1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 209 A powerful weapon that only exists in the mouth

Vieri's dream of going to Marseille to watch a game was completely shattered.

The attitude of all his immediate family members, including future relatives, is highly unified - they are against his liking for the Marseille Olympique football team.

Among them, Ronan had the most resolute attitude.

The future brother-in-law and temporary boss threatened that if Vieri continued to be obsessed with this notorious team in Ligue 1 and even European football, he would consider whether he should replace the person who went to the market to help from a safety perspective.

However, while giving Vieri strict education, Ronan also gave him enough care.

The mental health issues of adolescent teenagers must be taken seriously, and Vieri should be given more companionship and attention. He should not deprive Vieri of his "parent-child activities" time because of his relationship.

After that, sweet nights out occasionally turned into threesomes.

Ronan held Zoe's hand while keeping an eye out for a football that was kicked from nowhere.

"Vieri, can you tell me before you pass the ball next time?" Zoe protested to her brother in dissatisfaction.

Vieri shrugged his shoulders to express his innocence:
"It was really not intentional this time. The ball fell to the ground after the 95th bounce."

"So you did it on purpose last time?" Zoe asked sternly.

Vieri continued to dribble the ball, muttering quietly:

"Who told you to say French football has no future?"

At the Mexico World Cup that ended two months ago, the French team led by Platini reached the semi-finals for the second consecutive time.

But after falling in the semi-finals again, this legendary French football player officially announced his retirement from the national team. In the past month, several main players have also announced their retirement.

A large number of media, magazines and TV stations use words such as "the end of France's golden generation", "the lack of successors" and "no successors in French football" to describe the current French men's football team. They predict that in the next two World Cups, it will be a problem whether the French team can enter the finals.

Zoe said speechlessly:

"I was just telling Ronan what I saw on the news. Do we have to consider your feelings when discussing topics in our relationship?"

Vieri stayed away from them and went to play football by himself.

"Children nowadays are becoming increasingly difficult to discipline," Zoe complained in a low voice.

I just said two words that he didn't want to hear. Look at his attitude?

Do you think I want to take you with me, Vieri?!

Ronan patted Zoe's shoulders with his right hand twice:

"Don't be angry, I'll take care of it."

Zoe made an 'enough' expression:

"You've done a lot Ronan you've been with him every day."

This is teenage rebellion, you can't change anything!

Ronan smiled and kissed Zoe's head, then said patiently:

"I'll go talk to him."

Ronan came to Vieri:
"pass it to me!"

Vieri made a beautiful pass and passed the ball to Ronan:

"Actually, I've already accepted the fact. You don't have to worry about me."

"What facts?" Ronan passed the ball back.

"It's not true that you shouldn't like football." Vieri picked up the football. "It's not true that you can like Olympique de Marseille, and it's not true that you can like football. That's the truth."

Ronan asked with concern:

"Who said that to you?"

Vieri said dejectedly:
"French football is going downhill. The World Cup semi-finals may be their best result. Many of my classmates who like football have recently started watching fencing, tennis and cycling."

France has a profound sports culture. The fact that every small village in Luberon has a formal stadium shows the nation's attitude towards sports.

The French in particular do not focus on one particular sport, and rather allow a wide variety of sports to flourish. Even bowling, which is not considered a formal sport, has a huge following.

Among them, fencing, tennis, cycling, equestrianism, racing and swimming are relatively the most popular. The enthusiasm of the French people for these projects is no less than that for football.

Ronan gently advised:
"This is your hobby. There is no need to change yourself because of other people's attitudes."

Vieri kept poking the ground with the tip of his shoe:

"But fewer people like football, so no one talks to me about football anymore. It's boring if I'm the only one who likes it."

"Who said you're the only one who likes it?" Ronan pointed at himself and said, "I like football, too."

Vieri no longer trusts Ronan:

"You said the same thing a few days ago."

Ronan took the ball from Vieri:

"This time it's real, I swear!"

"But football is already going downhill." Vieri shares the same pessimistic attitude as the media.

Without Platini, does French football have a future?

Only under his leadership did France reach the World Cup semi-finals.

