CHAPTER 320: CHAPTER 320: OLD-FASHIONED OVEN

Compared to role-playing board games, old-school board games are quite hardcore. They not only require a strong sense of self-immersion but also involve a lot of props and hours of gameplay.

So, when the vendor heard that Chen Yiyang was just a game player, he immediately thought that Chen Yiyang wasn’t a hardcore player like him.

However, Chen Yiyang didn’t mind the vendor’s attitude. After carefully examining the stall, he finally found the Lucius Cup mentioned in the insider info.

The cup was mixed in with other board game props in a game prop box.

Honestly, if it weren’t for the clear picture in the insider info, Chen Yiyang wouldn’t have recognized this thing as a museum-level relic.

The Lucius Cup depicted under sunlight from different angles.

Chen Yiyang picked up the precious Lucius Cup and admired it.

Roman aesthetics were indeed too advanced; this cup had a very modern fantasy aesthetic style. No wonder it was mistaken as a role-playing prop and placed here.

"How much for this box of board games?" Chen Yiyang, trying to avoid suspicion, decided to buy the entire box of game props.

"Including blueprints, rule books, and all props, a total of two hundred euros." The vendor quoted a price directly.

That’s expensive.

Chen Yiyang took a deep breath.

This niche hobby is indeed quite costly.

After bargaining with the vendor several times but unable to lower the price, Chen Yiyang had to shell out two hundred euros to buy the entire box of board game props.

After paying, Chen Yiyang took Mayu back to the hotel.

"Does President Chen really like this type of game?" Mayu was puzzled by why Chen Yiyang suddenly called her out in the morning just to buy this.

"Yeah, just thought it looked nice, so I bought it. Also, since we’re in Paris, we should explore more; we can’t just laze around in the hotel all the time."

Chen Yiyang casually made up an excuse to brush off Mayu.

But Mayu seemed to genuinely believe Chen Yiyang’s words and didn’t ask further.

Due to a few lessons learned previously, after acquiring this treasure-level relic of Europe, Chen Yiyang did not seek appraisal but tossed the Lucius Cup along with other board game props in the corner.

He planned to take them all with him when leaving Europe and would find someone to appraise them upon returning to his home country.

After admiring the Lucius Cup in the hotel, Chen Yiyang followed Mayu to the French restaurant recommended by her master in the afternoon.

It was a very traditional French restaurant, maintaining the old French restaurant style in its overall decor.

But the shop was a bit small, and the whole restaurant could accommodate only about thirty guests.

"Your master used to be my partner, but he left me and went abroad to make money."

A chef who looked a lot like the male lead from "Léon: The Professional" received Chen Yiyang and Mayu.

"I’m sorry." Mayu didn’t know what to say and could only nod apologetically.

"There’s nothing to be sorry about." Though the forty-something French middle-aged man complained, he graciously led Mayu to the kitchen.

"Oven built in 1765." The middle-aged man introduced the oven used for making French puff pastry pies in the shop to Mayu, "It’s still wood-fired. But I’ve stocked plenty of wood in my shop, so feel free to use it these two days."

"Wow." Chen Yiyang looked at the old oven in front of him and sincerely exclaimed, "It’s huge."

"This one oven alone takes up an area of 24 square meters. Only this kind of traditional oven can make the most traditional French puff pastry pies."

While introducing the oven, the middle-aged man also introduced himself, "By the way, you can just call me Roman."

"You are indeed a traditional Frenchman." Seeing the oven, Chen Yiyang instantly understood why Mayu’s master ran away back then.

The restaurant was already small, and an oven took up more than twenty square meters.

In a place like Paris where every inch of land is precious, the cost of rent becomes hugely inflated because of this oven.

"There are too few Frenchmen like me nowadays." Roman sighed beside them.

Roman means a Roman in French, quite a traditional French name indeed.

As Roman, the forty-year-old representative of the French white flag monitored both Mayu and Chen Yiyang while speaking.

"Just so you know, the place is available for you to use, but I won’t help with anything else. The competition is in ten days, are you sure two people are enough?"

"I’m just accompanying her; I don’t know how to make pies." Chen Yiyang quickly explained.

"So, it’s just this little girl?" Roman looked at Mayu and said, "Then good luck to you."

"Thank you so much." Upon hearing Roman’s words, Mayu could only nod and bow.

After all, it’s already nice enough that he lent the facilities and kitchen for her use, and Mayu didn’t expect him to assist with pie-making.

"I’m planning to purchase some ingredients to make puff pastry pies." Mayu, after leaving some tools in the kitchen, came to find Chen Yiyang.

"My master sent me locations nearby where I can buy ingredients for French puff pastry pies. Would you like to come along?"

"Let my bodyguard go with you; he can help carry things too."

Chen Yiyang knew that Mayu wanted him to accompany her.

But Chen Yiyang, having his own plans, refused Mayu and instructed the waiting bodyguard outside to accompany her instead.

With her soft personality, Mayu did not say much upon hearing Chen Yiyang’s words and quickly left the restaurant to buy the ingredients, thanking him as she went.

Meanwhile, Chen Yiyang returned to the restaurant to chat with Roman.

"Despite having no customers now, I won’t chat idly with someone who doesn’t speak French in Paris."

Roman could speak English, and from his fluency, Chen Yiyang surmised he’s perfectly capable of exchanging ideas in the language.

But Roman quickly interrupted Chen Yiyang’s attempts at conversation.

Indeed a traditional Frenchman—doesn’t like English.

After all, in the hearts of the French, the English are all country bumpkins.

If a foreigner intends to ask for directions in France, it’s best to learn a few broken French phrases first, then mix them with English inquiries; only then might you get a response.

If you start with English, the narrow-minded French will likely ignore you.

Thinking for a moment, Chen Yiyang spoke again in English, "I’ve always been interested in French cuisine. Do you have caviar here? I’d like to taste it."