Spy-x-War Showdown
Chapter 833 - 838: Winery

Chapter 833: Chapter 838: Winery

Yang Yi held a glass of red wine, tilted it at an angle to observe for a moment, then brought the glass under his nose.

He sniffed, then gently swirled the glass, observing the wine’s motion. After another sniff of the wine,

he stopped, nodded slightly, and then took a sip.

"Not bad, although a bit thin, it’s pretty good for a two-year-old wine."

Yang Yi spoke in English because having a Frenchman nearby who could speak English was fortunate enough, and speaking in Chinese would have been impolite.

When giving a positive review to wine, it definitely made sense to do so in a language that the host could understand.

Yang Yi looked at Xiao Ran and smiled, "What do you think?"

Xiao Ran tasted the same wine, nodded slightly, and said, "It’s good, but not to my taste."

Both set down their empty glasses, and then Xiao Ran picked up another glass of red wine. She sniffed it, her expression slightly surprised. After the sniffing, she took a light sip.

After savoring it for a long while, Xiao Ran put it under her nose again and whispered, "Nice."

Luno smiled, "This is the best wine of our winery, using thirty-year-old vines and matured for eighteen months in brand new French oak barrels."

Xiao Ran took another sip, then nodded, "Merlot grapes, vanilla aroma, very, very soft; I like this wine. It’s the best we’ve tasted in eight wineries."

After speaking, Xiao Ran realized she might have said too much and took another sip from her glass.

Yang Yi also took a sip, then said to Xiao Ran, "It’s a good wine, but I think it lacks a bit in aged aroma. You know I prefer wines with a richer aged aroma, so I think the one from Marber Vineyard is slightly better, just a tiny bit because this one is indeed very nice."

Xiao Ran looked at Yang Yi, pondered for a moment, and then nodded, "I like the style of this winery, very much."

After Xiao Ran spoke in English, Yang Yi chuckled in Chinese, "You like this winery? If you really like it, then how about this winery?"

Xiao Ran gave Luno an apologetic smile but then pondered for a moment and said, "This winery is a bit expensive, but the wine here is truly my favorite, just like the taste I want. I have that feeling, and I think if we’re buying a winery, we should first love its wines."

Yang Yi laughed, raised his glass to clink with Xiao Ran, and said, "As long as you like it, that’s all that matters since it’s you who wants to buy a winery. Let’s have a good talk."

Xiao Ran shook her head, "No, no need to rush; we have plenty of time. I want to choose slowly, see how I feel in the end. Also, I need to check the conditions of this winery. If it’s only the wine that’s good but not the living conditions, then there’s no need to rush."

After speaking, Xiao Ran smiled at Luno in English, "I’m sorry."

Luno smiled to indicate he didn’t mind Yang Yi and Xiao Ran conversing in Chinese. Yang Yi then said, "We would like to stay here for one night. Does your winery accommodate guests?"

Luno hesitated for a moment but soon said, "Of course, it would be an honor for our winery."

Yang Yi nodded, then suddenly asked, "Um, I heard that this winery is planning to sell. Is that true?"

Luno paused briefly, then nodded, "Yes, the owner Mr. Bena is looking to sell this winery."

"May I ask why he wants to sell? If it’s inconvenient, you don’t have to answer."

Luno spread his hands and said, "It’s not because of the winery, Mr. Bena feels that he doesn’t have the energy to manage this vineyard well. He loves the vineyard, so he hopes it will be better managed under a new owner."

Yang Yi nodded thoughtfully and replied, "I see, thank you."

Luno then spoke in a serious tone, "May I ask if you are planning to buy a vineyard?"

Yang Yi smiled as he glanced at Xiao Ran, then said in a relaxed manner, "We do have such plans. My girlfriend wants to buy a vineyard; she loves red wine and vineyards. We even plan to hold our wedding in our own vineyard."

Luno immediately said with a smile, "Congratulations to both of you."

Xiao Ran chuckled, "Thank you."

Luno, with interest, asked, "Then, how do you feel about Ornong Winery?"

Yang Yi shrugged and answered, "My girlfriend likes it a lot. She enjoys the wine here."

"Then, would you and your beautiful girlfriend be interested in talking with Mr. Bena?"

Yang Yi and Xiao Ran exchanged glances. Xiao Ran gently shook her head and said, "Sorry, I don’t want to proceed to that step before making a final decision."

Yang Yi, however, shrugged and said, "I think it might be good to talk a bit. Buying a vineyard isn’t a decision one can make in a day or two; there’s no harm in talking about it first."

Xiao Ran thought for a moment, then said, "Alright, you decide."

Yang Yi looked at Luno and asked, "When would Mr. Bena be available? Can we talk today?"

Luno immediately replied, "Sorry, Mr. Bena lives in Paris. Allow me to call him, and perhaps Mr. Bena can come tomorrow. Since you two are resting here tonight, meeting tomorrow works just as well. What do you think?"

Yang Yi hesitated but nodded and said, "That’s fine, but I hope we can meet tomorrow morning. Sorry, I don’t want to delay our trip too much, so please ask Mr. Bena when he has time. Or, if possible, I could visit Mr. Bena in Paris."

Luno smiled and said, "Please wait. I’ll call Mr. Bena now, excuse me for a moment."

Luno went to an unoccupied room and called Pierre Bena. After waiting for the call to connect, he spoke in a serious tone, "Mr. Bena, we have two Huaxia guests at our winery, a pair of young lovers, who seem to be interested in purchasing a vineyard, and they are particularly interested in Ornong Winery."

"Young lovers?"

"Yes, quite young."

"Do you think they are serious?"

"I believe so. Although these young people are low-key, all their jewelry is luxurious and very expensive. I feel they are not sensitive to price and care only about their own feelings. They like the feel of Ornong Winery and have already explored many vineyards. Also, they hope to meet and speak with you."

"Will they come to Paris?"

"Their schedule seems to be tight. The young man said he is only willing to wait until tomorrow morning, and if it’s not convenient this time, he would like to meet with you in Paris later."

"Hmm, let’s not wait then. I’ll rush over tonight, and if it’s too late, we’ll meet tomorrow."

"Alright, Mr. Bena, I will arrange it."