Go Go Squid! Episode 18 Recap
> Go Go Squid! Recaps
While Tong Nian was working on her computer in the training room, 97 approached her, curious if she brought her computer. She explained that she had snuck out of school and had a lot of work to do. She then shared with 97 that she had met Han Shangyan at her aunt's internet cafe during an all-night session before New Year's Eve.
97, excited, pressed for more details about their first meeting and asked if it was love at first sight. Han Shangyan, overhearing their conversation, interrupted and sharply told 97 to get back to training, jokingly threatening him with early retirement if he continued to chat. A scared 97 quickly apologized and returned to his station. Tong Nian, feeling self-conscious about her hat and hair, considered going to the restroom to fix her appearance.
However, upon seeing Zhou Shan enter the room, Tong Nian quickly returned to Han Shangyan's side, clinging to him. She questioned why Zhou Shan was still there and if she would be present every day for meetings, competitions, and parties during what was supposed to be a closed training camp. Han Shangyan teased her, noting she seemed bothered by this after only four days of them being together.
Despite her annoyance, Tong Nian affirmed her full support for his work, and Wu Bai, sitting nearby, observed their exchange. Later, Han Shangyan found Tong Nian while she was immersed in her project work and asked her about her major. Tong Nian enthusiastically explained her artificial intelligence face identification system, used in criminal investigations.
She detailed how it helps police "find the needle in the haystack" by identifying offenders from decade-old cases, even if they had changed their identities or, in one instance, had become a monk. Her system had helped crack over a thousand cases. Han Shangyan was clearly impressed and proud of her achievements. Tong Nian, seeking praise and a "reward," asked him to demonstrate his cybersecurity skills by playing a match.
Han Shangyan agreed and took her to the training area, stepping in to play against 97. He effortlessly defeated 97, showcasing his superior skills and leaving the K&K team members astonished and filled with admiration. Tong Nian swelled with pride, convinced he would still be the best player if he hadn't retired. Later at dinner, Tong Nian waited for Han Shangyan to arrive before eating.
Despite being quite full from the extra dishes 97 had brought her at Han Shangyan's instruction, Han Shangyan insisted she eat more, ensuring she finished everything and didn't waste any food. After everyone had finished, he diligently collected the discarded meal boxes. The First Sanya Training Camp Individual Matches commenced, with Zhou Shan overseeing the draw for one-on-one elimination rounds between K&K and SP members.
Some K&K players expressed concerns about the fairness of internal elimination among strong teams, but Han Shangyan quickly dismissed their complaints, stating that K&K's philosophy recognized only winners and losers, not rankings. K&K was given the advantage to choose first. The matches proceeded, with Shen Zhe, Ou Qiang, Hua Ti, Following, and Wu Bai emerging as winners for their respective teams, though SP ultimately secured more overall victories.
After the competition, Tong Nian asked Han Shangyan about Wu Bai's exceptional skills, and he told her that Wu Bai had once been defeated by Solo before Solo's retirement. As the K&K players eagerly anticipated a break, Han Shangyan, noting their recent losses to SP, instructed the defeated K&K members to perform fifty push-ups on the spot as a form of "relaxation."
While they exercised, Tong Nian further impressed Han Shangyan by describing another of her projects: a medical diagnostic system that could identify "pulmonary nodules" in scans with greater accuracy than human experts, even finding ones that were originally missed. SP members Ou Qiang and Mi Shaofei observed Han Shangyan's demanding leadership, acknowledging it was the source of the team's respect for him.
That evening, with Tong Nian's flight scheduled for the following night, Han Shangyan inquired if she wanted to go out the next morning. She suggested he get some rest, as he had multiple work-related phone conferences, one at 10 p. m. and another at midnight. Seeing how late he would be working, she offered to wait for him, but he instead suggested she move her computer to his room so they could work together.
