All Rise Episode 17 Recap
> All Rise Recap
Guo Xiaoyu was overcome with excitement as she met her idol, Jiang Ruocheng, eagerly requesting his autograph. She introduced him as "Lawyer Jiang" and mentioned that she had featured him on her video channel before, where everyone affectionately called him "God Jiang." Jiang Ruocheng confirmed he was Jiang Chen's father, much to Guo Xiaoyu's surprise, who commented on Jiang Chen being tight-lipped about it.
To ease the awkwardness between Jiang Chen and his father, Ren Jiatong suggested they all have dinner together. Jiang Ruocheng offered to treat them to a place of their choice, but Guo Xiaoyu and Ren Jiatong led him to their favorite small noodle shop downstairs. As they were dining, the noodle shop was forcefully reclaimed by property management. Jiang Chen and Guo Xiaoyu immediately stepped in to mediate.
During the meal, Ren Jiatong subtly displayed a notebook detailing Jiang Chen's work since he joined Jun An. She told Jiang Ruocheng that the notebook recorded all of Jiang Chen's professional actions, explaining that he was one of the few peers who could outperform her. This was why she diligently recorded competitive points related to him during her review sessions. She wanted Jiang Ruocheng to know that Jiang Chen was exceptionally talented and would become an outstanding lawyer.
Jiang Ruocheng revealed his pride in his son, stating he planned to bring Jiang Chen back to Chongqing. He added that if Jiang Chen couldn't see his father's pride, he was unfit to be a lawyer. He also extended an offer to Ren Jiatong to join his firm when he opened a branch in Beijing, promising an exciting offer and freedom in office relationships.
Jiang Chen soon returned from mediating, explaining that the entire row of shops belonged to the property management of the residential complex behind them. Although the lease hadn't expired, the property management wanted to terminate it but refused to pay renovation fees or damages because the original contract was unclear. Jiang Ruocheng professionally analyzed the situation, suggesting the property management was eyeing the noodle shop's booming business and was likely in breach of contract.
He advised the owner to preserve evidence to minimize losses. Ren Jiatong then found an excuse to leave, giving father and son space to talk privately. Jiang Ruocheng finally opened up, explaining his initial opposition to Jiang Chen becoming a lawyer. He described the immense pressure, endless late nights, frequent travel, and irregular meals that took a toll on one's body.
He had endured these hardships himself and didn't want Jiang Chen to suffer the same fate or pursue law out of spite. Jiang Chen clarified that he genuinely loved the legal profession and found immense satisfaction in solving legal problems, like with the noodle shop owner. He understood his father's past decisions but also felt for his mother, who had supported him through law school.
Jiang Chen firmly told his father that he couldn't return to Chongqing and wished to stay at Jun An, asking for his respect. Jiang Ruocheng eventually honored his son's decision, telling him he had grown up and could choose his own path, but reminded him not to lose. Jiang Chen watched his father leave, his eyes visibly moist.
Later, the rankings for the current round were announced: Jiang Chen and Ren Jiatong were tied for first, Yan Fei second, Guo Xiaoyu third, and Li Ke last. Feeling the pressure, Li Ke anxiously sought advice from Zhou Nian, spending a sleepless night. Zhou Nian announced the round would end in a week, and no final eliminations were decided yet, urging everyone to seize the opportunity.
Due to personal reasons, Jiang Chen could not continue with the Ruie Company follow-up; Guo Xiaoyu would take over his work. Zhou Nian also announced an urgent task from Bai Xiao for Ren Jiatong, Yan Fei, and Li Ke, with the best performer earning points and a business trip with Bai Xiao. Jiang Chen, recognized for his excellent performance, was specifically requested by Song Yifan to be his assistant for the Tian Kai Xin project.
Li Ke, seeing Ren Jiatong and Yan Fei's determination, buried himself in case files, struggling to stay awake. Ren Jiatong was the first to submit her case strategy for property preservation, which included a unique idea of targeting trademarks. Her efficient work, completed in under three days, earned Bai Xiao's initial approval.
