All Rise Episode 14 Recap
> All Rise Recap
Ren Jiatong, Guo Xiaoyu, and Yan Fei delved into the specifics of the case, realizing that Ms. Wang, Zhu Zhisheng's mother, sought more than mere financial compensation. Yan Fei recounted that Ms. Wang, initially reluctant to speak, eventually opened up, demanding both monetary restitution and a formal explanation from Yiaiwan Tech, firmly stating she would not back down. The requested compensation, surprisingly, was not exorbitant.
Guo Xiaoyu added that Ms. Wang attributed Zhu Zhisheng's coma to his prolonged, high-pressure work conditions, mentioning a similar incident at Yiaiwan Tech over a year prior. They concluded that Ms. Wang's primary goal was a sincere apology from the company regarding its management failings and the extreme pressure that led to Zhu Zhisheng's critical state. The team agreed that meeting Xiaojing, who was with Zhu Zhisheng on the night he collapsed, was crucial for clarity.
Guo Xiaoyu volunteered, but Yan Fei and Ren Jiatong insisted on accompanying her, emphasizing, "You can't meet your love rival alone." As they observed from a distance, Ren Jiatong confided in Yan Fei, drawing parallels to her own painful past experience of confronting a rival. She sensed that Guo Xiaoyu, despite her composure, would be deeply hurt. When Guo Xiaoyu began to cry, Yan Fei rushed to her, demanding to know if Xiaojing had upset her.
Xiaojing, however, revealed she had resigned from Yiaiwan Tech and wished to avoid all legal entanglements, attempting to leave. Guo Xiaoyu stopped her, apologizing and blaming herself for Zhu Zhisheng’s situation, and expressing gratitude for Xiaojing's honesty. Xiaojing then clarified that Zhu Zhisheng frequently spoke of Guo Xiaoyu with such admiration that Xiaojing felt envious, insisting her relationship with Zhu Zhisheng was not what people might assume.
After Xiaojing departed, Ren Jiatong offered Guo Xiaoyu a chance to vent her emotions. Guo Xiaoyu explained that their shared experiences of difficult choices and life's unpredictability had led to a surprising mutual understanding between her and Xiaojing. Meanwhile, Jiang Chen reported his progress to Li Ke, having thoroughly organized photos and timestamps into evidence documents and an index, all sent to Bai Xiao.
He explained that demonstrating Yiaiwan Tech's active operations in Chaoyang District, Beijing, was essential to dismiss their jurisdictional objection. Li Ke lauded Jiang Chen's efficiency and proposed they collaborate on future tasks. Noticing Jiang Chen repeatedly checking his phone, Li Ke playfully accused him of being in love. Jiang Chen offered to reveal details if Li Ke helped him move next week, but Li Ke quickly lost interest.
He advised Jiang Chen against dating anyone from their firm, citing the unresolved history between Bai Xiao and Song Yifan as a cautionary tale. Li Ke asserted his understanding of women, implying he was trying to protect Jiang Chen. During a case review meeting, Song Yifan, observing Bai Xiao's discomfort, subtly suggested a lunch break for everyone, indicating he had a crucial matter to discuss with her.
He later expressed concern over her recurring neck pain, which she dismissed as an occupational hazard. Song Yifan insisted it was a significant issue and proposed they have lunch alone. Their conversation was interrupted by Huang Yue, Li Ke, and Jiang Chen, who had an urgent report. Bai Xiao agreed to lunch after their presentation.
As the report began, Song Yifan thoughtfully instructed Jiang Chen to switch seats with Bai Xiao, moving her away from the air conditioning, and gently handed her a scarf for warmth—a gesture that did not go unnoticed by their colleagues. The Beijing team then presented their proactive research on the legal consequences of workers' compensation fraud, explaining their initiative to support their Hangzhou colleagues, which Bai Xiao acknowledged positively.
Later, Huang Yue pointed out Bai Xiao's new exquisite pen, recognizing it as a couple-themed item honoring Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Bai Xiao was genuinely surprised by this detail. This observation prompted a private discussion between Li Ke and Huang Yue, where Li Ke confirmed that Song Yifan used the matching male version of the pen, and Huang Yue recalled that the scarf Song Yifan had given Bai Xiao previously carried Bai Xiao's signature perfume.
