1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 431 Please use titles/positions in the workplace

Michelin magazine arranged for the artists to come in batches for photoshoots and interviews, and this time slot belonged to Ronan and his two companions.

The dressing room, which is only about 20 square meters, is filled with makeup artists, stylists, editors and other staff, making the space feel a bit cramped.

Even though it was crowded, no one dared to approach the corner near the window, where Ronan and Ines were sitting.

"Don't you wear makeup?" Ines asked Ronan. "We work with top-tier makeup artists who usually do makeup for celebrities."

Ronan grinned and shook his head:
"Let's skip the makeup, we can just change our clothes later."

Boys look best when they're clean-cut and natural; makeup can make them look greasy.

Ronan is naturally gifted. It's just a photo shoot; there's no need for excessive 'packaging'.

Ines said nothing.

The makeup and styling were provided free of charge by Michelin magazine. The artist only needed to wear makeup and didn't have to if she didn't want to. As long as the artist didn't complain, the magazine wouldn't interfere.

Ronan came to Ines eagerly, wanting to first inquire about the top 100 local artists in Provence:

"Is the list ready?"

Ines placed her right leg over her left and gently swayed it:
"It's been several months, but it's basically done now."

Ronan asked, making no attempt to hide his excitement:
"What's my ranking compared to Zoe?"

To be honest, although Zoe and Ronan shone brightly at the Gold series of art events in February, it was still a bit of a struggle for them to make it into the top 2 Provençal artists.

Provence, this magical land, has been a cradle of artists since ancient times, producing countless outstanding artists in modern times. Although some artists have experienced ups and downs, many have had their moments of glory.

If it were based on seniority, it would be hard to say whether Ronan and Zoe, as representatives of emerging artists, could make it into the top 100.

Ronan and Zoe had discussed this issue before.

Zoe believes that if she and Ronan were to make the top 100, they would likely be in a relatively low position, because there are already too many predecessors with compelling stories to tell.

However, Ines said she would move Ronan and Zoe up in the rankings, but even so, Ronan thought it would be difficult for them to make it into the top 60.

Ines's face showed lingering fatigue, as if he had put a lot of effort into this matter.
“You’re ranked 47th, and Zoe is ranked 39th. Zoe is ranked higher than you because her works are more widely available. You only have those two phenomenal works. Take it one step at a time and don’t rush. Stay in this position for now, and we’ll adjust it up next year.”

"Isn't this too high?" Ronan couldn't help but exclaim. "Can people believe we're lining up this high?"

This has already exceeded expectations, and it's going to go even higher?

Ines waved his hand dismissively:

“You and Zoe are artists who have a ‘deep’ collaboration with Michelin magazine, so the ranking definitely takes our consideration. Besides, we decide how to rank them.”

"but--"

Ronan's voice was drowned out by Ines:
"Before publication, I arranged a few events for you and Zoe. After participating in those events, no one will question your ranking. Don't worry, we are very familiar with this model."

The Provence Art Review will be published in June, and it's only mid-to-late April now, so Ines still has a lot of room to maneuver.

Ronan and Zoe don't deserve that position now, but who knows, maybe in June.

Michelin magazine used similar methods to launch the careers of several stars who became household names in Provence.

"What event?" Ronan asked in a low voice.

Ines swung her slippers back and forth:

"There are many big events in the South of France in May, the most important of which is the Monaco F1 Grand Prix. I'll take you to the VIP section to watch the race, participate in some official activities, and then come with me to the Monaco royal family's banquet to make an appearance."

As the world's most luxurious motorsport event, the Formula 1 Grand Prix is ​​not only a stage for high-speed competition, but also a cross-border carnival that integrates high-end art, fashion and social interaction.

The 1987 Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix was the 45th Monaco Grand Prix in the history of the series, and the 17th year of cooperation between the Southern French print media representative, Michelin magazine, and the Monaco Grand Prix. They had long been inseparable partners.

Sending a few people to an event and getting some exposure is 'easy as a feather'.

Ronan's mouth twitched for a long time before he finally swallowed all his words.

Every man in Provence dreams of watching an F1 Grand Prix.

Whether it's the old pub from before or Ronan's current restaurant, whenever someone gets drunk, they'll inevitably say with great enthusiasm, "This year I absolutely have to go see an F1 race in person!"

But watching F1 live is not so easy.

The Monaco F1 Grand Prix is ​​characterized by its narrow streets and the fact that over 80% of the stands are temporary structures that are dismantled immediately after the race, with a total capacity of no more than 12000 seats.

Of these, 40% are not sold to the public.

