Ordinary Greatness Episode 1 Recap
> Ordinary Greatness Recap
The Balihe Police Station, situated in an urban-rural fringe area, faces a complex resident demographic and consistently ranks at the bottom for public satisfaction among 163 stations in the city. Despite the best efforts of Chief Wang Shouyi and his officers, their ranking remained low. To address the severe shortage of young police officers, Director Song approved the assignment of four new cadet police officers to the station.
Wang Shouyi, who is 54 and set to retire next year, expressed his frustration to Director Song. He lamented that among the four new recruits, Yang Shu, a Peking University Master of Law, was merely "gilding" and would soon leave. Xia Jie was the daughter of the station's former chief, a martyr named Xia Junxiong, meaning everyone would feel obligated to take special care of her.
Zhao Jiwei was a top graduate, leaving only Li Dawei, who had scored at the bottom of the enrollment exam and had a disciplinary record. Wang Shouyi suggested swapping personnel with the high-ranking Shilihe Police Station, even offering to trade two of his cadets for one outstanding graduate, but Director Song firmly refused, announcing he would personally attend the welcoming ceremony. Wang Shouyi, flustered, quickly ordered the station to be thoroughly cleaned and prepared.
He also tried to get veteran officer Chen Xincheng to take a disciple, but Chen Xincheng dodged the request, mentioning his fatigue from an overnight shift and the ridiculous "diaper-stealing" case he had been working on. Meanwhile, Li Dawei was on his way to the station by bus. The crowded bus became chaotic when a small child in an elderly woman's arms cried incessantly.
Other passengers grew suspicious, accusing the woman of being a human trafficker and covering the child's mouth. Li Dawei, identifying himself as a police officer, pushed his way through the crowd, asking the woman for identification. When she failed to produce any, he instructed the bus driver to pull over, called the Balihe Police Station to report the suspected human trafficking, and then escorted the woman and child off the bus to await a police car.
However, when the bus driver and other passengers demanded proof of his identity, Li Dawei admitted he was only a cadet and had no police certificate yet, leading the passengers to accuse him of being an accomplice. Back at the station, Zhao Jiwei, another new cadet, had already arrived and diligently began sweeping the yard, earning a nod of approval from Chief Wang Shouyi. Shortly after, Xia Jie arrived.
Wang Shouyi extended a warm welcome, mentioning her mother had called asking for special care, though he assured her they would look after her regardless. He assigned Deputy Chief Cheng Hao, who had been Xia Jie's father's disciple, as her master, noting the symbolic "inheritance." Xia Jie offered to help with the cleaning, but Wang Shouyi insisted she rest in the office.
Before the official welcoming ceremony, Wang Shouyi had instructed his officers to take a simple approach, avoiding formalism and speeches. He was then informed of the "human trafficker" report from the Balihe bus stop and instructed Chen Xincheng to resolve it on the spot if possible, without bringing anyone back to the station.
Wang Shouyi also decided to release the Xu family boy, involved in a dispute with the Qiao family, immediately rather than after the ceremony, to facilitate face-to-face mediation, despite initial advice to hold off. Director Song then arrived, bringing Yang Shu with him, whom Wang Shouyi enthusiastically introduced as a Peking University Master of Law.
Just as the ceremony was about to begin, Li Dawei pulled up in a police car with Chen Xincheng, bringing the elderly woman and child from the bus incident. Wang Shouyi quickly pulled Li Dawei aside, scolding him for being late and causing trouble, but then, for Director Song's benefit, praised him for his initiative in "catching a suspect" on his first day. As the welcome ceremony commenced, Director Song addressed the new recruits by name.
Seeing Xia Jie, he was visibly moved, recounting the tragic day ten years prior when her father, Xia Junxiong, then a police officer at Balihe, had bravely shielded him from a knife-wielding assailant during a mission, sacrificing his own life. Wang Shouyi interjected to assure Director Song of Xia Jie's safety at the station. Director Song then shifted his tone, sternly criticizing the Balihe Police Station for its dismal public satisfaction rate of 93.
