Believe in Love Episode 9 Recap
> Believe in Love Recap
Su Tang, acting as a judge, attempted to disqualify Lu Yue'er—who was competing under the alias Li Yun Yue—from the Floral House cook selection, citing her as "irrational and rude" and "not suitable" due to her perceived lack of eloquence. Lu Yue'er tried to object, but Du Ruo intervened, arguing that judging cooks solely on their conversational skills would cause them to miss out on true talent. Hua Yinan remained silent, allowing the final test, themed "sweetness," to commence.
With her natural talent, Lu Yue'er skillfully prepared a delectable "honey lotus root cake in sauce," which was praised for its agreeable sweetness, crispy texture, and pleasing appearance. However, when asked for his opinion, Hua Yinan initially praised her cooking skills but then simply declared her "Failed," prompting Li Yun Yue to openly accuse him of doing it on purpose.
Du Ruo then threatened to hire Li Yun Yue as a female official to oversee food safety, asserting his authority from the Imperial Court. Faced with this, and filled with jealousy, Hua Yinan quickly changed his tune, suddenly recalling a "slow trace of sweetness" from her dish.
He praised Li Yun Yue as a "cooking prodigy" who should stay at Floral House as a cook to "maximize her potential," asking Du Ruo not to compete with him for her, to which Du Ruo agreed. Afterward, Li Yun Yue thanked Du Ruo for his help, but insisted they be discreet about their interactions. She explained that if Hua Yinan saw them together, he would get angry, calling him narrow-minded and scary when he was in a rage.
Du Ruo correctly inferred that Li Yun Yue's true purpose was to investigate her mother, Yun Wan Xi. Li Yun Yue affirmed she would handle the investigation herself and reminded Du Ruo to continue calling her Li Yun Yue to avoid exposing her real identity. She also mused that Hua Yinan's sarcastic remarks were even more frightening than his open anger. Upon returning to the Island Lord's mansion, Li Yun Yue immediately apologized to Hua Yinan, affectionately calling him "Husband."
She tried to explain her lie about being unmarried by claiming she heard Floral House didn't accept married women, a notion Hua Yinan quickly dismissed as nonsense. Hua Yinan, pretending to be angry, then pointedly asked if she was pleased with Du Ruo's offer to make her a female official, implying she'd spend her days and nights with him. Li Yun Yue vehemently denied this, assuring Hua Yinan she only joined Floral House to be with him.
Still angry, Hua Yinan threatened to punish the servants for allowing her to sneak out. Li Yun Yue interceded, asking him to punish her instead, taking full responsibility for her actions. Hua Yinan agreed she deserved punishment but stated he needed time to decide on its nature. Steward Dou then commenced training for the new assistant chefs, with Hua Yinan secretly observing due to his concern for Li Yun Yue. Steward Dou imposed strict rules.
He emphasized reporting everything only to him and warned them against entering Hua Yinan's workplace. Unbeknownst to Li Yun Yue, Hua Yinan had already instructed his servants to secretly monitor her every move. Li Yun Yue questioned the mandatory overnight stay, stating she needed to return home after work. Steward Dou, annoyed, called her troublesome and insisted all cooks must reside in Floral House.
At that moment, Du Ruo arrived and, citing Li Yun Yue's exceptional talent, granted her an exemption from the overnight stay, as long as her work was unaffected. Reluctantly, Steward Dou complied but assigned Li Yun Yue all the arduous tasks of sweeping the entire Floral House and washing all the vegetables.
Soon, gossip spread among the kitchen staff about Li Yun Yue and Du Ruo, with rumors claiming they were a couple, that he had brought her to Floral House, and even that they had a child together. Overhearing this, an enraged Hua Yinan stormed into the kitchen, publicly refuting any connection between Li Yun Yue and Du Ruo. He severely reprimanded the gossiping staff, threatening them with salary deductions and termination for spreading rumors.
Meanwhile, the kitchen staff buzzed about the impending arrival of Hua Yinan's notorious sister-in-law, Lu Yuzhen, dubbed "Tiger." They described her as a troublesome figure who frequently abused her status as the Island Lord's sister-in-law, skipping work, offending guests, and even clashed with Steward Su, who couldn't control her. Lu Yuzhen confronted Su Tang, demanding an advance on her next month's salary despite her poor attendance.
Su Tang refused, reminding Lu Yuzhen of her lack of work and stating she only kept her job out of respect for Hua Yinan. Lu Yuzhen retaliated with insults, claiming Hua Yinan married her sister because he disliked Su Tang, and threatened to have Su Tang fired, taunting her about being single.
Du Ruo arrived and intervened, scolding Lu Yuzhen for her public outburst and criticizing Su Tang for her inability to manage the staff, ordering her to write a self-criticism. While performing her assigned cleaning duties, Li Yun Yue discovered the Floral House Library. Recalling rumors that only high-ranking officials could enter, she decided to investigate. Inside, she found historical documents that only listed the late Lord as Floral House's sole founder, not her mother.
Hua Yinan, who had been secretly tracking Li Yun Yue, appeared in the library. Li Yun Yue was momentarily captivated by his serious demeanor, finding him unexpectedly handsome up close. Hua Yinan teasingly asked if she came to see him, which she denied, claiming she was searching for books. He then remarked on her boldness with him compared to her fear of being seen with Du Ruo.
Noticing a secluded inner room within the library, Li Yun Yue playfully persuaded Hua Yinan to take her inside. Hua Yinan hesitated, recalling a childhood memory of seeing his father cry over something in that very room and had avoided it since. He assured her not to worry when an old man, Elder Yan, entered, as he was nearly blind and deaf.
Hua Yinan reminisced about his father giving him "osmanthus-scented, goji berry crystal cakes" in that room as a child. Despite carrying a grudge against his seemingly distant father, the taste of those cakes had always brought him comfort. Li Yun Yue then discovered a hidden compartment revealing a book titled "Lu Family Recipes."
She realized these were her mother's recipes, confirming a connection between her mother and Floral House, and told Hua Yinan that her mother, Yun Wan Xi, was indeed one of the founders, just as she had always believed. Hua Yinan, seeing the recipe book belonging to Yun Wan Xi, finally understood his father's tears that day. Li Yun Yue noticed Hua Yinan's somber mood and asked what was troubling him.
He explained that the inner room brought back memories of his estranged relationship with his father, who he felt neglected him and his sister. Later, Li Yun Yue used the rediscovered recipe to bake osmanthus-scented, goji berry crystal cakes for Hua Yinan. He ate them, confirming it was indeed the exact taste from his childhood.
Li Yun Yue gently told him that the late Island Lord had not ignored him but had shown his love in his own quiet way, asserting that "unspoken love may be deeper." She concluded by confessing, "The late Lord loved you deeply. As I love you, too." Overwhelmed with joy, Hua Yinan tenderly responded, "Finally, I hear you say this."