Ronan said as he awkwardly dribbled the ball:

"If the next session doesn't work, then the next two. If the second session doesn't work, then the third. French football will definitely have a new future. By that time, those classmates of yours who 'gave up halfway' will know how far-sighted you are. You like the most popular sport in France."

"Really?" Vieri asked doubtfully.

Ronan held the football in his arms:
"Really? If I have a son in the future, maybe I will train him to play football. I hope his uncle will support me then."

"Really?" The vitality that is unique to a 16-year-old appeared on Vieri's face again. The sunflower that had been lost for a long time finally found his sun!

"Really!" Ronan said firmly, "So before that, I will take a lot of time to play football with you so that I can be an enlightenment teacher for my son in the future."

"Ronan you are awesome!" Vieri grabbed the ball and kicked it hard into the sky.

The football drew a beautiful arc in the sky, like a meteor.

On the way to pick up the ball, Vieri passed by Zoe and said with a smile:
"Zoe, I admit that you always say a lot of things that make me angry, but you and Ronan being together is the happiest thing in my life! I forgive you!!"

Ronan walked over to Zoe:

"Is this solved temporarily?"

Zoe smiled and shook her head:

"Aren't you just making up a story to deceive people?"

Ronan took Zoe's hand and said with a smile:
"Stories come from life. How do you know that they won't come true one day?"

Zoe laughed like a silver bell: "Whether it's a story or not, you seem to be good at taking care of children. That makes me feel relieved."

Ronan asked with a wicked smile:
"What? You don't like cooking, and you don't like taking care of children? Can you rest assured that I can take care of everything?"

Zoe held Ronan's hand tightly, as if she wanted to hold the future tightly:

"This way I can have more children without any worries."

One day at noon, Ronan drove out to deliver food, but he stopped in the center of Lourmarin village for only 10 minutes, and a blue flyer was stuffed under the wiper.

This is the most common and direct form of advertising in the Luberon Mountains, telling Ronan that a gun shop in Apt will be selling an entire arsenal at "outrageous" pre-season prices.

The gun list alone listed more than 80 types of gun names that were unfamiliar to Ronan, and the equipment list was even more densely packed.

In Provence, you can tell what time it is by looking at the shadows of the trees.

You can tell what month it is by looking at the seasonal fruits and vegetables in the kitchen.

When Ronan saw the flyer, he knew that the hunting season was about to begin.

The hunting start date varies across France.

Even within the small Luberon region, different valleys have different starting dates.

This year, hunting starts on September 9st at the hunting ground closest to Lourmarin.

This is what Ronan heard from the farmers who helped in the restaurant.

Since Ronan received the arsenal leaflet, in just a few days, 11 villagers invited Ronan to visit their respective arsenals.

Theo's four hunting rifles are not something to show off. Some villagers claim that they have seven rifles of different calibers at home, and some say that they have a collection of nine oiled and polished rifles.

Ronan was confused by what he heard. The uninformed Parisians were full of curiosity about the upcoming hunting season.

Why are 7 rifles and 9 rifles needed?
How do they decide which one to take with them each time they go hunting?

Or should we put them all in a bag like playing golf, and when we see a wild boar we take the largest caliber one, and when we see a thrush or a rabbit we ask the 'caddy' to take out the smallest one?
Of course, such large arms dealers are rare in Lourmarin.

Most people only have one or two weapons.

But this does not prevent them from joining the discussion and having good topics to talk about.

"I have a leather rifle holster that attaches to the bullet pouch, which is a rare find, man, I've never seen anything like it in the Luberon."

"I have a tactical vest with 27 pockets, all with cool zippers. Do you know how cool it is to wear it?"

"I have the same combat boots that the foreign mercenaries wore when they parachuted into the Democratic Republic of Congo. I heard that its previous owner died in South Africa!"

"I have a huge hunting knife with a compass on the handle. With a 50-pound steel knife, even a wild boar's head can't withstand a blow!"

"If you go hunting with a 50-pound steel knife, will you be able to escape if you encounter a wild boar?"

After eating the lunch made by Leah, Ronan went to Zoe's studio to talk about the "new weapon" he saw in the morning.

