All Rise Episode 18 Recap
> All Rise Recap
Guo Xiaoyu intended to send a voice message to Zhu Zhisheng, expressing her unwavering commitment to her career choice. However, she accidentally sent three voice messages to the main "Shijun Project" group chat, and by the time she realized her mistake, it was too late to recall them as more than two minutes had passed. The other lawyers in the chat found it quite amusing, which lightened the mood and eased some of the previous tension.
In her messages, Guo Xiaoyu had said she was not bad at all, that she did not regret staying in Beijing, and that she was very happy. Someone pointed out that Zhu Zhisheng was not in that group, only senior lawyers, while Ms. Bai particularly disliked voice messages, deeming them inefficient and unprofessional.
The next day, during the reporting session, Ren Jiatong and Yan Fei presented their respective proposals for direct share repurchase, both of which were deemed good, but Lawyer Bai noted that the high repurchase price would likely be reduced in arbitration. Li Ke, however, introduced a more innovative approach. He pointed out the "drag-along right" clause in the contract involved in the case.
He explained that this clause allows a shareholder, under certain conditions, to compel other shareholders to sell their shares to a third party at the same price and terms. Given its mandatory nature for the dragged-along shareholders, Li Ke proposed that their client exercise this right to transfer their own shares, along with Hong Da Company's shares in the new company, to Xin Jian Ye Company, which had previously expressed interest in increasing its stake.
If Hong Da refused, arbitration could then be initiated based on this clause. Bai Xiao nodded frequently as Li Ke presented, finding his strategy more flexible and indirect compared to Ren Jiatong and Yan Fei's direct share repurchase proposals. Li Ke further explained that his method would allow the client to receive funds faster, as they wouldn't have to wait for arbitration results to complete the equity transfer.
He added that the transfer payment would also not be subject to arbitration-ordered reductions, which precisely addressed the concern raised earlier by Lawyer Zhou Nian, Ren Jiatong, and Yan Fei about the high repurchase price. He also clarified that the arbitration would then be used to seek a settlement payment from Hong Da Company, which would lose control over the critical apparel supply chain business (the new company) if the drag-along right was enforced, making them likely to settle.
Li Ke's detailed explanation and answers to questions earned unanimous praise from the mentors present. Consequently, he received bonus points for this round and an opportunity to go on a business trip with Bai Xiao. Overjoyed, Li Ke shared walnuts, freshly shelled one by one by his sister and mailed to him, with the lawyers and colleagues, and ordered bubble tea for everyone, sending a link to the group. Ren Jiatong, in contrast, was visibly disheartened by her loss.
When she found Bai Xiao's lost pen and returned it, Bai Xiao gently advised her that she was too focused on obvious competitors like Yan Fei, overlooking seemingly less formidable ones like Li Ke. Bai Xiao told Ren Jiatong that she shouldn't over or underestimate any competitor, a lesson this situation reinforced for her as well.
Ren Jiatong, who had emailed Bai Xiao a review note for feedback, affirmed she would never get used to losing and that she didn't think Bai Xiao would like an apprentice who admitted defeat. Bai Xiao clarified she was just one of her supervising lawyers, and that mentorship came down to fate.
Bai Xiao further deduced that Ren Jiatong's focus on Yan Fei stemmed from a subconscious belief that Yan Fei possessed something Ren Jiatong couldn't attain, no matter how hard she tried, leading her to fear losing to Yan Fei and consequently overlook Li Ke. Ren Jiatong acknowledged Bai Xiao's insight. Bai Xiao concluded by saying that recognizing the problem meant Ren Jiatong had taken a step forward, and reiterated not to underestimate or overestimate any opponent.
Meanwhile, Mr. Hu led Jiang Chen and Guo Xiaoyu to Zhong Yuan Company. The company representative made various confident assurances, claiming they operated legally and were an outstanding taxpaying enterprise. However, while reviewing their business contracts, Guo Xiaoyu discovered an addendum that directly contradicted the main contract, suggesting it was part of a "dual contract" (yin-yang contract) scheme.
Zhong Yuan had tried to conceal this addendum but inadvertently submitted it with other materials, and Guo Xiaoyu meticulously found it among a large stack of documents. Additionally, Jiang Chen photographed an award certificate within the company, indicating that Tian Yu Company, which Zhong Yuan claimed was a shell company with no real business, was recognized as a "municipal-level outstanding taxpaying enterprise." This directly contradicted Zhong Yuan's claims, as significant taxes would imply significant income.
Mr. Hu highly praised both Guo Xiaoyu and Jiang Chen for their sharp observations, promising to bring up their findings to Mr. Song if he didn't give them bonus points, or even appeal himself. Yan Fei, feeling upset by her loss, went to a boxing gym to train alone. Zhou Nian, noticing her distress from a video in their boxing group, offered to spar with her, even allowing her to hit him hard. During the session, they accidentally fell.
Yan Fei later realized that Zhou Nian had specifically come to the gym to comfort her because he was worried she was training too hard, which lifted her spirits. She teased him about being a "single workaholic" consumed by his job, and asked if his ex-girlfriend never tried to get back with him.
