Flight to You Episode 24 Recap
> Flight to You Recap
Following their rescue efforts in Lanshan County, Gu Nanting awoke one morning to find his fingers intertwined with Cheng Xiao's. He gently untangled their hands, placing hers back under the covers before quietly observing her as she slept. Ni Zhan, who was also awake, witnessed the tender moment before feigning sleep, remarking to himself that he was "second again" to wake up. Later, as Gu Nanting prepared breakfast, Ni Zhan joined him and directly questioned him about Cheng Xiao.
Gu Nanting admitted that while he didn't know most trainees' preferences, he knew Cheng Xiao favored coffee or black tea on morning flights. He insisted, however, that she was merely his favorite trainee and nothing more. Relieved, Ni Zhan asked for Gu Nanting's support in pursuing Cheng Xiao, suggesting that Gu Nanting himself would be a better match with Li Yuheng, given their shared history and her affection for him. Uncomfortable, Gu Nanting abruptly left to check on their vehicle.
When Cheng Xiao tried to bring Gu Nanting a bowl of soup, concerned about his pale complexion, he coldly refused her, stating he needed to plan their return route for safety. Seeing Gu Nanting ignore her continued inquiries, Xia Zhi and Song deliberately created a distraction, allowing Cheng Xiao to retreat. Before the team departed, Ms. Guo and the local children gathered to bid them farewell.
A child named Xiao Le tearfully made a pinky promise with Gu Nanting to study hard, attend a top university, and one day fly on a plane piloted by him. The group then took a commemorative photo, with Ms. Guo playfully reminding a somber Gu Nanting to smile. Back at the company, Cheng Xiao sought out Gu Nanting to discuss her ideas for safety analysis, but he curtly told her to submit a written report.
Sensing his distance, she confronted him directly: "I like you. You know that, right? Why are you avoiding me?" Gu Nanting apologized for any misunderstanding, asserting she was "just my trainee." Cheng Xiao recounted their shared experiences—his rescues, their collaboration—asking if she had misinterpreted everything. He replied that it was "for work." When she asked about the previous night, he emotionlessly stated he had "never had any cross-boundary feelings" for her.
Still unconvinced, she asked if he had truly never liked her, "not even for a minute, a second?" He decisively replied, "No." Deeply hurt, Cheng Xiao concluded it was her "own wishful thinking" and walked away. Xia Zhi and Song returned to their apartment to find a note from Li Yuheng, who had volunteered for the company's longest route, "Madrid-Sao Paulo," a flight lasting over ten days.
Xia Zhi correctly guessed this was Li Yuheng's way of dealing with her emotional turmoil. She confided in Song that in Lanshan, she noticed Gu Nanting's gaze towards Cheng Xiao was full of tenderness, while his look towards Li Yuheng was "without any waves." Song advised her not to meddle, trusting their friends to resolve their own issues.
Meanwhile, Gu Nanting's mother sensed his distress as he intensely sharpened a pencil but chose not to pry, trusting he would make the right decision. Later, Gu Nanting deliberately drew his curtains and removed two flight route maps from his wall; seeing this from her apartment, Cheng Xiao angrily did the same. The next morning, Cheng Xiao presented Gu Nanting with a detailed safety report. He then instructed her to hand over the task to Song in the future.
He also informed her that due to the company acquiring new aircraft, she had been selected for the first batch of "left seat" (captain) upgrade assessments. When she asked if he would be her instructor, he claimed he was "tied up" and would not be. Realizing he was still avoiding her, Cheng Xiao asserted she wasn't training for him and, as a professional, would not let personal matters affect her career.
Two weeks later, President Xu announced that the company would promote a new vice president. He nominated three candidates: Jiang Tao, Head of the Flight Department; Ni Zhan, Head of the Maintenance Department; and Gu Nanting, whose nomination was secured by his commendable leadership during the Lanshan disaster relief. The candidates were given four months to prove their capabilities.
Jiang Tao's brother-in-law, Lin Yicheng, expressed concern about the competition, noting Ni Zhan's popularity and mentioning a rumor that Gu Nanting was developing a new safety system, which Jiang Tao viewed as a challenge to his authority but arrogantly dismissed as "childish."
Later, Gu Nanting confessed to Ni Zhan that he wasn't interested in the title itself but saw the position as an opportunity to achieve his long-term goals: revising the operations manual, establishing a new safety management system, and building the company's own aviation academy to ingrain safety from the ground up. Understanding his friend's vision, Ni Zhan pledged his full support regardless of the outcome, affirming their friendship would remain unaffected.
Gu Nanting later informed Cheng Xiao she had passed her left-seat assessment with excellent results. She would now complete 200 hours of flying as a senior first officer, with him as her instructor for the first flight. At a small celebration, Song toasted "Captain Cheng" but expressed pessimism about Gu Nanting's chances in the VP election, calling him a "running mate." Cheng Xiao claimed to be indifferent.
Shortly after, Li Yuheng returned from her long-haul flight, sporting a new short haircut and a transformed, confident demeanor. She told Xia Zhi she had done a lot of thinking and decided to "change myself." Gu Nanting congratulated her, noting her positive "state," as Xia Zhi marveled that she seemed to be "shining."
