Ordinary Greatness Episode 37 Recap
> Ordinary Greatness Recap
Wang Shouyi's old waist injury had flared up again, but he insisted on coming to work. Fellow officers carefully carried him into the station on a stretcher. Wang Shouyi noted that his time at the Balihe station was nearing its end, as he was moving to a second-line role as a researcher at the bureau, and every day was precious.
Gao Chao, however, declared that the station must achieve first place in the rankings before Wang Shouyi's transfer, ensuring he departed with honor. Wang Shouyi, tempering expectations, simply wished for the station to achieve a new historical high, finding that sufficient. Next, Wang Shouyi announced that Zhang Zhijie would be attending Party School for six months, a decision met with applause. With Zhang Zhijie away, the question arose of who would mentor Zhao Jiwei.
Wang Shouyi tasked Gao Chao with looking after Zhao Jiwei, especially concerning community affairs, and encouraged Zhao Jiwei to work diligently for his upcoming transition to a full-time police officer. Soon after, Zhao Jiwei was dispatched to an old neighborhood to investigate a series of car trunk thefts, with three similar incidents having occurred recently. The area lacked underground parking, forcing residents to park along the street, and surveillance cameras were scarce.
Zhao Jiwei explained the inherent difficulties in solving such cases, but the exasperated car owner retorted that if Officer Zhang Zhijie were still around, he wouldn't shirk responsibility. Zhao Jiwei walked around the neighborhood, observing the cars parked on the roadside. He had already contacted the municipality to request more surveillance cameras, but was told to wait until a new highway was completed, which left him in a bind. Later, Cao Jianjun passed by, noticing Zhao Jiwei looking despondent.
Upon learning about the theft cases and the lack of surveillance, Cao Jianjun suggested using the old police method of "keeping watch" to catch the culprit red-handed and offered to help. Zhao Jiwei politely declined, citing instructions from Wang Shouyi not to involve him, and urged Cao Jianjun to return home to his wife. That night, Zhao Jiwei, along with Li Dawei, Xia Jie, and other officers, returned to the neighborhood for a stakeout.
Zhao Jiwei outlined a plan to cover two streets with two officers on each side, predicting the thief would strike again within a day or two based on previous patterns. Some officers expressed skepticism about their ability to block the thief in the dark, but Gao Chao reiterated Zhao Jiwei's instructions. As the teams deployed, Cao Jianjun again appeared, telling Zhao Jiwei he couldn't stay indoors due to the heat and offering to help analyze the thief's probability of appearance.
The officers endured the night, battling swarms of mosquitoes, but remained silent to avoid alerting the potential thief. The stakeout, however, yielded no results. The following day, Zhao Jiwei reported Cao Jianjun’s assistance to Wang Shouyi and requested a reward for him. Wang Shouyi flatly refused, stating that Cao Jianjun was not police personnel, and no one had officially requested his help, then dismissed Zhao Jiwei.
Word spread among the officers, who grumbled about Wang Shouyi's cold treatment of Cao Jianjun. Gao Chao quickly intervened, dispatching them to various community safety inspections. Later, Wang Shouyi found Cao Jianjun working at a mall. Cao Jianjun tried to avoid him, but Wang Shouyi blocked his path. Wang Shouyi asked about his family, Zhou Hui and Yaya, then inquired about his salary, which Cao Jianjun admitted was 3,500 yuan, less than half of Zhou Hui's earnings.
Wang Shouyi gave a heartfelt speech about Zhou Hui being a good woman who had suffered for him, emphasizing that she deserved a better life, and Cao Jianjun needed to work hard to support his family. He then sternly reiterated that Cao Jianjun was no longer part of the station and should not get involved in their work, adding that he did not wish to see him again. Cao Jianjun was deeply saddened, feeling utterly cast aside by the station.
Despite Wang Shouyi's warnings, Cao Jianjun continued to assist Zhao Jiwei and the team during their nightly stakeouts. Zhao Jiwei, feeling bad, again offered to seek a reward for Cao Jianjun, but he declined, telling Zhao Jiwei he was a good person and should cherish his position as a police officer. Zhao Jiwei grew increasingly anxious as days passed without the thief appearing. Cao Jianjun advised him to be patient, explaining that impatience often deterred the target.
