1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 464 What a fine actor couple!
Most of the guests sitting in this private room are people who deal with magazines and media year-round, and naturally know Ines's influence in the Provençal media circle.

Half of Michelin magazine's empire, a benchmark figure in the Southern French media circle, an undisputed leader in the fashion world, a close friend of domestic and international entertainment stars, and the great Ines actually took time out of his busy schedule to maintain his relationship with this artist named Ronan, and even generously offered sincere praise, saying that this person was someone of great importance!
And he also has an equally popular girlfriend!

"Boom boom boom——"

Along with the F1 cars flying off the runway, the thoughts of many guests in the stands also took flight.

During these two days of activities, I must do everything I can to get to know those two artists!

Once the qualifying rounds began, the social spectacle came to a close.

The active guests returned to their seats, looking at the images on the runway or the big screen.

At this moment, another contest quietly began to unfold.

With so many guests in the stands, how can you stand out from the crowd, get the camera to scan you, and have the commentators introduce yourself?
Some people chose to 'go crazy,' like the guy behind Ronan. No matter which team's car was on the track, as soon as it crossed the finish line, he would stand up, raise his arms, and shout, trying to physically project the camera onto his face.

Some people choose to take a 'shortcut' by shamelessly trying every means to sit in the front, back, left, or right positions of the most famous guests present, hoping to get themselves involved while they are grabbing celebrities.

Some people have a natural advantage by coming in pairs with their boyfriends or spouses. To stand out from the crowd, they hug each other sweetly, their lips seemingly magnetized, unable to stand apart from each other. It's as if what's unfolding below isn't 'Fast and Furious,' but some kind of love movie that makes them lose control of their bodies.

Of course, the vast majority of people are still quite normal.

Ronan and Zoe watched quietly, without exchanging words or making any attention-grabbing gestures.

The problem is that neither of them likes watching F1.

They couldn't even tell which driver was from which team, so they had to grit their teeth and watch, as if it were just a task to be completed.

Zoe watched for a while and then yawned, but she remembered Cotillard's words and managed to hold it in, letting the yawn dissipate within her body.

Seeing Ronan still wearing that semi-permanent smile, calmly watching the match, she asked, somewhat bored:

"Does it look good?"

Ronan placed his hand on Zoe's thigh:
"nice."

Zoe sighed softly and asked Ronan:

Who is the fastest driver right now? Is he famous?

Ronan turned his head slightly and smiled at Zoe, saying:

I meant you're good-looking.

"You're such a smooth talker." Zoe slapped Ronan's hand, suppressing a laugh. "I was asking you about racing, why are you calling me that?"

A faint voice escaped from Ronan's smiling lips:

"You're much more entertaining than the game itself. Didn't you hear how people were praising you?"

Zoe suppressed a laugh, looking straight ahead:

"What, are you going to copy those couples? Making a scene to attract the camera?"

To be honest, Zoe and Ronan aren't children anymore.

They are all adults who have been severely beaten by reality, and have tasted the bittersweet experiences that come with broken glass.

Sometimes, in certain situations, you just have to push yourself.

So many couples have already put on acting roles, should we do one too?
Ronan chuckled and hummed twice:
"No need to go to so much trouble. I've already observed everything. Our box is located above the central area of ​​the Monaco royal family. If we just show a long shot from downstairs, we'll likely be included. Didn't you see me smiling the whole time?"

"Really? When did you observe that?" Zoe asked calmly, though a hint of surprise was in her voice.

"I glanced at it several times when I was going upstairs," Ronan replied calmly.

"Are you sure we don't need to do something else?" Zoe asked uncertainly. "I see on TV that celebrities will do anything to get screen time."

“We’re not that hypocritical,” Ronan said with some regret, “especially when it comes to feelings.”

Zoe sighed softly:

"Yes, we're not those kinds of people."

Ronan and Zoe are not the kind of people who can use emotions as 'bargaining chips'. They regard each other as the most important person and do everything they can to maintain that beautiful relationship.

So how could they possibly use their relationship to gain something?

I can't do it, I can't do it!

The next second, the audience erupted in thunderous applause, as if they had gone mad.

"McLaren's Alain Prost has overtaken Ferrari's Michel Alboreto and taken the lead!" the announcer shouted.

Ronan and Zoe stood up and clapped along, their smiles blooming without reservation.

"Congratulations, Alan Prost! I knew he could do it!" Ronan exchanged glances with those around him and echoed their sentiments.

“I came here to see Alain Prost, huh? You too?” Zoe chatted playfully with the female guest on the other side.

The two looked at each other in surprise, then quickly burst into laughter and hugged each other, kissing several times.

Feelings can't be used as 'bargaining chips,' but that doesn't stop them from being 'actors.'

This damn tacit understanding!

