Ordinary Glory Episode 6 Recap
> Ordinary Glory Recap
Colleagues gossiped about Sun Yiqiu's unexpected choice of Hao Shuai as his partner, wondering what he was thinking, perhaps attributing it to their shared eccentricity. With all other interns paired, only Lan Qianyi and Li Xiaoxian remained. Lan Qianyi, expressing her strong distaste for Li Xiaoxian, requested to proceed without a partner altogether, but she was instructed to submit her confirmation promptly.
Wu Kezhi, preparing for the investment committee meeting, urged a nervous Lin Yuming to double-check his belongings, even reminding him about his pen, which Sun Yiqiu promptly handed over. Before they entered, Wu Kezhi gave Lin Yuming some last-minute advice on his posture and demeanor. Inside the meeting, they exchanged greetings with various managers and Director Qu.
During the meeting, a visibly nervous Lin Yuming began his presentation, explaining that it was his first time addressing the investment committee as a consultant and detailing the Somersault Cloud electric bike-sharing project. Meanwhile, Sun Yiqiu watched from outside. Gao Sicong joined him, suggesting that Wu Kezhi had deliberately given Lin Yuming this project to create an opportunity for him to shine.
Gao Sicong then mysteriously hinted that Sun Yiqiu would soon have a similar chance to prove himself, leaving Sun Yiqiu puzzled. Gao Sicong later gathered the interns to announce the week's critical training, stating it would likely determine who would be retained. He emphasized the seriousness of the task: working with their partners to find an investment project, develop a proposal, and present it on Friday during a mock investment committee meeting.
He warned that senior management, besides Manager Yu, might also be present, advising them to be prepared for this simulation of a real investment consultant's experience. During the investment meeting, Lin Yuming's presentation of the Somersault Cloud electric bike-sharing project received initial positive feedback, with managers acknowledging its promising market prospects and efficiency for short-distance commutes.
Wu Kezhi even presented signed agreements with private gas stations to address charging concerns, an unconventional move that sparked discussion but was ultimately seen as bold and effective. However, Manager Ma then introduced a critical challenge, presenting images and headlines about electric bike fires and charging safety regulations, strongly questioning the project's viability amidst policy risks. This led to a heated exchange between Wu Kezhi and Manager Ma. Director Qu intervened, acknowledging both the project's potential and the policy risks.
Ultimately, Director Qu declared that the final decision-making power for the project would rest with Wu Kezhi, stating that she would respect whatever choice he made, whether he followed the trend or went against the odds. After the meeting, Lan Qianyi gave Sun Yiqiu and Hao Shuai a chilly glance as she left, while Li Xiaoxian unsuccessfully tried to follow her.
Sun Yiqiu later asked Hao Shuai about their project, to which Hao Shuai responded that he was leaving the entire selection and proposal writing to Sun Yiqiu. Hao Shuai claimed his own capabilities were already recognized by the company, making the current tests mere formalities for him. He stated that it was now Sun Yiqiu's turn to work hard and stand out, promising only to check the proposal after Sun Yiqiu completed it.
Sun Yiqiu was left bewildered by this arrangement. Lin Yuming was confused by Director Qu's decision to hand over the final say. Wu Kezhi explained that Director Qu was not extending trust but rather absolving the company of responsibility, effectively forcing them to "fend for themselves." He elaborated that typically, approved projects carry corporate risk, empowering consultants to be bold.
However, Director Qu's words had stripped away this corporate shield, meaning any failure would be deemed an individual mistake, potentially leading to their dismissal. Wu Kezhi stated that while he was prepared to risk his own career, he could not gamble with Lin Yuming's future. He expressed deep regret for overlooking this potential issue, feeling that all their hard work might now be in vain.
Wu Kezhi made the difficult decision to reject the shared electric bike project, informing Manager Wang and offering a personal explanation to the founder. When he found Lin Yuming still at the office, looking fatigued, Lin Yuming apologized for not sleeping well.
Wu Kezhi expressed concern for Lin Yuming's well-being and offered to take over the urgent task of compiling acquisition materials for Shengcai Fresh Produce, urging Lin Yuming to go home and rest, reassuring him that his promotion prospects were not hopeless despite this setback. Sun Yiqiu, noticing the team's low morale, approached Wu Kezhi and asked if he could help, but Wu Kezhi simply told him to focus on his own responsibilities.
In the printing room, Lan Qianyi saw Sun Yiqiu poring over a list of recommended projects for the internship task and politely offered assistance, which he declined. Soon after, Li Xiaoxian approached Lan Qianyi, attempting to pull her away to discuss their project, but Lan Qianyi rebuffed him, annoyed by his physical contact and his reputation. Meanwhile, Sun Yiqiu began searching for projects, receiving an encouraging "Good luck!" text from Hao Shuai.
