**【Isn’t Jiang Lan quite good at pleasing people? Isn’t that why Lu Yicheng got together with her? With a girlfriend like that, even if he doesn’t like her all that much, he wouldn’t break up, right?】**
This was the top comment under the first trending hashtag, with over 30,000 likes and 2,000 replies.
Some people couldn’t understand—was this commenter Lu Yicheng himself? Had they personally heard Lu Yicheng say he didn’t like Jiang Lan anymore? Had they seen Jiang Lan forcing Lu Yicheng to wear a hair tie around his wrist? How could they so definitively claim he didn’t like her?
Even if Jiang Lan had played the violin for Lu Yicheng, so what? Couples do things like that for each other.
Besides, was that really "pleasing someone"? When Yu Wanqiu gave Jiang Lan a dress, Jiang Lan treated her to a meal in return—it was just reciprocation.
**【I can verify my identity via my Qinghua University homepage, and I can also post my scholarship proof. I can say with full responsibility that in their relationship, Jiang Lan is the one who takes the lead. They’ve had arguments, but Lu Yicheng really, really likes her.】**
**【I have a friend whose leg was amputated, and her last wish before the surgery was to hear the details of this story.】**
**【Last May, for Lu Yicheng’s birthday, Jiang Lan planned something special. Lu had classes until 10 p.m. that night. After he got out, a bunch of people handed him roses—one by one, from the lecture hall all the way to the sports field. Lu was holding so many flowers he could barely carry them. Then, on the field, Jiang Lan played three songs on her violin.】**
**【And then? And then?!】**
**【There were a lot of people there that night. Probably everyone was trying to steal Lu Yicheng away from her [smirk].】**
Old posts could still be dug up from Qinghua University’s forums. It was a story from a while ago, a vintage piece of candy for the ship’s fans. And even among Qinghua students, those who indulged in shipping did so discreetly.
Everyone loves seeing attractive couples—snap a couple of photos, sigh in admiration, and that’s it. No one would stalk them or intrude on their private lives.
Back then, Jiang Lan had asked the juniors, seniors, and classmates from the violin club to give Lu Yicheng roses.
One, two, a handful, a bouquet—until Lu Yicheng was completely surrounded by flowers. On the sports field, the crowd parted to make way for him.
Jiang Lan grinned triumphantly at him, lifted her violin, and began playing a popular song. The crowd sang along, and when the song ended, everyone shouted for an encore.
It was a carefully prepared birthday gift from the future president of the violin club to her boyfriend.
What was Lu Yicheng’s expression at that moment? He looked a little dazed, completely caught off guard. After Jiang Lan sang "Happy Birthday" to him, Lu Yicheng dropped the flowers and rushed over to hug her.
**【And then? And then?!】**
**【And then, Jiang Lan made him pick up every single rose from the field.】**
**【I thought they’d at least kiss for ten minutes straight.】**
The birthday boy spent quite a while gathering the flowers.
There were so many roses—Lu Yicheng couldn’t bear to give them away, but he also couldn’t take them all with him. His roommates and classmates ended up snatching quite a few.
Lu Yicheng had wanted to say that, growing up, almost no one had ever celebrated his birthday. Last year, Jiang Lan’s birthday cake had already made him incredibly happy.
Now, he was getting spoiled.
Yes, it was a clichéd romantic gesture, but Lu Yicheng loved it.
The Qinghua forums still had photos—distant shots of red roses, the crowd, the hazy glow of streetlights—all of it amplifying the atmosphere.
Up close, Lu Yicheng’s eyes had been slightly red, and he’d held Jiang Lan tightly for a long time.
**【The only thing I’m worried about is this: Jiang Lan has already done all the grand romantic gestures. What’s Lu Yicheng supposed to do when he proposes?】**
**【Oh damn, now I’m worried too.】**
**【As long as they get married, I’ll be satisfied.】**
The fans went digging for more sweet moments. As for that top comment, they’d already moved past it. Some people would always dislike them, but that didn’t change the fact that the two had shared years together. How could some random commenter claim their feelings weren’t real?
They were in love—deal with it!
Fans just wished the two would share more sweet moments. They wanted Lu Yicheng to make an appearance, even if it was just a glimpse of his face.
At 10 a.m. on Saturday, Yu Wanqiu and Jiang Lan posted on Weibo:
**【Yu WanqiuY: Live streaming tonight at 7 p.m. Don’t miss it! Room ID: 2315762】**
Jiang Lan quickly reposted it, then focused on planning their outing.
Zhuan Street was fairly close to Qinghua University. The food market there, called Zhuan Alley, was about half an hour away by subway.
Lots of students went there at night, and with the nearby residential areas, the place was always lively.
The alley had everything—barbecue, rice noodle rolls, fried chicken legs, grilled cold noodles, roasted pig trotters…
Jiang Lan had marked down all the must-try spots.
Many influencers had already done livestreams at Zhuan Alley. There were also games like prize draws, balloon popping, ring toss, and claw machines.
In the afternoon, Xia Jing called. "Have you decided on the livestream content? The official Honor of Kings team asked if you’d like to do a gaming stream with pro players."
Though Yu Wanqiu was tempted, they were going to the food street.
The discussion about their plans hadn’t been included in the episode. Zhang Tian probably guessed that Lu Yicheng would show up tonight. If they revealed the location, fans might swarm the place, causing chaos.
"Not tonight—we’re going to the food street," Yu Wanqiu said. "But we can game tomorrow."
Ranking up was also important.
