Yummy Yummy Yummy Episode 22 Recap
> Yummy Yummy Yummy Recap
Shen Jianshe walked Shen Yangyang to Hongwen Academy. Along the way, Shen Yangyang observed that everyone in their family had changed since they arrived in Yong'an, except for Li Fengxia. Shen Jianshe surmised that this might be why Li Fengxia was constantly ill-tempered. After dropping Shen Yangyang off, he presented Li Fengxia with the carriage linchpin for a luxurious, four-horse carriage, which he proclaimed was the most stylish and extravagant in all of Yong'an.
He explained that he could now provide her with a lavish life and hoped her temper would improve. Li Fengxia, however, was offended, questioning if he believed her anger stemmed solely from their past poverty. She stormed off, leaving Shen Jianshe to tumble from his high perch. When she refused to help him up, Shen Jianshe complained that her temper had remained unchanged since their dating days.
He accused her of hitting, pinching, scolding, and kicking him, and questioned why she couldn't be more considerate of him, especially now that he had achieved success and garnered fans. At Hongwen Academy, Mentor Zhao Xunzhi taught the traditional belief that the sky is round and the earth is square. Shen Yangyang boldly interrupted, explaining that both the sky, which is the atmosphere, and the earth, a planet, are spherical.
She used an analogy about cats pushing things off a flat earth to support her claim, causing a stir among her classmates. After class, Mentor Zhao Xunzhi summoned Shen Shaoguang. Shen Shaoguang initially worried that Shen Yangyang had caused trouble on her first day. However, Mentor Zhao Xunzhi instead praised Shen Yangyang’s extraordinary talent and wonderful ideas, stating that with proper guidance, she would achieve great things. He cautioned, however, that her outspoken nature could lead to unforeseen problems.
Relieved, Shen Shaoguang noticed that Mentor Zhao Xunzhi possessed a profound understanding of human relationships beyond his scholarly knowledge. She then invited him to dine at her family’s diner. Though the diner was closed for expansion, he accepted. Lin Yan expressed strong concern over Shen Shaoguang’s invitation to Zhao Xunzhi, deeming it too risky and claiming he could never repay such a favor.
Shen Shaoguang reminded him of his numerous past kindnesses to their family, which they could never fully repay. She urged him to use this opportunity to investigate Zhao Xunzhi rather than dwelling on the debt. Shen Yangyang, who had grown fond of Mentor Zhao because he never scolded her and always reasoned with her, questioned if such a good teacher could truly be a bad person. Later, Zhao Xunzhi arrived at Shen’s Diner.
The Shen family, including Shen Jianshe, Li Fengxia, and Shen Yangyang, took turns toasting him, praising his wisdom and care for Shen Yangyang. As Zhao Xunzhi became increasingly inebriated, Lin Yan approached the table. For a moment, Zhao Xunzhi mistook Lin Yan for an old friend, Cui Rangzhi, due to his attire. Lin Yan feigned ignorance and subtly probed Zhao Xunzhi by inquiring about the historical figure Li Ji, who betrayed a friend for personal gain.
Zhao Xunzhi affirmed that Li Ji’s betrayal was universally condemned. Lin Yan then directly questioned Zhao Xunzhi about the 17-year-old Yong'an post-selling case, where a testimony had been altered, asking if Zhao Xunzhi's actions were voluntary or coerced. Meanwhile, Prince Zhao visited the spirit tablet of his deceased eldest son, Li Sheng. He reflected on Lin Yan's swift investigative progress, acknowledging that Lin Yan’s abilities were on par with Li Sheng’s.
He expressed sorrow, suggesting that he might one day have to sacrifice Lin Yan. Li Xun then informed Prince Zhao that Lin Yan was already investigating Zhao Xunzhi. Prince Zhao believed Zhao Xunzhi would remain silent to protect his reputation, but Li Xun countered that Zhao Xunzhi might choose to act like Cheng Ying, sacrificing himself for a just cause if he deemed Prince Zhao an unworthy leader.
Li Xun also reported that Zhao Xunzhi had entered Shen’s Diner and not yet returned home. Prince Zhao then activated his network of spies in Juxian Alley. Despite Zhao Xunzhi seemingly agreeing to testify, Lin Yan soon learned that Mentor Zhao had mysteriously disappeared; Shen Yangyang reported his unexplained absence from class. Subsequently, Liu Chang informed Lin Yan that Zhao Xunzhi had filed paperwork in Nanming County for "returning home for mourning."
Lin Yan immediately recognized this as a deception, noting that Zhao Xunzhi, being an elderly man, had no living parents or elders to mourn. He concluded that Prince Zhao was behind the disappearance and feared for Zhao Xunzhi's safety. Lin Yan dispatched Liu Chang to Nanming County with explicit instructions to find Zhao Xunzhi, alive or dead. Shen Shaoguang and Shen Yangyang brought food to Lin Yan, who was withdrawn and had no appetite.
Shen Shaoguang tried to comfort him, acknowledging his frustration after waiting 17 years for a crucial witness only to have him disappear. She urged him to take care of himself. Shen Yangyang then revealed that Li Fengxia had prepared many of the dishes—such as sweet and sour pork ribs, fried crumbs with Chinese mallow, cheese buns, osmanthus sugar lotus root, and rice tofu—specifically chosen to lift his spirits.
Lin Yan, still despondent, apologized, explaining he had already eaten a little and couldn't eat more. Liu Chang later reported that Zhao Xunzhi had not been seen in Nanming County, and his distant clan members, likely bribed, claimed he was simply staying in his ancestral home but unwilling to appear. Liu Chang suspected foul play.
The situation escalated when a letter arrived from Prince Zhao, hypocritically congratulating Shen Yangyang on entering Hongwen Academy and praising Zhao Xunzhi's upright character, feigning ignorance of his disappearance. Enraged, Lin Yan struggled to cope. Shen Shaoguang, seeing his distress, encouraged him to vent by smashing objects in the room. Lin Yan, Shen Yangyang, and Liu Chang joined her, breaking case files and valuable porcelain in a cathartic release.
After their outburst, Shen Shaoguang reassured Lin Yan that he would find a new solution. With Chinese New Year's Eve approaching, Shen Yangyang invited Lin Yan and Liu Chang to celebrate at their diner, adding that Shen Shaoguang had prepared new clothes for Lin Yan. Lin Yan gratefully accepted. As Shen Shaoguang prepared ingredients for the festive meal, her thoughts were consumed by Lin Yan.
She even found herself subconsciously writing his title on the menu, which she then tore up and threw into a jar of pickled vegetables, attempting to suppress her growing feelings. On New Year's Eve, as the family prepared dinner with Lin Yan, they grew worried because Shen Shaoguang, who had gone to the countryside to get ingredients, had been gone for five days. Just as Lin Yan became concerned, Shen Shaoguang returned, bringing water shield, a specialty from Qingyang.
She claimed she had just "passed by" Qingyang, but everyone understood the special effort she had made. Lin Yan, cautious given the political climate, questioned her thoroughly about her journey to ensure she hadn't been followed or compromised. She reassured him that she had been extremely careful, avoiding Qingyang city itself and foraging for the water shield in a wild pond at the border of Qingyang and Shi'an. Despite her downplaying it as "no trouble at all," Lin Yan and the others expressed deep gratitude for her thoughtful gesture.
