The Legend of the Fishermen of Sicily

The nights in Marzamemi are exceptionally long.

Around 9 p.m., the men, having finished their dinner, gathered together again.

I need to smoke a cigarette and have a drink to end the day comfortably before I can go home and sleep peacefully.

The tobacco shop owner, Savile, would naturally recount today's feat for the nth time—selling the newspaper!

"I'm just hoping more out-of-towners will come to Malzamemi, so I can get rid of all my unsold goods." He patted the thigh of the person next to him. "Nicholas, this time we really owe you a lot."

Marco shook the hand off his thigh and said with a sullen face:

"The newspaper isn't worth much, so you can just sell it and be done with it. I advise you to avoid doing things like cheating and swindling."

"If Saville were truly as capable as you say, he wouldn't still be running this tobacco shop." Nicholas reached for the cigarette pack on the table, then his eyes lit up. He picked up the cigarette in front of Marco and asked, "You've struck it rich, Marco? Smoking such good cigarettes now? How much is a pack of these again?"

Savile's eyesight wasn't good, but his nose was. He picked up the cigarette pack and smelled it:

"Imported camels, 3500 lira a bag, where did you buy them?"

"What's it to you where I bought it?" Marco snatched the cigarette back.

Nicolas and Saville had just been saying that Leo was doing well financially, and Marco didn't want them to keep targeting Leo.

He probably didn't even realize it himself... that some things are beyond repair.

Nicholas asked with concern:

"Have you also found a good way to make money? Share your methods so we can all make money together."

The residents of Marzamemi have very low incomes.

If you want to make money, you have to go to sea.

However, many locals are very reluctant to be fishermen, and many children can't even swim because going out to sea is too dangerous.

In coastal fishing villages like Marzamemi in Sicily, fishermen usually have a higher status than ordinary villagers, not only because of their higher income, but also because of the greater respect they receive.

In any case, in Marzamemi, several "respected" villagers all deal with the sea.

Marco gets worried whenever money is mentioned.

Longo will be starting primary school next year, which will require a large expense.

If we send them to a school in the city, the selection fee will be even higher...

"Sigh—" Marco sighed repeatedly, remaining silent.

Seeing Saville suddenly extend his palm, he frowned and asked in confusion:

"What are you doing?"

"You smoke every time you sigh. Give me one, I'll get some too." Savile's glasses reflected a shrewd glint.

"I'm leaving. I'm going home to sleep." Marco got up and left.

"Have a smoke before you go. How can you sleep without one?" Nicholas wanted to join in and get a good one too.

"You're risking your life, aren't you?" Marco left without looking back. "Go to bed early and get up early. Tomorrow, I'll go to the fish market first thing. I want to eat crabs."

"Are you crazy? If you want to eat crabs, can't you just let Longo catch them? Why do you have to buy them?" Nicholas said to his retreating figure.

Upon hearing the term "lunatic," Marco chuckled again, his laughter audible from a great distance.

Salvi asked Nicholas:

Has Marco's condition worsened again?

.......

Early the next morning.

Natale deliberately lingered before going out, hoping to lose the bet.

In his eyes, Leo was still a greenhorn.

Arguing with children is childish.

Moreover, Leo is at an age where he's easily carried away by his emotions. If he gets too carried away and starts waking up early just for the sake of waking up early... then it won't be fun anymore.

Upon arriving at the dock, Leo, unsurprisingly, was already there with crabs.

Unexpectedly, a plastic bag appeared in the open space where Natale usually sets up her stall.

Old Paul opened it and his eyes widened again, but this time it was from excitement rather than anger:

"Cigarettes! A whole carton of cigarettes!"

Riccardo held the cigarette in front of Natale:

"Boss, it's an imported camel, good stuff."

There was no one else on the dock, and since the cigarette was a wager, it wasn't hard to guess why it was there.

Natale turned his head and, sure enough, met Leo's smiling eyes.

Leo didn't mention anything, so Natale didn't say anything either, and sat down on the overturned fish basket.

Seeing that the eldest brother remained silent, Riccardo asked:

"We lost the bet, and it was two packs of cigarettes. He gave us a carton. Should we return it?"

Old Paul was immediately displeased:

"Are you stupid? This is a thank you gift for yesterday. The boss gave him so much face, what's wrong with accepting a pack of cigarettes from him?"

Riccardo lowered his voice and said:

"I'm worried that if I accept this pack of cigarettes, he'll assume we'll continue to help him... What if he keeps bothering the boss like this?"

He looked at Natale:

"I'll just return it; we don't need that pack of cigarettes."

"No, no, this is a thank you!" Old Paul didn't want to return the cigarette.

Natale looked at Rio for a moment, then looked away and said:

"Actually, his way of thanking me wasn't with this cigarette, but with the crabs he brought."

Old Paul and Riccardo both craned their necks to look in that direction, and discovered that Leo had brought several more crabs today than yesterday.

Natale placed the cigarettes under the fish basket:

"Take it. I was just thinking of getting some good cigarettes today, so consider it a favor I owe him."

"Huh?" Riccardo's mind went blank. "We owe him a favor??"

Natale smiled but didn't answer; they wouldn't understand anyway.

They didn't become complacent or "lie down" because of the help they received from locals; instead, they continued to work hard and even harder.

Leo is showing through his actions – I deserve it.

Natale helps people like this without the slightest psychological pressure, but this is not in accordance with the rules of Sicily.

But things changed after I accepted the cigarettes.

In the future, when they show favoritism towards Leo, they will have a reasonable excuse—look, I accepted a pack of cigarettes from him, how can I not do something about it?

......

This cigarette is a reason for Natale.

For Leo... it was a bridge built by friendship.

When Leo saw Natale sit the cigarette on his bottom and not have it returned, he knew that he had gained another "connection" with Sicily.

If he ever faces a direct confrontation with Salvatore in the future, he will have a trustworthy man behind him.

There was no way around it... This matter was like a thorn stuck in Leo's heart, and it would hurt every time he thought about it, so he had to handle it with caution.

For example, this morning, he kept a close eye on the fish market, looking for Salvatore and his men.

Instead of his target, he was greeted by Marco.

"Where did we leave off yesterday?" he asked as soon as he arrived.

Leo almost choked to death on the bread in his mouth:

"Are you still going?"

Twenty-four hours later, Marco continued the topic he hadn't finished yesterday, recounting the history of the Atlantic blue crab's invasion of Sicily.

Leo knew it was another cigarette that had worked.

While feeling grateful, I kept reminding him – should you go back now? Aren't you going to leave the coffee shop? Have you finished washing the cups?

Marco knew he couldn't stay there all morning, so he told Longo, who was playing on the beach, "If anything happens to Riona, come find me at the coffee shop immediately" before leaving the fish market.

No sooner had he left than the next "protector" arrived.

"Oh? Little fox, you're selling Atlantic blue crabs? Do you know when they started invading Sicily?"

Andrei sat down next to Leo with a kind expression, even bringing his own soft little cushion.

Leo really choked on the bread in his mouth this time!