My Mother-in-Law and I Became the Internet's Hottest Power Couple-Chapter 106
Lu Yicheng confirmed that he had only bought one pair of rings, so was this one bought by Jiang Lan?
Why would she buy a ring?
Lu Yicheng assumed it was an anniversary gift, since their four-year anniversary was coming up soon.
The moment he saw the ring, he almost rushed next door to ask what this was all about.
But he held back.
Lu Yicheng had great self-control—he had waited over a year to confess his feelings and nearly a year to propose. If he asked now and this turned out to be Jiang Lan’s surprise anniversary gift for him, wouldn’t that ruin the moment?
He wanted the surprise. He could pretend he hadn’t seen the ring.
It fit perfectly. Just imagining Jiang Lan measuring his finger size and picking out the ring made his heart melt.
Lu Yicheng adored this ring.
But they already had engagement rings. Maybe he could thread this one onto a necklace and wear it around his neck—that way, he’d have both a necklace and a ring, and he could alternate between the two.
The diamond sparkled brilliantly, and inside the band were their initials, engraved in delicate script.
Only five more days until their anniversary.
Lu Yicheng wished he could fast-forward to it right now.
He held his hand up to the light, admiring how flawlessly the ring suited him. When had Jiang Lan bought this? Before or after she remembered him?
He hoped it was before.
No matter how wild his imagination ran, Lu Yicheng never would’ve guessed that Jiang Lan might propose to him. In his mind, proposals were something a man should do.
After basking in the joy of wearing the ring for a while, he heard a knock at the door.
Jiang Lan’s voice came from the other side. "Lu Yicheng, are you asleep? I can’t sleep in your room. Let’s switch back."
Lu Yicheng quickly took off the ring and put it back where he found it. Jiang Lan must’ve remembered leaving it here and didn’t want him to find it. That meant she had been looking at the ring before coming to find him—probably a matching pair. What did Jiang Lan’s ring look like?
He rubbed his face, smoothing away his grin, then slowly went to open the door. "I’m still awake. What’s wrong?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
Jiang Lan studied his expression—it seemed normal enough—and relaxed. "I can’t sleep. Your bed’s too hard. I’m not used to it."
Lu Yicheng replied, "You’re the one who wanted to switch."
Jiang Lan huffed. "Me? You’re the one who couldn’t stand it and ran over here. Don’t blame me."
"Lu Yicheng… look at the mess you made of the bed!" She glanced at the scattered stuffed animals, some even fallen on the floor. "You’ve turned everything upside down. Just go back already."
Lu Yicheng couldn’t resist teasing her. "That wasn’t me. The stuffed animals were already on the floor when I got here… Fine, I’ll help you straighten up the bed."
Jiang Lan bristled like a startled cat. "I don’t need your help! Just leave already."
Lu Yicheng persisted. "If I made the mess, I should clean it up. It’ll be the same after we’re married—I’ll do more housework."
With that, he turned to start fixing the bed.
Jiang Lan grabbed him from behind, wrapping her arms around him. "You don’t need to tidy my bed. Can you just go already?"
Lu Yicheng coughed, studying her expression intently. "Hey… are you hiding something from me? You’ve been acting weird today, talking about ‘your bed’ and ‘my bed.’"
Jiang Lan shot back, "This is my first time staying here. Who’s the weird one? You’ve never been this eager to help before."
Lu Yicheng insisted, "I’m always eager. Even Xie Yunzhen says I’m more diligent than you."
Xie Yunzhen often praised him.
Jiang Lan, not wanting to argue on a day he’d just successfully proposed, relented. "Fine, you’re the most diligent. I’m tired and want to sleep. Are you leaving or not? If you don’t, I’m calling Yu Wanqiu."
Jiang Lan still wasn’t used to calling Yu Wanqiu "Mom"—she stuck with "Yu Teacher," and even after marriage, she probably would.
Yu Wanqiu didn’t mind, and since Lu Shuangchen deferred to her, he wouldn’t either.
They got along well, and Yu Wanqiu actually preferred not being called "Mom"—it made her feel old.
Lu Yicheng, on the other hand, had adjusted to the new titles faster than anyone.
Lu Yicheng raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, I’m going. Just let me grab my phone… Or, how about I stay? I want to sleep holding you."
