1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 372 Marriage is a lifelong endeavor, don't rush it!
It's easy for anyone in the market to tell that this is Ronan and Zoe's first time here.

They would carefully step over the boxes placed on the ground, and always politely give way to pedestrians, for fear of being bumped or stepped on.

The other customers in the market are like soldiers about to go into battle—if they don't get the life-or-death 'supplies' now, they will face a life-or-death crisis!

"Give me this fish!"

"Boss, I arrived first. I need to go over there to buy pigeons. If I go too late, they won't have any fresh ones left. Hurry up and settle my bill!"

How much does chicken breast cost?

"Give me two duck legs!"

Complementing these women who were in a hurry to buy things were a group of acrobats carrying trays; they were waiters from a nearby restaurant that was as quiet as a peaceful place.

These acrobats leap nimbly among the messy crates, even gliding gracefully over surfaces with ice or water stains, delivering coffee, wine, or other food to stall owners who have been busy for hours and desperately need a refreshment.

"Is this the place the women of Luberon love the most?" Zoe clung tightly to Ronan's body like a startled bird.

The women of Luberon are crazy!
Zoe was comforting Ronan just now, and now it's Ronan's turn to comfort Zoe:
"You might miss out on good deals if you don't grab them today. Haven't you ever experienced a 'big sale'?"

The French custom of "big sales" originated in the early 20th century. In order to regulate the promotional behavior of merchants and avoid disorderly competition, the government imposed restrictions on the sales period through laws, stipulating that there would be a fixed sales period every year. Initially, it was twice a year, in winter and summer, but later it was changed to once a year in summer.

Except for days stipulated by law, companies are not allowed to engage in unfair competition on other days.

The scene in Parisian department stores is even more frightening during the big sales in July.

Zoe shook her head while watching her step:
"There are no shops in Lourmaran that offer discounts, and nobody goes to Apte and Aix for the sales season. Everyone's shopping desire is quite low."

"Low prices?" Ronan said, pointing to the chaotic scene in front of him. "These people have a strong desire to shop. Let's go take a look, or they might really sell out."

Resources are scarce in Luberon during the winter.

The variety of vegetables and fruits is relatively limited, and each stall displays almost the same things. The seafood and meat stalls, on the other hand, have a wider variety of products.

However, due to the cold wave, fewer people are eating meat, so there are not many customers near these stalls, making them a relatively quiet area in the market.

Ronan and Zoe couldn't compete with the enthusiastic women; buying things here required speed. They witnessed a box of Clementine tangerines being devoured in the blink of an eye. Helpless, they could only go to the seafood and meat section first.

Although there are few shoppers in this area, the noise is anything but small. The sounds of shoveling ice, smashing ice, and butcher knives chopping bones are all kinds of terrifying and loud noises that rise and fall.

Zoe, who rarely goes into the kitchen, is very uncomfortable with the noise and smells in the neighborhood.

"Am I incapable of being a good 'Luberon woman'? I can't stand this level of behavior."

Zoe was full of anticipation for this 'shopping' trip, but after walking around the market for a long time, she didn't buy anything, or even have the chance to 'choose' anything. She felt terrible about herself.

Ronan understood Zoe's feelings.

He would deliberately turn his head away when he saw scenes of killing chickens or geese.

Moreover, Zoe's hands should be used for art, and Ronan didn't want Zoe wasting any time in the kitchen.

Marriage is a matter for two people. We already have a cook, so having another one would be a complete waste!

"Let's go out and go back to the village to buy some vegetables and meat." Ronan had to keep a close eye on Zoe to make sure she didn't bump into anything or fall, which was tiring for both his heart and eyes.

Zoe reluctantly walked toward an olive stall, which was located near the meat and fish section and had few customers.

She wanted to make something nice for Ronan; pickled olives were out of the question, but she couldn't go back empty-handed.

Winter is the best season for pickled olives, the owner said enthusiastically, pointing to rows of plump wooden barrels:

What do Greek olives, thyme-infused olives, rosemary-infused olives, chili olives, Niang olives, herb-garlic olives, citrus olives, and sour olives need?

Zoe picked out a few flavors that Ronan liked and handed them to the boss:

"Thank you."