They mused about the pair's past relationship, wondering if a lack of trust or career prioritization had kept them apart. Back at the hotel, a visibly distraught Guo Xiaoyu confided in Ren Jiatong and Yan Fei. Xiaojing had revealed that Zhu Zhisheng, under immense pressure from consistently ranking last in company evaluations, had resorted to medication and heavy drinking to battle insomnia.
Guo Xiaoyu felt profound guilt for not having noticed his suffering earlier, and she empathized deeply with his fear of elimination as a young professional. She affirmed her trust in him, explaining it stemmed not from blind love, but from a shared understanding of workplace anxieties.
She declared her determination to advocate for him, acknowledging that despite representing Yiaiwan Tech, they could not ignore the human cost, especially given Ms. Wang's belief that the company's pervasive overtime culture was responsible for Zhu Zhisheng's coma. Later, Guo Xiaoyu received a call informing her of Zhu Zhisheng's awakening. Xiaojing was on the line, explaining that Zhu Zhisheng had actually woken up two days prior, but Ms. Wang had prevented any contact.
Xiaojing further revealed that her father, Zhu Zhisheng’s department head, had secretly paid 500,000 yuan to Ms. Wang as compensation, fearing that the exposure of his role in pressuring Zhu Zhisheng would jeopardize Yiaiwan Tech's impending IPO. Xiaojing clarified that her interactions with Zhu Zhisheng were mainly for graduation project tutoring at her father's behest, and while nothing intimate had occurred, she apologized for the distress it caused Guo Xiaoyu.
She also disclosed that her father had made her promise never to see Zhu Zhisheng again. Xiaojing urged Guo Xiaoyu to go to Zhu Zhisheng. At Zhu Zhisheng’s hospital bedside, Guo Xiaoyu expressed her willingness to stay in Hangzhou and restart their life together. However, Zhu Zhisheng confessed to having developed feelings for Xiaojing, admitting he had been drinking that fateful night because he intended to confess those feelings to her.
He explained that spending time with Xiaojing had reminded him of a younger Guo Xiaoyu. Despite his apology, Guo Xiaoyu asked if he regretted his actions, to which he responded that he did not. She then removed the earrings he had given her for her eighteenth birthday, acknowledging the genuine love and friendship they had shared over four years, but firmly declared their relationship over.
She asserted her renewed focus on her legal career in Beijing, wishing him a full recovery. As she left, she called Ren Jiatong from the car, confirming that Zhu Zhisheng had broken up with her. She then stated that with no other choice, she was now fully committed to her career in Beijing. Concerned for Guo Xiaoyu upon her return to Beijing, Ren Jiatong found her feeling despondent.
Guo Xiaoyu contemplated whether they, too, might one day "Blend in with the light and be with the dust." To cheer her up, Ren Jiatong sent her a livestream link. The video, featuring Ren Jiatong, Yan Fei, Li Ke, Huang Yue, and Jiang Chen, comically advertised a "deep cleaning card" for Guo Xiaoyu's apartment, promising personal service and group activities, reassuring her, "We've always been here."
Watching it, Guo Xiaoyu was deeply moved, explaining that she became emotional when those closest to her showed care. Later, the entire team arrived at her apartment to help with a deep clean. Guo Xiaoyu was surprised by their coordinated effort, and Ren Jiatong credited Jiang Chen for persistently organizing everyone. They then celebrated with a warm and lively hotpot dinner, officially welcoming her back to the team.
The next day, Song Yifan and Bai Xiao announced the current assessment scores. Guo Xiaoyu, having been unable to participate due to her conflict of interest, found herself at the bottom of the rankings along with Huang Yue. Ren Jiatong and Yan Fei were awarded 30 points each for their strong performance in Hangzhou.
Bai Xiao particularly commended Ren Jiatong for her exceptional insight in discerning Yiaiwan Tech's underlying motives for seeking their firm's assistance and proposing a well-rounded solution so early in her career. Jiang Chen received 25 points, while Li Ke and Huang Yue each got 15 points for their work in verifying the business address in Beijing. Additionally, the three of them received another 10 points each for proactively assisting Ren Jiatong and Yan Fei with their research. It was then revealed that Huang Yue had already submitted her formal application to withdraw from the Talent Hunt Program and resign from the firm.
