My Mr. Mermaid Episode 18 Recap
> My Mr. Mermaid Recap
Coach Fei informed Yun Duo that if Tang Yibai accepted the invitation to join the Asia Elite Training Team, he would be sent to an intensive training center in America for at least eighteen months. Hearing this, Yun Duo's initial excitement quickly dissipated. Shortly after, Coach Wu met with Tang Yibai, asking if he truly intended to join the Asia Elite Training Team. Tang Yibai admitted he hadn't decided yet.
Coach Wu expressed his full support for Tang Yibai to go with Coach Fei, acknowledging that Coach Fei had impressively managed to improve Tang Yibai's swimming time by almost a second and a half simply by using a song, a feat for which Coach Wu humbly admitted defeat. Yun Duo later approached Tang Yibai, telling him that Head Coach Yuan had approved her request for a personal interview with him, though it came with conditions.
Tang Yibai, appearing thoughtful, asked Yun Duo for her advice on whether he should join the Asia Elite Training Team. Yun Duo, instead, asked him to share his own thoughts. Tang Yibai confessed the dilemma he faced: as a swimmer, joining the elite team meant stepping directly onto the world stage and moving closer to his dream.
However, he found it difficult to leave behind the coaches and teammates who had supported him throughout his journey at his current school, which he considered his starting point. He also mentioned that joining the team meant training abroad for over a year, and he couldn't bear to leave Coach Wu, Head Coach Yuan, or his best friends. He paused, looking at Yun Duo, as if there was more he wanted to say but couldn't.
Sensing his unspoken words, Yun Duo gently completed his thought, suggesting he also couldn't leave Auntie Lu, Uncle Tang, and Erbai. Tang Yibai then placed his hands on Yun Duo's shoulders, looking at her earnestly, and asked directly if she wished for him to abandon everything here and join the training team, or to stay and fulfill their promises to each other.
Yun Duo responded that if joining the Asia Elite Training Team would bring him closer to his dream of becoming the fastest swimmer in the world, then he should go. She assured him that no matter his final decision, she would fully support him. Hearing her words, Tang Yibai smiled contentedly. Tang Yibai later provided Yun Duo with a DV camera containing videos of his high school training for the interview. That night, Yun Duo watched the footage.
The video showed Tang Yibai, Qi Ruifeng, and Ouyang Heng sitting closely together, playfully asking the girl filming, whom they called "Little One," to film them more. The camera then focused solely on Tang Yibai, with Little One asking if he ever felt tired or bored from his daily training. Tang Yibai responded that such training was nothing compared to achieving his dreams.
When asked about his dream, he reiterated his long-held ambition to become the fastest swimmer in the world. The following morning, Yun Duo arrived early for the personal interview, finding Tang Yibai after his run. She told him to ignore her and continue his routine, as she would simply film from a distance. Throughout the day's filming, Yun Duo gained a profound understanding of the arduous and dedicated life of a swimmer.
She observed the repetitive and seemingly monotonous nature of his training, yet was deeply moved by how Tang Yibai gave his utmost effort in every single action, realizing that for athletes like him, competition extended beyond the pool, encompassing every painful minute, every drop of sweat, and every determined growl during training, which served as a constant promise to their dreams. She expressed her belief that he could indeed become the fastest swimmer in the world.
As the interview concluded, Yun Duo asked Tang Yibai a few final questions, particularly if, at 22 years old, he ever considered doing anything besides swimming. Tang Yibai replied that he had no time to waste on other pursuits.
He emphasized the limited valuable time available to swimmers, citing Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen's early national and Olympic successes as examples, and stated that to achieve his goal of being the fastest, he could not afford to put his thoughts into anything else. After the interview, Tang Yibai gave Yun Duo a box of eye drops, explaining that Qi Ruifeng said they were good for eyes constantly focused on a computer screen.
