My Mother-in-Law and I Became the Internet's Hottest Power Couple-Chapter 86

It was just past 10 p.m., and the aunties downstairs were still chatting away, not yet home. Lu Yicheng went down and talked with them for another fifteen minutes before finally driving to Grandma Lu’s place.

Lu Shuangchen had returned to the old family home early that morning—after all, New Year’s Day was still an important occasion. He planned to visit the Yu family in the afternoon to check on the elders. He knew that whenever Lu Yicheng came home, he’d just run off to someone else’s house. "Lu Yicheng has a girlfriend now and barely remembers he even has a home," he mused.

Grandma Lu smiled knowingly. "What’s the big deal? Weren’t you the same back then? You went to Wanqiu’s place more often than your own home. It’s always like this."

Back when she got married, Lu Yicheng’s grandfather had also visited frequently.

If you wanted to marry someone’s daughter, you had to show sincerity.

As the mother and son were talking, Lu Yicheng walked in.

Grandma Lu’s home was also in City B, not far from the Lu family residence—a large courtyard house just a short walk from the Yu family. Driving there took about an hour.

Lu Yicheng sighed. "Dad, I’m just here for a meal. Grandma, happy New Year."

Grandma Lu’s smile faded slightly as she studied him. "Why are you back? Weren’t you supposed to be at Jiang Lan’s place? Did you upset her parents?"

Faced with her pointed question, Lu Yicheng could only say, "Teacher Xie and Uncle Jiang went back to their hometown. The house was empty. I’ll go tomorrow."

He definitely hadn’t been kicked out.

Grandma Lu hummed. "...I thought maybe you didn’t even make it through the door."

Lu Yicheng scoffed. "No way. Teacher Xie and Uncle Jiang both like me a lot. Jiang Lan’s grandma does too—she even praised me for being tall and studious."

Regardless of the truth, this was the story he always stuck to with Grandma Lu and the others.

"Praising you for being tall and studious—well, that’s just stating facts. Not much else to compliment, is there?" Grandma Lu replied dismissively, not entirely convinced. "Go over there tomorrow, and make sure you visit often."

Then she asked about Yu Wanqiu’s work. "She really needs to take care of her health. Don’t let her push herself too hard just because she’s young. Money can’t all be earned in one go—you should remind her. And you too."

As a mother-in-law, there were some things Grandma Lu couldn’t say outright.

Her relationship with Yu Wanqiu wasn’t the same as the one between Yu Wanqiu and Jiang Lan. Theirs was just an ordinary mother-in-law and daughter-in-law dynamic.

Grandma Lu had seen the interview where Yu Wanqiu said her ideal relationship with in-laws was meeting once a month. In reality, that’s exactly how things were between them.

They rarely saw each other, and Grandma Lu had never interfered with Yu Wanqiu’s acting career, even if she privately thought it wasn’t quite proper for a woman to be so visible in public.

But Yu Wanqiu was someone else’s daughter.

Seeing how well Yu Wanqiu and Jiang Lan got along, Grandma Lu couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

Lu Shuangchen nodded in agreement.

But when Yu Wanqiu was busy with work, she wouldn’t even answer calls or reply to messages—what could he do?

Finally, Grandma Lu said, "This New Year, bring Jiang Lan home. Let’s all have a meal together as a family and discuss Yicheng and Jiang Lan’s marriage. All our relatives and friends know you’re dating—it’s only proper to introduce her."

Just as Lu Shuangchen was about to agree, Lu Yicheng cut in, "Grandma, let’s not rush this. I want to propose first. Once Jiang Lan says yes, then we can talk to Teacher Xie and the others about marriage. Things aren’t like they were in your time. I’ll bring Jiang Lan to meet you all for New Year, but don’t pressure us about marriage, okay?"

Grandma Lu didn’t understand how young people thought these days. The parents had already met—why weren’t they thinking about marriage? "Do whatever you want. I won’t meddle."

Lu Yicheng felt that his grandparents should just stay put and do nothing. The last thing he needed was their "help" making things worse.

