E18 - Calamity at the Chrysanthemum Tower

Source: Crunchyroll
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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
[00:01] Meili
    It's true, Mao.
[00:03] Mao
    That's not possible, Mei Li.
[00:06] Meili
    He seemed to know a lot
    about cooking ingredients.
[00:09] Meili
    I bet he's the temporary head chef
    at the Chrysanthemum Tower.
[00:11] Shirou
    Yeah, right.
[00:13] Shirou
    He's not Mao. That brat couldn't
    possibly be the head chef.
[00:16] Mao
    I'm the head chef.
[00:18] Mao
    Beijing's Admiral Li decided that
    until I returned from my training,
[00:23] Mao
    the Chrysanthemum Tower would stay closed.
SIGN    Chrysanthemum Tower
[00:34] Shirou
    The restaurant's open, Mao!
[00:36] Shirou
    And it's bustling.
[00:38] Mao
    That's not possible...
[00:40] Keling
    Mao? Is that you, Mao?!
[00:44] Mao
    Sis!
[00:48] Mao
    Sis!
[00:49] Keling
    Mao!
SIGN    True Cooking Master Boy
[02:23] Mao
    I haven't been back in forever.
[02:25] Mao
    It's been a year and a half.
[02:27] Mao
    The inside of the shop
    hasn't changed at all—
[02:31] Mao
    Huh?
[02:33] Mao
    You changed to an open kitchen?
[02:37] Mao
    Sis, the shop was supposed to
    be closed. Why is it open?
[02:41] Mao
    Did something happen?
[02:42] Keling
    Well, there's actually a reason
    we had to open again...
[02:48] Zhuqi
    I'm delighted, my beautiful lady!
[02:50] Zhuqi
    You came to see me after all.
[02:52] Meili
    Let go of me, you pervert!
[02:54] Zhuqi
    You're no fun. I saved your life.
[02:57] Mao
    Mei Li, is this guy...
[03:02] Zhuqi
    Nice to meet you.
[03:03] Zhuqi
    I've been temporarily put in charge of
     the Chrysanthemum Tower's kitchen.
[03:07] Zhuqi
    My name is Zhu Qui.
[03:10] Zhuqi
    I can't believe I'm actually
    meeting the boy who became
[03:14] Zhuqi
    a world-famous Super Chef
    at my age, Master Mao.
[03:16] Zhuqi
    I'm overjoyed!
[03:18] Mao
    N-Nice to meet you.
[03:20] Mao
    Who is this guy?
[03:22] Zhuqi
    I know! Let's hold a banquet tonight
    to celebrate Mao's return.
[03:29] Zhuqi
    All right. The shop is reserved for today.
SIGN    Reserved For the Day
[03:32] Zhuqi
    Scribble, scribble, scribble...
[03:33] Zhuqi
    Check this out!
SIGN    Chrysanthemum Tower Fried Dough Kung Pao Chicken Fish and Eggplant Mapo Tofu Twice Cooked Pork Roasted Wrapped Chicken Guaiwei Noodles Scorched Rice Oxtail Soup Longan Buns
[03:36] Zhuqi
    For the seventy of you gathered here,
    in honor of Master Mao,
[03:39] Zhuqi
    I, Zhu Qi, shall prepare seven
    servings of these ten dishes by myself
[03:43] Zhuqi
    with all my heart and soul right
    before your eyes!
[03:48] Mao
    Seventy servings of ten dishes by himself?
[03:51] Shirou
    He's showing off.
[03:53] Keling
    I think he might be a little different
    from the chefs you've met so far, Mao.
[03:57] Mao
    What?
[03:59] Zhuqi
    All right.
[04:00] Man C
    Hey.
[04:00] Man A
    We've been waiting!
[04:01] Man B
    Looking good, Zhu Qi!
[04:03] Mao
    Those are silver cooking chopsticks.
[04:05] Shirou
    They're so long!
[04:12] Zhuqi
    Here we go.
[04:18] Zhuqi
    All right!
[04:20] Shirou
    What?
[04:21] Mao
    He's so dexterous!
[04:24] Zhuqi
    Yes! Let's crank it up!
[04:35] Zhuqi
    Yakisoba.
[04:36] Zhuqi
    Fried dough.
[04:37] Zhuqi
    Steamed buns.
