Cupid's Kitchen Episode 40 (Ending) Recap
> Cupid's Kitchen Recap
Elise addressed the staff at Yuxuan, expressing gratitude for their collective effort in helping the restaurant overcome its challenges and secure more reservations. She cautioned that Yuxuan still faced a long journey to full recovery, urging everyone to be prepared for a sustained effort, while also conveying her firm belief in a bright future for the restaurant with their dedication. She specifically commended Xiao Pa for making the right choice, believing his potential would be maximized within a team.
Turning to Da Mai, Elise expressed her reassurance with him managing the back kitchen, recalling his past admiration for Jiang Qianfan and encouraging him to become like his idol. She also acknowledged Zhou Zhou and Zheng Zhong as Da Mai's invaluable partners and Niu'er for turning his germophobia into a strength at Yuxuan, assuring him that Yuxuan would always be his home.
Elise concluded by saying that no matter where she went, she would remember each of them and remain proud to have them as colleagues, trusting them with everything, today and forever. After Elise's departure, Da Mai and Xiao Pa discussed her words, feeling they sounded like a farewell, and speculated that she might be returning to London. Meanwhile, Lin Kesong was searching for Jiang Qianfan near the valley where they once gathered wild vegetables.
By then, Jiang Qianfan had already ingested the "Hope No. 1" drug, experiencing such intense pain that he was on the verge of collapsing. Kesong eventually found him in severe agony. Distraught and feeling helpless, she desperately called Xie Junbin for assistance, but her call quickly lost reception after only a few words. Xie Junbin then contacted Elise, asking if she had given Jiang Qianfan the pills. Elise denied it and hurried to her office to check.
After finding the drawer empty, she reviewed the security footage, which confirmed that Jiang Qianfan had taken the medicine. Elise was consumed by guilt, realizing the medicine was originally meant for herself. Xie Junbin managed to re-establish contact with Lin Kesong and instructed her to send her location and prevent Jiang Qianfan from moving to conserve his energy. Kesong then scooped river water and fed it to Jiang Qianfan mouth-to-mouth, repeatedly urging him to "hang in there."
Jiang Qianfan, still in immense pain, recognized the taste of the water, proclaiming it was "the taste of you." Soon after, Xie Junbin arrived with an ambulance, locating them and notifying Elise of Jiang Qianfan's critical condition, advising her to be prepared. Elise reached out to Thomas, seeking his help late at night. She asked him to review a public announcement she had drafted for Yuxuan's website.
The announcement stated that their executive chef, Jiang Qianfan, had attempted a self-treatment for his loss of taste and smell and was now in a coma and critical condition, requesting everyone who loved him to pray for his survival. Thomas found the statement well-written and agreed to post it immediately. He then suggested Elise prepare a eulogy, fearing she would be too distraught to compose one later. Thomas offered a fitting line: "He is a gift sent from heaven."
Overcome with grief, Elise broke down in tears, blaming herself for destroying him. Upon seeing the announcement, Da Mai and the rest of the Yuxuan staff rushed to the hospital. Elsewhere, Nina and Boris were anxiously awaiting news. Boris learned of Jiang Qianfan's hospitalization from a call with Xiaoyu and they immediately left to join the others. Meanwhile, Elise was seen at a police station, having turned herself in.
In the emergency room, Jiang Qianfan fought for his life, his only thought being Lin Kesong, whom he couldn't bear to leave behind. Kesong was deeply moved, cherishing his words as the sweetest declaration of love. She marveled at his strength, that for her sake, he could overcome death itself. K-jie noticed Victor's somber mood and correctly surmised it was about his sister. When asked how she knew, K-jie explained she had seen news reports about changes in Yuxuan's operations.
K-jie reassured Victor, affirming her belief in his sister's good character. Sharing her own past struggles, she comforted him that his sister would also overcome this challenge. K-jie encouraged Victor to believe in his sister, and in her, suggesting he either smile or cry if he couldn't manage a smile. She promised they would await his sister's return together.
