Ordinary Glory Episode 16 Recap
> Ordinary Glory Recap
Gao Sicong expressed his frustration to Lan Qianyi, feeling they shouldn't remain in a company where they are treated unfairly. He suggested that if their situation didn't improve, they should consider leaving together, as both of them were capable of finding positions in other investment firms. Lan Qianyi, however, questioned whether they would face similar issues elsewhere, causing Gao Sicong to admit he hadn't decided yet but found the current stagnant situation unbearable.
He urged her to consider her own future, emphasizing that while neither of them wanted to surrender, planning for their future was more important. Wu Kezhi decided against postponing the investment meeting for his "Farm to You" project, eager to finalize it. Yu Wenli, in a friendly gesture, reminded him that agricultural projects remained an unpopular investment choice and would likely face scrutiny despite their new streaming platform collaboration.
She advised him to seek Director Qu's direct support, noting that the decision-maker's words could sway the outcome more than any proposal. Meanwhile, Director Qu inquired with Manager Ma about Team IV's "Farm to You" proposal. Manager Ma was critical, calling agricultural projects traps due to their slow nature, inherent risks, and susceptibility to unforeseen challenges. He believed the topicality of a live stream wouldn't solve these fundamental problems.
Director Qu, uninterested in the process, stated he only cared about the results. To prepare for the meeting, Wu Kezhi, Sun Yiqiu, and Lin Yuming held a mock investment meeting. Lin Yuming played Director Qu and Sun Yiqiu played Yu Wenli, both relentlessly questioning Wu Kezhi. Sun Yiqiu pressed for measures beyond live streaming, and Lin Yuming challenged the appeal of an "educational" agriculture show to general consumers.
Wu Kezhi grew visibly frustrated, but Sun Yiqiu reminded him to control his emotions. Wu Kezhi clarified that it was an interactive activity allowing consumers to participate in farm management and monitoring. When asked about product safety rumors, he proposed a third-party quality control with transparent data. However, he struggled to answer questions about controlling yield and managing order cancellations over long growth periods, which prompted Lin Yuming to point out his inability to answer.
Wu Kezhi complained about the realism of the simulation, but Lin Yuming insisted he was just trying to help. Shortly after, a news report about a tornado and hail devastating a high-end farm in Zhejiang Province plunged the team into further despair. Lin Yuming lamented that Manager Ma now had a perfect reason to reject the project, asking what they could do against nature. Wu Kezhi, initially distraught and remarking on the untimely tornado, soon had a revelation.
He realized that judging agricultural projects by conventional risk standards was inherently flawed. The inherent, uncontrollable risks of agriculture, he concluded, were not disadvantages but rather defining features of the industry. He believed they should question their assessment system, not the project itself, and urged a perspective of respecting and collaborating with nature to truly understand the value of agricultural investment.
At the actual investment meeting, a participant challenged Wu Kezhi to provide a specific payback period for his "advantageous" project. Wu Kezhi candidly admitted he didn't know, explaining that agricultural projects had no timelines or shortcuts, and success simply meant the project survived and remained relevant in the market.
He argued that while a long payback period was often seen as a disadvantage, he viewed it as a strength, asserting that agricultural products would always be in demand, especially premium ones, if trust and sustainable development were achieved. Director Qu, acknowledging the project's unique vitality, surprisingly expressed his support, and other participants followed suit. However, after the meeting, Director Qu made an unexpected announcement.
Citing monitoring purposes, he decided to transfer the "Farm to You" project to the TMT Division, appointing Yu Wenli to take over. Yu Wenli immediately refused, emphasizing that Wu Kezhi had planned the project from scratch and the farm founder would likely resist changing consultants. Ignoring her objections, Director Qu simply instructed Wu Kezhi to convince the founder. Wu Kezhi was devastated. Yu Wenli voiced her outrage at Qu's unreasonable decision to force her to "steal" his project.
Wu Kezhi, however, saw it as Qu merely reasserting his authority as the boss. When Yu Wenli threatened to complain to the partners, Wu Kezhi dismissed it, stating that Qu would have anticipated such a move and prepared excuses. Despite Yu Wenli's concern that he couldn't tolerate such treatment, Wu Kezhi stoically replied he was used to it and asked her to help him by doing her best for the project.