4%, ranking 144th out of 163 stations in the city. He brushed aside Wang Shouyi's usual excuses about the area's complex demographics, reminding him of his impending retirement and urging him to improve the station's performance. Suddenly, a commotion erupted from inside the station. Wang Shouyi explained that the Qiao family's daughter had tragically committed suicide after her boyfriend, Xu Ziming, dismissed her threats during a breakup. The Qiao family was now demanding retribution, accusing Xu Ziming of murder.
The situation escalated into a brawl in the office as the Qiao and Xu families started fighting. Li Dawei, Xia Jie, and Zhao Jiwei, along with Wang Shouyi, rushed in to break up the fight. Wang Shouyi attempted to mediate, pointing out that Xu Ziming's actions didn't constitute a crime, while the Qiao family's assault and obstruction of duty did. Furious, Director Song ordered that everyone involved be detained.
Wang Shouyi frantically tried to dissuade him, promising they could mediate and explaining the public relations risks in the age of social media, where any forceful intervention could spark an online controversy. Director Song, however, accused Wang Shouyi of deliberately orchestrating the scene to garner sympathy and highlight the station's challenges, even suggesting Wang Shouyi had intentionally released Xu Ziming to create the confrontation.
He reiterated his expectations for Wang Shouyi to uphold the "Fengqiao spirit" and improve the station's ranking significantly, aiming for the top 100, before retirement. With Director Song eventually persuaded to leave, Wang Shouyi promised to meet his demands. Later, the chaos from the Qiao and Xu families was finally resolved. Chen Xincheng's investigation confirmed that the elderly woman Li Dawei brought in was indeed the child's grandmother, leading her son, Mr. Shen, to angrily confront the police.
Wang Shouyi reprimanded Li Dawei for his rash actions, dismissing his attempts to explain the suspicious circumstances on the bus. Mr. Shen accused the police of being prejudiced against his poorly dressed mother, implying snobbery. Li Dawei apologized but attempted to clarify the situation, noting the lack of identification. However, Mr. Shen's wife stepped in to defend Li Dawei, acknowledging the police's good intentions and the necessity of investigating potential human trafficking, which helped calm her husband.
Instructor Ye Wei then intervened to defuse the situation, introducing herself and offering Li Dawei some guidance. Wang Shouyi then turned his attention to Yang Shu, extending preferential treatment, which Li Dawei noticed with a sarcastic remark about his "face-changing" behavior. Meanwhile, officer Zhang Zhijie, overwhelmed by 500 hours of surveillance footage for a trivial "diaper-stealing" case, requested assistance.
Zhao Jiwei eagerly volunteered, initially believing it to be a significant case, but his enthusiasm quickly deflated upon learning the mundane task. Suddenly, Deputy Chief Gao Chao rushed in, reporting that a murderer he had been tracking was now at home, requesting immediate backup. Li Dawei, Xia Jie, and Yang Shu all enthusiastically volunteered to join the mission. Wang Shouyi expressed concern about the danger, initially reluctant to send the new cadets.
However, Yang Shu insisted he was there to gain real experience, not just for a resume, and Li Dawei also stated he was not afraid. Seeing their determination, Wang Shouyi reluctantly permitted Yang Shu to go, specifically instructing Gao Chao to ensure the "bureau's treasure" remained safe and in the back. Yang Shu insisted he could protect himself.
Xia Jie also pleaded to join, but her mother called at that moment, and Wang Shouyi used the opportunity to tell Xia Jie to go home and rest, so as not to worry her mother. He then commanded a reluctant Chen Xincheng, who complained of fatigue and a stiff neck, to accompany Gao Chao instead.
Gao Chao and Ye Wei gave Li Dawei and Yang Shu a stern briefing as they collected their equipment, emphasizing the importance of securing their body cameras and handcuffs, obeying commands, staying alert, and prioritizing safety. Later, Xia Jie called her mother back, who questioned her about receiving special care.
Xia Jie voiced her frustration about her mother's calls making her seem different, but her mother dismissed her concerns, insisting on preferential treatment and demanding fresh abalones for dinner, threatening to call Wang Shouyi if Xia Jie had to work overtime. Feeling sidelined, Xia Jie watched with a touch of envy as Li Dawei and Yang Shu departed for their first important mission.