Zhou Nian responded that he only reviewed case files now and no one else found him for "review" (a wordplay on "复核" (fùhé), meaning review, and "复合" (fùhé), meaning get back together). Yan Fei thanked him for always showing up at crucial moments and not getting angry at her bluntness. He, in turn, stressed that he, as her supervising lawyer, was responsible if she was upset during work, and this applied to all his trainees.
Zhou Nian then left to return to work, declining Yan Fei's offer to drive him as it wasn't on his way. Concurrently, Ren Jiatong and Li Ke were working late, organizing documents. Li Ke noticed Ren Jiatong had a cold and proactively made her some cold medicine, offering it as a substitute for the bubble tea she hadn't ordered earlier. While working, they chatted, and Ren Jiatong learned about Li Ke's close relationship with his sister.
Li Ke shared that being a lawyer was originally his sister's dream, inspired by the impressive lawyers in Hong Kong movies. However, to support his education and raise her children, she had to work early. He added that she was the one who signed him up for the "Shijun Project" Talent Hunt Program. Ren Jiatong commented that Li Ke’s caring nature was likely influenced by his sister.
During their conversation, Ren Jiatong received a phone call from her stepfather, Mr. Lin. After the call, she became noticeably agitated, remaining at the law firm long after work concluded. Jiang Chen, noticing her disturbed state since the call, found her and offered to drink with her. Ren Jiatong confessed to Jiang Chen the deep emotional knot she carried: her father left an insurmountable debt, which was owed to Jiang Chen's father, and she felt compelled to compensate for it.
She felt everyone else was moving forward, while she was stuck in the past with her father. Jiang Chen tried to comfort her, saying she didn't need to carry such a heavy burden, as it was the previous generation's business. She expressed fear that her father, who died eight years ago, would one day disappear from memory, but Jiang Chen reassured her that as long as those who loved him remembered him, he would not vanish.
Ren Jiatong revealed her mother had remarried, and the call from her stepfather, a man she barely spoke to, asking her to call her sick mother because she kept ignoring her calls, made her feel that everyone was moving on while she and her father were stuck in the past. She feared losing her home. Jiang Chen reassured her, stating, "You have me. I'm with you." Later that night, Jiang Chen walked Ren Jiatong home.
Distracted, she nearly stepped into the path of a car, but Jiang Chen quickly pulled her back to safety. Upon arriving at her place, they wished each other good night, with Ren Jiatong affirming her desire to stay in the program until the very end. The next morning, Ren Jiatong and Li Ke were informed that the original demand letter for the Hong Da case had gone missing.
Since the document was located in a surveillance blind spot, and responsibility could not be definitively assigned, both were suspended from their current tasks pending investigation results from the Director, Mr. Song, and Bai Xiao. Li Ke claimed he returned the documents after scanning, and Ren Jiatong was the last to leave. Ren Jiatong recalled that Li Ke left the office before her, and she was indeed the last to leave.
She suspected she might have inadvertently shredded the original document while distracted by the call from Mr. Lin and subsequent distress, especially since she had been drinking, but she couldn't definitively remember touching it. She also pointed out that Li Ke was closer to the shredder. Ren Jiatong had a fever, and Guo Xiaoyu, after checking on her and talking to Bai Xiao on the phone, urged her to go home and rest, promising to keep an eye on things.
Bai Xiao emphasized to Guo Xiaoyu, over the phone, that it was foolish to not rest when needed, and that she didn't want disobedient apprentices. Yan Fei, having been asked by Guo Xiaoyu to do so, offered Ren Jiatong a ride home and comforted her, advising her not to take all the blame, as no one is perfect and she shouldn't be overly harsh on herself.
Ren Jiatong thanked Guo Xiaoyu (via Yan Fei) for her concern, noting that even though Guo Xiaoyu was younger, she always took care of her. She also thanked Yan Fei for the ride. Yan Fei told Ren Jiatong that Mr. Song would be back in two days, and the round's results, including the decision on their situation, would be announced then.
Ren Jiatong confided that she hated the feeling of powerlessness, a feeling she had sworn to avoid since her father's death, always striving to keep her life and work under control. Yan Fei reminded her that she was human, not a god, and to not put so much pressure on herself. Meanwhile, Li Ke anxiously sought out Zhou Nian, vehemently denying that he had lost the original document.
He emphasized that he couldn't bear to lose this hard-won bonus opportunity, as winning this round would put him in first place, and it would disappoint his supportive sister. Zhou Nian, however, stated that he could only rely on objective evidence and urged Li Ke to find substantial proof to defend himself if he wished to remain at the law firm, because losing original documents was a matter of principle.
Li Ke confirmed that becoming a lawyer was also his sister's dream, and thus, joining a Red Circle firm was his sole ambition, as his sister's ideas were his ideas. Zhou Nian reminded him that as lawyers, they offer assistance based on facts, not sympathy, and encouraged him to find evidence to prove his innocence, as he did not want Li Ke to leave.
