The summer sun was like a venomous snake. If she could avoid going out, Jiang Lan would never step outside, but today was a "must-go-out" kind of day.
She went downstairs, glanced at the scorching sun, and silently pulled out her umbrella. Though her arms and face were shielded, her legs were still exposed to the sun. Jiang Lan quickened her pace and hailed a taxi at the entrance of the neighborhood. "Driver, to Scenic Avenue, Green Leaf Restaurant," she said.
The driver, hearing her sweet and clear voice, couldn't help but glance back. The girl in the back seat was wearing a short-sleeved dress, her skin glowing white, her face delicate and pretty, with small, refined features and lively eyes. Her hair was short, just reaching her shoulders, with two curls at the ends. She looked like a college student.
Driving a beautiful girl put the driver in a good mood. He started the meter, turned the car around, and casually asked with a smile, "Going on a date?"
Jiang Lan hesitated for a moment before nodding. Yes, she was going on a date...
Except, her date was her boyfriend's mother. Who would believe that!
Jiang Lan had transmigrated. Before this, she was just an ordinary music college student, but now she found herself in the body of the male lead's first love from a CEO novel she had stayed up late reading.
The novel didn't spend much time describing the first love. She could be summed up in eight words: beautiful on the outside, empty on the inside. Apart from her looks, she was far outclassed by the female lead in every other aspect.
She was a student at Qinghua University's art department, but her grades were average, and her family background was ordinary. She was ambitious but shallow, and though she was good-looking, she was a materialistic gold-digger. After meeting the male lead's mother once, she took 20 million and left.
The female lead, on the other hand, came from a wealthy family, graduated from a world-renowned university, and was the epitome of a rich, beautiful, and kind-hearted woman.
After breaking up with his first love, the male lead met the noble, beautiful, and kind-hearted female lead and lived a happy, worry-free life in the lap of luxury.
Today, the original host had planned to have hot pot with the male lead, Lu Yicheng, but instead of Lu Yicheng, his mother, Yu Wanqiu, showed up at the restaurant. The original host was utterly shocked.
Yu Wanqiu got straight to the point, pointing out all the ways the original host was unsuitable for her son. In the end, she handed over a check for 20 million and said the classic line that all CEO novel mothers say: "Here's 20 million. Leave my son."
Speaking of Yu Wanqiu, the novel only mentioned that she came from a prestigious family, a scholarly household, and had her own career in the entertainment industry. Jiang Lan looked her up on Baidu and found out that Yu Wanqiu was a triple-crown actress, known for her acting skills, strong delivery of lines, and excellent reputation. She was also a wealthy woman with countless luxury cars and mansions, the epitome of a successful life.
From head to toe, she exuded wealth, which explained why she could casually offer 20 million.
The question was, should she choose the male lead and let Yu Wanqiu become the villainous mother-in-law who breaks up the couple, or take the 20 million and disappear?
Jiang Lan, of course, chose the latter. That was 20 million! She might never earn that much in her lifetime. Why not take the money and leave gracefully instead of making a mess of things?
It took half an hour to reach Green Leaf Restaurant. Jiang Lan put away her umbrella and looked around for Lu Yicheng, just in case the plot had changed and she needed to be prepared.
However, there was no sign of Lu Yicheng in the restaurant, nor anyone else. Only at the three o'clock direction sat a woman wearing sunglasses.
She had big, black wavy hair, and the sunglasses covered half of her face, revealing a delicate chin and lips painted in a brownish-red shade. She wore a gray knit top and brown wide-leg pants, exuding an aura that kept people at a distance.
Her face overlapped with the photos Jiang Lan had seen online. This was Yu Wanqiu.
Jiang Lan took a step back.
A waiter approached at the right moment, smiling, "Are you Miss Jiang Lan? That lady is waiting for you."
The waiter led Jiang Lan over, and she could only pretend not to know who Yu Wanqiu was, sitting down with a look of confusion.
Yu Wanqiu took off her sunglasses, revealing a meticulously made-up face. She said, "You must be Jiang Lan. I'm Yu Wanqiu, Lu Yicheng's mother. I'm sorry to meet you like this."
Her voice was penetrating, like clear spring water hitting stones, with each word emphasized at the end.
Yu Wanqiu pursed her lips and spread her hands helplessly, "The reason I'm meeting you today is..."
Perhaps because breaking up a couple was hard to say out loud, Yu Wanqiu didn't continue.
If it were the original host, she would probably have been intimidated by this scene. In the novel, the original host felt so ashamed in front of Yu Wanqiu that she wished she could disappear. But Jiang Lan was prepared. She was willing to play the villain. "I know. You don't have to say it. I already know everything."
Yu Wanqiu: "…………"
Jiang Lan recited the novel's face-slapping lines with emotion, "Lu Yicheng and I are from different worlds. He's the heir to the Lu family, while I'm just an ordinary girl, nothing special. Being with Lu Yicheng is something to cherish, but I shouldn't hope for things that were never meant for me. Compatibility is important. Marriage isn't the same as dating. Lu Yicheng can date me, but he would never marry me."
"His life path has already been planned out. He's smart, and you have high expectations for him. You would never allow him to be with an ordinary girl, let alone tolerate him defying you for my sake. My presence has already affected your relationship as mother and son. I understand all of this!"
"………"
Jiang Lan's eyes were bright, and the dimples at the corners of her mouth were sweet and adorable. "Love is between two people, but marriage isn't. I also know that Lu Yicheng will eventually marry someone who can help his career, and that person will never be me. You're here to make me realize my place and leave Lu Yicheng as soon as possible, right?"
Yu Wanqiu's mouth twitched.
