1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 290 Proud Lucas
Ronan took two pheasants to the kitchen and two bottles of the restaurant's best wine, then sat down opposite Lucas.
"I just called your house to ask you to come over, but I didn't expect you to come first."

Lucas looked at Ronan:
"What's up?"

Ronan poured Lucas a drink, saying apologetically:
“I heard you spent an afternoon working at my vineyard, and I have to thank you for that. It’s my fault for putting it off until today.”

Lucas waved his hand dismissively:

"It's a small matter. Making money is the most important thing. If you ask me, you shouldn't set up a stall on Fridays and Saturdays, or at least only for one day. It's most important to make more money while you're young."

Everyone in Lourmaran knows Ronan's 'work schedule'.

On Friday and Saturday mornings he would set up stalls at the markets in Lourmaran and Mena village respectively, and in the afternoons he would help out at the restaurant. On other days, you could only find him after dark.

So Lucas specifically came to see Ronan at noon on Friday.

Ronan poured himself half a glass of rosé wine, took a sip, and said:

"Setting up a stall now is not for making money, but for promoting the restaurant and attracting customers. It's the first year, so there are still many things to pay attention to. We can't let our guard down until the tourist season arrives this year."

Lucas said with great concern:
"Truffles are easy to find this year, and I expect it will be similar next year, so we should put more effort into truffles."

Lucas, also an experienced truffle hunter, naturally noticed that truffle production would increase in the next two years due to last year's rainy season.

Ronan looked up:
"You had a good year too?"

Ronan had seen Lucas a few times recently and noticed that he was in much better shape, without the anxiety he had shown last spring and summer. Considering what he had just said and his tone, it was clear that his recent financial situation had improved.

Lucas took a sip of his drink and nodded slightly.

"Although truffle prices are lower, Margaret truffles are performing very well this year, better overall than last year."

Ronan was genuinely happy for Lucas:
"That's good."

Lucas spoke to Ronan in an older brotherly tone:

“I know you have a lot to do, but you have so many brothers around you, so use them when needed. Let Theo handle anything for you, it’s a good opportunity to train him.”

Ronan smiled and shook his head:

"Theo has already been trained very well by you, he doesn't need to train anymore."

Theo has been helping Lucas with errands for years and is the most knowledgeable and experienced of the farmers. He is impeccable in his interpersonal skills and thoughtfulness. His only flaw is laziness, but he has improved a lot recently.

Lucas gently shook his head:
"Theo is too impatient and impulsive. He is only patient with Anna. We need to work on him more, or he will suffer the consequences."

Ronan put both arms on the table:

"Just talk to him more often, and Theo will definitely listen to you and change his temperament. He respects you very much."

Lucas laughed heartily:
"Was that respect? It was fear. I often scolded him."

Ronan said seriously:
"It's not just fear; he might just be too embarrassed to tell you."

Privately, Theo often mentions Lucas.

The tone of his voice was filled with undisguised pride as he recounted what Lucas had bought, where he had gone, what he had given him, and what he had said.

Ronan could tell that Theo was very proud to have such an excellent older brother as Lucas.

Lucas didn't want to continue the topic and looked towards the kitchen:

"Aren't the dishes coming out yet? How are we supposed to have a proper drink without any food?"

I enjoyed the meal very much.

Lucas's mindset had changed a lot, and Ronan was no longer the poor boy he was when he first arrived in Provence. The two chatted back and forth, sharing some tips on truffle harvesting that weren't exactly secrets, and even making plans to go hunting together sometime in the future.

Lucas said he couldn't guarantee he was as good a hunter as he was at digging for truffles, but he always managed to bring back a lot of stuff each time he went out.

Ronan has finally found a reliable hunter in Provence!
"You promised me you'd take me to experience the true thrill of hunting," Ronan said excitedly.

Lucas burst into hearty laughter:

"Contact me anytime you want to go."

"That's awesome!" Ronan clapped his hands excitedly.

Lucas was the farmers' 'big brother' and Ronan was their 'spiritual leader'. The two of them drank together for an entire afternoon without anyone daring to disturb them.

They might be talking about a huge 'business' worth hundreds of thousands of francs a month, which is not something ordinary people should be listening to!
The farmers only dared to watch from afar and whisper among themselves.

"Ronan and Lucas have gotten so close? I remember they didn't have much interaction before." A farmer who had just entered looked over curiously.

"You don't know anything! This is called a powerful alliance!" Theo shouted. "They are the two strongest men in Lourmaran!"

The farmer smiled and asked Theo:
"Aren't you going over there? The wine at their table looks special. Why don't you go and try it for us?"

