Dating In the Kitchen Episode 9 Recap

Dating In the Kitchen Episode 9 Recap:

  • Lu Jin moves to a new apartment
  • Gu Sheng Nan goes to a conference with Cheng Ziqian
  • Lu Jin and Men Xin Jie spy on Gu Sheng Nan and Cheng Ziqian

Gu Sheng Nan and Manager Shen are standing at the dinner table of Lu Jin and Li Man. Gu Sheng Nan has just received criticism for the way she cooked beef wellington.

But Gu Sheng Nan reacts calmly. She tells Li Man that she was taught fresh ingredients are the most important in cooking.

Gu Sheng Nan finishes by saying, the local shiitake mushroom is much younger and tenderer than a russet mushroom, then she walks away.

(In the last episode, Li Man scolded Gu Sheng Nan about foods and beverages that match and don’t match. This was a subtle attack on Gu Sheng Nan and Lu Jin’s relationship. Gu Sheng Nan’s comeback about the shiitake mushroom was well played.)

Lu Jin excuses himself from the table to use the restroom, but he goes to find Gu Sheng Nan.

Lu Jin finds Gu Sheng Nan in the kitchen. He makes excuses for Li Man. Li Man went to Le Cordon Bleu, she just cares about the integrity of the dish.

Then Lu Jin tells Gu Sheng Nan that Li Man wasn’t targeting her.

Gu Sheng Nan is not in a good state. She jealously compares her and Li Man. Gu Sheng Nan brings up Lu Jin eating at her house in comparison to Li Man’s cooking.

Lu Jin keeps trying to convince Gu Sheng Nan that Li Man’s words were not about them.

Gu Sheng Nan is upset she doesn’t want Lu Jin eating another woman’s food. She tells Lu Jin to go back to where he belongs: fancy house, fancy car, fancy hotel room.

Lu Jin tells her that she will know where he belongs.

What will Lu Jin decide?

The scene changes to Lu Jin and Li Man walking in Lu Jin’s House. They have come home for the evening.

Li Man tells Lu Jin she is returning to Switzerland. She reminds Lu Jin of his responsibility to his mom. Li Man urges Lu Jin to hurry back to where he belongs.

When Lu Jin is alone in his study he takes out the spoon from Yard Fy Diner. He thinks about what he should do. Where does he belong?

Apartment Hustle and Bustle

There are movers going in and out of Gu Sheng Nan’s apartment building. It looks like someone rich is moving in.

When Gu Sheng Nan goes to take out the trash she finds out it is Lu Jin. She yelps in surprise and runs back into her apartment.

Lu Jin immediately rings Gu Sheng Nan’s door and gives her sweetheart pastries. Gu Sheng Nan is cheered by this, until she finds out he gave something to the other people in the apartment also.

Gu Sheng Nan asks Lu Jin if they are now…. Lu Jin interrupts her and states, they are now neighbors. This answer is disappointing.

Later, Lu Jin rings Gu Sheng Nan’s door bell. He wants Gu Sheng Nan to make him food for housewarming.

While Lu Jin is at Gu Sheng Nan’s kitchen sink, washing vegetables, Cheng Ziqian shows up. They both ask each other why the other one is at Gu Sheng Nan’s.

It’s awkward and Lu Jin leaves to go home. Cheng Ziqian is surprised to see Lu Jin go back to his home, right next door to Gu Sheng Nan.

Weekend plans

Cheng Ziqian and Gu Sheng Nan sit down to a meal. Cheng Ziqian asks questions regarding Lu Jin living next door.

Gu Sheng Nan tries a few times to come up with a reasonable explanation, but can’t seem to satisfy Cheng Ziqian’s curiosity.

Cheng Ziqian invites Gu Sheng Nan to go to a cooking conference with him over the weekend. She is excited to go.

Gu Sheng Nan and Cheng Ziqian leave the apartment to make preparations for the conference. Lu Jin opens his door.

Lu Jin asks Gu Sheng Nan if she is available over the weekend. Gu Sheng Nan explains she is busy going to a conference with Cheng Ziqian.

Lu Jin tells her she can’t go.

Gu Sheng Nan insists that she will go. Besides, why should he care? Why can he tell her what to do? Who is Lu Jin to her?

Lu Jin tries to say who he is to Gu Sheng Nan but stutters over his words. He ends up blurting out that he is Gu Sheng Nan’s boss.

Gu Sheng Nan asserts that her direct boss is Cheng Ziqian. She leaves.

At the Conference

Lu Jin becomes very jealous of Chen Ziqian when he sees the pictures that Gu Sheng Nan posts on WeChat (a Chinese social networking platform). He tries to call Gu Sheng Nan, but she doesn’t pick up.

Gu Sheng Nan is very engrossed in the lectures and material from the conference.

Cheng Ziqian is with her throughout the classes. He watches her attentively and smiles at her when she is not looking.

Meanwhile, Lu Jin keeps trying to call Gu Sheng Nan. He grows more and more anxious. Based on the WeChat pictures, Lu Jin is trying to decide if Gu Sheng Nan and Cheng Ziqian are just friends or are dating.

Cheng Ziqian takes Gu Sheng Nan to a really nice restaurant. Gu Sheng Nan assumes the experience is to help her continue to grow as a chef.

Footage of Lu Jin in deep thought while fidgeting with his phone is juxtaposed with Gu Sheng Nan enjoying her fancy meal. Gu Sheng Nan tells Cheng Ziqian she wants to open her own restaurant someday.

Lu Jin decides to go to the same hotel the conference is at.

Conference Day Two

Meng Xin Jie and Lu Jin are following Gu Sheng Nan and Cheng Ziqian while they play archery, get cotton candy and go to a temple to pray.

Lu Jin and Meng Xin Jie have many funny moments together while spying.

While Gu Sheng Nan and Cheng Ziqian are putting up their wish board at the temple, Lu Jin almost loses his senses because of jealousy.

Meng Xin Jie holds Lu Jin back from running over Gu Sheng Nan. Meng Xin Jie tells Lu Jin not to show his cards yet.

After Gu Sheng Nan and Cheng Ziqian leave, Lu Jin goes to the wishing boards they hung up. He childishly moves Cheng Ziqian’s board away from Gu Sheng Nan’s. Lu Jin places his own wishing board next to hers.

Next, Cheng Ziqian takes pictures of Gu Sheng Nan in a field of flowers.

Meng Xin Jie takes the time to explain to Lu Jin how important it is to be able to take good pictures of girls.

Meng Xin Jie says he knows of divorces that happened because the husband couldn’t take good pictures of their wives.


In the evening, Cheng Ziqian supports Gu Sheng Nan as she walks down the hall to her hotel room. She is drunk. Cheng Ziqian helps her into her room and stays to tuck her in.

Lu Jin becomes super angry. Meng Xin Jie decides to get a room next to Gu Sheng Nan’s so they can monitor what is going on.

Meng Xin Jie pays a hotel employee to bring slippers to Gu Sheng Nan’s door and check on the situation. The information the employee provides isn’t enough to calm Lu Jin down.

Meng Xin Jie pays the hotel employee to go back and make up another excuse to see what is going on.

When the employee returns, Gu Sheng Nan is with him. Lu Jin and Meng Xin Jie are caught!

Gu Sheng Nan and Lu Jin have not been in sync during this episode. I am scared/excited to find out what happens now that Gu Sheng Nan has caught Meng Xin Jie and Lu Jin spying on her.

Will this bring Gu Sheng Nan and Lu Jin closer together? I hope so.

What do you think?

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