My Mr. Mermaid Episode 24 Recap
> My Mr. Mermaid Recap
At night, Lin Zi walked Yun Duo home. Yun Duo still felt regretful about a photo, while Lin Zi appeared troubled, harboring a secret. He had secretly taken the photo while cleaning, and it revealed Tang Yibai was the person who saved the drowning Yun Duo, confirming Yun Duo's suspicion that Tang Yibai was indeed her Mermaid Prince. These days, Yun Duo couldn't stop thinking about Tang Yibai.
The more she tried to avoid him, the more he appeared in her mind. Suddenly, Teacher Sun brought Yun Duo bad news: her planned exclusive interview with Tang Yibai might be canceled. Since Cheng Mei took over the project, video views had continuously dropped, and Tang Yibai in the videos appeared distant and unapproachable. Director Liu decided that if the next interview with Tang Yibai didn't see an increase in views, he would terminate the project.
Yun Duo worried about whether to tell Cheng Mei, but as she was no longer in the sports section, she felt it wasn't her place to interfere. Meanwhile, Qi Ruifeng and Xiang Yangyang were eating in the cafeteria. Qi Ruifeng told Yangyang that Tang Yibai had been acting strangely, secluding himself in his dorm and muttering things about liking Yun Duo but daring not to say it, and wanting to stay away from her.
Qi Ruifeng confirmed "her" referred to Yun Duo. He couldn't understand Tang Yibai's thoughts, stating that if he liked someone, he wouldn't stay away; he would tell them loudly and hold them close, unlike how he treated Yangyang. Yangyang, annoyed, left Qi Ruifeng alone. At the company, a colleague named Xiao Li approached Yun Duo with an urgent task: to interview a windsurfing athlete named Qiao Jing.
The interview location was the same lake where Yun Duo had almost drowned four years ago. Yun Duo initially hesitated, but decided to help since her current entertainment beat was less busy and she wanted to do her homework for the interview. Lin Zi accompanied her to the lake. Looking at the familiar water and unchanged surroundings, Yun Duo's memories of four years ago resurfaced.
She recounted how, at eighteen, she and her friends were by the lake when children's ball fell in. Wanting to help, she tried to retrieve it, but the lake was unexpectedly deep, and she quickly became submerged. The accident nearly claimed her life; she believed she wouldn't be alive if not for her Mermaid Prince. She remembered only a white shirt on her rescuer and wished she could meet him there to thank him.
Lin Zi, listening to her story, burned with jealousy. He knew Yun Duo's savior, her Mermaid Prince, was Tang Yibai, but driven by envy, he chose not to tell her, letting her search aimlessly. The wind by the lake was strong and chilling. Lin Zi offered his jacket to Yun Duo, but she waved it off. She then noticed Tang Yibai and his team a few meters away, observing them. They were there for a two-day training camp.
Tang Yibai's expression was grim, devoid of his usual smile. He seemed uncomfortable seeing Yun Duo and Lin Zi together, saying he wanted to walk alone. Qi Ruifeng cautioned him not to get lost, but Tang Yibai replied he was familiar with the area, having been there four years ago.
Yun Duo tried to follow Tang Yibai, intending to ask if he had saved a girl there, but Lin Zi, feeling guilty, quickly interrupted her, urging her to leave as their interview time was approaching. Yun Duo left, but her unanswered questions left her distracted. Lin Zi then confronted her, asking why she became so unfocused after seeing Tang Yibai, accusing her of projecting her fantasy of the Mermaid Prince onto him and finding an excuse to like him.
Yun Duo was left speechless. Meanwhile, Tang Yibai sat by the lake, watching Yun Duo intently as she conducted her filming from a raft. Suddenly, Yun Duo stumbled, falling from the raft into the water. Tang Yibai instinctively leaped from the shore, but Lin Zi, being closer, reached her first and pulled her out. Tang Yibai, drenched, climbed onto the bank, his heart growing cold as he watched Lin Zi carry Yun Duo away.
Yun Duo repeatedly thanked Lin Zi for saving her. Lin Zi, still fixated on Tang Yibai, impulsively told Yun Duo that he was the one who saved her four years ago, a blatant impersonation. Yun Duo repeatedly sought confirmation, struggling to believe him. Tang Yibai channeled all his frustration and sadness into his training, running furiously, determined to forget everything he had witnessed that day. Yun Duo happily told Cheng Mei that Lin Zi was her savior.
Cheng Mei’s concern intensified, as she had feelings for Lin Zi. She nervously asked Yun Duo if this would change her feelings towards him. Yun Duo reassured her that she understood the difference between gratitude and love. In the following days, Yun Duo treated Lin Zi differently, giving him gifts and making him drinks, eager to repay his kindness. Lin Zi was pleased, asking if she was "repaying gratitude."
Before she could answer, he cornered her against a wall, a teasing gesture that startled her. She quickly said she couldn’t repay him by marrying him. Lin Zi playfully responded that he wanted cash, not her hand in marriage, but added that he would be very happy if she genuinely fell for him. Suddenly, he received a call from Ouyang Heng, his face turning solemn. His sister's condition had worsened, and he immediately rushed to the hospital.
Later, Tang Yibai met Teacher Sun outside the swimming stadium. Teacher Sun revealed that Yun Duo was actually very reluctant to be transferred from the sports section and had even spoken to Director Liu about it. Hearing this brought Tang Yibai some comfort, realizing Yun Duo wasn't as heartless as he thought. Inside the stadium, coaches gathered all the team members to announce that the first Dream Cup point qualifiers were about to begin, urging them to train even harder.
Days later, Yun Duo saw Lin Zi outside the company. He looked distraught, his eyes red and swollen from crying. When Yun Duo expressed her concern, he couldn't hold back and embraced her tightly, sobbing loudly. Unaware of his troubles, Yun Duo, seeing him so heartbroken, couldn't bring herself to push him away. This scene was witnessed by Tang Yibai, who had specifically come to find Yun Duo. He left silently, without a word.
The Dream Cup's first point qualifiers began with the men's 100-meter freestyle. Tang Yibai was widely expected to win. However, at the start, Tang Yibai committed a false start and was disqualified from the race. Spectators and commentators expressed their disappointment at such a strong competitor making a "low-level mistake." His teammates and coaches were also puzzled by his uncharacteristic lapse.
After the race, reporters surrounded Tang Yibai, asking about his performance and how it would affect his future in the competition. Tang Yibai stated that he would learn from this lesson and dedicate all his energy to upcoming training and competitions, emphasizing that he would not let anything, including external opinions or even love, distract him before winning the Dream Cup.
Ouyang Heng then confronted him, pointing out his distraction during the race and challenging him to improve his state before their next encounter, so that people wouldn't misunderstand the caliber of opponent Ouyang Heng acknowledged. Meanwhile, back at the company, Teacher Sun and other colleagues discussed Yun Duo's intense work ethic in the entertainment department. She was consistently topping the performance charts, often being the first to arrive and the last to leave, even sleeping at the office.
While Teacher Sun understood her drive to prove herself after almost being fired, he worried about her health, noting she seemed different from before. Despite his earlier disqualification, Tang Yibai continued his rigorous training in the pool, pushing himself hard, seemingly trying to outrun his troubles.