Even if you went to Monaco with a wad of cash, the organizers wouldn't let you in. It's fair to say that in 1987, going to Monaco to watch the F1 Grand Prix was strongly linked to one's status and social standing.

Even Theo Hernandez, the most "well-informed" member of Lourmaran, often complained that Lucas couldn't get tickets. Ines, on the other hand, gave them away just like that, and they were even rare VIP seats.

As expected of the great president!

sharp!!
As for attending a dinner party hosted by the Monaco royal family, God, that's insane!

Before Ronan could overthink things, Ines patted Ronan's arm, gesturing for him to lean closer:
“In recent years, Monaco has been trying to incorporate high-end art into the event to attract elite audiences. During this year’s competition, the Monaco Palace will host a special art exhibition. If you and Zoe have the time, you can go and participate.”

Ronan lowered his voice and asked:
"What theme?"

Ines swirled her pink wine glass and said:
"Speed ​​and Art".

Ronan thought about it seriously for a few seconds, then said regretfully:
"This topic isn't suitable for us; it would be difficult for us to participate."

Zoe's creative style has always revolved around animals, which makes it difficult to combine with 'speed'.

Ronan doesn't have any ideas about associating desserts with 'speed' unless he chooses a different art form.

It's a bit difficult to get involved in this art event.

Ines didn't make things difficult for Ronan; after thinking for a few seconds, he spoke:
“Then let’s go to the luxury goods exhibition. Rolex and Montblanc will be hosting art parties this year. I’ll ask about the themes, and you and Zoe can choose the ones that are suitable to attend.”

Many luxury brands are very keen to sponsor F1 Grand Prix races, and the Monaco Grand Prix is ​​a favorite among them.

“Okay,” Ronan obediently agreed.

Having received so many benefits from Michelin Magazine, it's only natural that they do something about it.

For him and Zoe, being associated with luxury goods is a great way to gain publicity and fame.

With this series of moves surrounding the Monaco F1 Grand Prix, sitting in that position won't feel so 'hot' when the Provence Art Review launches in June.

The girls' hair and makeup took a long time; almost an hour had passed, and Zoe's hair still hadn't been done, while that 'show-off' Barty was also demanding that the stylist give him a perfect look.

Ronan needed a considerable amount of time to prepare before meeting his two partners, so he initiated a new conversation.

"President," Ronan called out cautiously.

The word "Chairman" startled Ines, who turned his body slightly toward Ronan.

In the workplace, you use job titles. What would you call me "Chairman" for?
"President," Ronan called out again, smiling, "After all the twists and turns, Stellar is now in my hands."

Perhaps due to being too busy lately and not getting enough rest, Ines took a second to process Ronan's words.

Suddenly, she put down her wine glass and exclaimed:

"You're not kidding me, are you?"

Everyone in the dressing room looked over at the same time. These employees of Michelin Magazine had never seen their editor-in-chief's face display such a rich array of expressions.

First came surprise, then astonishment, and then ecstasy!
Yes, I couldn't hide my ecstasy!

Seeing so many eyes looking at them, Ronan covered his mouth and whispered something to Ines.

Ines' eyes widened instantly, and he couldn't help but exclaim "God!" before covering his mouth and whispering to Ronan.

After listening for a while, Ronan chuckled and continued whispering with Ines.

Then Ines suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

However, the smile vanished in an instant, and Ines's expression suddenly turned serious. He then whispered something in Ronan's ear.

For the next ten minutes, Ronan's expression was also very serious, and he kept muttering words like "okay," "uh-huh," "understand," and "got it."

Suddenly, the two of them burst into laughter at the same time, their unrestrained laughter echoing throughout the dressing room.

The laughter lasted only a dozen seconds before the two of them fell silent again, continuing to whisper amongst themselves.

"Are these two crazy?" That was the first reaction of the staff at Michelin Magazine.

What are the editor-in-chief, who's sometimes laughing, sometimes serious, and acting all mysterious, talking about with that artist named Ronan?
Barty saw it all, felt anxious, but kept his words to himself.

"Is it almost done?" he asked the makeup artist eagerly.

Quick, I want to whisper with the goddess in her pajamas too!
The makeup artist made final adjustments to Barty's hairstyle and said with satisfaction:
"You're all done! You look so handsome now."

Barty shook his neck.

He is now full of confidence!

Zoe, on the other side, had also finished her hair and makeup, and Ronan couldn't wait to see his beautiful fiancée.

With the sofa empty, Barty plopped down next to Ines.

"Good morning, beautiful lady!" Barty flashed what he considered his most charming smile.

Ines, who was talking to a colleague, turned her face and asked:
"Is there a problem?"

Barty asked enthusiastically:

"Excuse me, what is my ranking?"

