A Robot in the Orange Orchard Episode 19 Recap
> A Robot in the Orange Orchard Recaps
Upon her return, Yang Shanshan's friends welcomed her, praising her success at the creativity competition. However, Yang Shanshan, overcome by emotion after seeing Lu Sen at the event, suddenly fainted. Her friends quickly rushed her to the hospital, where the doctor diagnosed her with a fever caused by overworking and suppressed emotions. The doctor mentioned hearing her mumble a name starting with "Lu" in her sleep, but her friends dismissed it as dream-talk, thankful she only needed rest.
Tang Yajing stayed by Yang Shanshan's side, reflecting on how Yang Shanshan always appeared strong, despite enduring a difficult period. Dayun entrusted the necklace Lu Sen had given to Friday to Tang Yajing, intending for Yang Shanshan to receive it once she recovered. Later, Yang Shanshan's uncle and aunt visited, having learned about her participation in the competition. Her uncle apologized for his past strictness and harsh words, promising to support her artistic dreams unconditionally from then on.
Yang Shanshan, though weak, was deeply moved by his change of heart. Meanwhile, Li Zhan was drinking, feeling defeated after Lu Sen publicly rejected his project. His father, Li Jingcheng, approached him, recalling a time when he gave away Li Zhan's favorite horse to teach him a lesson about competition and self-preservation.
Li Jingcheng warned him that to challenge an opponent, one must first possess the ability to protect oneself, or risk a fate similar to Lu Sen's father, who, after "touching someone's horse," left Lu Sen to Li Jingcheng's care. Li Jingcheng reminded Li Zhan that he would not tolerate failures.
Li Jingcheng later learned that Lu Sen had not only rejected Li Zhan's "Project Edge-N" for a so-called "scientific fraudster," Fu Yang, but also orchestrated a clarification statement for Fu Yang in the UK. Li Jingcheng was furious that Lu Sen was risking the company's future and publicly auditing his accounts, viewing it as a direct attack on him and the entire Li family.
He recalled a past moment, perhaps a memory or a nightmare, of confessing his own misappropriation of company funds and being told to resign. This fueled his resolve to "ruin" Lu Sen. Li Zhan tried to intervene, reminding his father that he had watched Lu Sen grow up, but Li Jingcheng questioned Li Zhan's loyalty, accusing him of being too kind and naive, unable to outmaneuver Lu Sen.
He asserted that only family would truly protect Li Zhan, reminding him of how Lu Sen had often publicly embarrassed him. Li Zhan, after careful thought, finally conceded to his father's perspective. Following Friday's advice, Lu Sen decided to live like a normal person and started coming to work every day. His sudden presence in the office caused a stir among employees. Some complained that he was fussy and made work stressful, while others acknowledged his professional and sharp insights.
When one employee remarked that Lu Sen had no poise, no manners, and no hidden depths, but his looks were "pretty much similar to mine," Lu Sen, who had been listening in the elevator, revealed himself. The startled employee profusely apologized and offered to resign, but Lu Sen, accepting the apology, simply instructed him to spread the word that he would now be in the office daily.
Observing the widespread panic among the staff, Lu Sen realized his past demeanor had indeed been intimidating, and resolved to slowly change perceptions. Upon reviewing company documents, Lu Sen discovered numerous irregularities and instances of misappropriation of company funds related to projects handled by Li Jingcheng.
Recognizing this as a clear attempt to undermine his authority during his absence, Lu Sen instructed his secretary, Mr. Si, to use the newly granted CEO's authority to meticulously investigate every project Li Jingcheng had overseen, considering this the leverage he needed. Lu Sen also visited Dr. Ou for a check-up. He reported that he hadn't felt particularly nervous in crowds and had even deliberately touched people without any allergic reactions.
Dr. Ou was impressed by his rapid progress, believing that he might soon be completely cured, though still advised him to carry his emergency medication. At home, Lu Sen found the Alpha team, including Fu Yang, attempting to cook porridge. After tasting it, he declared it "awful," remarking that only Friday's cooking suited his palate. Despite his criticism, he finished the porridge, valuing their effort.
Simultaneously, a voice, presumably Friday's AI, communicated with the team, instructing them to stay by Lu Sen's side and treat him like a true friend, to prevent him from feeling alone. The AI also commented that their cooking was inferior to her own and that forcing Lu Sen to eat it was "inhumane." Later, Lu Sen, looking to purchase a limited edition model, decided to contact the "Love Lamp" contestant from the creativity competition, Yang Shanshan, for assistance.
He called her, annoyed when she took a while to answer. He asked her to help him buy the model, praising her ability but cautioning against damaging the packaging as before. Noticing her silence, he pressed her to speak. Yang Shanshan, however, was angry, accusing him of calling too late and asking if she was merely there to entertain him.
Lu Sen apologized for the late hour, offered to pay for her time, and asked her to stay on the line, confiding that a friend had gone far away, and he needed someone to talk to. When she asked if he had other friends, Lu Sen admitted he did, but only "she is my only best friend," referring to his profound connection with Friday, now inaccessible.
Yang Shanshan then abruptly stated she could no longer help him, as she was also "leaving soon" for "a faraway place," telling him to find someone else for proxy shopping. She then firmly ordered him, "Don't you ever call me again," and hung up, leaving Lu Sen confused by her resolute refusal. Seeking solace and answers, Lu Sen visited Mr. Xie in the greenhouse, where his father used to sit by the orange tree.
He asked Mr. Xie about his father. Mr. Xie described his father as an "annoying" man—eccentric, stubborn, opinionated, and with few friends—but quickly clarified that everyone still liked him because he excelled at everything and his decisions were always right. Mr. Xie confirmed his own friendship with Lu Sen's father and confessed how much he missed him after his passing.
He recalled how Lu Sen, as a child, would lock himself in his room, bringing immense sorrow to Mr. Xie and his wife. He then shared a message of resilience, urging Lu Sen to look ahead, just as he had done after his father's death. Days later, the doctor informed Yang Shanshan that she was recovering well and could be discharged in a day or two if her fever didn't return.
Yang Shanshan sent a text message to Lu Sen, delivering the promised lamp, hoping that his "yearning can be seen." Meanwhile, Lu Sen, aware of Li Jingcheng's growing impatience, instructed his subordinate to continue monitoring him closely, anticipating that he would soon reveal his true intentions. Soon after, an emergency shareholders' meeting was convened in the top floor meeting room, a rare event.
Li Jingcheng, addressing the shareholders, stated that the meeting was called to discuss Project Edge-N, which Lu Sen had vetoed, and the company's future development. He accused Lu Sen of acting with "willfulness and arbitrariness," terminating many promising projects, and treating the company as his "personal property," exercising "autocracy."
As Kang Li'er learned of the meeting and the rumors that it aimed to strip Lu Sen of his decision-making power, she attempted to intervene, but was informed that without a shareholder card, she couldn't access the top floor. Inside the meeting, other shareholders echoed Li Jingcheng's concerns, questioning whether Lu Sen's personal reasons were unfairly influencing company decisions and neglecting company development in favor of short-term gains.
Li Jingcheng directly challenged Lu Sen's suitability for the chairman's position, asserting that this was the collective decision of the shareholders. He demanded that Lu Sen provide a valid reason for opposing Project Edge-N; otherwise, he would be admitting to autocratic rule and making decisions based on personal grudges. In response, Lu Sen announced that he had discovered a new project capable of bringing significant new developments to the company.
He then posed a challenge to Li Jingcheng: if his new plan was met with unanimous approval from the shareholders, would Li Jingcheng "have the courage to take the initiative to resign?"