The boss looked at Zoe and said:
"Aren't you going to take more? You're not Aptians, are you? It's not easy for you to come to Milona Market."

Zoe gave a polite smile:
"no thank you."

“Alright.” The shopkeeper shrugged and placed the olives on the scale. “7 francs.”

Zoe, who was discussing lunch plans with Ronan, suddenly turned her head:

"Seven francs? I'm not mistaken, am I?"

She took quite a lot.

The shopkeeper handed the bag to Zoe:

"Do you think it's too expensive or too cheap? It's 5 francs a kilogram, and that's always been the price."

Zoe asked Ronan, somewhat uncertainly:
How much do pickled olives cost where you live?

Ronan recalled:
"It seems to be 8 yuan per kilogram."

The Chinese restaurant doesn't use salted olives; the olives Ronan saw at the market seemed to be priced around this.

"Is it really that much cheaper?" Zoe didn't take the bag, but continued picking through her purchases. "At such a low price, we should definitely buy more to take home."

The shopkeeper smiled and handed Zoe a new plastic bowl for holding olives.

“I knew it! You outsiders have come all this way to Milona Market, you should buy more things to take back with you. This is where the freshest and cheapest food in Luberon is sold.”

The shopkeeper's words once again reminded Zoemilona Market of its unique characteristics.

With a 'let's give it a try' attitude, she took Ronan to a stall that specialized in selling poultry.

"What would you like to eat?" she asked Ronan.

Ronan, by sight and smell, determined that the plucked chickens, ducks, pigeons, and other animals on display were all very fresh. He didn't need to specifically remind Zoe to avoid any particular breed, so he completely relinquished the right to 'choose' them.

"I love eating whatever you make."

Zoe didn't think this was a good place for romance, and awkwardly touched the birds a few times:

"Then we'll choose whichever we like."

Zoe had little experience, and her only criterion for selection was 'fame'.

She ultimately chose a chicken with a red, white, and blue tricolor tag around its neck, like a medal, proving it was the most prestigious chicken breed in all of France—the Bresse chicken. The Bresse chicken originates from the Bresse region in eastern France and is named after the place. It is characterized by its bright red comb, snow-white feathers, and steel-blue feet, the same colors as the French flag, and is thus considered France's 'national chicken'.

People in some countries call France the Gallic Rooster, and the Bresse rooster is the perfect embodiment of the French rooster.

Bresse chicken is also the only poultry in France with AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) certification, and is known as the "Rolls-Royce" of poultry. It is a must-have in Michelin-starred restaurants.

While other chickens could only sell for 20 francs per kilogram, Bresse chickens were already worth around 120 francs per kilogram.

After the cold wave, meat prices skyrocketed, reaching a terrifying 180 francs per kilogram.

Zoe remembered the number clearly because the gluttonous Freddie talked about it all night at a party, complaining that he might not have the chance to eat this kind of poultry with its mineral-rich meat and distinct milky and nutty aromas for the next year.

So what is its price in the Milona market?

"160 francs per kilogram, but if you buy two more, I can give you 150," the shopkeeper said, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Meat is hard to sell right now, especially high-value meat like this, and he's willing to give up some more profit.

Zoe clenched her fist excitedly, patted Ronan's arm, and said:

"You'll have Bresley's Chicken for the next week, baby!"

This chicken is delicious; buying more will definitely not be a bad deal.

"Isn't that too much?" Ronan objected. "Let's buy two first."

Zoe completely ignored Ronan's objections and made the owner wrap up the chicken:

“It’s alright, then let’s call Freddie and Alan over, we can hold more gatherings.”

God, it's so cheap, you'd be missing out if you didn't buy it!
No wonder the women of Luberon love this place!
These two pleasant shopping experiences completely ignited Zoe's shopping desires.

Even while enduring the pungent smell of fish, she would travel back and forth between squid, tuna, abalone, sea bass, cod, ray, cuttlefish, lobster, and various shellfish in search of the main ingredient for what she called 'the bouillabaisse that every woman in Luberon must know how to make.'

She also set aside her reserve and fear, squeezing into the group of women to select the fruits and vegetables that Ronan and his family liked to eat.

“I think I’m ready to be a proper ‘Luberon woman’!”

Zoe's light, crunching footsteps echoed across the damp ground of Milona Market.

