My Mr. Mermaid Episode 28 Recap
> My Mr. Mermaid Recap
After accepting Tang Yibai's heartfelt confession, Yun Duo and Tang Yibai embraced warmly. Yun Duo then asked Tang Yibai to keep their relationship a secret from everyone else for the time being. She explained that his previous photo, showing him carrying her, had caused a significant stir, and she worried that news of their dating would lead to even greater distractions and potentially jeopardize his upcoming competitions.
Tang Yibai reluctantly agreed to the condition, though he grumbled that it would mean no public displays of affection. He held her hand, complaining about when he could openly do so. Yun Duo quickly pulled her hand away, playfully telling him she would only consider it after he won the Dream Cup. Tang Yibai, though frustrated by the restriction, eventually conceded, but warned her that once he won, he would hold her hand twenty-four hours a day.
Yun Duo smiled shyly in response. Yun Duo then remembered the photo from four years ago and asked Tang Yibai if he had rescued a girl from Lake Cui. He confirmed it. Though excited, Yun Duo didn't reveal that she was that girl, instead claiming it was merely an interview subject. As it was time for Tang Yibai to return to training, they bid a reluctant farewell.
Just as he was about to leave, Yun Duo called him back and, as he leaned in, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. She playfully called it a "friend's goodbye." Tang Yibai, amused, mimicked her, pulling her close and kissing her cheek, calling it a "good friend's goodbye" too. Yun Duo playfully chased him before watching him leave.
Walking away, Yun Duo happily looked at the photo of Tang Yibai holding her four years ago on her phone, realizing he was the "Mermaid Prince" she had been searching for. A sudden doubt crept in: if Tang Yibai was her Mermaid Prince, why had Lin Zi impersonated him? She decided to confront Lin Zi for an explanation. Meanwhile, Lin Zi was at the hospital, caring for his comatose sister, Lin Sang.
Ouyang Heng arrived with flowers to visit Lin Sang, affectionately calling her "Little One." Sitting by her bedside, he quietly informed her that he had defeated Tang Yibai, though he knew she wouldn't believe he had beaten her beloved Tang Yibai. He called out her name, urging her to wake up. Yun Duo found Lin Zi and showed him the photo, demanding to know what happened.
Lin Zi directly admitted that he had deceived her because he didn't want her to like Tang Yibai. Surprisingly, Yun Duo wasn't angry. She calmly told him it didn't matter anymore, as they wouldn't be seeing each other again anyway, because she was going to resign from her job. Lin Zi was astonished by her decision but quickly sensed the underlying reason, watching her resolute departure with a flicker of panic in his eyes.
Later, Yun Duo returned home, and Tang Yibai immediately video-called her. He earnestly told her that boyfriends and girlfriends could do many things that ordinary friends couldn't. Yun Duo was startled, thinking he was moving too fast. Tang Yibai chuckled, clarifying that it was a privilege for her as his girlfriend to complain to him whenever and wherever she wanted. Yun Duo smiled, spontaneously saying, "It's so good to have you."
Tang Yibai felt both proud and touched, and they gazed at each other for a long time. Lin Zi then confronted Cheng Mei, demanding to know if Yun Duo's resignation was related to her. A flustered Cheng Mei tried to deflect, but Lin Zi impatiently revealed that he had witnessed her deleting Yun Duo's files. He had kept quiet about it then to spare Yun Duo's feelings, but now he was certain her resignation was connected to Cheng Mei's actions.
He warned Cheng Mei that if she dared to harm Yun Duo again, he would show her no mercy. At the same time, Yun Duo submitted her resignation letter to Director Liu. However, Director Liu instructed her to retract it, explaining that the truth behind the deleted files had been uncovered, confirming her innocence, thus nullifying the need for her resignation. Overjoyed, Yun Duo eagerly sought out Teacher Sun and Cheng Mei to share the good news.
She found only Teacher Sun, who informed her that Cheng Mei had already resigned. Cheng Mei had gone to Director Liu's office that morning to confess to deleting Yun Duo's files. Yun Duo couldn't believe Cheng Mei would do such a thing, or if she did, it must have been under duress. She rushed outside, finding Cheng Mei about to move her belongings. Yun Duo pressed for answers.
Cheng Mei, agitated by Yun Duo's persistence, declared her hatred for Yun Duo and her desire to remove her from her life. She couldn't bear losing to Yun Duo, especially since there was only one permanent reporter position left, and Director Liu had chosen Yun Duo.
