Yummy Yummy Yummy Episode 18 Recap
> Yummy Yummy Yummy Recap
Seeking to quell her burgeoning feelings, Shen Shaoguang went to Xingjiao Nunnery and requested to become a nun. The head nun, discerning Shen Shaoguang's distress over love, invited her to share a meal. During this time, a young woman named Jingwen arrived to deliver vegetarian meals to the nunnery. Jingwen revealed her intention to participate in the upcoming Culinary Master Competition, a plan that reminded Shen Shaoguang of her own father's similar aspirations.
After the meal, Jingwen's carriage graciously took Shen Shaoguang back to her diner. Back at the diner, Shen Shaoguang insisted that Jingwen stay for dinner. Meanwhile, Shen Jianshe, having developed a new hot pot, invited Lin Yan to taste it. Lin Yan arrived and immediately recognized Jingwen as Shen Jingwen, Supervisor Meng's maternal granddaughter. Jingwen explained that while Shen was indeed her family name, she preferred to be known only as Jingwen due to sensitive family matters concerning her father.
The Shen family, upon learning of the shared surname and her prestigious background, became overjoyed, mistakenly believing she was a long-lost relative and Lin Yan's destined fiancée. They enthusiastically lined up to toast the couple, while Shen Shaoguang watched, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes. Shen's Diner officially launched its "hot pot season," featuring a variety of hot pots at affordable prices, including the distinctive Chiyan Hot Pot which incorporated smartweed in its spicy soup base.
To further attract customers, the diner introduced a "signature collection" loyalty program, offering a discount for patrons who gathered ten friends' signatures on a card. This new marketing strategy successfully drew many customers away from Guixiang Tavern, which offered a similar charcoal pot. On his day off, Pei Fei received an unexpected visit from the Princess, who had learned of his leisure and brought a hot pot from Shen's Diner.
Pei Fei expressed his displeasure at her uninvited presence and firmly reiterated his commitment to building his career and honoring his family, rather than pursuing romantic entanglements, especially given her married status. Feigning hurt, the Princess started to leave, prompting Pei Fei to follow her, concerned about public perception. He further clarified that his earlier "elegant" demeanor was a borrowed facade, and his modest life was devoted solely to his ambitions.
The Princess, acknowledging his aspirations, then proposed that they maintain a platonic friendship, a suggestion Pei Fei reluctantly accepted. Her attendant questioned her persistence, to which the Princess candidly admitted that Pei Fei's repeated rejections had only fueled her determination to win him over, as she had never failed to acquire something she desired. Later, Liu Feng visited Shen's Diner and commended Shen Shaoguang's innovative use of smartweed in her hot pot, admitting that Guixiang Tavern had been fairly outdone.
Shen Shaoguang articulated her business philosophy, emphasizing that collective innovation among all establishments in Juxian Alley was crucial for sustained prosperity, as no single business should seek to dominate. Impressed by her broad vision, Shen Shaoguang requested his craftsmen to produce custom pot designs: flat-bottomed, deep pots with two handles, and partitioned pots for cooking multiple ingredients simultaneously.
As compensation, she offered him her unique recipes for new dishes such as crab stick, salted egg yolk-filled fried dough, and shrimp paste. Liu Feng readily accepted. Lin Yan's attempts to locate Fifth Master Xiao's personal notes had proven fruitless. The following day, on his way home from work, Lin Yan stopped by Shen's Diner to deliver a meal box. Coincidentally, Shen Jingwen was also dining there, having returned late from Xingjiao Nunnery.
Li Fengxia invited Lin Yan to join them, and Shen Shaoguang presented her newly developed vegetarian pickled vinegar pot for Jingwen and Lin Yan, while other family members enjoyed a mutton version. Lin Yan and Shen Jingwen sat together at one table, while Shen Shaoguang and Liu Feng occupied another.
During their meal, Liu Feng proposed a new venture: he would fund the acquisition of a vacant adjacent shop for expansion, with Shen Shaoguang managing it in a profit-sharing arrangement, a plan she readily accepted. Meanwhile, Lin Yan attentively removed a stray piece of mutton from Jingwen's vegetarian dish. Watching the two, Shen Shaoguang felt a pang of jealousy, making her own mutton and radish hot pot taste inexplicably sour.
That evening, Liu Feng relayed his expansion plans to his grandfather, Liu Weng, praising Shen Shaoguang's intelligence. While approving the venture, Liu Weng subtly sensed that his grandson's interest in Shen Shaoguang extended beyond professional collaboration. The next morning, Liu Weng arrived at Shen's Diner with an elaborate "Dragon and Phoenix Cake," a traditional wedding pastry, and formally proposed marriage between his grandson, Liu Feng, and Shen Shaoguang.
The Shen family reacted with stunned surprise, with some even questioning Shen Shaoguang's appeal. Liu Weng, however, passionately championed Shen Shaoguang's character, highlighting her straightforwardness, intelligence, and business acumen as a perfect match for Liu Feng, whose parents had passed away early. Shen Jianshe attempted to dissuade Liu Weng by recounting Shen Shaoguang's past youthful blunders, such as being scammed at age fifteen and faking a hunger strike.
Resourcefully, Liu Weng spun these anecdotes into evidence of her negotiating skills and resilience, drawing parallels to Liu Feng's own youthful business missteps and emphasizing their compatibility. Despite this, Li Fengxia insisted that such a significant decision required careful family deliberation. Meanwhile, Lin Yan visited the Princess, who was completely preoccupied with her feelings for Pei Fei. After presenting her with desserts from Shen's Diner, Lin Yan addressed his true purpose: to discuss Pei Fei.
The Princess, feeling hungry, instructed her attendant, Liu Chang, to order more food from Shen's Diner. Lin Yan speculated that Pei Fei's reluctance might stem from the Princess's previous marriage to Fifth Master Xiao. He suggested that removing any tokens of affection from her late husband might ease Pei Fei's concerns. The Princess clarified that Fifth Master Xiao had left her no such tokens, only case notes, some of which were locked away.
Lin Yan, having admired Fifth Master Xiao, offered to safeguard these notes, assuring the Princess that this would prevent them from deterring Pei Fei. The Princess agreed, promising him any reward if he could make Pei Fei reciprocate her feelings. At this moment, Liu Chang returned with startling news: Shen's Diner was closed because Liu Weng had formally proposed marriage to Shen Shaoguang. Stunned by this revelation, Lin Yan hastily excused himself.
Back at Shen's Diner, Liu Weng patiently awaited Shen Shaoguang's reply. Shen Jianshe urged her to refuse the proposal. Shen Shaoguang, however, weighed Liu Feng's advantageous qualities and saw the marriage as an opportunity to sever her "improper thoughts." As Lin Yan suddenly rushed into the diner, Shen Shaoguang, looking at him, made her decision and accepted the wedding cakes, thus agreeing to the proposal.
Distraught, Lin Yan silently left the diner and wandered the streets alone, so lost in thought that he failed to notice the Princess following him. She confronted him, pointing out his failure to stop the proposal despite his evident feelings for Shen Shaoguang. She questioned why he, who dared to defy her brother, could not confess his love. Lin Yan maintained that Shen Shaoguang had the right to her own choice, and he could not disregard her will. The Princess, dismissing his response as cowardice, chastised him for not daring to speak his heart and left him.
