My Mother-in-Law and I Became the Internet's Hottest Power Couple-Chapter 103

Before Jiang Lan could speak, Lu Yicheng declared, "That wasn't a question—I really mean it. Let's go, we're eating at Green Leaf."

This hotpot restaurant was their old haunt—affordable and delicious. The moment they stepped inside, a waiter greeted them, "Boss is here! What would you like to order?"

Lu Yicheng had no idea when he'd become the "boss," but Jiang Lan froze for a second before looking up at him. "I think Teacher Yu bought this place."

Yu Wanqiu was a celebrity, and the hotpot shop was always crowded. To avoid paparazzi, buying the restaurant outright was the simplest solution—exactly the kind of thing Yu Wanqiu would do.

Lu Yicheng: "...Well, that just means we eat for free now."

It was the weekend, and the place was busy. They found a quiet corner booth. Lu Yicheng ordered lamb, beef, fish balls, shrimp paste—mostly meat, barely any vegetables—and a spicy broth, all of Jiang Lan's favorites.

He used to avoid spicy food entirely, but after dating Jiang Lan, he’d grown accustomed to it.

After placing their order, Lu Yicheng said, "Wait here. I’ll grab us some milk tea."

Jiang Lan could handle cold drinks these days. Soon, Lu Yicheng returned with grape iced tea, a fruit medley packed with strawberries and cherries, and a small chocolate cake.

He set the cake down, then went to mix sesame sauce for their dipping bowls, grabbing a bottle of water for himself from the fridge. "Are you heading to the orchestra this afternoon? It’s closer to my place, right?"

The orchestra was only twenty minutes from Purple Gold Mansion but over forty from the Jiang family home.

Lu Yicheng’s implication was clear: she should just stay at his place. He could drive her to and from work, and she’d get more sleep.

Perfect, right?

Jiang Lan shook her head. "I want to go home. Teacher Yu isn’t even there—why would I stay with you?"

Lu Yicheng muttered, "We wouldn’t be sharing a room… Fine, then I’ll go home with you!"

The Jiang residence wasn’t far from his office either—just a forty-minute drive. In a city like B, that was practically next door.

Jiang Lan: "Huh?"

Lu Yicheng pressed on, "Your place works too. I can still take you to work, pick you up, make you breakfast, pack your lunch—how about it? Teacher Xie and Uncle Jiang probably miss me already."

"Who misses you? Stop making things up!" Jiang Lan had no intention of letting him tag along.

Lu Yicheng shrugged. "Then it’s either your place or mine. I’m easy—I’ll go wherever. Just pick one."

Why couldn’t he just go back to his own home?

The real reason Jiang Lan didn’t want him following her was because she had something major planned—she wanted to propose.

"You go to your place, I’ll go to mine," she said firmly. "If you keep arguing, I’ll get mad."

Lu Yicheng countered, "If you won’t let me come, it means you’re still upset with me. You haven’t forgiven me, have you? I used to go all the time—why not now? Besides, Teacher Xie and Uncle Jiang would be heartbroken if I didn’t visit."

The thought of going to Jiang Lan’s house made him giddy. He just wanted to see her every day. With five days of rehearsals plus the performance, they’d be apart for ages.

Lu Yicheng also had plans to impress Xie Yunzhen and Jiang Baoguo—he needed to discuss something with them.

"Decision made: we’re going to your place. I’ll pick up some gifts for Teacher Xie and Uncle Jiang later." He patted Jiang Lan’s head. "Enough arguing—aren’t you hungry? Eat your meat."

Jiang Lan was speechless. What kind of logic was that? "Not letting him come" equated to "still being mad"?

She remembered how Lu Yicheng used to sulk for a whole day without saying a word. Half the time, she couldn’t even tell if he was still upset. Meanwhile, her own temper flared and faded quickly.

"Fine, come if you want. But don’t bother buying anything—we’ll just go together after work." Jiang Lan needed to stop by her place to grab her violin anyway. Xie Yunzhen was at school, so only Jiang Baoguo would be home. What was the point of Lu Yicheng going now?

