Chapter 41: The Generous Wealthy Man

There were too many people in front of the stall for Ronan to notice Olivier’s arrival.

It wasn't until Olivier practically ‘shook’ his massive palm right in front of Ronan’s face that he noticed the big man, who seemed even heavier than the last time they met.

“Ronan, my good friend!” Olivier spread his arms wide, as enthusiastic as an old friend reuniting after years apart.

“Mr. Olivier?” Ronan said, surprised. “What a coincidence.”

“Yes, what a coincidence, to run into you here!” Olivier’s tone was as natural as if he had run into a friend on the way to buy bread; there was no sign that he had just sprinted several hundred meters with his corpulent frame.

“I’m a bit busy right now. Let’s have a drink next time.” Ronan gave him a nod and turned to attend to other customers asking questions.

Olivier ‘suddenly’ spotted the large truffle on the stall and pulled Ronan’s head back again:

“My God, did you find this?”

“Yes, I’ve had good luck this week.” Ronan smiled and shrugged.

Olivier continued:

“How much? My restaurant needs this.”

Ronan patiently explained the sales rules he had repeated countless times, though since they were acquaintances, he went into more detail:

“Large truffles can’t be sold by weight, and I don’t have time to go to Avignon or Marseille to find an official market notary, so I’m just auctioning it off here. Whoever offers the highest price before 11:30 AM will be its owner. You can bid multiple times.”

“An interesting way to sell,” Olivier said, stroking his mustache.

It seemed Ronan had no idea of the market price for top-tier truffles. If it were Lucas, he would certainly have set a very ‘expensive’ price; even if it sold slowly, he would definitely find a buyer... because Provence was not short of novices like Ronan.

Since Ronan wanted to make quick money, his opportunity had arrived!

“Then I’ll put in a bid as well,” Olivier said calmly.

“Alright.” Ronan picked up his notebook, waiting expectantly for the bid.

“How much does it weigh?”

“1293 grams.”

Olivier thought for a few seconds and spoke:

“20,000 francs.”

If this truffle were placed on the market in Marseille, it could sell for 25,000 francs, or perhaps even over 30,000 if luck were on his side.

Ronan hesitated for a moment. Instead of writing anything in the notebook, he said to Olivier:

“Alright, I’ve got it. You can go walk around or grab a coffee now; I’ll announce the results at 11:30.”

Olivier realized Ronan’s reaction was off:

“Why aren't you writing it down?”

Ronan put the notebook down:

“I only record the highest price...”

The implication was that the price he offered was not enough.

Olivier thought for a moment and offered another price:

“25,000 francs.”

Ronan remained unmoved.

Olivier was slightly surprised. Was there really a fool at the Menerbes market willing to buy it at market price? However, he guessed his bid wasn't far from the highest, so he bid again:

“30,000 francs.”

This price was already on par with the market price in Marseille.

Ronan smiled and shook his head at him.

Still not the highest?

“May I know what the highest price is right now?” Olivier asked with a frown.

Ronan opened the notebook and turned it around for him to see:

“It’s no secret.”

Olivier rubbed his eyes:

“37,000? How could someone offer 37,000 francs?”

This was higher than the market price in Marseille! Was this person crazy?

“Who offered this?” Olivier asked, speechless. He really wanted to punch that fool. He was determined to have this truffle, but spending this much made his heart bleed!

Ronan pointed diagonally ahead:

“That gentleman is over there having coffee.”

...

Olivier left the noisy crowd and walked in the direction Ronan pointed.

He was furious! Olivier swore that when he saw that guy, he would definitely ‘teach’ him a lesson. He would tell that novice to stop being so blindly arrogant. But when he angrily pushed open the door to the café, he was surprised to find that everyone sitting inside were familiar faces; there wasn't a single stranger.

“Tyler, Arthur, Noah, Isaac...” Olivier froze at the door. “You’re all here?”

These were all restaurant owners just like Olivier.

A young man named Tyler smiled at the others:

“Look, our ‘League of Losers’ has gained a new member. Olivier, tell us, what price did you bid?”

Olivier sat heavily into a chair, glaring at them in a circle:

“Speak! Who offered that damn price? Are you all so desperate to get into the Michelin Guide?”

If these people had offered 37,000 francs, Olivier could understand. Like him, they came with dreams of ‘soaring to the top.’

Everyone laughed for a while, their eyes turning to the corner of the room, which was so secluded that Olivier hadn't even noticed it when he walked in.

“That price was offered by Mr. Jacques,” someone reminded him.

Mr. Jacques?

Olivier nearly fell off his chair. That was the owner of a true Michelin restaurant! And a two-star Michelin at that!!

...

The auction didn't have many twists and turns. Olivier’s group added to their bids a few more times, but no matter how much they offered, the man named Jacques would raise his bid to snatch it back.

In the end, this truffle, which was worth 25,000 to 35,000 francs in the Marseille market, sold for 41,000 francs.