However, Yan Fei, leveraging her extensive network, provided more comprehensive background information and a strategy to preserve Hong Da's matured creditor rights against another company that owed it a significant sum. Ren Jiatong felt their combined approach would be ideal but believed Yan Fei's success was due to her family's resources. Bai Xiao noticed Ren Jiatong's slight dissatisfaction and pointed out that Yan Fei's performance wasn't just about resources.
She demonstrated mature communication and execution: she first submitted a property preservation outline, scheduled a meeting, and when she didn't receive an immediate reply, she further developed her materials and rescheduled. By the time Bai Xiao met with Ren Jiatong, Yan Fei had already presented her work content, progress, and conclusions clearly and completely. Bai Xiao emphasized that proactive follow-up and structured reporting went beyond family background and resources.
She highlighted that Ren Jiatong had not communicated with her once in three days, which could lead to major deviations and issues with clients, calling her approach overly confident. Bai Xiao then instructed Ren Jiatong and Yan Fei to integrate their ideas and prepare the property preservation application. Ren Jiatong was unsettled by Bai Xiao's evaluation.
Yan Fei approached her, explaining that growing up in her father's and brother's work environment had taught her the intricacies of subordinate reporting, a unique advantage. Yan Fei then challenged Ren Jiatong, asking if her failure to report to Bai Xiao was due to overconfidence or insecurity.
Ren Jiatong retorted that such words wouldn't deter her, and she would fight for the opportunity, also pointing out that Bai Xiao had asked them to consolidate their ideas, meaning Yan Fei wasn't entirely perfect either. She then questioned Yan Fei's sudden interest in Bai Xiao's team, given her previous desire to join Song Yifan's. Yan Fei responded that choosing a worthy rival was more important than a friend, suggesting she found Ren Jiatong impressive but was determined to win.
Song Yifan introduced Jiang Chen and Guo Xiaoyu to Mr. Hu, the lawyer in charge of the Hehui Company acquisition. He recommended them to assist with the case, encouraging Jiang Chen to explore non-litigation work and urging Guo Xiaoyu to work harder. Later, Song Yifan walked Bai Xiao home and noticed she hadn't used the expensive pen he gifted her, feeling a pang of disappointment.
Bai Xiao deliberately kept her distance, not wanting to define their relationship, leaving both with a sense of melancholy. Guo Xiaoyu discovered contradictory clauses in two contracts during her due diligence for the Hehui acquisition, which involved acquiring Zhong Yuan from Da Yuan. She learned that Zhong Yuan had numerous subsidiaries, one of which, Tian Yu, claimed to be a shell company and refused to provide due diligence materials. Mr. Hu planned an on-site interview, hoping to uncover more.
Meanwhile, Ren Jiatong asked Jiang Chen to review her case analysis, and his approval finally put her mind at ease. In the evening, the interns gathered for dinner. Yan Fei picked up Huang Yue, who was wedding dress shopping nearby. Li Ke initially planned to return to work after dinner, but when property management representatives arrived, primarily confronting the noodle shop owner, he turned back. Guo Xiaoyu was live-streaming the confrontation.
Wang Lu, watching the live stream, called Li Ke to alert him to a crucial handwritten addendum in the noodle shop's lease contract. Li Ke, armed with this information, confidently pointed out the property management's legal errors, forcing them to retract their demands and even apologize. His clear and professional handling of the situation garnered unexpected attention from online viewers. After a few drinks, a slightly tipsy Li Ke spoke about the importance of their internship.
He asserted that among the interns, only he, Ren Jiatong, and Guo Xiaoyu truly needed this job for survival and to build their careers. In contrast, he felt Jiang Chen and Yan Fei, coming from affluent backgrounds with many choices, might simply leave if they found it uninteresting or discovered better opportunities. Huang Yue, however, countered that having a wealthy family was not an "original sin," and everyone at Jun An had earned their place.
She also confided in Yan Fei about her own anxieties, feeling a loss of self as a wealthy housewife and longing for a career and colleagues. Ren Jiatong, expressing her personal pride in her achievement and commitment, sent an emotional voice message to a group chat, stating she had no regrets about staying in Beijing. Guo Xiaoyu, however, revealed that the message was sent to the main "Talent Hunt Program" group chat, which included senior lawyers, not just a private girls' chat, prompting laughter.
