Ordinary Glory Episode 26 Recap
> Ordinary Glory Recap
Lan Qianyi brought coffee to her exhausted colleagues, who were working late on the China-Europe logistics report. Chief Xu emphasized the urgency, stating that Manager Ma had ordered them to submit it by tomorrow and would be furious if they didn't, especially since Manager Ma was already unhappy after Team IV received praise earlier that day. Lan Qianyi offered to complete the report by herself, even if it meant pulling an all-nighter.
Though some colleagues initially expressed hesitation about leaving all the work to her, Chief Xu and Manager Zhao quickly departed. The remaining colleagues then packed up, commenting on how much Lan Qianyi had changed and how she was trying to protect Chief Xu from Manager Ma's anger. Sun Yiqiu later asked Lin Yuming about the new general manager, Li Shensi, whom Chief Zhou had mentioned.
Lin Yuming, surprised by Sun Yiqiu's ignorance, explained that Li Shensi was a legendary figure in the investment world, someone "extremely amazing," and that if they followed him, prosperity would be within reach. He added that the company's new partner had invested heavily in recruiting Li Shensi, believing he would lead the New Business Division to great achievements.
Sun Yiqiu observed that just 24 hours prior, Team IV was seen as an outcast, but now they were the center of envious attention. He reflected on how investment consultants and chess players were similar, with performance being the ultimate determinant of one's standing. He noted the irony that he, Sun Yiqiu, seemed to be the unexpected key player in this recent turn of events.
Back home, Sun Yiqiu's mother had waited up for him, unable to sleep, anxious to hear about his important meeting. When she asked how it went, Sun Yiqiu remained silent, instead pulling her into a hug. She sensed his distress but reassured him that "it's okay, it doesn't matter." Meanwhile, a heavily intoxicated Gao Sicong stared at Jiang Nan's contact on his phone but hesitated to call.
He then dialed Lan Qianyi, but she was still working late and missed his call, sending him to voicemail. Feeling frustrated, Gao Sicong vowed that "tomorrow onwards, I must be completely different." Gao Sicong, after a night of heavy drinking, woke up late and struggled to hail a taxi to avoid being late for work. Meanwhile, Hao Shuai, after teasing Sun Yiqiu, answered a call from Gao Sicong and readily agreed to help him.
Hao Shuai covertly went to the technology group, logged into Gao Sicong's computer, and draped his own jacket over Gao Sicong's chair to create the illusion of his presence. When he encountered Jiang Nan, Hao Shuai quickly lied, saying Gao Sicong was not around and he didn't know where he had gone. Hao Shuai then met Gao Sicong downstairs by the elevators, casually inquiring about his relationship with Jiang Nan.
He observed that both of them were "cold types," and if neither made an effort to "break the deadlock, the situation will never change." Just as they exited the elevator, Jiang Nan appeared, catching them red-handed. Jiang Nan tossed Hao Shuai his jacket and ID, prompting Hao Shuai to make a hasty exit. Jiang Nan then reprimanded Gao Sicong, stating he wasn't angry about his tardiness but about his attempt to hide it.
As punishment, Jiang Nan ordered Gao Sicong to arrive half an hour earlier for work every day for the next month. The arrival of Li Shensi, dubbed "The King of Unicorns" in the industry for fostering five unicorn companies, caused a stir in the office. Everyone was on edge as Director Qu personally went down to greet him. Upon entering the New Business Division, Li Shensi, after being introduced to Wu Kezhi, surprised everyone by recognizing Sun Yiqiu.
He mentioned he had heard about Sun Yiqiu and that the company's partners were pleased with his contribution during a recent meeting, encouraging him to "do his best." Manager Ma, however, arrived late and missed the initial welcome. He later dismissed Li Shensi as "overrated," suggesting he was merely an older figure who got lucky and was even rumored to have engaged in unethical dealings in the past.
Director Qu, clearly annoyed, retorted sarcastically, challenging Manager Ma to create a few unicorns himself if he wanted to be "embarrassed" like Li Shensi. Meanwhile, Lan Qianyi, having worked all night, finally submitted the China-Europe logistics report. Manager Zhao praised her efforts and urged her to take a half-day break.
Chief Xu attempted to discreetly leave the report on Manager Ma's desk while he was out, but his plan was foiled when Manager Ma returned with a scowl, causing Chief Xu to hesitate. Seeing Zhou Qingyu meticulously gathering Team II's project documents to seek Li Shensi's advice, Lin Yuming quickly urged Sun Yiqiu and Ding Libo to do the same for their team.
Zhou Qingyu, eager to impress, rushed into Li Shensi's office, where he found Li Shensi with various health-preserving ingredients on his desk, offering Zhou Qingyu a bowl of health-boosting porridge made from ginseng and jujubes. This left Zhou Qingyu utterly bewildered, especially when Li Shensi then started recording short joke videos for his daughter. Sun Yiqiu, observing Wu Kezhi's subdued reaction amid the general excitement, asked why he seemed unhappy about Li Shensi's arrival.