[04:38] Zhuqi
    Soup.
[04:39] Shirou
    His technique's incredible!
[04:41] Mao
    You're right.
[04:43] Mao
    That's not all, though...
[04:44] Zhuqi
    Kung Pao chicken, mapo tofu,
    fish and eggplant, twice cooked pork...
[04:47] Mao
    His long chopsticks are full of joy,
[04:50] Mao
    and create a beautiful
    and comforting rhythm.
[04:52] Mao
    It makes the customers start dancing,
    caught in a whirlpool of pleasure.
[04:53] Zhuqi
    All right. Things are heating up.
[04:57] Mao
    This chef cooks in such a fun way.
[04:58] Shirou
    Wow. Looking good, buddy!
[05:08] Shirou
    It's delicious!
[05:10] Shirou
    They're all excellent dishes, Mao.
[05:12] Mao
    Yeah.
[05:14] Mao
    At first glance, it looks like he's
    carelessly striking the pot as a stunt,
[05:18] Mao
    but everything is cooked perfectly
    with just the right amount of oil.
[05:21] Zhuqi
    How's your injured foot?
[05:23] Meili
    Stop staring at me!
[05:26] Mao
    L-Listen, Zhu Qi...
[05:29] Mao
    I've never seen a chef have
    so much fun while he cooks.
[05:32] Mao
    You're amazing, Zhu Qi.
[05:34] Zhuqi
    Is that right?
[05:38] Zhuqi
    Did it look like I was having fun to you?
[05:44] Zhuqi
    I hate cooking.
[05:47] Mao
    Huh?
[05:59] Man V
    Hey, Zhu Qi. This is great.
[06:01] Zhuqi
    Is it?
[06:04] Zhuqi
    Mei Li, let's go check out the Leshan
     Giant Buddha sometime. How 'bout it?
[06:09] Meili
    What's wrong with you?!
[06:10] Man C
    Mei Li, be careful.
[06:10] Zhuqi
    Come on, Mei Li. It'll be fun.
[06:13] Mao
    He hates cooking?
SIGN    Chrysanthemum Tower
[06:22] Zhuqi
    Come on, Mei Li. The Chrysanthemum
    Tower is closed today, anyway.
[06:29] Zhuqi
    It's incredible. I promise
    you won't regret it.
[06:34] Meili
    I need to ask Mao, first.
[06:36] Zhuqi
    Don't be ridiculous.
[06:39] Zhuqi
    It's such a waste of your beauty
    to stay cooped up inside.
[06:42] Zhuqi
    You should dress yourself up
    and put yourself out there.
[06:47] Zhuqi
    Think about it.
[06:48] Meili
    But...
[06:50] Keling
    Mao.
[06:52] Keling
    I'll leave a change of clothes for you here.
[06:55] Mao
    Sis, the restaurant was supposed to
    stay closed while I was gone.
[06:59] Mao
    Why is it open?
[07:01] Keling
    Oh, I forgot to tell you yesterday.
[07:03] Keling
    It happened a month ago...
[07:07] (Flashback) Keling
    What? We need to open shop immediately?
[07:10] (Flashback) Luan
    That's right.
[07:11] (Flashback) Luan
    Do it for Szechuan.
[07:14] (Flashback) Luan
    Forty days from now, Prince Jiang
    will be visiting from Beijing
[07:18] (Flashback) Luan
    as part of a tour of the western border.
[07:23] (Flashback) Luan
    We must entertain him with dishes
    from the Chrysanthemum Tower,
[07:26] (Flashback) Luan
    Szechuan's greatest state-run restaurant.
[07:29] (Flashback) Luan
    If you can't do it, then the Chrysanthemum
    Tower will be closed forever.
[07:36] (Flashback) Keling
    It's such short notice, and Mao isn't around...
[07:39] (Flashback) Keling
    What are we going to do?
[07:40] Keling
    Just as I was at a complete loss...
[07:42] (Flashback) Zhuqi
    Beautiful girls shouldn't worry so much.
[07:47] (Flashback) Zhuqi
    This little chef would throw himself
    in harm's way to help a beautiful girl.
[07:53] Keling
    The confident young chef who showed
    up out of nowhere was Zhu Qi.
