1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 524 Don't stop me, I'm going to be number one!

Bonnie had become part of Guangzhou more than half a month ago, but it was only on a small scale.

Once the newspapers start featuring various materials about sheep, it's because the competition date is approaching.

The organizers will conduct betting business around the goat race. To provide customers with a reference when placing bets, a few days before the race, they send photographers to the villages where the 20 teams of competitors live to take 'publicity photos'.

"Haha, we meet again. You're still dressed as 'handsome' as ever." The photographer greeted Hu Hu as soon as he arrived, showing more interest in the sheep than in the person. "I remember you. You wore all red last year."

The photographer was able to recognize Huhu simply because it was still 'a head taller than a sheep' in terms of its appearance this year.

After several rounds of selection, Ronan chose a 'parent-child outfit' inspired by equestrian competitions: a beige collared shirt, corduroy black riding breeches, leather leg warmers and traditional boots, and a matching helmet with straps. This outfit was the most common attire in high-end riding stables in the late 1980s.

Huhu wasn't wearing pants, but instead wore collared shirts of the same material and style as Ronan, and a helmet with straps on its head. The whole sheep looked incredibly energetic.

This helmet is Ronan's favorite design detail. Last year, before the competition even started, Huhu's helmet was tilted and covered one of its eyes, and that's how it participated in the competition.

Now that there's a helmet with straps, even if Huhu gets into a fight with a sheep halfway through, he can still see the world with both eyes.

The designer who created and produced these matching outfits is Cornell's sister. When she delivered the clothes, she encouraged Ronan, saying, "Elegance isn't just about horseback riding; there might also be sheep racing. No matter how it ends, you and Huhu will definitely be the two coolest people there this year."

Ronan chose to take the photos in the vineyard in front of his house.

The background is his big house, and the foreground is a person and a sheep dressed in matching outfits.

The photographer kept snapping photos, exclaiming in amazement:
"How interesting, this sheep can even laugh?"

It's normal for people to smile when taking photos, but why is the sheep grinning like that?

Ronan gripped the rope even tighter to prevent Huhu from suddenly attacking the dog.

He glanced at Marseille, who had gathered at the photographer's feet to watch the spectacle, and said dismissively:
"Ah, yes, my sheep is very clever."

Marseille and Huhu remain irreconcilable enemies. Apart from brief moments when they watch the spectacle together (Feng Zhen crying), they inevitably engage in a fierce battle whenever they meet.

Marseille came to watch the commotion, and the sheep couldn't stand it anymore. Ronan almost dropped the rope several times.

"Quite clever?" The photographer put down his camera, asking with a wry smile. "I remember it didn't even finish the race last year, did it?"

"Uh—" Ronan was speechless for a moment, "I should be able to finish the race this year."

The race distance for the goat race was only a little over 3 kilometers, which is far less intense than their usual training.

If Ronan can run a longer distance with Huhu, he can definitely run the entire Bonillo race.

To be on the safe side, it's not impossible for us to get a place!

Accompanying the photographer was a staff member from the event organizers, sporting a thick beard. Holding a clip, he said to Ronan:
"I need to know some basic information, and you need to answer me truthfully."

These are also reference materials when placing bets, and Ronan nodded in agreement:
"Ok."

The bearded man looked at the question on the clip and asked:
"What is its playing style? For example, is it an endurance-based player or an explosive player?"

Many villagers in Lourmaran will be watching this competition, and many will be placing bets. Ronan decided to make their 'resumes' look better:
"It combines endurance and explosive power."

The person on the other end continued to ask:
"What are your weaknesses? For example, being unable to move when you see a beautiful woman, being aggressive, or having a gluttonous appetite, etc."

Ronan considered it for a moment:
"The weakness is that he is too competitive."

The staff member continued asking questions without any emotion:
"Years of participation in the competition?"

Ronan thought for a moment. When he bought Huhu last year, its previous owner said that Huhu was less than a year old at that time. Another year has passed, and now it will be almost two years old.

"The entire sheep's life is a competition."

The bearded man glanced up at Ronan speechlessly:
"The jockey's racing years."

