Flight to You Episode 21 Recap
> Flight to You Recap
Following his reinstatement and the successful push for recruiting more female pilots, Gu Nanting accompanied Cheng Xiao to a simple roadside stall. She explained it was a spot she frequented after long flights, calling it the best and most expensive meal for her stomach from her early days as a pilot. After returning from international trips, often in the middle of the night, a bowl of porridge was her first stop to soothe her stomach.
The owner recognized Cheng Xiao and, mistaking Gu Nanting for her boyfriend, praised him for being handsome and capable. Gu Nanting quickly clarified that he was her instructor, but Cheng Xiao gleefully added that their leader was very popular. They ordered two portions of seafood porridge, boiled Chinese kale, and a spicy crab. Cheng Xiao then produced a bottle of wine, insisting Gu Nanting drink with her to celebrate his grand plan finally being realized.
Though Gu Nanting initially hesitated, citing he had to drive, he eventually agreed to call a designated driver. As Cheng Xiao enjoyed her meal, her hair fell into her face, and her hands were covered in seafood sauce. She asked Gu Nanting to remove the hair tie from her wrist. When she requested a wet tissue from the owner, he playfully claimed to have just run out and suggested Gu Nanting help tie her hair.
Despite his awkwardness, Gu Nanting carefully tied Cheng Xiao's hair back, much to her inner delight. Their attractive appearance drew the attention of a group of girls at a nearby table, who made getting Gu Nanting's WeChat a game. One girl, having lost a round of Truth or Dare, approached Gu Nanting for his contact. Cheng Xiao swiftly moved closer to Gu Nanting, declaring him her boyfriend and suggesting the girl add her WeChat instead.
She then firmly clutched Gu Nanting's arm, asserting her claim, which led the girl to walk away sheepishly. Cheng Xiao then insisted they play Truth or Dare. She won at rock-paper-scissors and dared him to eat a spicy crab with his bare hands. Gu Nanting, unaccustomed to such spicy food, found it unbearable and cried for water, but Cheng Xiao made him eat three pieces.
Meanwhile, Li Yuheng, worried after not hearing back from Gu Nanting, decided to wait for him downstairs at his apartment building. She had been waiting for an hour when Gu Nanting and Cheng Xiao arrived in a designated driver's car. Li Yuheng, seeing them together, couldn't hide her disappointment. Noticing Li Yuheng's long wait, Cheng Xiao invited her upstairs for tea. Once inside Cheng Xiao's apartment, Li Yuheng commented on the convenience of Cheng Xiao living directly opposite Gu Nanting.
Cheng Xiao jokingly attributed it to company-provided housing. She then took a pen and added a new flight path she had just completed to a large map on the wall, explaining that it represented all the routes Gu Nanting had flown and her own future goals. Gu Nanting took the opportunity to commend Li Yuheng for her recent improvements and encouraged her to seize the upcoming refresher training to enhance her professional skills.
Cheng Xiao, picking up on the conversation, teased Gu Nanting, labeling him a "devil instructor" for the training, a title he modestly denied. As Gu Nanting and Cheng Xiao chatted and laughed, Li Yuheng felt increasingly out of place. Citing that her friend Xia Zhi was waiting for her opinion on some short videos, Li Yuheng made an excuse to leave.
Before she left, Cheng Xiao asked about Xia Zhi, expressing a desire to reconcile, to which Li Yuheng vaguely replied that Xia Zhi was doing well. Gu Nanting offered to walk Li Yuheng to where she could get a taxi. While waiting for the ride-hailing car, Li Yuheng tentatively asked Gu Nanting about his relationship with Cheng Xiao. Gu Nanting steered the conversation, expressing his long-held view of Li Yuheng as his "best sister" and his hope for her success.
He also asked why she chose to be a flight attendant after graduate school, encouraging her to find a career she would be willing to devote herself to. Li Yuheng then directly asked if he also considered Cheng Xiao a sister. Gu Nanting, caught off guard, became momentarily speechless. The arrival of the car provided a convenient escape, and Gu Nanting quickly urged Li Yuheng to get in.
Later, back in her apartment, Cheng Xiao fumed, wondering if Gu Nanting was a "central air conditioner"—someone who is nice to everyone—which left her frustrated. The next morning, at the company, Cheng Xiao encountered Gu Nanting and Ni Zhan. She explained that she was heading into a week-long refresher training and asked Ni Zhan if he could look after her pet parrot, Polly, for a few days, to which he readily agreed.
Cheng Xiao then casually mentioned her address, noting it was in the building directly opposite Gu Nanting’s. Gu Nanting, slightly exasperated, had to admit that Cheng Xiao was his tenant. That afternoon, Ni Zhan arrived at Cheng Xiao's apartment to pick up the parrot. He brought her a thoughtful gift: a set of pour-over coffee equipment and a unique ceramic cup he had crafted himself, explaining it was a "rehearsal" for his own desire to keep a bird.
While there, he tidied up, tightening a loose pot handle and adjusting a noisy refrigerator, attributing his actions to a professional habit. He even brewed a cup of coffee for them, impressing Cheng Xiao with his technique. After work, Gu Nanting drove home and noticed Ni Zhan's car parked outside. He waited in his car until Ni Zhan finally emerged as it got dark. Gu Nanting then feigned having just arrived, exchanged brief pleasantries, and went home.
The sealed refresher training officially began. Inside the training base, flight attendants like Li Yuheng received diligent instruction from instructors like Ai Jia on essential qualities, while pilots underwent rigorous assessments. During the pilot training, the focus was on complex maneuvers like approaching the runway with crosswinds. Lin Yicheng, however, failed his assessment.
He approached his brother-in-law, Jiang Tao, for help, admitting he had previously taken unauthorized leave using Jiang Tao's name and had worn his oxygen mask improperly during a simulation. Jiang Tao sternly refused to intervene, emphasizing the critical importance of proper oxygen mask usage and stating that Lin Yicheng's demotion to observer was well-deserved. News of Lin Yicheng's failure spread as other trainees celebrated their successful completion, including Cheng Xiao and Li Yuheng, who both achieved excellent scores.
Cheng Xiao, having secured an "excellent" overall performance for the first time, playfully declared that she would now "bow down" at Gu Nanting's "gate" in admiration, acknowledging that his strict instruction was for their benefit. On the occasion of his mother's birthday, Gu Nanting sent her a congratulatory message. His mother had planned a walk at Binhai Park with Li Yuheng and invited Gu Nanting to join them.
At the park, Li Yuheng fondly recounted a childhood memory of Gu Nanting catching a doll for her at an arcade, a memory he couldn't recall. His mother laughed, pointing out his lifelong focus on studying, sports, and now, work. Li Yuheng also mentioned having booked a restaurant for dinner and bought his mother a scarf. Gu Nanting offered to buy Li Yuheng a treadmill since she disliked running outside alone.
When Li Yuheng suggested taking a photo, Gu Nanting's mother insisted they all take a group photo. Later, Cheng Xiao hosted Ni Zhan for dinner at her apartment to thank him for caring for Polly. Meanwhile, Song Song visited Li Yuheng, gifting her a bottle of perfume and fabricating a story about it being a promotional item.
As Ni Zhan stepped out to take a work call, Cheng Xiao scrolled through her phone and saw Li Yuheng's recent post: the group photo with Gu Nanting and his mother. Her expression soured, and she quickly put her phone away as Ni Zhan returned. Observing her sudden change in mood, Ni Zhan glanced at her phone and seemed to understand the reason for her distress before excusing himself.
