Episode Summary
Guo Xiaoyu clears the air with Ren Jiatong regarding the plagiarism accusations and uses an artistic concept to win a case for the firm. The interns bond over a hotpot dinner where Jiang Chen secretly looks after Jiatong. The second round of competition begins with a strict midnight deadline. Jiatong gets distracted by personal issues and submits her work one minute late, drawing harsh criticism from the partners.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 5
Clearing the Air
Guo Xiaoyu decides she is done with the tension. She tells the group she plans to leave Beijing next week. Yan Fei suggests she clear the air with Ren Jiatong before packing her bags. Jiang Chen sets up the meeting. Jiatong looks Xiaoyu in the eye and denies copying the proposal. Xiaoyu remembers Huang Yue touched her computer. She suspects a link there. But she decides to let it go and chalk it up to coincidence.
They share a drink. Xiaoyu gets absolutely wasted. She wakes up hungover, but a random comment from Jiatong sparks an idea. She sketches a "double exposure" concept. She brings this to the firm. It proves the plastic surgery hospital violated portrait rights. It is a solid win.
Zhuang Xin loves the creative approach. She tells the interns to get hobbies outside of law books. It helps solve cases. Zhou An awards Jiang Chen’s team twenty points. Wang Lu starts sweating about his low ranking.
The Scoreboard Reset
Zhuang Xin played a mind game with everyone. She reveals the first round was just a warm-up. No one is going home yet. The points don't carry over to the next round, but they do determine the starting line.
Wang Lu starts the next phase with negative ten points. Huang Yue starts with negative five. They have a hole to dig out of. The top five get perks. Jiang Chen gets immunity from the next elimination. Jiatong and Xiaoyu get five bonus points. Yan Fei and Li Ke start at zero.
Hotpot Confessions
Li Ke wants a team dinner. Wang Lu tries to make Xiaoyu pay for it. She just paid rent and is broke. Jiang Chen steps in and covers the bill.
Xiaoyu’s phone rings. It’s her boyfriend, Zhu Zhisheng. He got time off and is coming to Beijing. She tells him she isn't moving back to Hangzhou. He hangs up on her immediately. He doesn't want to hear her reasons.
Xiaoyu breaks down. Yan Fei hands her a tissue and lets her cry it out. They hug and patch up their friendship. The group heads to the hotpot place. The gossip starts flowing. We learn about the bosses. Bai Xiao and Song Yifan used to date. They broke up. Bai Xiao got married, had a kid, and divorced in record time. Song Yifan stayed single. Wang Lu explains the firm hates office romance. If you date, one of you has to leave.
Subtle Moves
Jiang Chen keeps an eye on Jiatong at dinner. She looks pale. He waits outside the bathroom to check on her. She admits she’s on her period. It’s awkward but sweet. A kid runs by and knocks Jiatong right into Jiang Chen’s arms. The vibe shifts. Xiaoyu shows up and interrupts the moment.
Wang Lu explains why he joined the "Know the Monarch" program. Regular internships are fluff. This program puts him in the room with the big dogs.
Huang Yue gets honest. She tells Jiatong she was jealous of her skills. She raises a glass to toast her. Jiatong takes a sip and realizes it isn't alcohol. It’s iced tea. Jiang Chen swapped it for her when she wasn't looking. She texts him a thank you. The team finally bonds. They talk about their anxiety and stop seeing each other as enemies.
The Deadline Disaster
The next morning is rough. Zhou An drops the second round task. A celebrity client, Ms. Tan, has an offer from Ha'erjian Food Company. The interns need to write a legal memo on the risks. It is an individual competition now. The bottom scorer goes home. The deadline is midnight.
An old man comes to the firm to thank Jiatong and Jiang Chen for their help earlier. They snag ten bonus points each.
Things go south for Jiatong. She gets a call from a man and rushes downstairs for thirty minutes. Bai Xiao sees her in the lobby and thinks she is slacking off. Jiatong comes back distracted. She stares into space all afternoon. Jiang Chen brings her milk, but she is out of it.
She misses the deadline. She submits her work one minute past midnight. Bai Xiao tears into her. Being late is a fatal error for a lawyer. It breaks client trust. Even Song Yifan can't save her from this mistake.
