Pegasus Episode 17 Recap
> Pegasus Recap
Lin Zhendong and the team gathered on the rooftop to celebrate his championship win. Sun Yuqiang arrived with Ye Gong, mentioning that Zhang Chi's leg was healing well and he was able to return. Sun Yuqiang told Li Xiaohe not to be angry, but she insisted she wasn't, citing Zhendong's win as reason enough for a good mood. The celebration continued with everyone congratulating Zhendong.
Ye Gong presented Zhendong with his official contract and registration form for the upcoming CCRC season, confirming his place in the team. Sun Yuqiang declared his intention to be Zhang Chi's co-driver, believing their combination was the strongest, and pledged his loyalty as long as Zhang Chi continued to race. Zhang Chi arrived, stating he was particularly happy about Zhendong's win as it proved the effectiveness of the driving style "he" had taught.
He insisted they watch the race replay together to share the joy and demonstrate his techniques through Zhendong's performance. Despite Ye Gong and Ji Xing urging him to eat first, Zhang Chi was insistent. Sun Yuqiang tried to distract Zhang Chi by asking about a past rescue incident, but Zhang Chi took Sun Yuqiang with him to watch the replay.
As they watched, commentary highlighted Zhendong's change in strategy – no longer drifting, but taking precise lines and achieving fast exit speeds with a "completely new driving style." Zhang Chi initially commented, "Very talented. Congratulations. Great job. Not bad." but then abruptly announced he felt unwell and needed to return to the retirement home early, leaving the celebration. After Zhang Chi left, Hong Kuo spoke with Lin Zhendong, suggesting that Zhang Chi was bitter because someone else had outperformed him.
Zhendong wondered if they could be teammates in the future, but Hong Kuo explained that Zhang Chi had always been the team's sole driver and viewed others as rivals, indicating they would need time to adapt to each other. Hong Kuo felt Zhang Chi was jealous, but Zhendong disagreed, feeling indebted to Zhang Chi for providing the car, the techniques, and the team support. He believed "he" was the one who owed Zhang Chi.
Hong Kuo advised Zhendong against always thinking too kindly of others before leaving. Zhendong then asked his uncle if his mother had watched his race. Lin Zhendong returned home and was met by his mother, who asked why he had come back from the Ningzhou race empty-handed and where his trophy was. He explained it would arrive the next day.
His mother told him that if he intended to pursue racing professionally, he would need to live off prize money and sponsorships, not relying on family finances. Weiyi showed Zhendong various offers he had received, including an invitation to a Mustang Club track day, a cover shoot for Rally Fan Magazine, and a test drive for a new Volkswagen Tiguan with a customized suspension.
Weiyi commented on how quickly Zhendong had progressed, reaching CCRC in just three months, and suggested he was already stronger than Zhang Chi. Just then, Zhang Chi appeared. Mr. Xiao also arrived, confirming that Zhendong's performance had appeased the shareholders and the team was financially stable. Mr. Xiao presented a check (implied to be 300,000 yuan from the text overlay), much to Ye Gong's delight. Mr. Xiao praised Zhendong's talent and appearance, predicting he would boost the club's profile.
Zhang Chi interjected, stating that he was still the main force of the Speeding team. Mr. Xiao agreed, but also acknowledged Zhendong's contributions and revenue generation. Zhang Chi offered to accompany Ye Gong to express gratitude to Mr. Xiao. Ye Gong affirmed that both drivers were valuable.
Ye Gong informed Lin Zhendong that Taipu'er Tires, a major brand that had previously sponsored Zhang Chi, wanted him as their new spokesperson and wished to meet him directly to sign the contract, offering a substantial fee. Zhendong agreed to the meeting. At the sponsor's office, Zhendong discovered that Li Aoduo and Ai Fei were also there for the same endorsement opportunity. Mr. Lu from Taipu'er explained that he admired all three but only needed one spokesperson.
He proposed they compete in a race on a prepared track with no rules, where the winner would be the first to physically touch the contract at the finish line. He announced that media would be present to live stream the event. Lin Zhendong immediately refused, stating he could not participate in such a race and would forgo the endorsement, apologizing to Ye Gong (who was also present). Ai Fei also expressed her disapproval and left.
Li Aoduo condemned Mr. Lu's disrespect for the drivers, calling him "trashy" and threatening physical retribution if he saw him again, before departing. The three drivers met outside, sharing a laugh about Mr. Lu's eccentric behavior. Li Aoduo admitted he wanted a rematch after their previous race. They decided to compete informally and found a place to play a racing video game. During the game, Mr. Lu sent a text message to apologize and propose continued cooperation.