"Ronan, Zoe! Come here and take a picture with Nigel Mansell of Williams, the qualifying champion!"

After qualifying, Ines took Zoe and Ronan to the inner track and arranged for them to take photos with the top three drivers of the day.

At the latest, this photo will appear in the pages of several racing magazines published by Michelin Magazine.

"Congratulations! I knew you could do it!" Ronan stood to Nigel Mansell's left and patted him on the shoulder.

Zoe then stood to the left of the champion and said with a smile:
"I came here specifically to see you, and I'll continue to cheer you on tomorrow."

The champion driver happily embraced the two handsome and charming artist fans, revealing a genuine smile:
"Thank you."

After qualifying, Cotillard drove Ronan's car away.

Zoe and Ronan will accompany Ines to a dinner hosted by the Monaco royal family.

This kind of activity isn't open to just anyone.

Agents are not allowed, nor are ordinary guests; only the most important confidants are allowed to stay by the editor-in-chief's side.

Before parting ways with Cotillard, Ronan whispered something in Cotillard's ear:
"The dinner tonight isn't like the qualifying rounds this afternoon. Security will just ask them to leave and that's it. Go back and keep an eye on Batty and Cafu. Make sure they don't do anything out of line. I don't want to be called to the police station to bail someone out at the dinner."

Theo and Cornell were there to watch F1, so they showed up at the afternoon qualifying session.

By the same token, what if celebrities and royalty like Batty and Cafu also appeared at some unexpected moment in a strange way, shouting "Ronan Ronan"?

Ronan only thought about it for a moment before sweat started pouring down the back of his neck.

Gotia patted her bare chest, giving off a reliable, "Don't worry about me" look:

"Don't worry, I'll weld your bedroom door shut when I get back. Nobody's going to get out today."

Ronan's mind went blank for a moment:
"No need for that. Let them go. It's inhumane to keep so many people locked in a small room, especially since the journey back to Nice is long. Just make sure they don't wander off."

Cotillard gestured to Ronan with his eyebrows, indicating that Ines was waiting for him and urging him to hurry over so as not to keep the editor-in-chief waiting.

"Don't worry about it, go on your way. We'll wait for your good news when we get back tonight." Even though the cameras weren't rolling, Ronan still grinned and waved to Cotillard.
"Don't worry, Zoe and I are incredibly strong right now."

After parting ways with Cotillard, Ronan and Zoe got into Ines's car.

As soon as they got in the car, Ines happily said to the young couple:
"So you guys really love watching F1. I was worried you'd get bored sitting here for hours this afternoon."

Ronan and Zoe exchanged a glance, and at the same time, they couldn't help but smile.

“I’ve loved watching F1 since I was a child, and coming to watch a race live has always been my dream, but I could never get a ticket before, and I always ran into obstacles.” Ronan said gratefully to Ines, “Thank you for making my dream come true. I’ll probably wake up laughing tonight.”

Zoe, echoing her husband's sentiments, said:
“I didn’t pay much attention to this sport when I was a child, but you should know how crazy the men of Provence are about F1 racing. My father and brother both love racing, especially my brother, who is practically obsessed with it. I was influenced by them and fell in love with the sport as well. It is my honor to be here today to experience this fascinating sport in person.”

Ines waved his hand dismissively:

"There are plenty of tickets. I'll reserve tickets for you next year too. Michelin Magazine and Monaco Monte Carlo Station have been partners for decades. Isn't that simple?"

"Thank you so much!" Ronan and Zoe said in unison.

Young couples need exposure, and young couples also need connections.

They haven't returned to the hotel yet, so it's unclear whether they'll be on camera during the broadcast. But even if the cameras don't capture them, the group photos alone will be enough to boost their influence.

On the other hand, during just the afternoon's social "warm-up," Ronan introduced his winery and cooperative to seven or eight important guests from Provence or other regions, and several others were introduced to the beautiful Lourmarin region by him. He also exchanged contact information with more than a dozen "friends."

That would be wonderful if we could come every year and have something to gain every year!

Seeing that one of the goals of the trip to Monaco was progressing relatively smoothly, Ronan quickly brought up the other objective of the trip.

"President, there's something I'd like to ask you for help with."

A faint smile appeared on Ines's face:

"Don't say it's troublesome, it's what I should do."

Ronan was taken aback for a moment, then asked with a complicated expression:

"I haven't said what it is yet."

A shrewd glint flashed in Ines's eyes:

"You're calling him 'President,' what else could it be? Tell me, has Stella run into some trouble?"

Ronan, surprised, waved his hands repeatedly:

"No, no, everything is going smoothly so far. It's just that I came up with an idea when promoting rosé wine, but I encountered some resistance when implementing it. I wanted to ask if you have any solutions."

