Cupid's Kitchen Episode 13 Recap
> Cupid's Kitchen Recap
Nina applied activating oil to Lin Kesong's arm, who gratefully remarked that Nina's presence spared her from Jiang Qianfan's constant torment. Nina shared that she used to apply the same oil to Jiang Qianfan, whose strains were far more severe. Lin Kesong then inquired about Nina's background. Nina revealed she was from Malaysia, the eldest of seven children, with a father who was an alcoholic.
From a young age, she helped her mother raise her younger siblings and care for the family, sacrificing her own dreams of school and love. She explained that after her siblings grew up and her parents passed away, she joined an overseas employment agency, which led her to work for Montgomery, and later for Jiang Qianfan. She no longer had any plans for marriage, viewing Jiang Qianfan like a younger brother.
She expressed a desire to see him marry and have children, and to help raise them, finding fulfillment in being needed by both Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong. Meanwhile, Song Yiran was driving Chu Ting to her father's place. He spoke to Chu Ting's father on the phone, estimating their arrival in about two hours. Song Yiran then complained to Chu Ting about being slightly unwell, attributing his neck and foot pain to a recent management training course.
Chu Ting, sensing his reluctance, explained that her father needed her to handle some important affairs. That night, Lin Kesong found herself unable to sleep, her thoughts lingering on Jiang Qianfan's unique scent—a blend of his breath and essential oil, which she found distinctly manly and surprisingly addictive. Convinced it was the essential oil, she decided to light an aroma lamp in her room, recalling Nina's advice that it had a calming effect.
As she added a few drops of essential oil, she suddenly felt dizzy, her breathing became labored, and she collapsed, knocking over the lamp. Startled by the noise, Jiang Qianfan initially grumbled about Lin Kesong's restlessness. He called her name, then went to investigate, finding her unconscious on the floor. He immediately instructed Nina to call an ambulance. At the hospital, Jiang Qianfan anxiously questioned the doctor about Lin Kesong's condition.
The doctor explained that Lin Kesong had a severe allergic reaction to the essential oil, specifically to "acetic acid linalool," and her condition was critical, requiring a family member to sign a consent form. Jiang Qianfan was baffled, as he had been using the same essential oil for a long time without issue. He asked if Lin Kesong's uncle in Shanghai counted as next of kin, and Nina was instructed to contact him.
Junbin called Elise, apologizing for the late hour, and asked if the essential oil she had given Jiang Qianfan was from the same batch she had provided to Junbin for testing. Elise confirmed it was, inquiring if Jiang Qianfan was alright. Junbin reassured her that Jiang Qianfan was fine, but Lin Kesong was hospitalized with a severe allergic reaction to the essential oil.
He mentioned that the "linalool" detected this time seemed different from the sample Elise had given him earlier. Elise dismissed this as impossible. After hanging up, Elise secretly went to Jiang Qianfan's residence and strategically dripped some of the essential oil from the clean batch she had previously given Junbin for testing onto the floor, attempting to tamper with the evidence. Lin Feng arrived at the hospital, enraged, and immediately confronted Jiang Qianfan, blaming him for Lin Kesong's condition.
Junbin intervened, attempting to calm Lin Feng. Jiang Qianfan, with tearful eyes, apologized for not taking better care of Lin Kesong and promised, "If anything happens to Kesong, I will trade my life for hers!" Lin Feng then called his younger daughter, Lin Xiaoyu, urging her to come to the hospital because her sister was "on life support" and her "life is in danger."
However, Xiaoyu refused, claiming she was busy preparing a time-sensitive "Ankang dried fish" dish and that her presence wouldn't be helpful. Lin Feng was furious when she hung up on him. Soon after, the doctor informed them that Lin Kesong's life was no longer in danger. Later, Junbin revealed to Jiang Qianfan that a "slow poison" had been detected in the essential oil, capable of slowly destroying a person's nervous system.
Jiang Qianfan asked if this was connected to his loss of taste, and Junbin confirmed it was the theoretical cause. Junbin further explained that the substance was an additive, not inherent to the essential oil, and that he had already notified the police. He pointed out that the sample Elise had provided him earlier did not contain this substance, and it would have been nearly impossible to detect without Lin Kesong's accident. Jiang Qianfan, however, was not relieved.
