1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 53: The Journey of Special Forces [Seeking Follow-up Reading]

The village of Bonnieux is surrounded by a large cedar forest and built on the mountain. It has beautiful scenery and is therefore a paradise for many hiking enthusiasts.

But for those who just want to have a meal, it is a bit too difficult to walk breathlessly along a long steep path and climb a "hundred-step ladder" sweating profusely.

Along the way, Ronan questioned countless times whether he had taken the wrong road, but kind passers-by pointed upwards again and again, completely confusing him.

If it weren't for the beautiful scenery of Luberon on one side and the beauties on the other side that were no less beautiful than Luberon, as well as the constant reminder in his ears that [Physical contact with the opposite sex increases happiness by X points], Ronan would really consider carefully whether he should return the same way.

"We're almost there. I think I can see the spire of the old church," Zoe said intermittently.

Ronan carefully noticed that Zoe was running out of energy, so he helped her and gave her a hand from time to time. Zoe drove to the finish line with one gulp of gas after another.

After a few minutes, the two finally saw the full view of the "old church" standing on the platform at the top of the mountain.

This is a 12th-century Romanesque building with a statue of the Virgin Mary on the spire. It is surrounded by tall and straight cedars with branches flying up like open umbrellas.

The church is surrounded by low stone walls covered with layers of dark green moss, but this does not prevent some people from using it as a backrest.

A couple who were also out of breath asked Ronan and Zoe who had just climbed up:

"Are you here to eat too?"

"You too?" Ronan supported his waist with his hands.

The couple looked at each other, supported each other and left:

"Yes, but I have to remind you that Mr. Jacques can only serve a limited number of customers every day. If you go late, you will have to return the same way you came."

Ronan cursed in his heart - is this a meal or a special forces selection?

He said to Zoe:
"Don't worry, take a rest first."

Zoe took a few deep breaths, and when her breathing became more stable, she took Ronan's arm and used it as a crutch:
"If it doesn't taste good, I will write a letter of complaint to Michelin."

Mr. Jacques' restaurant is built on the side of a mountain, overlooking the entire beautiful valley.

There is an ancient fountain in front of the restaurant. The sunlight shines through the water and is reflected on the bottom, forming a soft light, while the ripples on the water surface sparkle like tiny diamonds.

Ronan's heart began to waver - it's such a beautiful place, it wouldn't be impossible to climb it?

Zoe's reaction was the same as Ronan's. She looked at the fountain and then at the valley:
"I should have brought a sketchpad with me."

"Can you draw?" Ronan asked subconsciously without thinking.

Zoe gave him a cute expression that said "Read more books if you have nothing to do":

“Fine arts is the foundation of many subjects.”

Ronan nodded and said nothing more.

When the two entered the restaurant, they felt even more that food was not important, and the "scenery" here was worth all the sweat.

The lobby is filled with decorative settings that can only be seen in fashion magazines. Candles are lit on every table, and fifty or sixty guests dine quietly here, in stark contrast to the noisy lunch rush in other restaurants in Provence.

Beautiful music sounded from all directions, and Ronan's first reaction was that he, wearing canvas shoes, had mistakenly entered a high-end club of Parisian upper society!

After seeing that the guests were also dressed in Provence style, he resisted the urge to go home and change into a suit, tie and leather shoes, and walked in with confidence.

Zoe walked through the lobby and arrived at the large terrace with a view of the entire Luberon.

Ronan could see that Zoe liked it here:

"Shall we eat here?" Unlike the lobby which was almost full, there were only a few tables of guests scattered around the terrace area as everyone was still afraid of the temperature in the mountains.

But in a month, or even half a month, the terrace will be a place they won’t be able to get even if they try to get it.

The scenery here is so beautiful!

The system sound in Ronan's ears never stopped.

[Enjoy the beauty of nature with your heart and increase your happiness by 5 points]

"Are you feeling cold?" Zoe was a little worried about Ronan, who was used to a pampered life in Paris.

Ronan pulled out a chair and sat down first, saying to the air:
"It's so hot climbing the mountain. Waiter, give me a glass of iced water."

Zoe smiled happily and sat down opposite Ronan.

In addition to the candles, there was also an unopened bottle of pink wine on the table, which was prepared as an aperitif for the guests.

Ronan picked it up and looked at it, and said in surprise:
"Mr. Jacques is actually a 'rebellious' person."

Most people in the world only know that there are two types of wine: red and white. Few people know that there is also a type of wine called rosé.

France produces more than 70% of the world's rosé wine, and 80% of it is produced in Provence.

However, the existence of such a business card was "criticized" by many locals in Provence, so the popularity of this wine has never been increased.

Pink wine has always been considered a summer wine, often reminiscent of sunshine, beaches and beautiful women rather than the taste of the wine itself.

People usually drink loose rosé wine in seaside restaurants. This wine goes well with seafood, barbecue or Niçoise salad. It is an uncomplicated and approachable wine.

It requires no special care other than chilling it before drinking, but it lacks the depth, complexity and subtlety of fine red and white wines.

It is neither expensive nor pretentious. Therefore, it is completely ignored by those picky wine critics who like to show off their literary talent.

Wine critics say it is a sweet wine for 'kids' and 'ladies', but the truth is that at 13% alcohol, rosé is stronger than most red and white wines.

In addition, some wineries are "lazy" and directly use red wine + white grapes to make rosé wine. This "rude" method skips the traditional brewing process. The residents of Provence, who pay attention to wine culture, increasingly treat rosé wine as a "shame."

But in later generations, the reputation of rosé wine has improved a lot, and it is even praised by the French government as the only "lifeboat" that can save the French wine industry.

Ronan remembers that pink wine seemed to be made popular by those Cannes stars.

He suddenly had an idea - is this a business opportunity?

But in 1986, what was Mr. Jacques's purpose in putting this pink wine, which was considered a "shame" in Provence, on every table?

Ronan was thinking about these questions when Zoe tapped the table lightly, motioning Ronan to look in a certain direction:

"Mr. Jacques is in the store, why don't you go and say hello?"

Ronan laughed awkwardly twice.

'Coming to see Mr. Jacques' was just an excuse. How could such a big shot have the time to receive him?
Maybe he won't even remember who Ronan is when he goes over to say hello.

Suddenly, Zoe sat up straight and whispered:

"Ronan, Mr. Jacques is coming."

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(End of this chapter)