All Rise Episode 15 Recap
> All Rise Recap
Guo Xiaoyu approached Huang Yue to discuss her situation, learning that Huang Yue had chosen to prioritize her relationship over her career, as her boyfriend was assigned overseas and she wished to accompany him. Huang Yue expressed that she didn't want to take any risks with the relationship, fearing its loss. She confessed her embarrassment about leaving her job after so much education.
The experiences of Guo Xiaoyu's past relationship with Zhu Zhisheng, and Ms. Bai and Mr. Song, also influenced her decision, making her afraid of losing someone important. Guo Xiaoyu affirmed that Huang Yue was brave for making a choice that truly mattered to her.
As others helped Huang Yue pack her belongings, Huang Yue revealed she intended to return at the end of the year to marry her boyfriend and invited Ren Jiatong, Guo Xiaoyu, and Yan Fei to be her bridesmaids. She also shared that while Jun An was her favorite place in Beijing, the noodle shop where they often met was her second favorite. She preferred not to have a farewell party, as their gathering the night before had been enough.
Li Ke then walked Huang Yue downstairs. Huang Yue confessed that she often looked at the city lights from her office window, wondering if she could find a share of that happiness. She admitted she wasn't entirely sure if her decision was the "right" one, but it was certainly the "more important" one for her. Li Ke, who also had deep family ties, understood Huang Yue's feelings and wished her happiness.
Huang Yue, noticing Li Ke's motivations, pointed out that he desired to stay in Jun An largely because of his sister and niece, who were his spiritual pillars and had unwavering faith in him. She then advised Li Ke to consider his own feelings more, beyond his sister's expectations, noting that sometimes excessive expectations could create immense pressure.
Later that evening, Ren Jiatong, in a rare display of affection, gave Guo Xiaoyu puppy eyes and asked her to make some noodles, despite having just eaten. Guo Xiaoyu teasingly called her an "ice queen" and joked about posting it on her Moments. Yan Fei, calling at that moment, overheard the playful exchange and commented that Ren Jiatong no longer needed her comfort, suggesting that Ren Jiatong merely wanted Guo Xiaoyu to feel needed.
While Ren Jiatong was enjoying her noodles, Guo Xiaoyu received a message from Li Ke, who proposed they collaborate on a confidential case from Zhou Nian. Li Ke stressed the importance of keeping their collaboration secret, even from Ren Jiatong, to demonstrate their capabilities, especially after Huang Yue's departure. Guo Xiaoyu then probed Ren Jiatong about her relationship with Jiang Chen, noticing something amiss before their trip to Hangzhou.
She mentioned Jiang Chen's "weirdly specific questions" about a streetlight in their alley. Ren Jiatong brushed off the suggestion, promising they were merely colleagues and that nothing was going on. Guo Xiaoyu then confided in Ren Jiatong about Ms. Bai and Mr. Song's past, calling their story "devastating." She explained that they had been romantically involved, but internal firm rules prevented them from working together.
Mr. Song's hesitation led Ms. Bai to quietly leave Jun An for another firm, a decision he later deeply regretted. Even after Ms. Bai returned years later, their relationship could not be rekindled. Ren Jiatong declared that she would never leave her law firm for love, and Guo Xiaoyu, in turn, vowed to renounce romance and focus solely on her career.
The next day at the office, Guo Xiaoyu’s newfound intense work ethic surprised Yan Fei, who noted she was no longer the "Little Raindrop" she knew but a "storm" ready to "outwork everyone." Ren Jiatong attempted to invite Yan Fei to lunch, but Yan Fei declined, stating that since Guo Xiaoyu wasn't going, she would simply "have some snacks" later. The visit of Wang Yinggao, a game producer from Tian Kai Xin Gaming Company, garnered significant attention.
Ren Jiatong quickly researched the company, identifying Wang Yinggao as a talented game producer whose games were "legendary." She also contacted a former colleague to inquire about Tian Kai Xin's IPO. Guo Xiaoyu was frustrated when she saw Li Ke submitting their collaboratively written report to Zhou Nian, taking sole credit and receiving praise. She began to approach him, but Ren Jiatong intervened, reminding her to stay calm. Later, at their apartment, Guo Xiaoyu reflected on the situation.
She acknowledged that confronting Li Ke publicly in front of clients would damage Jun An's image. She decided to document all their work-related chat history and gather evidence, planning to ask for justice when the timing was right, as leaders prioritize results over mediating juniors' disputes, and she didn't want Zhou Nian to think she was stealing credit from his junior. Ren Jiatong was impressed by Guo Xiaoyu's quick and rational thinking, noting how much she had matured.
