1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 254 Take off your burdens and enjoy life!
When decorating the restaurant, Ronan went to Apt and bought a lot of vines.

After weaving the wicker chairs and decorations, there were still some left. Because they took up too much space in the dining room and would not be used for a while, Ronan asked Henry to take them home to his wife Josephine.

When he came to Henry's house again, it was still the same, but there were many small rattan baskets, frames and boxes in every corner of the house. Ronan even found two small stools woven with rattan.

"I didn't teach you how to weave stools, did I?" Ronan asked Josephine in surprise, sitting on a small stool made of vines.

After helping Ronan make the rattan chair, Josephine went to the restaurant and learned weaving skills from Ronan for a while. Josephine also learned how to make the lamps, ornaments, coasters, etc. that Ronan made during that time.

But Ronan didn't remember teaching Josephine how to make a stool.

Henry went to work in the forest during the day, leaving only Josephine and Lisa at home.

Although the male owner of the house was not there, Ronan still received a warm welcome and reception. Lisa also poured Ronan a glass of pink wine, which she said was specially prepared for Ronan by Henry.

Josephine hugged the quilt on her knees and said:
"I wasn't taught. I researched it on my own. My family was short of a few small chairs for working and sitting. I saw there were a lot of vines, so I tried to make two. Unexpectedly, I succeeded."

From the moment she learned weaving, Josephine showed outstanding performance. Ronan taught Henry's family of three at the same time. Josephine learned several times faster than her husband and daughter. This is probably the so-called talent.

Ronan didn't exchange too many pleasantries and directly stated the purpose of his visit:
"I want to make a batch of grapevine wreaths recently. I need to mobilize many women in the village. Would you like to help me teach them?"

The smile on Josephine's face disappeared instantly, and she said uncomfortably:
"How can I teach you, Mr. Ronan? I don't know anything."

Ronan comforted:
"Making a wreath is simple. Just weave them into a ring and add some decorations. What you need to learn is how to select and handle the vines. I remember you were very good at it. When I was making lights and ornaments, you helped me handle many of the vines."

From selection to production, Josephine learned from Ronan for nearly a month. Sometimes when she saw that Ronan was too slow to handle the vines alone, the mother and daughter would help together. Josephine's level and proficiency were much higher than those of the restaurant employees.

Moreover, most of the vines that Ronan asked Henry to take home were unprocessed. Now there are so many finished products in the house, which shows that Josephine made them independently.

How can you say no?
Josephine kept rubbing her rough hands on the white old clothes and shaking her head like a rattle:
"I can't. I really can't."

Josephine's reaction reminded Ronan of Leah two months ago, whose first reactions were to escape and self-doubt.

But beneath their insecure appearance, they also have a heart that longs for affirmation.

They just need encouragement. Lots of encouragement.

"Would you like to visit my restaurant, Josephine?" Ronan said with a smile, "Even if I don't teach you, you can help me make it. It's 50 francs each."

Ronan brought Josephine and her daughter to his restaurant and introduced them to Batty.

"Barty, Josephine studied with me for a while before, so she should have some basics."

Then Ronan said to Josephine in a very gentle tone:
"Barty is the teacher I invited to teach us knitting. Josephine, please make him a few things you can do."

The simple Josephine obediently demonstrated the flat braiding, twist braiding and buttoning techniques that Ronan taught her one by one.

The more Batty watched, the more excited he became. He held his head and exclaimed exaggeratedly.

"My God! My God! You know how to knit so many different ways? You have the most skillful hands I've ever seen!"

"This is the neatest 'pick two and suppress two' I've ever seen. Beautiful Josephine, your hands must have been enchanted by fairies, right?"

"What? You actually figured out how to make a bench yourself? You really are the smartest person I've ever met!"

Ronan always insists that professional matters should be handled by professionals.

Batty must be the 'angel' that God has arranged for Ronan.

He is really suitable to work with these housewives who lack confidence.

Batty's encouragement not only helped Josephine build up her confidence little by little, but also attracted the women waiting for class around her.

The story of Ronan teaching Josephine how to weave because the farmers laughed at Henri spread in the small town of Lourmarin for a long time. So the wreath that costs 50 francs is made of weaving skills?
“Is this knitting?”

"Damn Orson, he laughed at you for learning something useless, but this is so useful!"

"Aunt Josephine, can you teach me?"

"Lisa Lisa, do you know how to do this? Please teach us!"

Josephine blushed and said awkwardly but couldn't help being excited:
"I can try to teach you."

Ronan slowly withdrew from the bustling crowd. He believed that the mentality of these women would gradually change.

Not just Leah and Josephine, but everyone.

The next day, Cafu arrived in Lourmarin with a thick stack of 500 francs in cash.

In Luberon, people prefer to pay in cash so they can avoid those damn taxes.

"You don't have to give me all the money at once, just give me a deposit first." 12 francs is not a small amount, especially in cash, and Ronan was a little worried about Cafu's pocket.

Big guy Cafu said happily:
"Do you know how popular these wreaths are, my friend? Those big bosses and distributors are chasing me with full cash, afraid that I'll sell the goods to someone else. You figured it out too late. If you had come to me a month or two earlier, we would have made a fortune!"

Ronan shook his head helplessly.

If it weren't for the northwest wind and the arsonist, he would never have considered letting his employees do anything else.

