Go Go Squid! Episode 16 Recap
> Go Go Squid! Recaps
Wang Hao, Ou Qiang, and Mi Shaofei celebrating Mi Shaofei's birthday with Sichuan hotpot. Ou Qiang still refers to Wang Hao as "Team Captain," and Mi Shaofei muses that the most romantic thing he can imagine is still calling him "Team Captain" even when they are old. A courier delivers a birthday gift from Han Shangyan, prompting Ou Qiang to jokingly ask about a gift from Appledog. Wang Hao dismisses the idea of discussing Appledog.
They reminisce about their naive past, when they first left their hometowns for Beijing and then Shanghai, determined to make a name for themselves. Mi Shaofei recalls seeing Ou Qiang waiting by a flowerbed at the train station, initially touched, only to later realize Ou Qiang had no money for a ticket, much to Ou Qiang's playful annoyance. Wang Hao explains he did not invite Appledog because he wanted a men's gathering and to discuss serious matters.
He asks how they told their families about coming to Shanghai. Ou Qiang's mother is accustomed to his ventures, believing he simply changed locations to "play with computers." Mi Shaofei, however, had argued with his mother, refusing to stay in their small shop, driven by a champion's dream similar to Han Shangyan's. Wang Hao then addresses the elephant in the room: Mi Shaofei's poor performance in the recent Norway individual competition.
He acknowledges the unfairness of older players competing against younger ones, but states that if Mi Shaofei's ranking does not improve, he will be transferred out of Team One. Wang Hao also mentions that while the club's increased attention to Cybersecurity brings more resources and better facilities, it also means greater pressure. He encourages them to "push yourself again, Brother. Live up to the effort you've put in." Mi Shaofei understands.
Later, as they enjoy a cake sent by Han Shangyan, Mi Shaofei reads a message from Han Shangyan: "I'm waiting for you to return to the world's stage. Happy birthday. From, Han Shangyan," which deeply moves him. Meanwhile, back at the K&K Esports Club, 97 approaches Han Shangyan, noticing his boss might be in a bad mood.
97 explains that he joined K&K because of Han Shangyan's profound influence on his generation, unlike Wu Bai who joined for Appledog, or Shen Zhe who admires Wang Hao. Han Shangyan challenges 97's claim of idolatry, pointing out 97 has never ranked first, but reminds him that Han Shangyan himself was always MVP before retirement. He clarifies that he has high expectations for 97, not wanting to hurt him.
97 expresses gratitude, stating Han Shangyan helped him find direction and purpose in Cybersecurity. Sensing Han Shangyan's loneliness on Mi Shaofei's birthday, 97 suggests he call his old friend. Han Shangyan, though initially telling 97 to "scram and go sleep," later sends a concise WeChat message to Mi Shaofei. 97 reassures Han Shangyan that he still has his team, declaring their loyalty: "Never abandoning in life or death!"
Later, in Sanya, the SP Team and K&K Team arrive at the Atlantis Hotel for their training camp. Zhou Shan, a beautiful chief editor of a Cybersecurity magazine who reported extensively on Team Solo in its early days and has harbored a long-standing infatuation with Han Shangyan, awaits their arrival. She greets Wang Hao, apologizing for the typhoon-related flight delay, and he introduces her, acknowledging her significant role in Team Solo's early fame.
Ou Qiang jokes that Zhou Shan is Han Shangyan's "old fan" who took such handsome pictures of him that Ou Qiang felt jealous, to which Wang Hao retorts that Ou Qiang simply is not as handsome. Upon seeing Han Shangyan alight from the car, Zhou Shan immediately takes out her phone to secretly photograph him. Han Shangyan confronts her about her old habit, but she insists he looks more handsome when photographed secretly.
As the teams check in, Zhou Shan attempts to engage Han Shangyan in conversation, even inquiring about his girlfriend. He curtly dismisses her, instructing her to get to the point and contact his manager for any official matters, as her long title as brand marketing director and project manager is irrelevant to him. She gives him a new business card and mentions rumors of him dating, having heard a colleague saw him in Guangzhou.
Han Shangyan reiterates that she should consult his manager. Zhou Shan reveals she has prepared a "special" room for him. Meanwhile, Appledog, Ou Qiang, and Mi Shaofei explore the hotel. Ou Qiang expresses frustration that Han Shangyan receives all the fan attention. Mi Shaofei jokingly advises him to be "arrogant enough" to gain popularity.
Ou Qiang then comically imitates Han Shangyan's signature arrogant demeanor: head tilted, brow furrowed, eating candy, and a pinkie sticking out, to the amusement of his friends, who joke he needs to be taller. During a meeting to discuss the schedule, Director Xiang presents contracts to Han Shangyan and Wang Hao. Han Shangyan immediately criticizes the proposed itinerary, which includes numerous leisure activities like bonfire parties, fearing they would distract the young players from intensive training.
Zhou Shan defends the schedule, emphasizing the activities are optional and that players need breaks. Wang Hao supports Han Shangyan, agreeing that too many leisure activities could lead to loss of focus before the upcoming group stage. Director Xiang concedes, agreeing to remove some activities. He then announces his return to Shanghai, appointing Zhou Shan as the new person-in-charge.
Zhou Shan hands Han Shangyan and Wang Hao contracts, requesting that they and their teams complete the entire training camp without leaving midway, as they are prominent figures in the national Cybersecurity scene. Wang Hao assures her of their commitment. Zhou Shan then expresses her hope that they will train well, relax, and avoid arguments, to which Han Shangyan firmly states he knows his purpose for being there.
