Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available.]

Chef Fang

Episode 19

Stop laughing!

Excuse me, sir. Are you from another country?

Those stories in operas aren’t true.

Couldn’t tell a woman in man’s disguise?

How could it possibly happen?

It won’t work.

You don’t know what gives you away?

What?

Don’t stare at it.

Girls your age

all believe that you’re gorgeous.

In man’s clothes,

you become a cool and sophisticated young man.

It’s not possible.

Have a look.

Your muscles aren’t

where they should be.

Don’t touch.

Do you have other ideas?

Anyway, you’re not going if I’m not.

Let me help you. Come in.

Clothes off.

What do you want?

Get your mind out of the gutter.

I want my vest back.

Your hair needs to be redone, too.

Yong, what are you doing?

Whose chest muscles are in the belly?

Extra abdominal muscles for you.

Hey!

What are you plotting now?

I’ll tell her ladyship.

You won’t.

Why?

Because you’re nice and pretty.

Glib man. I’m not speaking to you.

Where are you going?

What?

Mr. Shen asks for tea.

It’s not a good time. You’re young.

Those things will have bad influence.

What are you watching?

They’re being lovey-dovey.

My lady.

Why do you look nervous?

Are Yong and Yishao in their room?

Yes.

My lady,

you won’t want to go there.

Why?

Little Stammer said

that Mr. and Mrs. Shen

are being intimate inside.

Being intimate again?

It’s been six months. Where is my grandson now?

Done. Take a look.

Will that be OK?

Definitely.

Too much at the waist maybe?

No.

Will I be exposed?

Of course not.

When they see you,

they see a girly butterball.

Who are you calling butterball?

I’m gonna kill you.

Aroma Teahouse

Sir, your tea.

Anything else?

Sir, please enjoy.

Sir.

Hey, you.

What?

You look shy.

Do you have problems down there?

A true man walks straight in the world.

Be decent. Straight up.

Your behavior doesn’t seem appropriate.

That’s it.

Yong, aren’t we going to Blue Mist House?

What are we doing in the tea house?

It’s too early.

Who goes to a brothel in daytime?

Let’s have some tea and go there later.

When we get there,

is there anything I should pay attention to?

No, just stay with me.

Will the girls in the brothel

throw themselves at us?

No.

Though Blue Mist House is a brothel,

it’s a place of elegance and style.

Many customers go there just to enjoy music,

singing and dancing.

Good then.

Who do you want to ask when we’re there?

It's to be decided. I don't know yet.

Yishao, why does the murderer

target girls from Blue Mist House only?

In terms of brothels, in Dongxiang,

we also have Fragrance Garden.

It’s often heard girls are redeemed from there.

Not even one murder is heard.

Is Blue Mist House special?

Yes. Very special, actually.

Girls from Blue Mist House are bolder.

While those from Fragrance Garden are cuties.

Men who go to Blue Mist House

are usually mature,

while those to Fragrance Garden are young.

Of course some go to both.

Someone like you.

I prefer Fragrance Garden.

I haven’t gone there for long.

You’re not going to either from now on.

Right. Absolutely.

Blue Mist House

Gentlemen, do come in.

Yong, am I going to be OK?

I told you it’s gonna be fine.

I don’t know you’re such a coward.

But...

Cut it. Let’s go.

Sir, come in.

Mr. Shen, this way.

The honorable Mr. Shen has arrived!

Mr. Shen, please.

Mr. Shen.

Mr. Shen, how are you doing?

Get us a girl I know.

Mr. Shen, please come to the second floor.

Careful.

Mr. Shen, come in.

Are you done with your exploration?

Yong, I have a weird feeling.

No one flirts with me.

This is Mrs. Shen?

Gorgeous!

Please enjoy.

Crap! Yong, I’m exposed.

Yes. So what?

I told them just now.

You...

It was you.

It’s called a tip. Left for man and right woman.

If I poke your left shoulder,

it means you’re not a regular,

so they can kill their enthusiasm.

If I poke your right shoulder,

it means you’re a woman. Men should be excused.

But women don’t go to brothels.

Silly. These tips

are created to show respect.

You think you can

fool them with man’s clothes?

We’re not fools.

Who would take a woman to a brothel?

It would be scandalous.

Actually, there are precedents.

Well, for some,

they just come for the show.

And for others,

they’re here to learn from their competitors.

Of course it’s uncommon.

But virgins are even rare.

They’re not fully grown. It’s not appropriate.

You...

Yong, have some oranges.

Sweet!

Take these.

Yong, try one more.

Yong, orange with a bulge at bottom is sweet.

I never heard of that.

Irregular shaped melon, patterned apple,

cracked lichi and flat pear are all sweet ones.

Miss, are these for sale?

What’s so funny, Miss?

Mrs. Shen, you call me a Miss.

Mr. Shen would be happy about it.

How may I address you?

Call me Yu.