The current situation can be considered a "lucky turn of events".

But this incident also proves that people cannot be idle, they need to think and reflect more.

In Provence, there are still so many "interesting" things waiting for Ronan to discover.

"In addition to wreaths, is anyone interested in woven lights and ornaments?" Ronan was not overwhelmed by his joy.

After Christmas, wreaths are not as popular to sell anymore, and this is the only holiday of the year when you can sell wreaths.

Cafu said in a comforting tone:
"There is no feedback yet. At this time, we are definitely promoting wreath products. However, wreaths are selling so well, I believe other products will not be bad either."

Ronan nodded:
"Okay. Then I'll wait for your good news."

Cafu pounded the table hard:
"Please believe me, I will make weaving craftsmanship popular in Provence!" This batch of wreaths brought Ronan an additional income of more than 3 francs.

有了这笔钱做应急基金，罗南终于可以拿着冯珍帮他存的7万法郎、餐厅11月的3万法郎利润、11月卖松露的9万法郎、几个月集市存出来的1万法郎和父母支援的6万法郎.艰难的去政府买房子了。

When Blanc saw Ronan come to activate the purchase clause, he said with relief:

"Fortunately you made the decision on the last day of November. If you come back after the house prices have gone up a bit, I will feel bad for you!"

In the eyes of Blanco, no, in the eyes of all the villagers in Lourmarin, it was an easy thing for Ronan to buy the house on the commercial street.

He was just considering whether it was necessary to buy this place.

Only Ronan knew how 'difficult' it was to buy this house, and it was not wrong to describe it as being pieced together.

While the staff was preparing various documents, Ronan let out a long sigh.

"I'm out of money again."

Everything seemed to have returned to the moment when he first arrived in Provence.

But at that time, he still had several thousand francs in his pocket. Now he only has a few hundred.

Ronan's depression only lasted for a short time. When he walked out of the government building with the signed house purchase contract, he smiled like a 22-year-old boy.

He experienced the big event of buying a house twice in one year.

The next step is another big event in life – getting married!
In Ronan's restaurant.

Zoe was listening to the artists talk about Ronan's 'equal rights movement' a few days ago.

In the mouths of these versatile artists, Ronan's image is taller, as sacred as the "patron saint" of Lourmarin.

Zoe is not as exaggerating as other Provençal people. She is a very modest person. But today she was "Provençal" for once:
"Ronan's good qualities extend far beyond this. He is the most outstanding person I have ever met. If you ask me to list Ronan's strengths, I really can't come up with a list right now. There are so many."

The female writer Paulette said passionately:
"My next work will be about a poor boy who grows up step by step and leads the entire village out of poverty and into a new chapter!"

Ronan appeared behind Zoe with a smile:
"Paulette, please stop writing horror novels. I find that your inspiration has nothing to do with horror elements."

Paulette raised her glass to Ronan:

"You're right, so I stopped serializing this work. Maybe it's because I walked into a track that doesn't belong to me that I'm unknown. Thank you for your actions to let me know myself. It's very meaningful for me to move to Lourmarin."

Zoe knew what Ronan had done in the morning, so she turned around and pulled his arm and asked:
"Are you done?"

Ronan patted the thick brown paper bag:
"Don't worry while I do the work."

Zoe pulled Ronan to sit next to her:

"Your mission is complete. Leave the rest to me."

Marriage is not a one-person thing, and young couples often talk about this topic recently.

Zoe proposed to buy a house with Ronan, but Ronan refused because his parents might live here in the future.

So the wealthy Ms. Zoe insisted on paying for all expenses after the purchase of the house.

This time Zoe had no intention of getting entangled with Ronan:

"Women in Lourmarin have the ability to change their lives and destinies with their own hands, and they are also capable of bringing happiness to their husbands and children. Ronan, your 'equal rights movement' is not just a pretense, right?"

"You start again." Ronan was most afraid of Zoe lecturing him.

What is equal rights? Am I teaching the women of Lourmarin how to weave just for you to shut me up?
But the next second Zoe happily threw herself into Ronan's arms:
"After I finish my 'Land Art' event in February next year, truffle picking season will be over. How about we renovate it ourselves? I want to 'build' our home bit by bit."

"Okay." Ronan said happily.

"You have to help me design a big bathroom with a bathtub!"

"no problem."

"Can we design a sunroom? I want to be able to drink tea and watch the stars in the winter."

"can."

"Paint your bedroom a light green. Scientists say that waking up to see green can put you in a good mood for the whole day."

Ronan kissed Zoe lightly on the cheek and said with a bright smile:

"It's all up to you!"

People are happy when they are happy.

Ronan and Zoe were happy today and drank quickly.

On the way to get the wine, Ronan met Cornell's sister who was married to another village.

She recently went back to her "mother's home" to make wreaths together. Seeing Ronan appear in the restaurant during the day, she asked curiously:

"Didn't you go truffle hunting today?"

Ronan greeted her with a smile:
"Yes, take a two-day break."

November was full of ups and downs. First, the price of truffles plummeted, and then the restaurant had no customers, so my mood was up and down.

Because I had to buy a house as soon as possible, I was always nervous.

Now that he has bought a house, Ronan has no shortage of ways and abilities to make money, and his future is bright again.

He decided to take it easy in December and enjoy life.

There are also many new things waiting for him to experience in Provence in winter!
(End of this chapter)