My Mr. Mermaid Episode 9 Recap
> My Mr. Mermaid Recap
Yun Duo woke up, disoriented, wondering if her recent conversation with Tang Yibai on the grass, where she dreamt he kissed her, had been real. Realizing it was a dream, she decided to find Tang Yibai and arrange to leave before anyone saw her. She went to the adjacent dorm room and found Tang Yibai and Qi Ruifeng sleeping together. She secretly took a photo of them.
Just then, Qi Ruifeng woke up, and as Yun Duo nearly stumbled into Tang Yibai's arms, Qi Ruifeng quickly snapped a picture of them, threatening to post it on Weibo. Yun Duo, however, produced the photo she had just taken of him and Tang Yibai sharing a bed, which quickly silenced Qi Ruifeng and prompted him to get dressed. As a gesture of thanks for their hospitality, Yun Duo offered to treat Tang Yibai and Qi Ruifeng to breakfast.
She was surprised by their large appetites, wondering if athletes weren't supposed to adhere to strict diets. Qi Ruifeng explained that swimming required a lot of energy, hence their need to eat copiously. During breakfast, Qi Ruifeng mentioned that Sun Yang was an idol to all swimmers, especially Tang Yibai. He detailed Sun Yang's rigorous training and remarkable achievements, including his distinction as the first swimmer to win multiple freestyle distances and his determination to train even with a fracture.
Yun Duo, intrigued, expressed interest in interviewing Sun Yang. Qi Ruifeng then assured Yun Duo that he would handle her housing situation, despite Tang Yibai's concern that Qi Ruifeng should focus on improving his swim times. Meanwhile, at the pool, two junior students, including Fang Jie'er, approached Xiang Yangyang, hoping she would pass breakfast to Qi Ruifeng. Xiang Yangyang declined, citing team rules against accepting gifts, especially food.
This led to an argument where the juniors implied Xiang Yangyang was jealous of their interest in Qi Ruifeng. Fang Jie'er apologized for her friend's remarks, but Xiang Yangyang was left feeling unfeminine compared to the graceful juniors. Later, she was caught by Qi Ruifeng while mimicking the juniors' "cute" gestures in front of a window. Qi Ruifeng teased her, saying that while others looked like goddesses when acting cute, she looked like a "maniac girl."
This sparked another argument between them. Qi Ruifeng then challenged Xiang Yangyang to a bet for the upcoming Dream Cup: if the men's team outperformed the women's, she would have to join his fan club and change her social media name to "Maniac Girl." During a training break, Tang Yibai was engrossed in his English textbook, though his mind was clearly on the impending announcement of the Dream Cup swimming team roster.
He was anxious about whether he would be selected. Coach Yuan then arrived and announced the roster for the Dream Cup. For the men's 4x100 meter freestyle relay, Ling Ye was named for the first leg (also 100m backstroke), Ming Tian for the second (also 100m breaststroke), and Chen Qiang for the third (also 100m butterfly, taking over for an injured Feng Kai).
However, the crucial anchor leg for the 4x100 meter freestyle was left vacant, with Coach Yuan stating an internal selection competition would be held to determine the best candidate. Coach Wu was displeased that Tang Yibai was not immediately selected, but Coach Yuan explained that Tang Yibai was currently in a bottleneck and might not win the initial competition. Nevertheless, she gave him a chance to earn his spot in the internal selection.
At the company, Cheng Mei was preparing to inform Yun Duo about the apartment Lin Zi had found for her. However, before she could, Qi Ruifeng called Yun Duo. He excitedly told her he had found her a place, even sending her a picture.
Yun Duo was surprised by the speed of his success, to which Qi Ruifeng lightheartedly remarked that he wouldn't dare find an expensive place for someone who had once given him a humble "soaked egg" as a gift. Yun Duo was thrilled and agreed to move in immediately, politely declining Cheng Mei's offer to help her move, stating she didn't have much luggage.
Lin Zi, overhearing Yun Duo's decision, felt a pang of disappointment, realizing his thoughtful efforts to find her a home had been superseded. Yun Duo then arrived at her new place. Before even entering, she met a kind and refined middle-aged woman who was exceptionally enthusiastic – Yun Duo's new landlady, arranged by Qi Ruifeng. The landlady lived alone with her dog "Erbai," as her husband was on a business trip and her son was away at college.
She had decorated the room beautifully, and Yun Duo, pleased with the arrangement, signed the contract. Later, at the gym, Coach Wu was training Tang Yibai. Coach Yuan pulled him aside, offering words of encouragement. She told him that his current challenge wasn't about reaching the finish line, but about rediscovering his starting point – his original passion for swimming. She believed that if he could overcome this bottleneck, he would reclaim the glory he achieved four years prior.
Inspired by Coach Yuan's words, Tang Yibai's confidence surged, and he vowed to win the upcoming internal selection competition. That evening, Coach Wu returned Tang Yibai's phone. His mother had called, expressing anger that he hadn't visited her in a long time and had consequently rented out his room, telling him not to return. Tang Yibai repeatedly apologized, promising to come home after the competition. Unbeknownst to Tang Yibai, his mother was none other than Yun Duo's new landlady.
This arrangement was all orchestrated by Qi Ruifeng; recognizing Tang's mother's need to rent out a room and Yun Duo's need for housing, he had connected them. Thus, Yun Duo had moved into what was once Tang Yibai's room.
