This Is Not What I Expected (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

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1. 1

   Vandalism misidentification sparks a confrontation

   Gu Sheng Nan vandalizes Lu Jin's car after mistaking it for another vehicle, setting off a tense first interaction. Lu Jin leaves a business meeting and notices the damage, which hints at the clash between their worlds. The incident foreshadows the coming hotel buyout and the role Gu Sheng Nan will play in it.

   Where

   Street outside Lu Jin's business meeting

2. 2

   Lu Jin discovers Gu Sheng Nan is the hotel's chef

   Lu Jin visits the hotel for his next buyout and is surprised to learn that Gu Sheng Nan also works there as a chef. He samples dishes as part of a test, while the hotel's kitchen becomes a stage for his business plan. This discovery links his fate as an investor to her culinary world.

   Where

   Hotel kitchen / lobby area

3. 3

   Manager's dish challenge to win him over

   The hotel manager assigns each chef to prepare a dish for Lu Jin in hopes of persuading him to keep the hotel open. The challenge highlights Gu Sheng Nan's culinary skill and determination to stand out. The best dish becomes the turning point toward Lu Jin's decision to support the hotel’s future.

   Where

   Hotel kitchen

4. 4

   Gu Sheng Nan's dish seals the deal

   Gu Sheng Nan cooks a signature dish that resonates with Lu Jin, swaying his opinion about the hotel's viability. He decides to keep the hotel running on the condition that she continues to cook for him. The moment strengthens their uneasy connection as the professional meeting transitions into something personal.

   Where

   Hotel dining area

5. 5

   Rooftop encounter sparks questions

   The next night Lu Jin sees Gu Sheng Nan on a rooftop, where she is drunk and accidentally falls into his balcony. He confronts her without realizing she is the chef behind his meals. The incident plants questions about their true relationship and identity.

   Where

   Rooftop and balcony

6. 6

   Weeks pass and mounting suspicion

   Over the following weeks, Lu Jin keeps encountering Gu Sheng Nan and suspects she is targeting him in some way. He begins to suspect that she is the secret chef behind the hotel’s meals. The recurring meetings deepen their tension and mutual curiosity.

   Where

   Various locations around the city and hotel

7. 7

   Chasing Gu Sheng Nan to her home

   Gu Sheng Nan takes time off, and Lu Jin tracks down her residence, showing up at her apartment with a request to cook for him. He ends up eating and sleeping on her couch after dinner, beginning a personal routine that blurs boundaries between work and attraction.

   Where

   Gu Sheng Nan's apartment

8. 8

   Puffer fish dinner leads to a citywide haze

   They share a puffer fish that was poorly sourced, and the toxins cause them to hallucinate as they roam the city at night. Lu Jin's effects wear off on the bus, but Gu Sheng Nan remains under the influence. The episode deepens the odd, intimate bond between them.

   Where

   City streets and bus

9. 9

   Gu Sheng Nan discovers his other chef

   Gu Sheng Nan travels to Lu Jin's home and discovers he has a personal female chef. Lu Jin explains that his own chef was on leave, and the revelation strains their dynamic as she confronts his lifestyle and the hotel’s fragility.

   Where

   Lu Jin's home

10. 10

    Hotel in jeopardy and a harsh firing

    Lu Jin learns from his company that the hotel will be repurposed and all workers will be fired. Gu Sheng Nan confronts him, and he admits that he has to fire a long-time employee to make the business viable. The stakes rise as loyalty and livelihood collide with profit.

    Where

    Shanghai hotel

11. 11

    London stint and return to search

    Lu Jin travels to his London office, where his personal chef reveals she cannot stay due to his expectations of more than just good food. She messages that she can no longer be his chef, prompting him to return to Shanghai in search of Gu Sheng Nan. The journey marks a turning point in their relationship.

    Where

    London office

12. 12

    The chase ends on a balcony at sunset

    Back in Shanghai, Lu Jin uses alarms to locate Gu Sheng Nan and tells her there is a place by his side. They climb to a balcony and watch the sunset together, a quiet moment that hints at a shared future. During the credits, they are still hungry, and Lu Jin says he'll cook for her, hoping for a sunrise together.

    Where

    Balcony, Shanghai