He angrily noted that Elise bought the oil, Li Yan handled it, and Nina used it—three people closest to him—meaning one of them had deliberately tried to harm him. He declared that he would not trust anyone, including Junbin, until the police investigation yielded results. Police began their investigation, collecting evidence and separately questioning Nina and Elise.
Nina explained that Li Yan would deliver the essential oil when supplies ran low, and she used a few drops daily, keeping the small bottle in her room for convenience. Elise stated she purchased the essential oil in the UK about six months prior, and when Jiang Qianfan became accustomed to it in Shanghai, she arranged for the manufacturer to send shipments, sometimes delegating the task to Li Yan when she was busy.
She confirmed she did not use the oil herself as she did not suffer from insomnia. The police explored potential motives, asking if Li Yan held any grudges against Jiang Qianfan. Elise defended Jiang Qianfan, stating he treated Li Yan well and any criticism was purely professional. Junbin began a detoxification treatment for Jiang Qianfan, but it had no immediate effect on his taste.
He explained that due to chronic poisoning, Jiang Qianfan's nervous system pathways were effectively shut down, requiring long-term medication with uncertain efficacy. Jiang Qianfan apologized for his earlier outburst. Junbin encouraged him not to give up, suggesting they explore various treatments, including traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and experimental drugs. Jiang Qianfan vowed to cooperate fully and not allow his unknown assailant to succeed.
Upon learning that Jiang Qianfan's sense of taste had not recovered, Elise became enraged during a phone call with Junbin, questioning his professional competence. She then called the person who supplied her with the substance, furiously demanding an explanation as to why the promised "antidote" was ineffective, but the call was abruptly ended. Later that evening, a distraught Elise sought solace in a bar. Junbin joined her, observing her heavy drinking.
Elise confided that the most painful thing was "not being able to face yourself," admitting she was "not a good woman" and hated herself. Junbin remarked that she was "a dangerous woman," adding that "dangerous things can be very tempting." Elise warned him to keep his distance, lest she hurt him. As Junbin drove a heavily inebriated Elise home, she drunkenly murmured, "I have to make him not leave me. I tried everything. I even tried to destroy him."
She then expressed disbelief at Lin Kesong's unexpected appearance, lamenting that "She messed up all my plans." She concluded by stating she would never reveal her plans to anyone. The next day, Lin Kesong awoke in the hospital. Her uncle, Lin Feng, informed her that she had suffered an allergic reaction to essential oil. Concerned, Lin Kesong asked about Jiang Qianfan, given his long-term use of the same oil.
Junbin reassured her that Jiang Qianfan had undergone detoxification and was fine. Back at home, Jiang Qianfan, though deeply reluctant, made the difficult decision to dismiss Nina. He then met Elise by the river. He explained that with Li Yan gone and Nina fired, he trusted no one, and he needed to hear from her directly that she was not involved. Elise firmly stated, "It wasn't me."
She then subtly probed, asking Jiang Qianfan if he would forgive the person who poisoned him if they confessed. Jiang Qianfan unequivocally declared, "Never. That person made me lose my sense of taste. It's worse than killing me! The scariest thing is it was all planned. The person poisoned me with a specific dosage every day. If I can't find this person, I will never sleep well!"
Elise persisted, suggesting that people sometimes do regrettable things out of selfishness, asking if he could offer a chance for atonement. Confused, Jiang Qianfan questioned her meaning. Elise quickly denied knowing any specifics, claiming she was merely discussing a hypothetical situation. Later, Lin Feng dropped Lin Kesong off at Jiang Qianfan's house. Lin Kesong expressed anger that Jiang Qianfan had not called or messaged her during her ordeal.
Lin Feng chuckled, revealing that Jiang Qianfan had been extremely anxious during her emergency, even offering to trade his life for hers. He advised Lin Kesong to focus on learning culinary arts from Jiang Qianfan and not to overthink other matters. Upon entering the house, Lin Kesong discovered a notice for the "Future Star" culinary competition. Excited, she immediately began searching for Nina to share the good news, but Nina was nowhere to be found.
She asked Jiang Qianfan about Nina's whereabouts, and he tersely replied that Nina was no longer there and he didn't know where she had gone. Lin Kesong tried calling Nina, but her phone was off.
