Only Side by Side with You Episode 24 Recap
> Only Side by Side with You Recap
Shi Yue woke up, gave Nan Qiao a gentle kiss, and then left alone in his car. Driving, he reflected on the previous night's conversation with Nan Qiao. He also thought about An Ning's earlier declaration of her divorce, remembering her saying that she had submitted the request before returning and that he was the only person who could make her set aside her identity as Sister An.
An Ning had expressed regret for having "let him look at her back" previously and stated she was back, hoping he was still around. She was upset about not having achieved enough revenge and felt he wasn't standing by her unconditionally this time, suggesting it was because of a "good strategist" by his side. Shi Yue insisted it had always been her, but An Ning questioned why he wasn't giving her space if it was truly just her.
Shi Yue explained he only wanted to offer "a small help" and believed she would appreciate his "gentleman's torture" against Future Up, implying her methods were "vile." These complex emotions left Shi Yue feeling overwhelmed and worried that the powerful An Ning might target Nan Qiao. Meanwhile, Nan Qiao was also burdened by her feelings for Shi Yue. She stood by her window, recalling Shi Yue's drunken intrusion into her home, where he boldly declared, "I am your man.
My here is full of you. I like that the position in here, is all mine." She remembered him saying he would visit often until she got used to it, and that he remembered everything about her clearly. She also recalled him trying to teach her about "Third Base" and his earlier advice during their wall climbing, where he asserted that certain actions should be left to a man.
Despite her repeated attempts to express her feelings, Shi Yue always seemed to deflect or reframe them, leaving her uncertain of his true intentions and emotionally exhausted. She also remembered his promise about keeping her wristband close to his heart. At the same time, An Ning was also awake, having apparently stayed up all night, and simply asked her staff to prepare breakfast. Shi Yue went to Wings Company and summoned Hao Jie.
He stated his decision to take Nan Qiao away for a while, expressing concern that An Ning might harm her, and instructed Hao Jie to manage the company in his absence. Hao Jie asked if Shi Yue had truly considered the consequences of "openly challenging a quarrel with An Ning" by leaving at such a critical moment, especially regarding the VIV contract. Shi Yue confirmed his intention to prevent Wings from signing with VIV.
Hao Jie pledged his support for Shi Yue's decision but warned that An Ning would not let Nan Qiao off easily. Shi Yue then explained that An Ning had not personally handled any of the VIV-related files or employee communications, indicating her continued trust in him. He ordered Hao Jie to "hide the things that should be hidden" and "destroy everything that should be destroyed" to sabotage the deal.
Shi Yue was confident that "everything must return to the original state," including his relationship with An Ning, which he vowed to face bravely. Hao Jie reminded him that he was still the owner of Wings, to which Shi Yue added, "I am also Nan Qiao's man." Shi Yue picked up Nan Qiao for their trip. He playfully announced that he wanted to "buy her whole day" for a price he could "never be able to afford."
When Nan Qiao questioned his sincerity, Shi Yue explained that by offering an unaffordable price, she would forever be his creditor, ensuring their relationship would "never get severed." Meanwhile, An Ning received news that Shi Yue had left. She calmly instructed her staff to proceed with a pre-arranged plan, telling them to make a call to VIV Company to "prepare for contract signing." It became clear that An Ning had been secretly communicating with VIV herself.
At Immediate Flight Company, Xiao Kui successfully finalized the collaboration proposal with VIV. Proud of his work, he invited Lao Qin and Xiao An to celebrate with a meal. Both initially declined, with Xiao An citing a diet and using "Sister Wen Di's indices" as a reminder against indulgence, while Lao Qin simply said he was "not going."
However, once Xiao Kui started ordering hotpot on his phone, their resistance crumbled, and they eagerly joined him in eating takeout hotpot at the office. As they ate, they fantasized about their bright future with VIV. Xiao Kui enthusiastically declared that with "Boss" gone, the company "empire is now ours," though Lao Qin quickly reminded him that Wen Di was still a "mountain" above them. Xiao An anticipated the company being publicly listed in three years, making them rich.
Lao Qin shared his dream of retiring by forty to "travel the world" and "look at all the scenery and beautiful women." Xiao An then playfully suggested he take her along, saying, "You be the landscape, I'll be the beautiful woman." Lao Qin looked surprised, but Xiao Kui, missing the hint, jokingly offered himself as the beautiful woman, deflecting the moment.
Hao Jie was on a date with Ouyang Qi and, wanting to avoid company responsibilities, called Xi Hao and fabricated a story, claiming Shi Yue had entrusted Wings Company to Xi Hao during his "honeymoon" with Nan Qiao. Hao Jie insisted he had "social relationships" to handle, reassuring Xi Hao that Shi Yue was confident in his management. As Ouyang Qi arrived at the restaurant for her date, she spotted her "dead enemy."
