My Mr. Mermaid Episode 1 Recap
> My Mr. Mermaid Recap
The National Middle School Swimming Championship men's 100-meter freestyle final was underway, with 18-year-old Tang Yibai, the fastest record-holder, as the favorite. Cheered on by enthusiastic fans, Tang Yibai confidently stepped onto the starting block. As the race began, he dove into the pool, swimming gracefully and leading in lane four to secure first place. His victory was met with jubilation, and he embraced his coach and friends.
However, the celebration was cut short when officials approached them, gravely announcing that Tang Yibai had tested positive for banned substances, leaving him stunned. Tang Yibai awoke in his dormitory, gasping for air, the vivid memory of being helplessly escorted away from the pool still haunting him. He rose and left the room. It was the day of the South Physical Education College's swimming trials, and also Qing Kong Network intern reporter Yun Duo's very first assignment.
In the bright campus morning, Yun Duo sat on the steps, diligently rehearsing her interview questions for Qi Ruifeng, introducing herself as a reporter and stumbling over her words as she tried to phrase questions about threats or future stars. Tang Yibai, out for a run by the lake, noticed Yun Duo's peculiar practice, finding himself captivated by her. As the competition neared, Yun Duo realized her supervising editor, Teacher Sun, hadn't arrived.
A phone call revealed Teacher Sun had mistakenly gone to the side entrance, while Yun Duo was waiting at the front. After a quick dash to meet Teacher Sun, who initially tried to trick Yun Duo but then praised her punctuality and professionalism, they entered the packed swimming stadium. The venue was filled with Qi Ruifeng's fans and a throng of reporters, all there for Qi Ruifeng.
Yun Duo knew Qi Ruifeng was the captain of the South Physical swim team and had won a gold medal in the 1500-meter freestyle at the previous Dream Cup, making him highly newsworthy. Teacher Sun emphasized Qi Ruifeng's significant media presence and news value compared to the trials themselves. Today marked Tang Yibai's return to competition after a four-year hiatus.
His coach, Coach Wu, meticulously went over his pre-race preparations, showing her nervousness and concern, while Tang Yibai tried to reassure her. Qi Ruifeng, Tang Yibai's good friend, also arrived, jokingly commenting on the large crowd that made the trials feel like a concert but proudly asserting his presence was vital for Tang Yibai's comeback.
Teacher Sun handed Yun Duo a new camera, calling it a reporter's lifeline and urging her to protect it at all costs, then advised her to push her way through the crowded reporters. As the reporters swarmed Qi Ruifeng with questions, Yun Duo, clutching her camera, was pushed by the jostling crowd and tumbled into the swimming pool. Witnessing this, Tang Yibai immediately dove in, cutting through the water to rescue her.
In the school infirmary, Yun Duo slowly regained consciousness, still disturbed by a recurring dream from when she was eighteen, of sinking silently into deep water until a "mermaid prince" appeared to guide her back to the light. She saw Tang Yibai standing by the window, his profile striking as he held a book. Noticing she was awake, he explained that he had rescued her from the pool.
Yun Duo, distressed, discovered her camera was broken and worried that his heroic act might cause him to miss his competition. Tang Yibai reassured her that the race had been postponed due to the chaos and her fall, so he would not be disqualified. He then handed her his swimming goggles, offering them as an amulet to protect her.
Yun Duo felt she should give him a gift in return as he was her first interviewee, but realizing her bag was with Teacher Sun, she could only offer him a single tea egg she had brought for herself. Tang Yibai accepted the tea egg, their eyes briefly met, creating a subtle, awkward moment. As he turned to leave, Yun Duo called out to him, cheering him on and receiving his promise to win and await her interview.
From the audience stands, Yun Duo watched as Tang Yibai prepared for his race. Qi Ruifeng, who had followed Tang Yibai to the poolside, joked about risking Head Coach Yuan's wrath to support him and reminded Tang Yibai of their old agreement to wait at the finish line. Tang Yibai, in turn, promised not to be late this time, acknowledging the four years he had made Qi Ruifeng wait.
As Tang Yibai dove in, Yun Duo eagerly followed his every powerful stroke, her eyes fixed on him as he glided through the water. When he finally touched the wall, securing his victory, a sweet smile spread across her face. After the race, many reporters, including Teacher Sun, waited to interview Qi Ruifeng, only to find he had left without notice. Yun Duo, while walking out of the stadium, found herself with an inexplicable sense of familiarity towards Tang Yibai.