Milona Market has a very large flow of people and is very large in scale. By the time Zoe finished all her shopping, it was already past 10 a.m., and it was obvious that she wouldn't be able to make lunch for Ronan if she drove back to Lourmaran at that time.

Zoe's good mood vanished instantly upon noticing the time:
"But I bought these ingredients to make you lunch."

Ronan left the market carrying bags of groceries and headed to his parking spot.
"Relax, honey. If we miss it at noon, we can do it in the evening. We have plenty of time."

Zoe was on the verge of a breakdown, and couldn't help but blurt out what was on her mind:
“My mother never forgets to cook for Vieri and me when she goes shopping. Every time we come home, there is always a delicious, freshly cooked meal. I am worried that I will not be a good wife.”

Ronan turned around nervously:
"Why do you think so?"

Zoe, unable to free her hands, touched Ronan's arm with her forehead:

"I just feel that there are still many areas where I need to improve."

Ronan thought for a moment, then suddenly asked Zoe:
"We shared a sandwich this morning, are you hungry now?"

Zoe looked up blankly.

Ronan's topics are jumping around too much!
How did we get onto the topic of food again!
The young couple not only bought cooking ingredients at the market, but also many ready-to-eat foods, such as cheese, sausages, smoked salmon, and pork meatballs. Ronan, who was craving honey, also bought a bottle of mead.

After leaving the city of Apte, Ronan randomly found a scenic spot in the Luberon Valley, stopped, opened the cargo box door, and had a picnic with Zoe while enjoying the scenery.

"I thought I wouldn't be hungry after eating such a big sandwich, but I didn't expect to be able to eat so much." A smile returned to Zoe's face.

All of these are her favorite foods.

This is what a 'spring outing' should look like.

Ronan opened the mead:
“We didn’t go home for lunch, but it was still a great lunch, right?”

Zoe nodded in satisfaction:

"Of course, this lunch was fantastic. We should try to have more picnics together in the future, and next time we can invite our friends along."

Ronan looked at Zoe's perfect profile and said with a smile:
"The night outing first turned into a spring outing, and it might even evolve into a group trip in the future. This is something we didn't anticipate at all last night, right? And just like this lunch, it wasn't part of our plans either, but we're both very satisfied, so—"

Ronan reached out and cupped Zoe's face in his hands:

“Nothing is ‘should be this way.’ The natural outcome is also wonderful. Don’t put all the pressure on yourself and think about becoming a ‘Lüberon woman.’ You’re already amazing and will undoubtedly be a good wife! Besides, our future family will include both of us. Don’t worry about this anymore, okay?”

Zoe had no idea that Ronan had brought her on a picnic to comfort her.

She only said one sentence, yet Ronan was able to see so much?
Zoe then flashed a beautiful, bright smile, the happiest she had smiled in a long time:
"You are always so considerate, so empathetic, and so gentle. This is what I love about you, and what makes me feel sorry for you. That's why I want to take good care of you."

Ronan gave Zoe a big kiss on the forehead:
"It's about taking care of each other! You don't need to be as strong in my areas of strength, and it would be best if you could fill in my weak areas. If you can't, we can learn together."

Zoe wiped her forehead with a look of 'disdain':
"How can you make marriage sound so easy?"

"Marriage is definitely not easy, but it's a lifelong challenge. You haven't even received the test paper yet, and you're already thinking about finding the best answer. Isn't that too impatient?" Ronan ignored Zoe's disgust and forcibly pulled her into his arms. "Your parents and my parents are very loving, so don't worry. We will definitely hand in a satisfactory answer."

"Hey, you haven't told me your parents' love story yet."

"Haven't you told me before? Then I'll tell you now!"

"Let's talk while we eat. Try this smoked salmon, it's so delicious and so cheap."

"You should also try this mead; it tastes better than the one we had in Mena Village, and it's not as sweet."

"Tell me quickly, how did your parents get together!"

What?! It was actually your mom who pursued your dad?!

"What's wrong? We're the same."

"Get lost! Who's chasing you? I was seducing you!"

"Seduction? You haven't mentioned that. Tell me how you seduced me?"

"Who touched me—ouch! It itches there! Ronan! Ronan, I'll teach you a lesson today!!"

(End of this chapter)