All Rise Episode 13 Recap
> All Rise Recap
Upon her arrival in Hangzhou, Ren Jiatong met with Guo Xiaoyu, who informed her that Zhu Zhisheng’s mother, Ms. Wang, intended to hire a lawyer to initiate a lawsuit. Guo Xiaoyu revealed that Ms. Wang had not yet secured legal representation and was personally negotiating with Yiaiwan Tech, leveraging the company’s impending IPO for compensation, a tactic Guo Xiaoyu found impressive.
Before she learned that Jun An Law Firm would represent Yiaiwan, Guo Xiaoyu had already explained the process for applying for work-related injury status and provided advice on negotiating with companies in labor disputes to Ms. Wang. Feeling distressed about potentially causing trouble, Guo Xiaoyu expressed her chaotic state of mind since hearing of Zhu Zhisheng’s coma.
Ren Jiatong reassured her that her advice was merely standard legal guidance and that since she had not participated in any of Jun An’s internal discussions, she was not at fault. She then urged Guo Xiaoyu to keep their conversation confidential and promised to keep her secret as well. That night, Ren Jiatong noted Guo Xiaoyu’s visible stress and encouraged her to rest. Guo Xiaoyu, however, could not sleep and asked Ren Jiatong to stay and talk.
She then revealed that Zhu Zhisheng was not the first Yiaiwan employee to collapse under similar circumstances; another case had occurred more than a year prior, a fact uncovered when former employees' families contacted Ms. Wang. Guo Xiaoyu questioned if Ren Jiatong still believed these were mere coincidences, and expressed her personal struggle as a law student torn between upholding social justice and advocating for client interests, wondering if she should abandon her initial ideals.
She challenged Ren Jiatong to consider how she would react if she were in the family’s situation. Ren Jiatong remained silent, her thoughts drifting to her father’s resuscitation and the Estazolam Tablets she found near him during that time. The following morning, Ren Jiatong received a call from Jiang Chen, who playfully teased her about her dedication to feeding his pet daily and about missing him.
Later, Ren Jiatong and Yan Fei visited Yiaiwan Tech, where they met Xiaojing, an intern from Zhu Zhisheng’s R&D department. Xiaojing provided Zhu Zhisheng’s clock-in records but claimed she was not well-acquainted with him and had no knowledge of any difficulties Ms. Wang faced in obtaining these records.
Ren Jiatong and Yan Fei discovered that on the day of his collapse, Zhu Zhisheng had left the office for three hours but his car remained in the parking lot, suggesting he had stayed within the complex. They noted a recent change in his work pattern: instead of staying late, he would leave around 8 PM and return around 10 PM. This contradicted Ms. Wang’s earlier statements to Guo Xiaoyu, leading them to suspect Ms. Wang was hiding information.
Further investigation led them to Zhu Zhisheng’s social media, where they found he followed Xiaojing. They also found shared coffee shop expenses between them, which Xiaojing denied when questioned by Ren Jiatong. Later, Guo Xiaoyu called Ren Jiatong in a panic, informing her that Zhu Zhisheng’s condition had worsened, and he had been rushed to emergency care. Ren Jiatong immediately went to the hospital and noticed a bottle of Estazolam Tablets on Zhu Zhisheng’s bedside table.
Ms. Wang then confronted Guo Xiaoyu, pressuring her to convince Jun An to cease representing Yiaiwan. She accused the firm of being unethical for delaying compensation and reminded Guo Xiaoyu of her long relationship with Zhu Zhisheng, urging her not to abandon him. Guo Xiaoyu, caught in a difficult position, tried to explain her inability to offer legal advice due to her status as a law student.
Ren Jiatong intervened by feigning a stomachache, creating an excuse for them to leave. Afterwards, Ren Jiatong thanked Guo Xiaoyu for her help and, though still concerned, Guo Xiaoyu expressed her unwavering trust in Ms. Wang, her former Chinese teacher, believing she was acting out of anxiety. Ren Jiatong explained Yiaiwan’s reluctance to classify the incident as a work-related injury, citing concerns about corporate reputation and the impending IPO, and highlighted Ms. Wang’s suspicious insistence on a private settlement.
Guo Xiaoyu, however, defended Ms. Wang, attributing her actions to panic over mounting medical costs and the complexity of work-related injury procedures. During their conversation, Ren Jiatong noticed an ambulance chaser loitering in the hospital lobby. Exhausted, Guo Xiaoyu asked to stay with Ren Jiatong again, expressing gratitude to Ren Jiatong, Yan Fei, and Huang Yue for their sisterly support, calling them her greatest gain from joining Jun An.
