If Jiang Lan weren't Lu Yicheng's girlfriend, Yu Wanqiu would never have bothered with her.
Returning the favor, Jiang Lan took her gaming, so Yu Wanqiu took Jiang Lan to practice yoga.
With a joyful heart, Yu Wanqiu slept soundly through the night. When she woke up at seven, she looked in the mirror and found no signs of acne or dark circles from staying up late and eating midnight snacks. Instead, her good mood made her radiate with vitality.
In contrast, Jiang Lan looked listless. She had woken up several times during the night, dreaming of running an 800-meter race, running and running, and even after waking up, she still felt a lingering sense of dread.
She could only comfort herself by thinking, "A daily salary of 330,000, plus two yoga sessions—it's worth it!"
Moreover, Jiang Lan discovered that after getting up early a few times, waking up wasn't such a difficult task after all.
"Teacher Yu, shall we do yoga after breakfast?"
Yu Wanqiu was making sandwiches, adding shrimp and fried eggs—one for each of them. "Hmm, are you wearing that? Don't you have any sportswear?"
Jiang Lan looked down at herself. She was wearing pajamas—a short-sleeved top and shorts in an avocado green plaid pattern.
She didn't exercise, so why would she have sportswear?
But...
Jiang Lan sighed regretfully, "Teacher Yu! I only brought a few outfits with me. Let me buy some sportswear first. Oh well, maybe we'll skip today. What a shame."
Yu Wanqiu said, "I'll have someone deliver a set. What's your size?"
"No! Teacher Yu, your clothes must be really expensive. I'm not used to that. It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go back. How could I keep wearing such expensive clothes in the future? I'll just buy some from Taobao. It'll arrive in a day or two." Jiang Lan quickly placed an order. "There, done."
Yu Wanqiu didn't understand why Jiang Lan always had so many excuses. What did she mean by "in the future"? Would the Lu family really not provide her with clothes? Clearly, she was just trying to delay.
Also, what was Taobao?
Unlike Du Wanzhou, who had a strong shopping urge, Yu Wanqiu rarely bought anything.
The ingredients at home were delivered by specialists from around the world. Her clothes and jewelry were all custom-made or haute couture, managed by her agent and assistants.
Yu Wanqiu had no need for shopping.
She wondered, could the quality be guaranteed when buying online? What about returns and exchanges? What if she bought a fake?
Suppressing her doubts, Yu Wanqiu said, "Even if you're not doing yoga, don't just sit around all the time. Move around a bit... Who knows if you'll even live as long as I do."
"…………"
Jiang Lan went to practice the violin. Although it wasn't much physical activity, it was still better than sitting around.
In fact, Yu Wanqiu was quite admirable. She was in her late forties, almost fifty, yet she still maintained a pace of filming one high-quality movie a year. She could have relied on her beauty, family background, or husband, but she chose to rely on herself.
If Yu Wanqiu was working so hard, how could Jiang Lan justify playing games?
The melodious sound of the violin drifted over from Jiang Lan's room. Yu Wanqiu turned down the volume of her yoga video slightly.
By noon, Jiang Lan finally put down her violin and joined Yu Wanqiu to prepare lunch. They decided to make sweet and sour fish and stir-fried baby bok choy, replacing the white rice with mixed grains so Yu Wanqiu could have a little.
Usually, watching Jiang Lan eat was quite appetizing. And, eating this way seemed to give her a better complexion than completely avoiding carbs and only eating low-oil, low-salt dishes.
After lunch, Jiang Lan planned to take a nap, but then a production assistant came over and handed them a task card.
"The four groups of guests have been living in 'Mother-in-Law is Coming' for almost a week now. Amid the fun, don't forget the weekly two-hour live-streaming task. Failing to complete the live-streaming task will result in extended punishment. Hurry up and download the Doumao app to start streaming."
Jiang Lan remembered that the contract stipulated a weekly two-hour live-streaming requirement.
Two hours wasn't long, but cramming it all into the weekend was terrifying.
The assistant added, "At 10 PM tonight, the first episode will air on Fruit TV and Penguin Video. Remember to watch, teachers."
Jiang Lan thought, "I won't watch. Seeing myself on TV would be so awkward."
But the netizens wanted to watch.
Riding on the popularity of the first season, the second season of "Mother-in-Law is Coming" had been highly anticipated.