Wu Kezhi admitted he sensed "something odd." He questioned why the New Business Division, which had never been the company's "frontliner" and faced numerous hardships, would "deserve a famous figure like Li Shensi." He elaborated, noting that someone like Li Shensi, a first-generation investment consultant who had achieved financial freedom years ago, would have "endless possibilities" in life.
He found it illogical that Li Shensi would choose to return to a company to lead a "busy and tiresome department" and perform management tasks he had "already quit 10 years ago." After Li Shensi had recorded short joke videos for his daughter and Zhou Qingyu had finished the health porridge, Li Shensi offered him more. Zhou Qingyu then presented his team's diligently compiled project proposals, hoping for guidance.
However, Li Shensi gently pushed them back, humbly stating that his "experience is no longer relevant" in the rapidly changing investment industry. He clarified his role, explaining that he was primarily there "to support and supervise the division" and would grant the teams "authority and freedom" for all investment-related work, expressing faith in the "younger generation's judgment." This confirmed Wu Kezhi's suspicion: Li Shensi was effectively there "to retire," finding a big company for a stable job until retirement.
Sun Yiqiu questioned why the company would spend so much to hire him then. Wu Kezhi explained that with Li Shensi's massive annual income from his past "unicorns," it was "a good time to retire" to avoid "leaving bad records" at the end of his career. He suggested Li Shensi simply sought a stable job in a big company while awaiting retirement, serving as a prestigious "ambassador" for the firm, a clever move by Chris.
Wu Kezhi lamented that ultimately, this would make them "the unlucky ones." Sun Yiqiu, however, believed that a man of Li Shensi's stature wouldn't cease his efforts, regardless of his past successes. Wu Kezhi, intrigued by Sun Yiqiu's conviction, proposed a bet: the loser would have to "chug the whole bottle" of alcohol on his desk. Sun Yiqiu, despite initial hesitation, agreed.
Seeing Chief Xu nervously hovering outside Manager Ma's office, unwilling to face him, Lan Qianyi boldly stepped forward to deliver the report herself. Meanwhile, Zhou Qingyu returned from his meeting with Li Shensi, looking dejected, which puzzled Lin Yuming and made Sun Yiqiu subtly lower his head. Manager Ma, reviewing the report, flew into a rage and demanded that Lan Qianyi summon Chief Xu.
Lan Qianyi, however, bravely confessed that she was the one who prepared the report, only further infuriating Manager Ma. He accused her of thinking she was "good enough to replace Xu Tai Ping" and, despite her offer to take full responsibility, angrily told her to "listen here" before dismissing her. Shortly after, everyone received a company-wide email. Manager Ma, who had just been furious, suddenly changed his tone and told Lan Qianyi to go back to her desk.
Lan Qianyi found her colleagues staring at their phones, stunned. The email was an invitation from Li Shensi for all three divisions—New Business, TMT, and another—to a joint team-building retreat at the Moon River Hot Spring Resort over the upcoming long weekend, with all expenses covered by him. Yu Wenli and Manager Ma soon met with Li Shensi. Manager Ma sarcastically complimented Li Shensi's generosity but expressed concerns about the appropriateness of such a large-scale event.
Yu Wenli, the general manager of the TMT Division, directly stated that she thought it was "not a good idea," citing tight schedules, especially within her department, and also concerned about Director Qu's approval. Li Shensi dismissed her concerns with a quote from Lu Xun about squeezing time and promised to personally handle any issues with Director Qu, assuring them he wouldn't put them "in a difficult position."
Manager Ma then pressured Yu Wenli, noting that with his agreement, it was "two to one," implying she should comply. Lin Yuming, frustrated by the team-building invitation, requested leave, wanting to visit his parents during the long weekend. However, Wu Kezhi firmly refused, explaining that since Li Shensi was personally funding the event, participation was compulsory. Lin Yuming grumbled, unable to comprehend why Li Shensi would "spend money on annoying others" instead of focusing on substantial work.
Wu Kezhi cynically suggested that at this stage of his career, Li Shensi "only wants joy." Lin Yuming expressed his disappointment, having hoped for an extraordinary leader but finding only a "retiring old man." He concluded that it was Team IV's fate to "only depend on ourselves." Meanwhile, Director Qu was seen complaining to Ding Libo, lamenting that he had warned Chris against hiring Li Shensi.
He recounted how he had foreseen that Li Shensi would merely seek "a safe transition to retirement" and "won't contribute to the company substantially," but Chris had insisted. Director Qu criticized Chris's overconfidence as a young man for not heeding his seniors.
He confessed that Wu Kezhi alone was already "enough trouble" for him, and now, with Li Shensi on board due to Chris's persistence, the New Business Division, having to contend with both Wu Kezhi and Chris, had become a considerable headache for him. He concluded by telling Ding Libo that he was "the only person" he could count on in the division.
