1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 412 Stellar sets sail in Lourmaran!
After the plenary session ended, many people consulted Ronan about their jobs in Stella, but few actually made any progress.

The men in the village, apart from the farmers, all had their original jobs. Giving up their original jobs to work at the Pink Winery, whose prospects didn't seem very clear, required some determination and courage.

But the farmers still have land to cultivate. They will have to wait until everyone digs up the grapevines, assess the situation, and then decide whether to uproot the vines or plant new grape varieties before making a decision.

As I said before, we received too much and too complicated information today, and everyone needs some time to digest and think about it.

However, there was one person who came to Ronan's place immediately after the general meeting ended, accompanied by his mother.

Aknina personally escorted Cornell to Ronan's side and spoke first, before her son could 'declare his determination':

“Cornell is still young and needs experience. You can give him all the dirty and hard work there. If he dares to say no, I will teach him a lesson.”

Cornell had no land of his own, nor did he have a tenant farmer agreement with any landowner, which was a source of great concern for his mother, Aknina.

However, she felt comfortable letting her son work with Ronan, no matter what he did.

Ronan patted Cornell on the shoulder:

"Even if you don't come to see me today, I will find time to go to you. I've been thinking about you for a long time."

Before Ronan upgraded his system skills too much, it was Cornell who taught him the basics about all the grapes in Provence, and this unassuming chubby guy also had experience working in a wine cooperative.

This is exactly the kind of talent Ronan needs!

Cornell excitedly shouted:

"I can deliver goods, I can can, I can do... I can do anything, Ronan, you can ask me to do anything!"

Cornell's entire income this year came from Ronan, and Cornell was even more heartbroken than Ronan when the truffle harvest season ended—because he no longer had the chance to deliver truffles to Ronan.

Upon hearing the news that Ronan was going to run St. Scotts, Cornell was so excited he almost jumped for joy.

Perhaps Ronan could get a stable job?
Amonina always maintained a stern demeanor in front of her son. She said seriously to Cornell:

"You came here with a learning attitude, how dare you choose a position?"

Cornell lowered his head, stuck out his tongue awkwardly, and dared not speak.

Ronan thought for a moment and said to Cornell:
"The factory hasn't been built yet, so there's no winemaking-related job for you at the moment. However, there's another job that you might be able to do."

"What?" Cornell asked expectantly.

“Sylvie has prepared a display area for Stellar in the Rosé Museum, but it’s not fully stocked yet and can’t display much. Before I fill that area, I need someone there to give a verbal introduction to Stellar. Sylvie and I have agreed on four sessions a day, each lasting 20 minutes. Until I find another more suitable ‘guide,’ could you temporarily take on this role?”

Cornell will definitely be going to work with Ronan on brewing in the future, but we can arrange another job for him before September.

“No problem!” Cornell blurted out without thinking.

Amonina sternly reprimanded her son:
"How did I teach you before? You must think carefully before answering questions. Are you sure you can handle this job? Don't let Ronan down."

“But I really can. Before Ronan’s restaurant opened, a few of us went out to hand out flyers for him, and I was always the best.” Cornell’s voice trailed off, as if he was a little guilty. “Especially with female customers, I’m very good at dealing with them.”

“Okay, then you can do this job first. I’ll take you to Sylvie later and have her show you around the museum to familiarize you with the environment,” Ronan said with a smile.

Cornell's arrival signifies that Stellar is finally setting sail in Lourmaran!

The plenary session was held on the last day of March.

But in early April, before the farmers were ready to unearth the vines, Lucas was still offering everyone rosé wine and going around telling those 'unconvinced' villagers that Lourmarin and rosé wine were now inseparable. It was the government's decision, and you could choose not to drink rosé wine, which I fully respect, but you shouldn't say anything negative about rosé wine, especially in public.

Lucas did this for a day or two, and Ronan felt that he was repaying the 'favor' of being pulled out of the abyss by him. But as time went on, Ronan couldn't sit still anymore.

One day, he took Little Black to see Lucas, and while the two dogs were flirting, he earnestly advised them:

"I know you want to help me, but don't spend any more money."

According to Ronan's incomplete statistics, Lucas spent about seven or eight thousand francs on rosé wine in the past few days.

Don't you know your own situation?
Lucas, hands behind his back, watched with the rapt attention of a loving father as his beloved daughter and little black dog ran freely.
“Margaret is rarely this happy. We can let the two of them play together more often in the future.”

“That’s not something that can be done anytime. Afterwards, you take Margaret to the restaurant for drinks, and I’ll have Mom and Dad bring Xiao Hei with them to open the door when they go to work.” Ronan almost got sidetracked by Lucas’s diversionary tactic, so he quickly steered the conversation back on track. “I’m serious, don’t spend any money.”

Lucas's scheme was exposed, and he laughed, saying:
“I’m not that easy to go bankrupt. I have two houses in Lourmarin and Marseille, and 10 acres of forest. It’s not certain whether our families are richer or not.”