[07:58] Keling
    Though I was suspicious, I called
    the official to test Zhu Qi's skills.
[08:03] (Flashback) Luan
    He uses those silver chopsticks so skillfully.
[08:07] (Flashback) Luan
    It's beautifully made and has all
    the originality of Szechuan cuisine!
[08:14] (Flashback) Luan
    Marvelous! This will do!
[08:17] (Flashback) Luan
    Let's have him do it!
[08:19] (Flashback) Zhuqi
    Cooking should be so fun
    it makes your heart soar.
[08:23] (Flashback) Zhuqi
    Just like love.
[08:29] Keling
    In any case, we asked Zhu Qi
    to temporarily serve as head chef
[08:32] Keling
    until the prince's visit.
[08:34] Keling
    He's quite popular for saving the Chrysanthemum
    Tower and his exquisite flavors.
[08:41] Mao
    Sis, where did Zhu Qi come from?
[08:44] Keling
    He said he's from Inner Mongolia.
[08:47] Keling
    He lost his parents, who were
    also chefs, when he was young.
[08:51] Keling
    Between his natural talent
    and the way he cooks so joyfully,
[08:56] Keling
    Zhu Qi is kind of like you, Mao.
[09:00] Mao
    Me and Zhu Qi?
[09:04] Zhuqi
    Come on, Mei Li.
[09:04] Mao
    But he...
[09:06] Zhuqi
    Mei Li, are you listening?
[09:10] (Flashback) Zhuqi
    I hate cooking.
[09:19] Mao
    Huh?
[09:21] Meili
    Mao, I asked you to hold onto
    that floral hairpin.
[09:25] Mao
    That's odd.
[09:27] Meili
    It's a keepsake from my mother.
[09:29] Meili
    You take great care of your cookbooks,
    but you don't care about my stuff.
[09:35] Mao
    You haven't used it in months.
    Why do you need it all of a sudden?
[09:39] Meili
    Wh-Why does that matter?
[09:42] Meili
    I just felt like wearing it...
[09:50] (Flashback) Zhuqi
    You should dress yourself up
    and put yourself out there.
[09:54] Mao
    If it's that important, you
    should've held onto it yourself.
[10:05] Meili
    You jerk, Mao!
[10:07] Meili
    Forget it!
[10:09] Mao
    M-Mei Li!
[10:20] Zhuqi
    Hey, that looks great on you.
[10:23] Meili
    But I could never wear
    something so expensive.
[10:26] Zhuqi
    What are you talking about?
[10:28] Zhuqi
    The highest quality products
    look best on a beautiful girl!
[10:32] Shirou
    Well, they do say even a plain girl
    looks beautiful at the peak of her youth.
[10:36] Meili
    Mind your own business.
[10:41] Mao
    I've got to defend my pride as a Super Chef.
[10:45] Shirou
    Why are you cooking
    something so elaborate, Mao?
[10:50] Mao
    I made Mei Li a little angry earlier.
[10:53] Mao
    I'm making this as a sign of reconciliation.
[10:55] Shirou
    Huh.
[10:57] Mao
    Mei Li will be so surprised.
[10:59] Mao
    She might even say, "Oh, wow!"
[11:02] Meili
    Oh, wow!
[11:05] Meili
    Rainbow mooncakes!
[11:08] Zhuqi
    I made them for you, beautiful.
[11:10] Zhuqi
    I know. Since you're from the
    east where the moon rises,
[11:13] Zhuqi
    I'll call you "Moon Empress."
[11:14] Zhuqi
    As is the custom, I offer these
    mooncakes to the moon goddess.
[11:19] Zhuqi
    Let's eat these together
    at the Leshan Giant Buddha.
[11:25] Man A
    Zhu Qi, you jerk.
[11:27] Zhuqi
    Huh?
[11:27] Man A
    You move on girls
    as quickly as you cook, huh?
[11:31] Zhuqi
    Don't tease me.
[11:32] Man B
    Be careful, Mei Li.
    He's got a silver tongue.
[11:36] Zhuqi
    Seriously, stop.
[11:46] Shirou
    Looks like you're too late.
[11:48] Zhuqi
    Come on, Mei Li.
[11:50] Meili
    But...
[11:52] Zhuqi
    Hold on tight.
[11:54] Meili
    Wait a second, Zhu Qi.
