"He's Balk. Last week, his factory began cooperating with the Germans and started producing military boots for them."
"I never thought he was that kind of person. Has he forgotten how many French people died miserably at German hands? He actually cooperated with the Germans—what a traitor!"
As Balk walked home, quite a few people pointed at him and whispered. Although the war had ended, most French people's bone-deep hatred for the Germans had not eased. Even though these French people could barely afford food and often went hungry, that did not prevent them from flaunting their patriotic integrity.
Balk lowered his head and strode toward his home. His expression was extremely grim. As a Frenchman, he did not want to cooperate with the Germans. But he had no choice. He could not stand by and watch his son be tortured to death by the Germans. So he could only betray his conscience and work with them.
Balk chose to ignore the accusations of others. He knew that if he argued back, it would certainly provoke a conflict. Those people might even beat him. However, the nearby patrolling soldiers and police would absolutely take his side. After all, he had already begun cooperating with Germany. In German eyes, that made him one of the good citizens, entirely different from the other Frenchmen and entitled to special treatment.
Still, Balk did not want trouble. Though he was cooperating with the Germans, he had been forced into it. He did not want to use that status to bully his fellow countrymen, even if they were now hurling vicious words at him.
More than ten minutes later, Balk returned home. Only when he opened the door and saw his wife busily preparing dinner did he raise his head. Only after returning home did