However, when Sun Yiqiu presented a chosen project, Hao Shuai, via text, flatly rejected it as "not good enough" and urged him to find something more "eye-catching." Confused, Sun Yiqiu called Hao Shuai, asking for clarification and examples.
Hao Shuai, in a noisy environment and clearly distracted, vaguely described an "eye-catching" project as something "sexy, alluring, and exhilarating" that one "can't resist," before telling Sun Yiqiu to look at past successful projects himself and not bother him with such "trivial" matters. Seeking further guidance, Sun Yiqiu approached Lin Yuming, asking what constituted a "good project" and how to choose one. Lin Yuming responded with a vague, almost cynical, answer about life's unanswerable questions.
Shortly after, Lin Yuming instructed Sun Yiqiu to shred a pile of documents from Wu Kezhi's desk. As Sun Yiqiu fed the "Proposal for Somersault Cloud Electric Bike-Sharing Project" into the shredder, he felt a profound sense of loss and disillusionment, reflecting on repeated failures and the perceived worthlessness of effort without tangible results.
Gao Sicong, observing Sun Yiqiu, remarked that staring too long at the shredder could evoke a feeling of "all hopes lost," as if everything was a game where one always returned to square one, their efforts amounting to nothing. Sun Yiqiu, however, concluded that even if he ended up back at square one, he would at least learn what he truly desired.
Li Xiaoxian approached Lan Qianyi, criticizing her chosen underwater vehicle project as "too ordinary" and suggesting she pick one from the company's shortlisted list instead of doing things "the hard way." Lan Qianyi, annoyed, retorted that she was making her own decisions. Later, Gao Sicong brought Lan Qianyi a cake from Manager Yu, empathizing with her stress.
He then probed, asking if she initially wanted Sun Yiqiu as a partner, noting that Sun Yiqiu was highly sought after, with interns choosing him to make themselves look better by comparison. Lan Qianyi pondered if Sun Yiqiu believed she had chosen him for the same opportunistic reason. Serendipitously, Sun Yiqiu and Lan Qianyi met. They both admitted to having difficult partners.
Sun Yiqiu then asked why she hadn't chosen him, wondering if she worried he would "steal the show" or exploit her. Lan Qianyi clarified that she chose him precisely because he seemed to focus on proving himself rather than undermining competitors. She expressed regret that he misunderstood her intentions. Acknowledging that their partnership choices were now set, they wished each other luck and promised to apologize properly if they both passed the test.
That night, Sun Yiqiu, after being interrupted while trying to make a delivery, called Hao Shuai to discuss their project. Hao Shuai, clearly at a noisy nightclub, was difficult to hear. He briefly stepped into the restroom to call Sun Yiqiu back, telling him that his 3,000-word email proposal was too jargon-heavy and unreadable. He emphasized the need for a proposal that "stands out," is "simple, but effective and on point," and comes from "understanding life."
When Sun Yiqiu asked for specific guidance, Hao Shuai vaguely told him to figure it out himself and abruptly ended the call, returning to his lively night out. Late that night, Wu Kezhi returned to the office, utterly exhausted, and fell asleep in his chair. Sun Yiqiu, noticing, attempted to cover him with a coat, but Wu Kezhi abruptly woke up and sharply recoiled, telling him not to touch him.
Wu Kezhi then asked Sun Yiqiu about his internship test preparations. Sun Yiqiu admitted his partner, Hao Shuai, seemed disinterested and kept rejecting his work, leaving him lost. Wu Kezhi challenged Sun Yiqiu's naive belief that Hao Shuai didn't care, explaining that Hao Shuai was executing a "sneak attack"—a Go term for a confusing, unpredictable move designed to mislead an opponent.
He warned Sun Yiqiu not to be manipulated, asserting that Hao Shuai, aware of the test's importance, surely had a hidden agenda. Sun Yiqiu, reflecting on his 20 years of Go experience, was dismayed that he hadn't recognized such a maneuver. The next morning, as colleagues discussed the scarcity of women in their investment department, Sun Yiqiu inadvertently witnessed Hao Shuai discreetly photographing female colleagues.
Later, Hao Shuai made an unexpected appearance at Team IV's area, loudly introducing himself as Sun Yiqiu's partner and asking them to "look after him." Annoyed by Hao Shuai's antics and earlier unresponsiveness, Sun Yiqiu quickly pulled him away to the rooftop, demanding to know why he had ignored his calls and texts, questioning if he intended to give up on their project.