Ronan gasped, realizing he had become a weak link.
"A few months."

"A few months?" the man pressed.

“More than a month,” Ronan muttered sheepishly.

"What color do you like?" The bearded man continued looking down at the clip.

"Hmm?" Ronan looked up in confusion. "Mine? Or the sheep's?"

The man quickly pointed at the two of them:
"respectively."

Ronan frowned and asked:
"What does this have to do with the competition?"

The bearded man said without even looking up:
"There are too many random elements in the competition, and some people prefer to bet based on 'mysticism,' such as whether the riders and competitors like the same colors as them."

"Oh, I see." Ronan nodded. "It likes green, and I like green too."

What is your favorite food?

The bearded man asked all sorts of strange questions, from what food he liked to whether he had any lucky charms. It didn't feel like he was preparing to bet on a goat race; it felt more like he was recommending boyfriends to some ladies.

Overall, Ronan seemed quite happy with the answers.

If we disregard the quality and information of the sheep and the jockey and instead focus on these miscellaneous details, then it and Huhu should be able to produce a decent 'resume'.

Because he put a lot of thought into answering the question, trying his best to describe the pair as a perfect match between humans and sheep, with their hearts in perfect harmony.

After asking all the questions, the bearded man handed the clips to Ronan:
"Please check if there are any problems. If there are no problems, we will print out the information for your group of contestants as is."

"There shouldn't be any problems, then I'll leave it to you." Ronan smiled and took it, but was dumbfounded after only looking at the first group of people.

The first line is a question he hasn't answered before, and the question is: Historical Achievements.

The answer below is: Participated once, withdrew halfway through, and received no results.

“This—” Ronan tried to explain something, but the bearded man rudely took the clip away.

"Is there a problem with the answer, sir?" the bearded man asked, looking at Huhu with an unfriendly tone. "Last year, I spent three whole hours running through the crowded and narrow streets of Bonnillo to find it. I was so exhausted I lost weight!"

Ronan: "."

People in Provence do indeed make choices based on lucky charms or other metaphysical principles.

But the first question written in the profiles of Ronan and Huhu deterred many people.

The other sheep, no matter what, at least got a ranking.

What does it mean to desert in the face of battle?

The day before the match, Pierre specifically sought out Ronan, who was drinking at the old tavern, wanting to congratulate him.
"Dude, do you know what your odds are right now? 1 to 17!"

"What? The odds are higher again?" Cornell squeezed in. "I thought yesterday's 1 to 15 was the limit."

Whether Ronan and Huhu are the most handsome pair in this year's goat race is still hard to say, but they are definitely the least favored pair.

"They're settling personal scores!" Henry slammed down his glass indignantly. "I follow the games every year, and I've never seen such outrageous odds! Mr. Ronan, I'm definitely betting on you to win!"

"Haha, Henry, you've found a way to get rich!" Pierre ordered an ice-cold beer, sat down on a bar stool, and said jokingly, "Buy 1000 and make 17000, buy more!"

Ronan, not wanting to be teased by his friends, fled the old tavern:
"You guys keep talking about the road to wealth, I need to go back and feed Huhu, then get a good night's sleep so I can compete well tomorrow."

Prior to this, Ronan had no expectations for this match.

Zoe enrolled them a few months ago simply to resolve the tension between Ronan and Huhu.

But now, a sense of pride has risen within him, a burning desire to win.

The less people believe in him, the more determined he is to achieve great results!

Just you wait and see tomorrow!!
"Don't go, Ronan, let's drink some more, let's drink some more!" Pierre shouted at his retreating figure.

Fabien, holding a wine glass, sat down next to Pierre:

"You're just teasing Ronan. You clearly bet 500 francs as soon as the odds opened, and Ronan will win."

Pierre looked mischievous:
"I need to motivate him to work harder. This is the first time anyone from Lourmaran has participated in this competition, why would I buy someone else's ticket?"

"Pierre, what are the betting rules this year? Are we still betting on the top three?" Cornell asked curiously.