After four consecutive nights of unsuccessful stakeouts, the officers began to complain bitterly about the lack of progress and the relentless mosquito bites. Gao Chao supplied essential balm for Zhao Jiwei to distribute to ease their discomfort. Zhao Jiwei took further initiative, purchasing eight boxes of expensive mosquito repellent cream, bottled water, and prepared food like chicken drumsticks and pork for everyone, distributing them as a midnight snack to boost morale.
Many officers appreciated his efforts but expressed that they would only help for one more night. Zhao Jiwei also offered his own mosquito repellent cream to Cao Jianjun. The next morning, a resident reported a new trunk theft in an area that was not under surveillance that night. The officers were frustrated, questioning Zhao Jiwei's analytical accuracy and suggesting the thief might have either noticed their stakeout or expanded his range of operations.
Zhao Jiwei defended his analysis, pointing out that the thief did strike within his predicted 3-5 day window, but admitted that the thief might now be committing crimes at separate locations, making a stationary stakeout ineffective. He profusely apologized to his team for their suffering. The officers, exhausted, gritted their teeth and persevered. However, three more days passed without any sign of the thief.
The officers' patience wore thin, and they expressed their unwillingness to continue what seemed like a futile effort, with some criticizing Zhao Jiwei for his self-centered talk. Zhao Jiwei, again apologizing for their hardships, declared his resolve to continue the stakeout alone if necessary. In the middle of the night, Li Dawei woke up to find Zhao Jiwei gone. He quickly roused Xia Jie, telling her that Zhao Jiwei had left for the stakeout by himself at 1 AM.
They rushed to find him. Meanwhile, Wang Shouyi arrived at the station, where officers were still debating the futility of the stakeout. He questioned why they hadn't accompanied Zhao Jiwei. After hearing their complaints about Zhao Jiwei's communication style, Wang Shouyi firmly instructed everyone to apply mosquito repellent cream and join the stakeout. Simultaneously, Zhao Jiwei was already at the designated spot when Cao Jianjun arrived, expressing concern that Zhao Jiwei was alone.
Cao Jianjun reassured him that even the two of them could manage and proposed a two-person strategy. Zhao Jiwei, touched, thanked Cao Jianjun. Shortly after, Wang Shouyi arrived at the stakeout location. Then, Cheng Hao arrived with the rest of the police force as reinforcements. Seeing his entire team, Zhao Jiwei was deeply moved, tears streaming down his face.
Wang Shouyi, initially teasing him, quickly offered comfort, assuring him that the entire station was united in this effort and would not retreat until the thief was apprehended. Despite his waist injury, Wang Shouyi sat down beside Zhao Jiwei. Zhao Jiwei confessed his feelings of inadequacy, admitting he felt clumsy with words and actions, often making mistakes, and missing his master's guidance. Wang Shouyi, a rural native himself, understood Zhao Jiwei's struggles.
He shared his own story of joining the police force after serving in the army, emphasizing that rural children like them had to work harder, run faster, and endure more to establish themselves. He asserted that Zhao Jiwei's hardworking spirit would undoubtedly make him an excellent police officer. However, Wang Shouyi also reminded Zhao Jiwei of Cao Jianjun's past mistakes, warning him to learn from them and prevent Cao Jianjun from harboring any false hopes of rejoining the force.
As they spoke, the suspect suddenly appeared, riding a tricycle and searching for a target. He then began to pry open the trunk of a Mercedes. Wang Shouyi immediately ordered Zhao Jiwei to move in. The officers rushed forward and quickly subdued the thief. Cao Jianjun, watching the scene unfold from a distance, quietly turned and left. Wang Shouyi noticed Cao Jianjun's retreating figure and instructed Cheng Hao not to provoke him.
Back at the station, Wang Shouyi commended Zhao Jiwei to the entire force. He announced that the suspect was caught red-handed, with over 50,000 yuan worth of stolen goods recovered from his home, marking a significant case solved, and proposed a commendation for Zhao Jiwei. A visibly emotional Zhao Jiwei humbly credited the success to everyone's collective effort. Wang Shouyi playfully praised his newfound humility, prompting Zhao Jiwei to deliver a heartfelt speech.
He acknowledged his year-long confusion about whether he could be a good police officer but stated he now understood his master's words: with hard work and dedication, his efforts would eventually be recognized. Just then, Captain Luo called, bringing news about another case, and Zhao Jiwei, along with his team, promptly prepared to respond.
