My Mr. Mermaid Episode 29 Recap
> My Mr. Mermaid Recap
Yun Duo tearfully confided in Tang Yibai about her strained friendship with Cheng Mei. She expressed her profound sadness over the situation, lamenting that despite their close bond in college—where Cheng Mei had been like family, helping her adapt to city life, sharing meals, and shopping—things had now changed irrevocably. Tang Yibai embraced her, understanding her pain, and shared his own similar experience with Ouyang Heng and Qi Ruifeng, once the best of friends, now seemingly estranged.
He noted that Ouyang Heng's dislike for him had deepened into genuine hatred. Yun Duo, surprised by this revelation, asked if he would now try to avoid Ouyang Heng. Tang Yibai firmly stated he wouldn't, holding onto hope for reconciliation. He then took Yun Duo's hand, encouraging her to try and salvage her friendship with Cheng Mei, a suggestion Yun Duo accepted with a firm squeeze of his hand. The next morning, Yun Duo woke to an empty house.
Tang Yibai's mother had left a note, informing them that she and Tang Yibai's father were out on a date and had even taken Erbai with them, leaving Yun Duo and Tang Yibai to enjoy their time together. Both being new to romance, they found themselves in an awkward silence amidst the empty house. They ate breakfast side by side, Yun Duo's mind racing with Tang Yibai's mother's words about "self-control."
Tang Yibai, equally flustered, stole glances at Yun Duo, contemplating what to do or say. A smile broke through his thoughts as he noticed food on Yun Duo's cheek and instinctively reached out to wipe it away. The atmosphere grew increasingly intimate, and Tang Yibai slowly leaned in, cupping Yun Duo's face, their faces drawing closer until an untimely doorbell rang, forcing Yun Duo to quickly answer it.
Standing at the door were Qi Ruifeng, Xiang Yangyang, Ming Tian, and Lingye. Led by a boisterous Qi Ruifeng, they swarmed into Tang Yibai's home, intending to study. Tang Yibai was internally exasperated by Qi Ruifeng's intrusion. Ming Tian, observing the scene, exclaimed that he hadn't known Tang Yibai and Yun Duo were living together. Yun Duo hastily clarified, denying they were dating.
Tang Yibai, after some hesitation, affirmed he was indeed pursuing Yun Duo but that she had not yet accepted his confession. Yun Duo pulled Tang Yibai aside, somewhat annoyed that he had revealed anything. Tang Yibai explained that it was due to Qi Ruifeng's stubborn nature; pretending nothing was happening would only egg him on further, whereas a partial admission might make him back off.
Perhaps influenced by Tang Yibai and Yun Duo's blossoming romance, Qi Ruifeng found his thoughts drifting to Xiang Yangyang, catching himself secretly looking at her. Confused by his feelings, he took a call from Fang Jie'er, the campus beauty, who invited him to dinner. Initially inclined to refuse, he changed his mind after seeing Xiang Yangyang again, deciding to go with Fang Jie'er to "correct his aesthetic preferences."
That evening, Qi Ruifeng, Fang Jie'er, Tang Yibai, Yun Duo, and others gathered at a hotpot restaurant. Fang Jie'er attentively served Qi Ruifeng, which Xiang Yangyang observed with a pang of jealousy, promptly dropping a piece of cooked cabbage into Qi Ruifeng's bowl. Lingye playfully teased Qi Ruifeng and Fang Jie'er, making both Qi Ruifeng and Xiang Yangyang uncomfortable. Xiang Yangyang quickly excused herself to the restroom, followed shortly by Qi Ruifeng.
In the restroom, Xiang Yangyang tried to calm herself, reminding herself that Qi Ruifeng was irrelevant to her. However, when two unfamiliar girls entered, discussing how well Qi Ruifeng and Fang Jie'er matched, Xiang Yangyang couldn't bear it and rushed out, only to encounter Qi Ruifeng. She blurted out if he liked Fang Jie'er, instantly regretting it. Qi Ruifeng, wrestling with his own thoughts, flippantly replied that he did like her.
Stunned, Xiang Yangyang composed herself, feigning cheerfulness and expressing concern that he might not succeed in courting Fang Jie'er. Angered by her feigned indifference, Qi Ruifeng deliberately asked Xiang Yangyang to help him pursue Fang Jie'er, leaving both of them in a confused and emotional standoff. After the dinner, Yun Duo and Tang Yibai walked home hand-in-hand, Tang Yibai even putting her hand in his pocket to keep it warm.
Their sweet stroll was interrupted by the sight of a weary-looking Cheng Mei. Cheng Mei tried to walk away without acknowledging them, but Yun Duo caught up, hoping to salvage their friendship. Cheng Mei, however, remained resolute, offering no response. Yun Duo felt a pang of sadness and injustice, but was grateful to have Tang Yibai by her side. The next day at work, Director Liu not only praised Yun Duo but also reinstated her as the top-ranked intern.
