Episode Summary
Lu Tianchi is arrested for assaulting Philippe but is bailed out by Tang Shuangshuang. Liu Yan returns home and tries to start a new life with a food stall, supported by Wang Yang, much to his girlfriend Lin Fei's dismay. Liu Yan faces a major professional setback when a potential investor discovers her past as a dishwasher. As Wang Yang goes to great lengths to secure funding for her, both Liu Yan and Lu Tianchi are shown to be deeply missing each other, holding onto mementos of their time together.
Spoiler Alert
Furious after learning what happened to Liu Yan, Lu Tianchi disguises himself and waits outside the Highland Restaurant. When the head chef, Philippe, stumbles out drunk, Lu Tianchi confronts and beats him up in a fit of rage. Meanwhile, at the airport, Tang Shuangshuang sees Liu Yan off, earnestly trying to convince her to stay, reminding her of how genuine and deep Lu Tianchi's feelings are.
Lu Tianchi's act of revenge doesn't go unnoticed. He disappears for a few days, only for Tang Shuangshuang to discover he was arrested, as the entire assault on Philippe was clearly recorded by surveillance cameras. After ensuring Liu Yan has departed, Tang Shuangshuang rushes to the police station and goes through a great deal of trouble to bail him out.
Once out, Lu Tianchi complains about her wasting money on his bail, saying he would have preferred to stay in jail for a couple of weeks to reflect. He's left speechless when Tang Shuangshuang reveals she guessed his bank card password and used his own money for the bail.
Upon her return, Liu Yan is picked up by Wang Yang and his girlfriend, Lin Fei. The easy conversation between Wang Yang and Liu Yan makes Lin Fei visibly jealous, and she spends the car ride recounting her history with Wang Yang to assert her place. That evening, Liu Yan impresses them by cooking authentic Zha Jiang Mian (fried sauce noodles), earning high praise from Lin Fei for her culinary skills. When asked why she suddenly came back, Liu Yan jokingly says she got into a fight.
Sensing the need to create some space, Lin Fei offers to find a room for Liu Yan, but Wang Yang insists she stay with them. However, to avoid any misunderstandings, Liu Yan reveals she has already found a B&B and plans to move there.
In a separate storyline, Tang Shuangshuang is harassed by a man on her way home from work. A dashing man named Pierre steps in to save her. Grateful for his help, she finds herself developing feelings for him. Later, she asks Lu Tianchi to help look after Li Zan. Still heartbroken over Liu Yan, Lu Tianchi spends his days drinking to cope with his loneliness while taking care of Li Zan, unapologetically eating all the bento boxes Tang Shuangshuang had prepared.
Liu Yan starts fresh by setting up a small food stall selling fried rice in a Beijing hutong. Her exceptional cooking quickly makes her famous in the neighborhood, with long lines of customers forming every day. Wang Yang steps in to help, acting as her manager. Her skills attract the attention of a big boss, and she performs a cooking demonstration, hoping to secure a partnership. The deal falls through when the company's assistant contacts Philippe, who reveals that Liu Yan was merely a dishwasher at Highland Restaurant and had been eliminated. The offer is immediately withdrawn.
Dejected but not defeated, Liu Yan waits outside and begs the person in charge for another chance, demonstrating her skills once more. However, the executive doesn't even taste her food, noting that just by watching her technique, it's clear she isn't ready to run a restaurant and needs more training. This leaves Liu Yan feeling lost, and Wang Yang worries about her. Lin Fei, aware of their close relationship, advises Wang Yang against investing in Liu Yan's career, deeming it too risky.
Determined to help, Wang Yang attends social events he dislikes to network for Liu Yan. He cautiously presents her business plan to a middleman, who explains that the target investor, a Mr. Du, invests in people, not projects. To show his own faith, the middleman invests a small amount first. Eager to give Liu Yan her chance, Wang Yang decides to pay a portion of the initial investment himself.
The next day, a hopeful Wang Yang takes Liu Yan to look for a suitable shop for their new venture. Back at home, Li Zan finds Lu Tianchi drinking while looking at photos and videos of him and Liu Yan, his longing for her painfully obvious. Miles away, Liu Yan does the same, holding a pendant Lu Tianchi gave her, filled with her own feelings of love and longing. Though physically apart, their hearts remain deeply connected.