No matter where she went, Lu Yicheng insisted on following—even for a quick trip home.

After dropping Jiang Lan at the orchestra that afternoon, Lu Yicheng headed straight to Lu Yuan. By six, he texted her: "Dinner together?"

Jiang Lan didn’t check her phone until 6:30. She’d spent the afternoon rehearsing with the orchestra, and it hadn’t gone well. As a newcomer used to solo performances, playing in an ensemble felt completely foreign.

Her only experience with group performances had been recording tracks at Chen Ninglei’s studio.

She called Lu Yicheng back. "I’ll just grab something near the orchestra. We’re practicing late tonight. Have you eaten?"

Lu Yicheng: "I’ll eat soon. I’ll pick you up when you’re done."

After a brief exchange, Jiang Lan hung up. Lu Yicheng held his phone, skipping dinner to scroll through their chat history instead.

Today was June 22nd—college entrance exam scores would be out soon. Jiang Lan’s performance was on the 28th, and their anniversary was July 5th.

He’d been recording daily videos for 236 days now. Somehow, over two hundred days had slipped by.

Every clip was backed up—on his computer, in the cloud. Just not on his phone.

The ring was originally expected to be ready by early July, but the jeweler said it could be picked up earlier. Lu Yicheng planned to go and collect it tomorrow.

He had three locations in mind for his proposal: a seaside train, a dandelion garden, and the family’s private island, which was conveniently close to Ceylon. He loved all of them. Initially, he had intended to ask Yu Wanqiu to take Jiang Lan to these places after her graduation trip.

But their graduation trip kept getting disrupted.

There would be a train full of flowers, and the ring—Lu Yicheng had already seen photos of it—would be ready for pickup tomorrow. He had even written his proposal speech.

Though proposing wasn’t part of his original plan—he had wanted to wait until Jiang Lan’s birthday, casually suggesting a trip—he found he couldn’t wait any longer.

Her birthday was still four months away, and four months felt like an eternity.

When he saw the little paper stars Jiang Lan had folded for him, he nearly jumped out of the car in excitement. He desperately wanted a tangible connection with her, something solid and undeniable.

Something protected by law. Even if Jiang Lan ever forgot, he could pull out their marriage certificate and remind her they were already married.

Lu Yicheng wanted them to live together, to go to work and come home together, to do everything side by side.

He wanted to propose. Before, he had thought he’d propose first and let her take her time before marrying him. Now, he wanted to propose and marry her immediately.

His plan was to ask Yu Wanqiu to continue the graduation trip, leading them to the seaside train in Ceylon, where he would propose.

To prevent losing contact, please remember the backup domain:

By seven in the evening, Lu Yicheng had returned to the Jiang household.

Jiang Baoguo had just finished dinner. Xie Yunzhen was supervising evening study sessions at school, so Jiang Baoguo asked Lu Yicheng if he had eaten. Lu Yicheng said he hadn’t.

Jiang Baoguo sighed. "Help yourself to whatever’s in the fridge… Actually, never mind. I’ll make you some fried rice."

A son-in-law was half a son—but only half. A guest in the house shouldn’t have to cook for themselves.

Every time Lu Yicheng visited, Jiang Baoguo couldn’t shake the thought: Here comes my future son-in-law, putting on another performance.

Lu Yicheng smiled. "Thank you, Uncle Jiang."

Jiang Baoguo fried him a bowl of egg rice. Lu Yicheng, completely at home, grabbed a jar of Lao Gan Ma chili sauce from the cupboard. "Uncle Jiang, before you go, there’s something I’d like to discuss."

Jiang Baoguo wiped his hands and gave him a suspicious look. "What is it?"

Lu Yicheng said, "During the New Year, I visited Grandma and had a conversation with her. I’m not sure if she mentioned it to you."

Jiang Baoguo’s smile faded. He knew exactly what Lu Yicheng was about to say.

