My Mr. Mermaid Episode 27 Recap
> My Mr. Mermaid Recap
Yun Duo decided to resign from her job, but just then, Director Xu Haoze called, informing her he had found the electronic version of a photo he took four years ago at Lake Cui, which he had printed out and could now send to her. Yun Duo was overjoyed, yet upon seeing the picture, she froze. The young man holding her white shirt in the photo was unmistakably Tang Yibai.
She quickly hailed a taxi to the Dream Cup competition, repeatedly looking at the photo with a calm joy, as if she had long known this fact. All she wanted was to see Tang Yibai immediately. Meanwhile, at the Dream Cup team relay race, the atmosphere was electric with cheerleaders from North Physical and South Physical roaring for their teams. Qi Ruifeng thrived in such an environment, his enthusiastic shouts boosting his teammates' morale.
The race began with Zheng Lingye as South Physical's first swimmer. He swam at a moderate pace, finishing third, while North Physical's swimmer took a significant lead. Ming Tian took the second leg; despite his youth, his strength was formidable, and he quickly brought South Physical up to second place. Qi Ruifeng, known as the "Madman of the South," took the third leg. Though usually playful and impulsive, in the pool, he transformed into a focused, incredibly fast swimmer.
He overtook North Physical's swimmer, putting South Physical in the lead. The final and most anticipated leg featured Tang Yibai and Ouyang Heng. As Tang Yibai dove in, he initially kept pace with Ouyang Heng. However, after the turn, Ouyang Heng pulled ahead. Tang Yibai's vision blurred, the crowd and his opponent disappearing, replaced by Yun Duo at the finish line, cheering for him.
Just as he had promised, he wouldn't lose as long as Yun Duo watched him, so he couldn't lose this time. In the final meters, Tang Yibai furiously closed the gap, touching the wall barely ahead of Ouyang Heng. At the same time, Yun Duo, rushing to the venue, couldn't enter to watch Tang Yibai's race. She stood outside, glued to the large screen, cheering for him.
It seemed Tang Yibai sensed her presence, as he suddenly gained an extra burst of energy, accelerating to overtake Ouyang Heng. After Tang Yibai's victory, the stadium erupted in cheers. Tang Yibai's teammates celebrated wildly, but he did not join them. Instead, he climbed out of the pool and swiftly exited the venue. No one knew where he was going. He urgently called Yun Duo, asking for her location, stating he needed to see her right away.
Yun Duo was just outside the swimming stadium. When Tang Yibai saw her, time seemed to stop, and they were the only two people in the world. Tang Yibai walked steadily towards Yun Duo, gently pulled her into an embrace, and kissed her without warning. He told her he liked her now and would continue to like her, wanting her by his side regardless of his future circumstances, because she was his dream and he couldn't live without her.
Yun Duo's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at him, her gaze conveying unspoken emotions. Tang Yibai held her tightly once more, as if she were a precious treasure, and kissed her again. This time, Yun Duo was not surprised or flustered; she wrapped her arms around him, returning his passionate kiss. She knew he was the one she wanted and wouldn't let him go.
She was willing to stay by his side, watching every competition and his every improvement, because that was her dream too. Yun Duo, however, still worried she might become a distraction or an obstacle for Tang Yibai. Tang Yibai reassured her that his previous words about her being a distraction were spoken in anger due to Qi Ruifeng's badgering. While the false start "was" caused by her, he clarified that it was "not" the reason he distanced himself.
He explained he had distanced himself because he mistakenly believed she was with Lin Zi after seeing them hug. Yun Duo quickly clarified it was a misunderstanding, as she was only comforting Lin Zi, and that Tang Yibai was the only one she had ever liked. Tang Yibai was overjoyed. Yun Duo still expressed concern about her uncertain future, given her current job situation.
Tang Yibai comforted her, promising he would never leave her, no matter what the future held, just as she had supported him through his difficult times. This simple promise moved Yun Duo more than any grand declaration, and she embraced him tightly, unwilling to let go of her happiness. Back inside the swimming hall, chaos reigned as coaches frantically searched for Tang Yibai to prepare for the next race. Just then, Tang Yibai returned with Yun Duo.
Qi Ruifeng, observing the reunited couple, smiled with the satisfaction of a supportive elder. The Dream Cup 100-meter freestyle race, the true face-off between Tang Yibai and Ouyang Heng, then began. Tang Yibai stood by the pool with a confident smile, a stark contrast to Ouyang Heng's somber expression. The race started, and Tang Yibai performed exceptionally, quickly surpassing Ouyang Heng. After a fierce back-and-forth, both swimmers touched the wall almost simultaneously in the final moments.