Jiang Lan pushed him away. "Go!"
Lu Yicheng grinned. "Then at least a goodnight kiss. That’s not too much to ask, is it?"
Jiang Lan just wanted him gone—she’d give him ten goodnight kisses if it meant he’d leave faster. She pressed a quick peck to his lips, but Lu Yicheng deepened it, drawing it out until she felt her breath slipping away, his hands burning against her waist.
Finally, he pulled back with effort, pressing one last kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight. I’m really leaving now…"
As if he’d fake it.
Jiang Lan nudged him out and locked the door the second he stepped out.
Was her ring still there? She checked, relieved to see it on the bed. Just looking at it made her miss Lu Yicheng—ironically, he called right then, distracting her so much she forgot about the ring.
Lu Yicheng had proposed, and she’d said yes. There was no need for a second proposal, but she could still give him the surprise she’d prepared.
As for this ring… she’d find another chance to give it to him later.
Proposals—maybe the process didn’t matter as much as the outcome.
What mattered was that they were both happy.
Jiang Lan tucked the ring away and sank into the soft mattress, hugging a stuffed animal. Meanwhile, back in his room, Lu Yicheng took another cold shower.
Sleep? Impossible.
He turned on his phone’s camera and started recording. "Today is June 30th. Big news—huge news—I successfully proposed! We’re so many steps closer to marriage. Also, today, I discovered a little secret of my future wife’s. Haha, but for my own sake, I didn’t say anything. I wish it were July 5th already. I don’t know what surprise Jiang Lan has planned for me."
He grinned foolishly at the camera. "Jiang Lan, I really can’t wait to marry you."
Lu Yicheng had originally planned to stay on the island longer, but after finding the ring, he couldn’t wait to fly back.
He kept urging Jiang Lan to return. Yu Wanqiu remarked, "Is there a shark chasing you off this island?"
Lu Yicheng replied, "I just want to give you and Dad some space for your romantic getaway."
Yu Wanqiu: "…"
In the end, using work as an excuse, Lu Yicheng and Jiang Lan finally returned home on July 4th.
Lu Shuangchen and Yu Wanqiu stayed behind on the island for now.
Lu Yicheng didn’t care where they went—home was home. "Where should we go? Zijin Huafu or Lu'an Community?"
Lu'an Community was where Jiang Lan’s family lived.
Jiang Lan said, "You go to Zijin Huafu. I’m going back to Lu'an Community."
Lu Yicheng was about to protest, but then he remembered the ring. "…Fine, whatever you say. Let’s go out tomorrow—I’ll take you somewhere fun, get some good food."
Jiang Lan rolled her eyes. "All you think about is playing. We just got back—don’t you have work?"
Work was work, and their anniversary was their anniversary. The two didn’t have to conflict.
Lu Yicheng said, "We didn’t celebrate our anniversary properly last year, so this year we should make it special. Besides, this is the first anniversary since I successfully proposed—it’s so meaningful. Let me find a fun place to go..."
Jiang Lan replied, "Work comes first. We’ve already had so many days of fun. Let’s just go shopping. How about this: you go to the company in the morning as usual, and in the afternoon, we’ll go out together to celebrate, okay?"
Lu Yicheng nodded in agreement.
Jiang Lan happily waved at him. "Alright, you should head back now. I won’t invite you up today. Just send me a message when you get home."
Lu Yicheng let out an "Oh," swallowing the words on the tip of his tongue. What if Jiang Lan didn’t give him the ring tomorrow? Should he ask for it?
If only he hadn’t seen it that day—he wouldn’t be so conflicted now.
The ring, the ring… Lu Yicheng’s mind was completely occupied by thoughts of the ring.
Even at work, Lu Yicheng was distracted. On July 5th, after finishing his paperwork, he went home to change clothes and placed the gift he’d prepared in the small compartment in front of the passenger seat.
It was a bracelet. Originally, he’d wanted to give her a necklace, but he was afraid Jiang Lan might realize he’d seen the ring, so he settled on a bracelet instead.
At 2 p.m., Lu Yicheng went to Jiang Lan’s neighborhood to pick her up. She came down holding a parasol.
Jiang Lan was wearing a light blue dress with white floral prints, her hair braided into a plait, and she carried a small white handbag.
