After returning to her apartment, Jiang Lan began flipping through the notebook Yu Wanqiu had given her.
The content inside wasn’t extensive, so Jiang Lan had to look things up online as she read.
Last year, *Mother-in-Law is Coming I* had unexpectedly risen to fame among a sea of dating and talent shows, becoming a nationwide sensation.
Addressing the hot-button issue of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships, the show invited four pairs of celebrity mothers-in-law or daughters-in-law to showcase their daily interactions. The show had fewer game segments and focused more on everyday life, filled with family dynamics, conflicts, and trivial matters, making it highly relatable.
Yu Wanqiu’s notebook mentioned that the show was directed by Zhang Tian and would be recorded and broadcast simultaneously, with one episode airing every Friday at 10 PM on Fruit TV, each lasting two hours.
The production team also collaborated with Penguin Video for occasional live streams, and each guest had a weekly streaming quota of two hours.
Flipping further, Jiang Lan found introductions to the other three groups of guests.
The first group was a popular pair from the previous season: rising star Shen Xingyao and her wealthy mother-in-law, Du Wanzhou. Shen Xingyao, a 27-year-old actress, had starred in several hit dramas. Last year, she married Hong Kong-Taiwanese actor Chen Hao and, shortly after their wedding, joined *Mother-in-Law is Coming* Season 1 with Du Wanzhou.
Initially, the first season of *Mother-in-Law is Coming* didn’t receive much attention. Young audiences were more into dating shows, parenting programs, and talent competitions, and the mundane conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law didn’t seem appealing. However, Shen Xingyao and Du Wanzhou completely shattered everyone’s preconceptions about such relationships.
Their bond was simply too sweet! Du Wanzhou affectionately called Shen Xingyao “Nannan,” took her to high-end restaurants costing thousands per person, and gifted her designer bags worth hundreds of thousands and diamonds worth millions. Their relationship was more like mother and daughter than mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, truly demonstrating how to turn a mother-in-law into a mother.
Shen Xingyao, with her beauty and charm, always managed to make Du Wanzhou laugh heartily. Who wouldn’t want a mother-in-law like that?
From being a rising star to marrying into a wealthy family, Shen Xingyao hadn’t made a single misstep. Even *Mother-in-Law is Coming* became a hit largely because of her.
When the show announced its second season, Shen Xingyao and Du Wanzhou were the most anticipated pair.
The second group of guests was actress Zhang Lin, who had left the industry seven years ago, and her mother-in-law, Li Jia.
Zhang Lin had retired at the peak of her career to marry a real estate tycoon. Soon after, she announced her pregnancy and gave birth, spending the past seven years as a homemaker, occasionally sharing glimpses of her children on social media, living the quintessential life of a wealthy housewife.
The third pair was a civilian guest: Chen Shuyun, a saleswoman, and her mother-in-law, Aunt Zhao.
There wasn’t much information about them, only that Chen Shuyun worked in sales, was 42 years old, and had a son in his second year of high school. Aunt Zhao was from the countryside and took care of her grandson while her son and daughter-in-law worked.
In total, there were four pairs of guests, with Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu being the “quasi mother-in-law and daughter-in-law” pair.
Yu Wanqiu, with over 20 years of acting experience, had never participated in any variety shows before. This was her debut. Despite her long career, the public only knew that she had been married for years, had a child, and that her husband, surnamed Lu, was extremely wealthy. Beyond that, nothing else was known.
Jiang Lan could imagine that if the show were officially announced, the public’s criticism wouldn’t be directed at Yu Wanqiu but at her.
Even though she and Lu Yicheng were destined to break up, in the eyes of the public, she would be seen as a frog trying to eat swan meat, a Cinderella dreaming of marrying into a wealthy family.
While participating in the show would earn her 20 million yuan, it also meant exposing her personal life to the public. After the show ended, many people might still keep an eye on her, potentially affecting her future work and life.
On the other hand, if she performed well and won the audience’s favor, it could greatly benefit her career.
Jiang Lan didn’t need to win over Yu Wanqiu, but she did need to win over the audience. Even if she couldn’t make them adore her, she at least couldn’t let them dislike her or ruin her public image to the point of being ostracized.
Once the show ended, she could travel to a small town and return to a quiet, normal life.
The original Jiang Lan was a junior in the art department at Qinghua University, sharing the same campus as the male lead. Her mother was a high school teacher, and her father was a civil servant. Coming from a middle-class family and being attractive, she was far from being a Cinderella.
The original Jiang Lan also worked part-time and seemed to have no plans to return home during the summer vacation.
Jiang Lan sent a message to her family, informing them that she was joining a show and not to worry. She then pulled up the male lead’s phone number from her contacts and blocked him.
There was a violin in the apartment, and after some thought, Jiang Lan decided to bring it along.
She packed a few outfits from her wardrobe, along with toiletries and makeup, and waited for the next day when she would join the show.