Now he finally understood why Jiang Lan used to get mad at him during games.

This situation was like a 5v5 match:

Enemy team—Jiang Lan, Uncle Jiang, Teacher Xie, his mom, and Grandma Jiang.

His team—just himself, Lu Shuangchen, Grandma Lu, Grandpa Lu, and maybe Lu Xingran as a last-minute addition.

And honestly, was anyone on his side even remotely normal? Not a single one.

What could he possibly count on?

The game hadn’t even started, and his team had already lost four players. No wonder she’d get upset.

Somehow, his thoughts had circled back to Jiang Lan again.

Jiang Lan was busy these days, sailing out daily to clean up ocean trash.

Most of the work didn’t require manual labor—the Marine Animal Protection Association had advanced machines to handle the bulk of it.

But some of the harder-to-remove debris had to be done by hand.

Even though the beaches and coasts near tourist areas looked pristine and blue, further out at sea, there was still plenty of garbage.

Yesterday, they’d spotted a patch of blue paint floating in the water. Today, they found abandoned fishing nets—dark green, almost like seaweed, but inedible and dangerous to marine life.

Some fish and crabs got tangled in the nets, losing legs or worse.

Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu had worked together to haul up one such net, struggling against the waves that splashed saltwater onto their faces. Their hair and clothes were soaked, leaving them both looking thoroughly disheveled.

Yu Wanqiu couldn’t help but laugh at Jiang Lan’s appearance. "Quick, wipe your face."

Jiang Lan swiped at her cheeks, trying to find humor in the situation. At least she got to see the ocean, even if it wasn’t a scenic spot. After their cleanup, the water looked much clearer.

The view was beautiful.

Yu Wanqiu thought the workload was manageable. She could handle it—this was easily the most meaningful thing she’d done all year, no question.

After a short break on the boat, they resumed work. Out at sea, directions blurred—only the bow and stern of the boat offered any sense of orientation.

Near the stern, Jiang Lan spotted a green turtle shell bobbing on the surface.

After days at sea, she’d seen plenty of marine life—schools of fish, jellyfish, even a whale spouting water.

But today, a sea turtle.

Its dark green shell bore yellowish-brown patterns, trailing strands of seaweed behind it.

This was one big turtle.

Jiang Lan waved at it before turning away. But when she glanced back later, the turtle was still following their boat.

"Yu-laoshi, look—that turtle’s been following us," Jiang Lan said, tugging Yu Wanqiu’s sleeve. "I saw it earlier. Why is it still here?"

The sun was particularly bright today, making Yu Wanqiu squint. "Really? ...Does it have fishing nets around it?"

After dealing with so many discarded nets, they’d practically developed PTSD for the sight. Jiang Lan leaned over the railing for a closer look. The turtle swam toward them at a surprising speed, with what she’d first mistaken for seaweed actually being strands of netting.

But why would a turtle have nets on it...?

Jiang Lan exchanged a glance with Yu Wanqiu. They’d studied marine animal rescue extensively but never had to put that knowledge to use.

Though their documentary needed footage of rescues, no one actually wanted to encounter injured animals.

The team leader had once said he hoped they’d never need those skills.

This was Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu’s first real rescue case.

A giant sea turtle.

Jiang Lan hurried to alert the team leader. The boat slowed to a stop, and together with the crew, they carefully brought the turtle aboard.

The turtle's eyes glistened with moisture, unafraid of the humans as it lay obediently on the wooden deck of the boat.

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The staff member inhaled sharply, and the cameraman paused, his brow furrowing despite being a grown man.

Up close, the sight was even more harrowing.

The turtle's neck and front limbs were entangled in fishing nets. Likely trapped when it was smaller, the lines had dug deep into its flesh as it grew.

Unable to break free, the turtle had no choice but to seek help from humans.

Only unbearable pain and suffering could drive it to risk being hunted, sending out a desperate plea for aid.

Some wounds were still bleeding, while others had formed thick scabs, beneath which the fishing lines remained buried.

Just looking at it was agonizing.

Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu had been nervous when they first started their hands-on training—neither was a medical student, and the cleanup work was challenging. But now, all they wanted was to relieve these animals of their misery as quickly as possible.

They hurriedly fetched the rescue tools, first securing the turtle's mouth before carefully snipping away the fishing lines with small scissors. The deeply embedded strands had to be extracted with tweezers.

Perhaps numbed by prolonged suffering, the large turtle barely moved.

Only its watery eyes betrayed its pain, making the scene even harder to bear.

It took an hour to remove all the fishing lines. After treating the bleeding wounds with medication, the turtle would be observed for a couple of days before being released back into the ocean.

The team leader noted the coordinates, planning to return it to the same spot.

"This turtle is over twenty years old. If it avoids predators after release, it could live for many more years," the leader said, feeding it some fish. There was a quiet wisdom in all living things—how this turtle had followed their boat, how Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu had spotted it.

They could cut away the fishing nets, but they couldn’t shield it from nature’s dangers.

They could only hope it would thrive once returned to the wild.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the turtle closed its eyes to rest after finishing the fish.

With no other animals in immediate need of rescue, the boat prepared to head back.

The cabin had been empty on the way out, but now it carried a turtle and piles of trash.

Jiang Lan took a photo of the turtle—her first rescue, worth commemorating.

Staring at her phone afterward, she fell into a daze.

Yu Wanqiu had also posed with the turtle. She ruffled Jiang Lan’s hair gently. "Don’t dwell on it. These problems can’t be solved by one or two people alone. What we can do is amplify our impact."

Jiang Lan nodded. This was all they could offer.

After filming this documentary, they might never return to rescue animals here again. Some online critics might accuse them of chasing clout, staging scenes, or putting on a show...

But at least they had acted, while those detractors had done nothing.

By the time they reached shore, night had fallen.

Waves crashed rhythmically, the tide steadily rising. Only a few fishing lamps illuminated the pier.

The drive back to the hotel would take another half-hour. Though exhausted, Jiang Lan’s weariness vanished the moment she stepped off the boat—her eyes widening at the sight before her.

The pier sat in a bay, where the wind pushed seawater inland in shimmering surges.

The waves lapped at the shore, but the water wasn’t the usual inky black of night. Instead, it glowed a vivid blue.

The entire stretch shimmered like a scene from a fairy tale, as if a host of blue fireflies—or perhaps tiny blue spirits—were dancing beneath the surface.

It reminded her of the firefly forest from stories, except this was an ocean of blue.

"Yu Wanqiu! Yu Wanqiu, look! The sea is glowing!" Jiang Lan called out excitedly. Yu Wanqiu’s eyes lit up. "It’s breathtaking!"

The sea breeze was colder at night, but in that moment, neither of them felt the chill.

If not for the low temperatures, Jiang Lan might have waded into the water to play.

It was as if a legion of sprites were swimming with tiny blue lanterns, turning the entire coastline into a ribbon of light.

Yu Wanqiu gaped. "Why is it blue? Is it because of jellyfish?"

Her textbooks hadn’t mentioned this phenomenon. She only knew some jellyfish and marine creatures could bioluminesce.

But the team leader frowned deeply. "It’s caused by dinoflagellates. Beautiful as it is, it signals eutrophication—a threat to marine life. We’ll have to address it tomorrow. For now, enjoy it while it lasts. The ‘sea of stars’ is rare."

It looked electrified, surreal.

With night already upon them, remediation would have to wait. By tomorrow evening, the glow would likely be gone.

The leader discussed with the cameraman, agreeing to capture more footage for the documentary—both to showcase its beauty and to educate viewers on its ecological risks.

As for Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu, they were free to revel in the moment. The glow would fade soon enough anyway.

Jiang Lan grinned. "Yu Wanqiu, let’s take pictures!"

A place like this demanded to be photographed. It’d be a waste otherwise.

Even in their marine conservation uniforms, their natural charm made every shot picture-perfect.

The waves rolled in like strokes on a canvas.

All that was missing were flowers and a barbecue.