Lu Yicheng guessed the ring was inside that bag.
He got out of the car and opened the passenger door for her. Jiang Lan said, "Let’s go to Yuan Plaza. I heard there’s a new cinema there. We can shop first, then have hot pot for dinner. I’ve already bought movie tickets for 9 p.m. Oh, and I want to try the claw machine—we haven’t done that in ages."
They hadn’t watched a movie together in a long time either. This year’s Lunar New Year films weren’t great, but a few summer releases had decent reviews. Still, Jiang Lan was most looking forward to Tribute, starring Yu Wanqiu—though it wouldn’t be out until National Day.
Lu Yicheng nodded. "Sounds good."
They arrived at Yuan Plaza and parked in the underground garage. Since it was Friday, the crowd wasn’t too bad. Jiang Lan pulled Lu Yicheng toward a bubble tea shop. On a hot summer day, nothing was more refreshing than an icy drink. Jiang Lan ordered a cheese strawberry tea. "Lu Yicheng, what do you want?"
He asked, "Is there another flavor you’d like to try?"
Jiang Lan shook her head. "Just get whatever you want. I’m happy with my cheese strawberry."
Lu Yicheng chose a grape-flavored one. When he scanned the QR code to pay, the cashier said, "We’re running a promotion today—40% off everything. Just scan 204, sir."
What a great deal—a discount!
Though money wasn’t an issue for Lu Yicheng, who wouldn’t want something tasty at a lower price?
He cheerfully completed the payment. "Sweetheart, they’re having a sale today! If it’s good, we can come back tonight."
Jiang Lan nodded. Five minutes later, they got their drinks. The cheese strawberry was perfectly balanced—creamy and just the right amount of sweet. The grape slush was at 70% sugar, also satisfying.
After they left, another couple walked into the shop. The cashier said, "That’ll be 34 yuan. WeChat or Alipay?"
The shorter girl frowned. "Wait, isn’t there a discount? I just heard the couple before us say the shop was running a promotion."
The cashier smiled apologetically. "That was a surprise prepared by the girlfriend for her boyfriend. The discount doesn’t apply to other customers. What would you like to order?"
"..."
Sometimes, the smallest joys can brighten an entire day.
Leaving the bubble tea shop, they headed straight into Yuan Plaza. Outside, the temperature soared above 30°C, but inside the mall, it was a comfortable 25–26°C.
Jiang Lan held Lu Yicheng’s hand, their rings brushing against each other. It felt different from before—especially when wearing the rings.
Lu Yicheng asked, "What do you want to buy? Should we look for some home decor or furniture?"
Yu Wanqiu and Lu Shuangchen would return in mid-July and then head straight to Jiang Lan’s hometown for the formal marriage proposal. They’d already bought an apartment in Purple Gold Mansion Phase 3—two adjacent floors, the 8th and 9th.
The place hadn’t been decorated yet, and the wedding likely wouldn’t happen until next year. Still, they could start thinking about the interior design.
Yu Wanqiu wanted to handle the decoration herself. In the past, she’d never bothered with such things, but now she found herself eager to personalize their future home.
A cozy space, filled with everything she loved—that would make living there truly comfortable.
As for Lu Yicheng and Jiang Lan’s marital home, they’d decorate it themselves.
Wall colors, flooring, and if they found cute little decorations now, they could buy them in advance.
Everything would be moved in when the time came.
Jiang Lan nodded. "Sure! Lu Yicheng, I want to buy vases and bedsheets!"
Yuan Plaza had small accessory shops selling plushies, decorations, and women’s jewelry—rings, necklaces, hair ties, and more childish items like snow globes and music boxes. freewebnoveℓ.com
Prices ranged from 40–50 to over 100 yuan. Not exactly cheap, considering how tiny the items were, but not overly expensive either.
The mall had plenty of such stores, so the two wandered into one at random. The shop was filled with plush toys, and Lu Yicheng picked the cutest one.
"We’ll put this in the bedroom. And the clay figurines Grandma made can go on the nightstand." Lu Yicheng had it all planned out. He believed a home should reflect both of them. If they disagreed on anything, he’d defer to Jiang Lan.
Jiang Lan held up a snow globe. "Lu Yicheng, look at this one—isn’t it pretty?"
