Making the sauce packets was simple, but since she needed to produce a large batch, it took her until the evening to finish. The robots had also recorded the detailed process.
She could leave the rest to the robots. There were only three left at home; the other two had already gone out with her two apprentices to sell snail rice noodles. Fortunately, as long as the robots were supplied with enough energy boxes, they could work without resting.
She was exhausted anyway, so she brewed a packet of the newly made instant noodles to test the flavor. Lifting the lid, the unique, overpowering aroma of instant noodles instantly filled the entire room. It was impossible to ignore.
Gan Lan picked up a mouthful of noodles with her chopsticks, blew on them gently, and sucked them into her mouth with a loud SLURP. The chewy noodles, the rich broth, and the mix of beef chunks and vegetables—one big bite brought an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. This familiar taste was incredibly nostalgic.
Gan Lan felt that the flavor was already quite good with this recipe. She decided to make more to give to her friends and teachers. After all, she would be away for a while and wouldn’t be able to deliver meals to them regularly. Even though they wouldn’t starve without her, it had become a habit.
After eating her fill, Gan Lan walked into the room where the Phoenix was kept. She gazed fondly at the creation that had consumed three days of her time and effort, costing her two Advanced Recovery Agents to successfully complete. Her eyes traced over every inch of its body, deeply engraving the image into her mind.
This was her second work and her most successful one to date. The Wolf King could only be considered a practice piece. However, the effort she put into it paled in comparison to this Phoenix.
Pushing aside her strong reluctance to part with it, she brought over the exquisite gift box she had bought and called Si and Wu over to help. She shrank the protective shield until it just covered the Phoenix’s body, then steadily placed it into the gift box. To prevent any bumps or damage, she packed the gift box inside an even larger outer box. She then had the robots place it into a temperature-controlled box and ship it to Wu Mingyu. While she was at it, she also mailed him a few bags of the newly made instant noodles.
Wu Mingyu was not at school. Knowing that today was the day the Phoenix would arrive, he had specifically given Gan Lan his home address so she could ship it directly to him. He truly loved that Phoenix. He had spared no expense, spending a fortune to build a sparkling, open-air room just for it. He secured the room with various protective shields, then waited quietly at home to welcome his precious gift.
"You skip classes every day and only know how to fool around outside. Now you’re finally willing to come home? What’s going on? Who are you planning to let live in this room you’ve built? This is even more luxurious than your own father’s room!" Mr. Wu said in bitter frustration to Wu Mingyu, who was slouching lazily on the couch.
He just couldn’t understand it. Their family could be considered the wealthiest on Mingyang Star, yet his youngest son never did anything productive. He had even started livestreaming! Was he planning to abandon the family business and become a good-for-nothing playboy? Who did he even take after? He and his wife were both people who couldn’t sit idle, and his daughter was the same. How did things turn out like this when it came to him?
"I’m waiting for my birthday present. Dad, do you not pay attention to the Star Network?" Wu Mingyu asked smugly, half-lying on the sofa with his legs crossed. He casually opened the Star Network, found the photos and downloaded videos he had taken in Gan Lan’s livestream, and showed them to Mr. Wu. "How about it? Are you shocked? This is just a cake!"
Wu Mingyu couldn’t stop grinning; he was clearly in an incredibly good mood.
Mr. Wu’s eyes widened as he leaned closer to the screen, somewhat amazed. "This... which master made this? How come I didn’t know about it?"
"She’s just a small streamer and also a schoolmate of mine. I’ve known her for quite a while. Even though she’s only a college freshman, she’s no worse than those masters. The only thing she lacks is a bit of fame," Wu Mingyu boasted.
"DING DONG. You have a package delivery. Please come out and sign for it."
"It’s here!" Wu Mingyu leaped off the sofa and ran excitedly to open the door. Not even the robot housekeeper could catch up to his speed, showing just how impatient he was.
Wu Mingyu carefully carried the temperature-controlled box inside, terrified of bumping or knocking it. Watching him, Mr. Wu shook his head and laughed. Even if the temperature-controlled box fell to the ground, the items inside wouldn’t deform or suffer any accidents. After all, the temperature-controlled box was one of the greatest inventions of the Federation.
However, if the real thing was truly as spectacular as it looked in the photos and videos, it was indeed worth treating with such care. If it were him, he wouldn’t be the slightest bit careless either. Thinking of this, Mr. Wu also began to feel somewhat expectant. He had even postponed a rather important meeting just to catch a glimpse of its true form.
Wu Mingyu gingerly took the large, exquisite gift box out of the temperature-controlled box. He opened the outermost layer of packaging, revealing an even finer gift box inside. The gift box was designed so that all four sides could be detached. By simply pressing the switch on the side, it would automatically open.
With slightly trembling fingers, Wu Mingyu pressed the switch. His eyes widened as he watched the Phoenix slowly reveal its true form. The physical object appeared even more lifelike than it had in the videos or photos. However, the wafting scent of milk broke the majestic aura of the kingly Phoenix. But didn’t that just make it even more astonishing?
"It really is just a cake! I thought it was some rare species of Star Beast. This streamer has a bright future!" Mr. Wu circled the 3D Phoenix Cake, clicking his tongue in amazement.
Wu Mingyu ignored Mr. Wu. He reached out and carefully placed his hands on the protective shield, tracing the Phoenix from head to tail. His expression looked a bit... infatuated?
Mr. Wu also reached out his hand, only for the sharp-eyed Wu Mingyu to slap it away. "Dad, why are you so free today? Also, you’re not allowed to touch my Phoenix!"
Mr. Wu was speechless. His son certainly hadn’t acted like this when asking for money; back then, he had been as fawning and sycophantic as could be.
"You spent quite a bit of money, didn’t you?" Mr. Wu retracted his hand, his tone pregnant with meaning.
Wu Mingyu shuddered, finally remembering that this was his dad—the big boss who controlled his financial lifelines. He hurriedly grabbed Mr. Wu’s hand and gently blew on the spot he had just slapped. "Pain, pain, go away!"
Mr. Wu looked at his son, who was staring affectionately at his palm, and his mouth twitched. He was successfully disgusted. Pulling his hand back in distaste, he asked expressionlessly, "How many Credit Points did you spend?"
At the mention of this, Wu Mingyu became proud again. "I didn’t spend any money! It was free!"
"But you must have tipped a lot of gifts, right?" Mr. Wu knew Wu Mingyu’s tendencies all too well.
"I only tipped a little over ten billion, that’s all. And I did it willingly! We’re good friends. You don’t know this, but she sends me delicious food she makes by hand every day! And the meat skewers she roasts are especially tasty too..." Wu Mingyu praised Gan Lan endlessly.
"Is she after our family’s fortune?" Mr. Wu cast him a sidelong glance, interrupting Wu Mingyu’s rambling.
"With her skills, she’ll become a billionaire herself in just a few years. Dad, you’re really overthinking this." Wu Mingyu curled his lips, disagreeing. "Besides, even though she knows our family is rich, she’s definitely not the kind of person you think she is!"