1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 491 Lend me this auspicious land!
"Move aside, move aside! Why do you always take my spot?"

Feng Zhen poured herself a glass of ice-cold peach juice and grabbed a few pieces of freshly baked dessert from the kitchen, wanting to sit comfortably behind the cashier and watch today's 'world affairs,' but little did she expect that her seat would be taken by Ronan again.

She tolerated it once or twice, but it's been happening frequently lately!

“I’m helping with the cash register,” Ronan said, pointing to the francs in his hand.

Feng Zhen placed the juice and dessert on the table, and then, as if marking out territory, filled all the available space with paper, pens, and a calculator:

"I'm here. You can go now and take care of other things."

Ronan obediently lifted his bottom. Just as Feng Zhen was settled, he moved another chair over and squeezed behind the table with his mother, grinning mischievously as he said:

"There's nothing else I can help with. I'll sit for a bit, just a little while, and I'll make room for you in a bit."

Feng Zhen kept nudging people with her elbows, protesting in a low voice with exaggerated gestures:

"No, no, no! You're too conspicuous if you sit here. If I'm hiding here alone, no one will know where I'm looking. You need to leave here right now!"

The cashier's counter acted like a screen, blocking the view of the table that Feng Zhen and Luo Nan had fought over, and the people sitting behind it. Only the tops of their heads, eyebrows, and eyes could be seen peeking out, allowing them to secretly observe the world. This was the most advantageous position for covert observation.

"Oh dear, I was just wondering who to entrust with the market. It's such a big deal, I have to observe it carefully. But I can't observe anything by standing next to someone, I have to watch secretly, and this place is perfect." Ronan tried his best to hide himself so that no one around him would notice him.

Feng Zhen snorted coldly, and the force on her arm lessened slightly:
"Now you realize how good my place is? You used to look down on it."

“People have to grow up, right?” Ronan was delighted to see the new dessert and picked it up to try it, but his hand made a semi-circle in the air before he finally put it into his mother’s mouth. “Mom, you’ve worked hard. Eat something to replenish your energy.”

"I've only been here a short while, what's there to be tired about!" Feng Zhen wasn't buying any sweet talk and said impatiently to Ronan, "You should just focus on your work, I need to do the accounts, it's almost the end of the month again."

Suddenly she exclaimed "Hey!", picked up the second piece of dessert, and put it in her mouth, muttering to herself:

"Lia's desserts are getting better and better. What is this that tastes so good? I'll have to go in and ask her later."

Ronan resisted the urge to try it and continued to secretly observe the target individuals with his eyes.

To be honest, he sat behind the cashier for several hours, observing many employees and a few friends, but he didn't extract much useful information and his mind became even more confused.

The main problem is that there are too few people who can be reused, and the trusted confidants are already shining in other places and cannot leave their posts.

It's no exaggeration to say that Ronan has already considered the artist community.

I wonder if anyone is willing to do a part-time job while creating content?
In short, the current situation is that there seems to be a reason why no one is suitable, and it is difficult to find a satisfactory one. Perhaps the observation period is still too short, and Ronan has not found anyone with any outstanding qualities.

Thinking that his mother had been sitting in this auspicious place for a year, and that her discerning eyes must have noticed many details that he hadn't paid attention to, Ronan casually asked his mother, Feng Zhen:

"Mom, what do you think about me handing over the market business to Fabian?"

Fabian, one of Ronan's few farmer friends who didn't go to work in St. Louis, is still diligently farming.

Although we signed contracts for a much larger area of ​​land this year than last year, seeing that the farmers who no longer farm are earning a lot, have plenty of rest time, and have gotten rid of the smell of the soil, I occasionally make a few sarcastic remarks.

Ronan knew that Fabian was conflicted, and if given a good opportunity, he would try to persuade him again, and Fabian would definitely come to help.

“Fabian won’t do.” Feng Zhen said while eating, her hands also busy pressing the calculator, perfectly demonstrating multitasking. “Fabian is a nice guy, and too honest. He’s fine with working, but asking him to do business will be a nightmare for him.”

Ronan nodded.

Fabian is a bit far removed from the market business, so he has to figure everything out from scratch, and he's too honest and inflexible.