[11:56] Zhuqi
    I promise you won't regret it.
[11:59] Meili
    What?
[12:00] Zhuqi
    Hup!
[12:04] Mao
    What?
[12:18] Mao
    No way. Mei Li...
[12:25] Zhuqi
    Impressive, right?
[12:26] Zhuqi
    Its head is 13.3 meters tall, and
    the whole thing is 64.5 meters tall.
[12:31] Zhuqi
    It's the biggest Buddha in China.
[12:33] Meili
    It must've taken a long time
    to carve this into a cliff.
[12:38] Zhuqi
    It took 90 years to sculpt
    during the Tang dynasty.
[12:41] Zhuqi
    I just looked that up earlier.
[12:44] Zhuqi
    Have some of these.
[12:49] Meili
    They're so good!
[12:51] Zhuqi
    Broad beans, tomatoes, kabocha squash.
[12:54] Zhuqi
    I mixed all kinds of stuff into the skins.
[12:56] Meili
    Lotus seeds, coconut, rainbow bean jam...
[13:00] Meili
    Not only are they delicious,
    but they're varied and small,
[13:02] Meili
    so you don't get tired of them.
[13:03] Zhuqi
    Whether it's cooking or a date,
    once you bore someone, it's over.
[13:06] Meili
    A date? But, I...
[13:09] Zhuqi
    Hey, Mei Li.
[13:11] Zhuqi
    Why don't we go make another
    rainbow-colored memory together?
[13:14] Meili
    What?
[13:24] Zhuqi
    We're here.
[13:29] Meili
    Huh?
[13:30] Meili
    What's supposed to be here?
[13:36] Shirou
    I found Zhu Qi's white horse.
[13:38] Shirou
    Looks like the two of them are here, boss.
[13:42] Shirou
    This way.
[13:50] Zhuqi
    Turn around on my signal.
[13:52] Meili
    O-Okay...
[13:54] Zhuqi
    Ready, and...
[13:58] Meili
    There's a rainbow around our shadows.
[14:01] Zhuqi
    This is the legendary Buddha's light.
[14:03] Zhuqi
    They say it only appears
    for highly compatible couples.
[14:07] Meili
    It's so pretty...
[14:18] Mao
    What?
[14:49] Zhuqi
    Sorry about earlier, Mei Li.
[14:53] Zhuqi
    But since the moment we met,
    I've been serious about you.
SIGN    Chrysanthemum Tower
[15:18] Mao
    Welcome back, Mei Li.
[15:20] Mao
    You went to see the Leshan
    Giant Buddha with Zhu Qi, huh?
[15:23] Mao
    How was it?
[15:25] Meili
    Yeah. It was fun.
[15:29] Mao
    I'm sure it was.
[15:30] Mao
    Zhu Qi is a fun guy.
[15:33] Meili
    Listen, Mao. We went to
    Mount Emei afterward, and...
[15:39] Meili
    While we were there...
[15:45] Meili
    While we were there,
    Zhu Qi suddenly told me that he...
[15:53] Meili
    He said he loves me.
[15:55] Meili
    I'm sure he was joking, but since
    it was so sudden, I was surprised.
[16:00] Mao
    Really?
[16:02] Mao
    Zhu Qi sure is assertive.
[16:05] Mao
    I can't beat him.
[16:07] Mao
    Maybe I'll have him teach me what to do
[16:09] Mao
    for when I finally fall in love with a girl.
[16:23] Meili
    I bought you something.
[16:26] Meili
    Bean sprouts.
[16:28] Meili
    Apparently they're quite rare.
[16:30] Mao
    Bean sprouts? Let me see.
[16:51] Mao
    What was that for?
[17:00] Mao
    This pendant...
[17:03] Mao
    This is the jade pendant I gave to Mei Li...
[17:07] (Flashback) Meili
    Thank you, Mao! I'll cherish it!
[17:11] (Flashback) Meili
    I'll think of this as part of you
    and treasure it for life!
[17:17] Mao
    Does this mean...
[17:21] Mao
    she's returning this?
[17:33] Mao
    Mei Li. Mei Li.
[17:36] Mao
    I'd always just assumed.
[17:47] Mao
    That even if I didn't say anything,
    you'd always stay with me*!