Theo glanced back and let out a cold snort:
"What kind of wine haven't I drunk? Lucas's family has plenty of good wine. Go away, don't bother me while I'm drinking."

Someone asked curiously:

"Theo, I think Lucas has switched to his American pickup truck."

Theo said to him impatiently:

"Lucas is so rich, isn't it normal for him to change cars? He just changes them when he gets tired of one. Cars are like clothes to him."

The man asked expectantly:
"What new car did you get? Have you seen it? Drive it out and show it to us!"

Another person chimed in:
“I saw Lucas last week driving his old SUV from a few years ago; I didn’t see his new car.”

Theo smacked his lips twice:

"You guys don't know anything. That SUV is Lucas's 'old buddy' that helped him build his fortune. He has to take it out for a spin every now and then, otherwise it'll break down easily. Why do you guys have so many questions?"

"We're just curious. Lucas has the most nice cars in Lourmaran, so we can only learn from him," the farmers said with a smile.

"Theo".

Suddenly, a deep, resonant voice came from behind them.

Everyone turned around and saw Lucas and Ronan standing two or three meters behind them.

Lucas's expression wasn't great, and Ronan's expression could also be described as 'complex'.

Theo turned his head and asked Lucas in a casual manner:

"Got to go?"

Lucas nodded and said to Theo with a blank expression:

"Anna's birthday is coming up, right? I've ordered a thoroughbred Camargue for her. I'll call you when it arrives, and you can take it home."

The Camargue horse is considered one of the oldest horse breeds in Europe, with its genes traceable back to the prehistoric Iberian horse.

It mainly inhabits the Camargue wetlands on the west side of Provence, which belongs to the Bouches-du-Rhône department.

The Camargue horse is the rarest native horse breed in Provence and has been strictly protected since 1980. Purebred Camargue horses must be registered with the French National Horse Breeding Association, and crossbreeding is prohibited.

The current market price is between 5000 and 20000 francs, depending on the pedigree.

"God, Kamalgmar? Anna is so happy!"

"Theo, remember to call me when you pick up Ma, I'll go with you."

"Do you have a place to keep it? I have an empty donkey shed!"

The farmers chattered incessantly, and Theo, showing off to them for a bit, turned back to Lucas with a happy expression and said:
“I’ll bring Anna to your house in a couple of days so she can thank you in person!” Lucas nodded slightly, continued walking, and left the restaurant.

Ronan followed behind Lucas and sighed silently.

Lucas's personality has indeed changed somewhat. But he is still the proud Lucas.

“Come here often.” Ronan gently patted Lucas’s arm at the restaurant entrance, then pointed to the restaurant and said carefully, “Actually, you can talk to Theodore.”

Ronan guessed that Lucas and Theo must have had very little in-depth communication, otherwise Theo wouldn't still be unaware of Lucas's actual situation.

Moreover, the younger brother is so protective of his older brother, and the older brother cares so much about his younger brother. They could have gotten along even better.

Lucas lowered his head, lit a cigarette, and shook his head dismissively.

"No need."

He naturally knew the hidden meaning in Ronan's words.

Ronan looked at the old church steeple in the distance and said calmly:

"Theo isn't as bad as you think; he might even be able to help you."

"Forget it—" Lucas chuckled dryly. "Do you know what the villagers say about me? They say I was born to be a 'father,' and my younger siblings are like my son and daughter, and I have to clean up their messes all the time."

Lucas's younger brother Theo is a notorious "lazybones" in Lourmaran, needing Lucas's help every year to make ends meet, while his sister Elena is a well-known "troublemaker" in Lourmaran, who doesn't even have a job.

Lucas, the 'financial pillar,' is more like a 'father' at home.

Ronan looked at Theo, who was smiling behind the glass window, and said:
“I think you’re treating Theo too much like a ‘child.’ I’m telling you, Theo is pretty reliable. A few months ago, when we were harvesting grapes, there was a sudden downpour and everyone was short on time, but Theo still knew to have Rebecca come and comfort me, saying he would come and help me as soon as he was done. You should give Theo more opportunities.”

Lucas glanced at the glass as well, and asked Ronan in a teasing tone:
"He's doing pretty well right now, isn't he?"

Lucas's only response was a long, helpless sigh.

Lucas drank quite a bit of alcohol at Ronan’s restaurant in the afternoon, and he drank some more by himself during dinner in the evening.

Perhaps influenced by the conversation between the farmers and Theo that afternoon, Lucas sat alone by the large French window on the side closest to the forest after dinner and continued to drink silently.

His wife came over and asked her husband twice what was wrong, but Lucas didn't say a word.

Lucas always carried the heavy burden alone, never telling his brother or his wife that the only person in the world who knew the truth was Ronan.