The two had left on New Year’s Day, and Jiang Lan’s grandmother had been heartbroken. She sighed endlessly after they left. To comfort his mother, Jiang Baoguo had said, "She’s just spending the holiday with her boyfriend. It’s normal for couples to meet each other’s families. She’s still your granddaughter."

"Lu Yicheng is a good kid," Grandma had said. "I just miss Lanlan. He even told me he plans to propose first, then discuss the wedding with both families. I can tell he truly loves our Lanlan." She sighed again. "Who knows when he’ll propose? Things aren’t like they were in our day. Now you propose first, then plan the wedding…"

Jiang Baoguo studied Lu Yicheng, who sat rigidly straight at the dining table.

"Uncle," Lu Yicheng said, "I want to propose to Jiang Lan."

Jiang Baoguo’s nose stung unexpectedly. He waved a hand. "Telling me won’t do any good."

Lu Yicheng knew that. In the Jiang household, Xie Yunzhen was the decision-maker. He just wanted Jiang Baoguo to know. "I’d like you and Teacher Xie to be there on the day I propose. If she says yes, we can all celebrate together. If not… well, we’ll just say it was a casual outing. You can pretend you didn’t know."

Jiang Baoguo’s expression darkened. "Be honest with me. When did you start planning this?"

He assumed it had been during the New Year.

Without hesitation, Lu Yicheng answered, "I wanted to marry her the first year we were together. I started preparing the proposal last year, on her birthday."

Jiang Baoguo leaned back in his chair. The light in the Jiang home had dimmed over time.

The living room lights were off, leaving only the dining area illuminated. Jiang Baoguo didn’t know what to say. Should he warn Lu Yicheng to treat Jiang Lan well, or else face consequences?

Or remind him that Jiang Lan was his only daughter, his precious girl?

In the end, he simply nodded. "Alright."

Lu Yicheng continued, "Uncle, I know no promise or guarantee will ever feel like enough. But let me put it this way: My parents have been married for over twenty years, and my mother has always been the one in charge. My father’s salary card has always been in her hands. And I’ve already given mine to Jiang Lan."

That little rascal didn’t even mention she had his salary card! Jiang Baoguo’s expression twisted with mixed emotions. He didn’t have a salary card either.

Lu Yicheng said, "My grandparents and my uncle are all like that. Even after getting married, I wouldn’t live with my parents—at most, we’d be in the same building, just different floors. I don’t have any bad habits—I don’t smoke, I rarely drink, only for work, and I don’t gamble."

Jiang Baoguo waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, alright, I don’t need to hear all that. Just eat your food."

Jiang Baoguo didn’t want to watch Lu Yicheng eat, so he decided to go watch TV instead. After taking a few steps, he remembered there were some cold dishes in the fridge. "Xiao Lu…"

Lu Yicheng felt like he had just passed a major exam. He clenched his fist in a quiet victory gesture, only for Jiang Baoguo to suddenly turn back around.

Lu Yicheng quickly hid his hands behind his back and asked softly, "Uncle Jiang, is there something else?"

Jiang Baoguo cleared his throat. "Oh, there are some cold dishes in the fridge. Help yourself."

Lu Yicheng nodded. "Got it."

By 10:30 p.m., Lu Yicheng went to pick up Jiang Lan from the orchestra. He had brought barbecue and crayfish so she could eat in the car.

The moment she saw Lu Yicheng, Jiang Lan clung to him. "Lu Yicheng, I’m exhausted today."

She had been practicing the violin since the afternoon, and her hands were nearly numb. The other musicians in the orchestra were easy to work with, and since the issue wasn’t on Jiang Lan’s end, they had been trying their best to adjust.

Lu Yicheng gently massaged her fingers. "Then I’ll peel the crayfish for you so your hands won’t hurt. You’ve worked hard, sweetheart."

He didn’t fully understand Jiang Lan’s job, but he knew work was always tiring—especially something as demanding as hers.

He handed her the lamb and beef skewers. "Eat these first. We’ll head home after."

They sat by the roadside, the crayfish and skewers still warm. Lu Yicheng bent his head, quietly peeling the shells under the glow of the streetlight. Jiang Lan stared at him, forgetting to eat.