[18:06] (Flashback) Kaiyou
    Sky Soaring Great Sage Zhu Qi.
[18:08] (Flashback) Kaiyou
    Liu Maoxing holds the key to
    acquiring the legendary utensils.
[18:13] (Flashback) Kaiyou
    You must do whatever it takes
    to drag him into the Underworld.
[18:17] (Flashback) Kaiyou
    And to do that, you must crush his spirit.
[18:29] Keling
    Mao, it's hard to believe
    you made these dishes.
[18:34] Keling
    Even my unrefined palette can tell.
[18:39] Keling
    Isn't unleashing the eight
    utensils your new goal?
[18:43] Keling
    Pull yourself together.
[18:45] Keling
    Fortunately, Zhu Qi has come
    to the Chrysanthemum Tower.
[18:48] Keling
    You don't need to worry anymore.
[18:52] Zhuqi
    Yeah, you can rest easy now.
[18:55] Mao
    Zhu Qi.
[18:58] Zhuqi
    You don't need to worry
    about the restaurant, Mao.
[19:01] Zhuqi
    The customers keep pouring in,
    and business is booming.
[19:04] Zhuqi
    I'll make sure to properly
    entertain the prince, too.
[19:10] Mao
    You don't get it, Sis.
[19:12] Mao
    Zhu Qi and I are opposites.
[19:15] Mao
    After all, this guy hates cooking!
[19:19] Mao
    I can't trust this clown to cook
    for the prestige of Szechuan!
[19:26] Mao
    I'll say this, Zhu Qi.
[19:28] Mao
    I'm the one who inherited Master Bei's flavors.
    The Chrysanthemum Tower is my restaurant!
[19:32] Mao
    Now that I'm back, I'll cook for the prince!
[19:38] Zhuqi
    I don't think so.
[19:41] Zhuqi
    Does it really matter whether
     I love or hate cooking?
[19:46] Zhuqi
    All that matters is how
     the final product tastes.
[19:52] Zhuqi
    Besides, Mao, don't you think
    you're being a bit too selfish?
[19:57] Zhuqi
    You spend your time wandering aimlessly,
[19:59] Zhuqi
    but now that you're back,
    you're trying to take this job from me?
[20:04] Mao
    What?!
[20:05] Zhuqi
    That's enough of that. The country's best
    Super Chef shouldn't lose his temper.
[20:10] Zhuqi
    Or is there some other
    reason you're angry with me?
[20:20] Mao
    No! In any case, I can't
    trust you to handle it!
[20:27] Zhuqi
    Then we'll have to settle this
    with a cooking contest.
[20:31] Mao
    Bring it on.
[20:33] Keling
    Mao...
[20:35] Mao
    Your chopstick waving antics
    can't beat me, Zhu Qi!
[20:39] Zhuqi
    Oh, yeah? Then let me tell you this.
[20:42] Zhuqi
    About your dishes, Mao...
[20:45] Zhuqi
    Your Yuxiang shredded pork
    contains too much ginger.
[20:48] Zhuqi
    You forgot to put sesame oil
    in your dandan noodles.
[20:53] Zhuqi
    And your mapo noodles would taste better
[20:56] Zhuqi
    with a single teaspoon of grated garlic.
[21:00] Mao
    How... How did you know?
[21:03] Mao
    You haven't even tasted them.
[21:06] Zhuqi
    I have a warning for you.
[21:10] Zhuqi
    Until you solve that mystery,
    you'll never be able to defeat me.
[21:23] Official A
    Did you hear the news?
[21:25] Official B
    You mean the cooking contest
    at the Chrysanthemum Tower?
[21:28] Official A
    I thought that skilled young chef Zhu Qi
    was going to cook for the prince.
[21:33] Official A
    Apparently a second skilled young chef
    has returned from Guangdong.
[21:40] Fei
    Really? Who?
[21:43] Official B
    They say he's a prodigy who became
    the youngest Super Chef ever.
[21:48] Official B
    His name is Liu Maoxing.
[21:52] Fei
    I see.
[21:54] Fei
    So you've returned to*
    the Chrysanthemum Tower, Mao.
SIGN    Next Time
SIGN    "The Feelings Entrusted to the Duck"
[23:56] Narration
    "The Feelings Entrusted
     to the Duck."