Episode Summary
Chen Hansheng fails the Cheetah selection and is sent to the Kitchen Squad as a lesson in humility. After a false start where he believes his squadmates are secret elite soldiers, he's disappointed to learn they're just cooks. Inspired by a squad leader's words, he decides to turn the kitchen into a boot camp, forcing everyone into a harsh training regimen that immediately results in a terrible breakfast for the whole base.
Spoiler Alert
A Rough Landing
So, the Cheetah selection is over. Chen Hansheng didn't make the cut. You can tell he’s taking it hard. He immediately throws himself into fixing cars. It’s his way of dealing with the failure. His friends know he’s not okay. They see him trying to keep busy, but the disappointment is obvious.
The World's Worst Pep Talk
His buddies decide to try and cheer him up. Their plan is to have a "my life is worse than yours" competition. It does not go well. Lei Peng goes first. He tries to tell a sob story about his dad beating him up all the time. He completely forgets that Chen Hansheng's father is dead. The story falls flat. It's just incredibly awkward.
After that disaster, Yan Su and Zheng Yunxiao try their luck. They just start making up wild stories. They hope something will make him crack a smile. Chen Hansheng sees right through their attempts. He knows what they're doing. He tells them to go get some rest and not to worry about him.
Saying Goodbye
The official results for the Cheetah unit are posted. Only three people were chosen. It’s Lei Peng, Yan Su, and Zheng Yunxiao. Chen Hansheng is genuinely happy for his friends. But you can see he’s heartbroken for himself. He forces a smile so they won't feel bad.
He then personally requests a vehicle. He wants to be the one to drive his friends to the Cheetah base. It's a tough moment. As he drops them off, he tells them to wait for him there. He’s promising them he’ll join them eventually. Once he drives away, he finally lets the tears fall. The three new Cheetah members stand and salute his car as it disappears.
Welcome to the Kitchen
Qiu Tian has been watching Chen Hansheng. He decides the guy needs to be brought back down to earth. He needs to learn some patience. So, Qiu Tian reassigns him to the Kitchen Squad. Chen Hansheng doesn't understand the decision at all. But an order is an order. He has to go.
When he shows up, the cooks are confused. An officer with his rank doesn't just get assigned to kitchen duty. They figure he must be some big shot's kid. They think he's just there to "experience life" for a little while.
In Search of Hidden Masters
Lei Peng comes to visit him. He tells Chen Hansheng that the Kitchen Squad is full of hidden masters. He plants this idea that these cooks are actually elite soldiers in disguise. Chen Hansheng totally buys it. He starts looking for proof.
He finds a few things that seem to support the theory. He discovers a Third-Class Merit medal. He finds a book on advanced drone piloting under a mattress. He also notices one of the soldiers has a serious leg injury. He gets excited. He thinks Lei Peng was right. This must be a secret training ground.
The Cold, Hard Truth
His excitement doesn't last long. He decides to ask his new squadmates about his findings. The truth is a huge letdown. The drone book is just a place to hide cigarettes. The owner isn't studying anything. The merit medal wasn't for combat. It was for a cooking competition. And the guy with the leg injury? He fell on his way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Chen Hansheng is crushed. He feels like an idiot. He goes to Squad Leader Zhang Lan and asks for a transfer. He wants to go back to the Repair Squad where he can be useful. But Zhang Lan gives him some solid advice. He tells him that a true soldier can train anywhere. That simple sentence hits Chen Hansheng hard. He finally gets it. He runs back to the kitchen with a new sense of purpose.
The New Kitchen Order
Chen Hansheng decides to turn the Kitchen Squad into his personal boot camp. He gets everyone to start a serious physical training regimen. They have to go on daily runs. They also have to do three sets of one hundred exercises before bed.
The next morning, it's a total disaster. Everyone except Chen Hansheng oversleeps. They rush to make breakfast for the entire base. The food is terrible. Some of it is raw. Some of it is way too salty. The soldiers in the mess hall start complaining loudly.
A Failure to Communicate
Qiu Tian notices the chaos and finds out what's going on. He pulls the Old Squad Leader aside. He reminds him that even though Chen Hansheng has a higher rank, this is his squad. He is the one in charge. He tells him to get Chen Hansheng under control.
The Old Squad Leader goes to talk to Chen Hansheng. He tries to explain the problem. But Chen Hansheng completely misunderstands the conversation. He thinks the Old Squad Leader wants them to be more efficient with their kitchen duties. That way, they'll have even more time for physical training at night. The Old Squad Leader is out of shape and hasn't trained like this in years. He is in for a very rough time.
