Pegasus Episode 22 Recap
> Pegasus Recap
At an investment promotion reception, Zhendong's mother publicly announced that the Master Racing Team and Zhendong Group had jointly developed a racing base project and that her son, Zhendong, would be joining the Master Racing Team. Zhendong immediately interrupted, stating there must be a misunderstanding and that he remained a racer for the Speeding Racing Team. He added that if he intended to transfer teams, he would inform everyone beforehand.
Later, Zhendong confronted his mother, asking why he wasn't aware of this decision. His mother argued that the Speeding Racing Team was excluding him, and she had realized that what he truly wanted was to race. She insisted that joining the Master Racing Team was the best path for him, as it was the most professional and capable team, and everything she did was to pave the way for him.
Zhendong rejected this, saying he wouldn't join Master even if Speeding was excluding him. Zhendong's mother called for Wei Qianli to speak with Zhendong. Wei Qianli arrived and told Zhendong that he had offered him a spot in the Master Racing Team before, and his offer still stood. He presented a contract detailing an eight-year scientific training plan aimed at making Zhendong the core of the team.
Wei Qianli added that he wouldn't be driving for much longer and would transfer all of Master's resources to Zhendong when he was ready to lead the team. Zhendong commented on the plan, calling it scientific and effective, a "bright and certain future," unlike Speeding's "folk ways." He then directly questioned Wei Qianli, asking if he had instructed Hong Kuo to tamper with Zhang Chi's car.
Zhendong pointed out that Hong Kuo, having been in racing for less than six months, lacked the expertise for such a method and that someone had seen Hong Kuo enter the Master Club before the race. He suggested it was Wei Qianli's plan to harm Zhang Chi and create conflict within Speeding, accusing him of going to great lengths to stop Zhang Chi. Wei Qianli denied it, calling Zhendong imaginative.
Zhendong then referenced the contract, noting it had been offered to Zhang Chi before his major race, and questioned who Wei Qianli was trying to influence this time, perhaps Yu Tai'ang. Saying he had torn the contract once before, he tore it again, declaring Master's corporate culture awful. Visibly angry, Zhendong left the reception. Hong Kuo followed him, arguing that Master was their best choice and that Speeding had never truly accepted them.
Zhendong became furious, calling Hong Kuo's actions a betrayal of friends by joining the enemy. He said Master was Speeding's enemy, not Hong Kuo's, and that Speeding wasn't their real friend, criticizing Zhang Chi's selfishness and how the team revolved around him while not sincerely accepting them. Zhendong accused Hong Kuo of following Wei Qianli's instructions to tamper with Zhang Chi's car and conspiring with his mother to push him to Master.
He viewed this as a betrayal of teammates, friends, the team, everyone who trusted him, and even the spirit of sportsmanship. Hong Kuo retorted that Zhendong was blinded by emotions, contrasting his current state with his past rationality and self-discipline. He questioned how Zhendong could defend Speeding so wholeheartedly and whether their decade-long friendship meant less than people Zhendong had only known for half a year.
Zhendong asked if Hong Kuo's actions were "all for me," stating he had trusted his only friend would have a reason for what he did regarding Zhang Chi. Now, Hong Kuo was helping Wei Qianli cheat and pushing him towards Master, making Zhendong feel Hong Kuo understood him less than Zhang Chi did.
Hong Kuo reminded Zhendong of their promise to win championships when he became Zhendong's co-driver, asking if Zhendong only valued results and had no gratitude towards Speeding, which helped them in their difficult times. He also asked if Zhendong had no gratitude towards him, who had given up everything to chase Zhendong's dream.
Hong Kuo expressed his frustration, feeling he was just part of Zhendong's act, and that his "perfect plan" was easily ruined by Yu Tai'ang's car and a phone call. Declaring he had had enough, he stated he would not follow Zhendong's plan anymore and would join Master, while Zhendong could go to his "unprofessional team." Zhendong acknowledged Hong Kuo's long-held grievances, apologized for being selfish, admitting he had asked Hong Kuo to change his life path for Zhendong's dream.
He accepted that racing was his dream and shouldn't necessarily be Hong Kuo's. They agreed to part ways. Hong Kuo returned to the reception and asked Wei Qianli if he could sign with Master alone, which Wei Qianli accepted. Wei Qianli commented that Hong Kuo had previously told him Zhendong was his best friend but felt he couldn't openly show it.
Later, Zhendong confided in someone, reflecting on how difficult his journey had been, feeling he had lost many people, including his only friend, his mother, and his uncle, and wondering if racing was a lonely sport like it was for Yu Tai'ang in the past. The person comforted him, suggesting that true friends and family support you regardless of the path, and only those who leave easily are merely temporary companions.
Zhendong decided not to return home and checked into a hotel, only to find his bank card frozen. He called Li Aoduo and Ai Fei for help. Li Aoduo initially joked about Zhendong coming to Master, then quickly said it was better he didn't, as it would mean competing for resources and budget. Li Aoduo offered Zhendong his room since he was staying at the team dorm for training, joking about the awkwardness before sincerely offering his place.
