My Mr. Mermaid Episode 32 Recap
> My Mr. Mermaid Recap
Xiang Yangyang felt surprised and awkward by Lin Haoyang's overtures, especially in front of Qi Ruifeng. She quickly retreated into the restroom, looking at her reflection and wondering why Lin Haoyang would be interested in her. She found herself inadvertently caring about Qi Ruifeng's thoughts, then forced herself to dismiss them. Feeling uneasy, she exited the restroom and immediately encountered Lin Haoyang, who had been waiting outside.
Lin Haoyang asked her if she would be willing to have dinner with him after training. Yangyang was reluctant and was trying to figure out how to decline when Qi Ruifeng interrupted. He deliberately provoked Yangyang, stating he could tell she wanted to leave with Lin Haoyang and mockingly suggested they should celebrate her finally "being sold off."
Hurt by his words, Yangyang, in a fit of pique, accepted Lin Haoyang's invitation and walked away, leaving a surprised and pleased Lin Haoyang and a disgruntled Qi Ruifeng behind. Yun Duo visited Lin Sang's hospital room, intending to speak with Lin Zi. She informed him that she was now dating Tang Yibai. This news, while unexpected, was understandable to Lin Zi, who knew that given Yun Duo's feelings for Tang Yibai, they were bound to end up together.
However, hearing it directly from her still made it difficult for him to fully accept. Yun Duo explained that despite his previous hints about Tang Yibai and Lin Sang's past, she chose to trust Tang Yibai. She didn't want their relationship to be affected by past misunderstandings or secrets, nor did she want to question Tang Yibai. Therefore, she wished to tell Tang Yibai about Lin Sang and pleaded with Lin Zi to allow Tang Yibai to see Xiao Sang.
Lin Zi responded with a cold laugh, his years of resentment towards Tang Yibai making him disinclined to agree, even though they both knew Lin Sang desired to see Tang Yibai. Lin Zi's eyes welled up as he recalled the car accident four years prior: Lin Sang had called him while he was in a meeting, crying about a misunderstanding with Tang Yibai, when suddenly a screech of brakes and Lin Sang's scream changed their lives forever.
Though Lin Zi knew Yun Duo was right, he couldn't face the truth. In a fit of anger, he told Yun Duo to stop talking. Yun Duo, surprised by the usually gentle Lin Zi's outburst, realized further persuasion was futile and promised to keep the secret until he was ready. Distraught, Lin Zi returned to the hospital to find Lin Sang's condition worsening, her heart barely beating. He was overcome with grief seeing his sister's deteriorating state.
That night, after dinner, Xiang Yangyang and Lin Haoyang walked through the city. Despite the beautiful night lights, an awkward silence lingered between them, particularly for Yangyang, as they were still not well acquainted. Qi Ruifeng, meanwhile, was discreetly following them, deeply regretting his earlier rash words. Lin Haoyang tentatively took Yangyang's hand, but she immediately pulled away. Sensing her discomfort, Lin Haoyang apologized. Kind-hearted Yangyang, in turn, apologized to him, admitting she had used him.
She confessed that she already liked someone else and had only agreed to dinner to make that person jealous. Lin Haoyang surmised she was referring to Qi Ruifeng, which Yangyang confirmed. Lin Haoyang sighed in disbelief, but Yangyang seemed unconcerned, enthusiastically praising Qi Ruifeng, her eyes lighting up with affection. She worried about Qi Ruifeng despite him having a "campus beauty" girlfriend, feeling foolish for her unrequited affection.
Seeing her distress, Lin Haoyang gently patted her head and pulled her into a comforting embrace. He simply wanted to console the girl who had foolishly captured his sympathy. From his hidden vantage point, Qi Ruifeng, unaware of the conversation, saw them embracing and mistakenly believed Yangyang had accepted Lin Haoyang's advances. He stormed off in a rage. Qi Ruifeng walked back alone, feeling a profound sense of loneliness and dejection he had never experienced before.
He recalled past instances: Yangyang preparing nutritious meals for him, and how he would always wait downstairs for her to deliver dinner, then hide and pretend to have just come down when she arrived. He reflected on his proud, sensitive nature, and how he had been unwilling to admit his true feelings until now, when the fear of losing Yangyang made him realize how much she meant to him.
The next day, as Tang Yibai was running, he was approached by Zhang Yang, a "dark horse" in the swimming world who idolized Tang Yibai. They chatted amicably, but Zhang Yang inadvertently mentioned Lin Sang's car accident. Tang Yibai was skeptical but couldn't shake the guilt that lingered in his heart. Later, Yun Duo arrived at the swimming pool to find Tang Yibai floating face down in the empty pool, unresponsive to her calls.
Panicked, she leaped into the pool, at which point Tang Yibai finally noticed her. He was unharmed, merely lost in thought. He then confided in Yun Duo about his past with Lin Sang and the accident. Yun Duo reassured him not to worry, advising him that hearsay shouldn't be taken as truth. Tang Yibai felt incredibly fortunate to have met such a kind and warm-hearted person like Yun Duo, whose encouragement lifted his spirits.
Seeing a smile return to Tang Yibai's face, Yun Duo playfully offered to join his training and time him, while silently apologizing for concealing Lin Sang's current condition. She knew that revealing the truth now would only cause him more pain and self-reproach. Outside the swimming pool, Tang Yibai spotted Lin Zi, who was there to watch the upcoming competition. Tang Yibai called out to him, asking about Lin Sang's current state.
