Blossoms Shanghai Episode 9 Recap
> Blossoms Shanghai Recap
In 1988, A Bao secured his first foreign trade order through his brother in Hong Kong. According to regulations, all foreign trade required approval from the foreign trade general company at the Bund No. 27. Despite long queues and Wang Mingzhu initially telling him to return in half a month, A Bao persistently waited daily for approval.
Meanwhile, the director of Ningbo Knitwear Factory, Xiao Ningbo, was desperate due to a lack of production quotas for his factory of three hundred workers, leading him to attempt suicide by jumping off a bridge. Although A Bao tried to dissuade him, Xiao Ningbo jumped. A Bao, unable to swim, immediately jumped in to save him but was ultimately rescued by Xiao Ningbo himself.
Upon regaining consciousness, A Bao immediately proposed a collaboration, offering Xiao Ningbo a 5 million USD foreign trade order, which Xiao Ningbo eagerly accepted. A Bao and Xiao Ningbo then sought approval from Jin Hua. Jin Hua initially made excuses to defer them. Xiao Ningbo caused a commotion in the hallway, loudly complaining that his factory's clothes couldn't be sold and he had no money to pay his workers.
Workers also gathered outside, demanding wages from Xiao Ningbo and creating a stir at the foreign trade company. Seizing the opportunity, Wang Mingzhu intervened to help, prompting Jin Hua to finally agree to meet A Bao and Xiao Ningbo. They presented their factory rescue plan, and after Jin Hua calculated the data and found A Bao's detailed solution viable, she signed off on it on the spot. She was impressed upon learning that A Bao's master was her uncle, Yeshu.
After Xiao Ningbo happily returned home for the New Year, A Bao invited Wang Mingzhu to the Peace Hotel to celebrate New Year's Eve, presenting her with a gift of invisible contact lenses. Standing on the hotel rooftop, they envisioned a bright future together. Wang Mingzhu expressed her dream of becoming a strong career woman like Jin Hua, aspiring to be a section chief like her.
A Bao, secretly calculating that Jin Hua would retire in four years, vowed to help Wang Mingzhu achieve her goal. From that day forward, A Bao and Wang Mingzhu became inseparable friends. Later, Wang Mingzhu bought a used car for 25,000 yuan, which was totaled in an accident when she drove to Zhuji to assist A Bao.
A Bao offered to buy her a new car, but she steadfastly refused, asserting that she valued their friendship more than any luxury car and had her own principles. Subsequently, Li Li arrived at Night Tokyo seeking A Bao's assistance. Ling Zi recognized Li Li, and a palpable tension, almost hostility, passed between the two. A Bao, who had just returned home, rushed to Night Tokyo with his belongings.
Li Li informed A Bao that she was facing severe problems at Zhi Zhen Yuan. She discovered that over half the fish in the kitchen's tank had died, and her Fat Head Chef was deliberately breaking dishes and claiming dizziness to demand a strike, forcing Li Li to send him home. Minmin, a colleague, complained that Zhi Zhen Yuan, despite its size, couldn't sell anything.
Li Li admitted she had anticipated such challenges but not their swift arrival, as other Huang He Road restaurants, including Lu Meilin, had bought out her supplies, preventing her from acquiring goods like Australian lobsters from Tao Tao and effectively shutting down Zhi Zhen Yuan. A Bao analyzed the situation, explaining that Li Li's success had attracted jealousy, leading the Huang He Road restaurant owners to collaborate against her.
He advised her to immediately dismiss her entire kitchen staff, withdraw all special dishes, set higher prices, and promised to arrange Hong Kong chefs to arrive at the restaurant by 6:30 PM. A Bao also suggested she fire the Fat Head Chef immediately to see if Ri Ri Xian would dare to hire him. Li Li followed his advice and fired the Fat Head Chef over the phone.
Soon after, the Fat Head Chef, along with many kitchen staff, defected to Ri Ri Xian, while Lu Meilin publicly mocked Li Li from the street. Pan Assistant and Minmin began preparing the kitchen, with Minmin managing the front desk. To secure the chefs, A Bao met with Yeshu at the Peace Hotel, asking him to invite experienced culinary professionals.
Yeshu, an old acquaintance of Jia Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Association, consulted his old notebook and made a call. Jia Chairman was leading a delegation of Hong Kong businessmen, each accompanied by their own chefs, on a visit to Shanghai. Yeshu arranged for these chefs to temporarily assist Zhi Zhen Yuan. Jia Chairman's daughter, Jia Shumin, personally greeted Yeshu at the entrance.
A Bao then visited the hotel, tasted Head Chef Ding's specialty dishes, praised his culinary skills, and invited him to help at Zhi Zhen Yuan. Yeshu elaborated on the essence of each dish prepared by the Hong Kong Head Chef, greatly impressing A Bao, who gave a thumbs up. A Bao and Li Li had pre-arranged this plan.
Yeshu secured the Hong Kong head chef team for a month, specifying that the head chef's apprentice would take over afterward, requiring Li Li to complete necessary procedures during this period. Meanwhile, the Huang He Road restaurant owners, including Lu Meilin, booked private rooms at Zhi Zhen Yuan, eager to witness Li Li's anticipated failure.
Lu Meilin, furious upon learning that A Bao had hired Hong Kong chefs for Li Li, led several owners to Night Tokyo to confront A Bao. Ling Zi, knowing their intentions, served them tea and snacks, then deliberately kept out of sight. After a long wait, Ling Zi slowly reappeared. Lu Meilin spoke ill of Li Li to Ling Zi, and other women joined in, slandering A Bao and Li Li.
Ling Zi, seemingly overwhelmed, subtly stated that with their determination, they could win the "Huang He Road defense battle," appearing to join their cause. Ling Zi then agreed to persuade A Bao to help Li Li, prompting Lu Meilin and the others to leave, but not before Ling Zi charged them 2,000 yuan for the refreshments, much to their anger.
Subsequently, A Bao called Tao Tao, instructing him to deliver a King Cobra to Ling Zi's shop as per the chef's requirements. When Ling Zi found out, he went to confront A Bao. A Bao, choosing not to elaborate, made a phone call to arrange dinner with General Manager Xu at Night Tokyo that evening.
In a turn of events, the Fat Head Chef returned to Zhi Zhen Yuan, as Ri Ri Xian had not hired him, and humbly requested his old job back. However, Li Li considered that rehiring him would be the biggest joke on Huang He Road.