From a distance, Ou Qiang observes Wang Hao staring at another team's manager, teasing him about it and suggesting he wear sunglasses to "look secretly," before Wang Hao tells him to go train. Later that night, Tong Nian, having waited until the designated time, sends Han Shangyan a message reminding him it is break time.
Upon learning he has finished his work, she suggests a video call, thinking it would be more convenient than typing, and quickly changes into a pink outfit. Han Shangyan agrees. As he adjusts his webcam, Tong Nian, accepting the call, is taken aback to see him in a loose bathrobe, revealing his bare chest. She instinctively covers her eyes, then peeks through her fingers.
Once connected, Han Shangyan explains his throat is sore from meetings and mutes his microphone to watch competition videos, telling her she can do whatever she wants without being disturbed. Suddenly, Zhou Shan, also in a white bathrobe and holding two stuffed animal dolls, bursts into Han Shangyan's room, excitedly running to the large underwater window visible on his video call.
Despite Han Shangyan's repeated attempts to make her stop, she insists on discussing serious matters concerning Mi Shaofei, offering to use her media influence to "find a solution" for his poor ranking in the Norway Competition, preventing his demotion to Team Two. Han Shangyan is furious. He reminds her he is the K&K Chinese spokesperson and strongly condemns the idea of "backstage plotting," stating it would negatively impact other professional players and insult the fair and sacred profession of Cybersecurity.
Zhou Shan argues that Mi Shaofei is older, nearing retirement, and demotion would crush his dream of playing in the finals. Tong Nian, witnessing this unfold on video, tries to call Han Shangyan, but he does not answer. Extremely frustrated by Zhou Shan's persistence and worried about Tong Nian's potential misunderstanding, Han Shangyan wraps Zhou Shan in a blanket, turning her into a "silkworm-like cocoon," and places her outside his Poseidon underwater suite.
Moments later, Shen Zhe, Demo, and 97 arrive and discover the wrapped Zhou Shan. They jokingly speculate about her unusual presence outside "Boss's door" and the "days when their feelings as a couple cannot be cultivated." Zhou Shan begs them to untie her, but Han Shangyan, spotting them, commands them inside his luxurious room. He finds that Tong Nian has already ended their video call.
Angered by the whole incident and fearing it might extinguish their nascent romance, Han Shangyan instructs Demo to book a flight for Tong Nian to Sanya and an additional room at the hotel, wanting her to come for the weekend. The boys tease him about missing Tong Nian. Demo quickly books a Seaview Ambassador Suite using an app. Han Shangyan then consults Shen Zhe, who is more experienced in relationships, asking how to give a girl a "sense of security."
Despite Tong Nian's initial upset after their video call ended abruptly, her anger subsides when she receives a flight confirmation for Sanya. Han Shangyan calls, inviting her to "come over and play for a few days. Think of it as a vacation." When she directly asks about "that girl earlier," Han Shangyan dismisses her as "a maniac," and Tong Nian agrees to go.
He assures her he has booked two separate rooms, though she asserts she is not worried about sleeping arrangements. Her roommate Yaya, initially suspicious about Tong Nian giving out her ID number and expressing concern about Tong Nian's "taste" in men, advises her to bring Kotex with her for the trip. Upon arriving at Sanya Phoenix International Airport, Tong Nian calls Han Shangyan, who tells her to wait in the lobby. She decides to wait inside.
When Han Shangyan emerges with his team, Tong Nian is about to rush to him but stops as she spots Zhou Shan "clinging" to him, who is enthusiastically preparing a lobster feast for the teams. Han Shangyan quickly notices Tong Nian and walks over, asking if she waited long. She says no. He then escorts her to her room, a luxurious Seaview Ambassador Suite. As they walk past an impressive fish tank, he notices her untied shoelace.
He kneels down to tie it, gently reminding her to "be careful while walking" to avoid tripping. Inside her room, Tong Nian expresses amazement at the hotel's size and her fear of getting lost due to her poor sense of direction. Han Shangyan then asks for her phone's system account and password.
She provides an account combining her pinyin name and her own birthday ("Tong Nian" + "0320"), and a password that starts with his birthday ("0214") followed by hers ("0320"). He explains that he wants to enable mutual location tracking for her safety, not to monitor her, especially since she came to Sanya alone. He also reveals he has activated his own location for her to find him, a trick he learned from Shen Zhe.
He advises her to rest after her long flight and enjoy the hotel's many entertainment facilities tomorrow. The next morning, Han Shangyan gives Tong Nian a work pass, telling her he has a meeting and she can explore the hotel on her own, reminding her to "be careful!" Shen Zhe, 97, and Demo spot her and joke that Han Shangyan brought his "family member" to the training camp, greeting her as "Sister-in-Law."
Later, Appledog sees Tong Nian and invites her for coffee. While chatting, Tong Nian shows Appledog her work pass, which has no position listed. Appledog warns her that she will not be allowed to roam freely without a position, playfully suggesting Tong Nian should write "Family Member" on it and tell Han Shangyan that if he does not, she will not accompany him next time. Over coffee, Appledog discovers that Tong Nian and Han Shangyan have a ten-year age gap.
She realizes Tong Nian could not have been his fan when he became famous at 21, as Tong Nian would have only been eleven. Tong Nian confirms she knew nothing about Cybersecurity at the time but became his "hardcore fan" after meeting him. Appledog mentions that they always thought Han Shangyan would end up with another "ace" in the field, noting his immense popularity throughout the years.
She explains his nickname "10,000 People Cutter," referring to how he "cut off all the admiring gazes" from his many fans, including Zhou Shan. Tong Nian asks if he truly has so many admirers, and Appledog confirms, "Of course. Who is he? Gun God."
