Cupid's Kitchen Episode 17 Recap
> Cupid's Kitchen Recap
Thomas intervened to stop the physical altercation between Jiang Qianfan and Boris, reminding them that as mentors for young chefs, such behavior was inappropriate for a cooking competition. Jiang Qianfan acknowledged this, stating they would settle their rivalry at the competition. Afterwards, Lin Kesong expressed her gratitude to Jiang Qianfan, telling him it was the first time a man had fought for her. He playfully questioned her happiness, and she countered with concern that he might get hurt.
Jiang Qianfan then joked about fighting Boris again, but Kesong stopped him, assuring him she was merely joking. As contestants prepared for the "Future Star Culinary Competition," Victor intentionally snatched Lin Kesong's ingredient bag. He confirmed it contained Okinawa spinach, then secretly swapped it for another bag. When the competition officially began with "Wild Greens" as its theme, Lin Kesong opened her bag only to discover mustard greens, realizing her ingredients had been swapped.
With no experience cooking mustard greens, she decided to prepare her mother's Shepherd's Purse Wontons. From afar, Jiang Qianfan noticed the ingredient swap and began to sew a cloth doll. Meanwhile, Lin Kesong's parents, watching the competition on television, were surprised to see their daughter participating, having initially tuned in to watch Lin Xiaoyu.
During the competition, the host interviewed several contestants, including Blu, who presented a braised lion's head meatball with water hyacinth, and Victor, who showcased Okinawa spinach with quail, highlighting how wild greens were being transformed into sophisticated cuisine. When the host approached Lin Kesong, noting her intense chopping, she remained absorbed in her cooking and did not respond.
Lin Kesong's parents, watching at home, criticized her slow pace, with her mother suggesting she should have used egg to speed up the meat preparation, and her father retorting that her mother never made it that way for her. Despite her efforts, time ran out before Lin Kesong could complete her dish. Her father attributed her clumsiness to her mother. Concerned, Song Yiran obtained a ticket and rushed to the venue.
As the judges assessed the dishes, the host highlighted Blu's water hyacinth lion's head and Victor's Okinawa spinach and quail. When the host reached Lin Kesong, she was visibly distraught, tearfully apologizing for not being able to complete her Shepherd's Purse Wontons. Her father, watching on TV, expressed his anger and humiliation, remarking that Lin Xiaoyu was clearly superior. While waiting for the final results, Lin Kesong confronted Victor, asking why he swapped her ingredients.
Victor arrogantly told her she was not qualified to prepare Okinawa spinach, revealing that his sister, Elise, had specifically cultivated it for Jiang Qianfan by scattering seeds with a drone. He added that the same applied to the Shepherd's Purse and criticized Kesong for not even knowing how to cook it. The results were then announced: Victor Quentin secured first place, followed by Lin Xiaoyu in second place for her dish with "unique Eastern characteristics."
Lin Kesong was announced as eighth, receiving a score of zero for her unfinished creation. Her parents were dismayed by her outcome. Lin Kesong left the competition venue, deeply upset and ignoring everyone. She was furious at Jiang Qianfan, believing he had deceived her about his ability to taste the Okinawa spinach from the stream, making her feel manipulated.
Jiang Qianfan attempted to apologize for not teaching her other dishes, but she coldly told him she did not want to see him. Song Yiran intercepted her outside, trying to comfort her by calling her "Old Lin" and offering to host another competition for her. As Jiang Qianfan approached, followed by Boris, Song Yiran openly criticized Jiang Qianfan for Lin Kesong's poor performance. He then got into a physical confrontation with Boris over taking pictures, trying to snatch his phone.
Lin Kesong interrupted angrily, asking if they were trying to embarrass her further. She then walked away, with Jiang Qianfan pursuing her on his motorcycle. Boris was furious about Lin Xiaoyu's second-place finish, scolding her for being "frivolous" and for making a dish that lacked the "bitterness and toughness" he believed was essential in both cooking and life. He declared that only first place mattered, and anything less was "humiliating."
When Blu approached, intending to celebrate Xiaoyu's success and take her out for a meal, Boris rebuked him for placing fourth despite his carefree attitude and forbade Xiaoyu from leaving. Lin Xiaoyu, taking Boris's words to heart, told Blu to leave and resolved to stay in the kitchen 24/7 to train more rigorously. Just as they were leaving, Lin Feng, Xiaoyu's father, intervened and insisted on taking his daughter home, despite Boris's loud objections.
As Lin Feng drove Lin Xiaoyu home, Xiaoyu expressed satisfaction at Lin Kesong's public embarrassment, believing she deserved it, and regretted not achieving first place herself, vowing to win next time. Lin Feng, however, told her that she still had not understood her true mistake, accusing her of forsaking familial relationships and her fundamental human duties in pursuit of success.