I just lost a little more!

“But you can’t spend like that,” Ronan said in a threatening tone. “Now you know that I’m going to do a rosé wine business in the future, and we don’t know what the prospects will be. It might become a losing business. If I can’t support the operating funds for artificially cultivated truffles for a year, you’ll have to step in. You have to save some money.”

Lucas chuckled twice, like a rogue:
“But I don’t have a job, you know. Outside of truffle harvesting season, I have no income.”

Ronan blurted out:

"Then go to Marseille and find something to do; there are many opportunities to make money there."

With so many friends, how could Lucas not find a way to make money?

Lucas stopped joking with Ronan, his smile fading, and asked seriously, "Is there anything I could do in the winery business?"

Ronan took a step back in alarm:
"Are you serious?"

He thought Lucas was joking that day!

Lucas said with an 'innocent' expression:
"Didn't you say it over the loudspeaker? That unemployed villagers can come to you?"

Lucas took Margaret to Ronan's restaurant for a meal.

Over a meal, Ronan explained to Lucas the business situation of Stella Artois, the actual market performance of rosé wine in Provence, and his future plans. For example, in addition to solving the problem of farmers' livelihoods caused by the inability to plant other local varieties in a short period of time, the production of new grape varieties was also to prepare Stella Artois for expanding into the new world market and entering the high-end wine sector.

Lucas is a well-traveled and knowledgeable person, not like Theo who only talks the talk but has actually met many people and understands many industries. After listening to Ronan's entire account, he analyzed:
“Honestly, maybe I can really help. I’m very familiar with the cities around Marseille and along the Mediterranean coast. I also lived in Avignon for a few years. I have many friends, though they may not be as high-profile as yours, but they come from all walks of life.”

Ronan considered for a moment and said:

“That is indeed what I lack.”

Ronan's high-society friends mostly came from the Rosé Wine Lovers' Association, but Jerome's personal experience proved to Ronan that these bigwigs would not take any initiative to help rosé wine develop in Provence; there might be some, but it would definitely not be widespread or decisive.

Therefore, Ronan's connections in Provence did not greatly help St. Strasbourg's market expansion.

If there are any friends who might be of help to St. Strasbourg, they might be Artois and Pascal, those guys who run restaurants.

But given Ronan's relationship with them, the most he could do would be to change the rosé wine brand in the restaurant to Stella Artois; that would be quite an achievement.

From this perspective, Lucas, with his extensive network of connections and numerous friends in cities like Marseille, could indeed help Ronan expand into a larger rosé wine market.

Furthermore, Jerome had told Ronan that if he were to find a market manager, it would be best to find one who was familiar with the coastal cities, as those were the largest rosé wine markets in Provence before any new sales channels were opened up.

Lucas also fits these characteristics.

The wake-up call from the last AOC bill reminded Ronan that he absolutely could not run Stellaco by himself; he needed to find help, and powerful help at that.

Without much consideration, Ronan quickly agreed:

"Okay, let's talk about compensation then—"

Truffle business is truffle business, and rosé wine is rosé wine.

Even close brothers keep clear accounts; Ronan had to make things clear with Lucas and offer him a worthwhile reward.

But Lucas just waved his hand dismissively:
"Let's not talk about that now. Let me check out the market first. I'm going back to Marseille tomorrow."

"So fast?" Ronan was somewhat surprised.

He thought Lucas wouldn't be leaving Lourmaran anytime soon.

Lucas stubbed out his cigarette.

"Go see your wife and son. I miss them. If I get any news from the truffle artificial cultivation experimental field while I'm in Marseille, call me and I'll come back to see them with you."

“Okay, no problem.” Ronan readily agreed.

The two chatted for a few more minutes, then Lucas led Margaret away. As they reached the restaurant entrance, he suddenly turned back and shouted loudly to Ronan:
"Oh, and tell Cornell for me that I'm the number one employee at Stellar, and tell him to go to the back of the line!"

Lucas's voice was loud and clear, and all the guests at the dinner table could hear him.

They looked at each other in fear, not daring to utter a single word.

Good heavens, Lucas went to work in St. Louis?
real or fake?

It seems that rosé wine really is the future of Lourmarin!

The two most successful men in the village are there!!

Ronan smiled and touched his forehead.

This Lucas...
To be honest, he could understand Theo's feelings.

It feels really good to be 'covered' and 'protected' by someone; it's easy to develop a sense of admiration for them.

Lucas is going back to Marseille tomorrow.

The elderly father, Ronan, teased Little Black in a joking tone:
"Your girlfriend is leaving tomorrow. You're not going to elope with her tonight, are you? Otherwise, I'll take you home?"

"You're so unprofessional!" Feng Zhen said, glaring at Luo Nan as she sorted through the receipts.

Pierre pushed the door open, squatted down next to Ronan, and whispered:

"Stop teasing the dog, I've found the place you're looking for."

(End of this chapter)