Just then, Li Ke arrived at their door to apologize to Guo Xiaoyu in person, admitting he had gotten carried away by Zhou Nian’s praise and failed to mention her contributions. At the same time, Jiang Chen was moving into the apartment next door, which belonged to his aunt, as his cousin had returned from overseas. Li Ke revealed he had used helping Jiang Chen move as an excuse to apologize to Guo Xiaoyu.
Ren Jiatong stepped in to help Jiang Chen unpack, jokingly teasing him about "a single guy's room always hides something they can't show," which Jiang Chen denied. Ren Jiatong subtly created space for Li Ke and Guo Xiaoyu to resolve their "personal issue." Li Ke reiterated his apology, swearing he had no intention of stealing her work, and promised to clarify the matter with Zhou Nian the next day. The four then gathered for drinks to celebrate Jiang Chen's move.
Li Ke, becoming vulnerable, shared his struggles, feeling like an "invisible person" at Jun An despite being a former Student Union President and a diligent problem solver. He also spoke of his desire not to disappoint his sister, his emotional anchor, who had unwavering faith in him. Guo Xiaoyu, understanding his plight, forgave him. They all toasted to their determination to stay and succeed in Beijing, no matter the obstacles.
After the gathering, Ren Jiatong suggested going to Jiang Chen’s place, initially causing him to misunderstand her intentions. She quickly clarified that she wanted to play the games he had mentioned earlier. She emphasized that she had only drunk water, so any "mischief" would have legal consequences, humorously adding that as the "best lawyer," she knew "108 legal provisions to hold him accountable." While playing, they discussed Tian Kai Xin Gaming Company.
Jiang Chen recounted its history: founded by three college roommates, it was forced to sign an adhesion contract with a larger company due to funding issues. After their first game became successful, the major shareholders ousted them and banned them from using their original game universe. Undeterred, the founders made a comeback, creating an even more popular game, which Ren Jiatong was now playing, and their CEO was the one who visited Jun An.
Ren Jiatong admired how the founders, like characters in their games, pursued their dreams and "saved the world" both in virtual and real life. Jiang Chen then shared his love for "souls-like games"—RPGs known for deep storytelling and extremely difficult combat, where winning once after a hundred tries offers immense satisfaction.
He noted Ren Jiatong's meticulous, logical, diligent, and self-challenging nature made her well-suited to be a lawyer, and jokingly offered to show her his "six-pack" (instead of an eight-pack) "next time." They shared drinks and intimate conversation, with Ren Jiatong sharing how her college boyfriend broke up with her because "she kept winning, and he couldn't take it," and she felt it was his loss.
Just as they were about to kiss, a movie suddenly blared on the TV, interrupting the moment. Ren Jiatong then abruptly left for her apartment. The next morning, Guo Xiaoyu questioned Ren Jiatong about her late return and suspected snoring, which Ren Jiatong denied, admitting she "didn't sleep well."
In a subsequent meeting, Zhou Nian announced the scores for the previous round's cross-examination opinion, crediting both Li Ke and Guo Xiaoyu, with Guo Xiaoyu earning 20 points and Li Ke 10. He then revealed the first task for the fifth round of the Talent Hunt Program: Jun An Law Firm would provide legal support for Tian Kai Xin's upcoming Series C financing.
Jiang Chen highlighted that Tian Kai Xin had previously operated on a smaller scale, and while now seeking a larger law firm for its Series C funding round, the primary reason for switching to Jun An was their high-risk assessment due to the core team's lack of non-compete agreements.
Ren Jiatong, who had already prepared an analysis based on her "veteran player" insights into the company's games, remarked on the high risk, questioning why the Creative Director, one of the original founders, had left after the company achieved success, wondering if there was mutual betrayal. Zhou Nian emphasized the need for internal due diligence and self-rectification and announced that Song Yifan would select one intern to assist him on this particularly rare and challenging assignment, giving everyone an opportunity.
Jiang Chen later approached Ren Jiatong, telling her he admired her discreet and surprising traits, and considered her a formidable competitor. He then presented his findings to Song Yifan, revealing a game he found on an online forum with an identical game universe, settings, and gameplay to Tian Kai Xin's key project for the new funding round. He suspected the game's creative ideas had been leaked, likely by a competitor, possibly "RE Games" based on the poster's online activity.
Jiang Chen warned that if this competing game launched earlier, it would inflict a "heavy blow" and "huge damage" on Tian Kai Xin. He also noted that the Series C funding agreement included "earn-out clauses," meaning Tian Kai Xin would face massive compensation if their new game failed. He stressed the urgency of resolving the issue before it escalated, clarifying that while non-compete agreements might not have been signed, leaking trade secrets was illegal.
Song Yifan adopted Jiang Chen's strategy, immediately instructing Zhou Nian to arrange a meeting with Tian Kai Xin and to investigate whether their former Creative Director had joined another gaming company. Song Yifan commended Jiang Chen's "excellent" performance.