Lu Yicheng placed the peeled crayfish on the lid. "Why aren’t you eating? It won’t taste as good when it’s cold."

Jiang Lan shook her head. "I just think you look really handsome when you peel crayfish. Got distracted."

Lu Yicheng suddenly sped up his peeling. "Really? That handsome?"

Jiang Lan nodded seriously. "But don’t just peel for me."

Lu Yicheng wasn’t hungry—he could eat whatever she couldn’t finish. "Uncle Jiang made me fried rice before I left. I’m full."

Jiang Lan raised an eyebrow. "You went back home?"

Lu Yicheng realized he had slipped up. "...Yeah, just went to check on things."

Jiang Lan scoffed playfully. There was nothing he needed to hide—he’d probably been trying to impress her dad. She decided not to call him out on it.

After the barbecue and crayfish, Jiang Lan’s gloomy mood finally lifted.

The next day at the orchestra, the other musicians could tell Jiang Lan was in much better spirits, and the ensemble finally started to click.

Playing in an ensemble was different from a solo performance—it required everyone to work together to bring a piece to life, not to show off individual skill.

The concertmaster, a woman in her forties, admired Jiang Lan.

Unlike those who married into wealth or chased fame on reality shows, she hoped Jiang Lan would dedicate herself to the violin.

Once the injured violinist returned, Jiang Lan could take a break, but the concertmaster wanted her to join the orchestra sooner rather than later.

After adjusting to the orchestra, Jiang Lan had thought about it, but she had other priorities.

She loved music and the violin, but she wasn’t career-driven. To her, music was a passion—but other things mattered just as much.

"I’d still like to join in August, but thank you," Jiang Lan said, now more confident. After filling in for the senior violinist, she wanted to continue traveling. Who would want to start working early when adulthood was just around the corner?

The concertmaster respected Jiang Lan’s choice. Perfect pitch and natural talent were rare—if she were Jiang Lan, she would have chosen career advancement. But everyone was different.

Every day after practice, Jiang Lan would rush into her boyfriend’s arms.

Love, friendship, family—they were all equally important.

On June 23rd and 24th, the national college entrance exam results were released. Between rehearsals, Jiang Lan kept checking her phone for updates.

Yu Wanqiu was nervous. She had been confident before, but when it came time to check her score, she suddenly felt afraid.

Lu Shuangchen offered to check for her, but Yu Wanqiu immediately refused. "No! I’ll do it myself."

It was just a score—what was there to fear?

But after entering her ID number, she froze. "Lu Shuangchen! Come check it for me."

Lu Shuangchen chuckled and shook his head, then calmly clicked the search button. The page took a while to load, the circle spinning endlessly.

Yu Wanqiu sat as far away from him as possible. "Well? What did I get?"

Lu Shuangchen’s voice was steady. "Chinese—142. English—148. Math—135. Science—284. Total…"

Before he could finish, Yu Wanqiu had already calculated it—709, just one point off her estimate.

Lu Shuangchen looked at her. "709."

Science and math had always been her weaker subjects, with little room for improvement. English was stable, but Chinese was slightly lower than she’d expected.

Lu Shuangchen couldn’t see Yu Wanqiu’s exam paper. "This score is already very good. Math and physics are your weaker subjects, so the points were probably lost there."

"It’s higher than what I got in the third mock exam," Lu Shuangchen nodded. "It’s enough. You can apply to Tsinghua University. With your household registration advantage, you can choose a major you like."

Yu Wanqiu sent her score to Jiang Lan. "It’s decent, I guess. Lu Shuangchen, if you took the exam, how much would you score?"

Lu Shuangchen was confident he could get full marks in science subjects, English, and math. His Chinese might be slightly weaker since he hadn’t read as much as Yu Wanqiu, but he wouldn’t say anything to dampen her mood.

"I definitely wouldn’t score as high as you. I’ve forgotten most of the high school subjects," Lu Shuangchen said.

