My Mr. Mermaid Episode 36 Recap
> My Mr. Mermaid Recap
Tang Yibai reflected on the four dark years following his suspension, a period during which he sought solace in solo travel. At Lake Cui, the serene, mirror-like surface brought him peace, and he realized that despite missing much, he had also discovered invaluable things: Coach Wu's unwavering trust, Qi Ruifeng's steadfast companionship, his enduring passion for swimming, and ultimately, his destined encounter with Yun Duo upon his return.
Yun Duo, tearfully, confirmed this, stating that their meeting was fate, and without his suspension four years prior, she wouldn't even be alive today. She confessed to being the girl he rescued, explaining that had Tang Yibai not been at the lake, despondent over his ban, he wouldn't have been there when she fell into the water, and thus wouldn't have saved her.
Tang Yibai embraced Yun Duo, now truly believing in destiny's intricate design, where seemingly unrelated events had converged to bring them together, making Yun Duo the greatest gift from above. At the hospital, Ouyang Heng remained by Lin Sang's side. Lin Sang, though claiming to be fine and urging him to leave, was met with Ouyang Heng's heartfelt confession.
He questioned his significance to her, having waited four years only to realize she never truly acknowledged him, remembering only Lin Zi and Tang Yibai upon waking, while he was merely a forgotten stranger. Overwhelmed by jealousy and resentment, Ouyang Heng accused Tang Yibai of causing all of Lin Sang's pain, claiming Tang Yibai had abandoned, doubted, and exploited her.
Lin Sang then recalled fragments from four years ago: school officials informing her that Tang Yibai would pursue his own path once he joined the Asia Elite Training Team, distancing himself from her; Tang Yibai explicitly stating he only saw her as a sister. Most terrifyingly, she remembered the act of adding a banned substance to Tang Yibai's pomegranate juice. Unable to process this, she fainted into Ouyang Heng's arms.
When she regained consciousness, Lin Sang admitted to lying earlier; she knew about Yun Duo because Ouyang Heng had told her that Yun Duo was the girl Tang Yibai liked. She confessed she had pretended to have amnesia, hoping to restart her relationship with Tang Yibai, but seeing Yun Duo's videos made her realize Tang Yibai truly loved Yun Duo.
She admitted to adding a substance to Tang Yibai's juice, believing it would prevent him from leaving her for the Asia Elite Training Team, but she claimed she regretted it at the last moment and never gave him that particular drink. Tang Yibai then revealed that he had found Lin Sang crying in the break room, and feeling responsible for hurting her feelings by rejecting her, he drank the drugged pomegranate juice himself, leaving a note beside the cup.
He explained that his suspension had nothing to do with her. With the truth revealed, Tang Yibai reaffirmed his wish to be lifetime friends with Lin Sang, urging her to let the past go. Later, Yun Duo accompanied Tang Yibai during his training, their affection evident. During a break, Yun Duo presented him with compiled research materials for pre-race analysis.
She noticed his recent focus on leg muscle training, to which Tang Yibai explained it was essential for increasing his turning speed to surpass Ouyang Heng. Tang Yibai then decided to visit Lin Zi at the hospital to clarify that he no longer wished to partake in any pretense, believing it was detrimental to himself, Yun Duo, and Lin Sang. At the hospital, Lin Sang, who had briefly lost consciousness, was stable.
However, she despondently told Lin Zi not to save her again, feeling she deserved her fate. Yun Duo and Tang Yibai arrived and learned that Lin Sang's surgery was scheduled for Friday morning, coinciding with the Dream Cup competition. After leaving the hospital, Tang Yibai sought out Ouyang Heng to discuss Lin Sang. Instead, Ouyang Heng led him to the swimming pool, where he demonstrated an astonishing swim speed while Tang Yibai timed him, effectively displaying his dominance.
The next day, as teammates discussed the recent events, two coaches arrived to announce Qi Ruifeng's withdrawal from the finals. A collective gasp rose, and Qi Ruifeng immediately protested. Coach Yuan firmly stated he would not compete until his shoulder injury had fully healed. Realizing who had revealed his condition, Qi Ruifeng angrily kicked Yangyang and stormed off, feeling betrayed despite her attempts to explain.
Yangyang, undeterred by his furious accusations, tearfully pleaded with him to undergo surgery, expressing her desire for him to be healthy and active in the pool, regardless of how he perceived her. Qi Ruifeng gradually calmed, tenderly caressing her cheek with a look of remorse. As he prepared to speak, he saw Tang Yibai approaching and hardened his expression, walking away. Qi Ruifeng lay on his bed, unresponsive to his teammates outside who tried to console him.
Unable to tolerate his inaction, Yangyang kicked open the door, pulled Qi Ruifeng out, and unleashed all her pent-up emotions. She revealed that Lin Haoyang had told her about Qi Ruifeng's bet to protect her, questioning why she couldn't help him through this difficult time if he could silently protect her. Qi Ruifeng, speechless, still clung to his desire to compete in the Dream Cup.
Yangyang, exasperated, could not speak, but Tang Yibai intervened, telling Qi Ruifeng that missing one Dream Cup was insignificant, as they had greater opportunities ahead, including the Olympics in four years, a new promise they could make. Tang Yibai finally persuaded Qi Ruifeng, much to Yangyang's mixed joy and frustration that Tang Yibai's simple words succeeded where hers had failed. Seeing her vexed, Qi Ruifeng pulled her into a tight embrace.
