Chapter 121 I like your curiosity
Xiao Peng patted Mario on the shoulder and said, "Mario, I apologize for my friend's rudeness. Xiao Pa, what did I tell you? Don't advise others to be kind without first experiencing their own situation. Don't easily speculate or blame others. We are not saints. We must learn to respect every life."
Pascal said, "Xiao, why are you apologizing for me?"
Xiao Peng was about to scold him for refusing to admit his mistake, but Pascal said, "Mario, I sincerely apologize to you. I apologize for my ignorance."
Mario's expression brightened after hearing Pascal's words. "No, no, no, I'm just too sensitive. But I really can't control myself. My best friend died in a fire here! She was such a kind person, she treated these refugees like her own family and took care of them. But why did this happen?"
Xiao Peng took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed it to Pascal to light it for him. He had studied hard for the past few months and hadn't learned anything else, but he had learned how to smoke. Just like Fabian said, once you smoke for the first time, you will have countless more times.
Although this is not a good habit, offering a cigarette is undoubtedly a good choice at this time.
Mario took the cigarette and said with a much gentler expression, "Thank you." However, he didn't light it. Instead, he pointed to the reception center and said, "My boss has been waiting in there for a long time. It's better for us to go in and discuss business first."
Mario led the two into the reception center. Although it wasn't as crowded as it had been two years ago, there were still many people there, mostly black people, with some North Africans as well. Xiao Peng and the others were watching them warily.
Some people also walked directly to Xiao Peng, stretched out their hands, made a praying gesture, and muttered something. Xiao Peng really couldn't understand what they were saying.
Mario led Xiao Peng and the others out of the way and into the administrative corridor. "A few years ago, most of the refugees were from North Africa. Now, more are coming from Southern Africa. The reasons for coming here as refugees are varied."
Xiao Peng looked around and said, "The working environment here is really not very good."
Mario smiled wryly and said, "Do you think the higher-ups will allocate money for the refugee reception center? We're actually doing really well here. After all, this refugee reception center was built with government funding. Many other refugee reception centers are privately run, and the conditions there are even worse just to make money. We're going to spend the majority of our fiscal spending on refugees. As for our staff here? They're more like charity workers! The car that picked you up just now belonged to our director, Ancelotti. I don't even own a car."
"Then why do you still do it?" Xiao Peng asked puzzledly.
Mario was silent for a moment and then said, "My best friend died here. She was my goddess, and I am upholding her will now. As for others? Xiao, believe me, there are still many good people in this world!"
Xiao Peng nodded: "I believe it when I see you!"
They came to an office and Mario knocked on the door: "Come in!"
After Xiao Peng and his companions entered, they saw the director of the refugee reception center, Ancelotti. He looked to be in his sixties, with a head full of white hair. Upon seeing Xiao Peng and the others enter, he stood up and shook hands with each of them. "I'm so sorry, I have work to attend to, so I had to ask Mario to pick you up. Otherwise, I would have gone there myself. Please have a seat."
Mario introduced Xiao Peng and the other two to Ancelotti. After they sat down, Ancelotti continued, "Actually, I called you here for no other reason than to know that many charities are using the excuse of 'shipwrecks' to bring in refugees. This is very troubling for us, so we hope you can come and cooperate and tell us what's going on."
Xiao Peng pulled a USB drive from his pocket. "This is the audio data I copied from the DVR. It includes both the internal and external frequency signals and the VHF communication audio signal. This is the best evidence of what happened."
Ancelotti was stunned when he heard this: "You have a DVR on your boat? As far as I know, it's a small sailboat, right?"
Xiao Peng shrugged and said, "It's a sailboat, but it's a Danish X-YACHTS, model X-55."
"A 55-foot sailboat? Or an X-YACHTS?" Ancelotti huffed. "The idiots in the navy told me it was a small sailboat! It's no surprise that this boat has a DVR! Mr. Xiao, thank you for giving us this good material."
A DVR system, commonly known as a "marine black box," records the vessel's status, equipment status, and voice messages in real time. This facilitates investigations into the vessel's condition during incidents.
It's a valuable tool, but VDRs are only manufactured in a handful of countries, and they're designed and installed on newly built ships, making them incredibly expensive. Therefore, they're typically installed on large vessels like passenger ships, cruise ships, and chemical tankers. This is why Ancelotti was surprised to hear that Xiao Peng had a VDR installed on board.
Xiao Peng likes the way foreigners are surprised by things they have never seen before!
Are you shocked to see DVRs on sailboats? Then you should go to China! Since 2000, when Chinese transportation regulations mandated VDRs for ships, even old-fashioned fishing boats are now equipped with them!
You underestimated the scientific research capabilities and productivity of the Chinese people! At that time, DVR equipment cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of US dollars per set. In China, the cheapest DVR equipment for small boats was only 1,000 yuan per set!
Pascal, who had been silent, suddenly said, "Mr. Ancelotti, do you have a social donation account?"
Ancelotti was stunned after hearing this: "Of course."
Pascal said, "Mr. Ancelotti, please give me your account number. Today, due to my ignorance, I hurt Mario. I feel that a simple apology cannot express my regret. I am now donating 100,000 to the refugee reception center. But I want to make it clear that this money is not used to improve the environment of the refugee reception center, but to improve the welfare of the refugee reception center staff. This money must be transferred to a specific purpose!"
Ancelotti and Mario's eyes almost lit up after hearing this!
Their working conditions are terrible, they are severely understaffed, and they need money. However, the funds allocated from above are limited and mainly used for refugee resettlement. They really don't have any money!
How could they not be happy to hear that someone donated money specifically to improve their welfare?
Pascal saw Xiao Peng looking at his outstretched hands. "Don't look at me like that. How to resettle refugees is the Italian government's business and has nothing to do with me. I just respect those who sacrifice their own rights to do this. Mr. Ancelotti, Mr. Mario, you are all amazing people. Mr. Mario just said that there are still more good people in the world. Well, we are all good people. Xiao, what did you mean by that? The bad ones are not completely good, and the good ones are not pure. That's all."
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