Inside the globe, two tiny figures sat together, surrounded by glittering faux snowflakes. "Let’s get this too. We can put it on the TV stand."
Lu Yicheng agreed. With a plushie and the snow globe in hand, they went to check out. The cashier said, "Spending over 88 yuan qualifies you for a lucky draw. Would you like to participate? Prizes include coupons, keychains, and car pendants."
The grand prize was a resin pendant with preserved flowers—captured at their most beautiful.
Jiang Lan shook her head. "I have terrible luck. You do it, Lu Yicheng. I really want that pendant!"
Lu Yicheng figured that being with Jiang Lan meant he was pretty lucky himself. He picked a draw card.
Peeling it open, he saw the words "First Prize" printed on it.
The cashier smiled. "There’s only one grand prize. I thought it’d take a while before someone won it. Here you go—congratulations! Please visit us again."
Lu Yicheng accepted the prize with a grin and handed the pendant to Jiang Lan. "We’re on a roll today! Who knew this shop had a lucky draw? Maybe the whole mall is celebrating an anniversary or something."
Jiang Lan chuckled. "In more formal terms, it’s just a marketing tactic. Lucky draws encourage customers to return."
Lu Yicheng disagreed. "But not everyone wins the grand prize. It’s still luck—and look how pretty these flowers are!"
The pendant was more exquisite than the other prizes. The preserved flowers were orange cactus roses—two blooms, one large, one small. Thanks to the preservation process, the petals showed no signs of withering.
Tiny bubbles trapped in the resin added to its charm.
Lu Yicheng suggested, "Let’s hang this in the car."
He wondered if the entire mall was running promotions. Then again, if only one store offered a draw, customers might flock there instead of others.
Carrying the body pillow and crystal ball, Lu Yicheng pulled Jiang Lan toward another store. He quite enjoyed shopping at these little shops with her. "What else do you need? Should we look at clothes?"
Jiang Lan replied, "I have plenty of clothes. Let’s buy something for you instead. What do you need?"
In the past, he had lacked a wife—now, he lacked nothing.
Lu Yicheng lowered his voice. "I’d like underwear bought by you. Is that okay?"
Since Jiang Lan had asked, he might as well be bold.
Jiang Lan choked for a second. "...Fine, why not? You’ll be the one picking them out anyway."
Lu Yicheng happily went to choose, picking out three pairs and asking for Jiang Lan’s opinion before heading to the checkout counter.
The cashier said, "We’re running a promotion today—spend 688 yuan and get 60% off. You’re just 130 yuan short. Would you like to see if there’s anything else you need?"
Lu Yicheng turned to Jiang Lan. "Do you want anything?"
For a moment, he wondered if this was part of some surprise she had planned for him—but how could she have possibly guessed he’d come here to buy this?
Jiang Lan shook her head. "Just grab another pair and be done with it."
Lu Yicheng pointed to a display. "They have matching couples’ sets over there. I don’t want these anymore—I want the matching ones."
Without waiting, he went to pick them out. When they left the store, Lu Yicheng’s ears were bright red. Jiang Lan nudged him. "Stop grinning like that. It’s embarrassing."
"What’s embarrassing? I don’t think so at all." Lu Yicheng held the shopping bag in one hand and Jiang Lan’s hand in the other. "Our luck is off the charts today. Want to try the claw machine? There’s an arcade on the fifth floor."
Though Lu Yicheng wasn’t much for games, he was surprisingly good at winning plushies.
Jiang Lan smirked. "Let me try this time."
It wasn’t that Lu Yicheng doubted her—but in the past, even with a hundred coins, she’d never managed to grab a single one.
Still, if Jiang Lan wanted to try, who was he to argue? "Sure. If you can’t get one, I’ll step in."
Jiang Lan was determined to prove him wrong. The fifth-floor arcade had rows of claw machines, and one in particular caught her eye—filled with adorable pink pig plushies.
She pointed. "Lu Yicheng, look! There are so many versions of you in there."
Since when was he a pig?
Lu Yicheng huffed. "Just focus on the game. What does this have to do with me? ...But can we take one home?"
His expression turned serious. "Actually, grab two. Then we can both go home together."
Usually, it was Lu Yicheng who played the claw machine—Jiang Lan had never had much luck before.
