Episode 12 recap: Lou Yuan confessed their feelings to Dong Dongen.
Lou Yuan had something else to say, but their mother came over and asked why Lou Yuan had discontinued their classic sauce and replaced it all with their premium sauce. Lou Yuan's mother explained that their company had been selling the classic sauce since she started the business, and it was the foundation of their company. Without the foundation, how could they continue to grow?
Lou Yuan mentioned that they had conducted research and found that the sales of the classic sauce had been declining in recent years. On the other hand, the premium sauce had been performing well and had even taken over a significant market share from the classic sauce. They believed that the classic sauce no longer appealed to the taste of young people. Lou Yuan's mother disagreed and argued that Dong Dongen was also a young person and asked them to give their opinion. Dong Dongen quickly responded, saying they didn't have knowledge or experience with both sauces and couldn't make a judgment without proper research. They promised to understand more about the situation before forming an opinion.
Ma Cheng Shu came to find Hi Mei, and they went to the night market where they used to go together in college. Ma Cheng Shu wanted to reconcile with Hi Mei, but she refused. She expressed her love for eating at roadside stalls, going clubbing, and being in crowded places, and she asked if Ma Cheng Shu could join her in these activities. Ma Cheng Shu said it wasn't that he couldn't join, but he had allergies that needed to be treated and assured her that he would make efforts to get better.
Hi Mei returned and told Dong Dongen that she had reconciled with Ma Cheng Shu. Dong Dongen wasn't surprised at all. They mentioned that Lou Yuan had been acting strange today, calling them "President Dong" as soon as they entered and claiming that their relationship had changed. Hi Mei suggested that Dong Dongen should think carefully because it's possible they didn't actually hit Lou Yuan yesterday. Dong Dongen insisted that they couldn't date a partner from the studio, and Hi Mei told them they might miss out on destiny.
Ke Mao Xu and others came to the company to discuss advertising proposals. After the meeting, Ke Mao Xu informed Lou Yuan about Dong Dongen getting drunk and hoped that Lou Yuan wouldn't hold it against them. Lou Yuan then learned that Dong Dongen and Ma Cheng Shu had caused chaos among the people in the company, which made them furious. Dong Dongen also discussed the incident with Cao Ya and admitted that they probably hit Lou Yuan while being drunk.
Dong Dong En went to the finance department to request money, but they informed her that Lou Yuan's mother had stated that all the plans for Gold Sauce were temporarily suspended. Dong Dong En brought two plates of fried rice made with two different sauces and gave them to Lou Yuan's mother to try. Lou Yuan's mother was busy making sauce in the old house, and Lou Yuan was keeping her company. They talked about the difficult times they had gone through in the past, with Lou Yuan's mother making and selling the sauce to gradually develop the company.
When Lou Yuan's mother saw Dong Dong En, she asked Lou Yuan to attend to his own matters. She gave Dong Dong En a taste of the freshly made sauce, and Dong Dong En mentioned that it had the taste of her childhood. Dong Dong En asked Lou Yuan out and took him to the snack street to eat. While some vendors were still using the classic sauce, most of them were now using the Gold Sauce.
Lou Yuan knew that Dong Dong En had already convinced his mother, and on that day, they could let his mother taste the two plates of fried rice that he had cooked. Lou Yuan's mother agreed that the classic sauce was indeed saltier and no longer suited the taste of young people, even though it represented the flavor remembered by many. Lou Yuan asked Dong Dong En if she was available tomorrow and invited her out, to which she agreed. After returning home, Lou Yuan showed his plan to his mother, suggesting that they continue producing a small quantity of the classic sauce and package it as a gift for loyal customers.
Cao Ya saw that Lou Yuan was going out on a date and thought that Dong Dong En had beaten him up and enlightened him. It was then that Lou Yuan learned about Dong Dong En's drunken fight. Lou Yuan took Dong Dong En outside and set off fireworks for her, as she had mentioned wanting to see them when it snowed. Lou Yuan confessed his feelings to Dong Dong En, but she rejected him.
The male lead misunderstood that the female lead is affectionate with everyone, and the female lead doesn't remember what she said to the male lead when they were intimate. It's really frustrating. I hope the male lead quickly realizes his special status, and I hope the female lead remembers soon.