The next afternoon, Yu Wanqiu sent her an address.
[Yu Wanqiu: We’ll be shooting promotional photos this afternoon, followed by a solo interview. Just treat it as normal.]
[Yu Wanqiu: Don’t try too hard. Some things can’t be forced.]
Yu Wanqiu’s message implied that no matter how much Jiang Lan tried to win her over, she wouldn’t like her, so Jiang Lan shouldn’t waste her effort.
Jiang Lan replied on WeChat: [I’ll arrive early.]
As for trying too hard, Yu Wanqiu was overthinking it.
Jiang Lan packed her luggage, grabbed her phone, and took a taxi to the production team’s location, which was in a villa area on the outskirts of B City.
The production team had rented two villas—one for filming and the other for the show’s use.
When Jiang Lan arrived, Yu Wanqiu was already there. Director Zhang Tian approached and urged the makeup artist to quickly get Jiang Lan ready. “No need to change her clothes. Finish the promotional photos and move on to the solo interview.”
Zhang Tian glanced at Jiang Lan. According to her profile, she was a junior in college, which explained her youthful appearance. She was undeniably beautiful, with an ethereal quality. Even if she didn’t marry into wealth, she could still have a successful acting career.
Jiang Lan’s persona was that of a Cinderella, so wearing luxury brands wouldn’t suit her. The girl hadn’t even put on makeup before coming out. Zhang Tian said, “Give her light makeup.”
Yu Wanqiu, on the other hand, was impeccably made up and showed no signs of impatience. The two exchanged a brief greeting before the makeup team took Jiang Lan to the dressing room. Jiang Lan then learned that the other three groups of guests had arrived the previous night and had already completed their promotional photos and solo interviews.
The fourth group of guests hadn’t been officially announced yet. The makeup artist discreetly observed this prospective daughter-in-law of a wealthy family. Jiang Lan didn’t have the trendy influencer look. She was 165 cm tall, with a small frame but not overly thin. Her complexion was radiant, her cheeks rosy, and her eyes, though not particularly large, were lively with long lashes and a subtle under-eye puffiness. Her face was full of youthful vitality, requiring only a light foundation and lipstick.
At the very least, Yu Wanqiu’s son had good taste. If he had brought home a flashy influencer-type, the show would have exploded.
Jiang Lan was wearing a yellow peter pan collar dress that cost less than 300 yuan, but her fair skin made her look effortlessly youthful and beautiful in the promotional photos.
Zhang Tian was quite satisfied with Jiang Lan, though Yu Wanqiu’s expression remained indifferent.
Zhang Tian felt confident that Yu Wanqiu had no interest in this “daughter-in-law.”
After the promotional photos were taken, the production team quickly began editing them for the official announcement on Weibo. Zhang Tian instructed the assistant director to take Jiang Lan for her solo interview.
The interviewer reminded Jiang Lan to look at the camera. Since she and Yu Wanqiu were in a “quasi mother-in-law and daughter-in-law” relationship, the questions were slightly different from the others.
“Did you ever imagine your mother-in-law would be Yu Wanqiu?”
The girl on screen paused for a moment before answering, “No, I never imagined his mother would be Yu Wanqiu. He never mentioned it.”
This was part of the story’s plot. The male lead’s college romance was brief, and Yu Wanqiu had always been protective of her family’s privacy, so the original Jiang Lan hadn’t known she was dating Yu Wanqiu’s son.
“Do you think you can win over your future mother-in-law?”
Jiang Lan replied, “Some things can’t be forced.”
“After the show ends, what changes do you hope to see in your relationship?”
Jiang Lan thought to herself that by the time the show ended, she would have already broken up with him. Naturally, she hoped Yu Wanqiu would let her take the 20 million yuan and disappear.
With a smile, she said, “Let’s be friends.”
Meanwhile, Yu Wanqiu entered another room. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she was well-versed in interviews. After adjusting the camera and seat, the interview began.
“If Jiang Lan were to become your daughter-in-law, would you live together after they got married?”
Yu Wanqiu answered, “No, there’s no need for mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law to live together. Meeting once or twice a month is enough.”
“Would you pressure them to have children?”
Yu Wanqiu frowned. “No, they can have as many children as they want. I won’t interfere in such matters.”
“As far as we know, Jiang Lan comes from an ordinary background, which is incomparable to the Lu family. If they were to get married, would you approve?”
This was a tricky and highly provocative question.
Bringing Jiang Lan to the show doesn’t mean Yu Wanqiu approves of her as a daughter-in-law. Even married couples can divorce, let alone a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship.
Perhaps the two will break up before the show even ends.
Originally, the most talked-about pair on the show was Shen Xingyao and Du Wanzhou, but as soon as Yu Wanqiu joined, the focus shifted. Compared to the sweet and lavish life of the wealthy, netizens are more interested in seeing how Yu Wanqiu will make things difficult for Jiang Lan.