“And let me tell you—” Feng Zhen whispered in Ronan’s ear, “Fabian can’t even do addition and subtraction within 100. If you hand over the market to him, you two will both be in trouble.”

"Huh? Really?" Ronan asked uncertainly.

Feng Zhen pursed her lips, glancing at the direction the knitting compound was facing:

"It's true, absolutely true. Once, his wife Bore got drunk and complained to her family that she couldn't even figure out how many rows and columns of crops An used to farm."

“Then we really can’t give it to him.” Ronan looked away and glanced at Isabel, who had just brought in the new guest, and asked hesitantly, “What about Isabel?”

Without thinking, Feng Zhen blurted out:

“Isabel is fine, no problem. She learns everything very quickly, she’s very clever, and she always goes to the market with you, doesn’t she?”

Isabel accompanies Ronan to the markets in Lourmaran and Mena almost every week, and she is the most suitable person to do so if it comes to familiarity with the business.

but--

“This girl is amazing. She can help with the accounting when the cashier isn’t around, and she can call to buy ingredients when we run out. She can fill in for anyone who needs help right away. And do you know what’s most impressive?” Feng Zhen nudged Ronan’s elbow, gesturing for him to look over. “The most impressive thing is that she’s quick to notice things. She doesn’t need to be told what to do; she’ll always be there for the best opportunity. Even your dad says that our restaurant is completely different with Isabel and without her. This little girl!”

Feng Zhen shook her head a few times, then nudged Ronan hard again:
"Oh right, your dad said you should raise Isabel's salary as soon as possible, so that no one can poach her."

Ronan sighed with a worried expression:
"Prices are going up, I know it's going up."

Ronan knew, of course, how versatile Isabel was, and he had long held high hopes for this girl.

In his original plan, after the new restaurant in the second phase of the commercial street opened, Luo Tianhai would go there to attract new shops, and the old shop would be handed over to Isabel to manage.

She was the only choice to be the store manager; Ronan had never considered anyone else.

The market business could grow very large in the future, but Ronan didn't expect to make much money from this new business, mainly because it's too difficult to make money from it.

He participated in the Lourmaran market during a period of economic depression, but its prosperity could not compare with the bustling markets in places like Mena Village. At that time, selling sweet and sour pork was barely enough to make ends meet.

Ronan believes that the situation is similar in many local markets, or even worse. He expects to be able to cover labor costs and would be grateful if he could, and he would accept a slight loss.

After all, this is a form of advertising, isn't it? There's no such thing as advertising without spending money.

The market serves primarily as a platform for promotion and dissemination.

As Ronan said, it's enough to bring St. Strasbourg's rosé wine, Chinese food, and potentially weaving to more places, so that more Provençal people can see and become familiar with them. He has other ways to make money.

If Isabelle manages this business, she naturally won't have the energy to manage the restaurant anymore.

So who's in charge of the restaurant?

A choice must be made between the two.

But deep down, Ronan still wanted to keep Isabel at the restaurant.

At that moment, Frosty came out of the kitchen, and Ronan immediately spotted this long-time employee:
“Mom, do you think Frosty can manage this market business? I know she has no experience in running one, but Alan does. He will definitely help his wife with this challenge.”

Frossy had been helping out in Ronan's kitchen for almost a year now, and had also accompanied Ronan to the market many times.

More importantly, women are the group of people who understand the culture of Provence's markets best; it's something ingrained in their genes, and Ronan believed that Frosty was capable of handling this task.

"Oh dear, don't even think about hitting on Frosty. She has her own work plans." Feng Zhen stopped doing her calculations.

"What work plan? I've never heard of it." Ronan looked away.

After Frost left, Feng Zhencai quietly explained to her son:
“Flossy wants to learn pastry making from Leah, just like Nicola. She recently bought a lot of cooking utensils to practice at home, so she doesn’t have time to run all over Provence. You don’t need to ask.”

Among the first batch of recruits, Freddie's wife Nicola went with Leah to make desserts because she showed a strong interest in them.

Ronan had also consulted Frosty, who said that the three sisters had the best relationship and that they could achieve twice the result with half the effort if they could do something together. However, Frosty said that she was not interested in desserts, so Ronan arranged for her to do something else.

"When did this happen?" Ronan was very surprised. "Didn't you say before that you were tired of Alan's desserts and wanted to stay away from desserts?"