Ronan hears about similar unheard-of weapons several times a day, and all of them are incredible without exception.

Zoe had clay on her hands, and she used the clothes on her arms to wipe the fallen hair from her forehead:
"I thought you had seen the true nature of the people of Provence, but it seems you still need to learn more."

Ronan bent down to help her fix her hair:

"What essence?"

Zoe's hands seemed to perform magic. In a few seconds, she turned a lump of clay into a plate. As she shaped it, she smiled and said:
"The enthusiasm for hunting shown by everyone is nothing more than the usual 'face-saving' of the Provencal people. No matter what they do, the people here will try their best to make themselves look like experts. It is very likely that the person's knife is not made of steel and does not weigh 50 kilograms. These 'weapons' only need to be powerful in the mouth."

"Ah? I thought every one of them was an expert." Ronan said naively.

Zoe sighed and pointed to the warehouse.

"My father liked cycling for a while. The first thing he did was not to study the routes but to think about how to make himself look like a professional. He bought several thousand francs of equipment and dressed himself up as if he was going to participate in the Olympics. Now the equipment is in the warehouse. They hate to be seen as novices the most."

Thinking of something, Zoe suddenly looked up and said to Ronan nervously:
"So you have to be careful when you go hunting. Stay away from those who say they are very good. The person who says the most beautiful things may have the worst skills. That's very dangerous."

Ronan frowned as if facing a great enemy.

Recently, too many people have told their beautiful hunting stories and want to invite Ronan to go hunting big animals together.

He foolishly thought that he was going to be "led away" by the master, but it turned out to be a trap.

"I will definitely be careful." Ronan said seriously.

As the hunting day approaches, the hearts of the villagers have already flown to the valley, and they can't wait for September 9st, the day when they can show their skills.

"Ronan, come to my house tonight to choose a gun. Follow me on the 21st and I'll take you to hunt deer." Theo spread his arms and gestured, "Last year I shot a deer that big and killed it with one shot!"

"What's the point of deer?" Fabian said to Ronan, holding a cigarette in his mouth. "Come with me to find wild boars. The first month is the best time to find wild boars. When the weather gets cold, they will run away. Ask Henry who is the best wild boar hunter in the village."

Henry grumbled unhappily:

"It's too troublesome to handle wild boars, and they have to be sent for testing. Mr. Ronan, come with me to go bird hunting! I promise that you can eat wild game for every meal for the next week!"

Ronan saw these people's show-offs as dangerous traps.

He shook his head vigorously and pointed at Cornell, who was also a newcomer.
"We'll just hang around the outskirts of the valley, grab whatever we can and not go into any deep areas."

Cornell was also a timid man:
"Wait until Ronan and I get to know each other once or twice before I join you in group activities."

"Then you can go to my house and take a look at the gun first." Theo has mentioned this to Ronan many times recently.

He was eager to show Ronan his arsenal.

Ronan smiled and said:
"I have to wait a while before I can go hunting. I have a lot of things to do in the restaurant. You guys go first."

Cornell nodded:
"I'll accompany Ronan."

The other farmers couldn't wait that long. Theo said excitedly:

"Then let's go first on the 21st. Don't worry about the two of them holding us back. I have to kill a deer on the first day."

Fabian said with no sign of weakness:
“My goal for the first day was to find the wild boar.”

Henry got up and went home to start preparing:

"I'm going to shoot lots of birds for Josephine and Lisa to eat!"

Ronan listened to their conversation with a smile, and he seemed to be flying into the valley.

The wind in the valley blew some straw onto his face, and he lifted his clothes to wipe his face.

When I took off my clothes, I found a strangely shaped cloud floating above my head.

Ronan dropped what he was holding in horror and took several deep breaths.

"Don't suck so hard, there are crumbs all over here." Theo said to Ronan worriedly, "Then you go ahead and get busy. I'm going home to prepare for hunting."

Ronan stood up suddenly:
"Where is Pierre?"

No one can go hunting on the 21st.
Ronan saw signs of rain, and heavy rain!
(End of this chapter)