Episode Summary
Grieving the murder of Lu Tianchi, Liu Yan abandons her culinary career and struggles to survive in Beijing. Through the unwavering support of her friends Wang Yang, He Sheng, and Tang Shuangshuang, a touching encounter with a young boy, and by finally confronting her family trauma, she rediscovers her passion. The episode concludes with Liu Yan finding renewed purpose and success with a new food stall and making peace with her past upon seeing her reformed mother.
Spoiler Alert
The episode picks up in the aftermath of Lu Tianchi’s tragic fate. He was harmed by shadowy figures while gathering conclusive evidence of fraud against the Pu Tai Group. The fight was not in vain, however, as the group's president is eventually sentenced to death for murder and fraud, with all accomplices facing justice.
Ten months prior, a devastated Liu Yan refused to accept Lu Tianchi's death, whispering to his lifeless body in the same way he had once done for her when she was in a coma, desperately hoping for a miracle that never came. Back in the present, Liu Yan has returned to Beijing but is a shadow of her former self. She has abandoned her passion for cooking and taken a difficult job as a real estate agent, where her introverted nature prevents her from making any sales. Surviving on instant noodles, she is lost in a deep depression.
Throughout this, Wang Yang remains her steadfast pillar of support. He had previously rented a beautiful apartment, imagining a happy life for Liu Yan, Lu Tianchi, and Li Zan, even preparing a nursery. Now, he visits her constantly, making sure she eats and seeing her home safely every night.
Liu Yan’s friends, unable to watch her suffer, stage a gentle intervention. Wang Yang secretly contacts He Sheng, who has conveniently opened a branch of his restaurant in Beijing. Along with Tang Shuangshuang, who has returned from abroad, they arrange a "chance" meeting. He Sheng asks for Liu Yan's professional help in finding a suitable shop, a subtle attempt to re-engage her with the culinary world.
A significant turning point occurs when Liu Yan finds a young boy hiding in her apartment to escape his strict parents. She makes him a Chinese-style hamburger, and the boy is so moved by the delicious food that he asks to learn how to cook so he can care for his recently divorced mother. This encounter seems to spark something within Liu Yan.
The episode also resolves the storyline with her mother, Jiang Fang. Six months ago, finally seeing her mother's true nature as Lu Tianchi had warned, Liu Yan made the difficult decision to send her to a gambling rehabilitation center.
In a moment of vulnerability, Liu Yan finally breaks down to Wang Yang. He discovers she has been hiding steamed buns on her scooter instead of eating proper meals. She confesses her profound pain, admitting she is terrified to love or care for anything again for fear it will be cruelly snatched away.
That night, Wang Yang brings her another hot meal and is overjoyed to find her refrigerator is no longer empty—a sign that the world is regaining its color. A month later, inspired and determined to live on for Lu Tianchi, Liu Yan musters the courage to open her own food stall. Her cooking, along with the resonant slogan "When you're at a dead end, have a big meal," quickly becomes famous. With promotion from Tang Shuangshuang and visits from He Sheng, her business thrives.
In the final, heartwarming scene, Liu Yan spots her mother, Jiang Fang, patiently serving customers at a nearby stall. Seeing her reformed, Liu Yan finally feels the warmth and taste of home.
