1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 52: An Irresistible Request [Read More]

The old man placed a food basket in front of Ronan.

It's topped with smoked ham, Italian sausage, pickled cucumber slices, black olives, and a large piece of cheese, with bread as the main dish.

Then the waiter, who was probably the oldest in Provence, went into the kitchen and told the chef, who was probably the best chef in Provence:

"A young man from China visited our restaurant, and I decided to postpone my lunch break by an hour."

"Okay, let him wait a moment." A female voice came from the kitchen, and she sounded quite old.

Ronan did not hear the voice of the third person, so he couldn't help wondering - how could these two elderly people, whose combined age might be over 150 years old, cope with the hard and busy restaurant work?

Not long after, the old man slowly walked back, sat down and continued chatting with Ronan.

The food was ready and the old lady rang the kitchen bell.

At this time, the old gentleman was telling Ronan about his heroic performance in World War II. He raised his eyebrows, paused, and continued to describe firmly how urgent the situation was at the time and that no retreat was allowed.

The kitchen bell rang again, with obvious insistence.

At this point, he had no choice but to get up and leave. His resolute expression was replaced by a flattering one, and he muttered sweetly as he walked:

"Here it comes, you still can't leave me like this."

Ronan thought that the herbed lamb chops were all there was to the meal, but he didn't expect the chef to come out with a plate of black pepper pasta and potatoes with a rich sauce:
"Are you still used to it?"

Her face, which was red from the smoke from the stove, was filled with a kind smile.

"It's delicious." Ronan couldn't wait to put a piece of freshly baked potato into his mouth.

In fact, the taste of this restaurant is not very outstanding, it tastes more like 'Mom's', and it is not even as good as Mrs. Chelsea's cooking skills.

But people who come here to eat are eating for the "home" feeling and taste, which is more attractive than the food itself.

The old couple stood side by side happily.

The old lady enthusiastically introduced the decoration of the restaurant. She said that the position of every nail was designed by her personally.

The old man was no longer so eager to express himself and handed the microphone to his wife, but he would occasionally interject a word or two, of course all of them were compliments.

It can be seen that they love this restaurant, this job, and each other very much.
Ronan listened quietly, ate happily, and thought silently:

If he could open a restaurant like this in the future, he would not be afraid of aging at all.

You see, it is such a pleasant thing to grow old together with the one you love.

This blissful lunch cost only 60 francs.

If you are not driving, the price also includes drinks.

Ronan had a preliminary understanding of the prices in Provence. The price of food is very "affordable". The same food, the same environment, this meal would be at least twice as expensive in Paris.

Or is it because this old couple actually has a clear understanding of their own cooking skills, so they don’t do it for the sake of making money, but just for the sake of having fun?
The current 'collection' objects are not enough and it is too early to draw conclusions.

Ronan wandered around Bonnieux for a while and after learning that Mr. Jacques' Michelin restaurant was at the highest point, he returned to the village entrance and drove home.

Eating at a Michelin restaurant will definitely earn you a lot of [happiness], so it's time to make the most of it and find a 'weighted' item.

"To Bonnieux?"

Zoe blinked, not understanding why Ronan had to go there for lunch instead of continuing to Mrs. Chels's restaurant.

Ronan skillfully helped Zoe tidy up the stall:
"Remember Mr. Jacques? He's the one who bought my truffles. He told me to come over for a drink when I have time. It's not a good habit to stand someone up."

Zoe tilted her head and thought for a moment, pondering the necessity of upgrading a warm working lunch into a business luxury package.

Ronan raised his eyebrows provocatively:
"I know a lot of stories about Bonnieux Village, and I'll tell you this time."

He learned about the past and present of Bonnieux Village from the old man. Zoe burst out laughing:
"it is good."

The second time they came to Bonnieux, Ronan began to show Zoe the ancient buildings on both sides as soon as he entered the village gate.

"There are two churches in Bonnieux, one at the bottom of the mountain and one at the top." Ronan said, looking at the Gothic church, "Locals call the one at the bottom of the mountain the 'new church', but I heard it's not new anymore."

After saying this, he looked at Zoe expectantly, hoping to hear some compliments.

The breeze blew Zoe's long golden hair up, like a female star in a MV on TV:
"Well, it's not new anymore."

She looked at the panel above and said:

"These are works by German artists from the 16th century."

"Have you also heard the locals 'tell stories'?" Ronan asked in surprise.

Zoe suppressed her smile and said:
"I don't listen, I see with my eyes."

What a little fool.
Ronan fell completely silent.

He must have been kicked in the head by a donkey to dare to show off his skills in front of Zoe!

Zoe continued to exude her erudite charm:

"This place has been inhabited since the Neolithic Age. It is the oldest area in the entire Provence region. There is a Julian Bridge 3 kilometers north of the village. According to historians, it was built before the 3rd century. There is also a monastery in the village built in the 6th century."

At this point, she paused:
"However, the population of Bonnieux Village has never been considered 'prosperous', hovering around 2000 people."

"It has a long history and is located in the Golden Triangle area, so why is the population so small?" Facts have proved that Ronan is more suitable to be a qualified audience.

Zoe laughed:

"That's because Bonnieux has been the domain of the Avignon Pope since the 16th century. Many of the ancient houses on both sides were once inhabited by bishops. You see, the knowledge is connected in this way, right?"

They had been to Avignon together, and later Zoe told Ronan that the Pope had once moved the Holy See from the Vatican to Avignon. Now they had come to the Pope's former territory again. The most disgusting historical knowledge entered Ronan's head in this strange way.

"If you don't want to pursue art, you can become a teacher," Ronan said admiringly.

Zoe made a 'forgive me' expression:

"I don't like children."

Children will keep raising demands and asking questions, which is really scary.

Zoe stood in front of this 16th-century Gothic church with her hands behind her back:
"Although Bonnieux has few residents, they hold the largest classical music festival in Provence every July, attracting tens of thousands of tourists and classical music lovers every year."

"Classical music festival?" Ronan asked. "What will it be?"

"The streets were filled with jubilation, with famous and unknown artists and enthusiasts from the world of classical music gathering together, and hundreds of performances of all sizes taking place within a week." Zoe continued to move towards higher places.

"Have you been there?" Ronan caught up with her.

Zoe shook her head:

"No, I have no interest in classical music."

"But it's lively, isn't it?" Ronan walked up to Zoe, excited like a child, "Let's go and see it together in July this year?"

Zoe glanced at Ronan and quickly looked away:

"it is good."

She really hates children.

But she liked this 'child' so her needs could not be denied.

(End of this chapter)