Delicious Romance Episode 15 Recap
> Delicious Romance Recap
Xia Meng presented a detailed PowerPoint to Liu Jing, attempting to explain why she had lied to Lu Bin. She defined lies as an instinct for survival and categorized her own deception as "white lies," motivated by self-protection, fear of hurting feelings, and uncertainty about how the truth might impact their relationship. She explained that successful women often face troubles, leading her to conceal her identity.
She admitted to covering one lie with another but stressed that her intentions were not malicious, and she deeply cherished their relationship and future. She concluded by asking if Liu Jing would forgive her. Liu Jing, however, was unimpressed. While she expressed a willingness to invest in Xia Meng, she firmly stated she wouldn't forgive her. Liu Jing criticized Xia Meng for treating the apology like a business negotiation, urging her to show genuine sincerity rather than "useless gestures."
She scoffed at Xia Meng's suggestion of having her PR department draft an apology letter, advising her to instead leverage her company's drama-making expertise to create an emotionally resonant apology that would truly move Lu Bin, just like the popular romantic dramas they produce. Meanwhile, Fang Xin attended her divorce mediation, only to find Ma Zhenyu absent, represented solely by his attorney.
Ma Zhenyu's lawyer stated that due to Fang Xin being unemployed throughout their marriage and Ma Zhenyu's company suffering losses from poor investments, there were no marital assets to divide. Furthermore, their jointly-owned home had been mortgaged with Fang Xin's authorization, and as the term had expired without redemption, Ma Zhenyu was now in debt. The lawyer argued that under Article 41 of the Marriage Law, Fang Xin should jointly repay these marital debts.
Fang Xin's lawyer immediately countered, alleging that Ma Zhenyu might have deliberately transferred marital assets and requested a thorough investigation. Xia Meng arrived at Lu Bin's apartment, which he had prepared for her. She found new slippers by the door and various toiletries he had bought for her in the storage cabinet, chosen with recommendations from a clerk.
Lu Bin called to apologize for not being able to pick her up but assured her he would try to come home early after work, asking her not to rush back. Xia Meng, touched by his thoughtful gestures, happily began decorating the apartment. While Liu Jing was viewing a potential shop location with Jiang Shanmu, the real estate agent inadvertently revealed that Song Chao had accompanied her the previous day and offered to invest.
Jiang Shanmu immediately grew upset, confronting Liu Jing and demanding to know why she didn't ask him for money if she needed it. Liu Jing, frustrated, retorted that she didn't need money, denying his offer, and walked away. Later, Fang Xin’s belongings were unceremoniously thrown onto the street by creditors as Ma Zhenyu had mortgaged their home, leaving her locked out and with nowhere to go. Just as she was in despair, Zhang Ting passed by.
Noticing her distress, he offered assistance, helping her move her belongings to a friend’s warehouse. Jiang Shanmu then sought out Song Chao, bringing a bottle of whiskey. Song Chao offered his own superior whiskey, but seeing Jiang Shanmu's grim expression, he conceded to drinking Jiang Shanmu's bottle. Jiang Shanmu accused Song Chao of being disrespectful, while Song Chao criticized Jiang Shanmu for being envious of his wealth.
Their conversation quickly devolved into an argument over Liu Jing, with Song Chao pointedly asking how Jiang Shanmu could be her boyfriend and not even know she needed money. Jiang Shanmu, recalling his childhood dislike for "sucking up" to others, confessed how having his daughter, Wenwen, forced him to take on responsibilities he once detested, making him realize that many things become beyond one's control as an adult.
He then explained to Song Chao why he loved Liu Jing: she was the only person he knew who still lived so freely and spontaneously as an adult. He admired her independent spirit, her balance of humility and self-respect, and her refusal to envy others or belittle herself. He found her captivating because she embodied the life he wished he could live.
Song Chao then shared that his connection to Liu Jing began with Chinese cooking videos the algorithm recommended while he was studying abroad, as he disliked Western food. He admitted he hadn't recognized her from their shared childhood compound at first. Jiang Shanmu seized on this, accusing Song Chao of lying about their "childhood sweetheart" connection and attempting to "play hard to get," which ironically led to Liu Jing being with him.
Song Chao and Jiang Shanmu both opened up about their struggles with wealth and finding genuine connections. Song Chao then revealed that Liu Jing had already rejected his offer to invest even before he finalized his plans. Despite their rivalry, they found a strange camaraderie in their shared feelings, singing about love and breakups. Jiang Shanmu, fueled by alcohol, passionately declared that Liu Jing was his and vowed to love her for a lifetime.
Song Chao, now very drunk, conceded that Jiang Shanmu had "completely finished him off" regarding Liu Jing. At the gym, Lu Bin informed Wang Jichong that he could no longer coach him due to their "awkward relationship." He then revealed that Xia Meng, the woman he was now dating, was the same ex-girlfriend Wang Jichong had seen in a video.
Wang Jichong immediately became enraged, accusing Lu Bin of latching onto a vice president and no longer needing to worry about selling courses. Lu Bin, genuinely unaware of Xia Meng's true profession, tried to explain, but Wang Jichong refused to listen, physically assaulting him and warning him to stay away from Xia Meng. Later, a visibly drunk Lu Bin returned to his apartment.
Before Xia Meng could explain her deception, he recounted a childhood story about a pet chicken, Xiaobao, that his parents had secretly cooked and served him, then lied about. He expressed his deep-seated hatred for being lied to and the confusion it caused. Xia Meng attempted to confess, but Lu Bin, now knowing her true identity as Director Xia from Wang Jichong, interrupted her, accusing her of continuous lies.
He refused to listen further and, grabbing his friend's keys, told her he would be staying elsewhere for the night and expected her to be gone by the time he returned. Heartbroken, Xia Meng discarded the celebratory surprises she had arranged for Lu Bin. As she sat outside, Wang Jichong appeared. Drawing on a concept Xia Meng once taught him, Wang Jichong sincerely apologized for his earlier outburst, expressing remorse for his actions.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Xia Meng found solace in his embrace, crying on his shoulder. Later that night, with Song Chao heavily intoxicated, Liu Jing and Shanmu were together. Liu Jing reflected on classical stories of two men dueling over a woman, admitting to feeling a mix of novelty and flattery at being desired by two men, despite her perceived unlikable personality.
Shanmu, however, cautioned her that not every such "duel" has a clear winner or loser, and that she should learn to accept that someone she likes might not always reciprocate her feelings. The next day, Song Chao again approached Liu Jing with a practical offer for her restaurant. He explained that a mall owner, who owed his uncle a favor, was willing to provide her with a vacant shop space rent-free, taking only a percentage of her monthly profits.
He believed this would greatly ease her initial financial burden. However, Liu Jing politely declined, explaining that since she had decided to be with Shanmu, she could not accept such assistance. Song Chao, understanding, apologized for any difficulty and promised to maintain appropriate boundaries to avoid making her uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Fang Xin continued drinking heavily with Zhang Ting, who tried to persuade her to stop due to her allergic reactions to alcohol. Under the influence, Fang Xin inferred from his concern that Zhang Ting harbored feelings for her. She then impulsively kissed him, a gesture Zhang Ting readily reciprocated.
