1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 168 A Lively Night

Ronan was awakened by the cries of Xiao Hei and Marseille.

After working for two days, he went to bed early today. He vaguely heard thunder outside, but he had no intention of getting up to check.

All protective measures have been taken at home, so you can sleep peacefully in the heavy rain.

Ronan thinks sleeping on rainy days is the most comfortable.

But the barking of Xiao Hei and Masai made Ronan think that this was the first time the two little guys had seen such a noise in their lives.

"Are you scared when you hear thunder?"

Ronan opened his eyes and the watch on the bedside table told him that it was just after 9 o'clock in the evening.

He got up and looked out the window, and found that the heavy rain had not yet fallen, and it was time for the 'light show'.

Thunder rumbled, and a flash of white lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the vineyards outside, the trees and houses, and the densely packed Lourmarin villages in the distance, with the inky sky as the background.

Ronan instinctively closed his eyes, but as soon as he opened them, the second lightning flashed again.

This time it lasted longer. It seemed as if ten thousand incandescent lights in the sky were lit up at the same time, tearing a hole in the darkness of the night, and the sun shone on the earth again.

Ronan didn't spend too much time appreciating the 'blockbuster' starring nature. He followed the sound of the dog to the first floor and unexpectedly found his parents in the kitchen.

"You haven't slept yet?" Ronan rubbed his eyes.

"There have been thunder and lightning outside for a long time, why hasn't it rained yet?" Feng Zhen was waiting eagerly in front of the large picture window in the kitchen.

Luo Tianhai sat on a chair in the restaurant and played a game with two dogs to guess which hand had the bread:

"From the looks of it, it's probably going to be a heavy rain."

"What time is it? Are you still playing?" Ronan said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

He thought the two dogs were frightened.

It turns out that I was having fun
"Let's play. We're not sleeping now anyway." Feng Zhen turned around and said to Ronan, "Your father and I both like rainy days. They're cool and fun."

Ronan stood beside his mother and looked out the window with her:

"Don't tell anyone else this. People in Provence hate rain the most. They hate days without the sun."

"Is it so serious?" Feng Zhen asked doubtfully.

"Really." Ronan shrugged. "I heard that the suicide rate in Vaucluse is the highest in France. Several people die every time it rains or snows."

"My God." Feng Zhen's face was solemn.

Luo Tianhai interrupted:

"Every place has its own customs and practices. Don't make a fuss."

Feng Zhen said regretfully:

"I want to invite Leah to the yard to watch the rain tomorrow, if it continues to rain."

Luo Tianhai looked at the sky outside:
"We don't even know when it will rain today, and you're already thinking about tomorrow? The thunder has been going on for almost an hour, it's not 'thunder without rain', is it?"

"That shouldn't be the case?" Ronan opened the window a little.

Feng Zhen stretched out his hand and suddenly shouted:
"It's coming down!"

Three hands reached out at the same time.

Luo Tianhai said excitedly:
"Are you hungry? Can I make something to eat? There's some mutton left at home from last night. Can I roast it?"

"Sure! Let me make you some cold dishes." Feng Zhen happily checked whether all the windows in the house were closed. "Drink some to help you sleep!"

Compared with the happy Ronan family, Theo's family now seems like hell.

Since there was no waterproofing inspection done ahead of time, his house did not have unexpected water leaks. What was even more annoying was that the sewer system also had major problems due to years of disrepair.

Several manholes on the first floor made strange gurgling noises, as if something strange was lurking underneath.

The ground was flooded with excessive rainwater, which was "rushing" in search of other ways to escape.

Lettuce leaves went into the bedroom, coffee grounds went into the bathroom line. It seemed like ten thousand things were lost here.

Theo was using all his strength to drive the rain water into the Turkish toilet when he suddenly heard a loud baby crying behind him.

He turned his head in panic and saw a huge column of water gushing out of the faucet in front of his daughter.

"Anna, why are you turning on the faucet?" Theo carried his daughter out of the bathroom.