Song Yiran arrived at Chu Ting's shop with an adorable husky puppy, whose collar bore a note asking, "Chu Ting, can I pursue you again?" Chu Ting, initially refusing, asked Song Yiran for his reasons. He earnestly explained that he had initially been attracted to her qualities but later realized she possessed a far greater depth than he had imagined.
He praised her multilingualism, her business acumen, and her talent in fashion design, stating that in his eyes, she now shone brightly. Chu Ting then questioned his commitment, pointing out the significant responsibility of raising a small life just to pursue her. Song Yiran assured her he had considered it thoroughly and revealed the puppy's name was "Abu Jr." Chu Ting was surprised, as "Abu" was the name of her childhood husky that had accompanied her for sixteen years.
Song Yiran confessed he had meticulously researched her social media history, from Weibo to Qzone, discovering her past animal charity work and her beloved husky. He explained he had initially researched her to understand her better, but found her even more exceptional than he thought, staying up all night learning about her.
Although slightly unnerved by his thoroughness, Chu Ting eventually agreed to let him pursue her, admitting she couldn't stop him, especially since he now had a "helper" in Abu Jr. Bru approached Xiaoyu, informing her that he was returning to Canada and invited her to come with him, as his parents wished to meet her. Xiaoyu, though initially hesitant about leaving her restaurant, received encouragement from her father, Lin Feng, who offered to look after the business.
Playfully chastising her father for not missing her, Xiaoyu then agreed to go with Bru. The day arrived for Jiang Qianfan's eye bandages to be removed. Lin Kesong anxiously watched as he opened his eyes. He saw her, and a wave of immense joy washed over them both. They embraced tearfully, Jiang Qianfan reassuring her, "It's okay. I'm back." Jiang Qianfan wrote a letter of forgiveness for Elise.
Due to the absence of severe consequences from her actions and her evident remorse, she received a lighter sentence of deportation after a brief detention. Xie Junbin, showing his unwavering devotion, resigned from his job, sold his car and house, and accompanied Elise to a small, secluded city in Europe, where he opened a clinic to be by her side as she started a new life. After Elise's departure, Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong returned to their normal lives.
His sense of taste gradually began to recover. In the kitchen, he prepared a simple dish of tomato scrambled eggs, reflecting on his past tendency to overcomplicate things and create dishes merely for novelty. He admitted his nagging nature and acknowledged that often, the most common recipes were already perfect without needing his name on them. He offered Kesong a taste, stating he had added "just the right amount of sugar."
Kesong was stunned, asking if he could taste again, and he confirmed that he could discern "just sweet things." Kesong later reflected that his taste recovery began with sweetness, as if God had heard her prayers. She silently noted that her own sense of taste was no longer as sensitive as it once was, especially towards sweet things, but she felt no regret, content as long as she had Jiang Qianfan.
Boris hosted a live stream at Yuxuan, inviting fans to anticipate Jiang Qianfan's "Chef God's Thank You Party." Addressing his team in the Yuxuan kitchen, Jiang Qianfan apologized for the restaurant's long-standing lack of desserts.
He shared that his recent near-death experience had granted him a profound understanding: a chef should not stand between the dish and the guest, but rather become an integral part of the dish, to bring happiness and joy to diners, which he now saw as the ultimate achievement for a chef. He then joyfully declared that Yuxuan's history of having no desserts was officially over, as sugar, he realized, had always been with him.
The celebratory atmosphere at Yuxuan was palpable as Jiang Qianfan's new desserts were unveiled. Chu Ting playfully fed Song Yiran, Victor shared a dessert with K-jie, and Kesong's parents offered their heartfelt praise. Madam Quentin and Huang Shi danced gracefully, while Bru and Xiaoyu practiced tai chi. Amidst the joyous celebration, Jiang Qianfan turned to Lin Kesong and finally uttered the words, "I love you." With equal warmth, Kesong replied, "I love you too," and they shared a deep, heartfelt kiss.