After the judges' review, Ouyang Heng was declared the winner by a mere 0. 01 seconds. Tang Yibai and his teammates were visibly disappointed. Ouyang Heng, pleased with Tang Yibai's frustration, leisurely asked if he knew why he lost.
Tang Yibai remained silent, so Ouyang Heng answered his own question, explaining that the motivations driving them were fundamentally different: Tang Yibai swam for the smile on Yun Duo's face, while Ouyang Heng swam for Little One's tears, referring to Lin Sang, the comatose girl whose tears fueled his determination. He had won for her this time but wondered if Lin Sang, if awake, would be happy or angry, knowing her heart only belonged to Tang Yibai.
Tang Yibai left the pool in silence. Outside the stadium, he saw Yun Duo and felt remorseful for not fulfilling his promise to win. Yun Duo, however, reassured him that he had done remarkably well. Tang Yibai confessed again, telling her he loved her smile, her words, and everything about her. Though not one for flowery words, his simple confession deeply touched Yun Duo's heart, and with overflowing joy, she suggested they become a couple.
At that moment, the two lovers finally opened their hearts, embracing tightly, with Tang Yibai lifting Yun Duo and spinning her around in joyful laughter, much to the envy of onlookers. Yun Duo then proposed a condition: they should keep their relationship a secret until Tang Yibai wins the Dream Cup to avoid distracting him or affecting how others perceive him.
Tang Yibai reluctantly agreed to the public display of affection ban, but playfully pressed her on when he could openly hold her hand, to which she replied he'd have to win the Dream Cup first. They sealed this agreement with a pinky promise. Their conversation then shifted to a past event. Yun Duo asked Tang Yibai if he had visited Lake Cui four years ago. He confirmed he had, explaining he was there to clear his head after his suspension.
Yun Duo then asked if he had saved a girl from drowning. Tang Yibai, surprised, confirmed he had but didn't remember the girl's appearance as he was only focused on saving her. Yun Duo revealed that she was that girl, expressing her long-held gratitude and her search for her "Mermaid Prince," never expecting it to be him. After a playful "good friend's goodbye kiss," they parted ways.
Later, Yun Duo confronted Lin Zi, asking why he had pretended to be her "Mermaid Prince." Lin Zi admitted he had lied, fearing that if Yun Duo knew Tang Yibai was her savior, she would care for him even more, something he wanted to prevent.
Yun Duo then informed him she was resigning, and despite Lin Zi's attempts to dissuade her, suggesting she didn't need to ruin her career for him, she clarified that her decision was to pursue her career as a reporter, not to avoid him. Meanwhile, Ouyang Heng visited Lin Sang in the hospital, telling his comatose sister that he had competed with Tang Yibai and won, urging her to wake up and see him compete.
Later, Tang Yibai confronted Lin Zi about Yun Duo's resignation, accusing him of manipulating the situation. Tang Yibai revealed he knew Lin Zi was the one who deleted the files and blamed Yun Duo, and that he had confirmed with Director Liu that Yun Duo was never meant to be punished. Tang Yibai sternly warned Lin Zi that if he didn't make Yun Duo reconsider her resignation, he would take action to expose Lin Zi's malicious deeds.
Lin Zi denied the accusations, calling them baseless guesses, but Tang Yibai asserted his determination to protect Yun Duo, even from her closest friends. Shortly after, Yun Duo met with Director Liu to submit her resignation. Director Liu, however, refused to accept it, stating that an investigation had confirmed she was not responsible for the deleted files. He acknowledged her recent hard work and improved performance, expressing his confidence in her ability to become an official reporter.
Overjoyed, Yun Duo shared the good news with Teacher Sun, who was equally delighted. Yun Duo then inquired about Cheng Mei, only to learn that Cheng Mei had resigned. That evening, Tang Yibai and Yun Duo had their first phone call as a couple. Tang Yibai, sensing Yun Duo's quiet mood, asked if she was upset. He then explained that the main difference between friends and a couple was that a couple could do many things friends couldn't.
He clarified that as his girlfriend, she had the exclusive right to "whine" to him whenever and wherever she pleased, assuring her she shouldn't hesitate to express her feelings. Yun Duo promised she would, then affectionately told him it was great to have him and even better to be with him. Separately, Qi Ruifeng and his teammates were gathered when one teammate commented on Qi Ruifeng seemingly spacing out while looking at Fan Jie'er, the school beauty.
Qi Ruifeng denied looking at her, claiming he was lost in thought. He then engaged in a comical debate with his teammates about whether a "normal" man would prefer Fan Jie'er over Xiang Yangyang, implying anyone with a slight preference for Xiang Yangyang was "abnormal." Yun Duo, having overheard their conversation, interjected, asking if that meant anyone who liked her was "sick and weird," catching them off guard before their coach called for assembly.