Zhendong's genuine thanks surprised them. At Li Aoduo's apartment, Zhendong offered to clean the house in exchange for rent, mentioning he was broke. Li Aoduo accepted, playfully referring to Zhendong as his "janitor," but warned him to be discreet about staying there to avoid trouble with his team. Zhendong acknowledged the pressure Li Aoduo was under and thanked him.
Left alone in the apartment, Zhendong recalled his mother's harsh words, insisting he must join Master unconditionally if he wanted to race, threatening that he might lose her financial support and Yu Tai'ang's car if he didn't. Living away from his mother, Zhendong focused on physical training and studying race materials. Li Aoduo commented on how difficult his situation was, with limited ways to train.
Zhendong met with Mr. Lu, a sponsor, who asked about Zhendong joining Master, noting the commercial value of his recent situation. Mr. Lu expressed hesitation about continuing to sponsor Speeding, citing Zhendong's departure and Zhang Chi's previous retirement, while Master was stable and other teams were gaining support. He felt Speeding was now diminished. Mr. Lu highlighted Zhendong's own value as Yu Tai'ang's son and heir to Zhendong Group, saying these identities held significant promotional potential.
Zhendong replied that those aspects were irrelevant to his identity as a Speeding racer, and if the purpose of sponsorship was solely to exploit his fame, their principles were incompatible. Mr. Lu offered to work with him if he signed with a new team but stated he would still consider Zhendong a friend regardless.
Hong Kuo found Zhendong while he was out running, saying he knew he would be there and came to help him, implying he wanted to persuade him. Zhendong anticipated this and stated that Hong Kuo was there to convince him to join Master. Hong Kuo acknowledged that Zhendong likely wouldn't change his mind but insisted that training at Master was different and highly professional, mentioning specialized trainers for co-drivers and customized cars.
He expressed satisfaction with his new team and suggested they could have gone together. Zhendong acknowledged Hong Kuo's happiness and said he was glad for him, expressing gratitude for their decade-long friendship and Hong Kuo's support in chasing his dream. He understood Hong Kuo needed to consider his future and didn't fault him but stated their paths now diverged. Hong Kuo pressed for a reason why Zhendong refused Master, which he felt was the best choice for him.
Zhendong explained his refusal was because he viewed Master as an enemy, feeling angry and uncomfortable because Wei Qianli had taken people important to him twice: first Yu Tai'ang when Zhendong was young, and now Hong Kuo. He reiterated he would not join Master. Hong Kuo accepted this, telling Zhendong to take care, as they would be opponents when they met again.
Meanwhile, Yu Tai'ang asked someone if Zhendong had returned to Speeding, expressing concern about the upcoming fourth race and if there was still time to help him. He reflected that winning was a racer's pride and if Zhendong dropped in ranking because of his situation, there was nothing to complain about, framing his past help with the car as a father's concern. Zhendong was shown looking at a childhood go-kart racing trophy.
He recalled winning a go-kart race as a child and excitedly telling his father, Yu Tai'ang, that he was the champion, while Yu Tai'ang looked on with pride. Zhang Chi was shown in a dorm room, looking thoughtfully at an empty bed. Later, Zhendong was having hot pot with Li Aoduo and Ai Fei. They discussed Zhendong's inability to practice driving, noting his situation only allowed for physical training and studying materials.
Li Aoduo mentioned that Master's old simulators were being moved to a warehouse, and the racers had to lift them themselves. Zhendong remarked on how luxurious it was for the team to warehouse such expensive equipment. Li Aoduo then suggested that if someone were to "borrow" an unused simulator, the team might not notice immediately. Ai Fei enthusiastically agreed, and they spontaneously decided to retrieve one from the warehouse.
They dressed in dark clothes and masks for a comical sneaking mission, with Li Aoduo wearing a full bodysuit and boasting about his "museum thief" outfit, much to Ai Fei's and Zhendong's amusement, especially comparing Master's warehouse to a "junkyard." They successfully retrieved a racing simulator. Back at the apartment, they set up the simulator. Zhendong found it contained track maps and data for various CCRC circuits, including Shagouling.
He started a practice run, and a "Polar817" ghost car, representing the track record holder, appeared as an overlay for him to chase. Ai Fei pulled up the account information, and Zhendong recognized "Polar817" as Yu Tai'ang's car. Li Aoduo questioned the "817," and Zhendong revealed it was his birthday. Ai Fei confirmed the training data for Shagouling was from August 2002 to March 2003, the period Yu Tai'ang won his first CCRC championship.
They realized they had found a valuable "treasure" – Yu Tai'ang's training log from his prime. They discussed sharing the data to try and beat Yu Tai'ang, jokingly calling themselves the "Three Knights of Rookie Competition." Zhendong, determined to win the championship, said he would form a team when he achieved that goal and decided to return to training immediately, asking Ai Fei for a ride. They agreed to meet on the track. Zhendong began practicing on the simulator, chasing the Polar817 ghost car.