Shen Xingyao's fans had already started threads, checking in daily, hoping everyone would know that Shen Xingyao had found success in both love and career. Zhang Lin had gained some popularity on Bilibili in recent years. Her historical drama looks were stunning, far surpassing today's idol stars, and she had a lot of old fans. The ordinary couple group didn't attract much attention, but judging from the promotional photos, they seemed the most authentic. Chen Shuyun looked exhausted, while Aunt Zhao had a somewhat stern expression.
But compared to these people, Yu Wanqiu's level of attention was in a completely different league.
A national goddess making her variety show debut—these two points alone were enough to excite the masses.
Beyond that, netizens were curious about how Yu Wanqiu would nitpick Jiang Lan.
Yu Wanqiu was a perfectionist. She never used stunt doubles or voice actors in her films, striving for perfection in every scene. At forty-six, she had even taken on a martial arts role earlier this year.
And Jiang Lan? She was far from perfect.
How would Yu Wanqiu treat Jiang Lan? Would she criticize her background, her education, or her character?
Surely, she would use her words and actions to make Jiang Lan back down. No matter how much Jiang Lan tried to please her, Yu Wanqiu would remain unmoved.
Even if Jiang Lan cooked her a feast every day, Yu Wanqiu wouldn't soften!
At 9 PM, the show's official Weibo released a 60-second preview. It started with Shen Xingyao and Du Wanzhou shooting a magazine spread together, followed by Zhang Lin busy in the kitchen. Then, Chen Shuyun returned late at night, carrying a stack of folders, telling Aunt Zhao, "The resignation handover is done. I don’t have to go tomorrow."
Finally, amidst the bustling cityscape, Yu Wanqiu coolly remarked, "I heard you blocked Lu Yicheng?"
The camera focused on Jiang Lan, who looked momentarily stunned.
At 10 PM sharp, the episode aired.
In the video, Yu Wanqiu and Jiang Lan each pulled a suitcase as they took the elevator to the fourth floor. An awkward atmosphere hung between them. Before entering the apartment, Jiang Lan invited Yu Wanqiu to have dinner together, but Yu Wanqiu refused without hesitation.
Yu Wanqiu said, "I'll make my own food. Since we're living together, I should let you know some of my habits. I go to bed at 10 PM and wake up at 6 AM. I prefer quiet and have many dietary restrictions. Let's just eat separately from now on."
Through the screen, viewers could feel Jiang Lan's awkwardness. However, they found the scene amusing. On Penguin Video, real-time comments flooded in. Aside from praising Yu Wanqiu's beauty, most of the comments were along the lines of—
[Failed to please mother-in-law, attempt 1]
[If you want to please Yu Wanqiu, you'll need another 500 years of practice!]
But gradually, the comments started to shift.
[Jiang Lan... ordered takeout?]
[Jiang Lan... ordered takeout again?]
[:) Caught red-handed. I told you, the probability of ordering takeout at home without getting caught by parents is zero.]
[Didn't she say she wasn't eating? Hahaha, Teacher Yu!]
【Is Chen Shuyun really quitting her job?? Why? As far as I know, sales jobs are quite lucrative. Is it just because she has a child about to take the college entrance exam? Does the child's father earn a lot? Why can't he quit his job instead? And why not hire a nanny? The child is already in their final year of high school—how much more care do they need?】
【High school seniors are precious. Aunt Zhao definitely wouldn’t let her precious son quit his job. If the child’s father earns less than Chen Shuyun, quitting would make him look like he’s living off her. He’s already feeling inferior—how would he ever stand up to her in the future?】
【You can’t say that. Chen Shuyun comes home after 10 p.m., which shows she’s not very family-oriented…】
【Why are we even arguing? Aren’t the beautiful women more interesting? Yu Wanqiu, Shen Xingyao, Zhang Lin, Jiang Lan… Wait, Jiang Lan can play the cello? I thought she was just a pretty face.】
【She’s from Tsinghua University, though it’s the arts department. But even without the arts score, her academic score of over 500 is enough to get into a top-tier university. A friend from Tsinghua told me Jiang Lan is quite famous there—she’s the head of the student union’s publicity department and the president of the violin club. She’s been involved in many clubs and gets scholarships every year. How is that average? How is she just a pretty face?】
【Disappointed. Yu Wanqiu didn’t give Jiang Lan a hard time. Ugh!】
【Didn’t she? She criticized her for being overweight, didn’t let her order takeout, and made her wake up early…】
【Is that really giving her a hard time? What college student doesn’t go through that during summer break?】
【What I thought: Jiang Lan: “I really, really love Lu Yicheng.” What actually happened: “I heard you blocked Lu Yicheng?”】
【I can’t stop laughing, guys.】
【Jiang Lan: “Lu Yicheng, are you a snitch or something?”】
【Shen Xingyao is truly a flower of wealth and beauty.】
【Du Wanzhou and Shen Xingyao are so sweet together! Can’t wait for their baby!】
【Zhang Lin… is pregnant?】
【Their eldest is already six. It’s normal to have a second child.】
The two-hour runtime was divided among the four groups of guests, giving each group only about half an hour, and some even less.
