The Legend of the Fishermen of Sicily

Enzo had been resting for several days, and naturally stayed home obediently on the day it rained.

In less than five minutes, the big guy appeared at the lighthouse carrying little Monica.

He immediately complained about Solberto:

"Finally decided to come back? How many days will you stay before going back this time?"

Sorbet looked at the sky outside and said:

"I'm going back tomorrow. Tomorrow should be a sunny day, and the furniture store should have some business."

Enzo glared fiercely at Solberto:

"It's such a waste to use your skills to repair furniture."

Solberto didn't want to listen to Enzo's complaints; he'd heard too many similar things in the past few months...it was so annoying.

He shifted the topic to Enzo:

"How have you been lately? Have you gone out to sea?"

Enzo went to the kitchen to get some wine; he had to have a drink with his good friend when he got back.

"It's still being released, but at a lower frequency."

Solberto watched his retreating figure and said regretfully:

"Sandro used to think highly of you, saying you were capable of taking over his position and leading all the fishermen in Marzamemi. Have you really decided to quit?"

Enzo picked out a good bottle of wine:

"Which of Natale and the others don't have more leadership qualities than me? I'm just a good fighter, so please stop teasing me."

Solberto looked regretful:

"You're the best swimmer among them."

Despite his large size, Enzo was as agile as a fish in the water.

I don't know if it's because of this original image, but he's exceptionally powerful when fighting and rarely encounters an opponent.

Enzo said self-deprecatingly:

"Being a good swimmer is just a means of survival; it has absolutely nothing to do with being a leader. How good is Sandro a swimmer? He relies on his personal charisma and ability to unite people."

Solberto knew he couldn't change Enzo's mind, so he changed the subject and asked:

"How's Sandro doing lately?"

Enzo carefully put away Monica's paintbrushes and drawing paper before daring to put down the wine glass and bottle:

"I got angry with Angie again, but he looked pretty good a few days ago and remembered to remind me to apply for a commercial fishing boat license. If he can remember things, then it's not a big problem."

"What is a commercial fishing vessel license?" Solberto asked.

Enzo recounted the recent rumors circulating outside and Sandro's instructions, finally adding:

"There are a lot of things required to get the certificate, and the conditions are very strict. They even require me to write a log... I'm not sure if I can get it. If the higher-ups tighten the policies and I still can't get the certificate, I'll come to the city to find you."

"Is it that hard to apply?" Solberto frowned. "Isn't this forcing everyone to change careers?"

Enzo stole a glance at his sister Elena, who was cooking:

"I heard there's a limit to the number of permits issued, who knows? Maybe it's just a false alarm. Anyway, let's not talk about this anymore. What brought you back this time?"

Solberto said with great concern:

"For Leo, the boy who lives in my shipyard."

Monica, who was helping in the kitchen, suddenly ran over and stood next to Solberto to listen.

Enzo lifted little Monica onto his lap and asked Solberto across from him:

"I know Leo, what happened to him?"

Solberto is not one to confide in others.

But Enzo and he got along very well; they both liked to solve problems directly and didn't like to dawdle.

He told Enzo about Leo's thoughts and the contents of the phone call from a few days earlier, then added with some concern:

"You know best how dangerous the ocean is. If he goes out on a boat, it'll be better. But if something happens while diving, there's only one outcome... I definitely need to come back and completely extinguish that thought in him before I can feel at ease."

Enzo was the most fearless fisherman in Marzamemi, and he and Solberto shared a mutual respect.

Solberto guessed that Enzo would definitely be on his side and might be able to help him figure out how to persuade Leo to give up the idea.

To everyone's surprise, Enzo remained silent for a good five or six seconds before speaking:

"Your concerns are valid, but as long as Leo isn't foolish enough to go out to sea in a storm, it's not as serious as you say."

Sorberto, enduring the pain of the "backstab," frowned and asked:

Why?

Enzo smiled憨厚ly.

"Leo is an excellent swimmer and very skilled. If Sandro hadn't stipulated that we couldn't hire crew members from other places, I would definitely have invited him to join my ship."

"Brother Leo is so skilled!" Monica excitedly mimicked Leo's brick-moving movements, gesturing a couple of times.

Sorbet leans forward:

"Really?"

......

"Really, I want to try it."

After Andrei finished telling the parable of the gold treasure, he asked Leo why he had come to his house, and Leo told him about his future plans.

Upon hearing that Leo wanted to try diving for fish, Andrei's first reaction was the same as Solberto's: to dissuade Leo, saying that it was too dangerous.