Her room was already a mini-zoo, filled with plush turtles, rabbits, and pandas. Now, all it was missing was a pair of pigs.
Jiang Lan inserted two coins, gripped the joystick, and lined up the claw with one of the pigs. She glanced back at Lu Yicheng, whose eyes sparkled with excitement. "Why are you looking at me? Go on, grab it!"
Leaning in, she kissed his cheek. "You’re the lucky one today. Let me borrow some of that."
The claw clamped onto the pig, swayed slightly, then lifted it cleanly—dropping it straight into the chute.
Jiang Lan gasped. "Lu Yicheng! Look, I got one! Quick, take it out!"
Lu Yicheng hadn’t expected her to succeed. "You’re amazing! Kiss me again—you’ll get another one."
Jiang Lan scoffed. "Let me try without kissing you. Maybe I’ve just gotten better. Natural talent finally shining through."
But without the kiss, the second pig tumbled halfway down.
Lu Yicheng grinned. "Told you it was because of me! Come on, one kiss equals one plushie."
Jiang Lan hesitated. Lu Yicheng nudged her. "Seriously, trust me. One kiss, one prize."
With a sigh, she leaned in to peck his cheek—but Lu Yicheng, eyes locked on hers, swallowed hard before pulling her into a proper kiss. "Double luck."
Jiang Lan refocused on the game. The claw gripped the pig firmly this time, delivering it smoothly to the chute.
Lu Yicheng snatched it up triumphantly. "See? I told you it worked."
Two pigs were enough. Satisfied, Jiang Lan used the remaining coins on other machines.
Lu Yicheng managed to snag a tiny turtle but struck out on the rest.
Still, the two pigs were perfect.
Lu Yicheng was more than content with the day—shopping, discounts, and maybe, just maybe, a ring from Jiang Lan later.
By five o’clock, they headed to a hotpot restaurant. When Jiang Lan asked which one, Lu Yicheng chose a spot known for its desserts. "Let’s order first. I’ll go grab us some milk tea after."
He’d really enjoyed the afternoon’s drinks.
Jiang Lan agreed. The restaurant was running a promotion—spend 188 yuan and get a free mini-cake.
For two people, hitting that amount was easy. The cake was a petite four-inch red velvet, adorned with strawberries and blueberries, its cream perfectly piped.
Lu Yicheng pushed it toward her. "You start on the cake. I’ll get the tea."
Once he left, Jiang Lan placed a bouquet on his seat.
Her original proposal plan had been to make Lu Yicheng happy all day, then surprise him with the flowers—but today had been joyful enough.
The flowers had been ordered yesterday and picked up that morning. The cake, baked by Jiang Lan herself, was one of the few desserts she’d mastered.
She’d spent ages scouting shops, but with her fans’ help, everything had gone smoothly.
As dishes arrived one by one, Lu Yicheng still hadn’t returned.
Jiang Lan didn’t touch the cake—instead, she snapped a few photos of it.
Twenty minutes later, just as the hotpot broth began to simmer, Lu Yicheng reappeared, two milk teas in hand—and another bouquet hidden behind his back.
When he reached the table, he placed his flowers beside Jiang Lan’s. "Jiang Lan, let’s celebrate many more anniversaries together."
She smiled at him.
Lu Yicheng took a deep breath and sat down, eyeing the spread. "Let’s eat! I got flowers too."
While waiting for the meat to cook, he turned to the cake. It was small, just four inches.
Jiang Lan had made it for him and didn’t plan to have any. "You can have it all," she said.
Lu Yicheng blinked. "All of it?"
She nodded. "If you can’t finish, I’ll help."
The ring must be inside, he thought.
He ate with exaggerated care, chewing slowly, waiting for the telltale clink of metal—but bite after bite yielded nothing.
Jiang Lan raised an eyebrow. "Lu Yicheng, is the cake burning your mouth? Or does it taste bad?"
Lu Yicheng shook his head. "No, it’s delicious. I’m just... savoring it."
Where was the ring?
He was terrified he might accidentally swallow it.
Jiang Lan, unconvinced, took a bite herself. Tasted fine to her.
Lu Yicheng studied her face. "Sweetheart... did you eat the ring? Why haven’t I found it yet?"
