[Eng] Chef Hua Ep 5

Synopsis: A novel adapted drama about food and romance follows Hua Xiao Mai as she falls in love with a mercenary for hire. Through her passion for the culinary arts, Hua Xiao Mai starts small and slowly makes her way up in the food business. After being saved by Meng Yu Huai, who heads a mercenary agency, in the hills behind the Huodao village where she has just moved in to stay with her elder sister. Hua Xiao Mai falls in love. She does her best to attract his attention but he just doesn’t get her feelings. But as Xiao Mai shows her intelligence, her culinary skills and her boldness in professing her love for him, he slowly realizes he will not be able to escape from her. But success in love is not her only ambition, her goal in life was to show the world that any edible food can be delicious if made properly. From a small food stall to a famous restaurant in the city, she slowly builds her way up, improving her skill in the process before finally realizing that the best part of life is simply a simple delicious meal with the ones you love.

Apologies for the delay.

Translator notes:

1. Admiring the springtime… three years it take: From the Song poem the moon on the west lake, it was written by Zhang Xiaoxiang who was impeached and dismissed from his position for a whole three years before gaining another position at court. The other half of it describes the ups and downs in life and the shadow of the past that still haunts him and how his heart is “as still as a frozen lake” now. I presume it’s the same kind of feeling that is going through Scholar Wen due to his past failures.
2. First civil exam: There were 4 main stages to become a minister at court, this was the one you pass after taking the preliminary exam (often) for children and by passing it you would become a Xiucai (which is what Scholar Wen is) and would benefit exemption from statute labour, access into local government facilities and limited immunity against corporal punishments. Of which the one who received the highest marks will receive pay for their academic achievements and would be accepted into the Imperial academy. Next would be the provincial exam which would make you a Juren. Afterwards it was the exam at the national capital to take the national exam and passing it will make you a tribute scholar and you would receive money every year from the government. After that was the final and most difficult main exam which was the court exam and the ones that came in the top ten would be eligible to take the palace exam which was often supervised by the Emperor himself to decide which would become the top three candidates, Zhuangyuan (top thesis author), Bangyan (eye positioned alongside) and Tanhua (flower snatcher and also usually the most handsome looking one out of the three).
3. After the empty hill….Hang myself on the south facing branch: It’s meant to be a joke, the actual line that goes after “After the empty hill meets the first rain” is the speed at which night falls means it is autumn but because of a Han song, it was used as one of the lines that could fit the line Hang myself on the south facing branch (commit suicide on the south side) Another line that fits it is When destitute for a thousand days, hang myself on the south facing branch, and another one is When it’s time for the wedding night, hang myself on the south facing branch. Recently Jay Chou arranged a rap with those lyrics as it’s one of those lines that fits well with anything. I will embed it below.

Video

Jay Chou song