A wistful thought crossed Jiang Lan’s mind—if only Lu Yicheng were here.

No girl could resist such a sparkling spectacle. They could’ve sat there for hours, mesmerized.

Around nine, Jiang Lan stepped aside to call Lu Yicheng.

He picked up immediately. At home on winter break, his days were uneventful beyond work. "You’re still out? It’s not the hotel?"

Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu were in Xiamen, unfamiliar territory. Lu Yicheng worried for their safety.

Though Yu Wanqiu knew martial arts and Jiang Lan was carefree, his concern never wavered—especially when they weren’t together.

Jiang Lan chuckled. "We’re by the beach. Yu Wanqiu’s right here. Lu Yicheng, close your eyes. Don’t open them until I say so."

Obediently, he shut his eyes—then hesitated. "What’s this about? If I open them and you’re gone— Wait, what are you showing me? Why didn’t you prepare before calling—"

Jiang Lan cut him off. "So talkative! Close your mouth too!"

She adjusted her angle, finding the most flattering frame. "Okay, open them."

When Lu Yicheng did, he was met with Jiang Lan’s radiant smile and the ethereal glow of the sea behind her.

She looked like a fairy, utterly enchanting.

Jiang Lan waved. "Cat got your tongue?"

Lu Yicheng shook his head. "No, it’s just... I’m at a loss for words. It’s so beautiful."

Jiang Lan tsked. "I’m beautiful too, but you’ve never been speechless because of me."

Lu Yicheng’s breath hitched. Moments like this made him wonder if Jiang Lan had truly lost her memories.

This was a classic trap—one she’d set countless times before. Though she didn’t remember, he had plenty of experience navigating these minefields.

If he said familiarity dulled the effect, she’d accuse him of taking her for granted.

If he claimed he’d always been this way, she’d retort that she must’ve lost her charm.

No explanation would suffice.

Lu Yicheng said, "I don't know what it is about you, but the moment I see you, I have endless things to say—I want to tell you everything. Even during this short phone call, I want to make the most of it. I’m not foolish, you know. Today at lunch, I had a fried chicken leg—it was so good. Then I worked out for an hour in the evening, and I feel like my abs are more defined now..."

Jiang Lan snorted and adjusted her phone’s camera. "Who wants to hear about that? Hurry up and look at the sea! This bioluminescence won’t last until tomorrow."

She went on to explain the science behind the glowing waves to Lu Yicheng. "We can enjoy it to the fullest tonight—this stretch of beach is completely empty. Oh, and today, Teacher Yu and I rescued a sea turtle. Just the two of us, you know."

Lu Yicheng gave a thumbs-up. "That’s amazing. Well done."

"Of course," Jiang Lan tapped Lu Yicheng’s image on the screen. "You know what? When I saw that big sea turtle today, it reminded me of you..."

Lu Yicheng cut in, "Watch your words. Don’t take advantage of my absence to talk nonsense."

Jiang Lan laughed. "I wasn’t finished! I meant it reminded me of that meme you sent—the little turtle crying."

Lu Yicheng chuckled. Even if it was just about a meme he’d shared, at least it was related to him. "Well, that wasn’t me..."

"But it’s connected to you, isn’t it?" Jiang Lan glanced back at Yu Wanqiu, who was also on a call. Standing by the shore, Yu Wanqiu held her phone in one hand while the other wrapped around her waist. The sea breeze was strong, tousling her slightly grown-out hair.

Yu Wanqiu had called Lu Shuangchen to show him the glowing ocean.

Having never seen such a phenomenon before, Lu Shuangchen immediately praised, "It’s beautiful. Stunning."

Yu Wanqiu teased him. "This is caused by an overabundance of dinoflagellates—a sign of marine eutrophication. It’s actually harmful to the ocean. Didn’t you know that?"

Lu Shuangchen admitted he’d learned something new. "By the way, when are you coming back?"

Yu Wanqiu paused for a moment before murmuring, "Not anytime soon."

Lu Shuangchen simply replied, "Mm."

