1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 252 I love November!
When Ronan saw Bruno, he was sitting on the two steps in front of Ronan's house with a depressed look on his face. He did not look at all as "arrogant" as the workers described.

"Why don't you go inside and wait?" Ronan asked from a distance.

Bruno said in a not very good tone:
"I'm dirty, and I just said a few words to you and left."

Ronan opened the door and enthusiastically invited Bruno in:

"My house isn't very clean right now. Come in. It's cold outside."

As soon as Bruno entered the house, he was shocked by the scattered parts of Ronan's house:
"What are you doing?"

Ronan first comforted the two dogs and stopped them from barking, then tidied up the sofa to entertain the guests:

"We're installing an oil-fired heating system. The winters in Provence are too cold."

Bruno's work will bring him into contact with many people living near the forest.

In other places, residents use fireplaces for heating, and those with better conditions will use some electric heating equipment as an aid.

But Ronan's family's heating method is already in line with that of urban residents.

Although Ronan's house looked messy due to construction, the scattered parts did not prevent Bruno from seeing that the person living in this house was a person of taste.

That large open kitchen and dining area looks amazing!

This made Bruno even more determined.

This yellow-skinned young man seems to have an important status in Lourmarin. Maybe I can really ask him for help?

"Can you help me find workers who have common sense and can do their job efficiently?" Bruno asked expectantly.

It had been more than a week since they last met, and he wasn't sure if Ronan was still willing to help.

"You know the arsonist has been caught?" Ronan asked.

Bruno nodded:
"Yes, we knew it yesterday."

Ronan pointed in the direction of the dense forest and asked:
"But 'brush sweep' is still going on?"

Bruno took off his helmet in frustration, patted his bald head and said:

"Yes, not only this year, but every autumn and winter we will carry out a 'brush sweep' operation to prevent forest fires."

He said in a tone that couldn't be sadder:

"There are 2500-3000 hectares of scrub in the Luberon. My colleagues and I are each responsible for about 100 hectares, but I have only completed 25 hectares in the past half month. At this rate, I really can't go back to Paris for Christmas!"

Ronan said in a joking tone:

"I don't know if the National Forestry Bureau has a branch in Provence. Why don't you apply to be transferred there?"

"I want to go back to Paris!" Bruno roared in agony.

"Okay, okay, I was just joking." Ronan realized that the person sitting opposite him was a Parisian who couldn't take a joke, so he started talking about business. "This is indeed a bit slow. What kind of person do you need? What are your requirements?"

Ronan really wanted to introduce the farmers over.

Interesting events, out-of-town villagers, and tourists can raise the restaurant's ceiling.

Artists and villagers are the lower limit of the restaurant.

The higher the lower limit, the safer the restaurant.

If the restaurant can have a daily turnover of 1 francs, then its monthly profit can reach more than 2 francs. What does Ronan have to fear from strong winds and arsonists?

No matter how you blow or burn, you can make money!
But this situation presupposes that the residents of Lourmarin must become wealthy.

Bruno counted on his fingers.

"First, they must have basic knowledge of plants and be able to tell which ones should be cleaned and which ones should not be cleaned. Second, they must be physically strong and not always complain about the heavy cutter, the need for rest, the poor conditions, etc. I don't pay them to listen to complaints. Another thing is that it would be best if they could drive a tractor so that I can apply for a few towed cutters to increase the speed."

Ronan nodded.

The farmers meet all these conditions, not to mention being physically strong and able to drive a tractor. Even Theo, the lazy guy, can tell the name and use of every weed and plant.

"How many people do you need?"

"40-50."

“How long will the work take?”

"8 hours a day, no overtime."

Ronan almost laughed out loud. He was indeed from Paris and would never work overtime for a minute:

"I mean, how long will this group of people be needed?"

If it takes too long, the farmers won't be able to go because they have other important things to do.

Bruno got even angrier when this question was raised:
"It all depends on how well those people perform! But three years ago, when I went to Burgundy to provide support, 50 people and 10 machines cleared 150 hectares of scrub in one month. It's really not that difficult!"

This answer also satisfied Ronan.

What a great part-time job?

It doesn't delay farmers from farming at all.

Finally, he asked a very important question:

"How is the treatment?"

Bruno patted the department logo on his chest and said in a tone of "Who are you looking down on?"
"Although I am a temporary worker, my labor contract is signed with the Forestry Bureau, and my treatment is not good at all! We are one of the best departments in the government!"

Ronan clapped his hands excitedly:

“Will they be able to work tomorrow?”

Bruno kept his mouth shut for a long time:
"Can you gather 40-50 people in one night?"

Ronan raised his eyebrows and gave him a 'who are you looking down on' expression:

"You don't need a whole night. An hour is enough."

Ronan demonstrated to Bruno what "one call leads to a hundred responses" means, just like a textbook example.

Bruno followed Ronan back to the restaurant. He didn't even see who Ronan was talking to. He just pointed at a table of people casually:
"Call all the farmers here. I have something important to tell you."

Five or six strong young men ran out immediately, and they didn't even ask "why".

In less than twenty minutes, layers of people gathered at the restaurant entrance.

Why at the door?

That's because there are too many people and the restaurant can't accommodate them.

Seeing that most people had arrived, Ronan introduced Bruno to everyone: "This is Bruno from the National Forest Bureau. He came to Luberon to do underbrush clearing work. The purpose is to improve the forest safety level and ensure everyone's safety."

The farmers thanked Bruno in a flurry. Shaking hands and patting shoulders were not enough to express their welcome. They picked Bruno up and threw him into the air several times. They put him down only when they saw that he was about to vomit.

