1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 139: Night Tour of Lourmarin
"Tell me, are you bragging, or are you really going to spend 9000 francs to repair your car?"

As soon as Ronan entered the old tavern, he was surrounded by farmers.

"How many times have I told you that it's called 'modification', not car repair." He sat down at the bar, ordered a drink, and said expressionlessly.

Ronan has become very restrained.

If he didn't want to keep more money in his hand, he would continue to increase the budget.

But the effect is very good now. Pires is very fast and can complete the modification immediately.

"Why don't you use the money to buy a newer car?" Fabian walked up to Ronan and asked.

"That's different. Let me put it this way. Even though that car is from 1961, it's worth more than many cars from 1981." Ronan shrugged. "What I'm doing now is also an investment."

Theo cursed and sat down next to Ronan:
"I noticed that you went to Marseille and started to speak like a Marseille native. Cars are investments? Do you think I'm a fool? Lucas sold a car a while ago. It was only two years between the sale and the purchase, and he lost more than 2 francs. Cars will not appreciate in value at all. They will only get cheaper and cheaper."

"Lucas is selling cars again?" Ronan tilted his head.

"Why do you need to use 'again'?" Theo slammed the table and said, "He has too many cars and can't drive through. Don't change the subject. Are you stupid?"

Ronan sighed silently.

It seems that Theo doesn't care enough about his brother.

"Do you think I'm a fool?" Ronan asked, pointing at himself.

"Like." Fabian and Theo said in unison.

Ronan turned his head away speechlessly, treating them as air.

Behind the bar, owner Cuomo's expression became unpredictable.

Every day he could hear the farmers discussing many topics, including horror, erotic, disgusting, and funny, but he always adhered to the principle of listening but not speaking, and never joined in the discussion unless someone asked him something.

But this time, he couldn't help but join in and asked Ronan:

“Do you only set up your stall twice a week?”

Ronan shrugged and said:
"Yeah, I usually drink here and don't do anything else."

Someone opened the door behind them, and everyone looked over and found that it was Pierre.

"Ronan! I heard from Pierre that you are going to spend 9000 francs to repair your car. Is that true?" Pierre rushed towards Ronan with his beard trembling.

Ronan put a 10-franc note on the table and fled the old tavern quickly:
"Let's go, I won't come to drink these few days."

Ronan left, but the topic in the old tavern still revolved around him.

"This guy must be used to living in Paris, spending money lavishly. He could have used the money to treat us to a drink, but he actually went to repair cars!"

"Damn it! When I think about him using half a year's salary to repair cars, I feel so distressed. No, no, I must go to his house this afternoon and continue to scold him."

"I'm so mad at you, this damn kid!"

Cuomo worked silently, saying nothing, but shaking his head as he listened.

Theo pointed at him with his chin:
"What's wrong with you today? Did you sprain your neck? Why are you making so many small movements?"

Cuomo continued to wipe the cups without Riteo.

Pierre wiped the beer foam from his beard and asked Cuomo:
"Why, you don't agree with what we said?"

Cuomo put the cups neatly away:

"No, I just feel that you are all paying attention to how much money Ronan spent. Why don't you pay attention to how much money he made?"

He spread his hands:
"Ronan was willing to spend 9000 francs to repair his car, which means he may have 9 francs in savings, and he only goes to the market twice a week. Gentlemen, don't you think it's horrible that setting up a stall can make so much money?"

The farmers fell silent.

These guys who only knew how to drink finally discovered that they had an organ called "brain" and started using it crazily.

Yes, how come Ronan is so rich?

Pierre asked Henri:

"How did Ronan perform at the Lourmarin fair?"

Of these people, only Henry also sold things at the market.

Henry proudly said:

"Mr. Ronan's stall has always been the most popular in the market, and there is always a queue in front of it."

Cornell took the initiative and said:
"Ronan's stall at the Mena Village Market was even more popular. I passed by it several times, but it was difficult to squeeze in and say hello to him."

Everyone nodded.

They had all heard about Ronan's famous sales at the Mena Village market, but they hadn't paid any attention to it.

Henry slammed his fists heavily on the table:

"I have said many times that Mr. Ronan is different from us guys who only know how to farm. He must have made a lot of money."

Theo stroked his chin and said:
"No wonder there are so many different designs for the bathroom. Damn, Ronan is so rich?"

Cuomo pushed the door open with a cigarette in his mouth, and Cornell stopped him:
"Give me another glass of white wine."

Cuomo waved his hand at him without even turning his head:
"Wait for me five minutes. I'm going to the market management center to ask something and I'll be back. Please help me watch the store."

Cornell looked at the others:

"Go to the Market Management Center? Isn't that the place that manages the market? Como is going to set up a stall?"