Most people will go to Bonnie to place their bets before the race tomorrow morning, but the rules for the Goat Race are different every year. Last year, you had to predict the order of the top three, but before, you only needed to bet on first place.

Pierre took a sip of the ice-cold beer, and the refreshing taste made him gasp.
"This year, the betting rules have reverted to the previous ones, where you can bet on the first place winner. But I heard that the competition rules have changed again."

Last year, Ronan and his friends approached the goat race as a 'group trip'.

Louis's circle of friends all turned out and found a coffee shop next to the starting point of the race to watch the whole thing.

But this year, Ronan became a contestant.

He set off from Lourmarin before 7 a.m., aiming to reach Bonillo before 8:30 a.m. Zoe accompanied Ronan and Huhu ahead of them; the other friends would arrive later.

"What? You said you booked the whole coffee shop?" Ronan said to Zoe in a casual tone on the way. Louis and Freddie were still watching the game at the same place this year, but he couldn't go.

Zoe told Ronan that not only Freddie and Louis would be there to watch the game, but many villagers from Lourmaran would be there too, because she had 'booked out' the stadium.

“It’s not all of it, it’s just one terrace,” Zoe corrected. “It’s the terrace where we watched the game last time.”

"Why did you book such a big venue?" Ronan asked, somewhat unsure.

Zoe said with a cold expression:

"I want them to watch you get good results from the best positions."

News of Ronan's incredible odds also reached Zoe's ears.

At the same time, she also heard many people making jokes about it.

Although neither of them meant any harm, Zoe didn't want to hear it!
She loved her husband dearly and couldn't bear to see Ronan suffer even the slightest injustice.

She had seen how hard Ronan had worked to prepare for the competition.

The race was only 3 kilometers long, but he took Hu Hu out to run 10 kilometers every day.

How could they possibly still come in last place?
Zoe got angrier the more she thought about it:

"When I get to Bonigno, I'll immediately place my bet: I'll bet 5000 francs on you winning."

"Aren't you buying too much?" Ronan quickly stopped him. "Just buy a little to participate."

Zoe said angrily:
"I've already bought very few."

Ronan suddenly laughed.

Zoe's earning power is not much less than Ronan's, and the few months she took off to renovate the house made her even more valuable.

In addition to income from her artwork, Zoe, with her striking looks, is frequently invited by brand clients to participate in other events, earning substantial rewards.

Thinking about it carefully, Ronan had made a lot of money this year, but he had squandered it all. This month he was so poor that he had to borrow money from a restaurant to make ends meet, so he felt that 5000 francs was a big number.

Zoe hasn't spent much money since buying the land in April, so she must be extremely wealthy now.
For someone who can easily sell a piece for tens of thousands of francs, 5000 francs is really a tiny amount of money.

Having figured this out, Ronan reached out and touched the humming in the carriage:

"We absolutely have to win, the odds are 1 to 17, you hear me?"

"Meow meow meow meow—"

Huhu cooperated by placing the sheep's head between Zoe and Ronan, a broad smile on his face.

Ronan did not stop Zoe from placing her bet.

Losing this little bit of money isn't a big deal, but winning it would be a huge income, so it's worth the gamble.

This substantial bet immediately changed the odds between Ronan and Huhu, from 1 to 17 to 1 to 13.

Looking at the numbers on the blackboard, Ronan finally smiled.

With a little more effort, he won't be last place anymore.

Before the competition, the riders and sheep must stay in the preparation area until the pre-competition performance is over, at which time the organizers will announce the competition rules.

The goat race has been held for over 100 years. To keep it fresh, the rules change every year, and even the competitors don't know what has changed.

However, the organizers will not make major changes to the format; the theme of the 'competition' will remain the same, and they will only add some interesting little details.

For example, in the past, you had to cross a muddy river to cross the finish line, but later it was changed to popping a water balloon representing your number with a stick, and so on.

As time passed, the area outside the preparation zone became bustling with activity, as tourists and locals participating in the event had clearly begun to arrive in Bonnillo.

The entire preparation area was as quiet as a chicken's nest.

Because of the competition, the usually enthusiastic Provençal people were no longer in the mood for chatting, and the riders chose to stay alone with the sheep, making their final preparations.

