1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 557 Wedding Scene
As is well known, Zoe has loved animals since childhood and enjoys creating works that revolve around them.

Those familiar with Ronan know that he enjoys creating surprises and romance.

But nobody knew that these two things could be connected, especially during an important wedding.

"God, this way of delivering the ring is so unusual, I almost thought they had lost it."

"No wonder he's Provence's most famous animal artist; having dogs deliver things at a wedding is insane!"

"It was a very special wedding. I will probably still remember this moment decades from now."

The guests in the audience thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle, believing it to be a special segment planned in advance by the newlyweds, and praised their thoughtfulness.

Only Ronan's close family and friends who helped plan the wedding knew that Blackie's appearance was absolutely unplanned!
"Ronan really did have a surprise in mind," a few female artists in the bridesmaids whispered to each other.

"This surprise made me sweat," Thor said awkwardly, scratching his head.

Even though the bride Zoe had developed a 'big heart' after experiencing many big occasions, she still couldn't get over the initial nervousness and the subsequent huge surprise. Ronan picked up the ring, and she stood there speechless for several seconds.

She certainly loved the special ceremony that brought the ring to life, loved it very, very much, but Ronan never considered that the plan might fail.

Ronan read Zoe's thoughts from her eyes and expression, took her hand and led her to face the priest to continue the proceedings, while explaining in a low voice:

"Xiao Hei has no interest in finding truffles, but it is incredibly loyal to people. I trained it to keep things for me, and even if there are thousands of miles in between, it will definitely bring them to me."

Last year, training Xiao Hei to dig for truffles was like a nightmare, but this time, training Xiao Hei to deliver things can be described as 'a natural process'.

It's no exaggeration to say that Ronan was almost moved to tears when he saw the little black cat running towards him with the ring box in its mouth.

Zoe had never witnessed Ronan and Blackie's training process, but Blackie's appearance and the 'surprise' that Ronan had carefully prepared touched her deeply.

But now is not the time to cry; they are about to recite their oaths.

Having completed his 'mission,' Little Black obediently returned to Lucas's side to find his wife.

But halfway there, they were blocked by a strange uncle wearing a beret.

Hakimi crouched down and started snapping photos with his camera.

"Don't go, best man! Take a photo with the bride and groom before you leave."

"Click - click -"

Xiao Hei's 'dog life photos' have appeared.

People in Provence are witty and humorous, and priests are no exception.

"Thanks to that 'friend' in the black tuxedo, our wedding can continue." He made the sign of the cross, making the guests laugh.

After a brief interlude, the atmosphere became solemn again.

In Provence, the vows of newlyweds follow the traditional framework of French Catholicism, with fixed questions and phrases. However, different places have different special customs, which may involve minor modifications. In the Luberon area, it is customary for priests to recite the vows in the Provençal dialect.

If you are a friend from out of town, then I must apologize.

These people most likely wouldn't understand what the priest was saying—the Provençal dialect has a distinctive intonation, and the locals' tongues always seem to be rushing around like they're on a train. If you can understand one or two words in a whole sentence, that's considered good.

But this doesn't prevent outsiders from understanding the content, because the issues have been shown on TV and in movies.

The most typical example is Thor. The priest mumbled several sentences, which were incomprehensible, but as the best man, he still did his best to act as a 'translator' for the other outsiders.

"Ronan, do you take Zoe to be your wife, to love and to cherish her faithfully, in good times and in bad, until death do you part?" Thor imitated the priest's tone as a 'simultaneous interpreter'.

On the platform, Ronan turned to Zoe and nodded firmly:
"Yes I do."

Ronan wasn't speaking in a dialect, so this sentence doesn't need translation.

Next, the priest looked at Zoe and continued to ask in the Provençal dialect:
"Zoe, are you willing to accept Ronan as your husband, to love him, respect him, cherish him, and hold him in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, until death do you part?"

Zoe looked back at Ronan and almost blurted out:

"Yes I do."

In Paris, after the couple has exchanged vows, they will exchange rings and kiss.