We have almonds for snacks. You want some?

Yong, this place is so comfortable.

That’s because you’re in a private room.

If you want to flirt with the girls,

you should go to the lobby.

Mr. Wang, there you are, finally.

Qiao misses you so much.

Yu, you’re more gorgeous.

Honeylipped. I know your heart is full with Qiao.

Yong,

Yu was like a lovely lady just now.

She looks so proactive out there.

In here, she’s an elegant lady,

out there, she becomes vigorous.

Girls in this place all cater to clients’ likes.

Once she sees I bring a girl,

she knows you’re the one, so she behaves.

Who would look for trouble?

How poor!

Exactly. She wouldn’t take this profession if not.

I shouldn’t have come.

Really? If you didn’t, they’d jump on me.

Mr. Shen, it’s said you seldom come,

since you were married.

It’s a surprise you bring Mrs. Shen here tonight.

She wants to go out for tea.

I don’t know where to go.

So we come to you.

Mrs. Shen, tea in my place

is the best in Dongxiang.

I’ll pack some up for you later.

Thanks.

You can call me Mo.

Well, it’s been a while since your last visit.

Are you really here for tea?

Are you available?

Why not sit and drink with us?

I haven’t served a client for years.

But I’ll give you an exception.

I’m honored.

Mrs. Mo, how rare it is!

You’re serving a client.

It’s Mr. Shen. I have to.

Come. Sit and talk with us.

Life isn’t easy nowadays.

Finally some girls are redeemed from this place.

In the end, the redeemer loses money and the girl.

Money and girl? What makes you say that?

It takes a fortune to redeem a girl. Money is paid

but the man couldn’t take the girl home.

Isn’t that a loss to him?

Yes, it is.

Yu, do you have honey?

Yes.

What do you call this?

Honey-soaked candy. Put fruit on top of candy

and pour honey on it. It’s delicious.

Really?

Hmm, it tastes good.

Let me have a try.

Wow, delicious!

Mr. Shen, Mrs. Shen. Mrs. Mo.

Mr. Li is here. He has to see you.

Mr. Shen, excuse me, please.

Suit yourself.

Let me get more desserts.

It seems you find something.

Yishao, since the murder case,

every one of us

have been reviewing the case from the girl’s view.

We neglected that scholars are also victims.

They redeemed the girls

but hurt their families.

And the public comments are against them.

But honestly,

it’s not the scholars’ intention.

After all, humans are affectionate.

They were simply in love with hookers.

In the end they lost money and the girls,

name ruined and heart broken.

Some even went to court.

The girls are unfortunate.

Some of them have no choice but to come back.

Others, such as Luan, seek Buddha’s help.

But the scholars are unfortunate, too.

Yishao, do you think it possible

that like the scholar,

the murderer lost everything after a redemption

and he wants others to suffer the same loss?

Mrs. Mo,

I think Mr. Shen isn’t here simply for tea.

Maybe he’s working on the case.

Let’s go.

Mr. Shen, sorry to have kept you waiting.

Here. Have some snacks.

Mo,

the girls are unfortunate. So are the scholars.

If I may, you must have seen

lots of passionate scholars in Blue Mist House.

Mr. Shen, I believe there are as many

passionate girls as men.

But they don’t usually meet the right person.

And passionate men don’t come to a brothel.

But women in a brothel are mostly poor souls.

Once a poor soul is in love, she gives it her all.

So seldom do we see a passionate scholar

in the brothel.

I have a question, Mo.

Such things happened in the past, too, right?

Yes, since ancient times.

Let me tell you.

My Blue Mist House

is haunted recently.

Girls died one by one.

And a girl drowned herself in a well.

Could it be her ghost?

A girl drowned herself in a well?

But I didn’t know there’s an official report.

Mr. Shen,

in brothel, we have our rules.

We make rich clients happy.

Whether they go home safe is not our duty.

Besides,

the girl was depressed and drowned herself.

When did it happen?

Is it an old case?

Two years ago. The girl was named Yuan.

Luan, Yuan? They sound alike.

They were besties. Both were poor.

Why did she jump into a well?

Yu, you tell them.

It pains me whenever I think of it.

Yuan was stubborn.

It wasn’t her will to come here.

She was living an OK life.

But that day, a scholar came to the house.

It seems he was from a good family.

They chatted for the night

and drank some wine. Then Yuan fell for him.

I’m Liu Ming. What’s your name?

My name is Yuan.

That’s it?

A drink and she gave him her heart?

In love, there’s no right or wrong, or sense.

Yuan was young and not long in the house.

She didn’t know it was just a fling.

She fell for him and couldn’t get out.

The scholar was a playboy. He was a regular.

Yuan believed him.

He even promised to redeem her.

Yuan waited for him day and night

to get her out of here.

You’re so careless. Does it hurt?

It’s OK.

What happened? Did the scholar redeem her?