Yu Wanqiu smirked triumphantly, but before she could say anything, Jiang Lan called.

Wanting to complain about Lu Shuangchen, Yu Wanqiu naturally wouldn’t answer the phone in front of him. "I’ll take this call."

Once Yu Wanqiu stepped out, Lu Shuangchen informed Lu Yicheng’s grandparents about Yu Wanqiu taking the college entrance exam.

Lu’s grandmother was delighted—another university student in the family. However, Yu Wanqiu’s own mother thought it was absurd for her daughter to take the exam at her age. "She got accepted back then but didn’t go, and now she insists on taking it again."

Lu Shuangchen chuckled and explained, "Wanqiu may not have gone to school, but she never wasted her time. Her English is excellent, she studies diligently, reads extensively, and memorizes scripts. Even though she didn’t attend university, she’s always been improving."

At ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‍that, Yu’s grandmother fell silent. She was still happy about her daughter’s high score. After exchanging a few more words, they hung up.

Lu Shuangchen then sent a message to Lu Yicheng—as her son, he ought to know his mother’s exam results.

Lu Shuangchen was the happiest of all.

Happier even than Yu Wanqiu herself.

Across the country, college entrance exam results were released, bringing joy to some and sorrow to others. Provincial top scorers emerged, and admissions offices at Tsinghua and Peking University scrambled overnight to recruit them. This year, Jinhua No.1 High School’s highest science score was 723, while the top humanities score was 689, making them the provincial champions in B City.

Most provincial top scorers ended up at Tsinghua or Peking University. Aside from the standard exam, there were also arts candidates, and the entertainment industry was particularly focused on the results of young actors.

Several related topics trended online:

[Yu Shuang tops Beijing Film Academy’s entrance exam]

[Jiang Zhenyu scores 462 in the college entrance exam]

[Z Province’s top scorer achieves 746 points]

Many of Yu Wanqiu’s new fans were high school students, including graduates who had spent their senior year studying diligently, inspired by Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu, leaving motivational comments under Tsinghua University’s admissions post.

No one knew who started the trend, but many had gathered there.

After the exam, they anxiously awaited their results. Fortunately, their hard work paid off, and their scores exceeded expectations.

Someone excitedly posted:

[Ahhhh I got 721! I’m going to the same school as Jiang Lan! The same school as Teacher Yu!]

[Teacher Yu?]

[Yeah, didn’t you remember? Teacher Yu took the exam this year!]

Fans had nearly forgotten—Yu Wanqiu had also taken the college entrance exam this year.

[Ahhh I totally forgot! What did Teacher Yu score?]

[I’m so curious—I’m more nervous about this than my own results!]

[I want to go to the same university as my idol!]

[721 is definitely Tsinghua material. Do you really think Yu Wanqiu could score that high? Dream on.]

[Not trying to mock, but it’s just hard to understand why Yu Wanqiu would take the exam. Her fans keep bringing up her past scores, but the exams twenty years ago were much easier.]

[Oh please, if it’s so easy, why don’t you try taking it?]

[Ugh, another ‘if you’re so good, you do it’ idiot.]

[What do you mean ‘you do it’? Exam scores are hard proof. Even if the exams back then were simpler, very few people scored that high. What’s there to mock? Even if Yu Wanqiu’s results aren’t ideal this year, at least she had the courage to take it.]

[No idea what they’re hating on—this is such an inspiring story.]

[Her son goes to Tsinghua.]

[So does her daughter-in-law!]

[Her husband has a Ph.D.]

Since Yu Wanqiu wasn’t enrolled in any high school, no one knew her exact score.

Journalists and media outlets were equally curious. Whether her score was high or low, it would undoubtedly make headlines.

A familiar reporter called Yu Wanqiu’s studio, and Xia Jing answered.

"Did Yu Wanqiu really take the college entrance exam? Do you mind sharing her score?"

Xia Jing’s voice brimmed with joy. "Of course not! She scored 709. I’ll send you a screenshot of the results."

Soon, the reporter received a screenshot with the name blurred out, but the subject scores were clearly visible.

