Selling oil across Libya

Chapter 60 The Child

As Tripoli's economy gradually recovers, illegal immigration into Tripoli has quietly reappeared.

Faris and Aisha finally received their first month's salary, and according to their plan, the young couple would immediately head to Europe.

Hummus is about the same distance from Italy as Benghazi is from Greece, and the ferry ticket price is $1300.

Faris received his full month's salary, $1500.

Aisha received a $300 bonus in addition to her $1500 salary for her outstanding work.

As soon as he received his salary, Faris went to the bank to exchange his dinars for dollars.

Aisha did not change.

"The bank doesn't charge any fees. 7500 dinars are exchanged for 1500 US dollars. I'll go again tomorrow, and then we can go to Europe!"

Faris counted the dollars over and over again, beaming with joy.

Aisha, however, was not as happy as Faris had imagined.

After receiving her salary, Aisha went to the supermarket, bought vegetables and steak, and prepared to cook a big meal to reward herself and Faris.

As Aisha poured the blended oil from East Asia into the frying pan, she suddenly remembered that someone on Facebook had said that olive oil was better for steak, so she should have bought a bottle of imported Italian olive oil earlier.

I think I'll pass; olive oil in the supermarket is too expensive.

It should be cheaper in Italy.

After all, it's the place of origin.

The cornflowers on the windowsill have just sprouted new buds, and the grapevines in the yard have already climbed all over the trellis.

Leila spotted a Marsha lizard, sniffed it curiously, but was startled when the lizard suddenly stuck out its tongue, and cursed it vehemently.

Leila is a one-month-old female North African hound.

The steak was pan-fried to medium-rare, served on an imported East Asian blue and white porcelain plate. Aisha opened a bottle of cola for Faris and drank juice herself.

"Once we get to Italy, I can continue driving an ambulance, and you can continue working as a nurse."

"Once we have children, you won't need to work anymore. I'll take care of earning money to support the family, and you can focus on being beautiful."

Faris, carrying a large sum of money, talked excitedly incessantly.

"My teacher said I don't have the relevant qualifications and can't work as a nurse in Italy."

Aisha was confused and couldn't taste her food.

"Then let's go to France, have a bunch of kids, and live comfortably on subsidies."

Although Faris has no elders above him, he has children below him.

"I don't want to go to France."

Aisha doesn't want to become a breeding machine.

Why?

Faris was shocked and caught off guard.

"Why do we have to go to Europe? I think we're doing just fine now."

Aisha is very satisfied with her current life.

"Honey, we can have a better life in Europe!"

Faris is full of confidence in the future.

"Really?"

Aisha recently followed a French blogger named Eleanor on Facebook. According to the information Eleanor showed, the lives of refugees who arrived in France are not as happy as Bobo and Abobo described.

There are indeed subsidies for having children in France.

But that's a welfare program for French citizens; refugees who illegally enter France don't receive subsidies for having children.

The refugees do not have spacious and bright houses; they live in refugee camps with dirty and chaotic environments and no guarantee of safety.

Refugees cannot find work unless they obtain French citizenship.

Although charities provide food for refugees, there are absolutely no fresh vegetables or medium-rare steaks.

Most importantly, Faris wouldn't pay for a ticket for Leila, who was wagging her tail at Aisha's feet with her big, wet eyes full of longing.

"Of course it's true. Once we get to Italy, I can find a job. No matter how tiring or difficult it is, I will work hard to give you and the children the happiest life in the world."

Faris is not afraid of hardship or fatigue; as long as he is willing to work, how could he possibly go hungry?

"But what if you can't find a job?"

Aisha lowered her head, her knife unconsciously stabbing at the steak, as if it were piercing Faris's heart.

"I will find it, I will definitely find it."

Faris gripped his knife tightly, muttering to himself.

Aisha took an A4 sheet of paper out of her pocket, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Faris.

Faris glanced at him, then jumped to his feet, his face beaming with uncontrollable elation: "You're pregnant?"

"Yes!"

Aisha smiled through her tears.

"Am I going to be a dad?"

"Yes!"

"Oh my god, I can't believe this is real! Tell me this isn't a dream!"

"This is not a dream, it's absolutely true!"

Faris, brandishing his knife and gesturing wildly, suddenly saw Leila: "We have to send Leila away. The book says pregnant women shouldn't be around pets."

"No, no, as long as hygiene is maintained, pregnant women can be around pets."

Aisha strongly disagreed.

"We're going to Europe for our children's sake."

Faris grew increasingly resolute.

"I don't want to give birth to my child in a refugee camp."

Aisha was equally determined because of her child: "If our child were born in a refugee camp, he would not be able to have a happy life like a normal child."

"No, no, no, darling, you're wrong. If our child is born in France, we can obtain official French citizenship through our child."

Faris laughed; it was indeed a pleasant surprise.

"The child can only obtain French citizenship when he/she turns 18."

Even if our child obtains French citizenship, we will not obtain true French citizenship; we can only apply for private and family residency based on the right to family life.

Aisha knows more details.

"Who told you that?"

Faris was shocked; this was different from what Boboci and Aboci had said.

"A real Frenchman told me that."

Aisha opened her phone, found Eleanor's profile, and handed the phone to Faris.

Faris took it and casually opened the pinned video.

The video is titled "France is not heaven, but hell."

"In the past month, seven migrant boats have sunk in the waters off southern France, with official statistics alone indicating that more than 500 people have died."

Socialist candidate François Hollande has pledged that if elected president of France, he will dismantle Roma camps in Paris and Lille and expel illegal immigrants from France.

A week ago, a large-scale riot broke out at the Calais "Jungle" camp, resulting in at least seven deaths;

If you want to come to France, please do so through official channels, not through the extremely dangerous method of smuggling.

Even if you arrive in France, it won't be the paradise you envisioned; it will be hell!

The refugee camps shown in Eleanor's lens are completely different from those shown by Bobo and Abobo.

"This is fake, this must be fake."

Faris was struck dumb.

The last shot of the video is of a migrant who has drowned.

Coincidentally, this person was Latif, who used to live next door to Faris and Aisha.