The Legend of the Fishermen of Sicily

Leo found two beds in the shipyard.

One room is in the one I slept in yesterday, the one on the side facing the street; the other is in a room on the other side of the shipyard, right next to the sea.

The dormitory should be the one Leo slept in yesterday, because there were many personal belongings left behind, as well as a small wardrobe.

The one closer to the sea is more like an office.

Inside, there was a dilapidated desk and chair, and against one side of the wall, there was an even more dilapidated display cabinet. The bed was narrower than the other one, and the mat on it was also a war-damaged version.

Overall, living here is not as comfortable and relaxing as living over there.

But Leo chose this office as his bedroom without hesitation because he could see the sea just by opening the window.

So what if the bed is a little small?

Move the other one over, combine the two into one, and it instantly becomes a room with a 1.8-meter double bed.

Isn't it just a matter of unreasonable space arrangement?

They moved the unused display cases out, then moved the wardrobes over there, and then moved a chair for enjoying the view.

It's just that the mat is a bit rotten.

Buy a new one!

That's impossible!!

It'll have to do with it for now.

When people don't have money, they have to be willing to spend more time, especially the time that makes life better under limited conditions.

Although the house is still old, the furniture is still war-damaged, and the space is still empty, it is completely different from what it was just a few hours ago.

Witnessing life improve in a visible way is truly rewarding.

Especially when I see the sea outside the window and imagine that I can lie in bed and watch the sunrise and sunset in the future, I can't be happier.

"Life will get better and better, just like this house!" Leo shouted to the sea with a smile.

.......

Leo planned to get his temporary accommodations for free, without spending a single penny.

The mats could be left untouched for now, the food could be left unadded for now, and even a meal could be skipped every day... but those damned mosquitoes caused Leo to suffer "massive bleeding" in every sense of the word!

Aesop warned last night that the biggest danger around here is those damn mosquitoes.

The room where Leo slept yesterday had been sealed off for a long time. He slept there all night and there weren't many mosquitoes. He could just bear with it.

After a long day of hard work, mostly physical labor, Leo didn't even want to eat dinner around 7 p.m. and went straight to sleep. But the mosquitoes around him started having their dinner.

Living by the sea is great in every way, except for the mosquitoes. The buzzing noise in your ears can be ignored, but your body can't take it. If you get bitten, you'll get anemia.

He had to leave the shipyard in the dark around 8 p.m. to check if the grocery store was closed.

Actually, Leo hesitated for a long time before leaving home.

Shops in Florence usually close around 7 p.m., and he worried that in a small place like Marzamemi, grocery stores would close even earlier, so this trip was destined to be fruitless and would only benefit more mosquitoes.

Unexpectedly, when they arrived near the grocery store, they found that every shop was wide open, and even the restaurants, which had hardly any customers in the morning, now had several customers sitting there.

The grocer was having dinner at the moment. After listening to Leo's explanation, the owner, Nicholas, put down his cutlery, rummaged through mosquito repellent equipment, and said in an unpleasant tone:

"The sea breeze in Karzamemi is strong, and the salt content in the air is very high, making it difficult for mosquitoes to fly and reproduce. There are fewer mosquitoes compared to inland areas. If you can't even tolerate this... I advise you to go back as soon as possible."

In this small fishing village of just over 300 people, the arrival of a stranger quickly becomes common knowledge.

One might appear once to run errands, but coming out so late to buy mosquito repellent... clearly an out-of-towner looking to "strike it rich".

Leo chuckled twice, not daring to explain, afraid of further solidifying his "pretentious" label, and shifted the focus to mosquito repellent:

What are some ways to repel mosquitoes?

Nicholas placed several items in front of Leo:

"The best solution is to install a metal mesh screen and be careful when going out. However, there are no ready-made metal mesh screens available. I need to go and measure the dimensions. You can buy a mosquito net and some mosquito coils first. Leave your address and I will come over tomorrow."

The shipyard windows have screens, but they have been neglected for a long time, and some are broken or damaged, rendering them ineffective.

That was just a temporary stop, and Leo didn't plan to invest too much, so he inquired about the prices of mosquito nets and mosquito coils.

"A single mosquito net is 15000 lira, a double one is 25000 lira. We also have better ones, but they're a bit more expensive. Mosquito coils are 1800 lira per box, and each box contains 10 coils." Nicolas placed a box of mosquito coils with Spanish writing on it on the counter. "This one is 2500 lira, and it's the most effective."

Without hesitation, Leo chose a single mosquito net and cheap mosquito coils. Before leaving, Nicholas asked:

"Do you need me to come and measure the metal mesh tomorrow?"

"I don't need it for now, thank you." Leo picked up his things and left the grocery store.

Nicholas sat back down at the table and continued eating, sneering sarcastically:

"Another penniless guy who can't make it in the city has arrived."

His wife handed the plate of fish to her husband, echoing his sentiment:

"He'll be like those people from the past few years... leaving very soon."

.......

I lingered in the grocery store for a while, and as I left, the hands on my watch were about to reach the number 9.

However, a few more people started eating at the casual dining restaurant next to the coffee shop.

Leo, who hadn't eaten for several hours, hesitated at the restaurant entrance—should he eat out instead?

The sign at the entrance listed several of today's special dishes, and the prices were quite reasonable.

Baked cod with cheese: 8000 lira;

Fish soup with couscous (7000 lira);

Sardine pizza 9000 lira;

Creamy Garlic Clams 8000 Lira;

Anchovy pasta: 8000 lira.

At first glance, the prices of each dish were not expensive, and Leo could afford them.

However, Western dining has strict standards—appetizers, starter courses, main courses, desserts, coffee, and various drinks interspersed throughout.

European countries may have slight variations in the order of meals, but it would be laughable to skip the entire meal when dining out.

After calculating the price of the entire meal, Leo immediately turned and left.

There's food I bought this morning at the shipyard, so what's the difference between eating it and not eating it?

My main strength is unwavering will!

However, another unexpected event occurred...

The casual dining experience was just the first test.

On his way back to the shipyard, he was bombarded with delicious food – the aroma of food wafted from the houses on both sides of the road, and some residents even set up tables outside their doors to enjoy their meals.

Marzamemi, who seemed to have been silent all day, suddenly came alive at this moment, radiating a lively and cheerful atmosphere.

In the end, Leo couldn't resist the onslaught of delicious food and went into a family restaurant far from the village center but not far from the shipyard.

"A new beginning deserves a good celebration, doesn't it?" he consoled himself.

Marzamemi has three restaurants in total. The other two are near the grocery store, while this one is far from the "bustling" area and is the smallest in size.

On the way, Leo had already planned what he wanted to eat, and as soon as he sat down, he began to recite the menu:

"A squid salad—"

Unexpectedly, the female boss interrupted him after hearing just one dish:

"There's no seafood here."

"No seafood?" Leo looked over curiously.