TSA Chapter 97

With the final exams over, it was time to go home for the holidays. The teachers didn’t assign much homework—just a few reminders not to play too much and to review their textbooks occasionally—before dismissing them to pack up.

The students cheered and ran off like birds freed from a cage. No matter how relaxed classes were in the service department, staying at school was never as comfortable as being at home. Everyone had been eagerly awaiting the holiday.

This break lasted more than two months, but with the game, they could still meet daily even if they were apart, and food could even be delivered to their homes. Because of that, Ran Qi and Gu Le didn’t feel the usual sadness of parting from close friends.

They didn’t have much to pack. Aside from some clothes, the only major thing they needed to bring home was their game pod. Since the pods were expensive, buying a second one was unnecessary. So, they had their dorm’s game pods shipped home and took an afternoon spaceship back.

Ran Qi had expected that his father would be home waiting for him, but when he opened the door and saw four grown men sitting neatly in the living room, he was momentarily stunned.

“Xiao Qi!” His second brother, Ran Hui, was the fastest—he rushed over and hugged him first.

His eldest brother, Ran Kai, walked over with a big smile and hugged both of his younger brothers. With Qu Qing and Ran Shaojun joining in, the whole family was soon locked in a group hug.

Only after they had hugged enough did they finally release Ran Qi.

Ran Qi took a deep breath. Being squeezed in the middle had been a little suffocating, but he didn’t want to ruin such a warm family moment, so he endured it.

Qu Qing pulled him to the sofa, looked him up and down carefully, then sighed, “You’ve lost weight.”

Ran Qi was speechless. Lost weight? He had actually gained a little weight recently thanks to good food, and he had even grown two centimeters taller!

“Yeah, you’ve lost a lot of weight! You have to eat well now that you’re back! Come on, let’s go to a five-star restaurant tonight—my treat!”

Ran Qi: “…”

Fine. There’s a kind of ‘thin’ that only family sees.

“Let’s skip going out. Since everyone’s here, why don’t I cook tonight?” Ran Qi suggested.

“Won’t that be too tiring? You just got home… Qu Qing hesitated, reluctant to let his youngest son start working the moment he returned.

“It’s no trouble. The ingredients I use are all freshly exchanged, much better than anything from a restaurant.” Restaurant food was overpriced with small portions. Cooking at home meant they could have a greater variety of dishes, and everyone could eat as much as they wanted.

“Alright then.” Since Ran Qi insisted, Qu Qing didn’t argue. “I’ll help you.”

“We’ll help too!” Ran Kai and Ran Hui immediately volunteered

“The kitchen is small—there’s no need for so many people.” Ran Qi shook his head, amused. “It’s enough if little dad helps. You two just wait outside.”

Cooking really didn’t require that many people, and since Ran Kai and Ran Hui were elite soldiers with broad shoulders and strong builds, they probably had never touched kitchen utensils in their lives. He was actually worried they might end up making a mess.

Ran Kai and Ran Hui exchanged glances, rubbed their noses, and obediently went to wait outside. Still, they couldn’t help but sneak glances toward the kitchen now and then.

Ran Qi turned on his communicator and began selecting ingredients with Qu Qing.

Qu Qing still hadn’t gotten over the tomato egg soup that Ran Shaojun had snatched away last time, so without hesitation, he chose tomatoes and eggs. Ran Qi picked beef tenderloin, pork belly, potatoes, eggplant, green peppers, cabbage, and rice—since Chinese cuisine emphasized a balanced diet with both meat and vegetables. He also bought some fruit so that the others could snack while waiting.

Octopus Express remained as efficient as ever, delivering everything in under thirty minutes.

After washing some strawberries and bringing them out for everyone, Ran Qi started cooking dinner.

Aside from Qu Qing’s long-awaited tomato egg soup, he planned to make dishes that paired well with rice: grilled beef, braised pork, Di San Xian (a stir-fry of potatoes, eggplant, and green peppers), and stir-fried cabbage—forming a classic four-dish-one-soup meal. He even cooked a large pot of rice to make sure everyone could eat their fill.

At first, Ran Shaojun, Ran Kai, and Ran Hui were still chatting about work, but soon, the delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen completely captured their attention. Even the strawberries, which they had initially found so rare and delightful, suddenly seemed less appealing.

“This smells amazing… What exactly is Xiao Qi cooking?” Ran Hui craned his neck toward the kitchen.

“Who knows…” Even the usually composed and steady Ran Kai found himself swallowing more frequently.

“Dinner’s ready.”

It wasn’t easy waiting for the food to be served, and the moment the dishes hit the table, everyone showed looks of surprise. Even without tasting them, the enticing aroma was enough, and the vibrant colors of the dishes made them all the more appealing.