Sun Yiqiu and Lin Yuming were saddened by the outcome, wondering why Director Qu consistently targeted Wu Kezhi. Lin Yuming speculated that Wu Kezhi's unyielding pride would likely lead to similar conflicts regardless of where he worked. Meanwhile, Lan Qianyi, on her way to deliver a due diligence report to Yu Wenli, was accosted by Manager Ma. He accused her of prioritizing other teams and Yu Wenli over her own team, questioning her loyalty and intentions.
Later, Manager Zhao proposed to Manager Xu that Lan Qianyi be allowed to participate in the gas hydrate project, arguing that her involvement was key to its approval and that he had promised her. Xu was hesitant, but Zhao insisted on keeping his word and highlighted Lan Qianyi's potential to facilitate communication with the Risk Control Centre. Xu agreed, but only if Zhao could prove he could keep Lan Qianyi "under control."
Zhao then instructed Lan Qianyi to empty and thoroughly wash all the rubbish bins in their team's area. Despite her reluctance, Lan Qianyi complied. Hao Shuai, feigning illness to leave work early, encountered Lan Qianyi carrying the trash cans. He was furious, asking why she had become so submissive after her pivotal role in the gas hydrate project. He urged her to confront her tormentors, reminding her of her "female warrior" persona and telling her not to change.
Lan Qianyi, however, reflected that perhaps being seen as a "female warrior" was what made her seem intimidating. Adopting a new strategy, she returned to Manager Zhao, respectfully informing him she had completed the cleaning task. She then humbly requested to participate in the gas hydrate project, offering to do any menial task, including cleaning, document compilation, or serving drinks. Zhao, seizing the opportunity, told her to clean the entire Conventional Department. Lan Qianyi, after a slight hesitation, agreed immediately.
Sun Yiqiu, fetching coffee for Wu Kezhi, noticed Lan Qianyi cleaning and assumed she was being bullied. Wu Kezhi, observing her, remarked that she didn't look bullied; rather, she looked "fired up and waiting to declare war." In another part of the company, Gao Sicong flatly refused work assigned by Jiang Nan, stating he couldn't do it because he had quit.
He argued that he came to work, not to waste his life on tasks that could be done by anyone, questioning why they had worked so hard to pass their exams. Jiang Nan, disappointed, observed that Gao Sicong had learned nothing during his time there, to which Gao Sicong retorted that he had at least learned "to endure." Gao Sicong then stormed out early, angrily asking Lan Qianyi if she wanted to join him for a drink.
Lan Qianyi declined, citing remaining work, but thanked him for his previous advice, acknowledging that sometimes a "tactical retreat is necessary." Gao Sicong wished them both good luck before leaving. Wu Kezhi met with Wan Litiao, the farm founder, to reassure him about Yu Wenli taking over the project, vouching for her capabilities. Wan Litiao expressed his regret at seeing Wu Kezhi endure such indignity and suggested he resign and find another job, given his talent.
Wu Kezhi, however, saw leaving as an act of surrender, which would only please his adversaries and disappoint his colleagues. Sun Yiqiu, observing Wu Kezhi and Lin Yuming, reflected on everyone's different motivations: Wu Kezhi fighting to not admit defeat, Lin Yuming driven by friendship, and pondered his own purpose beyond mere survival. Later that evening, a drunken Wu Kezhi was helped home by his wife.
Despite his project being taken from him, he stubbornly mumbled that everyone wanted him to leave, but he refused to go. The following morning, Wu Kezhi took his son to taekwondo class. Gao Sicong was on a blind date, during which his date expressed her dream of becoming a housewife, advocating for traditional gender roles, much to Gao Sicong's bewilderment.
Meanwhile, Sun Yiqiu went for a run, finding clarity and resilience in physical exertion, reflecting that life was a marathon requiring sustained stamina. His mother, seeing a movie invitation from a girl named Shiyan on his phone, insisted he accept it, dismissing his protest that they were just friends and he wasn't in the mood. Sun Yiqiu reluctantly agreed. At the cinema, Gao Sicong surprisingly encountered Lan Qianyi, casually dressed, which made him almost not recognize her.
He, on the other hand, was still in a suit, having just come from an unsuccessful meeting with an "old-fashioned" founder for a project. As they discussed movie choices, Sun Yiqiu and Shiyan walked in, leading to a surprised quadruple encounter.