This situation completely confused Bruno.
Why are these people so enthusiastic?
The people he had used before were like wooden stakes. Marseille and Luberon are only a hundred kilometers apart. Are the personalities of the residents so different?
Ronan motioned for everyone to be quiet:
"Bruno wants to find some helpers. He can sign a short-term work contract with the Forest Bureau. I have asked for you. The salary is good. Let Bruno tell me the specific requirements."

Bruno cleared his throat and was about to say a few words when he was surrounded by a dozen big men enthusiastically, trying to promote themselves.

"Everyone, please don't push! I need to do an 'interview' first!" Bruno saw Ronan entering the restaurant through the gap and shouted for help, "Come and help me!"

Don't go!

I can't handle it alone!!

Ronan didn't stop walking, and said to someone in the crowd calmly:
"Henry, help Bruno maintain order. When there are no customers in the restaurant, bring the brothers in. It's cold outside."

"Okay, Mr. Ronan!" Bruno heard a loud voice.

Then, a ferocious-looking man began to help Bruno maintain order:

"Don't push, line up properly!"

Bruno looked back, but Ronan was nowhere to be seen.

He really didn't come to queue?
Who is this guy? Why does everyone listen to him?

In the days that followed, villagers in uniform could be seen everywhere on the streets of Lourmarin.

They walked on the road with high spirits, and whenever they met someone, they would look over expectantly, hoping that the other person would take the initiative to ask:
"Where did you get the uniforms?"

Pires came out of his yard, grabbed Cornell and asked.

This was the tenth uniformed man who had passed by his house since evening.

At first Pires thought that some government department had come to Lourmarin to inspect the work, but one day he looked up and saw, wow, that was Henry!

Henry can wear a uniform?
Later, every time he saw someone in uniform passing by, he looked up and found that they were all acquaintances in the village.

What happened in Lourmarin?

Cornell adjusted his hat proudly:

"This is a part-time job that Ronan found for us, helping the National Forest Administration."

"Part-time job?" Pire opened his mouth so wide that you could see his trembling little tongue deep in his mouth.

"Yes, it can last for a month or two," Cornell said with a smile.

Pires chuckled and said:
"I thought it was nothing, just a month or two. Your part-time job isn't that great. You might as well work with your mother to sew quilts. That's a part-time job you can do 365 days a year. Isn't it much better than your part-time job?"

Pires is the 'hub' of Lourmarin quilt embroidery, and all the women in Lourmarin sew his quilts.

The more people sew quilts for him, the happier he is, and the more money he makes.

Cornell pointed to the logo on his left chest and asked:
"Are there uniforms for quilt sewing?"

Pire said with a wry smile:
"But embroidered quilts are a Lourmarin tradition. Why don't you go home and ask your mother, Akenina, how she raised you."

Cornell made a playful face at Pires:
"Old Pires, open your eyes and look at the world. Lourmarin is different now."

"I'll beat you to death, you little bastard!" Pires pretended to hit him.

Cornell ran away in a flash:

"I don't have time to argue with you. I'm going to Ronan's to have something good to eat today!"

Many farmers are accustomed to finding part-time jobs during the slack season, but they usually involve delivering goods, driving, and some physical labor. They are unstable and the income is not much.

But this temporary job at the National Forest Service really made them proud!
I can't bear to take off my uniform even when I go to bed.

After get off work every day, I can't stay at home and just want to wear it out for a walk. My mood is exactly the same as that of a child who bought new clothes.

But they had nowhere to go, so they wandered around and finally ended up going to Ronan's restaurant for a drink.

It was not easy to squeeze out money for drinking in the tight days before, but now I have an extra income every month and my financial situation is a little better.

Moreover, this was the job that Ronan introduced to them, so everyone was happy and grateful.

Now, when four or five people sit at a table, they can order two side dishes instead of just drinking.

"Our restaurant is almost becoming the canteen of the Forestry Bureau." Feng Zhen said to Ronan in amazement.

At night, people in uniform come to eat.

"Isn't that good? We are all here to give money." Ronan counted the money happily at the counter.

As the northwest wind left and the arsonist was arrested, people from other villages began to come to eat, and the restaurant's customer flow gradually returned to normal.

Although the outdoor area was completely closed, the support from local villagers made up for some of the loss. The turnover in the past two days has almost reached 2, and the restaurant has completely come back to life!

"Is it enough?" Feng Zhen tapped on the calculator frantically.

She was referring to the money to buy the house.

Ronan has been counting:

"That's enough, but you should wait a while before buying anything. It's hard to get enough traffic, so you should wait for a while before you go buy anything. It's better to stabilize the flow of people first. In case of any emergency, you won't be left without any emergency money."

Feng Zhen nodded:

"You're right, then be steady."

The mother and son were talking when the phone rang.

Feng Zhen picked up the phone and immediately handed it to Ronan:
"Kafu, looking for you."

Ronan clamped the microphone:
"How are the sales going, my friend?"

Suddenly, Ronan screamed "Ah" in horror, which scared Feng Zhen so much that she looked over nervously.

We have just had two days of peace, nothing bad will happen again, right?
Ronan uttered "ah" several times in succession:
"Are you serious? You really want to order 1000 wreaths?"

The finance department immediately started calculating the amount.

120 francs multiplied by 1000 almost made Feng Zhen exclaim.

That's 120,000 francs!

This time it’s definitely enough money to buy a house!
As the saying goes, those who survive a great disaster will be blessed in the future.

Not only did the restaurant survive, Ronan also opened up a new track!
"What's wrong with November? November is great, I love November!" Feng Zhen muttered excitedly.

(End of this chapter)