Chapter 25: The Young Lady

The earth was frozen solid, and the pruned crops had entered their dormant period.

The farmers enjoyed a more leisurely pace of life and would typically be found at the old tavern every day. However, everyone was surprised to notice that Theo, the local drunkard, had been missing for several days.

"Where is Theo? I haven't seen him in days," Pierre said, scanning the tavern. He hadn't seen Theo today, either.

A farmer who was close to Theo replied, "It seems there’s some trouble at his house."

"What kind of trouble? Is it serious?" Pierre asked, his expression turning slightly grave.

The man chuckled. "It seems to have something to do with his younger sister, Elena."

Theo had two siblings; besides his brother Lucas, there was Elena, who was significantly younger than both of them. She was not yet married and still lived with their parents.

Hearing that it was an issue involving Elena, Pierre pulled a face, his expression complex. "He’s got his work cut out for him."

Elena was the village's notorious "little princess," and every so often, she would stir up some kind of drama. The last time her name had come up, it was because she had fallen for the butcher’s son. When her family refused to approve, she had insisted on eloping with him. Lucas had given her a harsh warning then, telling her that if she married that butcher, the family would provide her with no further financial support. They told her that if she could accept that outcome, they would agree.

She had been quiet for barely a month, so what was happening now?

***

Inside a three-story building in the center of Lourmarin village, in a bedroom on the south side of the second floor, Theo sat on a wooden chair, looking miserable. Opposite him, on the bed, sat a young woman with deep brown hair, delicate features, and a hint of baby fat on her cheeks. She looked to be in her twenties, dressed in white pajamas with exquisite floral patterns. A gold necklace with a gemstone pendant hung around her neck, and she wore a dainty silver ring on each hand.

"This is Lucas’s suggestion! Are you going to ignore his words now? Everything you have, he provided!" Theo said, struggling to suppress his anger.

Elena’s shoulders trembled violently with agitation. "Just because you give me money to spend, you think you can decide my marriage? You want me to marry that yellow-skinned foreigner? Theo, you are devils! You are devils who will go to hell!"

Theo’s eyebrows knitted together. "Ronan is a good man. Both Lucas and I believe marrying him is a fine choice. He is far better than that Phil guy. Besides, we respect you; we only hope you’ll meet him first. If you don't like him, that’s fine—we won't force you. Why must you act as if you’ve suffered some great injustice?"

Lucas was determined to secure Ronan as a partner for his truffle business, but Ronan was a man of strong opinions. The only way to bring him onto their side was to form a solid, lasting relationship with him, which led to the idea of having him meet Elena.

Lucas’s stance, however, was not rigid. On one side was his sister, who was of marrying age, and on the other was a potential partner he was keen to recruit. If sparks flew, all the better; if not, Lucas had other ways to win Ronan over.

But Elena had reacted with such extreme agitation that it reminded her of the incident a month ago, leading her to jump to the conclusion that her brother was treating her marriage as a business transaction.

Theo, wanting to prove his worth to Lucas, had taken the task upon himself. He had spent three days at their parents' house trying to reason with Elena, but the more they talked, the worse things got.

"Phil is the most masculine man I’ve ever met! Can a Chinese man even compare to him? I can guess with my eyes closed: he must be a short, weak man who avoids eye contact and reeks of insecurity!"

Images of dating and kissing such a version of Ronan flashed through Elena’s mind. She grabbed her hair in a frenzy, feeling as though she couldn't breathe.

Theo slammed the table twice, speechless, signaling her to snap out of it. "You haven't even met Ronan! Why don't you look at the world with your own eyes instead of living in your own tragic fantasy, thinking we’re all out to hurt you?"

"The man I marry must be a real man like Phil! And that guy is three months younger than me—my God, dating a younger man is a living hell; I don't want to be his ‘mother’!" Elena shrieked.

"You think Phil is a man just because he knows how to slaughter pigs? That’s only because you didn't see the cowardly way he cried to Lucas and me, saying he didn't actually want to elope with you!" Theo raised his voice in return.

"Liar! Liar! Liar!"

*Bang.*

The bedroom door was kicked open with force. The room instantly fell silent, and the shouting ceased.

Lucas swallowed the urge to curse. He closed the door before speaking. "Do you want the neighbors to know there are two lunatics living in this house?"

Theo guiltily vacated the chair and sat down next to Elena. Elena shifted her weight away from him with a look of disdain, but her emotions had calmed. She only dared to "go crazy" in front of Theo; in front of Lucas, she was as tame as a kitten.

Lucas sat on the chair, leaned forward, and asked Theo sternly, "Why didn't you come tell me when you ran into trouble? Did you think shouting at Elena would solve anything?"

Theo rubbed his neck, embarrassed. "I thought I could persuade her."

Lucas pointed at Elena. "Is this the first day you’ve known her?"

Theo hung his head in frustration. Elena was a complete lunatic. She only listened to Lucas; no one else’s words made a difference.

After reprimanding his brother, Lucas looked at Elena, who was playing with the hem of her pajamas as if everything before her had nothing to do with her. "You don't agree with my suggestion?"

He had heard the arguing the moment he entered the house and had already deduced the state of affairs. Elena was still holding a grudge over how they had "broken up" her and Phil, using that as an excuse to make a scene. It was her usual trick since childhood.

"No, I don't," Elena shook her head innocently. "I am more than happy to contribute to the family."

Theo looked at her, his expression twisted. *Fine, fine, I’ve discovered yet another trace of your ‘villainy’!*

Lucas squinted at Elena for a moment, then said in a warning tone, "I don't care how you get along with Ronan. I only hope to use this opportunity to bring us closer to him. Remember my words: bring us closer. No matter what else you are plotting, if you let things go in the opposite direction, you can go back to work. Whether as a waitress or a dancer, no one in this house will give you another cent."

***

To prove her loyalty to the family and her brother, Elena dressed up that very afternoon to make her first visit to Ronan.

The people of Provence were warm and spontaneous, and they approached love the same way. When someone felt an attraction, whether man or woman, they could express it openly without the need for concealment; it was not something shameful. On the contrary, "bold" young men and women were often viewed with greater favor.

And what Elena intended to do today was to confess her feelings to a man she had never even met.

"So, you want to set me up with that yellow-skinned foreigner? Fine. I’ll satisfy you."

Elena stood outside the vineyard of Ronan’s home, pulling the brim of her hat down with a wicked smile.