Yan Fei called Ren Jiatong, confirming that Zhu Zhisheng had been with Xiaojing at the cafe, based on staff descriptions and their consistently matching work schedules. Yan Fei expressed strong disgust at Zhu Zhisheng's infidelity. Later, while speaking with Zhou Nian, Yan Fei learned that Ms. Wang's compensation demands were only slightly above the amount expected for a work-related injury claim, which seemed inconsistent with her public theatrics.
Yan Fei speculated that Ms. Wang might be aware that Zhu Zhisheng's coma was not directly work-related and was exploiting Yiaiwan's IPO plans for increased compensation. As she smelled osmanthus, Yan Fei suddenly realized that the cafe they investigated also operated as a bar at night, suggesting Zhu Zhisheng might have been drinking. She immediately rushed off to gather evidence.
Ren Jiatong called Jiang Chen, seeking advice on a dilemma: whether to reveal information that could hurt a close friend but potentially prevent future trouble. Jiang Chen noted her unusual hesitation, describing her typical decisive nature, and offered comfort without probing for details, expressing how happy he was that she confided in him. He also gently reminded her to take care of her own well-being.
Ren Jiatong, emotional, reflected on seeing Zhu Zhisheng in the ICU, recognizing him as a peer who, like them, worked long hours, and admitted to losing control of her emotions. Jiang Chen reassured her that showing emotion made her "flesh and blood" and encouraged her to pay close attention to her uncharacteristic hesitation. They met briefly in the hotel garden. In Beijing, Li Ke reported to Huang Yue on his progress in Jiang Chen's team’s case.
Following Jiang Chen's strategy, he had identified the defendant company's actual operating location in an office building, although cross-referencing all the chat logs was time-consuming. Huang Yue suggested checking the building directory and front desk while she visited property management. She soon confirmed the defendant's company name on the directory, and Li Ke obtained a parking permit registration, verifying the company's presence on the 23rd floor.
Meanwhile, Zhou Nian expressed concern to Yan Fei that her close friendship with Guo Xiaoyu might compromise her objectivity in their case. Yan Fei playfully teased him, implying his concern stemmed from caring for her. Ren Jiatong then reported to Zhou Nian about seeing Ms. Wang with an ambulance chaser at the hospital, suggesting this individual was influencing Ms. Wang's demands, especially with Yiaiwan's IPO on the horizon.
Ren Jiatong further disclosed finding sedative sleeping pills by Zhu Zhisheng’s bedside, implying a connection to his coma. She tentatively suggested that Yiaiwan consider compensating Zhu Zhisheng, citing his diligent work and the likelihood that his medication use was stress-related, but quickly retracted her statement, realizing it was unprofessional. Zhou Nian, while understanding her empathy, reminded her of the importance of professional conduct.
Yan Fei openly challenged Ren Jiatong’s suggestion of compensation, arguing that Zhu Zhisheng deserved nothing given his infidelity. She declared her intention to expose the truth to Guo Xiaoyu, believing that a painful truth now was better than prolonged deception. Guo Xiaoyu, having overheard their heated discussion, confronted them, accusing them of making Ms. Wang’s situation worse and questioning if Ren Jiatong’s hospital visit was to see her or to gather evidence.
Yan Fei, frustrated by Guo Xiaoyu’s continued defense of Zhu Zhisheng, reiterated that he had cheated first and that their relationship was meaningless after such a betrayal. Guo Xiaoyu, distraught, acknowledged their efforts in cooking for her and expressed both gratitude and deep guilt, particularly towards Ren Jiatong, for having involved her in this difficult situation. Just then, Ms. Wang sent photos of Guo Xiaoyu and others, along with dashcam footage, to Yiaiwan’s legal department.
The accompanying message accused Guo Xiaoyu of leaking IPO information and Jun An of using her to cover up Yiaiwan’s negligence regarding overtime. Zhou Nian, after consulting with senior lawyers, reassured Guo Xiaoyu that the firm was defending her, clarifying that her initial legal advice was generic and given before Jun An became involved, and that she had reported her conflict of interest. Despite this, Zhou Nian warned them that the photo could be widely misinterpreted, causing potential trouble.
Guo Xiaoyu, still believing Ms. Wang was not a malicious person but merely desperate, insisted on going to talk to her. Yan Fei, however, cautioned against it, fearing Ms. Wang might record her again. Yan Fei then volunteered herself and Zhou Nian to speak with Ms. Wang. During their confrontation at the hospital, Ms. Wang remained unyielding, presenting a diagnosis of cerebral hemorrhage caused by impact and adamantly demanding compensation, fully blaming Yiaiwan.
Later, learning from Huang Yue about the firm's trouble and Ms. Wang's accusations, Guo Xiaoyu sincerely apologized to Ren Jiatong for involving her. Ren Jiatong, in turn, reassured her that she wasn't angry and revealed that Zhu Zhisheng's mother had also withheld certain information. Ren Jiatong then lightened the mood by asking if they were hungry.
