1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 317 Zoe's Adorable Side

The white mud mixed with chemical reagents needs to be placed in a high-temperature, high-humidity, and sealed environment to test its effectiveness.

After spraying some water, Ronan moved the sealed experimental boxes one by one next to the heater:
"We should know whether the experiment was successful in about two days."

"What if it doesn't work?" Zoe couldn't help but worry for Ronan.

Since it's an experiment, there's bound to be a possibility of failure; it might even fail completely.

Ronan took off his gloves:

"If all else fails, use edible preservatives such as potassium sorbate and sodium dehydroacetate, or replace some of the white sugar with trehalose to reduce water activity, or mix in transglutaminase to make the soy protein form a three-dimensional network structure and improve its compressive strength. In short, it is still easy to make it last for an exhibition."

Zoe didn't understand any of the technical terms Ronan used; she looked at Ronan with a strange expression.

"I really feel like I'm back in a classroom at school, watching the teacher do experiments."

Ronan smiled and shook his head, saying bitterly:
"Do you think I want to make things that complicated? If I could find a freeze dryer or materials and machines for resin sealing, I wouldn't want to do experiments here."

What he's doing now is a poor man's version of anti-corrosion treatment; if you have money and connections, a machine can spray it on and provide permanent anti-corrosion.

Ronan learned that freeze dryers cost hundreds of thousands of francs, and the materials for resin sealing were both hard to find and expensive, things he couldn't afford.

"You've already done a great job coming up with these methods!" Zoe said with a hint of admiration. "What are you planning to do these two days while we wait for the results?"

Ronan thought for a moment:
"Let's head into the mountains, the truffle picking season is almost over."

We need to seize this opportunity to make more money.

Zoe reminded her:
"Okay, but don't forget to think about what you're going to do."

The materials have been found, but Ronan hasn't decided on a theme yet.

Ronan smiled and nodded:

"Ok."

With time to spare after the experiment, Ronan accompanied Zoe to a restaurant to meet various artist friends.

Most of the Lourmaran artists who participated in the land art event returned to Lourmaran after their trip, excitedly and enthusiastically sharing their takeaways from the event.

"I made a lot of new friends and saw many new art forms. I really need to go out and see the world. If you stay at home all the time, you'll never know what's going on outside."

“Although I was participating in a small exhibition, I met Mr. Hughes in Gold! We had a brief exchange of a few minutes, which was very rewarding, and I spent the whole night in the studio that day.”

“I attended Ms. Tiffany’s cultural exchange event, where she gave new artists a lot of advice and suggestions and encouraged us not to stop creating. Although my work was not included in this event, I still benefited from it.”

“If artists like us who are practically unknown can achieve so much, Zoe’s achievements will surely be even greater! Maybe the ‘newly emerging’ title in ‘newly emerging artist’ of Provence will have to be dropped!”

Zoe's involvement in several art events started relatively late, and she hasn't gone to Gold yet.

However, Batty, who was listed alongside her as the 'hope of Lourmaran,' is now shining brightly in Gordes. Not only has the newspaper given him a special interview, but Batty has also gained a group of 'apprentices' in Gordes who want to learn knitting.

Once Gold's series of art events concludes, those people will come to Lourmaran to take classes.

Zoe participated in one more event than Barty this time, and her work has a very distinctive style. Artists speculate that she will definitely achieve good results.

"Titles and such don't matter; what matters is learning," Zoe said calmly. "Participation is victory."

“You’re too modest. We’ve all seen your submitted works; your skills have improved again,” Vivian said with a smile.

"Alright, stop talking about me. Today is a sharing session, so let's continue sharing what we've learned," Zoe changed the subject.

After the artists changed the subject, Ronan lowered his voice and said to Zoe:

“That’s not what you told me. You said you were going to be the brightest star in Gold in February.”

Zoe secretly glared at Ronan and said reproachfully:
"That was a joke."

Ronan raised an eyebrow:

"Are you kidding? I remember you were quite serious when you said that."

Zoe made a lot of bold statements last month, and Ronan remembers them all.

