I Have 10 Trillion Dollars only Usable For Simping
Chapter 1079: The Meaning of Travel 751_2

Chapter 1079: The Meaning of Travel 751_2

Fernando scrutinized the photo without speaking immediately.

"She’s a lawyer; she’s caused us some trouble. You should understand what lawyers are, Mr. Fernando. My brother and I are now law-abiding entrepreneurs, and even if we’re bullied, we definitely wouldn’t engage in any illegal activities. However, we have an old saying in Shenzhou: As man sows, so shall he reap. Who knows when those who like to cause trouble for no reason might have an accident, like a traffic accident or fire? What do you think, Mr. Fernando?"

"It seems this female lawyer has caused you quite some trouble,"

Fernando said with a laugh.

He understood perfectly the implicit meaning of Luo Long’s words.

He was quite familiar with the Luo brothers’ influence in Shenzhou; otherwise, he wouldn’t have entered into a partnership with them.

Just like in Sicily, it’s akin to his own backyard; getting rid of a person is as effortless as stepping on an ant in the garden. Why bother to travel such a long distance to come here?

"If it were a small trouble, we wouldn’t need to trouble Mr. Fernando. You know we’re not the type of people who like to bother friends."

Luo Long was candid, and at the same time, he put emphasis on the word "friend."

Fernando nodded and replied with a smile: "Friends, after all, are for troubling."

Luo Long gave a knowing smile and poured wine for himself, "cheers."

"cheers."

The two glasses clinked together, clear and cold.

On the other side of the island.

Monreale Cathedral.

For convenience, Fang Qing rented a car, a service available at the hotel, quite handy.

Of course.

This was not included in the "family bucket package"; both the driver and the vehicle needed to be paid for separately.

But it might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience; spending a little money is not a big deal, even Pan Hui, who had been frugal all her life, didn’t say a word.

Before going abroad, Fang Qing did her research. Religion is the most distinct cultural feature of the West compared to the East, and the construction of churches is the tangible carrier of this cultural feature.

Until she entered Monreale Cathedral, Fang Qing hadn’t noticed any further signs of being followed. It must be because she had spotted them once, so they became even more discreet.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing. Dad, Mom, this cathedral is the world’s largest Norman building."

Regarding this matter, she still hadn’t mentioned a single word to her parents.

In this regard, she shared the same view as Jiang Chen; since it’s just a precaution, there’s no need to create a tense atmosphere and spoil her parents’ travel mood.

What ’Norman architecture’ signifies, Fang Weiguo and his wife certainly didn’t understand, but that didn’t stop the sensory impact of this different culture from leaving them deeply moved.

Not to mention her parents, who spent their entire lives in a small city, even the worldly Fang Qing couldn’t help but be enchanted by the dazzling mosaics inside the cathedral and the dreamy corridors that led one through it.

"This cathedral is really beautiful; it feels better than temples."

After touring the cathedral, Fang Weiguo shared his thoughts.

Fang Qing couldn’t help but chuckle and before she could speak, her mother, Pan Hui, said: "Cultures are different, why are you comparing? They’re not the same thing at all."

Like most common people, Pan Hui wasn’t a devout Buddhist; after all, Shenzhou isn’t really fervent about religious beliefs.

But on the birthday of Guanyin Bodhisattva, she would always try to take time to go to the temple for prayers and blessings.

"I didn’t mean anything else; I’m just saying this church is more aesthetically appealing."

Fang Weiguo defended himself.

"That’s because you’ve never seen it before. It’s your first time. If foreigners go to a temple, they would certainly find the temple nice too. Qing Qing, your dad is really Eurocentric and admires foreign stuff too much."

Fang Weiguo was at a loss for words, unable to hold back laughter or tears, "How am I Eurocentric?"

"I think there are many people like you who believe everything abroad is better. But how I see it, they don’t have as many buildings or cars as we do back home, nor as tall, right?"

"High buildings and numerous cars, does that necessarily mean it’s better?"

The couple started to argue again.

"Isn’t it more flourishing when there are more high rises and cars?"

"What’s the use of flourish? If you want to see flourish, you shouldn’t come here. You should go to New York."

Fang Weiguo’s generation might not know about Sicily, but they have heard of New York.

"Can we get in the car first?"

Fang Qing interjected.

By the time they arrived at the town of Monreale, which was built around a cathedral, the couple were still arguing.

In fact, some arguments are a good thing. Many people live together for most of their lives and find nothing to talk about when they sit together.

"Qing Qing, do you think your dad understands nothing?"

In the past, Fang Qing mostly sided with her mother, but this time she spoke a fair word.

"Mom, actually, dad is not wrong. Even though there aren’t many tall buildings or cars here, this place is one of the four major economies in Europe and a highly developed country."

"We are the second largest economy in the world, and soon to be the first."

Don’t just talk, Pan Hui might be an ordinary housewife, but her sense of national pride is very strong.

No wonder she raised a daughter like Fang Qing.

"Mom, what you said is also true, we are developing very fast, but we can’t deny that there is still a gap compared to those highly developed countries."

"I think it’s nice here, but not very..."

Fang Qing understood what her mother meant.

It’s not a narrow view, but merely a perspective that comes with their social class.

Ordinary people judge whether someone is wealthy by the car they drive and the size of their house.

Holding her mother’s arm, Fang Qing walked through the streets of the Sicilian town, smiling patiently: "Mom, towering buildings and luxury cars, indeed, make the place look very bustling and prosperous. Today, our country has achieved that too, like the Capital City, where there are so many cars that it’s hard to register all the license plates. Not to mention cars, in terms of infrastructure and some cutting-edge technologies, we are ahead of some developed countries. Our high-speed rail is unparalleled in the world, but these are just superficial achievements. A country’s true advancement lies in its soul."

"Soul?"

Losing the zest for an argument with his wife, Fang Weiguo looked at his daughter with an almost inquisitive gaze.

He was a father, but his daughter had long surpassed him in her understanding of the world.

"I had a classmate in college, he visited the capital of Dongying. There, on the subway doors, braille is etched to inform blind people of their carriage location. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but here, the public buses tilt after reaching a stop. Do you know why? That’s the use of hydraulic technology to tilt the bus, making it easier for the elderly or disabled to board and disembark."

Fang Weiguo and Pan Hui fell silent.

"Of course, every country has its strengths and inevitably, its weaknesses. But a society, a nation, a civilization’s advancement, always shares one thing in common: the strong pay for the weak."

The family strolled leisurely.

"The strong paying for the weak means that the benefits and costs are not proportionate; it’s a kind of humanitarian care. But if it’s the other way around, overly pursuing economic strength, then there is only one outcome."

Fang Qing said softly: "It means the weak pay for the strong."

As common folks, Fang Weiguo and Pan Hui did not have such profound insights or knowledge, and might never articulate such reasoned arguments, but that does not mean they could not understand the meaning behind their daughter’s words.

They were the weak in society, having worked hard all their lives, but even for traveling abroad, they still relied on winning a big prize; how could they not empathize?

"Our daughter has really grown up."

Fang Weiguo sighed with pride, "The strength of a country is not measured by the height of the strong, but by the status of the weak. Qing Qing, you have not studied in vain."

"What are you talking about?"

Pan Hui was only dissatisfied with her husband’s last sentence. Her daughter’s words also left her with mixed feelings, but as an ordinary citizen, what could she do.

Fang Weiguo looked at his daughter and smiled, "I believe it’s only a matter of time. With you, with your generation, I believe we will become better and