Theo's daughter cried and said:
"My feet were covered in gross stuff and I tried to wash them but the faucet sneezed."

Theo quickly called his wife to take his daughter out of the "dangerous" bathroom, but when he went back, he saw that the Turkish toilet was also "on strike".

A meter-high sewage gushed out, turning his home into a complete hell.

"I hate rain!!" Theo's daughter's shrill scream pierced the night sky.

"Take Anna to Ronan's house, go quickly!" Theo shouted in despair.

Freddy's family wasn't much better.

There were only one or two leaks in his house, which was not serious, but the house that had not been repaired for decades was like a huge speaker, amplifying the noise infinitely.

The raindrops did not fall on the roof and windows, but on their heads and ears.

"You should have renovated the house earlier. I guess Ronan's house is definitely not like this now." Freddy's wife Flossy blamed her husband mercilessly.

They had decided a month ago to renovate the house, but Freddy used all kinds of excuses to postpone the renovation.

Freddy sat at the desk in his bedroom, turned on a dim desk lamp, and wrote something quickly in his notebook:
"Honey, I'm really busy lately. This is the rising period of my career."

"Stop it, Freddy. You are already 39 years old and your weight won't allow you to 'go up'." It was obvious that Flosi was not in a very good mood today. She would be in a bad mood every time it rained.

Why would I live in a stereo?

Freddy turned his chair and looked back at his wife:
"I introduced some suppliers to Ronan's parents, and Ronan introduced me to seven or eight restaurant owners in return. Even if only two of them were willing to 'give it a try' with me, I couldn't let Ronan down and had to complete the work meticulously."

Flossie buried her head in the quilt and said quickly:
"Then do you have to 'make an effort' tonight? Our electrical circuits are as old as the house. It's dangerous for you to leave the lights on!"

Freddy went back to writing:

"I'll be done in 20 minutes."

Suddenly, the small desk lamp spasmed violently, as if the heavy rain outside was whipping its body.

Then the light bulb made a faint but fatal 'pop'.

"Freddy!" Flossie jumped off the bed barefoot and roared at Freddy in the dark, "Do you know how long it will take to repair the circuit in Luberon? How are we going to live in the next few days?"

Freddy knocked on Ronan's door in a panic:
"I know this is hard to explain, but could we stay at your house for the night? Flossie and the kids need a place with electricity to wash up in the morning."

Ronan was briefly stunned, then welcomed Freddy's family in:

"Of course, but I'm afraid we'll have to squeeze in." Freddy entered Ronan's house and unexpectedly discovered that the 'guests' were not just their family.

Theo's wife and children are here too?

And it looks like they have already taken a warm bath.
Feng Zhen poured a few cups of hot water for Freddy's family:

"I know you don't have the habit of drinking hot water, but this will help you get rid of the moisture in your body. Did you get caught in the rain on the way here?"

She led Flossie and the children into the bathroom:

"Give the kids a bath first, don't let them get sick!"

Flossie gave Feng Zhen a small hug out of gratitude:
"Thank you, I thought you were asleep."

Not only did the Ronan family not sleep, they also welcomed them warmly, thank God!

She and the children could finally leave the old stereo behind and get through the rainy night.

Feng Zhen helped take care of the children. Freddy came to Ronan's restaurant and saw the familiar Chinese barbecue and cold dishes on the table, while Luo Tianhai was still cooking something on the stove.

"Theo's daughter is a little scared. I'll make her some noodles." Luo Tianhai asked Freddy enthusiastically, "Do you want to eat with us?"

Freddy rubbed his face in disbelief:

"God, am I dreaming?"

On the way, he thought the worst day of the year had arrived.

Being despised by my wife and children, and bothering my friends on a rainy night
But this place is as warm and cozy as heaven.

Luo Tianhai smiled and said to him:
"Then I'll make your family's quantity as well. The children will probably be scared."

Ronan's voice was heard again at the gate, and a new group of "refugees" had arrived.

"Come in, there's food at home, and you can take a hot bath. You'll just have to squeeze in at night, but it'll be more fun with more people."