Can a Cinderella really marry into a wealthy family? Is Jiang Lan just an ordinary Cinderella, or does she have ulterior motives for getting close to the wealthy heir?
Reality shows don’t have scripts, but they can be guided. If Shen Xingyao and Du Wanzhou are following a sweet romance script, then Yu Wanqiu and Jiang Lan are clearly set up for a tense, love-hate dynamic.
A future mother-in-law who dislikes her daughter-in-law, and a daughter-in-law who fails to win her over—her dream of marrying into wealth shattered.
Yu Wanqiu said, “If they want to get married, I’ll agree. It’s a different era now, after all. But in this day and age, even married couples can divorce. If they can’t make it work, whether they break up or divorce, I won’t object.”
Three questions later, the solo interview ended.
Soon, the official Weibo account announced the final pair of guests.
【Mother-in-Law is Coming: She is a compassionate heroine, a princess with a heart for the world, a stunning songstress, a peerless swordsman, a mother, and now a future mother-in-law @Yu WanqiuY. Time flies, and the once-young child has grown up, bringing another girl @Jiang Lan before her. A new mother-in-law, please be kind! [Clapping] [Clapping]】
Two minutes after this post went up, the first netizen commented with a question mark.
【?】
【??】
【She’s only 46, right? Liang Yun is still playing young girls at 46!】
【Am I getting old? How is Yu Wanqiu already a mother-in-law?】
【I want to know who Jiang Lan is, and who Yu Wanqiu’s son is!】
【Just dug up a link—Qinghua University forum. Her son is Lu Yicheng, a top student at Qinghua, in the same year as Jiang Lan, though Jiang Lan got in through the arts program with lower scores.】
【Jiang Lan? My elementary school classmate. Just an ordinary girl. Her mom’s a high school teacher, her dad’s an office worker… Nothing special except her looks. How did she manage to marry into a wealthy family?】
【Ordinary… Is ordinary this competitive now?】
【Cinderella marrying into a wealthy family—fiction finally meets reality.】
【Does Yu Wanqiu really accept this daughter-in-law?】
Netizens are quick. In less than half an hour, they dug up a post from the Qinghua University forum. Other posts were gone, leaving only this one.
The photo was blurry, showing a boy in a shirt holding hands with a girl, looking very affectionate.
The forum is mostly academic, but this post was trending, with replies like—
【Wuwu, I believe in love again wuwu】
【Today is another day moved by the campus couple’s love wuwu】
But Weibo netizens were merciless. 【What love? She’s just after him because he’s Yu Wanqiu’s son.】
【What’s so romantic about holding hands?】
【I don’t believe she’ll marry into wealth. They’re not from the same social class. How can they get along?】
【1】
【If others didn’t know he’s Yu Wanqiu’s son, Jiang Lan definitely did.】
【A bunch of top students here fangirling over a couple, gross.】
Jiang Lan knew nothing about this, nor did Yu Wanqiu. After the interview, it was already dark.
The two moved their luggage to the fourth floor of the villa. Since they arrived last, only the fourth floor was unoccupied.
Du Wanzhou had taken Shen Xingyao out shopping, and Zhang Lin came out of her room on the first floor, smiling warmly. “Sister Wanqiu, hello, Jiang Lan.”
Zhang Lin had been a huge star in her time, naturally beautiful, but in a different way from Yu Wanqiu. Her demeanor was calm and gentle, like the classic image of a woman from southern China.
Jiang Lan greeted her, “Hello, Teacher Zhang.” Yu Wanqiu said, “Long time no see.”
Zhang Lin smiled, but her smile carried a hint of bitterness. Yu Wanqiu’s gaze briefly fell on Zhang Lin’s hand resting on her waist before quickly looking away.
The second floor was occupied by another mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair, Chen Shuyun, who was still out working, leaving only Aunt Zhao, though Jiang Lan didn’t see her.
Du Wanzhou and Shen Xingyao lived on the third floor. There was an elevator from the first floor, so going upstairs wouldn’t disturb the other guests.
However, the villa had an open atrium, with the living and dining areas not separated by walls, so conversations could be overheard.
Jiang Lan didn’t need to curry favor, so she didn’t offer to help Yu Wanqiu with her luggage, and Yu Wanqiu, being fiercely independent, didn’t need her help either.
The fourth floor was a suite with a living room, kitchen, and three bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. Jiang Lan noticed cameras in several spots.
There was no script; the crew was filming daily life. Next up was dinner.
Out of politeness, Jiang Lan asked Yu Wanqiu about it.
Yu Wanqiu replied, “I’ll cook for myself. Since we’re living together, it’s best to let you know my habits. I go to bed at 10 PM and wake up at 6 AM. I prefer quiet, and I have many dietary restrictions. From now on, we’ll each handle our own meals.”
Jiang Lan’s eyes widened in shock. 10 PM? Her nightlife was just getting started.