Today, Huhu was unusually obedient. Ronan didn't need to pull on the rope; it stayed right beside him and never went more than a meter away.

“Zoe is right, you’re different from other sheep.” Ronan gently stroked its horns. “You understand everything, you know today is an important day, right?”

Huhu lowered his head and continued to enjoy the free meal provided by the organizers before the match, without saying anything or avoiding Ronan's caresses.

"We're so close, yet you still have such a bad temper?" Ronan said, both amused and exasperated, after being ignored again.

Huhu is so unique; it has its own ideas.

Anything is fine when I want to play with you.

When they don't want to talk to you, even calling them "Dad" won't help.

Clearly, this is the moment when 'calling someone "daddy" won't help.'

Ronan then had a heart-to-heart talk with Huhu, mainly offering encouragement.

A short while later, the organizers came over to collect the grass, saying that this year's event had been upgraded and many high-profile guests would be attending.

In the past, sheep would produce a lot of "garbage" during the ten minutes they waited at the starting line to start the race, and there were always unruly children rolling around in it, which was very unsightly.

This year, the organizers decided to stop providing food an hour before the competition to reduce the amount of waste generated by the participants.

This reminded Ronan of the funny thing that happened last year.

The organizers were very cunning; bettors could only see the players' real appearance ten minutes before the match, and their bets were mainly based on the text information.

In order to buy the right athletes, Freddie secretly brought Alan and Ronan to the training area last year to observe the athletes in advance.

Freddie, who claims to be an animal expert from Provence, has a very unique method for selecting seeded players—he looks at which player produces the most feces.

He said that if the sheep empties its stomach, it can run faster.

However, that's pure nonsense. Last year, they observed dozens of piles of excrement, and the carefully selected contestants withdrew from the competition early on.

As Ronan was thinking, he suddenly felt a warm sensation under his feet, a feeling that was all too familiar.

He immediately darted away from the spraying area and waited for the excretion to finish.

But this time it pooped with incredible gusto, piling up almost like a small mountain of excrement on the ground, and it still didn't stop.

The commotion attracted the attention of many jockeys. Ronan wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that there was a hint of envy in their eyes.
"Could Freddy really be an animal expert?" a thought popped into Ronan's mind.

People say that what you think about during the day, you dream about at night.

No one has ever said that what you think about during the day will cause you to hallucinate.
One second Ronan thought of Freddy, and the next second he heard Freddy's voice, as if he were calling his name.

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the guy peeking out from between the two tents was none other than Freddie.

"I came to try my luck, and I didn't expect the organizing committee's preparation area to be in the same place as last year. You really are here!" Freddy said excitedly, sticking his butt out. "The people from Lourmaran are here. They asked me to tell you to do your best in the race!"

Ronan, as if seeing a savior, asked Freddie:

"Does a sheep's high excretion rate really make it run fast?"

“Of course, why would I lie to you? I slaughter thousands of sheep every year; nobody in Provence knows sheep better than me,” Freddie said with unwavering conviction. “Last year was just an accident.”

Ronan grabbed Freddie's arm:
“Tell my dad to buy 1 francs for the competition, and I’ll pay him back when I get back.”

"Which player should we buy?" Freddie asked excitedly.

Ronan pointed to the number on his chest:
"Buy number 6, for me and Huhu."

A dozen minutes later, Freddy came to the preparation area to report to Ronan:

"Don't worry, I've bought it!"

"Are the odds still 1 to 13?" Ronan asked excitedly.

Pierre was right; this was indeed a path to wealth.

If he weren't short of money, he would definitely have bought more.

“1比13？”弗雷迪瞪大了眼睛，“我们来的时候就到1比9了啊，现在都1比6.5了。”

"Why did it drop so quickly?" Ronan asked, frowning.

For the first time in days, I got angry because I was being overly 'favored'!
Isn't this cutting off my source of income?
Freddie said with a smile:
"Because everyone in Lourmaran who came to watch the game bought tickets for you, Ronan, we will all cheer for you."

(End of this chapter)