Xia Jing: "You can stream. The minimum is two hours a week, but longer is fine. Shen Xingyao streams for seven or eight hours sometimes."
Zhang Lin streamed the most, two or three times a week. Xia Jing felt a little sorry for her—she’d left the industry at her peak to get married and have kids, and now making a comeback was tough.
Yu Wanqiu: "Alright, let’s play with Zheng Rong’s team. Ask if they’re free, but don’t interfere with their training."
"Lu Yicheng might show up tonight. Keep an eye on the hashtags and live chat."
Xia Jing was startled. "Why didn’t you say so earlier? Does Jiang Lan know?"
"If Jiang Lan knew, would Lu Yicheng even make it here?" Yu Wanqiu sighed. Logically, she should side with her son, but… Jiang Lan had given her flowers.
Xia Jing was silent for a moment. Then she said, "I knew you liked Jiang Lan. Last week you denied it."
"Just a little. Gotta go—we’re heading out soon."
Zhang Tian had been looking forward to this day. The last episode, when Chen Hao appeared, had spiked the ratings. Even though this was a mother-in-law/daughter-in-law show, the sons were still part of the dynamic.
Chen Hao’s way of deflecting Du Wanzhou’s baby pressure had won him a lot of fans, and now Shen Xingyao’s agent was lining up new scripts for her.
But Lu Yicheng was Yu Wanqiu’s son. Chen Hao had popped out of a gift box—how would Lu Yicheng make his entrance?
The most dramatic idea Zhang Tian could come up with was descending from a helicopter, but there was no helipad at the food street.
Or maybe a luxury car with a shower of petals—clichéd, but a lot of girls liked that sort of thing.
Zhang Tian called the camera crew following Yu Wanqiu and Jiang Lan into the director’s room and switched them to smaller, more discreet cameras. Carrying big equipment would make them stand out.
Zhang Tian also hired some buzz online. The blurry photos of Lu Yicheng made him look handsome, but a mask could boost anyone’s attractiveness by 50%.
What if he took after his dad?
As Yu Wanqiu’s son, the audience’s expectations would be sky-high—tall, handsome, elite education. Any minor flaw would be magnified.
At five in the afternoon, Jiang Lan packed her essentials: tissues, wet wipes, a trash bag, a water bottle, a small fan, and a pack of digestive tablets.
“Everything else makes sense, but why the digestive tablets?”
Jiang Lan had a perfectly logical explanation: “What if we overeat? Come on, Teacher Yu, let’s go before the crowd picks up!”
Yu Wanqiu was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, her hair tied up just like Jiang Lan’s. She wore a mask and no makeup, a stark contrast to her usual style—fans probably wouldn’t recognize her.
Around six, the two set off from the villa by car. The cameraman turned on the live stream, and Jiang Lan waved at the viewers. “Today, we’re taking Teacher Yu to broaden her horizons. No gifts, please! And if anyone figures out where we’re going, keep it quiet.”
【Are they going to a bar?】
【@Lu Yicheng, your girlfriend is taking your mom to a bar!】
“Nonsense, who goes to a bar?” Jiang Lan pressed a finger to her lips. “You’ll find out when we get there.”
As night fell, Zhuan Alley buzzed with activity.
Food stalls lined the street, their names displayed on small carts. The alley stretched over forty meters, with four rows of stalls and a two-meter-wide path in between. Few cars passed through—most of the crowd were students and locals.
Stepping out of the car, they were hit by a wave of heat. It was July, and even a short walk outside the air-conditioned comfort left them sweating.
The lively noise of the food street reached them long before they arrived.
“Teacher Yu, it’s so vibrant here!”
Yu Wanqiu nodded. The air was thick with an irresistible aroma—different from restaurant food—a mix of bold, mouthwatering scents that pulled you in like a hook.
She had never been to a place like this, teeming with life and the raw energy of a night market.
Jiang Lan tugged her forward. “There’s a stall with amazing roasted pig trotters, and Yulin’s fried chicken legs are divine! But first, let’s grab bubble tea!”
Yu Wanqiu usually avoided sugary, high-calorie drinks, but since they were here, one wouldn’t hurt.
She scanned the crowd but didn’t spot Lu Yicheng. Instead, a large group had gathered ahead.
Jiang Lan noticed too. Among the crowd were several oversized mascots—a couple of teddy bears.
These were the giant, wearable costumes often seen at mall promotions. The wearers could see outside, pose for photos, and kids adored them.
A vendor with a loudspeaker announced, “Celebrating Zhuan Alley’s third anniversary! Join our lucky draw for prizes!”
“Third prize: keychains for fifty winners! Second prize: ten ¥20 vouchers! First prize: three winners get to take home a mascot tour guide!”
Jiang Lan stood on tiptoe, peering in. “Teacher Yu! Let’s try the draw!”
Even a keychain would be fun.
Yu Wanqiu agreed, and they joined the queue. The line was long—one mascot had already been claimed. Only two remained: a black Brown Bear and an adorable black-and-white panda.
When it was their turn, Jiang Lan let Yu Wanqiu go first. She drew a second-prize voucher, redeemable for cash at the alley’s stalls.
Jiang Lan rubbed her hands together. “Teacher Yu, lend me some luck! If I get another voucher, we’ll have forty yuan to spend!”
Yu Wanqiu thought she could aim higher.
Jiang Lan rummaged in the box, then unfolded her slip. It read: **First Prize**. She murmured, “Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket next…”
The staff smiled. “Congratulations! You’ve won first prize. Please pick your mascot—which one would you like?”
