Chapter 30: "Tomato and Egg Stir-Fry, or Tomato and Egg Soup"

“Hahahahaha!”
The staff recording on the side could no longer hold back their laughter after hearing Zhou Ran's words. They had all received professional training and generally wouldn't laugh unless they truly couldn't help themselves.
“It’s alright, it’s alright,” Chef Huang said, stifling his laughter as he comforted Zhou Ran. “Ah, it's just a minor issue; everyone has a little accident now and then. Come on, give it a try.”
“Ah! Are you serious, Chef Huang?” Zhou Ran, a bit hesitant, walked toward the kitchen and began his terrifying cooking adventure.
“Hey, that's right, don’t be afraid, Zhou Ran!” Chef Huang was very pleased to see Zhou Ran in the kitchen, ready to cook. He thought to himself, “With me here, having someone cook a dish is no big deal!”
Confidently, Chef Huang began to teach Zhou Ran how to cook, planning to instruct him in making scrambled eggs with tomatoes—a dish that should have been easy at his level.
“First step, add oil.”
“Not that much!”
“Take it slow, crack the eggs first!”
“Don’t add it all at once!”
“Hey, don’t add so much water!”
...
After a round of torment, they finally finished the first dish, though it was just a little bit off!
Zhou Ran looked at the tomato and egg soup before him with satisfaction. Despite the small mishaps, at least both the tomatoes and eggs were present! It was simply transformed from a stir-fried dish to a soup.
After teaching Zhou Ran how to cook, Chef Huang began to question his life. How could it be so difficult?
Chef Huang sent Zhou Ran off to the living room to watch TV, feeling a bit nervous about letting him cook again. Someone who could turn scrambled eggs with tomatoes into tomato and egg soup was a first for him. Chef Huang started to agree with Zhou Ran's parents’ decision—if Zhou Ran cooked alone, he really might set the kitchen on fire.
“Dinner’s ready! Dinner’s ready!”
After Chef Huang, Teacher He, and Zhang Xiaofeng worked hard for more than half an hour, a sumptuous dinner was finally prepared.

“Wow! This is so lavish!”
Zhang Xiaofeng, having finished her tasks, couldn’t resist the delicious spread and wanted to dig in right away.
“Slap!” Chef Huang saw Zhang Xiaofeng reaching for the food without washing her hands and lightly tapped her hand with his chopsticks. “Go wash your hands before eating!”
“Alright, alright, got it, Chef Huang!” After being reminded, Zhang Xiaofeng went to the restroom to wash up.
“Hahahahaha, Old Huang, this Xiaofeng is getting cheekier by the day!” Teacher He chuckled, watching Zhang Xiaofeng’s departing figure, and said to Chef Huang.
“Old He! You have some nerve to say that—it’s all because you spoil her!” Chef Huang retorted.
“What? Clearly it’s you!”
“What? Haven’t you done it?”
Teacher He and Chef Huang began a lively, cheerful debate about this trivial matter.
In fact, both Teacher He and Chef Huang liked Zhang Xiaofeng quite a lot. After recording so many episodes together, they already regarded her as a promising junior and were very satisfied with her.
Whenever there were suitable resources, they would recommend them to Zhang Xiaofeng—after all, there’s no reason to let opportunities go outside the family. They had begun nurturing their own juniors.
“All right, all right! Let’s eat.”
Zhang Xiaofeng, done washing up, couldn’t wait to sit at the table.
“Where’s the scrambled eggs with tomatoes made by Teacher Zhou Ran?”
She had been thinking about Zhou Ran’s dish, but after scanning the table, she couldn’t spot it.
Chef Huang, upon hearing her question, pointed to a bowl of tomato and egg soup with his eyes.
“Ah, this is scrambled eggs with tomatoes?”
Zhang Xiaofeng stared at the bowl of tomato and egg soup, dumbfounded.
“Ah, well, it’s still tomatoes and eggs. It’s just changed from stir-fried to soup,” Zhou Ran explained.
“Alright, alright, let me try this scrambled eggs with tomatoes—slash—tomato and egg soup, okay?”
With that, Zhang Xiaofeng picked up a spoon and took a sip of the soup.
“How is it? How is it?”
Zhou Ran watched her eagerly, wanting to know if his first attempt tasted any good.
“Hmm, it’s delicious!”
After drinking, Zhang Xiaofeng revealed a satisfied smile and gave Zhou Ran a big thumbs-up.

“Hahahaha, I knew it! I do have talent for cooking.”
Seeing Zhang Xiaofeng’s satisfied expression, Zhou Ran was quite proud. He picked up a spoon, wanting to taste his own creation.
But Zhou Ran didn’t notice Zhang Xiaofeng’s expression suddenly turning mischievous, as if she was excited to see Zhou Ran’s reaction after tasting his own tomato and egg soup.
“Ah, it tastes awful!”
After taking a sip, Zhou Ran immediately grimaced. “How can it be so salty?” He finally realized he had probably added too much salt.
“Fooled you, Teacher Zhou Ran! Hahahaha!”
Zhang Xiaofeng, seeing Zhou Ran’s reaction, couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.
Actually, when Zhang Xiaofeng first tasted it, she already knew too much salt had been added, but she kept quiet just to see Zhou Ran embarrassed.
Zhou Ran felt a bit awkward and wanted to quickly change the topic.
“Xiaofeng, could you use a different title? Don’t call me Teacher Zhou Ran—it feels weird.”
“Ah, you called me Xiaofeng? Are you younger than me?”
Zhang Xiaofeng was a bit confused by Zhou Ran’s address.
“Ah, Zhou Ran, you’re younger than Xiaofeng?” Teacher He was also surprised.
“Yes! I thought you all knew.”
Zhou Ran replied as he ate sweet and sour pork.
“I was born in 2004! I just turned eighteen a few months ago, so that’s why I said, don’t call me Teacher Zhou Ran—it feels odd!”
“But your profile says you were born in 2000!”
Zhang Xiaofeng was a bit stunned, accidentally revealing she had checked out Zhou Ran’s profile.
Thankfully, Zhou Ran didn’t dwell on her words.
“That profile? I just filled it out casually back then. I thought being a bit older would make certain things easier.”
“Just don’t call me Teacher Zhou Ran anymore—it feels strange.”
“Call me Ran, or Little Ran, or something like that—it’s fine.”
“Alright, then I’ll call you Little Ran?”