The reporter was stunned.

[Entertainment News: ‘Lanzhou Lamian’ Reunites as ‘Senior-Junior’—Would You Love This Sisterhood? [Image]]

The attached image was Yu Wanqiu’s exam results.

[Yu Wanqiu: Just took it for fun. What are you all fussing about?]

[I checked three times—my queen is amazing!]

[Come get your faces slapped, haters.]

[Sure, the old exams were easier. Now she can only score 709.]

[I’m laughing so hard.]

【Senior and junior sisters, ahhhhhhh!】

【With this score, Qinghua University is a sure thing, no wonder they went to Jiang Lan’s alma mater during the show】

【Wow, that graduation photo has deeper meaning】

【Back then, both of them wore graduation gowns. When Yu Wanqiu graduates, they’ll probably take another one】

【I can already imagine what the haters will say: "Yu Wanqiu has to balance acting and university, how is that possible?"】

【That’s not something they need to worry about】

【Damn, this family’s IQ is insane】

【Little Six’s grades are all thanks to genetics】

【Being born into the right family is a skill】

【So after Yu Wanqiu attended Jiang Lan’s graduation, it’ll be Jiang Lan sending Yu Wanqiu off to university】

【No wonder it’s a graduation trip for two】

【This is great. I always thought it was a shame such a high score went to waste, but after dropping out for so many years, now it’s finally happening】

【So happy for her—flourishing career and now fulfilling an old dream】

【If their son gets married, life will be absolutely perfect!】

【Hahahaha】

【I could watch this family forever and never get bored】

【Congratulations, Teacher Yu】

【Teacher Yu, see you at the start of the semester!】

Even though the variety show has ended, as long as Yu Wanqiu keeps acting and "Lanzhou Lamian" (the fandom name) stays strong, fans will keep supporting them.

They’re still waiting for the second stop of the graduation trip.

Unfortunately, Jiang Lan is busy with orchestra performances and has no time to edit videos. The performance is on June 28th, Friday night, at the B City Grand Theater.

Jiang Lan secured two internal tickets—one for Yu Wanqiu and one for Lu Yicheng.

Once the performance ends, Jiang Lan’s obligations will be over. Yu Wanqiu wants to monopolize Jiang Lan’s post-performance time. "Since you’re free now, let’s continue the graduation trip. I haven’t had enough fun yet."

Jiang Lan replied, "But you and Uncle Lu have already been to X City."

Yu Wanqiu said, "Then let’s go somewhere else. How about abroad? Do you want to swim? That spendthrift Lu Shuangchen bought a private island at some point. It’s perfect for summer—the beach is gorgeous, right next to Ceylon."

Jiang Lan has a visa, so traveling abroad is easy. Yu Wanqiu thinks everything about the plan is perfect.

"We can also explore other places. The island has fresh seafood, fishing—it’s not some deserted wasteland, the environment is amazing." Yu Wanqiu enthusiastically promoted the island. "I’ve barely been there myself. Back then, work kept me too busy to enjoy it. Sigh."

She showed Jiang Lan photos. "See? Looks great, right?"

Aerial shots of the island revealed an emerald-green jewel nestled in blue crystal waters, golden sand, charming wooden cabins, and all kinds of recreational facilities. Even now, Jiang Lan still can’t fully grasp just how wealthy the Lu family is.

Private jets, islands—just how rich are they?

However, Jiang Lan has plans this weekend.

"Let’s go next week instead. I want to rest for a couple of days."

Yu Wanqiu blinked. "But isn’t traveling a form of resting? What’s going on this weekend? Why can’t you go?"

The beauty’s pleading gaze was hard to resist, but Jiang Lan really had something important to do.

"It’s not the same. Traveling means long rides and running around. After the performance, I’ll just want to lie down and not move." Jiang Lan pouted playfully. "Please? Let’s go on Monday."

Yu Wanqiu is flexible, but Lu Yicheng isn’t.

Lu Yicheng has barely ever asked her for anything—only once or twice in his entire life.