While Lin Zhendong and Ai Fei were distracted reading the message, Li Aoduo seized the opportunity to finish the race and win, declaring it his skill and adherence to athletic standards, despite Ai Fei calling it cheating. They then playfully decided to target Zhendong as the "softer target" for a mock pillow fight. While Lin Zhendong was engaged in physical training, his demeanor suddenly shifted, indicating Zhang Chi's personality had taken over.
He immediately asked Hong Kuo if he had won. Hong Kuo confirmed Zhendong's championship win and qualification for the CCRC regular season, adding that his leg should be healed in time. Hong Kuo showed Zhang Chi (in Zhendong's body) a video message that Zhendong had recorded earlier. In the video, Zhendong thanked the unknown presence (Zhang Chi's personality) for entering his life, explaining that he felt he was finally living a life of his own, free from control.
He expressed gratitude for this "magical connection" and felt he was becoming more like a true racer, aiming for championships and even potentially surpassing the original Zhang Chi, who he dismissively suggested would have to risk his life to beat him. Zhang Chi (in Zhendong's body) watched the video intently, processing Zhendong's words. Later, Zhang Chi (now seemingly in his own body, based on subsequent events) approached Li Xiaohe to apologize.
Xiaohe responded with sarcasm, questioning if he had his own life and finding his apology boring. She criticized him for hurting others with his mood swings and for not telling anyone when his leg healed, though she feigned indifference. Zhang Chi followed her, still trying to apologize. He commented that she looked like she was about to fight, which reminded him that her senior used to bully her. Xiaohe was surprised and asked how he knew this.
Zhang Chi quickly claimed he had just guessed and hurried away, saying he needed to find someone. Meanwhile, the doctor informed someone (implied to be Xiting or others concerned) that the original Zhang Chi's condition was serious; he risked becoming vegetative if he didn't wake up within seven days. They were advised to talk to him often to help him find his way back from his unconscious state.
Back at the team, Zhang Chi (in Zhendong's body again, based on the upcoming conversation) spoke with Xiting, asking for advice on reconciling with Xiaohe, describing her as stubborn. Xiting took Xiaohe's side, saying Zhang Chi needed to apologize for keeping his leg recovery a secret, which had hurt her.
Zhang Chi recounted stories from his childhood with Xiaohe, including her giving him his first watch – a limited edition Tintin watch she bought by saving her breakfast money, which he treasured despite not having seen the cartoon at the time, secretly catching up on it later. He also recalled giving her his first gift, a musical greeting card, when she was scared alone at night as a child.
He mused on how sweet their relationship was then compared to their current distance. In the hospital in the future timeline, the comatose Zhang Chi's heart rate spiked as future Li Xiaohe spoke to him, urging him to wake up and giving him one last chance. Zhang Chi's eyes fluttered open, and he regained consciousness, asking where he was and if Xiaohe had brought him back.
Ye Gong gathered Zhang Chi (now in his own body again) and Lin Zhendong (in his own body). He delivered good news: Zhang Chi would be moving back, and Zhendong would be staying. To avoid the two sharing the same dorm, Ye Gong announced that thanks to the team's improved finances, they would each receive a 70,000 yuan housing subsidy to rent their own place.
Zhang Chi was thrilled, expressing relief about privacy and his need for things to be in order. He quickly packed his belongings, planning to find a large apartment. On his way out, he encountered Ji Xing working on a suspension kit. Ji Xing mentioned they needed 60 to 70 thousand yuan, specifically 70,000, for Zhendong's car.
Zhang Chi joked that Ji Xing and Ye Gong were conspiring against him but decided to give his entire subsidy to Ji Xing instead of renting a place, saying he'd remain a "big mouse" in the dorm. Soon after, Lin Zhendong also returned to the dorm with his luggage, having also given his 70,000 yuan subsidy to Ji Xing for the car, commenting on Zhang Chi's similar action. Li Xiaohe visited her grandfather in the nursing home.
Her grandfather mistook her for Zhang Chi's classmate and spoke about his wealthy grandson, Zhang Chi, who wore a suit and had returned from 2027 to change his destiny, buying him gifts. Xiaohe showed him a photo of Lin Zhendong. Her grandfather confirmed it was the man who bought him gifts, but stressed that his own grandson did not wear glasses. This caused Xiaohe to realize that the man who didn't wear glasses was the skillful racer Lin Zhendong.
She connected this to his seemingly predictive abilities in races and his knowledge of intimate details from her childhood with Zhang Chi. She suspected that Lin Zhendong's other personality was the future Zhang Chi. Rushing back to the team headquarters, she sought out Officer Shen and Hong Kuo, and asked Xiting to summon the other personality of Lin Zhendong. When Zhang Chi's personality emerged in Zhendong's body, Xiaohe confronted him directly, demanding to know his true identity.
