1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 192 Artists and Pink Wine

The place where Hedeli lives fits Ronan's imagination of the living environment of an "artist".

It was a very quiet farmhouse on the outskirts of the village. It was larger than Ronan's house. There were no farmlands nearby, but there were quite a few neighbors.

Batty introduced to Ronan that many artists in Valensole live near this area, and this area is the "Art Forest" of Valensole.

Listening to Batty's endless introduction, Ronan couldn't help but think:
It would be great if Lourmarin also had this kind of artistic atmosphere, Zoe would have many more friends.

Art cannot be separated from atmosphere, and art also needs collision.

In fact, there has always been a huge problem that has been bothering Ronan:

When he was reborn in the 21st century, he had never heard of Zoe's name.

That said, Zoe's dream of becoming an artist was not entirely successful.

On the bright side, maybe Zoe is only famous in Provence.

Thinking in a negative direction, Zoe may not have achieved the expected heights.

Zoe is Ronan's favorite person, and it is his duty to help Zoe realize her dream.

Moreover, one person’s happiness is not happiness. The real happiness is when everyone around you is happy.

So Ronan has been paying attention to factors that can help Zoe become stronger and better.

Batty stopped in front of a house with a green roof:
"A friend of mine lives here, a young female painter. She is only 19 years old but has the charm of a 29-year-old woman—"

He lowered his voice and said to Ronan:
"She's got a top-notch figure! Can I introduce her to you?"

Ronan made a 'give me a break' expression:

"Come on, Barty, I have a girlfriend."

This was the eleventh 'friend' Batty had introduced to him along the way.

This guy said that the first thing he did when he came to Valensole was to find the artists' organization here, and through the organization he met a number of female artists with good "qualities".

He also said that the people introduced to Ronan were "carefully selected" and those with families were not included.

Batty shrugged and said innocently:
"Just getting acquainted, what are you thinking about?"

Ronan continued to walk forward:
"I'm going to Hedeli's."

It's enough!
Batty still didn't give up and shouted to Ronan's back:
"You go first, I'll bring my 'friends' to find you later!"

Ronan: "."

Hedeli's family situation is the same as Zoe's, living with her parents and younger brother.

But the industry she works in is very different from Zoe's.

Her studio was also converted from a cowshed or donkey shed. It was filled with heavy machinery and the temperature was much higher than outside. Ronan found it hard to imagine that this was a working environment for a girl.

The iron rod under Hedeli's machine was as fragile as a French fry and was easily bent into a twist.

Seeing Ronan's expression twisted along with the material, she asked jokingly:

"Are you interested in learning ironwork?"

Ronan waved his hands repeatedly:

"It's better to find professionals for professional matters."

His house is already lively enough, so there is no need to add this kind of powerful craft.

Hedeli finished her work and took Ronan to her small warehouse:
"There are quite a few finished products, and there are also some samples. Take a look and see if there is anything you need."

Ronan didn't have high requirements for the chair, just a simple style and it had to be cheap.

After careful comparison, he successfully ordered 90 outdoor iron chairs from Hedeli.

French fire laws have strict requirements on the width of restaurant aisles, and people who travel to Provence don't like crowded environments.

Taking into account factors such as the area of parasols and the area of landscape, Ronan designed 218 tables for the 30-square-meter outdoor restaurant area.

Most of them are tables for 2 and 4 people, with a small number of long tables for 6-8 people, which can flexibly adapt to couples, families and group tourists.

The chair Ronan chose was a sample and was not in stock.

"I'm not in a hurry. Just take your time and finish it by October." Ronan said sympathetically.

Ronan is not in a hurry, but Hedeli is impatient:

"This one is very simple. If you start making it today, you can finish it in ten days."

"There's no need to rush." Ronan suggested.

Hedeli said in a relaxed tone:
"Don't underestimate those machines. Metal is as obedient as a cat in front of them. Maybe you can take your chair with you when you leave Valensole."

Ronan lowered his head and touched his nose:
"I'm afraid you don't have enough time to go with me..."

Hedeli asked Ronan:

"When are you leaving?"

Ronan thought for a while:
"Based on my learning progress, I can leave in 5 days at most."

This is already the limit, Ronan wants to leave tomorrow.

Hedeli's facial features were squeezed together, and her voice became sharp:

"5 days?"

Ronan spread his hands:

"Those canes are as obedient as cats in my hands."

Hedley had another impression of Zoe's boyfriend - this guy was quite humorous.

If she had known Ronan had this attitude, she would never have risked physical discomfort to talk to that damn Batty.

Hedley decided to call Zoe later.

She and Zoe both have a bad impression of people who learn a craft for fun.

