America: The neighbor's wife is so incredibly hospitable!

at this time.

On the upper deck, Jessica was holding a large bucket of freshly fried chicken nuggets.

With his mouth stuffed full, he leaned over the railing and looked down.

"Tch... what swimming instruction? He's just taking advantage of the situation."

Jessica made a sarcastic remark and casually handed a piece of chicken to Aya, who was sharpening a fishhook with a whetstone.

"Aya, do you think the boss is biased? Was he this close to you when he was teaching you to ride a horse last time?"

Aya chewed on a piece of chicken, looked at the scene below, and nodded seriously.

"Even closer than this."

Aya said vaguely, "We were in the forest, and my back was almost pressed against his chest."

"And... when that horse runs, it bounces really badly, that feeling... um..."

At this point, Aya seemed to recall some inappropriate imagery for children.

A blush rose on her wheat-colored face, and she closed her mouth.

Jessica rolled her eyes.

"I knew it! This whole ship is full of vixens! Even that Native American princess has gone astray!"

She took a big bite of the chicken nugget, as if she were biting into someone's chicken.

"No, I'll wait until tonight. I'll find an excuse to make him teach me something too. Like... how to hold my breath in the bathtub?"

……

This afternoon was spent in this chaotic, everyday chaos, full of the little things that make life interesting.

There were no contracts worth hundreds of millions, and no gunfights.

There were only the screams of choking on water while learning to swim, the playful fights over fried chicken, and...

As Chen An carried Ava, soaked to the bone and utterly exhausted, onto the deck, she whispered something almost inaudibly in his ear:

"Thank you... for making me feel alive."

This is perhaps the life Chen An wants.

Even if I possessed the whole world, I would still be willing to stop for this moment of sunshine and the warmth of your embrace.

Night falls.

Chef Katie finally emerged from her territory.

"Dinner's ready!"

She tapped the ladle in her hand. "Tonight's theme is 'The Gift of the Mediterranean'."

"Everyone must finish their seafood rice, or there will be no dessert!"

And at the end of that long table covered with a white tablecloth.

Chen An looked at the seven women sitting around him.

They were laughing, joking, and passing bread to each other.

He picked up his wine glass.

"Everyone."

"Cheers to this boring, sweltering, yet damn sweet afternoon."

……

The Leviathan quietly weighed anchor in the darkness and drifted southward with the warm ocean currents.

As the first rays of morning sunlight pierced through the thin mist, illuminating the ancient city standing by the sea.

The air was filled with the scents of volcanic ash, seawater, and rich citrus, which awakened everyone on board.

Palermo, Sicily.

This place lacks the ostentatious wealth of Monaco.

Yet it possesses a more rugged, passionate, and vibrant restlessness.

Nine o'clock in the morning.

Chen An chose to moor the yacht in the middle of the bay.

He changed into a loose-fitting shirt with a pale yellow lemon pattern.

She wore beige linen shorts and canvas shoes.

His attire made him look nothing like the mining tycoon who wielded immense influence on Wall Street.

He seemed more like a tourist who came here simply to sunbathe.

"Ann, are we really going to a place like that?"

Madeline stood on the deck, looking hesitantly at the distant port city that looked somewhat chaotic, noisy, and even a bit dilapidated.

As a countess who was accustomed to shopping in boutiques in Paris and Milan.

She had an instinctive aversion to places filled with "street life".

"Treasures are found in places like that."

Chen An smiled and helped her straighten her sun hat. "Besides, this is also to give you some inspiration."

"Your French red wines are good, but they're too restrained. The Sicilian sunshine might help you make a more passionate wine."

"Let's go. No bodyguards today."

Chen An turned to look at Jessica and Katie, who were excitedly stuffing sunscreen spray into their bags.

"The bodyguard looks too fierce; he'll scare away the fruit vendor. Today, it's just us."

Palermo, Barraro Market.

This is one of the oldest, busiest, and most vibrant open-air markets in all of Europe.

As soon as I stepped into that narrow street, a huge wave of sound rushed towards me like a tsunami.

The vendors' cries sounded like they were arguing, and the roar of motorcycles weaved through the crowd.

The air was filled with the aroma of grilled octopus, the spiciness of spices, and the sweetness of various fresh fruits.

"My God... this place is absolutely insane!"

Jessica clung tightly to Chen An's arm, feeling both scared and excited.

She saw a bearded man holding up a dripping swordfish, shouting loudly at passersby, his voice as loud as Pavarotti singing.

"That's what you call a sense of life."

Chen An, on the other hand, quite enjoyed the atmosphere. He moved through the crowd without seeming out of place.

"Katie, look over there." Chen An pointed to an inconspicuous stall.

There was a large pile of small, dark red citrus fruits.

"It's Tarocco blood orange!"

Katie's professional radar instantly activated; just moments ago she was complaining about the dirty water on the floor, but now her eyes were shining like light bulbs.

"These are top-quality ingredients for making desserts and sauces! I simply can't buy them this fresh in the US!"

She rushed forward without hesitation, not caring that she was jostled and knocked around by the crowd.

"Boss! Is this sweet?" Katie picked one up and gestured with her broken Italian to indicate its name.

The plump Italian woman didn't answer. Instead, she picked up a small knife, sliced ​​one open with a "snap," and handed it to Katie.

The deep red flesh, as translucent as a ruby, dripped juice down the blade.

Katie took a bite.

The rich, sweet and sour flavor with its raspberry aroma instantly won her over.

"Buy them all! I want them all!"

Katie waved her small purse with an air of extravagance.

But Chen An stopped her.

"Don't rush. Here, it's disrespectful to the shopkeeper not to bargain when buying things."

Chen An stepped forward with a smile.

He picked up an orange, tossed it around, and pointed to the few small black dots on it.

I chatted with the older woman in a not-so-fluent but very authentic Sicilian dialect.

"This skin is a bit thick, is it not in season?"

"Nonsense! This was just picked from the foot of Mount Etna last night!" the woman retorted, glaring at him.

"That's because it was damaged during transport. I'll take it all if you give me a discount."

"You, an outsider, certainly know your stuff..."

Watching Chen An haggle with the older woman over a few euros, acting like an old lady, was quite a sight.

They even argued heatedly about whether or not to give two lemons.

Madeline, standing behind, was stunned.

She had seen Chen An commanding presence at the negotiating table and had seen him gamble away fortunes in casinos.

But she had never seen Chen An like this before.

So real, so down-to-earth, even a little... cute?

"He...is really special." Sarah stood next to Madeline, holding a string of freshly bought roasted olives, and said with a smile.

"He can live in a castle, or he can squat by the roadside eating street food. That's why we fall in love with him."

Ultimately, the deal was reached.

Chen An bought five whole boxes of blood oranges at an astonishingly low price.

They also received a bottle of homemade lemon liqueur as a free gift.

"How about that? This is the real fun of shopping."

Chen An proudly hoisted a box of oranges onto his shoulder.

Even in this kind of physically demanding work, his movements still exude a sense of power.

"Boss...you're really something." Jessica gave a thumbs up. "The way that old lady looked at you just now, it was like she wanted to marry her daughter to you."