Love The Way You Are Episode 1 Recap
> Love The Way You Are Recap
Zhen Yuanyuan, a chubby girl ten years ago, harbored a secret crush on Ruan Dongsheng. This unrequited affection left her deeply hurt, tormenting her with recurring nightmares for over a decade. Despite her transformation into the supermodel Eva, with a stunning figure, the emotional scars remained. She often dreamt of happily showering, only for her surroundings to abruptly change, leaving her exposed in a bathrobe, mocked and ridiculed by a crowd.
In these desperate moments, Ruan Dongsheng would appear in a sports car, offering help. Just as she gratefully approached to get in, he would cruelly mock her, declaring that a "fatty" like her was "not qualified to like" him, before driving away. Zhen Yuanyuan would then wake from this "damn nightmare," haunted by the memory, though now she graced the covers of famous fashion magazines as the supermodel Eva.
Ruan Dongsheng, her former crush, was now the President of Qing Corporation. He was a handsome and imposing figure, spearheading his company's expansion into new markets. At an exclusive banquet showcasing his cuisine, he discovered his head chef, Reynolds, had violated company standards by reusing cooking oil, lowering the quality of a Chinese and Western fusion dish. Without hesitation, Ruan Dongsheng immediately fired Reynolds, despite the chef's pleas and Ni Hao, his assistant, pointing out the presence of industry elites.
Ruan Dongsheng firmly stated that old employees should respect the brand's commitment to rigorous science and precise molecular cuisine, and that violating these principles in his kitchen was forbidden. He instructed Ni Hao to process Reynolds' resignation with an extra two months' salary and announced that he would personally cook for the distinguished guests, asserting that his culinary skills were "worth their wait." Meanwhile, Eva was preparing for an upcoming fashion show, famished and lacking energy.
Her agent, Xiao Nan, tempted her with the promise of hot pot after the show. Believing him, Eva put on an energetic performance. Afterward, she excitedly called Xiao Nan, asking about the promised meal, only to be refused. Xiao Nan told her she feared getting fat more than dying and advised her to go home and sleep, leaving Eva deeply disappointed and on the verge of collapsing from hunger.
Later, Eva spotted a service cart laden with tempting desserts entering an elevator. Driven by hunger, she instinctively followed it. The desserts led her to Ruan Dongsheng's masked banquet, where tables overflowed with exquisite food. Eva wrestled with her self-control, but her intense longing for food ultimately triumphed over her discipline. She grabbed a mask and put it on, determined to indulge.
However, fate seemed to conspire against her; every time she reached for a dish, someone else would snatch it away first. Disheartened and about to leave, she noticed Ruan Dongsheng emerge. Seeing him after so many years, Eva was momentarily stunned, recalling her past self, Zhen Yuanyuan, being openly mocked when she confessed her feelings to him. Ruan Dongsheng began cooking, immediately becoming the center of attention. Eva muttered to herself that he hadn't changed, still craving the spotlight.
As he worked on a molecular mango dish, explaining its scientific principles, a prominent food critic, Qiao Man, who was clearly intoxicated, approached him. She tried to flirt with him, suggesting he join her for a drink. When Ruan Dongsheng attempted to stop her from drinking an iced beverage, he accidentally knocked over her glass. Qiao Man, feeling humiliated, angrily threw the broken glass and left, escorted by the host.
Eva, disheartened by her hunger and the evening's events, decided to leave. As she turned, she accidentally bumped a table, sending a wine glass crashing to the floor. The sound caught Ruan Dongsheng's attention, and he approached her, asking which company she worked for. Eva, disoriented by her extreme hunger, was unresponsive. In her confusion, she mistook Ruan Dongsheng’s face for a "glutinous rice dumpling" and impulsively bit his cheek. Startled, Ruan Dongsheng stumbled, pulling Eva into the swimming pool.
Xiao Nan and the host quickly helped them out. Later, as Ruan Dongsheng showered, the incident played in his mind, particularly the "dumpling" comment. He instructed his assistant, Ni Hao, to find the "mysterious girl who wanted to eat" him. Back home, Eva found old love letters she had written to Ruan Dongsheng, rekindling memories of being ridiculed. She vowed to make him pay "double" for what she had endured over the past decade.