Thor had already raised both hands, ready to applaud, but Ronan and Zoe on the stage grabbed each other's hands, simultaneously opening their mouths to say—"C, ieu vòu li siéu tant que la tèrro tourno!"

Before he finished speaking, a large number of young people rushed out from all directions, running towards the ceremonial platform while shouting, "tant que la tèrro tourno!" and "tant que la tèrro tourno!"

Several people from out of town asked the 'translator' with confusion:
"What were they saying? And what were Ronan and Zoe's last words?"

These are dialects; they didn't understand them.

Thor made "uh-huh" sounds for a long time, but couldn't utter a single word.

This scene isn't in the TV series or the movie.

The next second, a pair of large hands landed on Thor's back.

Lucas pushed Thor and several other young men into the revelry:
"Ronan and Zoe's last words were 'I will belong to him/her until the earth stops turning,' and the others were shouting 'until the earth stops turning,' which is our local custom. Hurry up, after they finish kissing, they're going to set up the 'Arch of Honor.'"

Thor and a few other outsiders didn't understand what this custom was, nor did they know what a 'Honors Arch' was, but they still actively joined in.

"So it's possible to watch kissing up close?" Thor made a mooing sound like a cow.

Weddings in Provence are much more interesting than those in Paris!
The people watching the kiss rushed over so fast that Zoe and Ronan had just exchanged rings and hadn't even had a chance to kiss before they were right in front of them. They were all baring their teeth and brandishing their claws—how could they possibly kiss like that?
"What are you two being shy about? Go kiss them!"

"Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me!"

"Do I need to force your heads down?"

When it comes to watching a spectacle, there is no distinction between men and women, or young and old.

From 88-year-olds to toddlers, everyone crowded around, urging Ronan and Zoe to hurry up and finish their kiss.

Ronan and Zoe looked at each other and burst into laughter at the same time. They weren't shy at all, and both of them chose to be the 'initiator'—Zoe hooked her arms around Ronan's neck, Ronan held Zoe's buttocks, and the two of them exerted force at the same time. To outsiders, it looked like their mouths were 'piaji' together in a kiss, without any process.

"Waaaaah!!" All around was a cacophony of howls and wailing.

I love your open and generous nature!

"Click—click—click—"

Hakimi squatted on the ground and took several more 'life-changing' photos:
"Beautiful, so beautiful!"

The kiss lasted a long time, and Ronan and Zoe were both enjoying the blissful moment.

When they opened their eyes, they found a 'corridor' built by people in front of them, which was the 'Arch of Honor' that Lucas had mentioned.

This custom initially required relatives and friends to hold tools such as sickles, hoes, or everyday items such as brooms and rolling pins, and raise them in a crisscross pattern to form arches.

The newlyweds walk under these arches, symbolizing society's acceptance of them and the labor and life they will soon face together.

When the bride and groom pass through all the 'arches,' it signifies the end of the traditional part of the ceremony, and they are legally and socially married.

However, this custom has now been 'modified' to some extent, with flowers replacing the tools and everyday items people use.

Of course, the bad boys of Lourmaran wouldn't let Ronan and Zoe pass so easily, setting up layers of 'obstacles' in their way, such as making them kiss or turn their backs on each other.

The young people were having a blast, radiating youthful energy, while the older folks weren't idle either. Luo Tianhai and Liya left the viewing area; they had their own tasks for the day.

"Ronan and Zoe will take photos with the guests later. Then the 'reception' will begin. I'll go prepare the food." Luo Tianhai patted his wife Feng Zhen's hand. "You stay here and entertain the guests."

The party will continue until the early hours of the morning, with different preparations to be made at different times.

While the newlyweds and their friends are taking photos together, other guests will be invited to the wedding venue for a simple 'cocktail party' where everyone drinks, chats, and waits for the newlyweds to arrive.

When Ronan and Zoe arrived at the banquet hall after taking photos, it meant that the wedding banquet was about to begin.

Leah also released Louis's arm:

"I'm going to prepare the cake, darling."

The highlight of the wedding banquet was cutting the cake, and Leah had to go and prepare for it.