Ines's expression turned serious.

Stella de Stella is a top priority for the Vaucluse Rosé Wine Association. In a sense, helping Stella de Stella grow is changing the status quo of rosé wine in Provence, which is a responsibility and obligation she certainly cannot shirk.

"You said."

"Do you remember when I first attended the association's gathering, everyone's impression of me was that of a market stall owner selling rosé wine?" Ronan asked gently.

Ines nodded:
"I remember your photo appeared in a fifth-rate magazine like Pan Travel, which described your crazy antics while selling rosé at the market."

Ronan scratched his head sheepishly.

"Although it's crazy, the effect is quite good."

Ines continued nodding; her memory was excellent, and she still remembered everyone's comments about Ronan and the way they looked at him when he first appeared at the party:

“Some of us knew about you before you joined the association—Lourmaran has produced a ‘madman’ who’s obsessed with rosé wine to the point of madness.”

Ronan did not refute Ines's assessment, because that was indeed the impression he gave to many people:
“I want to do that kind of ‘crazy’ thing in more markets. Maybe what happened in Lourmaran can be replicated? In other cities and villages, there are also crazy people who are obsessed with rosé wine. And then, through these crazy people, we can influence even more people?”

Ines understood immediately:

"Do you want to set up a stall in more markets?"

Ronan nodded firmly, with utmost seriousness:

"Yes, I want to extend St. Strasbourg to every inch of Provence, not just the coast and a few scattered places, but applying to each village and town one by one is too time-consuming. Do you know of any convenient way to achieve this?"

Ines fell into deep thought.

That's certainly a good idea, but it's not quite the right fit.

While Ines was pondering, Ronan quickly added:
"Actually, it's because Cherno has been helping me and Stella that I came to ask you. He has many ways to help popularize rosé."

Ines paused in his thoughts and asked unexpectedly:
"Cherno? Cherno, the editor of 'The Coast'? The tour guide I found for you?"

Ronan nodded repeatedly, showering Cherno with praise:

"It's him, it's him! Stellar's core sales area is along the coast. I only contacted him on a whim, but I didn't expect him to go to such lengths to introduce me to distributors and help me find solutions. Recently, Stellar's market share in Marseille and Nice has increased significantly, and Jerome's inventory is not enough to sell. He's so enthusiastic and capable. Those partners treat us very well because of Cherno."

Ines said "good" three times in a row.

Although nothing else was said afterward, Ronan knew that the name Cherno must have planted a very good seed in Ines's heart, which would soon blossom.

Ines thought about it for a while longer before replying to Ronan:
"Your request is actually not complicated and is easy to fulfill, but the one who can do it is not me, but someone else. You know that person, Llorente, do you remember him?"

How could Ronan not remember Llorente? He was an old acquaintance.

But if you want that old fox to do something, you need to offer him something of equal value in exchange, and Ronan has nothing else to offer.

There might have been a 'dessert competition' stake before, but that stake has already been placed.

Ronan smacked his lips bitterly, then shook his head:
“I know Llorente, but I'm a bit unable to persuade him. You should know what kind of person he is, right?”

Ines snorted coldly, seemingly disdainful of the man's behavior:
“If it weren’t for the fact that he could be of some use at this time, I wouldn’t want to remember that such a person existed. If Michelin magazine has any working dealings with him later, I will take a step back, in exchange for him helping you get this sorted out.”

"Huh? Is this appropriate?" Ronan asked, somewhat embarrassed.

Ines looked at Ronan with pursed lips, like a mother lecturing her son:
Whether something is suitable or not depends on the purpose. As long as the gains outweigh the losses, it is suitable. Be flexible, kid.

"We were just too inflexible before."

After getting off the car, Ines ran into an acquaintance.

When she went out socializing, Ronan and Zoe talked about his thoughts.

"How so?" Zoe earnestly helped Ronan fix his hair and clothes.

He's so handsome, how did he become a driver?

“If we're a little more flexible, we might achieve even more in the afternoon's qualifying rounds,” Ronan clicked his tongue repeatedly. “Isn't that exactly what we're aiming for?”

Zoe's beautiful eyebrows rose slightly, making no attempt to hide her ambition:
"Don't be disappointed. I'm confident we'll gain even more from the banquet later. Just be quick-witted and do exactly what I say."

Ronan raised an eyebrow:

"Really? To be honest, I've been preparing for tonight's royal banquet for several days, and that's where I'm putting all my effort."

I was planning to secretly take you flying, and now you're telling me you're going to take me flying?
Zoe blinked her big eyes several times, as if trying to make sure Ronan wasn't joking with her.

Seeing Ines return, Ronan took Zoe's hand:
"Let's go, tonight we'll definitely achieve twice the result with half the effort!"

(End of this chapter)