All his relatives and friends were immersed in Lucas's dream of 'artificially cultivated truffles', excitedly waiting for the moment when Lucas would become completely rich next year or the year after. How could the proud Lucas personally wake them up?

The truffle harvesting season is the most comfortable time for Lucas. What happens after March?

People have already started noticing something amiss. How long can this beautiful dream last?

Will a proud head eventually have to bow down?
As he drank and thought about random things, Lucas suddenly heard someone call his name. He turned around and Theo was right next to him.

"Why are you here?" Lucas rubbed his forehead. He had drunk too much that day and hadn't even noticed when a living person had appeared.

Theo sat down opposite Lucas:

"I brought you the rabbit. Emily said you weren't feeling well and asked me to come and check on you. What's wrong?"

Lucas let out a disdainful snort:

"Emily is too sensitive. What could I have done? I was just in a good mood today and drank a little too much."

Theo nodded nonchalantly:
"I knew it! What could possibly be causing you so much worry?"

Lucas raised his chin and asked his brother:

"Why are you sending rabbits again?"

Theo's family raises some rabbits, and they send over one or two every few days. Roasted rabbit meat has almost become a regular dish at Lucas's house.

Theo listlessly lit a cigarette:

“You don’t need to buy Anna a Kamalgmar. We can just have a nice family meal on her birthday. You’ve already given Anna a lot of valuable things.”

Lucas frowned:
"Did something happen?"

With so many things sold off this year, some perceptive people inevitably noticed something amiss, so this wasn't the first time Lucas had used 'money' to dispel doubts about himself.

Sometimes the money is spent on myself, and sometimes it's spent on Special Olympics or other relatives.

In the past, after similar incidents, Theo would be excited for days, showing off to everyone with a smug look that said, "I have a rich brother, do you?"

Why don't you want it this time?
Theo looked down at his toes and said:

"I used to be happy about this, but today after I got home, the more I thought about it, the more upset I felt."

He said in an even lower voice:
"Now I know how hard it is to make money, so don't waste your money. I'm telling you, Lucas, there's no need to buy Anna a horse. You should just give up."

Theo used to be a slacker who lived off Lucas's charity and didn't care much about spending money.

Recently, he has begun to experience the joy of making money, and he is even more motivated to weave flower wreaths every day than Rebecca.

It's really amazing, but when I spend other people's money, like 100 francs to treat a friend to drinks, I don't feel anything at all.

Now, if he spends his own money, let alone 100 francs, just buying someone a glass of wine makes his heart bleed. That's a quarter of a wreath!

At this moment, Theo finally realized that Lucas's money was also accumulated by him and Margaret in the forest, piece by piece, from truffles.

That working environment was much worse than when he was making flower wreaths. Lucas must have felt even more heartbroken when he took out the money.
Seeing that Lucas remained silent, Theo said in a resentful and self-deprecating tone:

"I always say thank you, thank you, Ronan. Besides thanking him for letting me make some money, I also thank him for making me a 'person'. What kind of life did I live before! Damn it!"

Perhaps feeling he had said too much or been too sentimental, Theo stood up, reverting to his usual nonchalant demeanor, and said with a cigarette in his mouth:

"Alright, in short, don't buy any more horses for Anna. From now on, I'll take care of our parents with you. Although I don't earn as much as you, I still have the ability. You've done enough for me. I'm leaving, no need to see me off."

Theo strode out, afraid that Lucas would give him any response.

It's so embarrassing to say those things!

He muttered to himself at the same time:
Lucas must be incredibly embarrassed right now; that guy can't stand anything sentimental.

But it made me feel so much lighter after saying what I'd been holding in for so long!

Suddenly, Theo felt his neck being squeezed several times, and then Lucas's emotionless voice came from the side:
"You know what? I once had this strange thought—why isn't Ronan my brother?"

Theo wasn't angry at all, and said with a laugh:
“This idea is not strange at all, Lucas. Who in Lourmaran wouldn’t want Ronan to be their son, brother, older brother, or husband? It’s perfectly normal.”

Lucas squeezed Theo's neck again, harder:

“But I’m not envious of Ronan at all now, because my younger brother is just as good as him. I’m proud to have a brother like you.”

The two brothers have the same personality.

Courage is followed by endless regret!

Lucas somewhat regretted his impulsive actions. He opened the door and saw Theo off.

"I drank a bit too much today, so I might have talked a bit too much. Be careful on the road."

Theo stood outside the door, a half-smile on his face, and said:
“I’ve always been proud to have you as my brother, Lucas.”

Theo, still with a cigarette in his mouth, casually closed the door, his tone filled with happiness and joy:
"But I didn't drink too much today."

(End of this chapter)