Tong Nian readily agreed, bringing her laptop to his room. She worked on her coding projects while Han Shangyan conducted his video conferences. At one point, she asked him why he always wore headphones while working, even when alone. He explained that the specific sounds he listened to helped him calm down and think deeply. While listening to these sounds, Tong Nian gradually drifted off to sleep on his sofa.
When Tong Nian awoke, Han Shangyan told her he had no plans to sleep and would be taking the K&K team for "self-training." Concerned about his continuous work, she insisted on joining them. On the bus ride to the training location, the exhausted K&K members leaned on each other, a testament to their grueling schedule. Tong Nian continued working on a small software she was developing. At the scenic mountain trail, Han Shangyan announced that the day's activity was "self-training."
Initially, 97 voiced the team's collective fatigue and frustration, arguing that constant training in a vacation spot was inhumane and that if you "stretch a rubber band too taut, it can break." Han Shangyan listened before reminding them of their field's dynamic nature and the harsh realities of competition.
He clarified that "self-training" was meant for them to relax and engage in activities they enjoyed, challenging 97 to remember his past enthusiasm for "making reinforcements," "catching loopholes," and using "log analysis to support the team." Realizing his true intention to let them relax, the team's mood brightened. 97 and Shen Zhe, full of renewed energy, enthusiastically ran off to play on a nearby suspension bridge, rocking it back and forth.
As Han Shangyan took a short nap, Tong Nian finished the game app she had stayed up two nights to create for him. She proudly presented the 52-card game, explaining its probabilistic mechanics. Han Shangyan was visibly touched by her effort and leaned in to kiss her. However, the intimate moment was abruptly interrupted by the loud shouts and vigorous swaying of the suspension bridge by 97 and Shen Zhe, much to Tong Nian's disappointment.
To escape the awkwardness, Tong Nian playfully led Han Shangyan to join the boys on the suspension bridge, which was locally known as the "lover's bridge" and was believed to grant eternal togetherness to couples who crossed it. She soon realized Han Shangyan had acrophobia as he nervously clung to the ropes. Teasing him, Tong Nian loudly declared his fear of heights to the surrounding mountains, asserting her affection for him despite his vulnerability.
Despite his discomfort, they shared a sweet and intimate moment on the swaying bridge. Later that afternoon, Han Shangyan drove Tong Nian to the airport for her flight. She initially asked for a new K&K team badge as a memento. Surprising her, Han Shangyan took off his own team uniform shirt and handed it to her, playfully telling her to "take it home and wash it." This gesture, implicitly suggesting she would cherish his scent, further deepened their bond.
As Tong Nian arrived back at her university dorm, her friend Yaya immediately confronted her, eager to hear about her Sanya trip and subtly probing about her intimacy with Han Shangyan. Tong Nian, blushing, assured her that she had her own room. She then passionately described her deep affection for Han Shangyan, admitting he was significantly older. She recounted their complicated on-again, off-again history, emphasizing that despite the confusion, she truly loved him.
Yaya, concerned, struggled to comprehend their chaotic relationship and jokingly imagined Han Shangyan as an idle "old dude" who just hangs out in internet cafes. Meanwhile, Zhou Shan attempted to approach Han Shangyan, who appeared to be feeling unwell. She offered him cold relief medicine and implied that dating a younger girlfriend like Tong Nian must be exhausting, suggesting that he needed someone who could properly care for him.
Han Shangyan sharply dismissed her attempts, clarifying that his current physical discomfort was due to him missing Tong Nian's departure. He then bluntly told Zhou Shan not to waste her time and energy on him, as her efforts were useless. Back at her dorm, Tong Nian was later seen engrossed in an advanced cybersecurity (CTF) tutorial.
Yaya questioned her sudden interest, but Tong Nian explained that she had always been fascinated by cybersecurity, having even recorded a theme song for the competition. Yaya, still skeptical, suggested she was only doing it to impress Han Shangyan. Tong Nian, however, proudly defended him, highlighting his exceptional talent in cybersecurity and his online reputation as a "Grand Master Level" expert, prompting Yaya to playfully accuse him of bragging.