Her camera was completely ruined, which she tearfully confessed to Teacher Sun, offering to pay for the damages. Teacher Sun, understanding the financial strain on an intern, generously promised to find a way for the company to cover the costs. She then tasked Yun Duo with securing an exclusive interview with Qi Ruifeng, stressing the importance of this opportunity for Yun Duo to prove herself and become a formal reporter.
Yun Duo resolved to fulfill this assignment as a form of atonement. While searching for Qi Ruifeng, Yun Duo pulled out the swimming goggles Tang Yibai had given her, examining them carefully. She then began to playfully act out an imaginary swim competition on the pathway, completely immersed in her role. Qi Ruifeng, Tang Yibai, and Ming Tian, who were returning from the gym, were startled to see her. Realizing she had been observed, Yun Duo was mortified.
Qi Ruifeng, finding her amusing, approached her and, much to her annoyance, signed his name on Tang Yibai's goggles, which Yun Duo had been admiring. Recognizing the goggles, Qi Ruifeng quickly deduced Yun Duo was the girl who had given Tang Yibai a tea egg, and he began calling her "Tea Egg Sister," which he then shortened to "Egg Sister." Yun Duo was mortified and angry that her sincere gesture had been turned into a joke.
Infuriated, Yun Duo turned to leave, but Tang Yibai hurried to catch up with her. To cheer her up, he revealed Qi Ruifeng's secret, embarrassing nickname: "QQ." Yun Duo, delighted by this "kittenish and mischievous" name for a man of his size, seized the opportunity. She threatened to publish this information as a news headline unless Qi Ruifeng agreed to her exclusive interview. To protect his reputation, Qi Ruifeng reluctantly conceded.
However, as Yun Duo prepared to conduct the interview, Head Coach Yuan called Qi Ruifeng away, forcing him to leave. Yun Duo then asked Tang Yibai why he had given her the goggles. Tang Yibai explicitly denied that it was "love at first sight," explaining that he gave them to her simply because she was the first person to interview him in years, leaving Yun Duo feeling a slight pang of disappointment.
Later, Qi Ruifeng, Tang Yibai, and Ming Tian returned to the school to train in the gym. Their session was interrupted when Xiang Yangyang led the female swim team into the gym, asserting their claim to the space. Despite past conflicts over gym usage, Qi Ruifeng, adhering to his belief that "good men don't fight with women," decided to yield the gym to Xiang Yangyang and her team. Upon returning home, Yun Duo set about repairing her water-damaged camera.
Fortunately, the data on the camera remained intact. As she reviewed the photos from the day, she found herself captivated by Tang Yibai, sparking a deep curiosity about him. She immediately went online to research him, discovering that he had achieved significant success in swimming three years prior, but then all reports about him abruptly ceased. This blank period in his career intensified her desire to understand his story.
Yun Duo approached Teacher Sun, proposing an interview with Tang Yibai, but her suggestion was met with immediate opposition. Teacher Sun argued that Tang Yibai was an unknown, merely a participant in a minor school trial, and thus held no significant news value. She reminded Yun Duo of her vulnerable position as an intern, emphasizing that to secure a permanent position, she needed to find exclusive news.
Teacher Sun then listed the four most newsworthy figures in the swimming world: Sovereign of the North Ouyang Heng, the three-time Dream Cup 100-meter freestyle champion; Madman of the South Qi Ruifeng, whom Yun Duo had met earlier; Ding Jianliang of the East; and Hottie of the West Lin Haoyang. However, in Yun Duo's eyes, Tang Yibai "was" the exclusive story.
She shared the information she had uncovered about his past achievements and the mysterious three-year gap, but Teacher Sun remained unconvinced and advised her against pursuing an interview with him. Meanwhile, Chairman Wang met with Lin Zi, the older brother of South Physical Education College's swim team doctor, Lin Sang. Lin Zi was a highly intelligent corporate executive who, three years ago, had restructured Chairman Wang's company's accounts, saving it from a severe debt crisis.
Hearing that Lin Zi was preparing to re-enter the professional world after a three-year absence, Chairman Wang eagerly extended an invitation for him to join his company. Lin Zi, however, politely declined the offer, stating that he already had specific plans and a clear direction for his future.
