Selling oil across Libya

Chapter 41 New Life

Faris and Aisha never expected that the Numidian Brigade would assign them the task of planting trees.

There are only two types of trees: Aleppo pine and Mediterranean cypress.

Both of these are native tree species from Libya and are very suitable for planting in the northern coastal areas.

The man who assigned them jobs, Muhammad, was a former government soldier.

Muhammad lost his left foot and four fingers on his left hand, excluding his thumb, during the war.

This is probably why Muhammad did not go to Benghazi.

Even if Muhammad went to Benghazi, he still wouldn't be able to marry four wives.

"You may use this house and this car for the time being."

The car that Muhammad gave to Faris and Aisha was a pickup truck with the heavy machine gun removed.

Although the house was a single-story building, it was very large and fully furnished, enough for Faris and Aisha to live in.

"You have to plant 300 trees every month before you can eat in the cafeteria."

I will check in three months, and for each surviving tree, you can receive $1 as a reward;

"Whatever amount you get, that's what you'll earn; the more you work, the more you'll be paid."

With a serious and responsible attitude, Muhammad guided Faris and Aisha in planting the first Aleppo pine along the coastal road.

Muhammad was very thoughtful; he not only prepared shovels for Faris and Aisha, but also white work gloves.

After Muhammad left, Faris and Aisha did some accounting.

Even if you plant 10 trees a day, as long as the trees survive, you can earn $10 after three months.

If you have 20 trees, you will receive $20.

"If we plant 50 trees every day, we'll be able to afford a ship ticket to Europe in two months at most!"

Faris was overjoyed.

"If we can plant more, we can save up some money, which would be fantastic!"

Aisha finally saw hope for a new life.

However, planting 50 trees is not that simple.

As Muhammad required, the diameter of each tree pit must be about one meter.

After planting the saplings, they need to be watered continuously to ensure their survival.

It took Faris a full 20 minutes to dig the first hole for the tree.

The second tree pit wasn't finished yet, and despite wearing gloves, Faris's palms still got blisters.

Fortunately, it's 300 trees per month; Numidia Travel had already taken this into account when setting the standard.

If you keep working, the blisters will soon transform into cocoons.

The cafeteria's dining hours are from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm.

The food selection is fairly diverse, with staple dishes including Italian pasta, a common dish in Libya, and couscous, a steamed dish made from a mixture of couscous, meat, and potatoes.

And bazan bread, made from a mixture of barley, salt, and water.

There are only two kinds of soup: Libyan traditional sheba and egg drop soup.

Although the meal is served buffet style, each person can only take one egg.

Coffee refills are available, but you need to bring your own cup.

Faris ordered a bowl of macaroni, a bowl of sheba, an egg, and an apple.

Aisha took two bananas in addition to Kuskus and Sheba.

"Wow, the chefs here are really good!"

Faris was pleasantly surprised; although it was a common pasta dish in Libya, the chef had made it taste different and exceptionally delicious.

This is normal, since chefs are actually better at making knife-cut noodles.

Aisha ate half a banana and two bites of apple, then decided to learn to drive from Faris after the meal.

During the time of the colonel, Libya had a very high car ownership rate, reaching 290 cars per thousand people in 07, which was close to the level of moderately developed countries.

At that time, the Libyan government subsidized 50% of the purchase price of cars.

Since Libya is an oil-producing country, the oil price is only about $0.14 per liter, which is about 0.98 yuan.

In Libya at that time, women who became pregnant could receive a $5000 reward.

25% of Libyans have a university degree.

"Once we get to Europe, I'll make sure you live a good life."

Faris held Aisha's hand, full of confidence in the future.

"As long as we're together, life is good!"

Although Aisha did not receive her family's blessings, she found happiness.

Compared to Aisha, Mia is greedy; she not only wants to be with Qin Rui, but also wants her brother's blessing.

To Mia's dismay, four whole months have passed and there is still no news from Omar.

Qin Rui tried his best to distract Mia, not only getting her a lot of accessories and new clothes that girls like, but also getting her a Border Collie to keep as a pet.

Mia named the Border Collie Omar.

Mia decorated her and Qin Rui's home with colorful and gaudy ornaments.

The new clothes were kept at home, and Qin Rui was the only one who saw them.

When he went out, he wore the same sand-colored shirt, sand-colored work pants, and matching short military boots as Qin Rui.

With a large number of staff from East Asia arriving in Zawiya.

Zawiya is becoming increasingly prosperous.

Qin Rui decided to move to Tripoli with Yuri.

Zawiya is only 50 kilometers from Tripoli, so you don't need to fly there; you can drive there directly.

Qin Rui drove the car himself, with Mi Ya in the passenger seat.

Miller, who had returned to Qin Rui's side, rode in another Hummer with Zhong, Fa, and Bai.

Leaving Zawiya, we passed by the graves of Omar and his two companions.

Qin Rui stopped the car, took the flowers he had prepared in advance, and said goodbye to his friend.

Forget about paper money; Libyans don't believe in that.

Mia was very happy, and Qin Rui also prepared three flowers for her.

In Mia's view, whatever she does is meaningful as long as she is with Qin Rui.

"Who is buried here?"

Mia was curious.

Qin Rui didn't say anything.

Do I know him?

Mia followed Qin Rui closely, much like a devoted wife.

Qin Rui remained silent.

Back in the car, Mia suddenly started crying and wouldn't stop.

"Brother Tiger, is there still no news about Brother Omar?"

Mia hadn't asked that question in a long time.

Qin Rui firmly replied, "No!"

Mia closed her eyes, clasped her hands together in front of her chest, and chanted scriptures softly.

Qin Rui remained silent, focusing on driving.

An hour later, Qin Rui arrived safely in Tripoli.

Although construction teams carrying large engineering machinery have moved in, many damaged buildings along the road have not yet been demolished.

Many of the damaged cars were simply pushed to the side of the road and had not yet been cleared away.

Yuri decided to use the former Italian Governor's Palace next to Martyrs' Square as his official residence.

Qin Rui and Mi Ya moved into the residential complex opposite the port area.

Mia took the opportunity to suggest that she wanted to live with Qin Rui.

Qin Rui decisively rejected him.

Mia is not yet an adult, and Qin Rui doesn't want to make a mistake.

"Who says I'm not an adult!"

Mia rolled around on Qin Rui's bed, refusing to leave.

Omar tried to jump onto the bed, but Mia kicked him away.

"I'm an adult now. My mother was my age when she had Omar."

Mia hugged Qin Rui's pillow, her eyes sparkling. Despite her small stature, she exuded a captivating charm.

"Brother Qin Rui, I also want to have a child."