She turned her head and whispered to Vieri:
“Keep an eye on your father, don’t let him cause any trouble!” Vieri nodded, watched his mother leave, and then asked Isabel beside him:
Are you going to get busy too?

All the restaurant staff came to the castle to help out today.

Isabel's gaze was still fixed on the 'Arch of Honor,' while Ronan, under Gabriel's 'coercion,' was doing squats with Zoe in his arms. She nodded.

"Yes, but my job today is to entertain guests."

There were too many guests today. Luo Tianhai and Liya were working behind the scenes, while the clever Isabel was in charge of the reception.

Vieri was a little reluctant to see Isabelle leave, because she was dressed very beautifully today, but she had important business to attend to:

"Go ahead."

Not long after Isabelle left, she jogged back, grabbed Vieri's head, and quickly kissed him.
"Watch carefully and learn from it; it will be useful in the future."

Most of the guests today are Ronan and Zoe's close friends.

However, there are a few exceptions where the relationship is 'distant' or where there is little overlap in business, but there has been contact in life, such as Mr. Simon, the heating and toilet merchant who provided Ronan and Zoe's family with a living guarantee.

In fact, Ronan had no intention of inviting this 'shady businessman', but when Simon came to install toilets in Lourmaran village, he saw the notice board with Zoe and took the initiative to come to Ronan's house to offer his blessings.

The main thing about getting married is having a lively and joyous occasion. Since the other person had sent their congratulations, Ronan sent Simon an invitation.

Today, this gentleman brought his wife, who loves music, to the wedding.

Apart from Ronan and Zoe's families, Mr. Simon and his wife didn't know anyone at the wedding, nor were they familiar enough to take a group photo. The two elderly people seemed a little 'awkward' at the wedding.

Isabel happened to see this, and she took the initiative to come over and start a conversation with them:
"Would you two like to take some photos?"

Despite the sweltering summer heat, Simon wore a thick suit jacket that was out of season. After standing outdoors for a while, a layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He pointed to his wife, who was wearing a long dress, and said to Isabel:
"Thank you, but no need. Let's give the time to the younger generation. My wife is a bit hot. Do you have any wine or water?"

Isabel gestured for them to proceed.
"Please come with me to the banquet hall."

The viewing area and the reception/banquet are two different venues, with a 2-3 minute walk between them.

Simon and his wife followed Isabel deeper into the castle. His wife lowered her voice and asked her husband:

"Your friend is quite something, isn't he? Holding a wedding in a castle, and even having a 'banquet hall,' what does he do?"

Simon at least knew both Ronan and Zoe's families, but Simon's wife only knew Simon and knew nothing about Ronan.

Unfortunately, Mr. Simon's understanding of Ronan is limited to the version from before that.

Simon responded with a barely audible nasal sound, and in a very low voice:

"He was a truffle hunter who later opened a restaurant, but the business was barely thriving. He was definitely not a great truffle hunter. Do you know how stingy he was? He would always haggle down to half price. I've never seen such a stingy customer."

When Simon was installing heating at Ronan's house, Luberon was experiencing a dreadful northwest wind that had been blowing for a month straight, almost blowing Ronan's newly opened restaurant out of business.

But with such terrible weather, Ronan still went into the forest every day to look for truffles, which is clearly not 'impressive' at all.

Pierre Cardin cut the toilet in half, and even cut the heating system right off the main artery; you could probably describe it as being poor!
Simon's wife looked around at the arrangement and hesitated before saying:

"But it doesn't look like it. It cost a lot of money just to decorate this place, and it's a castle, the venue fee must be so expensive."

Isabel has excellent hearing, a skill that allows her to detect what many guests need and proactively deliver it to them.

But this time, she found it difficult to take the initiative to do anything.

However, she was merely speechless, not mute, and politely turned around to introduce herself:
"The castle was provided to Ronan free of charge by the Lourmaran government."

What she meant was that Ronan was so impressive that the government provided him with a wedding venue for free.

But Simon misinterpreted these words, and he said to his wife beside him:

"Look, they got the wedding venue for free. I told you he was stingy!"