Feng Zhen turned her body to face Ronan, looking ready to give a long lecture:
"That's ancient history! Can Alan's desserts compare to Leah's? Alan himself said that compared to Leah, his dough is like a lump of clay. Recently, many people in our restaurant want to learn dessert making, like Leah, and get a formal dessert certificate. I don't know how many eyes are on Leah taking on apprentices. When I went to the kitchen to get desserts just now, Leah was followed by three or four little tails, all of them pestering her."

Ronan's lips gradually curled into a wide smile:

"Because Leah's desserts are delicious?"

Feng Zhen nodded, pointing to the dessert plate in front of her that was now just crumbs, and said:
“You really should try it, Ronan. I’m telling you, Leah’s desserts are almost as good as yours now.”

Ronan dipped his thumb in the crumbs, tasted them, and said with self-consciousness:
"I'll be honest with myself, this tastes better than what I make."

Even when Leah was still a housewife, her desserts were already famous far and wide for their deliciousness, and countless people went to great lengths to try and get a free meal at Louis's house.

During her year working at the restaurant, she not only worked but also systematically learned a lot of advanced dessert knowledge and obtained a formal pastry chef certificate.

In terms of experience, having served a large number of discerning diners, she has developed a unique recipe that better suits the taste buds of Provençal palates. Combined with decades of accumulated experience, her desserts are absolutely top-notch in Provence in terms of taste alone.

The dessert team led by Leah has never let anyone down, making many customers who come specifically for the desserts feel that their trip was worthwhile.

Already so capable, she has recently been working on improving her weaknesses—her styling skills.

It is no exaggeration to say that Louis was not the only one who discovered a new charm in his wife and fell in love with her.

The women in the restaurant were also captivated by Leah's hard work, ambition, and professionalism, and were eager to learn how to make desserts from her.

"Lia, when is the dessert team going to expand? I want to join you!"

"Go away, there are plenty of people who want to join the dessert team now, how could it be your turn? I informed Leah half a year ago, this is a matter of first come, first served."

"Lia, I have some pastry-making experience. If there are any openings, could you consider me first? Pastry positions are so sought after, I suggest we conduct interviews before expanding our recruitment in the future!"

Leah took off her gloves, smiled, and said to the little tails behind her:
"I haven't heard any news about expanding the dessert team, so I can't make any promises to you. But if you want to learn, you can come and watch over me when you're not busy. I'm always welcome."

A very perceptive little girl handed Leah the equipment she needed next, while saying ingratiatingly:

"We have days off, but you don't. You're either at work or practicing. Do you even have time to teach us?"

The girls would come to the kitchen to find Leah whenever they had a break, but Leah never had a break.

Ronan gave it to her, but Leah didn't want it and used it all for practice.

Leah left the oven area, picked up a carving knife, and continued her carving practice on the dried fruit:

"I'll have time in a few days. I shouldn't be so busy after Ronan finishes the dessert competition. You can come anytime then, and I'll teach you."

Leah's recent efforts are in preparation for selling the same dessert Ronan made in the dessert competition at the restaurant in the future. It would be pointless to work hard after the competition is over.

"Hey, Ronan's here!" Some of the followers noticed the boss's arrival and immediately surrounded him, chattering and asking if he was hiring for the dessert position.

Whether it's the restaurant, Stella, or the Lourmaran handicraft cooperative, there are key figures who help Ronan manage his business.

Ronan himself wasn't used to being a boss; he preferred to mingle with his employees, so he jokingly said:

"Whether we need more staff for the dessert department depends on how well the desserts sell. If each table of customers orders more desserts and the current staff can't keep up, then I'll definitely need to hire more people for Leah."

The quick-witted little girl from before immediately rushed out:

"I'm going out right now to announce that our restaurant has new desserts, and everyone who hasn't tried them must give them a go."

Ronan quickly dismissed Leah's few followers with a few words, then went to look at Leah's sculptures:
"You're getting better and better."

Leah lowered her head and said seriously:

"Of course, I will definitely not hold you back this time, and I will definitely help you achieve good results."

"Assist?" A laughing voice came from beside her ear. "No, you're coming with me. We'll both participate in the competition together."

(End of this chapter)