Why are you backing out now?
Zoe gently patted Ronan's hand and said perfunctorily:
"That sounds wonderful."

"Is she getting nervous as the event approaches?" Ronan wondered, looking at Zoe's profile.

But this is not difficult to understand.

Lourmaran artists did not have a high level of 'participation' in this land art series, but let's not forget the bold statement they made—that Lourmaran artists would create an art storm in Gold.

Bati certainly stirred up a storm, but the weaving was too niche. The storm's reach was limited.

Zoe is now truly the 'hope of the whole village'.

With so much pressure, it's bound to make you nervous.

People lose confidence when they are nervous.

"Don't worry, I'll help you finish this," Ronan said silently to Zoe.

Ronan's final requirement for the sculpture was that, in addition to being exhibited as a perfect work of art, it should also serve some other purpose.

The only artist from Lourmaran who hasn't appeared yet is Zoe, and this 'other role' must be reflected in helping Zoe.

Ronan hadn't yet figured out how to help, especially considering the theme of this event—nature and the earth.

Out of the corner of her eye, Zoe noticed Ronan staring at her. She turned her head and raised an eyebrow at him, as if to ask:

what happened?
Ronan smiled, squeezed Zoe's hand, and shook his head:

"It's nothing, I was just thinking you'll definitely succeed."

After a while, Theo called Ronan over to the farmer and said he had something to tell him.

The price increase of wines at Château Mollérica has led to a price increase of wines at Ronan's restaurant as well.

Farmers used to be able to sit for an afternoon and drink two or three cups of wine, but now the same amount of money can only buy one cup.

When Ronan came over today, he saw that their cups were almost all empty.

"You can order rosé wine; the price hasn't changed," Ronan kindly reminded him. "You can also keep some rosé wine at home; it's better to have something to drink than nothing, right?"

Wine is a necessity for the people of Provence. They may not eat meat, eggs, or dairy products when prices rise, but they must drink wine.

Theo is one of those people who is quite accepting of rosé wine; he occasionally drinks some with Ronan.

"The price of rosé wine hasn't gone up?"

Ronan shook his head and said:
“My supply channels haven’t raised prices, so you can still enjoy affordable rosé wine for at least the next few months.”

Jerome will go to Madrid after selling the grapes he harvested last year and making the wine. He doesn't care about this year's grape harvest or how much he can sell next year.

He'd be lucky if he didn't fire Ronan to a fire sale; at least he still had time to prepare for the takeover. Fabian shook his head in dissatisfaction.

"No, no, rosé wine is for women and children."

The farmers at the same table echoed his sentiments.

"If there's no wine to drink, I won't drink rosé either."

"Then it's not wine! What's the point of drinking rosé?"

Theo chuckled and waved to the waiter:
"Give me a glass of rosé!"

Ronan also waved to the waiter:
"I'll treat Theo to a drink."

Then, with a wicked grin, he asked the group of farmers at the table:
"Would you like a drink? I can treat you."

Theo was very good at doing these kinds of annoying things. He put his arm around Ronan's shoulder and said smugly to the group:

"You've been chatting for a while now, haven't you? You're reluctant to buy any wine. But now that someone's treating, why won't you accept?"

Fabian and the others were both anxious and angry.

I want the wine, but I don't want to be embarrassed.

After agonizing for a while, I finally realized—what's a face worth compared to alcohol?
"Drink up, drink up! I'll drink whatever you offer!"

Ronan stopped teasing them, placed two bottles of rosé on the table, and said meaningfully:
"Don't be so resistant to rosé wine. Maybe it will soon become a part of your lives. Times are changing fast. Who would have thought that property prices in Provence would rise so high now? Nothing is impossible. If you refuse to look forward, you will be left behind by the times."

Ronan's words carried considerable weight among the Lourmaran farmers, and seeing how serious he was, their attitudes began to soften somewhat.

"Okay, I'll try it more often in the future, but I'll just try it. If I don't like it, I just don't like it."

"Where did you buy the wine? I'll buy some to keep at home, just in case the price of wine doesn't come down, I'll use it to satisfy my cravings."

