Cute Programmer Episode 9 Recap
> Cute Programmer Recap
Working late into the evening, Jiang Yicheng felt a pang of hunger. He stepped out of his office, hoping to find Lu Li, but the floor below was deserted. Seeing that the person he sought was nowhere in sight left him with a sense of disappointment. Meanwhile, Lu Li was at a group dinner with Chen Yiming and the programming team. Da Huang was distracted, constantly messaging someone.
He revealed he was dating a game streamer he had followed for a while and recently met in person. His colleagues playfully teased him, but Da Huang beamed with satisfaction, declaring that programmers are quite popular. When Jiang Yicheng saw a group photo from the dinner on social media, his jealousy flared, especially noticing Chen Yiming and Lu Li in close proximity. He immediately texted Lu Li, ordering her to bring him fried chicken.
Before he could follow up on her short reply, his mother called, insisting he pick up Lu Li. Despite his initial reluctance, Jiang Yicheng, swayed by his mother's urging, headed to the parking lot. There, he found Lu Li with Chen Yiming, who was persistently offering to drive her home. Jiang Yicheng seized the moment, taking Lu Li by the arm and stating they were leaving before pulling her away, leaving Chen Yiming puzzled by his unusually assertive behavior.
Upon their return, Lu Li offered to make Jiang Yicheng a drink. As she prepared an instant banana latte—a recipe she learned from Chen Yiming—its aroma drew him closer. However, the moment she mentioned Chen Yiming, Jiang Yicheng recoiled, feigning distaste. As Lu Li held out the cup, they accidentally bumped into each other, sending coffee splashing. Jiang Yicheng sprang onto the sofa while Lu Li crouched to clean the mess, creating an awkward and intimate atmosphere.
Flustered, Lu Li quickly excused herself. Elsewhere, Da Huang excitedly met his girlfriend, Xunxun. She brought him pumpkin porridge and revealed she had an upcoming live-streamed game battle she was worried about losing. She pleaded with him to play in her place. Da Huang hesitated, knowing that playing for someone else is a deceptive practice frowned upon in the gaming community. However, swayed by Xunxun’s persistence, he impulsively agreed.
The next morning, Jiang Yicheng's mother called, demanding he and Lu Li go to an address she sent. Upon arrival, they discovered she had arranged a wedding photoshoot. Resigned, Jiang Yicheng changed into a suit and was momentarily captivated by Lu Li in her wedding gown. He found the stiff, posed photos unbearable, so Lu Li suggested they move the shoot to his favorite game arcade. They changed into casual outfits and captured a series of unconventional photos.
His mother, pleased, insisted on more, but Lu Li managed to de-escalate the situation by explaining she didn't want to disappoint her after so much preparation, convincing Jiang Yicheng to cooperate. That evening, the task of selecting photos fell to Lu Li. To her surprise, Jiang Yicheng joined her. They bickered playfully, with him criticizing her smiles and her pointing out his stern expressions, and he insisted on supervising to ensure no unflattering photos of him were chosen.
Together, they completed the task. Early the following morning, Jiang Yicheng, a light sleeper, was awoken by Lu Li preparing breakfast. His initial irritation softened as he watched her. He gently reminded her to wear slippers when he noticed she was barefoot, to which she explained she was trying to be quiet. Touched by her sincerity, he decided to eat at the office instead.
At work, Da Huang was exhausted, having spent the night playing games with his girlfriend instead of preparing for an important demonstration for an investor. During the presentation for the investor, Mr. Ma, a critical error occurred in a feature Da Huang's team was responsible for. Mr. Ma expressed his disappointment in the team's competence and work attitude, abruptly ending the meeting. Furious, Jiang Yicheng fired Da Huang for his negligence, giving him three days to leave.
Pressured by her colleagues, Lu Li agreed to plead for Da Huang. She approached Jiang Yicheng with an allegory about Napoleon, arguing that a leader should show leniency for unintentional mistakes to maintain morale. She proposed giving Da Huang a chance to redeem himself. Jiang Yicheng vehemently rejected her plea, stating that business prioritizes results, not sentiment.
He coldly questioned her right to interfere, asking if she was acting as a "subordinate who joined by connections" or his "wife on the household register." He bluntly told her to "wake up," reminded her she was only "Mrs. Jiang in name," and ordered her out. Distraught, Lu Li sought refuge in the stairwell, where Chen Yiming found and comforted her. Meanwhile, in his office, Jiang Yicheng found a report Lu Li had left covered in encouraging sticky notes.
His guilt deepened when a colleague delivered a lunchbox from Lu Li with a note urging him not to skip meals. Upon learning Lu Li was with Chen Yiming, Jiang Yicheng went to find them. Seeing them smiling together, his jealousy surged. As Lu Li’s expression turned cold toward him, he impulsively embraced her in front of Chen Yiming and assertively called her "Mrs. Jiang."
Stunned, Chen Yiming later learned from Jiang Yicheng's sister, Jiang Zitong, that the couple had secretly registered their marriage two days prior—a fact Jiang Yicheng had forbidden her to reveal. Back home, Jiang Yicheng confronted Lu Li about her closeness with Chen Yiming. Lu Li explained her admiration was merely "worship," but he dismissed it.
When she invoked his rule to keep personal matters out of the office, he countered that as her "husband in name," he had the right to question her. Lu Li asserted her right not to answer, her first act of defiance. Frustrated, Jiang Yicheng stayed home, surrounded by a table full of food he had prepared, waiting for her to return.