Ronan and Ines were speaking quite loudly when they discussed art rankings, and Barty overheard parts of their conversation.

Fortunately, Ronan only asked for his and Zoe's names, which gave Batty a perfect opportunity to get in touch with Ines!
He winked at Ines.

Answer me quickly, beautiful lady, I've already thought of the next question!

But Ines turned to his colleague and asked:
What's this person's name?

Bati: "."

Before Ines's staff could answer, Cotillard took Batistuta away first:
"Excuse me, I need to go out and talk to the artist about something."

As soon as they stepped out of the dressing room, Cotillard pointed at Barty's nose and gave him a stern warning:

"If you dare to damage the relationship between Ronan and Michelin Magazine, I will keep all the female artists in Lourmaran away from you!"

Batistuta raised his hands in a gesture of surrender:
"Don't get me wrong, I'm just a little excited to see my goddess. She's my absolute favorite woman, without a doubt."

“Who wouldn’t you be excited to meet?” Cotillard rolled his eyes at Barty and said in an even harsher tone, “Michelin magazine is an important medium for Lourmarin artists to ‘make a name for themselves’ in Provence. Please use your brain. Going to chat up Ines will only ruin everything!”

Cotillard's warning left Batty very disappointed.

Back in the dressing room, he sat alone in a chair, looking out the window, his face lifeless, like a lonely prince abandoned by the whole world.

The makeup artist hired by Michelin magazine was incredibly talented; the sickly-looking Barty was transformed into a pale-skinned vampire prince.

Zoe, who was already 'naturally beautiful', became like an incomparably dazzling star after being carefully made up by the makeup artist.

"You're so beautiful." Ronan's eyes never left Zoe.

His fiancée is so beautiful!
Zoe humbly said to Ronan:
"This makeup artist is amazing."

Ronan turned to the makeup artist and asked:

"Could we exchange contact information? Could we invite someone to do Zoe's makeup for our wedding?"

The makeup artist carefully made the final touches, smiling as she said:
"Who could refuse to do makeup for such a beautiful girl?"

Ronan leaned down and kissed Zoe's neck, not wanting to ruin her makeup.
"We must start planning the wedding immediately; I can't wait."

He couldn't wait to see Zoe in her wedding dress; she would look absolutely stunning!

Zoe patted Ronan on the back:

"You should go check on Batty first. He's not doing well. Codia must have said something serious."

The dressing room wasn't very big, and everyone could see how Barty looked after he came back.

Ronan's shoulders trembled as he pointed to the mirror for Zoe to see:

“I guess Batty has moved on from the gloom and knows exactly how to cheer himself up.”

"Good morning, beautiful lady. My name is Batty. What kind of clothes do you think I should wear for this photoshoot?"

"A white shirt? God, we're so in sync! The first thing that came to my mind was a white shirt. It suits my look today, doesn't it?"

"Haha, it's so nice working with you! Is your job as a costume stylist tiring? Do you usually stay in Avignon?"

Batistuta quickly adjusted his mindset.

With so many people in the room, Cotillard only warned him not to contact Ines, but didn't say he couldn't contact anyone else.

But upon hearing that Ronan had taken over Stuttgart, Ines never seemed to shake off the joy he felt.

Ronan taking over Stellaco was the second-best outcome after Astrid.

The Vaucluse Rosé Wine Lovers Association will have plenty of delicious rosé wine to enjoy and parties to keep going!

After spending some time cuddling with Zoe, Ronan returned to Ines.

There's one more thing he hasn't said yet.

“Ines, as you should know, I’ve also set up a handicraft cooperative in Lourmaran, and now the women are starting to weave furniture.” Ronan poured Ines a glass of wine. “I’ve heard that furniture can be subtly integrated into magazines. I’d like to inquire about the cost of collaborating with one of your magazines.”

Ines found Ronan more and more pleasing to the eye.

His love for rosé wine rivals that of Astrid, he took over the important Stellar estate, and in addition, this kid owns a restaurant and a craft cooperative. Even more terrifying, he is also a famous artist.

This is far better than her good-for-nothing son.

The two men were only three or four years apart in age. One of them only knew how to ask for money when they met, while the other could talk to him about serious matters like an adult and help him solve his problems.

In fact, Ines had never forgotten about the whereabouts of Stella, so she was especially happy today.

“Our magazine often needs unique shooting locations. You can decorate a place, put the furniture you want to sell inside, and then I’ll arrange for someone to do an interview there. That should allow us to get some photos published. If it goes well, then we can talk about formal business collaborations,” Ines said with the concern of a worried mother. “It’s not easy for young people to start a business, so don’t waste money.”

(End of this chapter)