The incident with Qiao Man led to a public backlash. She appeared on television, disparaging Ruan Dongsheng’s character and implying his food was inferior. As a result, Qing Corporation's restaurant rating dropped by one star, and reservations decreased significantly. To mitigate the damage, Ruan Dongsheng decided to participate in a televised food competition called "The Delicious King." Coincidentally, Eva was invited as a judge. Eva saw this as a golden opportunity for revenge.
As she walked onto the stage, she fantasized about slapping Ruan Dongsheng, relishing the thought. During the competition, she deliberately praised his opponent, Mr. Mark's Foie Gras Jam Lollipop, calling it "very delicious" and suggesting Mr. Mark would win. Ruan Dongsheng, feeling challenged, insisted she taste his main dish, highlighting his confidence in it. Eva took a bite, but immediately clutched her mouth and rushed off the stage.
She secretly suffered from a rare condition: after years of extreme dieting and inhuman training to lose weight and become Eva, her daily calorie intake could not exceed one thousand, or she would rapidly gain weight and become fat. Only Xiao Nan knew this secret and helped her cover it up. News of Eva vomiting after tasting Ruan Dongsheng’s dish spread, further harming his restaurant's reputation.
Ruan Dongsheng, recalling the moment he removed her fake eyelash at the banquet, felt she had betrayed his kindness. His assistant, Ni Hao, investigated and discovered Eva was a long-term "anti-fan" of Qing Corporation, consistently liking negative posts about them. Ruan Dongsheng then invited Eva to his restaurant for a private dinner, intending to cook for her himself. Xiao Nan, aware of Eva's intense dislike for Ruan Dongsheng, urged her to stay away from him.
However, Eva was thrilled by the invitation, seeing another chance for revenge. At the restaurant, Ruan Dongsheng presented a table of his classic dishes. Eva meticulously calculated the calories of each one. He insisted she taste them all and provide an objective evaluation, provoking her to do so. Initially, she refused. Ruan Dongsheng argued that she, who insulted his food without tasting it and was "vindictive," should be the one to apologize.
Provoked, Eva began tasting the dishes, providing surprisingly professional and accurate critiques. She noted that the Sauteed Scallop With XO Sauce used farmed scallops instead of wild, the mustard frosted salmon lacked taste due to improper liquid nitrogen cooling, and the cold seasoned vegetable's low temperature would "hurt the stomach." Internally, she worried about regaining weight.
Finally, she critiqued his Seared Scallop With Saffron Lemon Juice Fried Rice, calling it "too perfect, like it came from a robot, not a human," concluding that his molecular cuisine was merely a "cold product of marketing," while "real food needs to be cooked emotionally." She questioned if a "cold and selfish" person like him understood real food.
After her harsh critique, Ruan Dongsheng, sensing her ulterior motives, asked Eva directly who she was, believing she was acting to gain fame and money, and told her to "just state a price." Enraged, Eva recalled how he had "trampled on her dignity" ten years ago and was now "humiliating her again." She felt she would "have no face to live in the world" if she didn't get justice that day, and lunged forward to slap him.
Ruan Dongsheng misinterpreted her gesture as a demand for money, assuming she wanted 500,000. He generously offered to increase it tenfold, proposing five million as "hush money," and stated his director Luo would contact her the next day. Eva was utterly furious, shouting that she didn't want his money. Back home, she broke down crying to Xiao Nan, feeling she had been cast as a "wicked female supporting role" who demanded money, despite being the "tragic heroine."
Xiao Nan comforted her, assuring her that Ruan Dongsheng was the problem, unrelated to her weight. Eva declared she never wanted to see him again. Unbeknownst to her, Ruan Dongsheng decided to appoint Eva as the new brand spokesperson for Qing Corporation, stating she "cannot take that five million from us for nothing." The next morning, Eva woke up, and to her delight, found she hadn't gained weight. She celebrated joyfully, relieved she wasn't getting fat anymore.