"Actually, rosé wine isn't that bad, but I just have a bit of a nausea about it."

After discussing rosé wine with everyone for a while, Ronan asked Theo:

"looking for me?"

Theo suddenly became excited:

"The hunting season is almost over, shall we go hunting?"

The hunting season typically begins in September and lasts until the end of March.

However, some animals will close their hunting window early, so the later the hunt, the fewer animals are left to hunt.

During the cooler months of December, January, and February, Provençal people don't like to leave home. So, except for the peak months of September, October, and November, people will remember the sport again when the weather is nice in February.

If we don't get vaccinated in February, we'll have to wait several more months!
Ronan refused without even thinking:
"No, you guys go by yourselves."

Are you hunting?
You guys are going on a picnic!
Ronan just wants to go hunting with Lucas, but that probably won't happen this year.

Lucas was busy making money from dawn till dusk every day and didn't have the energy to go hunting anymore.

"Not to your doorstep, but to a much farther place!" Theo exclaimed, gesturing wildly. "Pierre has found a great spot with lots of waterbirds to hunt."

Ronan said rather irritably:

"You can shoot birds in Lourmaran, why go that far?"

I think you guys are tired of eating near my house and want to try something different.
Theo smacked his lips:

"There aren't any birds left to fight near Lourmaran now, only magpies."

According to the "Official Handbook of Hunting License Examination: Theoretical Questions," magpies can also be hunted, so Ronan naturally replied:

"Then go ahead and hit the magpie."

Theo shook his head and pursed his lips, his expression extremely unpleasant.

"Who would eat that stuff?"

That evening, Ronan drove Zoe home, and remembering his conversation with Theo that afternoon, he chuckled and said:
“Provence is full of gourmets who seem to eat everything, but I’ve never seen anyone eat magpie.”

In Provence, hunting is always associated with eating.

Whatever the men in the family bring home during the day, that stuff will definitely end up on the dinner table that night.

But it seems no one has ever seen a magpie hunt, and Ronan has never eaten food cooked by a magpie at the dinner table.

Zoe made an even more exaggerated and ugly expression than Bio:
"Anyone who dares to cook a magpie that eats rotten meat must be crazy."

"Do magpies eat carrion?" Ronan didn't have much knowledge about animals.

There are magpies in Paris, but who would be curious about what magpies eat?

However, after Zoe said that, Ronan added a new 'filter' to his view of the magpie.

No wonder Theo and Zoe had such ugly expressions; eating magpies was indeed terrible.

Zoe transforms into a beautiful biology teacher, giving Ronan a crash course in biology:

“In Luberon, magpies are the most arrogant birds. When the hunting season begins, most birds cautiously leave, either migrating south to Africa for the winter or fleeing the countryside to safer towns like Avignon or Aix-en-Provence. Only magpies remain here, living a swaggering life.”

She put her hand to her mouth, mimicking a bird pecking at food, and acted out the scenes described in the story using body language:

"Some of them gathered on the road, scrambling to peck at the flattened carcasses of field mice; some lurked by trash cans, waiting for some rotten vegetable leaves to leak out of plastic bags; and others wandered near farmland, hopping around looking for the rotting carcasses of small animals."

After the performance, Zoe shook her head in dissatisfaction and commented:

"No one eats magpies, so no hunting rifle is ever aimed at them. And the magpies know this, so they strut around the village every day. Don't you think they're arrogant?"

Ronan was charmed by Zoe's recent actions and asked with a smile:
"Your acting is so convincing, maybe you could become an actor."

After Zoe described a bird as 'arrogant' and depicted various hunting scenes, Ronan's newly added filter for the magpie shattered once again.

He found the magpie cute again.

Zoe walked ahead with a cheerful gait:
"I don't understand acting; I've only observed them dozens or hundreds of times."

"You were specifically observing magpies?" Ronan asked, catching up with them.

Zoe turned around, revealing a smile that could charm anyone:

"No, I observe all kinds of birds; that was my favorite thing to do when I was a child."

Ronan stared blankly at Zoe's smiling face, as if he could smell the unique spring scent of Provence in April.

(End of this chapter)