Meteor Garden 2018 Episode 11 Recap
> Meteor Garden 2018 Recaps
Daoming Si left abruptly for London, leaving Shancai feeling uneasy. Though she initially thought this might be the best way for them to part, she couldn't shake off her concern about his departure. On the day of Daoming Si's flight, discussions buzzed among students at school. Shancai was troubled but chose not to go to the airport.
Li Zhen, understanding the bond between them, urged Shancai to see him off, recounting how Daoming Si, when drunk, had once told her he preferred Shancai because she wouldn't betray her true feelings. Meanwhile, at the airport, Daoming Si and his sister, Zhuang, were being seen off by Huaze Lei, Ximen, and Meizuo. Zhuang, furious that Daoming Si hadn't bid farewell to Shancai, twisted his ear and admonished him.
As Daoming Si prepared to board, Huaze Lei pulled him aside and whispered something to him, leaving Daoming Si with a grim and distracted expression. Once on the plane, as it was about to take off, Daoming Si suddenly demanded to get off. Zhuang, unable to reason with him, slapped him unconscious to ensure he went to London.
Despite not seeing him off, Shancai couldn't stop thinking about Daoming Si, realizing that even though they were always quarreling, his absence left a void in her heart. In London, Zhuang ensured Daoming Si settled into their sprawling family estate. Their mother was away on a business trip in New York, which Daoming Si tried to use as an excuse to return to Shanghai.
Zhuang, however, refused, explaining that she couldn't answer to their formidable mother, who tightly controlled Daoming Si's life. He felt trapped by his mother's influence and rebelled against her plans for his future. Despite the luxury of his London mansion, Daoming Si found no joy. His mind replayed Huaze Lei’s whispered words from the airport: that nothing had happened between Huaze Lei and Shancai that night, and that Shancai's true affection lay with Daoming Si.
Disturbed by this revelation, Daoming Si yearned to return to Shancai. He impulsively called the French restaurant, pretending to be Shancai's father. When Shancai answered, calling out "Dad," Daoming Si secretly rejoiced. He then spoke to her in Shanghai dialect, asking about her well-being and if she had enough money. Confused, Shancai assumed it was a wrong number and promptly hung up. Feeling bored in London, Daoming Si visited Fengshui Xuan, a restaurant he frequented.
Sister Yue, the owner and an old friend, was delighted to see him and prepared a feast of his favorite dishes, including sweet and sour spare ribs. Eating them, he was reminded of Shancai, as it was her signature dish. Meanwhile, Shancai continued her part-time job at the French restaurant. Tian Ye was meticulously preparing Thermidorian lobster for an upcoming head chef assessment, which would be judged by the renowned Chef Uncle Qian the next day.
The most challenging part of the dish was its soup base, requiring hours of simmering with over a dozen rare ingredients. Tian Ye had mentioned a shortcut using Shenwei leaf, though it would result in a slightly inferior taste. The next morning, Shancai arrived to find her colleagues in despair; Tian Ye had ruined the soup base by overcooking it while he slept. With only two hours until the assessment, there wasn't enough time to restart.
Remembering Tian Ye's words about Shenwei leaf, Shancai urged him not to give up and rushed out to find the ingredient. Shancai located Shenwei leaf at a place called Shennong Manor. She bought the very last plant and hurried back to the restaurant. Time was running out, but disaster struck when she collided with a scooter. The Shenwei leaf flew from her grasp and was crushed by other vehicles. She knelt, cradling the ruined plant and weeping.
An old woman, whom Shancai had once helped, unexpectedly appeared. Recognizing Shancai, and as a gesture of goodwill, she gave Shancai another Shenwei leaf. Shancai quickly returned to the restaurant, delivering the leaf to Tian Ye just in time. Using the Shenwei leaf, Tian Ye successfully recreated the sauce, and his Thermidorian lobster was met with high praise from Uncle Qian.
This triumph secured Tian Ye's promotion to head chef, and he expressed his deep gratitude to Shancai, acknowledging that her help had been indispensable. Later, while purchasing spices at Shennong Manor, Tian Ye discovered Shancai's ID card. He learned from the old woman who worked there that Shancai had pawned her ID because she didn't have enough money to buy the Shenwei leaf, and had even been in a scooter accident in her rush to help him.
Overwhelmed with guilt, Tian Ye redeemed her ID and invited Shancai to dinner to express his thanks. Shancai was overjoyed. During their conversation, Shancai learned that Tian Ye's mother had passed away when he was young, and his father disapproved of his culinary ambitions. Despite this, Tian Ye vowed not to give up on his passion, a determination Shancai greatly admired.
Tian Ye felt a strong connection with Shancai, finding her hardworking and optimistic nature endearing, and began to develop feelings for her. After dinner, Tian Ye walked Shancai home. At her doorstep, he awkwardly began to confess his feelings, but a confused Shancai didn't quite grasp his meaning. Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared – Daoming Si. Daoming Si rudely interrupted, immediately branding Tian Ye a liar who had deceived Shancai.
He revealed that Tian Ye was, in fact, the heir to Tian's Chinese Medicine, not the struggling part-time student he pretended to be. Shancai, feeling betrayed by the deceit she despised most, turned away from Tian Ye. Daoming Si stubbornly followed Shancai into her home, where they continued to bicker in the living room. Suddenly, Shancai's mother burst out, overjoyed to see Daoming Si, whom she adored.
She insisted he stay the night, and with no guest room available, a makeshift bed was set up for Daoming Si beside Shancai’s bed. In the quiet of the night, Daoming Si and Shancai lay on their separate beds. He playfully questioned her about her week without him, wondering if she felt free or lonely, but quickly dismissed her feelings.