Lin Zi glared at him like an enemy, fiercely stating that whatever Lin Sang's condition, it had nothing to do with Tang Yibai, then turned and walked away. This encounter only intensified the doubts in Tang Yibai's mind. The Dream Cup Men's 100m Freestyle Point Qualifiers began, a critical race that would determine Tang Yibai's eligibility for the finals.
Before the race, Tang Yibai and Zhang Yang both lightly raised their arms, a relaxation technique Yun Duo had taught Tang Yibai, which Zhang Yang, as his admirer, had also adopted. At the whistle, Tang Yibai's start was delayed by half a second, instantly putting him behind his competitors. The crowd grew tense, assuming he was doomed. However, Tang Yibai began to accelerate at an astonishing speed, steadily catching up to and eventually surpassing his opponents, ultimately securing a victory.
Lin Zi sat by Lin Sang's bedside, showing her a video of Tang Yibai's recent win. He told her Tang Yibai had won and was growing increasingly formidable, then gently urged her to wake up and see him. He pleaded with her to simply tell him she wanted to see Tang Yibai, promising to bring him to her. Later, Yun Duo again approached Lin Zi about letting Tang Yibai see Lin Sang. Lin Zi adamantly refused, admitting his conflicted emotions.
He knew Lin Sang cared deeply for Tang Yibai and that Tang Yibai's races sometimes stirred her, but his deep-seated resentment prevented him from allowing them to meet. He confessed to controlling his anger towards Tang Yibai to spare Lin Sang and Yun Duo pain, but warned that if Lin Sang were to pass away, he could not guarantee what he might do to Tang Yibai, urging Tang Yibai to stay away.
Team captain Qi Ruifeng was questioned by his teammates about his apparent pursuit of Xiang Yangyang. He responded by increasing their training, while they jokingly called Yangyang an "iron woman" and teased him about his taste in women. As they discussed, Lin Haoyang appeared, calmly stating his intention to court Yangyang. Qi Ruifeng confronted Lin Haoyang, warning him to stay away from Yangyang, to which Lin Haoyang defiantly refused.
Qi Ruifeng then challenged Lin Haoyang to a swimming race: if Qi Ruifeng won, Lin Haoyang had to disappear from Yangyang's life permanently; if Lin Haoyang won, Qi Ruifeng had to publicly announce his retirement from swimming due to inferior skills. Qi Ruifeng, declaring he never refused a challenge, accepted. Yangyang confronted Qi Ruifeng about threatening Lin Haoyang, to which Qi Ruifeng retorted that she should be more discerning about who she accepts advances from.
He quickly apologized for his rashness, explaining he simply didn't want anyone to hurt her, and vowed to win the race with all his strength. A private conversation between Qi Ruifeng and a doctor revealed a severe laceration of his shoulder joint capsule. The doctor advised immediate surgery and a nine-month recovery period to continue his sports career, warning that delaying could permanently disable his arm.
However, Qi Ruifeng insisted on postponing the surgery until after the Dream Cup finals, prioritizing his promise to Tang Yibai to win the championship together and his desire to continue receiving the special, home-cooked meals Yangyang secretly prepared for him. The Dream Cup Men's 1500m Freestyle Point Qualifiers began, pitting Qi Ruifeng against Lin Haoyang. Despite his secret injury, Qi Ruifeng started the race with an aggressive burst of speed, building a significant lead.
However, coaches and Yangyang noticed irregularities in his swimming posture, with more frequent kicks and a slight lean, indicating a struggle. Lin Haoyang steadily closed the gap as Qi Ruifeng's stamina visibly faltered, and his speed noticeably dropped. Yangyang, concerned, suspected an issue with his left shoulder. Despite his teammates' skepticism, Tang Yibai asserted that Qi Ruifeng would never joke about such a crucial race, confirming the stakes. Lin Haoyang eventually overtook Qi Ruifeng.
Despite the pain and the setback, Qi Ruifeng pushed through with incredible willpower, determined not to give up until victory was in his grasp, fueled by his promise to Tang Yibai and his fierce resolve to win for Yangyang. In the final 100 meters, Qi Ruifeng unleashed an astonishing burst of speed, accelerating past other swimmers and fiercely closing the distance on Lin Haoyang.
In a spectacular display of willpower, Qi Ruifeng lunged forward in the very last moment, touching the wall first and dramatically winning the race. After the race, Qi Ruifeng confronted Lin Haoyang, asserting his victory and warning him to stop pursuing Yangyang. Lin Haoyang, seeking to bid Yangyang farewell, was met with another stern warning from Qi Ruifeng, who fiercely told him to disappear immediately after saying goodbye and threatened him if Yangyang were to cry over him.
Later, when Yangyang and others pressed him about his shoulder injury, he humorously dismissed their concerns, staging an arm-wrestling match with Tang Yibai to "prove" his strength. He playfully cheated, won the match, and insisted he was perfectly fine, telling them to stop nagging him. Tang Yibai, who had agreed to the arm wrestling to test Qi Ruifeng's condition, admitted he still wasn't sure if his friend was injured, but hoped for the best.