Leo reassured him that he was a good swimmer and told him not to worry.

"Alright, since you want to try, I'll support you," Andrei said seriously.

Leo was somewhat surprised:

"I thought you would do what Uncle Sorberto did and try every possible way to persuade me not to go."

Andrei laughed twice, pointed at Leo and said:

"Because I know you better than Solbert does. You little fox would never do anything dangerous. I believe you have thought things through before making this decision."

Leo was finally relieved.

If Andrei doesn't agree with his idea, then the next question will be really difficult to ask.

"Now that safety is guaranteed, what are your difficulties?" Leo said he had encountered some tricky problems, but Andrei thought the problems had already been solved.

"Do you know about the prices and purchase channels for diving equipment?" Leo tried to choose his words carefully, not wanting to betray someone. "I'm new here and don't know many people. I asked about some quotes before... and I'm worried about being scammed."

......

"I should have quoted a higher price for the fishing gear!"

Sorberto wasn't there, so he couldn't imagine the 1 vs 3 scenario Enzo described in the water.

But given that Enzo, widely regarded as having the best swimming skills and technique in Malzamemi, can attest that it must be quite good.

Hearing that Leo had been bullied by Salvatore for selling crabs, he became even more reluctant to let Leo go underwater.

Solberto has been away from Marzamemi for the past few months and cannot take care of his friend's child. If something happens to Leo, he will not be able to explain it to Panini, who is far away in Florence.

Enzo was amused by Solberto's reaction; he had actually been playing mind games with a child.

"It's not like Leo can't find out the price through other channels."

Sorbetto lowered his head to drink, a strange smile flashing across his lips.

Leo could find out the price, but he was poor.

Although the security issue has been resolved, a more practical problem lies ahead... Solberto concludes that Leo's plans are doomed to fail!

......

"Looks like I really was 'tricked,'" Leo sighed. "But not by much."

Solberto did overstate the price, but not by much.

Originally, I needed to save 500,000 to 600,000, but now I need to save 400,000 to 500,000... Anyway, it's not something that can be solved in a day or two.

It seems that settling down for myself and my chubby orange cat won't be a matter of time.

Andrei, who was cooking, turned around and said:

"That person still has a conscience; he told you it's cheaper to buy secondhand. If he had sold you a secondhand item as new, you would have been crying. Little fox, come here and cut the bread."

Leo and Andre were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't even realize it was past 7 p.m.

The Marzamemi people place great importance on dinner; it is absolutely essential to have it.

Since both of them were alone, Andrei invited Leo to stay at his house for a meal.

While cutting bread, Leo asked Andrei, who was sitting next to him:

Where can I buy secondhand equipment? Are there any places to trade it?

Andrei shook his head and said:

"No, it's all about passing information among acquaintances. Sometimes it takes one or two months to find what you want."

Leo was devastated:

"So, you're saying I can't buy a used one right away, and if I need it urgently, I have to buy a new one?"

Andrei is "carving" patterns in the salad bowl:

Are you in a hurry?

He usually eats very simple meals; for dinner, he just has a bowl of salad and some bread.

But today I was in a great mood and arranged the simplest salad into an exquisite work of art.

Leo said with a worried look:

"Yes, I'm eager to go out to sea."

Andrei took two steps back, admiring the 'work of art' he had just mixed with satisfaction:

"This is easy to solve. I have many students, I'll ask around for you, and we should be able to find it quickly."

"Really?" Leo visibly became excited.

"Of course!" Andrei excitedly picked up a wine glass, wanting to have a drink with Rio. "Do you prefer red or white wine? Let's celebrate!"

Leo's eyebrows relaxed for only a few seconds before furrowing again:

"It's not time to celebrate yet; I can't buy it right now."

"Why?" Andrei's hand, holding the glass, froze in mid-air. "Is there still some difficulty that hasn't been resolved?"

Leo took out the sliced ​​bread:

"I haven't saved enough money yet... Could you ask around for me first? I'll come back to you once I've saved enough. Thank you."

Andrei, holding a wine glass and a glass of red wine, chased after Leo, glaring at him and saying in a loud voice:

"Four or five hundred thousand is considered money? I'll buy it for you first, no rush. Come to my house to pick it up in a couple of days!"

The old man's house hasn't been this lively in a long time. Isn't it worth spending some money to celebrate?

The old man who lived the most comfortable life in Marzamemi lacked everything except money.

And compared to the time Leo has spent with him recently... this amount of money is nothing!