Before she could speak, Jiang Lan smiled and said, "Give me 20 million, and I'll leave your son."
Yu Wanqiu slowly narrowed her eyes. "I'll give you two 'millions': may you be happy, and may you be joyful."
Her eyes were beautiful. Though she was in her forties, time had left no trace on her face. If anything, the years had added to her charm, like a rose in full bloom, never wilting.
Jiang Lan: "..."
?
That wasn't the kind of 20 million she wanted.
Yu Wanqiu crossed her legs and shifted her posture. "Miss Jiang, let me introduce myself again. I'm Yu Wanqiu, Lu Yicheng's mother. I'm sorry to meet you like this today, but I'm not here to break you two up."
"Although, as you said, there are many ways you and Lu Yicheng are incompatible, he really likes you." Yu Wanqiu spoke slowly and deliberately. "This isn't the Qing Dynasty anymore, where social status matters. Whether I like it or not is my business, but I can't make decisions for Lu Yicheng. After all, love is between the two of you."
Yu Wanqiu seemed a bit displeased. She paused before continuing, "And Miss Jiang, you shouldn't make such a rash decision. He likes you very much, often... But you're right. Love is between the two of you, but marriage isn't. So, I've decided to give you both a chance, and to give myself one too."
Jiang Lan was getting more and more confused. What was going on? Was she not getting the money?
She had said so much. Shouldn't Yu Wanqiu have just gone along with it?
If she missed this opportunity, there wouldn't be another!
Yu Wanqiu slid a notebook across the table. It wasn't thick. The first page was blank, and the second page had four words: "Mother-in-Law is Coming."
Yu Wanqiu said, "This is a variety show. You might have heard of the first season. Of course, if Lu Yicheng is determined to be with you, there's nothing I can do. But he also has to consider my opinion, since I'm his mother. You're still in school, right? It's summer break, so you have time. Take a look at this show. If you agree to participate, you'll receive 20 million after the show ends. If, during this time, I change my mind, I won't interfere with you and Lu Yicheng in the future. If not, I hope you'll take the money and leave, never appearing in Lu Yicheng's life again. This is also Lu Yicheng's wish."
This was a high-stakes gamble. If Jiang Lan truly loved Lu Yicheng, she would definitely join the show to win Yu Wanqiu's approval and make her like her.
But Jiang Lan didn't love him. She had just arrived here and hadn't even seen Lu Yicheng. How could she love him?
Jiang Lan didn't love the male lead, but she loved money. In the end, the 20 million would still end up in her pocket.
Jiang Lan took the show's script. "I'll do my best to earn your approval!"
Yu Wanqiu turned her head away, seemingly unimpressed with Jiang Lan. She said, "You'll join the show tomorrow afternoon. Give me your contact information so we can stay in touch."
Jiang Lan added Yu Wanqiu on WeChat. Yu Wanqiu's profile picture wasn't the typical elderly aesthetic of lotus flowers or grasslands, but rather a white background with a black character "Yu" in the center. It was likely a studio account, otherwise, why would she give it to Jiang Lan? Jiang Lan understood this well.
Jiang Lan's WeChat profile picture, on the other hand, was a cartoon character falling over. Yu Wanqiu frowned slightly after accepting the friend request but didn’t say anything.
Once they were connected on WeChat, Yu Wanqiu said, "Since you're here, you might as well stay for a meal. I wouldn’t want people to say that you met your boyfriend’s mother and didn’t even get to eat."
The Green Leaf Restaurant was a hot pot place, not a big chain but a small, local eatery known for its authentic flavors, with an average cost of 80 yuan per person. Only locals really knew about it.
Before arriving, Yu Wanqiu had already bought the restaurant, so Jiang Lan could order whatever she wanted without worrying about the bill.
Jiang Lan didn’t hold back. She ordered a spicy broth, lamb, beef, shrimp paste, tripe, and more. Yu Wanqiu, however, only ordered green vegetables and a clear soup broth.
Yu Wanqiu only took a few bites of the vegetables, dipping them in the clear broth and then rinsing them in water again.
Jiang Lan, on the other hand, ate with gusto. Despite the air conditioning in the restaurant, her face turned red from the heat of the spicy food. Her eating manners were refined, and if she weren’t her son’s girlfriend, Yu Wanqiu might have found her quite endearing.
Seeing that Yu Wanqiu ate so little, Jiang Lan didn’t press her to eat more. It didn’t take much thought to understand why—a restaurant with an average cost of 80 yuan was probably not Yu Wanqiu’s usual scene.
After the meal, Yu Wanqiu wiped her mouth clean and reapplied her lipstick.
There was no need to settle the bill.
Yu Wanqiu had a driver waiting for her. She put on her sunglasses, and Jiang Lan walked her to the door. "Thank you for the meal," Jiang Lan said.
Yu Wanqiu replied indifferently, "No need."
Jiang Lan stood there, holding her notebook, watching Yu Wanqiu get into the luxury car and drive away. She then glanced at her phone. In her WeChat, someone with the nickname "A Pig Raised by a Fairy" had sent her several messages while she was eating with Yu Wanqiu.
[Missed video call]
[Video call ended]
[Missed voice call]
[Voice call ended]
[Baby, I had something come up at noon and couldn’t make it. When you see this, call me back, and I’ll explain.]
This must be Lu Yicheng. Why was his profile picture a shoe? Was this the kind of aesthetic men had these days?
Jiang Lan thought for a moment and replied, [I’ll be participating in that variety show. Let’s not contact each other until the recording is over.]
Of course, there was no need to contact him after it ended either.
Jiang Lan stood in the sunlight, swiped her screen a couple of times, and added Lu Yicheng to her block list.