Tang Yibai playfully remarked that a hug implied responsibility, to which Qi Ruifeng assertively declared that he would be responsible for Xiang Yangyang's future. Tang Yibai, understanding the moment, discreetly departed. Yangyang, realizing what had just transpired, pushed Qi Ruifeng away, but he, unwilling to let this good girl slip away again, gently held her hand and slowly leaned in for a kiss.
Yangyang responded with an equally passionate kiss, finally opening their hearts to each other and becoming a confirmed couple. The following day, Qi Ruifeng returned from his follow-up hospital visit, still optimistically hoping to participate in the competition, even if just a relay. As the group chatted animatedly, Tang Yibai received a message, his expression shifting to one of panic. He rushed out, learning that Lin Sang had gone missing.
He and Yun Duo arrived at the hospital to find Lin Zi distressed. Lin Zi explained that Lin Sang, having learned of her grave condition, felt hopeless and left the hospital, and they had exhausted all possible search locations. It was Ouyang Heng who noticed a painting by Lin Sang depicting a crossroads and a man's back. Tang Yibai suddenly had an idea, knowing exactly where Lin Sang had gone.
Meanwhile, Lin Sang had wandered to a crossroads, a place that triggered memories of her past, where she had confessed her feelings to Tang Yibai only to be rejected. She recalled him releasing her hand and walking away, leaving her to stare blankly at his retreating back. Lost in these painful memories, Lin Sang absentmindedly walked into the path of an oncoming vehicle. In that critical moment, Tang Yibai arrived just in time to save her.
Later, Tang Yibai was taken to the competition venue, where his kneecap dislocated. Though urged to withdraw, he refused to give up, stating he had come too far. He forcibly realigned his own kneecap despite the immense pain. Tang Yibai assured Yun Duo that he was fine and could continue. At the competition, Ouyang Heng confronted Tang Yibai, blaming him for Lin Sang's suffering.
Qi Ruifeng, however, stood up for Tang Yibai, which led to Ouyang Heng admitting his long-held jealousy of Tang Yibai and apologizing for his past actions. Tang Yibai embraced Ouyang Heng, assuring him that good brothers don't need apologies. The Dream Cup finals began with Tang Yibai and Ouyang Heng leading from the start. Commentators noted Tang Yibai's impressive performance despite his recent knee injury.
At the crucial 50-meter turn, where the knee had to absorb the most impact, Tang Yibai paused for a moment before pushing off the wall. Falling behind, Tang Yibai suddenly recalled the moment he saved Yun Duo from Lake Cui four years ago. He remembered his swimming speed was slower than her sinking speed, forcing him to hold his breath and try an unprecedented swimming style. This desperate act unlocked a speed he had never achieved before, saving her.
He reflected that water was both his friend and foe, his playmate and mentor, his beginning and end, and his only true opponent. He was the king of the water. Empowered by this memory, Tang Yibai dramatically accelerated, pulling even with Ouyang Heng and then surpassing him in the final meters without taking a breath, a feat commentators described as torturous but incredibly impressive, especially with his injured knee. Tang Yibai clinched the victory.
Three months later, Qi Ruifeng was undergoing rehabilitation. He complained to his friend Lingye about Yangyang's strictness, comparing her to Coach Yuan's clone. Yangyang overheard them and, despite their protests, insisted Qi Ruifeng redo all his exercises, explaining her strictness was for his own good. Meanwhile, Runmei was preparing to leave to join the Asia Elite Training Team as a coach, clearing the path for Coach Wu to become head coach.
They made a new agreement: they would become a couple if the swimmers trained by Coach Wu could beat those trained by Runmei in the upcoming new recruits competition. Tang Yibai prepared for his long-term closed training in the U. S. Yun Duo helped him pack, and they shared a tender moment, expressing their reluctance to be apart.
Tang Yibai playfully gave her a list of demands for their time apart, including keeping her phone charged and not smiling at other men, to which Yun Duo responded with her own playful demands, such as him getting his passport and visa ready so she could visit, and only interviewing female teams. Shortly after, Lin Zi visited to inform Tang Yibai and Yun Duo that Lin Sang's surgery was successful. Lin Zi then asked to speak with Yun Duo privately.
He sincerely thanked her for being the best encounter of his life and pledged that he would continue to like her, promising to steal her away from Tang Yibai if he ever made her unhappy. Tang Yibai, whose minute of privacy for Lin Zi was up, interrupted and took Yun Duo away, with Yun Duo wishing Lin Zi happiness.
Separately, a headhunter approached Ouyang Heng, praising his intelligence and tenacity, and offering him a more suitable job, implying he was wasted in his current position. The headhunter, noting Ouyang Heng had waited over four years for such an opportunity, then boldly declared her own ambition, stating she not only wanted to offer him the job but also desired him personally. As Tang Yibai prepared to depart for the U. S.
, Yun Duo received a call from her manager, Sun Teacher, who expressed sympathy for their separation. Tang Yibai then called Yun Duo, giving her a "task." Though Yun Duo had planned to send him off and had already taken leave, Tang Yibai playfully made her feel guilty for not being able to see him off, then assured her he understood and supported her work. At the airport, Tang Yibai’s coach informed him that a QKVideo reporter would accompany them for the entire training. To Tang Yibai's surprise, it was Yun Duo.