“Don’t just sit there—go ahead and try Xiao Qi’s cooking,” Qu Qing said with a smile, urging everyone to start eating. He himself eagerly scooped up a bowl of the tomato and egg soup he’d been longing for. The last time Ran Qi had sent the soup home, Qu Qing had only managed to sneak a small bowl before Ran Shaojun took the whole pot. He had been thinking about it ever since.

This time, Ran Qi had deliberately added more eggs to the soup. He also mixed in a spoonful of water while beating the eggs, making them softer and more tender. The tomatoes were stewed until they were completely broken down, creating a perfectly balanced sweet and sour flavor.

And it wasn’t just the soup—every dish was incredibly delicious.

The braised pork was rich and glossy, fatty but not greasy, melting in the mouth. The grilled beef was tender and flavorful, with a slight spicy kick that was surprisingly addictive. The stir-fried trio—made from potatoes, eggplant, and green peppers—was soft and savory, perfect with rice. The shredded cabbage stir-fry was crisp and refreshing, with just a touch of pork slices adding an extra layer of aroma.

In short, from the moment they picked up their chopsticks, no one stopped eating. They wolfed down their food as if they weren’t actually wealthy people used to fine dining.

“Slow down, there’s plenty for everyone,” Ran Qi said, amused. Since he had worried about not making enough, he had cooked large portions of every dish—more than enough for the whole family.

“Xiao Qi, your cooking is amazing! How did you learn to cook like this?” Ran Hui couldn’t help but ask.

“I watched Uncle An cook before, and after I got into the game, I learned the cooking skill and experimented with different recipes. That’s how I picked it up,” Ran Qi explained, using the same excuse he had used before.

“I think you’re even better than Uncle An! If you ever take private chef orders, Uncle An might be out of a job!” Ran Hui exclaimed.

“Second Brother, don’t exaggerate. My cooking skills aren’t that great,” Ran Qi said humbly. He knew he had an advantage in knowing a wide variety of dishes, but he had never received professional training. Compared to a real top-tier chef, his basic skills were still lacking.

“Dad, I think these flavors are really good. We should consider making new flavors for our nutrient solutions!”

“Exactly! A braised pork-flavored nutrient solution sounds delicious just thinking about it!”

The dishes were incredible, but hardly anyone could make them, and the ingredients were hard to get. Converting them into nutrient solutions would be much more convenient.

Ran Shaojun gave it some thought and found it feasible. However, nutrient solutions couldn’t have flavors that were too complex, so dishes like the stir-fried trio or shredded cabbage stir-fry would be difficult to replicate. On the other hand, rich and intense flavors like braised pork and grilled beef were much more suitable.

He turned to Ran Qi. “Xiao Qi, could you make another batch of braised pork and grilled beef for me to take to the company? Oh, and some more of those strawberries, too.”

Thanks to the tomato-flavored nutrient solution, their company’s nutrient solutions had become the top-selling brand across the entire interstellar market. Ran Shaojun had even bought an entire natural planet just to grow tomatoes. He figured strawberries had potential too and wanted to see if they could be cultivated in bulk. As for the braised pork and grilled beef, he planned to test using star beast meat as the base ingredient to see if he could replicate the same flavors. If needed, he’d just buy another planet to farm star beasts—after all, their family had more than enough money.

Ran Qi had no reason to refuse, so he immediately got back in the kitchen and made more, even sending some to his close friends so they could try it too.

******

#Ran Family’s Nutrient Solutions Have a New Flavor!

#Ran Family’s Nutrient Solutions Sold Out Again!

#Ran Family’s Nutrient Solutions Sold Out in One Second After Restocking!

For two consecutive weeks, the top headlines of interstellar news were all about the Ran family. Overnight, they became the leading private supplier of nutrient solutions, with their market share more than doubling. Even with their high prices, sales didn’t slow down—on the contrary, everyone was urging them to restock faster.

Strawberry, braised pork, and grilled beef nutrient solutions sent the entire interstellar population into a frenzy. They had never tasted anything so unique. If they had to consume nutrient solutions anyway, why not spend a little more for something delicious? Even though these cost more than regular nutrient solutions, they were still much cheaper than dining at an interstellar restaurant.

The sheer demand for these new flavors took Ran Shaojun by surprise. However, raw materials were difficult to source, and production couldn’t keep up with demand. Fortunately, another batch of tomatoes had just ripened, so Ran Shaojun had his employees work overtime to produce more tomato-flavored nutrient solutions, barely managing to meet public demand.

In just two short weeks, Ran Shaojun made an astronomical profit. During a media interview, he proudly announced to the public that all of their new flavors were developed by his youngest son.

Many had once mocked Ran Qi as a ‘double E waste.’ Now, he wanted them to take a good look and see who the real waste was.

Some doubted the authenticity of this claim, but soon enough, news broke that Ran Qi was actually the top-tier player Bai Ran in <Magic Realm>. As more people connected the dots, they realized his inspiration likely came from the various in-game food recipes. At last, the skeptics had no choice but to admit defeat.