Cupid's Kitchen Episode 12 Recap
> Cupid's Kitchen Recap
Elise informed Oliver that Yuxuan’s new seasonal menu was due in six days. She suggested dropping his new main dish if he was struggling, but Oliver refused to deviate from their three-year tradition of timely menu releases, emphasizing the importance of consistency for their Michelin 3-star rating. Elise then attempted to address personal matters, but Oliver reminded her to keep work and personal life separate.
Later, while Oliver was preparing a sea urchin dish, Lin Kesong sampled it and was surprised to find his judgment about its sweetness was incorrect. She politely praised the dish to Oliver, but after he left, she re-tasted it, confirming that his assessment was indeed wrong. Oliver returned and saw her tasting the dish again. Oliver then met Elise at a bar.
He apologized for misleading her and stated he couldn't offer her the love she desired, explaining that culinary arts were his entire world, leaving no room for romantic relationships. He clarified that his feelings had nothing to do with her or anyone else, but rather his general disinterest in love, which he considered pointless and a waste of time. To compensate, Oliver offered her his shares in Yuxuan, his sole asset apart from his motorcycles.
Elise pulled him into a dance, expressed regret for his fear of love, and proposed they start over. However, Oliver firmly reiterated that their partnership was the most suitable relationship for them. After leaving the bar, Elise called Li Yan and instructed him to go to Oliver’s house immediately to collect all unused essential oils and place them in a box.
She provided him with Oliver's door key, stressing the need for secrecy and claiming it was in Oliver’s best interest. Li Yan hesitated, worried about surveillance cameras, but was convinced after seeing the money Elise offered him. That night, Li Yan snuck into Oliver’s house. Lin Kesong discovered him while he was searching for the essential oils. She cried out "Thief!" and gave chase, but he flashed a light in her eyes, causing her to fall, and he escaped.
The police arrived and found no signs of forced entry, suggesting the intruder had a key or was known to the residents. Based on Lin Kesong’s description of the suspect – a man of Oliver’s height, wearing a cap, mask, tracksuit, and distinct grey and pink sports shoes – Oliver identified Li Yan as the most likely culprit. Meanwhile, Chu Ting saw police cars outside Oliver’s house and alerted Song Yiran, who rushed downstairs.
Nina informed him about the break-in and that Lin Kesong had discovered the thief. Worried about Lin Kesong, Song Yiran tried to enter, but Nina politely refused his entry due to the late hour. Back in his room, Song Yiran continued to fret about Lin Kesong's safety, much to Chu Ting’s irritation. Li Yan, having failed to retrieve the essential oils, met Elise to return the money.
He questioned if there was an issue with the essential oils, noting that Dr. Xie had examined them. Elise refused to explain her motives but gave him two options: report the incident to the police or accept a large sum of money, enough for him to live comfortably for the rest of his life. Li Yan had no choice but to take the money and leave.
Elise then helped him depart Shanghai, taking his keys and promising to handle any lingering issues. Later that night, Lin Kesong, still shaken by the incident, went to Oliver’s room, wrapped in a quilt, and asked to sleep on his sofa, admitting she was too scared to be alone. Oliver allowed her in but, struggling to sleep even with calming essential oil, imposed strict rules: no tossing, no coughing, and no heavy breathing.
Lin Kesong secretly texted Song Yiran, who asked if she was too scared to sleep. She confirmed, and he jokingly reminded her of her timid nature. She eventually ended the conversation, wary of waking Oliver. After helping Li Yan leave Shanghai, Elise prepared a pot of porridge, secretly injecting one of its ingredients with a syringe.
The next morning, she arrived at Oliver’s house with the porridge, claiming it was a folk remedy to stimulate his taste buds and promising to make it daily for Yuxuan's sake. Oliver accepted but said he would eat it after his morning exercise. Elise looked on with resentment as she watched Oliver and Lin Kesong jogging together. Around the same time, Li Yan approached Boris, hoping to sell information about Oliver's impaired sense of taste.
However, without concrete proof like videos, Boris dismissed his claims, reclaiming the money he had offered Li Yan and smashing his phone in frustration. Meanwhile, Bruce tried to pick up Lin Xiaoyu from her class, offering her a "detoxifying beauty drink" and remarking on her hot temper. She sharply told him the best way to control her temper was for him to disappear, and she inquired if he was with "that guy," which he denied.
Oliver later presented another new sea urchin dish to Lin Kesong for tasting. This time, he combined Wagyu beef with a more savory sea urchin. Lin Kesong found the dish overwhelmingly rich, struggling to contain her reaction. Oliver prompted her, asking if he had used the wrong sea urchin. She agreed, explaining the savory sea urchin and fatty beef created an overly rich flavor.
Oliver, annoyed by her blunt assessment, angrily instructed her to "toss sand" an additional thousand times as punishment. While helping Chu Ting arrange items in her shop, Song Yiran playfully asked what she would think if he were a "kept man." Chu Ting enthusiastically replied she would be overjoyed, describing her dream of owning a shop adjacent to her home, shared with a husband, children, and a pet dog.
She added that since meeting him, her dream was only missing a child and a dog. Song Yiran corrected her, stating she was missing a husband and a dog, while he was merely a child. Later, Oliver invited Lin Kesong out to eat. She excitedly suggested eating crawfish, much to his surprise as he was unfamiliar with them.
She enthusiastically described the simple joy of eating crawfish and drinking beer with friends after work, a feeling Oliver admitted he had never experienced. He wondered how he would prepare crawfish for Yuxuan's menu, joking it might become a bestseller. After the meal, despite her fullness, Oliver instructed her to return home and continue her sand-tossing punishment, adding another thousand repetitions. Back at home, Lin Kesong’s hands were aching from the strenuous work.
Nina tenderly applied an activating collateral oil to soothe her pain. Nina shared that she used to apply the same oil to Oliver, noting that his body suffered from even more severe strain than Lin Kesong's, prompting Lin Kesong to reflect on the immense sacrifices Oliver must have made.
