My Mr. Mermaid Episode 13 Recap
> My Mr. Mermaid Recap
As their car broke down on the way to interview Sun Yang, Lin Zi calmly called for rescue, then began pushing the car to a safe spot, telling Yun Duo to stay inside. Observing his effort in the rearview mirror, Yun Duo, despite finding him usually unreliable, felt grateful for his help in this critical moment. She stepped out to assist him, but Lin Zi insisted she stay in the car.
After a brief disagreement, they agreed to rest and wait for the rescue vehicle. Yun Duo offered Lin Zi a tissue to wipe his sweat, and he instinctively held her hand, wishing time could stop at that moment. His intense gaze made Yun Duo uncomfortable, so she quickly withdrew her hand, playfully remarking that he was crazy and she had no desire to be stuck there. Just then, the rescue vehicle arrived, easing the tense atmosphere.
Despite their all-night effort, they ultimately failed to secure an interview with Sun Yang. The Dream Cup regional elimination rounds were approaching, generating significant buzz. To select the best athletes, the organizers planned to advance the top four from each region to the second round's points-based competition. Each elimination round would span two days: the first featuring the 4x100m medley relay, and the second including the 1500m freestyle, 100m freestyle, and 100m butterfly.
South Physical Education College and North Physical were the strongest teams, deliberately placed in separate divisions, meaning Tang Yibai would not encounter his old rival Ouyang Heng in these early rounds. The most anticipated event was the 100m freestyle on the second day, pitting South Physical’s Tang Yibai against Minghua College's Ding Liangjian, known as "Beast of the East," whose performance in the previous Dream Cup was second only to Ouyang Heng. Earlier, the team dynamics had been fraught.
Chen Ziqiang announced his departure from the swimming team. A frustrated Qi Ruifeng confronted him, questioning why he was giving up. Chen Ziqiang explained his profound sense of inadequacy despite his efforts, feeling he could never match the talent of Qi Ruifeng and Tang Yibai, and he was tired of always seeing others swim ahead of him.
Head Coach Yuan arrived and revealed that Chen Ziqiang's father had died in a car accident three months prior, a devastating blow that had impacted Chen Ziqiang deeply. She emphasized that Chen Ziqiang was right: swimming is a cruel sport, and only the winners have the right to stay. Coach Wu worried this would put too much pressure on Tang Yibai, but Coach Yuan believed Tang Yibai was different; his strength lay in transforming pressure into motivation.
She trusted him to not be broken by it. Due to Chen Ziqiang’s withdrawal, South Physical was short a butterfly swimmer for the team medley. A selection race was held between Tang Yibai and Qi Ruifeng, as they were the most prominent candidates. Tang Yibai ultimately won, securing his spot in the butterfly event. Upon learning that Tang Yibai was also competing in the 4x100m butterfly, Yun Duo immediately called Qi Ruifeng to inquire.
Qi Ruifeng, still upset about losing the butterfly selection race to Tang Yibai, was in a childish mood and refused to let Tang Yibai use his phone. Yun Duo, however, wished Tang Yibai good luck, expressing confidence he would achieve great results. Tang Yibai thanked her, stating he would not disappoint her.
Meanwhile, Cheng Mei, growing suspicious of Lin Zi after overhearing a conversation about a board meeting and a proposal that seemed beyond an assistant’s scope, secretly asked a friend in HR to investigate him. Her friend discovered Lin Zi's personnel files were encrypted, a security measure typically reserved for senior management, which deepened Cheng Mei's suspicions about his true identity. The next day, as Qi Ruifeng was out for a run, he spotted Xiang Yangyang alone by the lake.
Attempting a casual encounter to apologize for his earlier hurtful remarks about her appearance, he found she was still deeply upset. She had returned the dress she bought because his words had made her feel unfeminine. Qi Ruifeng was filled with remorse, wishing he could take back what he had said, but Xiang Yangyang remained distant, leaving him distraught. The highly anticipated Dream Cup finally commenced. The South Physical team, led by their coaches, marched into the arena with determination.
The enthusiastic cheerleading squads erupted, with one side supporting Qi Ruifeng and the other backing Ding Liangjian. Qi Ruifeng's parents were also present, complete with professional drummers, to boost the morale of their son and the team. During the pre-race interviews, reporters swarmed the athletes. Ding Liangjian, Tang Yibai's opponent, deliberately brought up Tang Yibai's four-year suspension, causing a noticeable shift in the mood of those present.
Concerned for Tang Yibai, Yun Duo called him aside and showed him supportive online posts. Tang Yibai was overjoyed by her care, affectionately ruffled her hair, and assured her that with her by his side, cheering him on, he would never lose. The 4x100m medley relay began. In the first leg, the backstroke, South Physical’s Zheng Lingye, in lane four, initially fell behind Minghua College. Disaster struck when Lingye's leg cramped, but he bravely pushed through, refusing to stop.
South Physical dropped to fourth place. For the second leg, the breaststroke, Ming Tian dove in and furiously closed the gap, nearly catching third place. Then came the third leg, the butterfly, with Tang Yibai. His entry ignited cheers from the crowd. Though it was Tang Yibai's debut in a butterfly race, his speed was astonishing, quickly propelling South Physical to second place. The final leg, the freestyle, saw Qi Ruifeng execute a flawless dive, electrifying the entire venue.
The race entered its most intense phase. Despite Qi Ruifeng's valiant efforts, the initial deficit from the first leg proved too much to overcome. South Physical finished in second place, trailing by a mere 0. 07 seconds. The team was dejected by this first loss, with Lingye feeling particularly guilty. His teammates offered comfort, and Qi Ruifeng's parents arrived with hotpot, further boosting team morale. Later, as Yun Duo walked home alone, she pondered South Physical's loss.
She hesitated about calling Tang Yibai when her phone rang; it was the sports store informing her that her swimming goggles were repaired. She promptly went to retrieve them. Meanwhile, Cheng Mei continued her discreet surveillance of Lin Zi, trailing him to a luxurious building. She observed him entering the third floor, a level known for its mysterious nature, being neither apartments nor event halls. This heightened Cheng Mei's suspicion about Lin Zi's activities.
Concurrently, Qi Ruifeng paced alone outside his dorm, thinking of how Xiang Yangyang used to bring him food before every competition, but this time she hadn't appeared. Just as he was about to leave, disappointed, his young fan, Fan Jie'er, specifically came to cheer him on. This scene was unfortunately witnessed by Xiang Yangyang, who had just arrived with dinner for him.