More importantly, Cheng Mei confessed her affection for Lin Zi and her anger that Yun Duo, despite knowing this, had gotten so close to him, making it impossible for Lin Zi to let go of her. Yun Duo struggled to accept these harsh truths. As she walked home, she reflected on her cherished memories with Cheng Mei—their college days as inseparable friends, sharing meals and rooms. Overwhelmed by emotion, she burst into tears.
Meanwhile, Cheng Mei, holding her luggage, also grew increasingly heartbroken, lamenting how their once-close friendship had deteriorated to such a state. When Yun Duo arrived home dejectedly, she was surprised to find Tang Yibai there. He explained he had returned home for final exam preparations, seeking peace away from Qi Ruifeng's noise. Tang Yibai's mother, witnessing the subtle affection between Yun Duo and her son, was visibly delighted.
To avoid suspicion, Yun Duo quickly pulled Tang Yibai outside under the pretense of an interview. On their way, Yun Duo asked Tang Yibai if they could keep their relationship a secret from his parents for a while. Tang Yibai was initially hesitant, but then, considering his mother's unpredictable reactions—fearing she might even propose on the spot—he agreed. Yun Duo then confided in him about her painful confrontation with Cheng Mei.
Yun Duo recounted their college days, describing how Cheng Mei had been her first friend away from home, helping her adapt and making the city feel like a family. She spoke of their shared dream of becoming reporters, expressing her deep pain over Cheng Mei's confessed hatred. Tang Yibai empathized, sharing his own past feelings of bewilderment when Ouyang Heng, once his closest brother, came to despise him.
He spoke of Ouyang Heng's hatred and his own refusal to avoid him, believing that avoidance would mean forever losing the chance for reconciliation. Tang Yibai explained that while physical and emotional wounds could heal with time, regrets lingered. He urged Yun Duo not to let regrets define her, encouraging her to try and salvage her friendship with Cheng Mei.
The next morning, Tang Yibai's parents deliberately left the house for a "date," making it clear they were leaving Yun Duo and Tang Yibai alone, with a playful hint to "exercise self-control" in their "pure affection." Tang Yibai felt awkward, expressing his internal frustration about his mother's meddling. As they tried to navigate their first breakfast alone, a delivery arrived, which turned out to be Qi Ruifeng.
Qi Ruifeng, along with some teammates, burst in, immediately teasing Yun Duo and Tang Yibai about living together. Yun Duo vehemently denied cohabiting, explaining that Tang Yibai's mother was her landlady. Unfazed, Qi Ruifeng quipped that they were simply "practicing" for marriage and kept calling Yun Duo "sister-in-law." To deter Qi Ruifeng's relentless teasing, Tang Yibai admitted that while they weren't officially dating yet, he was actively courting Yun Duo.
Yun Duo pulled Tang Yibai aside, questioning why he had revealed his intentions. Tang Yibai explained that Qi Ruifeng, like his mother, enjoyed seeing him suffer, so playing along with Qi Ruifeng's script would eventually make him lose interest. Later that evening, the team went out for dinner, joined by Fang Jie'er. During the meal, a restaurant promotion offered a free dish of meat to couples who took a kissing photo.
This caused an awkward moment for Tang Yibai and Yun Duo, with Tang Yibai clarifying they weren't officially a couple yet, though he hoped they would be in the future. Meanwhile, Xiang Yangyang observed Fang Jie'er's gentle demeanor and her willingness to help Qi Ruifeng, feeling a pang of jealousy. She followed Qi Ruifeng to the restroom, trying to calm her racing emotions and convince herself that his romantic life was none of her business.
When she confronted him directly, asking if he liked Fang Jie'er, Qi Ruifeng, after a moment of hesitation, admitted that he did. He then brazenly asked Xiang Yangyang to help him pursue Fang Jie'er. Despite her internal turmoil, Xiang Yangyang feigned nonchalance and agreed to help him. As the team prepared to leave, Tang Yibai suggested to Yun Duo that they go sightseeing. Yun Duo, however, reminded him of his upcoming exams and urged him to get some rest.
On their way home, Tang Yibai playfully took Yun Duo's hand, claiming he was just "warming her hand" in the cooling weather, subtly hiding their intertwined fingers to avoid being seen. Yun Duo couldn't help but smile. Just before entering the house, Yun Duo saw Cheng Mei one last time, but despite her brief hesitation, Cheng Mei indicated there was nothing left to say and left.
