Ordinary Glory Episode 15 Recap
> Ordinary Glory Recap
On the drive to the countryside, Hao Shuai began a live stream, coercing Gao Sicong, Lin Yuming, and Lan Qianyi to greet his fans, much to their visible annoyance. He playfully called Gao Sicong handsome and tried to show Lan Qianyi, who threatened him. He also jokingly announced Lin Yuming as his "favorite guy" before signing off. Gao Sicong and Lan Qianyi visited a peach and pear orchard.
The farmer explained his secret of using soybean fertilizer, which makes the fruits incredibly sweet and safe to eat directly from the tree, unlike supermarket fruits that require taxes and logistics. He argued that his high-quality fruits, sold at half the price of imported ones, were not expensive as consumers were willing to pay for safety and peace of mind.
Despite the excellent taste and quality, the farmer lamented that sales wouldn't increase, and many good fruits rotted in the warehouse. When Gao Sicong requested three years of financial reports, the farmer produced a thick, handwritten account book, admitting he didn't know what a financial report was. Meanwhile, Hao Shuai was at a reservoir, humorously conducting a "quality test" by ordering fish dishes from the fisherman.
The fisherman explained that his fish, raised in flowing water, were superior in taste and quality to pond-farmed fish, much like free-range chickens compared to caged ones. However, he admitted that maintaining such high quality required low-density farming and patience, meaning quantity could not be achieved alongside quality.
Lin Yuming and Sun Yiqiu arrived at a pig farm, where they underwent a strict disinfection process before meeting the founder, Wan Li Tao, who introduced himself as a sociology PhD from America and the creator of this advanced farm. Lin Yuming was surprised by the luxurious conditions, remarking that the pigs lived better than he did. Wan Li Tao explained that these pigs were more than pets, sacrificing their lives for humans, and thus deserved care.
He asserted that the perception of agricultural products as cheap was the core problem, and until that changed, no amount of testing would be a permanent solution. He acknowledged he couldn't change the whole world but could set an example. Sun Yiqiu was deeply inspired by this philosophy, but Lin Yuming, frustrated, pointed out the exorbitant cost, estimating the pork would sell for RMB 400 per kg.
Sun Yiqiu countered that expensive, high-quality pork existed abroad, citing examples like Kagoshima black pork. He believed that to elevate the image of domestic agriculture, someone had to lead the way, and that Chief Wu Kezhi probably felt the same. Lin Yuming warned Sun Yiqiu that if the project failed to pass the investment committee, not only Wu Kezhi but the entire Team IV would face dismissal or merger due to their current poor performance.
During lunch, the team discussed the common plight of all local agricultural products: excellent quality but low yield, making it difficult to scale and convince consumers to pay premium prices, unlike imported goods. Gao Sicong shared that the fruit farmer's handwritten account book was incomprehensible, making it impossible to get accurate financial numbers. Lin Yuming further elaborated on Wan Li Tao's background, expressing his dismay that a sociology PhD was farming pigs with such unrealistic high costs.
Back at the office, Lin Yuming urged Wu Kezhi to abandon the project, reminding him that "fake hope is the biggest trap." Sun Yiqiu, however, believed the project had potential, but Lin Yuming quickly cut him off. Undeterred, Wu Kezhi called Manager Wang, requesting an additional week to adjust the proposal for the agriculture project. Manager Wang initially refused, stating that the packaging project's meeting was already scheduled for that week and the first approved project would be chosen.
However, he then seemed to reconsider, saying he didn't want to appear petty towards his former boss, Wu Kezhi, and encouraged him to "do a good job." Wu Kezhi refused to give up, insisting there was nothing wrong with the project's positioning or direction; any problems were their fault, not the project's. He believed giving up meant ignoring its true value.
Sun Yiqiu agreed, highlighting that the products were genuinely high-quality but the challenge lay in proving their value to consumers. Lin Yuming skeptically asked if they could "let every single consumer see how the pig is grown." This rhetorical question sparked an idea in Wu Kezhi's mind: what if they could? At the same time, Yu Wenli was facing a crisis. Her streaming platform had been penalized for uncontrolled content, and she was struggling to salvage its image.