Despite this, Yun Duo felt little joy, missing the friend with whom she had promised to work hard and become an official reporter. Meanwhile, Cheng Mei embarked on a new job search, arriving at a company for an interview, only to discover Lin Zi discussing business with President Sun. She subtly listened as they talked about Lin Zi's younger sister, Little One, filing the information away.
Lin Zi later mused to himself that even if the person Little One valued most had forgotten her, there was still someone swimming for her. The long-awaited exams finally concluded. While the other team members had passed, Qi Ruifeng was a bundle of nerves, afraid to check his results. Xiang Yangyang snatched his phone and checked for him, gasping in disbelief, which terrified Qi Ruifeng. However, upon seeing the screen, he erupted in excitement, realizing he had passed.
Though he had barely scraped by in every subject, the victory was enough to make him exceptionally proud. Shortly after, Fang Jie'er approached him and invited the group to her family's resort. During the car ride to the resort, Ming Tian remarked on the car's excellent sound system and humorously pointed out that Qi Ruifeng had driven Head Coach Yuan's new car without permission, leaving only a note.
Qi Ruifeng, unfazed, boasted he would take full responsibility if Head Coach Yuan found out. Ming Tian then comically expressed his anxiety about driving "Dream Cup gold medalists" and "a talented aspiring world champion," likening the car to an armored van. Qi Ruifeng playfully suggested that he and Yun Duo were like parents chaperoning their "childish kids," a sentiment Yun Duo playfully agreed with. Yun Duo admitted the trip felt more stressful than working, despite being on vacation.
At the resort, the group gathered for a BBQ. After they settled in, Fang Jie'er warmly welcomed everyone and reiterated her invitation for the group to enjoy themselves. During the stay, Fang Jie'er sought out Xiang Yangyang, expressing her admiration for Xiang Yangyang's straightforward personality and asking for her thoughts on Qi Ruifeng. Xiang Yangyang initially listed all of Qi Ruifeng's flaws, describing him as messy, childish, a gossip, and narcissistic, asserting that she could never like him.
However, prompted by Fang Jie'er, Xiang Yangyang then listed his good qualities: his sensitivity to others' moods, his desire for everyone's happiness, his willingness to help friends in need, and his underlying romantic nature. She advised Fang Jie'er that Qi Ruifeng was "worth liking" and that she would discover more good traits with time.
Xiang Yangyang concluded by expressing hope that if Fang Jie'er and Qi Ruifeng got together, Fang Jie'er would be patient with his "weird temper" and proactively care for him, as he often hid his sadness. Fang Jie'er, feeling more confident, thanked her. Unbeknownst to Xiang Yangyang, Qi Ruifeng had overheard her negative comments from the bathroom.
Later, while shopping for a gift with Xiang Yangyang (for whom he secretly asked the shop assistant to write "Happy Birthday Xiang Yangyang"), he reflected that for her, he was seemingly never the type of boy she liked. Back at the office, Teacher Sun joyfully informed Yun Duo that he had successfully persuaded Director Liu to reinstate her to the sports news division, which Yun Duo eagerly accepted.
Yun Duo updated Teacher Sun on the upcoming swimming competitions, noting that out of three point accumulation competitions, two had already taken place. She reported that Qi Ruifeng was currently ranked first, securing the team's spot in the top eight. However, she revealed that Tang Yibai had only two points, making the third competition a critical "life and death situation" for him to qualify for the finals and the Dream Cup championship.
Despite the high stakes, Yun Duo confidently asserted that Tang Yibai was in his peak condition and would succeed, prompting Teacher Sun to tease her about becoming a "member of Tang Yibai's fans club" because her eyes lit up when discussing him.
Yun Duo then detailed the formidable opponents awaiting South Physical: Lin Haoyang of Yisuo College, a 19-year-old specializing in the 1500-meter freestyle, who had won double gold in Singapore and trained in Australia after losing to Qi Ruifeng the previous year. Although Qi Ruifeng lightheartedly dismissed Lin Haoyang as his "loser from last year," he was warned not to underestimate Lin Haoyang's current abilities.
The other contender was Zhang Yang, a first-year student making his Dream Cup debut, who had shown impressive performance in the elimination rounds and was considered a "dark horse" with a high score, nearly beating Ouyang Heng. Coach Wu observed that Zhang Yang's swimming technique, from his dive to his turns, remarkably resembled Ouyang Heng's.
Teacher Sun inquired about Lin Zi, who had been on leave for an extended period and hadn't returned calls, leading Teacher Sun to suspect he might have resigned. Lin Zi was indeed avoiding communication. During a training session, Coach Wu complimented Tang Yibai on his improved speed and performance, playfully asking if he had been "secretly learning something." Tang Yibai jokingly attributed his progress to "love." Coach Wu then ordered him to train, criticizing his recent laziness.
Qi Ruifeng, in his usual antics, tried to feign a stomachache to avoid training, claiming he was an "athlete who does best during official races," but Coach Wu pulled him back into line. Tang Yibai, understanding the importance of their unity, encouraged Qi Ruifeng to push through.