Before dawn, the wind and rain stopped abruptly.

As if nothing had happened, the sun slowly peeked out from the horizon as usual, casting a golden glow.

After being busy all night, Theo dragged his tired body to Ronan's house to see how his daughter was doing.

Anna hates rainy days the most. She cries every time it rains.

But what surprised him was that at this time, the lights on the first floor of Ronan's house were still on.

Theo knocked on the window carefully, and the person who came to open the door for him was a farmer, not Ronan.

"Why are you here?" Theo asked in surprise.

The farmer explained:
"This rain has flooded many homes. I don't know why everyone came to Ronan's house to 'take shelter'. However, there is not enough sleeping space. The children and women rest in the bedroom, and we men rest downstairs. Ronan's parents prepared wine and food for us. Theo, you came too late. We had a very happy chat that night."

"Where is Anna?" Theo did not forget the important matter.

Theo came to the bedroom where his daughter was resting and found that she was sleeping soundly.

He kissed Anna gently on the head.

Anna opened her eyes hazily:
"dad?"

Theo said softly:

"I have cleaned up the house and made sure it is exactly the same as before. I'm sorry, Ana, Dad didn't protect you well yesterday."

Anna's voice was filled with unconcealed joy:
"Dad! I had delicious noodles and a special 'drink' yesterday!"

"Really?" Theo kissed his daughter's hair. "Daddy swears that I will protect you next time it rains."

Anna suddenly hugged Theo's neck and whispered:
"Dad, I'm starting to like rain. Uncle Ronan held me and watched the rain for a long time. I think the rain on the flowers looks so beautiful, like dancing elves. But mom doesn't let me watch it for too long, saying I should go to bed. Dad, next time it rains, can we go outside to watch the flowers?"

"Yes, of course!" Theo hugged his daughter tightly, and his heart melted instantly.

Theo found Ronan in the backyard.

"After not sleeping all night, you still have the energy to come out and take care of the lawn?" Theo sat on the stone sofa and asked as he looked at Ronan's busy figure.

"I took a nap tonight." Ronan put down his tools and sat down opposite Theo. "Have you seen your daughter? Anna has been asking why you haven't come yet."

Theo smiled like a flower:
"I have seen it. Thank you for taking care of her. She said she is very happy at your home."

Ronan smiled and shook his head:

"Of course I should. Thank you."

Theo took out a wet cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth:
"Being too popular is also a problem. With so many people coming, it must be a headache, right?"

He roughly counted and found that there were at least 20 people in Ronan's family now.

"No." Ronan said cheerfully, "Yesterday was a bit like the Chinese New Year. A group of good friends gathered together and stayed up late chatting. My parents and I really liked this atmosphere. In the past, when there were only three of us, there was no festive atmosphere at all."

"But yesterday wasn't a holiday." Theo shrugged.

Ronan smiled and pointed around:
"Don't you think the morning after the rain is particularly beautiful? The grass looked dying yesterday, but it is full of vitality today. This is a 'festival' for nature."

Theo became serious for once, and said to Ronan in a complicated tone:
"You've changed so many things since you came to Lourmarin."

Ronan spread his hands innocently:
“Hopefully it’s a change for the better.”

"Anna actually likes rainy days, which she hates the most." Theo pointed behind him. "In the past, after it rained, these guys would get together and curse the damn weather and the Provence Meteorological Bureau, but now they are excitedly discussing what they should eat in the morning."

Ronan leaned against the stone wall behind him:

"But I don't see any change in you."

Anna told him what Theo's house looked like, and it was horrible.

If Theo had worked harder, that would never have happened last night.

Theo also leaned lazily behind him:
"No, I've changed too. I don't hate rainy days as much anymore."

Ronan looked over expectantly:

"Is this true? You can actually change?"

Theo pouted:

"Seriously, after all this rain, I don't have to water it anymore. Shouldn't I like it?"

Ronan rubbed his face speechlessly.

Everything is changing, and yet nothing is changing.

Life is so interesting.