Hedley wanted to ask her best friend in college whether she had seen everything about her boyfriend.
You can't lower your standards just because this guy looks good.
Hedaly was thinking about this when she heard Batty's enthusiastic voice coming from outside the yard: "Hedaly, you are beautiful again!"

Hedeli held his forehead helplessly and asked in despair:

"Why are you here again?"

When she looked up, she found that Batty did not come alone. There were several girls around him. Hedeli knew all of them. They all lived near her home and were artists.

Batty pointed at Ronan and introduced him to the ladies around him:

"That's him! The genius I was talking about! I wasn't kidding you, was I? A handsome young artist has come to Valensole!!"

The women around Batty looked Ronan up and down with inquiring eyes.

Some of them frowned in confusion, seeming dissatisfied; some looked hesitant and uncertain, unable to make a decision; some were already walking towards Ronan with a smile.

Batty raised an eyebrow at Ronan proudly.

So many different types of girls can't keep you?!
Now it was Ronan's turn to collapse.

Thank you so much, Buddy!

Hedeli was Zoe's college classmate. Do you want me to die in Valensole?
And Hedeli easily resolved Ronan's life-and-death crisis with just one sentence.

She also pointed at Ronan and introduced him to the ladies:

"He's Zoe's boyfriend."

The enthusiastic girls walked faster, the hesitant girls stopped hesitating, and the picky ladies who thought Ronan didn't meet their aesthetic standards also smiled.

They surrounded Ronan and asked him:

"Why isn't Zoe here?"

Ronan was completely stunned.

Is Zoe that famous?

Batty trotted over, holding up a glass of red wine and said:
“Drink and talk!”

Hedeli said in protest:
“I don’t drink red wine.”

The other girls had similar reactions to Hedeli:

"Barty, don't even think about joining our party. Take your red wine and leave. We only drink pink wine."

Batty said with a grin:

"Forget that you female artists have your own 'Pop Art'. Wait, I'm going to buy two bottles."

Ronan said even more enthusiastically than Batistuta:

"I'll go buy it, everyone sit down and have a good chat!"

When did pink wine become a 'pop art' for female artists?
Ronan originally wanted to thank Hedeli for his help, and he found new clues related to pink wine, so he generously treated her to another meal.

When he came back with the wine, Batty was exaggerating how great his "teaching" skills were and how he had trained a genius in rattan weaving.

Hedeli asked doubtfully:
"Is what Barty said true? Do you really learn that fast?"

Ronan shook his head:

"It's not that I learn quickly, it's that Batty teaches well. He is patient and responsible."

Batty looked at Ronan gratefully and offered him a drink:

"Your girlfriend is Zoe?"

Man, why didn't you tell me such crucial information?
Ronan smiled and said:
"I thought you knew."

Batty finally became serious:
"If I knew I would definitely mention it to you. Zoe is the name that appears most frequently in the Provence art circle recently."

Hedeli held the wine glass and said:
“The current art environment is difficult and no longer as glorious as before. It is very difficult for new artists to make a name for themselves. So if a new artist ‘comes out of nowhere’, he will get a lot of attention.”

Several other girls also expressed their congratulations and admiration for Zoe, hoping that Ronan could help convey them.

Ronan was happier to praise Zoe than to praise himself, and the corners of his mouth never fell:

"I'll pass it on to everyone."

Seeing that everyone's glasses were filled with pink wine, Ronan asked them:

"You all like pink wine?"

Hedeli and the girls looked at each other:
"Yeah, we all just drink pink wine."

Ronan took a sip of pink wine:

"Me too, I only drink rosé in Lourmarin, but I do it to sell rosé, what's your reason?"

The only person around Ronan who has a special liking for pink wine is Zoe.

And Zoe is also an artist.

Is there any connection?

Hedeli shrugged:

"I can't tell why, but since when have people at parties only been drinking pink wine?"

Batty recalled:
"Many official artist gatherings in Aix serve rosé wine. It is more common in Aix than in Nice."

Hedeli thought for a moment:
"Now that you mention it, I remember that I also fell in love with rosé in Aix. Not many people drink rosé in Valensole."

The girl next to Hedeli said:
“I didn’t fall in love with rosé in Aix, but the more those wine critics denigrated rosé, the more interested I became in it.”

Another girl sneered:
"Those 'stubborn' guys only talk about culture and background. Are they like the 'professionals' who comment on our works? They are just as annoying."

Ronan listened to the artists' speeches silently without saying anything.

How could art and rosé wine be connected?
He stared at the pink liquid in front of him thoughtfully for a long time.

It seems that some key information has been captured.

(End of this chapter)