At 11:30 AM, a middle-aged man wearing a wool coat, black-rimmed glasses, and silver-streaked hair arrived at the stall. Ronan had already prepared the truffle, even tying a ribbon around it for ‘flair.’

“In the end, you took it home,” Ronan said with a smile as he handed the truffle to Jacques.

This was the customer who had specifically bought large truffles at the market last week, and he had come again today.

Jacques handed the check to Ronan:

“Next time you have such high-quality truffles, please save them for me.”

Through the introductions from Olivier and the others, Ronan now understood the identity of this big shot. There were over thirty Michelin restaurants in Provence; most were one-star, five were two-star, and there was one three-star restaurant. Mr. Jacques was the owner of one of those two-star Michelin restaurants.

Michelin was a French tire company founded by brothers Édouard and André Michelin in 1889. Wheels follow the car, and service follows the wheels—this was the original business philosophy of the Michelin company. In 1900, during the Paris Universal Exposition, the brothers decided to include information on restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and repair shops in the *Michelin Guide* to serve motorists.

For the first 20 years, the *Michelin Guide* was distributed for free. By chance, they witnessed the guide being used as a ‘foot’ guide—literally used by repair workers to prop up a table leg. This discovery led to two consequences: one, Michelin realized the truth that ‘free equals trash’; two, from then on, people around the world had to pay to get the *Michelin Guide*.

The *Michelin Guide* comes in two colors. The ‘Green Guide’ covers itinerary planning, scenic recommendations, and road directions. The ‘Red Guide’ provides dining and lodging information. The latter is published in over a hundred countries with total sales exceeding ten million copies, becoming the world’s best-selling gastronomic guide for over a century.

Getting into the ‘Red Guide’ isn't easy. Michelin employs a group of ‘impartial iron-tongued’ judges who pay their own way to visit restaurants incognito, evaluating cooking standards, service, and even decor. Even more rigorous is the fact that the *Michelin Guide* is updated every year. Those fortunate enough to be included in the *Michelin Guide* receive at least one fork and spoon symbol, with a maximum of five.

Stars are a symbol of honor:
One Star: A very good restaurant in its category.
Two Stars: Excellent cooking, worth a detour.
Three Stars: Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.

From this, one could see Mr. Jacques’ status in the Provence restaurant industry; he was truly one of the elite.

“May I ask you a question?” Ronan called out to Mr. Jacques as he was about to leave.

Jacques leaned forward and said politely:

“Of course.”

“Why did you buy it at a price higher than the market value? My restaurant-owning friends said this truffle isn't worth that much.” Ronan asked curiously.

Ten minutes ago, Olivier had fiercely denounced Jacques’ ‘market-disrupting’ behavior, and that was when Ronan realized that even in the Marseille market, this truffle wouldn't have been priced over 35,000 francs. Olivier was competing for it to boost his chances for a Michelin star, but why would Mr. Jacques, already at the top, pay such a high price?

Jacques tilted his head and thought for a moment:

“Perhaps that is exactly why they haven't managed to run a Michelin-starred restaurant.”

Ronan was stunned. He hadn't expected the mild-mannered Mr. Jacques to say something so bold. Then he remembered something Olivier had once said—many high-end restaurants in Nice and Marseille would purchase truffles at prices higher than the market rate because those channels provided consistent supply. So, they were not only willing to pay a premium for ‘stability,’ but also willing to pay a high price for quality?

“I understand now,” Ronan said with a smile. “It’s a pity the picking season is over this year. If I find top-tier goods in the next season, I will definitely save them for you.”

“Thank you,” Jacques replied politely.

He walked two steps away, then suddenly stopped and asked Ronan:

“May I ask you a question?”

“Of course.” Ronan put down what he was holding and looked up, puzzled.

“Why did you use an auction format? Was it because you heard we were generous spenders?” Jacques asked with an expressionless face.

Hearing this question, Ronan couldn't help but laugh:

“Actually, I never thought it would sell for this much; I was even prepared to lose money. I used the auction format because I wanted to meet more friends.”

The advice Zoe gave yesterday made Ronan realize the importance of ‘food’ in Provence. Even if he didn't sell things at the market in the future, it would be difficult to avoid this field. And what he lacked right now were resources in this area. If he could possess vast upstream resources like Olivier, his future path in Provence would be much smoother. Especially since these people were of such high quality...

My God, Ronan absolutely loved these rich people who ‘only cared about speed and quality and didn't consider the money.’ A fixed-price sale would only net him one friend, but he could potentially become friends with every participant in the auction. Didn't buy it this time? Don't worry, my friend, next time I have something good, I'll definitely keep you in mind!

He believed no one would refuse to be friends with a truffle hunter like Ronan.

Jacques smiled and waved goodbye to Ronan:

“Congratulations on gaining another friend. My restaurant is in the village of Bonnieux. I am there every day except Tuesday and Saturday morning. If you have time, feel free to come over for a drink.”