Episode Summary
Jiang Chen and Guo Xiaoyu investigate the lost file, leading Li Ke to remember he accidentally shredded it. Li Ke confesses to Bai Xiao to protect Ren Jiatong and quits the firm. Jiang Chen ranks first in the evaluation, while Bai Xiao chooses Ren Jiatong for her team. Yan Fei confronts Zhou Nian about his feelings after a disappointing result. Guo Xiaoyu hustles for a new task, and Ren Jiatong learns a lesson in preparation from Bai Xiao during a business trip.
Spoiler Alert
The Search for the Truth
Yan Fei is sweating over her evaluation scores. She corners Zhou Nian for advice on how to handle the pressure. Zhou Nian plays it by the book. He says he can't show favoritism as her mentor. But he drops a hint. He tells her he won't stop her from fighting for a chance with Bai Xiao. Yan Fei catches on immediately.
That night, Jiang Chen takes charge. He grabs Guo Xiaoyu. He knows Ren Jiatong and Li Ke are cracking under the stress of the lost file. Their jobs are on the line. Jiang Chen wants to go back to the office. He wants to reenact the scene to find the truth.
They can't figure it out just by looking at the desks. Li Ke walks in while they are investigating. The three of them run through the details again. Guo Xiaoyu makes a small movement. This triggers something in Li Ke's brain. He remembers the coffee spill. Ren Jiatong knocked it over. He reacted on instinct. He shoved the original document into a pile of papers to save it. Then he made a fatal error. He put that whole stack into the shredder.
Li Ke Steps Up
Li Ke panicked after the accident. He faked an illness to escape the office. He even texted his sister on the way home. He told her he made a massive mistake. Jiang Chen and Guo Xiaoyu start connecting the dots. They suspect Li Ke is the key. They show Zhou Nian their theory the next day.
Zhou Nian goes to update Bai Xiao on the investigation. He is too late. Li Ke is already there. He is confessing everything. Li Ke explains his mindset. He thought getting this job was his sister's dream. She corrected him. She wants him to live his own life.
He admits he likes the firm. But he is lost about his future. He feels terrible for causing trouble. He also gets real about the industry. He notices the gender gap. Law schools are full of women. But few make it to partner. He knows women face structural barriers. He refuses to let his mistake hurt Ren Jiatong's chances. He wants to take responsibility. He doesn't want to become a person he hates. Bai Xiao respects his honesty.
Goodbyes and Rankings
The team helps Li Ke pack his box. Zhou Nian is proud of him. Ren Jiatong rushes in. She tries to convince him to stay until things clear up. Li Ke refuses. He owns his mistake. He wishes her a great future. He walks out of Jun'an Law Firm alone.
The results for the fifth evaluation come out. Jiang Chen takes the top spot. Ren Jiatong is second. Yan Fei lands in third. Guo Xiaoyu is at the bottom. Yan Fei makes a play for Bai Xiao's team. It doesn't work. Bai Xiao picks Ren Jiatong.
Yan Fei is crushed. Zhou Nian notices her mood. He takes her up a mountain to see the city lights. Yan Fei opens up. She feels her family controls her entire life path. Zhou Nian listens. He promises to share his own experiences later. Yan Fei suddenly asks if he likes her. Zhou Nian gets flustered. He claims he just cares as a colleague.
Back to Work
Guo Xiaoyu refuses to give up. She contacts Song Yifan. She begs for work. He gives her a shot at writing a legal opinion for the Yi Ai Wan AI model. Ren Jiatong is busy too. She joins Bai Xiao's big project. She sees Jiang Chen looking depressed. He keeps ignoring calls from his mom. She works silently beside him.
Later, the team travels for a case. Ren Jiatong works late into the night. They get to court. She sees her presentation slides are different. She assumes Zhou Nian changed them. She apologizes for her work being inadequate. Zhou Nian corrects her. Bai Xiao made the changes herself.
