survive in the real world.

Yu Lin's words were like a key, opening a door he had never realized existed.

Beyond the door lay a more complex, more concrete world, filled with practical difficulties and human entanglements.

Jesus's small eyebrows knit tightly; he lowered his head, looking at his own toes, as if he could find answers in the dust.

He tried to imagine, if he truly 'saved' those women, then what?

They would stand bewildered on the street, penniless, without clothing or food, nowhere to go, unaccepted... What would that look like? Would it be better than being in the brothel? Or worse?

A well‑meaning starting point does not necessarily lead to a benevolent outcome.

Pure ideals, when faced with harsh reality, may appear pale.

After a while, Jesus finally lifted his head again, looking at Yu Lin.

The confusion in his eyes had not fully cleared; no longer eager to act as before, he asked seriously:

"Then... Yu Lin, what should I do?"

Yu Lin grinned: "I don't know either; think it through yourself."

"Perhaps, you could go ask them."