Yu Wanqiu started off cold and distant but ended up expressionlessly feeding Jiang Lan beef skewers, sneaking one for herself and boldly staring back when caught.
Especially after playing games and rising to Silver III, Yu Wanqiu glanced at the quartz clock, her expression a mix of regret and frustration. She looked like a monk who had broken a vow, carefully trying to find a way to make amends.
“We’ll wake up at seven tomorrow morning. After breakfast, you’ll do yoga with me.”
The post-production team added a lightning bolt effect above Jiang Lan’s head.
【Hahahaha, the ultimate act of betrayal!】
The show ended abruptly, leaving the audience wanting more. They had initially tuned in to see Jiang Lan trying to win over Yu Wanqiu but ended up captivated by their interactions.
One was a goddess-like actress stepping down from her pedestal, the other a lively young woman. Yu Wanqiu seemed to dote on Jiang Lan, cooking for her and urging her to wake up early, while Jiang Lan introduced Yu Wanqiu to gaming and late-night snacks.
Yu Wanqiu was no longer the untouchable, ethereal actress in people’s minds, and most importantly, Jiang Lan didn’t flaunt her relationship, which only made the audience more curious about her and Lu Yicheng.
As soon as the show aired, *Mother-in-Law Has Arrived* began climbing the trending charts. By the time it ended, it had claimed 13 out of 50 trending spots. Apart from the sweet couple, the wealthy family, and the ordinary couple, Yu Wanqiu and Jiang Lan alone took up six spots.
1. Hey, I’m just gonna call her Mom now!
2. The whole world knows Lu Yicheng got blocked.
5. Yu Wanqiu cooks without turning on the range hood.
7. Yu Wanqiu can’t sleep because she’s too mad after gaming.
19. What are some good couple usernames?
28. Irreplaceable CP.
The 19th trending topic was because of Jiang Lan’s in-game username, “No Cilantro,” which flashed briefly on the show. Netizens discovered that the account was linked to a partner named “Irreplaceable.”
In *Honor of Kings*, there’s a relationship system where players can bind as lovers, best friends, or buddies, increasing their intimacy level.
But aside from looking cute, it doesn’t really do much—it doesn’t boost attack power or magic strength.
“Irreplaceable” was likely Lu Yicheng. Not only did they have matching usernames, but they also used couple avatars. Jiang Lan’s was a little girl walking a dog on a leash, while Lu Yicheng’s was a dog running with its tongue out.
The avatars radiated joy, and although netizens had mixed feelings about couple avatars, who could dictate what people use?
And, well, Lu Yicheng wasn’t quite what people expected from a wealthy heir in a relationship.
Lu Yicheng seemed like someone who kept his distance—aloof, rarely smiling, somewhat like Yu Wanqiu, and very private about his feelings.
He should’ve had a plain background as his avatar and a punctuation mark as his username.
But this…
It’s kind of adorable.
Immediately, someone created a fan thread, digging deep into their relationship and even unearthing that old hand-holding photo.
Looking at it again, they noticed something new: on Lu Yicheng’s wrist was a thin black string.
If it wasn’t some high-end designer bracelet, it had to be a hair tie!!
【Wahhh, even wealthy heirs have to wear hair ties when they’re in love wahhh】
Jiang Lan knew none of this. She had only blocked Lu Yicheng’s phone and WeChat. Who even uses QQ anymore? Besides, Lu Yicheng hadn’t messaged her there, or she would’ve blocked that too. And she hadn’t noticed the couple avatars at all.
Yu Wanqiu didn’t know either. The two had been gaming until 11 p.m., and by 7 a.m. on Saturday, she was already up.
Early that morning, her agent, Xia Jing, called. “Wanqiu, here’s the thing. The show has a live-streaming requirement, and *Honor of Kings* officials want to know if you’d be interested in playing a live-streamed game with professional players.”
