Sweet Combat Episode 15 Recap
> Sweet Combat Recap
Fang Yu longed to express her true feelings to Ming Tian but ultimately held back. She decided to bake him bread as a gesture of her affection, but the loaves all burned. An idea sparked when she saw Fang Zhou eating stir-fried noodles from Sun Hao’s family restaurant, inspiring her to learn how to make them herself. She approached Sun Hao, who was eager to help her.
Under his guidance, Fang Yu made steady progress, despite a minor mishap when tossing the wok. Meanwhile, Ming Tian grew increasingly composed during Fang Yu's rigorous training sessions, even managing to deflect some of her attacks. His younger siblings, Ming Zhu and Ming Lang, supported his training by going to school on their own.
Ming Lang told Ming Tian they were old enough to go by themselves and that Ming Tian should focus on the competition, adding that he could protect Ming Zhu. Ming Tian was touched by their support and vowed not to disappoint them. Following a training session, Fang Yu declined Ming Tian's invitation to eat together, leaving alone. Her frequent, mysterious visits to Sun Hao’s noodle stall to learn cooking began to raise questions among their peers.
Song Xiaomi and Cheng Yanan, exhausted from training Ming Tian and Sun Hao, often fell asleep in class. Sun Hao, witnessing this, expressed concern to the Director, worrying that their efforts to help them would negatively impact their own upcoming competitions. Later that night, the Director summoned Sun Hao and took him on a bicycle ride to Cheng Yanan’s family's boxing club.
There, the Director revealed that Fang Yu, Cheng Yanan, and Song Xiaomi secretly trained at night to hone their skills and maintain their perennial top-three ranking at Zhengze. The Director emphasized that while natural talent aids in victory, it's not foolproof, and consistent practice is essential. He stated that Cheng Yanan and the other two trained so hard they would not stop until the ground was soaked with sweat, proving that those more capable are also more hardworking.
Back at home, Fang Yu continued her culinary practice, meticulously chopping onions until she had four large basins full. Her efforts paid off; her stir-fried noodles were a success, drawing praise from Sun Hao and Cheng Yanan, who declared them as good as Mother Hao's. Fang Yu confided that she intended to use the noodles to express her feelings to Ming Tian in a subtle way.
She believed this approach would allow him to gracefully reject her if he didn't reciprocate her feelings, without causing undue pressure or affecting his training. Cheng Yanan then offered to help execute the plan more discreetly than Fang Yu's initial idea of going directly to Ming Tian's house. Ming Tian found Sun Hao behaving oddly and suggested he see a doctor.
Sun Hao, eager to share a secret, revealed to Ming Tian that he had made "progress" with Fang Yu, stating there was "a feeling like we're lovers." He explained that Fang Yu had been coming to his noodle stall every night after closing to learn stir-fried noodles. Sun Hao described Fang Yu as secretly loving to smile, looking cute when she was scared of being burned by the oil. He concluded that she would be a good wife and mother.
Just then, Fang Yu called out to Sun Hao, and the two walked off together. Witnessing their departure, Ming Tian grew increasingly disheartened. He channeled his frustration into intense training, pushing himself to his limits. Spotting Ming Tian’s dejection, Cheng Yanan pulled him away from training. She led him to a bustling area where Fang Yu had set up a noodle stall, treating all the students to stir-fried noodles under the guise of cheering everyone on.
Cheng Yanan subtly nudged Ming Tian, stating that Fang Yu was doing this for a "certain person." Ming Tian, recalling Sun Hao’s earlier boasts, immediately assumed the noodles were for Sun Hao and tried to leave. However, Fang Yu spotted him. Her face lit up with a smile as she immediately began preparing a bowl for him. Just then, Song Xiaomi arrived, carrying a specially made "love lunch" for Ming Tian.
Cheng Yanan playfully tried to snatch Song Xiaomi's lunch, but Ming Tian intervened. Ming Tian chose to leave with Song Xiaomi, heading to a secluded spot to eat. Behind them, Fang Yu's earlier joy vanished, replaced by a profound sense of loss. As Ming Tian ate Song Xiaomi's lunch, he seemed distracted. Song Xiaomi noticed a grain of rice on his lip, delicately removed it, and ate it, creating a moment of intimacy.
Fang Yu, passing by, witnessed this and misinterpreted the gesture as Song Xiaomi kissing Ming Tian, with him seemingly not refusing. Overwhelmed by a mix of emotions, Fang Yu fled the scene. Sun Hao, who had been following her out of concern, saw her distraught state and tried to stop her, but Fang Yu, in her emotional turmoil, instinctively threw him over her shoulder.
Concerned, Sun Hao followed Fang Yu back to his noodle stall and prepared a bowl of stir-fried noodles for her, even offering her his family’s secret fiery hot chili paste. As she struggled with the spice, Sun Hao realized the profound truth: Fang Yu had learned to make the noodles specifically for Ming Tian.
Though initially disheartened, Sun Hao was later comforted by his mother, who gently pointed out that Fang Yu already held someone else in her heart and that pursuing unrequited love often leads to tears and heartbreak. Sun Hao confessed that seeing Fang Yu in pain hurt him more than his own disappointment.
He resolved not to give up on her entirely, but rather to "stand behind her, silently keeping watch," hoping that one day she might turn around and realize she couldn't live without him. His mother expressed pride in his maturity and assured him of her unwavering support for his choices.
Shortly after, Sun Hao received a call from Song Xiaomi, who excitedly informed him that she had achieved her "first kiss" with Ming Tian, describing it as a "small step for me, Song Xiaomi, is a big step towards your happiness and mine!" She wanted to publicly display her progress to Fang Yu, but Sun Hao advised against it.
He warned her to "cook the frog in warm water," a metaphor for gradually winning Ming Tian over without scaring him off with an overly aggressive approach. Meanwhile, Fang Yu, still reeling from the day's events, returned to the martial arts hall and began relentlessly striking sandbags without her gloves. Cheng Yanan tried to console her, attributing her anger to Ming Tian and Song Xiaomi. However, Fang Yu's distress was deeper.
When Cheng Yanan’s father mentioned teaching his disciple Luo Guanyan the "Death Strike," Fang Yu reacted with intense anger. She questioned if it was the same boxing move that had killed someone in a Macau boxing ring years ago. Cheng Yanan's father confirmed it was a move developed by his master, and that his senior had used it to kill someone in that arena.
Fang Yu warned Cheng Yanan never to mention the name "Death Strike" in front of her, and threatened to end their friendship if Cheng Yanan ever learned it. She tearfully explained that the boxer who died in the arena that day was "someone very important" to her, and she hated the "Death Strike" and even more, the person who had used it.
Ming Tian, too, continued his intense training, recalling his father's determination before fights and vowing not to disappoint him. Later, Fang Yu, still consumed by pain, realized that she had been thinking of Uncle Ji (Ming Tian's father), reflecting on how much it must have hurt him when he was knocked down by the Death Strike. She confessed that she wanted to experience that same pain, punching without gloves until her hands were raw. Her brother, Fang Zhou, discovered her bleeding hands and expressed concern, reminding her that an MMA athlete's hands are their most important asset.
