All Rise Episode 8 Recap
> All Rise Recap
Frustrated by the perceived disparities in their lives, Li Ke lashed out at Yan Fei, accusing the privileged "missy" of being unable to comprehend the desperate struggles of ordinary people who fought through fierce competition for opportunities. He highlighted how she effortlessly joined their director's team due to her family connections and ability to bring clients, unlike him who had to diligently earn his spot. Li Ke found her constant nonchalant attitude irritating.
Yan Fei, hurt and speechless, quietly left the office. Later, Zhou Nian diffused the tension, advising everyone to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival and defer any work discussions until after the holiday. Yan Da, Yan Fei's brother, returned home for the Mid-Autumn Festival, having canceled a date with his influencer girlfriend, though he insisted it was solely to spend time with his parents. His parents, however, subtly noted that the dishes served were all Yan Fei’s favorites.
Yan Da then sought out Yan Fei, who was still upset. When she nonchalantly mentioned her past suicide attempt, Yan Da reacted with profound distress. He gently reminded her that he was the first person to hold her after their parents and passionately vowed that as her brother, he would never allow anyone, including herself, to cause her harm.
Yan Fei, feeling overwhelmed by his overprotective sentiments, retorted that he was the only one who ever truly bullied her and quickly left, claiming she needed to retrieve something from the law firm. Meanwhile, Guo Xiaoyu was on a date with her boyfriend, Zhu Zhisheng, at a hotel. She noticed his phone was connected to the hotel’s Wi-Fi and questioned how, as it required a password. Zhu Zhisheng vaguely claimed he had seen the password in the restroom.
Shortly after, Guo Xiaoyu received an urgent work call from Song Yifan and immediately began working on her laptop. Zhu Zhisheng grew increasingly irritated by her attention to work. After she completed her task, she discovered him packing his bags, claiming an urgent work emergency required him to return to Hangzhou. Guo Xiaoyu accused him of merely being angry and using work as an excuse, reminding him of her own urgent work obligations during the holiday.
He countered that she didn't understand his job, as some international clients didn't observe the Mid-Autumn Festival, and questioned if she had anyone other than work in her heart. He left her alone in the hotel, informing her that he had already paid for three nights and she should enjoy her stay. Ren Jiatong traveled home to visit her mother.
She arrived carrying a popular cake she brought from Beijing, but her mother refused it, stating she was dieting because Mr. Lin, Ren Jiatong's stepfather, had commented on her weight. Ren Jiatong then revealed she had just seen Mr. Lin downstairs in his car with another woman. Her mother tried to dismiss it, claiming it was his sister, but Ren Jiatong insisted Mr. Lin was cheating.
She urged her mother to confront reality and divorce him, reminding her of how quickly she had remarried after Ren Jiatong's father’s death. Ren Jiatong promised to support her mother financially, but her mother remained in denial. Disappointed, Ren Jiatong returned to her shared apartment, where she found Guo Xiaoyu already drinking and lamenting her failed relationship. Guo Xiaoyu vented about Zhu Zhisheng abandoning her at the hotel, declaring that men couldn’t be relied upon.
Ren Jiatong commiserated, agreeing that one must ultimately rely only on oneself. As Guo Xiaoyu drifted to sleep, she mumbled about wanting to sue Zhu Zhisheng for bullying her, and Ren Jiatong jokingly offered to be her lawyer and ensure he received "reform through labor." Later that night, a distraught Yan Fei drank herself into unconsciousness. Jiang Chen, unable to manage her alone, called Ren Jiatong for help, as he didn’t know Yan Fei’s address.
While intoxicated, Yan Fei expressed her frustration about her life being controlled by her family, feeling like a "spoiled rich girl" whose personal choices were disregarded. She recalled Li Ke’s harsh words from earlier, admitting he was right and that she felt useless. Jiang Chen empathized, sharing a personal experience about his parents’ custody battle where his own feelings were ignored. When Ren Jiatong arrived to assist, she noticed Jiang Chen’s attentive care for Yan Fei.
Misinterpreting their relationship as intimate, Ren Jiatong cautioned Jiang Chen that if he truly cared for Yan Fei, he shouldn't allow her to drink to such excess. Jiang Chen, caught off guard, was momentarily confused by her unexpected advice. Bai Xiao had dinner with Song Yifan, who relayed that Tian Min had praised Bai Xiao's strictness with the interns.
Tian Min had also implied that Bai Xiao secretly favored them and had taken on the Warm Nest case specifically for Ren Jiatong. After dinner, Bai Xiao bid Song Yifan farewell, playfully suggesting he find another date, as her designated driver had arrived and she needed to get back to her daughter. Song Yifan, despite being accustomed to her quick departures, couldn't help but feel a touch of disappointment. The next morning, Yan Fei woke up in Ren Jiatong's apartment.
She commented on the coziness of the small space but critiqued the mismatched decor. She also complained about her brother, Yan Da, who had interrogated Ren Jiatong over the phone the previous night without a word of thanks. Ren Jiatong then informed Yan Fei that Jiang Chen had thoughtfully purchased hangover medicine for her. Yan Fei found this "quite thoughtful," remarking that people need time to understand each other.