She immediately enlisted Hao Jie in an elaborate act, referring to her rival as someone whose "evil within her" could not be hidden, despite her plain attire. Ouyang Qi then became overly affectionate with Hao Jie, calling him "Darling" and giving him a unique, customized wristband, proclaiming him "the only man in this world that wears this."
When her rival approached, Ouyang Qi pretended Hao Jie was an "ABC boyfriend" who "just got back from Wall Street" and whose "Chinese isn't that good yet," to avoid an introduction. The rival flirted with Hao Jie and implied Ouyang Qi was afraid of losing him.
After a brief, sarcastic exchange where the rival suggested Ouyang Qi might be pregnant due to poor appetite, and Ouyang Qi scoffed at the "stewed pork hoof" dish as being indicative of her rival's changed taste, the rival left. Hao Jie teased Ouyang Qi about her "bad acting" and pressed her for details about the woman. Ouyang Qi revealed they were once close friends in medical school until the woman lied to her, leading to their complete estrangement.
Hao Jie pondered the severity of the lie. Ouyang Qi inferred he was lecturing her about honesty and demanding loyalty. Hao Jie, who was courting her, promised to listen to her but then challenged her, asking what she would do if he ever lied to her. Annoyed, Ouyang Qi brusquely told him to "Move aside!" and entered her pet shop, leaving him standing outside.
Xi Hao, preparing to welcome the VIV company representatives, was dismayed to find An Ning arriving with them instead. An Ning, noticing the sparse welcoming party, subtly questioned his ability to handle things alone. Her subordinate then confiscated Xi Hao's phone to prevent him from alerting Shi Yue. In the meeting, An Ning asserted that Wings possessed all the resources of Immediate Flight, and even more.
She emphasized that while VIV had strong business and technological patents and a partnership with Future Up, the ultimate reason for changing partners was "Profit." An Ning detailed Wings' superior funding, technology, production plans, and sales channels.
She then revealed Wings' unique asset: its "extreme portal website," which boasted high traffic and targeted "new white-collar workers" – a demographic with "money, idle time, and leadership strength," crucial for VIV's entry into the Chinese market, far more effective than relying on a celebrity product. When Mr. Qiu, the VIV representative, requested a 10% stake in Wings, An Ning, eager to seal the deal quickly, offered an astonishing 15%, leaving Mr. Qiu both surprised and delighted.
He promptly agreed to switch partners and sign with Wings. An Ning's subordinate then informed her that Shi Yue had booked a flight back for the next morning, returning with Nan Qiao. An Ning, deciding to wait for everyone to be present before making her final move, instructed her subordinate to inform VIV to sign the contract at 10:00 a. m. the following day. Xi Hao, witnessing these developments, felt powerless.
At Immediate Flight, Wen Di was busy planning the press conference for their partnership with VIV. She instructed Lao Qin to prepare a hundred drones to be given to reporters as a publicity stunt. Xiao Kui questioned this, but Lao Qin explained that after the VR drone testing with VIV the next day, a press conference would immediately announce their partnership, and the drones were for creating momentum.
Xiao An credited Shi Yue's "huge act" with the reality TV show for opening the doors to VIV. Lao Qin then made a veiled comment about "some people" who were once unhappy pilots, implying Chang Jianxiong. Xiao An concluded that compared to Shi Yue, Chang Jianxiong had "no chance anymore" and it was a "complete victory" for Shi Yue regarding Nan Qiao. Meanwhile, Chang Jianxiong sat alone in a meeting room. Wen Di approached him, offering him warm water.
Chang Jianxiong noted the hot weather but Wen Di retorted that she was "afraid that his heart would grow cold" upon hearing that "Shi Yue took Nan Qiao to have a honeymoon." Chang Jianxiong wryly remarked on her improved tone in delivering such news, while taking sips of the warm water, stating he was "just calming himself down" after she had made him angry. Shi Yue had taken Nan Qiao to a border post by the sea.
During their drive, Nan Qiao, half-asleep, playfully asked if she should be concerned about his "evil scheme," given the chaotic world. Shi Yue retorted, asking if she wasn't worried. Nan Qiao confidently assured him that her drone, along with countless cameras, had meticulously recorded their entire route. Shi Yue challenged her belief that there would still be cameras at their remote destination.
Upon arriving, Nan Qiao, still a bit sleepy, demonstrated her keen sense of direction by accurately describing the route back to the main road. Shi Yue teased her, asking if he had "deliberately gone astray" to let her "showcase her intelligence." Nan Qiao playfully countered that she liked watching his "silly look" and that he looked "so docile." As they stood overlooking the sea, Nan Qiao surmised that this was where he disappeared to previously.
Shi Yue confirmed she was "half right and half wrong." He revealed his long-held "hero's dream" of guarding the motherland's borders, a dream he almost achieved but was thwarted by a lack of luck. He confessed that he thought this unresolved regret would forever remain, but unexpectedly, it led him to Nan Qiao, which he considered his greatest fortune. Together, they watched the sunset over the sea, the sun's soft glow partially hidden by the clouds.