Isabel rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Ronan married Zoe, and Vieri is Zoe's brother. Isn't that disrespecting her family?
Isabel suddenly quickened her pace:
"Let me show you around first."

Simon smiled and shook his head:

"What's so interesting about visiting a banquet hall?"

Before he finished speaking, they walked around an ancient city wall and suddenly found themselves in a bright and open space.

Enveloped in a century-old castle courtyard, a winding 'dragon' appears, composed of long tables, ending at the Luberon Mountains.

This scene was created by Zoe, who wanted guests attending cocktail parties and wedding banquets to be able to look up and see beautiful natural scenery.

"What a beautiful banquet hall!" Simon's wife exclaimed in surprise, her mouth agape. She accidentally bumped into the dining table, causing the cutlery to make a slight clinking sound.

Isabel helped the lady up and said with a strong sense of vengeance:
"Please be careful, the tableware used at this wedding banquet is all art, all made by artists."

Simon pressed his face against the glass and asked incredulously:
"Are all these tableware pieces works of art?"

Isabel smiled and replied:
"Yes, sir. Ronan and Zoe are both among the best artists in Provence, ranking in the top 50 in terms of talent and fame. Their wedding certainly cannot use ordinary tableware."

Simon stared wide-eyed as if he had heard something terrifying and asked:
"Ronan? The artist?"

Is that kid who looks like he's been dug out of the mud every day an artist?

“The president of the Provence Artists Association is also here for the wedding today.” Isabelle led them in another direction. “I’ll take you two to the buffet area. Grab some food and drinks and wait for Ronan and Zoe to arrive.”

The reception was a traditional buffet, where guests helped themselves to their own food.

On the way to the buffet area, you can see red wine 'fountains' and 'wine boats' covered with ice everywhere on both sides.

In 1987, drinks at large events in Provence were usually served by the glass, with waiters serving guests one glass at a time, but here the serving unit seems to be measured in bottles.

Simon asked Isabel curiously:

"Are these bottles props?"

Surely no one actually supplies alcohol by the bottle?

The average person in Provence is a heavy drinker; how much money must they spend?
Isabel turned around and gave a knowing smile:

"Of course not, sir. Ronan is the owner of Stella, the largest rosé winery in Provence. Zoe told Ronan that how can a winery be without wine for its guests? If you wish, you can even take a few bottles with you when you leave."

"You still say Ronan isn't amazing!" Simon's wife rushed towards the lavish buffet.

There are dozens of cheeses and sausages available, and it's only a transitional 'cocktail party' time right now.

What kind of family is this?

You old liar!
Simon immediately changed his tune, speaking ingratiatingly to Isabel:
"Please take us to a seat closer to the bride and groom later. Ronan and I haven't been in touch for so long, it seems we've missed a lot of stories. We'll have to make up for it tonight."

"They're already licking me? I haven't even finished 'introducing' you yet," Isabel thought to herself.

Her apologetic reply:

"I'm sorry, sir, Ronan is already surrounded by people."

Like Simon, there are many people who want to get 'closer' to Ronan.

Isabel, who was in charge of greeting guests, heard too many similar requests today.

Simon nodded in understanding, but continued muttering, unwilling to give up:
“Actually, Ronan and I have many areas where we can collaborate in the future. His artwork needs a larger market, and I can introduce him to clients. I also have many friends who love rosé wine. Why don't you ask Ronan about it?”

Isabel was very busy today and didn't have time to deal with him. Mainly, she had already vented her anger enough, so she pretended to be troubled and said:

"But tonight, sitting around Ronan are the president of the Provence Women's Foundation, the general secretary of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Plantation Alliance, the daughter of the Aix-en-Provence tourism tycoon, and the widow of the old shipping magnate of Marseille."

Isabel rattled off the identities of more than a dozen people as if reciting a menu:
"How about this, sir? I'll go ask these people and see who's willing to switch seats with you. I'll go ask now, please wait a moment."

A minute after Isabel left, Simon was still staring wide-eyed, savoring the names of those important figures.

Is Ronan really that amazing?!
(End of this chapter)