As Yun Duo stood to leave, she stumbled, nearly falling and sending her shoe flying. Tang Yibai quickly caught her, but she still twisted her ankle. Outside the hotel, seeing Yun Duo limping, Tang Yibai, without hesitation, offered to carry her on his back. Despite Yun Duo's surprise and initial reluctance, given his public profile and their relationship, she eventually acquiesced. Yun Duo felt shy, keeping her head down, while Tang Yibai was secretly overjoyed by the closeness.
Unbeknownst to them, Lin Zi witnessed the entire scene. Back home, Yun Duo was processing Tang Yibai's interview footage. Tang's mom watched, initially happy to see her son, but then grew pained seeing his strenuous training. She worried that he was overworking himself for swimming and questioned how he could be happy leading such a tiring life. Yun Duo encouraged her to watch the video more closely, insisting that Tang Yibai was truly happiest when wholeheartedly pursuing his dream.
She invited Tang's mom to attend Tang Yibai's next competition. Tang's mom, despite her desire to go, declined, fearing she couldn't bear to see him fail and even calling herself his "jinx." She then went to her study and opened a box containing Tang Yibai's photos and articles about his career, looking through them with visible love and pride. The next day at the company, Cheng Mei confidently declared her intention to interview Ouyang Heng.
Lin Zi overheard and promptly offered to accompany her to North Physical for the interview. On their way, Cheng Mei questioned why Lin Zi was helping her. Lin Zi stated it was to repay her for keeping his true identity a secret, though he also admitted his ultimate reason was still Yun Duo.
He further revealed that he wanted to make a deal and help Cheng Mei pass her internship, as Yun Duo's greatest wish was for both of them to become official reporters. Lin Zi eventually found Ouyang Heng on the rooftop. Ouyang Heng, recognizing Lin Zi, asked how he knew where to find him.
Lin Zi explained that "Xiao Sang" had told him, recalling how she once proudly said that Ouyang Heng could always be found at the highest point near a competition venue whenever he disappeared before a match. This conversation triggered a flashback for Ouyang Heng, revealing his past affection for "Little One" (Lin Sang), who, however, only harbored feelings for Tang Yibai.
Lin Zi then asked for an interview, but Ouyang Heng flatly refused, stating he never accepts interviews for fame, not even for Lin Zi. Lin Zi then used "Xiao Sang" as leverage, explaining he would meticulously describe every detail of Tang Yibai's competitions to her, knowing that Xiao Sang's focus was solely on Tang Yibai. Lin Zi then stated his belief that it was unfair and not worth it for Xiao Sang to be ignored and forgotten by Tang Yibai.
Because of Lin Sang, Ouyang Heng ultimately agreed to the interview. Upon his arrival at QKVideo, Ouyang Heng spotted Yun Duo in the crowd. He paused, looking at her meaningfully, and remarked that it was no wonder Tang Yibai was so interested in her, as she resembled his friend "Little One" in certain aspects. Intrigued, Yun Duo asked who "Little One" was. The Dream Cup 100-meter freestyle point qualifiers commenced, with Ouyang Heng being the most anticipated contender.
True to form, he delivered an exceptional performance. During the race, images of "Little One"—a small, beautiful girl tying a red scarf around his neck before shyly running away—flashed through his mind. Ouyang Heng not only secured first place but also broke Tang Yibai's previous record. To the surprise of Tang Yibai and his teammates, Ouyang Heng then accepted an interview with QKVideo. In the interview, he declared his intention to continuously break Tang Yibai's records.
He then looked directly into the camera and addressed "Little One Lin Sang," telling her that even if the person she cared for most had forgotten her, there was still someone in the world who swam only for her. At this point, Yun Duo's suspicion about the constantly mentioned "Little One" peaked, and she directly asked who she was. Tang Yibai, uncharacteristically, left without answering.
Even Qi Ruifeng's expression changed, and he quickly excused himself under the pretense of needing to train. Back at the company, Liu Zong stopped Cheng Mei and Yun Duo, stating that netizens were very interested in Ouyang Heng and Tang Yibai's past grievances and entanglements, and expressed his hope that Cheng Mei would investigate this matter during her special interview.