She received a call from Wu Kezhi, who proposed a collaboration: using her streaming platform for the agriculture project. He suggested live streaming the entire production process of fruits, pigs, and seafood, allowing consumers to witness and even participate in quality control from cultivation to harvest. Yu Wenli, recognizing this as a unique opportunity to provide "healthy content" and restore her platform's image, immediately returned to the office.
She instructed Li Chao to quickly finalize a plan for a press conference to announce the collaboration, believing it would definitely help her platform, even if it wasn't guaranteed to save Team IV's project. Wu Kezhi then instructed Lin Yuming to coordinate with Yu Wenli's team.
He asked Sun Yiqiu to lead Gao Sicong, Lan Qianyi, and Hao Shuai back to the countryside the next day to assess the feasibility of live streaming, as Lin Yuming needed to stay behind to revise the proposal. The following day, Sun Yiqiu, Gao Sicong, Lan Qianyi, and Hao Shuai returned to the pig farm. Sun Yiqiu explained the live streaming concept to Wan Li Tao.
While Gao Sicong remained skeptical about the effectiveness of live streaming agriculture, Hao Shuai and Lan Qianyi enthusiastically launched a live stream, showcasing the adorable piglets and explaining the farm's strict international standards and the Jinhua pig's historical significance. To everyone's surprise, they sold over twenty piglets in less than half an hour. During lunch, Sun Yiqiu thanked everyone.
Hao Shuai jokingly congratulated Sun Yiqiu on becoming a "team leader," which subtly irked Gao Sicong, making him feel uneasy about Sun Yiqiu leading the team. Gao Sicong later pulled Lan Qianyi aside, saying he needed a walk to clear his head. He confided in her about his dissatisfaction in the IT Division, feeling that Jiang Nan had a personal issue with him.
Lan Qianyi, who had interned in the IT Division, disagreed, explaining that Jiang Nan was simply very logical and not difficult to get along with. She suggested Gao Sicong might be misunderstanding him. Meanwhile, Hao Shuai was asked by Manager Yin to write a due diligence report due the next morning, so Sun Yiqiu sent him back to the office early.
Elsewhere, Manager Wang was having dinner with Zhou Qingyu, assuring him that his promotion was guaranteed if the packaging company project succeeded. However, Wang then received a call from Director Pan, informing him that the packaging project's food packaging failed a new government quality test, requiring a full production line overhaul. This meant the project would not be able to proceed to the investment committee meeting that week.
Back at the company, Hao Shuai returned with local produce he'd brought back. Chief Su, mistaking his due diligence trip for a vacation, chastised him for playing while others worked. Manager Yin tried to defend Hao Shuai, which only angered Chief Su more, who accused Yin of spoiling him. Hao Shuai insisted he hadn't been playing. Concurrently, the gas hydrate project was approved.
Lan Qianyi, who had put in significant work, arrived at the meeting expecting to continue, only to be informed by Chief Xu that Manager Zhao would be solely responsible for it. She was visibly upset. Manager Zhao felt a bit awkward, recalling his promise to Lan Qianyi that the project would be hers if approved, but he couldn't openly defy Chief Xu.
The press conference for the agricultural project, arranged by Yu Wenli, was scheduled for next Monday, which was too late for the upcoming investment committee meeting. Just then, Manager Wang approached Wu Kezhi with surprising warmth, expressing interest in his agricultural project and praising the live streaming collaboration idea. Wu Kezhi was perplexed by this sudden change of attitude. Lin Yuming, noticing a glum Zhou Qingyu nearby, explained to Wu Kezhi that the packaging company's production line had encountered problems.
Sun Yiqiu was surprised by the news, initially thinking Manager Wang genuinely believed in their project. Lin Yuming clarified that while Manager Wang was indeed Wu Kezhi's friend, he was also shrewd and pragmatic, always prioritizing personal gain, unlike their team's unconditional support for Wu Kezhi. The next morning, Gao Sicong sought out Jiang Nan, trying to discuss what he had learned from the due diligence trip, but Jiang Nan completely ignored him.
Frustrated, Gao Sicong went to the stairwell to smoke. Soon after, an angry Lan Qianyi joined him, tearfully eating a bag of chips. Seeing her distress, Gao Sicong suggested they both leave the company together, revealing he had already decided to look for a new job.
