Cupid's Kitchen Episode 34 Recap
> Cupid's Kitchen Recap
The semifinal round of the Future Star Culinary Competition commenced, requiring contestants to prepare three dishes using mud eels within two hours for the judges. During the pre-competition interview, Lin Xiaoyu's declaration was full of competitive fire, stating she would present an intense contest. In contrast, Lin Kesong simply expressed her desire to do her best. Lin Kesong's mother, observing from the audience, was displeased by Lin Xiaoyu's aggressive demeanor and the way she glared at Lin Kesong.
She accused Xiaoyu of being a sore loser. Lin Kesong’s father defended Lin Feng, Xiaoyu's father, noting the difficulty of raising a child alone and Xiaoyu’s inherent competitiveness. In the mentors' area, Boris observed Lin Xiaoyu’s strategy to use the exact same ingredients as Lin Kesong, intending to overpower her in every dish with her superior experience and skill. While Boris was confident that Xiaoyu could easily defeat Lin Kesong, Jiang Qianfan noted that Xiaoyu seemed overly excited.
Thomas, the committee chairman, acknowledged that Lin Xiaoyu’s mirroring strategy didn't violate the rules but expressed a preference for more diverse and professional dishes. Jiang Qianfan, meanwhile, appeared unusually preoccupied, silently worrying about not being able to see Lin Kesong again. Boris, overly confident, began preparing an acceptance speech. During the competition, Lin Xiaoyu attempted to crisp the fish skin using a blowtorch with high-alcohol Baijiu, a dangerous technique. Despite Thomas's warning, the flames ignited, catching her uniform on fire.
Lin Kesong and Blu quickly rushed to extinguish the flames, causing chaos in the venue. Outside the emergency room, an enraged Blu punched Boris, forbidding him from approaching Lin Xiaoyu. Boris, sincerely apologizing, then left. Inside, Lin Xiaoyu, on her hospital bed, learned she had lost the competition. She lashed out at Lin Kesong, accusing her of faking concern. Jiang Qianfan led the upset Lin Kesong away, reassuring her that it wasn't her fault.
Lin Feng, seeing his injured daughter, was overcome with self-reproach. Thomas, representing the competition committee, apologized to Lin Feng and affirmed the committee's responsibility for all consequences. Later, Huang Shi messaged Madam Quentin about Lin Xiaoyu's accident, advising her to remind Victor to prioritize safety in his upcoming match. Blu, wanting to stay with Lin Xiaoyu, sought Huang Shi's advice on withdrawing from the competition.
He explained that he joined the competition to meet like-minded friends, considering Lin Xiaoyu his greatest gain, and despite her increasingly scary demeanor, he was still worried about her. Huang Shi supported Blu's decision, praising him as his kindest apprentice and promising to continue teaching him after the competition. That evening, Lin Kesong considered withdrawing from the competition to give Lin Xiaoyu a chance. Jiang Qianfan firmly told her that pity would only make things worse.
He then experienced a brief moment of discomfort with his eyes, discreetly hiding it from Lin Kesong, claiming he was just tired. Lin Kesong's parents visited Lin Xiaoyu in the hospital. Lin Xiaoyu pretended to be asleep, while the three adults reminisced about Lin Xiaoyu’s childhood, how she always protected Lin Kesong, and how she felt responsible for her mother's departure. Lin Feng tearfully expressed how Xiaoyu, driven to always be the best, had struggled so much.
He thanked Lin Kesong for bravely helping Xiaoyu during the accident. Lin Kesong's parents then offered money to Lin Feng, which he initially refused, but they insisted, expressing their genuine concern. Hidden under her covers, Lin Xiaoyu silently shed tears. Song Yiran visited Chu Ting’s shop to retrieve his notebook. Having rented out his own apartment, he proposed setting up a camp bed on the second floor of her shop, offering to watch over it as rent.
Chu Ting, however, demanded an exorbitant rent of 10,000 yuan a month, prompting Song Yiran to leave in frustration. As he exited, a handsome young man arrived for a job interview. Consumed by jealousy, Song Yiran immediately tore down the "Hiring Sales Associate" poster, informed the applicant that the position had been filled, and sent him away. He then returned inside and, after a verbal spar with Chu Ting, insisted on applying for the sales associate position himself.
Before their date, the usually straightforward K-jie uncharacteristically applied makeup. Victor was equally nervous, agonizing over whether to buy milk tea or mineral water and second-guessing his own outfit. Just as he was feeling flustered, he caught sight of K-jie across the street, and they exchanged smiles, their unspoken understanding filling the air. At work, Jiang Qianfan presented Elise with two transfer agreements for Yuxuan’s shares in London and Shanghai.
He explained that Yuxuan was like his child, and he wished to do something for it in his final moments, believing Elise was the most capable person to care for it. He noted that Madam Quentin’s signature would be required for the Shanghai Yuxuan transfer. After Chu Ting hired Song Yiran, they went out to eat. During the meal, Song Yiran received a call from Jiang Qianfan, who told him Lin Kesong had fallen ill.
Chu Ting immediately drove Song Yiran over to see her. Later, Elise's mother was overjoyed upon reviewing Jiang Qianfan's contracts, as the terms perfectly matched her previous demands. However, Elise had no intention of accepting them. She hoped her mother would be moved by Jiang Qianfan’s actions and return the original, fraudulently acquired contracts. Elise asserted that she no longer needed her mother’s protection and only wished to be fair to Jiang Qianfan, explaining the internal suffering she was enduring.
Madam Quentin, fearing for Elise's safety, adamantly refused to return the contracts. In an act of desperation, Elise declared that if her mother insisted on Jiang Qianfan losing Yuxuan, she would lose Elise too. She then called Officer Han, who was in charge of Li Yan's case, forcing her mother to compromise and hand over the contracts.