Redeem?

We found out later

that he married a girl from a powerful family.

Their wedding was the news of the town.

Yuan was crazily in love. She didn’t believe it

and begged me to let her see for herself.

Thank you. Thank you.

Congratulations, Mr. Liu!

Mr. Wang, thank you.

Come to the banquet.

Mr. Liu, congratulations!

What’s the scholar’s name?

A young Mr. Liu.

His father is a rich rice dealer.

His mother’s family serves the court.

They moved to the capital after marriage.

His name is Liu Ming, right? I remember him.

That year,

he married an official’s daughter in the capital.

Their wedding ceremony

was a hot issue in Dongxiang.

Is it because this man

Yuan drowned herself in a well?

Not exactly. Yuan was gloomy for a while.

We all gave her comfort.

Few men to a brothel are faithful.

Moreover, they care about their career.

Who would give up such a good marriage?

Yuan listened.

Except that she felt disappointed sometimes,

she never brought it up.

Liu Ming is a real bastard.

Talented men are usually romantic.

Romantic?

For a talented, it is.

For a common man, it’s obscene.

Well said, Mr. Shen.

But why did Yuan jump into a well in the end?

Liu Ming stopped his visit after marriage.

But half a year later, he came back.

He was proud of his success and came with friends.

Unexpectedly, Liu Ming asked for Yuan who refused.

Liu Ming felt humiliated and slapped her.

Bastard!

That’s rude. How could a man be so evil?

Liu Ming humiliated Yuan

and left angrily.

You never know how evil a man can be.

Men come to the house for fun.

But inside, they despise the girls.

Liu Ming’s words are so mean.

No one could stand it.

Besides,

Yuan was aloof.

She had many enemies in the house,

With the humiliation

came sarcastic comments.

Somebody! Help!

She was a poor thing!

A dishonest man’s love is a girl’s tomb.

After Yuan died,

most girls in the house have changed.

We all made up our minds

to hide our true feelings from clients,

however good the client is.

Because if we don’t, we die, especially scholars.

What about Liu Ming?

Did he still live a well-off life?

Heaven is fair.

Yuan didn’t let him go after her death.

Liu Ming gambled away all his fortune.

He stirred up trouble after he was drunk.

Then he lost his home because of his affair.

In the end, he was arrested for embezzlement.

In less than a year,

he became the downtrodden.

He deserves it! He has to pay his debt.

The girl didn’t want him to pay.

But he couldn’t let go. It ruined him and her.

Maybe Liu Ming is still alive now.

A evil man like him won’t end up well.

This time,

it’s like Yuan’s soul is haunting.

I’m thinking of

hiring people to cleanse the evil spirits.

Mo, I’m afraid it won’t work.

Blue Mist House

Sir, come in.

How are you doing? Come in.

Mr. Shen, good night.

The case becomes more complicated now.

Yes.

Yishao, make some food for me. I have a headache.

A headache?

It’s because the case. The clues are a mess.

Mo from Blue Mist House

seems have hidden something.

There’s one more girl, Yuan.

More clues, but I still don’t know where to start.

Yong, don’t rush it.

I thought I could find something useful.

Now I’m in a maze.

Hey, as Yu told us just now

that the girls learned the lesson

and wouldn’t fall for scholars.

But why have so many of them

been redeemed by scholars,

especially Luan.

Wasn’t she Yuan’s best friend?

How did she end up just like her?

And that Mo.

I have a feeling she was leading the case to Yuan

and in the end,

she blamed Yuan’s soul.

Never mind. Go home and make something for me.

It’s strenuous to solve a case.

No wonder father always seems preoccupied.

Right. I wondered

why father wore a long face whenever he met me.

I thought I irritated him.

Now it seems he was troubled by the cases.

Yong, put the case aside.

Let’s go home. I’ll make food for you.

OK.

Crap.

You brat!

How dare you take Yishao to that place?

Father, don’t blame...

Father, it won’t happen again.

You...

Yishao, go back and get changed.

Follow me.

Did you find anything at Blue Mist House?

No, nothing.

But I heard a story.

Sit and tell me in detail.

My lady.

It’s late. What are you doing out here?

You're out too, aren’t you?

Let me make something for you.

I’ll help.

With the eating?

I mean real help.

My lady, let me help.

I’m OK. You can’t help me.

Allow me.

Step out of the way.

My lady, what are you cooking?

Pork on trees.

Why the name?

Fry green onion, ginger and garlic,

and then add pork and spices to make pork sauce.

Lastly, put crystal noodles in.

It’s simply crystal noodles?

Yeah, it is.

Smells good.

Try some.

Looks like Yuan was a poor girl.

Have you found anything unusual other than that?

No.

You must be hungry. I made something.

I’m so lucky.

Yishao,

if you were Luan, after Yuan died,

would you believe

a scholar’s promise to redeem you?

I wouldn’t if it were me.