Worried that her father might prevent her from competing further, Xiaoyu pleaded that it was "not that serious," but Lin Feng firmly stated that her future participation depended entirely on her behavior. Lin Kesong steadfastly refused to ride with Jiang Qianfan, who followed her on his motorcycle, repeatedly calling out to her and urging her to stop being angry and listen to him. She walked home alone, ignoring his attempts to engage her.
Meanwhile, Lin Kesong's parents discussed bringing her home immediately, with her mother having already packed her belongings at their house. Song Yiran arranged for 20 bouquets and five baskets of flowers, each with a card, to be sent to Lin Kesong from her "fans."
When Chu Ting called him, surprised to receive an unsuccessful registration message from the "Future Star" competition, Song Yiran admitted he registered all his friends' phone numbers, including hers, to generate messages of encouragement for Lin Kesong. Chu Ting confirmed she left a voicemail because she felt sorry for Kesong. Song Yiran then proudly revealed he secretly bought many flowers for Kesong online without putting his name on them.
Annoyed by his actions, Chu Ting rejected his dinner invitation, claiming she had plans to comfort a heartbroken male model friend. After hanging up, Chu Ting instructed her employee, Changyuan, to buy two movie tickets for them to watch a movie, implying her real intention was to spite Song Yiran. Jiang Qianfan called Lin Kesong to offer comfort, promising to discuss her competition failure with her later.
Meanwhile, an employee from Yuxuan Restaurant informed Jiang Qianfan that numerous flowers, supposedly from "Ms. Lin's fans," had arrived, and Jiang Qianfan instructed them to be delivered to his home. Lin Kesong lay under her blanket, deeply saddened by her competition loss. She felt betrayed by Jiang Qianfan, believing he had tricked her, and her heart ached at the thought of him struggling with his lost sense of taste while still trying to appear strong.
She then looked at the multitude of flower baskets filling her room. Jiang Qianfan held a meeting where Da Mai and other chefs arrived late, explaining they were online defending Lin Kesong from ridicule, which they viewed as an attack on Jiang Qianfan and Yuxuan Restaurant. Jiang Qianfan acknowledged their concern but punished Da Mai by assigning him to wash vegetables, emphasizing the need for strict punctuality.
After the meeting, Elise spoke privately with Jiang Qianfan, supporting his disciplinary action but shifting to the culinary competition. She reminded him that Lin Kesong's repeated last-place finishes could undermine his authority and Yuxuan Restaurant's reputation. Jiang Qianfan then asked if Victor knew they cultivated the Okinawa spinach and Shepherd's Purse themselves. Elise admitted her mother had told Victor. Realizing this, Jiang Qianfan deduced that Victor must have informed Lin Kesong, which explained her hostile reaction after the competition.
He suspected Kesong now doubted his sense of taste, especially after Boris's previous provocations, and worried about how to explain that he truly found the wild greens by taste. Lin Kesong's parents arrived at Lin Feng's restaurant, "Xiaoyu's Private Kitchen," looking for their daughter. Lin Feng attempted to deflect, but they revealed they had seen Kesong's embarrassing performance on TV.
Lin Xiaoyu, arriving on cue, gleefully informed them that Lin Kesong had moved in with Jiang Qianfan for "private training" since coming to Shanghai, implying a romantic involvement due to Jiang Qianfan's prestigious status. Lin Feng tried to downplay it as "closed training," but Kesong's parents were appalled and immediately demanded Jiang Qianfan's address from Lin Xiaoyu, strictly forbidding her or Lin Feng from informing Kesong of their visit.
Lin Kesong awoke to find her room filled with flower baskets, touched by the supportive messages from her "fans." The doorbell rang, and she opened it to find her parents, who immediately confronted her. Her mother chided her for not informing them about moving out, while her father angrily demanded to know where "that guy" (Jiang Qianfan) was. Kesong explained Jiang Qianfan was at work.
Her father then ordered her to pack her belongings and return home, chastising her for making a "fool of herself on TV" and implying she was publicly announcing a relationship with Jiang Qianfan, a claim Kesong vehemently denied. When Kesong tried to plead for a chance to explain to Jiang Qianfan before leaving, her father dismissed it as an attempt to negotiate.
Her mother tried to mediate and helped Kesong pack, while her father cynically remarked on the profusion of flowers in the house. As Kesong went upstairs, she reflected that her mother was preoccupied with who sent the flowers, and her father with her proximity to Jiang Qianfan's bedroom. Feeling powerless, she desperately wished to see Jiang Qianfan one last time to say goodbye, expressing deep concern for him. After her insistence, her parents agreed to let her see him. Her father then commented on her doorless room, concerned about Jiang Qianfan's easy access, to which her mother told him to stop.