Ren Jiatong, still under the impression that Yan Fei and Jiang Chen were romantically involved, asked if Yan Fei liked him. Yan Fei, thinking of her brother Yan Da, replied, "I love him more than anyone." This response inadvertently solidified Ren Jiatong’s misunderstanding about Yan Fei’s feelings for Jiang Chen. At the law firm, Ren Jiatong began to intentionally distance herself from Jiang Chen, maintaining a reserved demeanor in both their work collaborations and casual interactions.
Jiang Chen, oblivious to the reason for her sudden change, repeatedly inquired about her well-being. When he attempted to discuss a new case idea with her, she curtly dismissed him, stating she was busy, despite their previous close partnership. Huang Yue jokingly suggested that Ren Jiatong might be "jealous," a comment Jiang Chen didn't fully grasp. Ren Jiatong offered no direct explanation for her changed attitude, simply responding calmly.
Zhou Nian announced the second task of the third evaluation round: Jun An Law Firm would represent Warm Nest Company in a class-action lawsuit filed by its tenants, and the interns were required to draft a litigation assessment plan. Guo Xiaoyu, who had been directly affected by the Warm Nest incident and lost six months' rent, strongly resisted representing the company, branding them "bad guys." She declared she would rather quit than act against her conscience.
Jiang Chen attempted to remind her of the necessity of professional neutrality, but Guo Xiaoyu, driven by her personal experience, found it impossible to empathize with the corporation. Ren Jiatong, while acknowledging her aunt was also a victim, argued that Warm Nest's issues stemmed from flawed "capital operations" rather than intentional malice, suggesting a legal perspective was needed.
Guo Xiaoyu fiercely disagreed, detailing the severe hardships faced by other tenants—some forced to return home, others entangled in legal disputes—and insisted she could only empathize with the vulnerable, not wealthy corporations. Ren Jiatong, however, approached the task by leveraging her understanding as a former tenant. She confidently presented a preliminary plan to Bai Xiao and Tian Min, arguing that prolonged litigation would harm both parties and that a mediated settlement was the optimal solution.
Initially, Bai Xiao criticized the plan for its lack of detailed investigation and practical negotiation points, calling it "hollow legal jargon" and a waste of Ren Jiatong's unique advantage as an aggrieved tenant. However, Tian Min later praised Ren Jiatong's talent to Bai Xiao, noting how her strategic thinking perfectly aligned with Bai Xiao’s own approach. Zhou Nian subsequently lauded this proactive intern during a general meeting, indirectly referring to Ren Jiatong's early submission of a settlement plan.
Despite Ren Jiatong's modest acknowledgment of Bai Xiao’s earlier criticism, Guo Xiaoyu felt alienated by Ren Jiatong's stance and dramatically declared her intention to withdraw from the task. Zhou Nian attempted to persuade Guo Xiaoyu to reconsider, warning her that withdrawal would lead to elimination from the program. He advised her to calm down and continue working on the report until Song Yifan returned from his business trip, urging her to personally explain her decision to her mentor.
He stressed the importance of professional ethics, stating that all assigned tasks must be completed with professionalism while at Jun An. Later that night, Guo Xiaoyu confronted Ren Jiatong, questioning her decision to defend Warm Nest. Ren Jiatong acknowledged Guo Xiaoyu's anger and admitted that securing a permanent position at Jun An was a motivation, but she firmly stated that a lawyer's primary duty is to solve clients' problems.
Guo Xiaoyu vehemently disagreed, asserting that if the legal profession merely served to empower the wealthy to oppress the vulnerable, she would rather abandon her legal career. The next day, Guo Xiaoyu, still struggling with her emotions, took a leave of absence from the law firm. Yan Fei commented that Guo Xiaoyu was being "too reckless."
Li Ke, however, passionately defended Guo Xiaoyu, elaborating on the immense challenges ordinary people face when trying to rent and make a living in Beijing. He contrasted this with Yan Fei's privileged background as a "native Beijinger" with extensive family properties, urging her not to casually judge others as reckless. Huang Yue intervened, telling Li Ke to stop escalating the conflict, but Li Ke continued, lamenting the vast disparities between people.
He then shared his personal story, revealing his older sister was a "brother-supporter" who had sacrificed to fund his education, and his ambition was to secure a job offer and repay her. He apologized for his outburst towards Yan Fei, attributing it to the immense pressure they were all under.
Huang Yue then gently reminded Li Ke that despite her background, Yan Fei had worked through the holiday, staying up late to revise their joint research report, and, importantly, had listed both Li Ke and Huang Yue's names before hers on the final submission. Seeing the revised report, Li Ke felt a wave of remorse. Concurrently, Jiang Chen received an email from Bai Xiao instructing him to continue organizing his case notes for a third revision.
Feeling targeted, especially after Ren Jiatong confirmed she hadn't received a similar instruction, Jiang Chen confronted Bai Xiao. He expressed his confusion over the repeated revisions and how it impacted his efficiency and time for other tasks. Bai Xiao sharply questioned how he expected to handle the Warm Nest case if he couldn't even manage case notes, and then bluntly suggested he consider switching teams if he felt he gained nothing from the week-long review.
Later, Tian Min privately reprimanded Jiang Chen for his outburst and explained Bai Xiao's tough methodology. She clarified that the intensive case review was designed to familiarize interns with case structures and evidence materials, emphasizing that a meticulous, word-by-word reading was essential for developing the intuitive understanding needed to be an effective trial lawyer, encompassing the "five fundamental skills" of litigation. Jiang Chen, despite the explanation, still expressed frustration, having revised the notes twice already without clear direction.