That night, Ronan went to Louis's house to attend a party, but he didn't expect that these people were still concerned about the topic of "9000 francs".

"If only Pires' mouth could be as tight as the screw he turns."

Faced with everyone's inquiries, Ronan really regretted not signing a "confidentiality agreement" with Pires.

But Louis didn't say a word the whole time. No matter how excited and confused Freddy and Alan were, he didn't join in.

Ronan was extremely pleased
They are indeed good brothers!
He raised his glass to Louis:

"You understand me, don't you?"

Louis often receives foreign clients, so he definitely knows what a hot rod is.

Louis looked at Ronan with resentment, and there seemed to be a condensed black energy in his eyes:

"Why didn't you come to me? I thought you already recognized my ability. I can fix anything that Pire can fix, and I can do it for free. We can still have plenty of time to chat."

Ronan: "."

Now Ronan is really going crazy.

Is there no place for him in all of Lourmarin?
Ronan held his forehead and said bitterly:
"Of course I recognize your ability to repair cars, but I modify cars, not repair them."

"By the way, Louis, where are the beautiful rocks you mentioned last time?" Feng Zhen quickly attracted her son's attention.

Ronan lowered his head and ate in silence, feeling extremely uncomfortable. After a while, someone patted his shoulder gently.

He thought it was someone else asking him about his car, but he didn't expect the person standing behind him was Zoe.

"You're not going to accuse me of spending money recklessly, are you?" Ronan asked Zoe desperately.

Zoe asked him quietly:

"Want to go out for some fresh air?"

Ronan was delighted at first, then pointed at Freddy with his chin:
“But they won’t let me go.”

The after-dinner drinks hadn't been opened yet and the party would continue for at least another hour.

As the 'key figure' of the party, they would definitely not let Ronan leave.

Zoe suddenly cleared her throat to attract everyone's attention, and then she asked calmly:
"I'm going to go out with Ronan and will be back soon. Is that okay with you guys?"

Poor guy, let me rescue you.

There was a deathly silence all around.

"No objection!" Feng Zhen spoke first.

Leah got up and opened the door for them:
"Don't worry, I'll save dessert for you."

Everyone watched Ronan and Zoe push the door and leave. Freddy looked at his wife with a gloating look:

"You still don't believe it?"

Freddy, Alan, and old Carl's three wives frowned and put their heads together.

A dozen more names of "Ronan" floated in the sky above the entire Lourmarin village.

"It feels like everyone in the village is talking about me." Ronan kicked the pebble in front of him hard.

Zoe followed him with a smile:

“What most people think is right is not necessarily the truth. The more outstanding a person is, the more he or she must get used to ‘walking alone’.”

"You look very experienced?" Ronan tilted his head.

Zoe put her hands behind her back and curled her lips:
“I’ve heard so many ‘doubting’ voices, but they didn’t break me down. Instead, they made me stronger and stronger.”

"Who questioned you?" Ronan's tone turned serious.

"Some 'famous artists', some 'academic advisors', and many, many others said that my work was not avant-garde enough, not interesting enough, and lacked details -" Zoe said with a bright smile, "and some said that I was too 'self-righteous'."

Ronan frowned and asked:
"When we went to Aix to present the exhibition?"

Zoe shook her head:

"It's not this time. The evaluation results haven't come out yet. It's the past. Since I started working in this industry, the voices of doubt around me have never stopped."

Ronan said distressedly:

“Your pieces are great, I think they have a lot of attitude.”

"No need to comfort me, I understand what I am thinking. But you—" Zoe walked in front of Ronan, looked up and said, "You haven't smiled all night."

Ronan finally smiled.

Zoe had been watching him all night?
He looked into Zoe's beautiful eyes and said:

"I just feel tired of repeating the same thing, but I know they are all 'wrong'. Then I will drive you around Lourmarin 20 times in my cool convertible!"

Zoe observed Ronan for a while, and only felt relieved after confirming that there was nothing wrong with his condition.

She pointed around:

"But where should we go first tonight?"

It’s been a long time since you and I went on a night tour of Lourmarin!
Ronan pointed in a direction:
"Let's go to the castle."

Ronan had not been to this side of the castle in several months.

When I came here this time, I found that this new street has been almost built.

The doors of all new buildings are on this side of the old church, and the rear windows face the Château de Lourmarin.

The whole street is not long and has a centrally symmetrical shape. There is a huge circular area in the center where the fountain mentioned by Blanco will be placed in the future.

Ronan and Zoe walked from one end to the other and found that there were only 11 newly built buildings. Their architectural style was consistent with other buildings in the village of Lourmarin, also in medieval style.

Ronan stopped in front of a three-story building that had not yet been topped out, looking up thoughtfully.

Why does this shop have three floors?
And this so-called 'commercial street' seems to be no different from other streets in the village.

(End of this chapter)