Yu Wanqiu wanted to return home too. "Let’s say the 25th of the lunar month. We’re filming a documentary, and we need enough footage. Not every day provides usable material, but today was rich in content."

It was harder than shooting a movie—at least films had scripts. This project had none.

A documentary couldn’t just feature daily trash cleanup. And while rescue missions were meaningful, everyone hoped they’d be rare. Yet, the filming required authentic rescue sequences. After days of work, they’d only managed to save one sea turtle.

The glowing sea at night was another valuable clip. But they still needed more. If they couldn’t gather enough before the New Year, they’d have to head to the polar regions afterward.

Yu Wanqiu added, "We rescued a huge sea turtle today."

Lu Shuangchen wasn’t the best at small talk, but he remembered how Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu chatted—asking questions and keeping the conversation flowing.

"What kind of sea turtle?"

Yu Wanqiu faltered. How would she know? "Just… a sea turtle. What else could it be? I don’t remember the details. Anyway, it’s time to head back. I’ll hang up now."

Lu Shuangchen sighed. "Alright… be safe on your way back."

On the 25th of the lunar month, the first half of filming finally wrapped up. Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu boarded the plane back home.

The footage they’d gathered—rescuing the sea turtle, helping a stranded whale return to the ocean, and the bioluminescent waves—was enough for two episodes.

Jiang Lan had lost a bit of weight and tanned, her skin now close to Lu Yicheng’s complexion. Yu Wanqiu’s weight remained unchanged, but she’d also darkened under the intense coastal sun.

Post-holiday filming would resume on the fifth day of the lunar New Year, leaving them only a ten-day break. Jiang Lan had been longing to go home for ages.

She called Xie Yunzhen, who agreed to pick her up at the airport at noon.

Lu Yicheng had also messaged her. Remembering Jiang Lan’s dislike for surprises, he discussed the possibility of spending the New Year with her family over the phone.

"We’ve already met each other’s parents. After talking with my dad and your Teacher Yu, we thought it’d be good for me to visit your grandparents and other relatives before the New Year. Then, on the first day of the year, you can come to my place, get familiar with everyone, and stay for a few days. That way, it’ll be seamless when you and my mom leave for the documentary."

Lu Yicheng believed this was a solid plan. As a couple, they needed to adjust to each other’s families—holiday arrangements, whose home to visit, and so on.

Xie Yunzhen and Jiang Baoguo only had Jiang Lan as their daughter, just as the Lu family had only Lu Yicheng as their son.

Luckily, both families lived in City B, close to each other.

Lu Yicheng asked, "What do you think? Does this sound good?"

After some thought, Jiang Lan nodded in agreement.

She called Xie Yunzhen, who initially wanted to give some advice but reconsidered. Lu Yicheng had visited multiple times, and his manners were impeccable. Still, she felt he needed more scrutiny. "Fine. We’ll pick you up on Friday."

Lu Yicheng packed a suitcase and filled the car trunk with gifts, making Lu Shuangchen’s lips twitch in amusement.

Lu Yicheng defended, "What’s so funny? I even prepared red envelopes."

For the younger members of the Jiang family.

Lu Shuangchen: "..."

The plane landed at City B’s airport at 11:30. Breathing in the familiar air felt incredible.

Jiang Lan felt completely at ease—finally home, where she could indulge in delicious food again!

She hugged Yu Wanqiu. "Teacher Yu, see you in five days!"

At the arrival hall, Lu Yicheng and Jiang Baoguo were waiting.

Beside them stood Lu Shuangchen, who actually had more to talk about with Jiang Baoguo, given their similar age and shared interests.

Lu Shuangchen even asked Jiang Baoguo for cooking tips.

The moment Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu appeared, Lu Yicheng waved. "Over here!"

Jiang Lan dashed forward and high-fived him. "I’m back!"

Yu Wanqiu smiled helplessly, eyeing Lu Yicheng. "Oh? All packed and ready?"

Lu Yicheng nodded without hesitation. "We’ll bring you roast chicken when we return. It’s getting late—you should head back now."

Lu Shuangchen, dressed in a black trench coat, smiled faintly, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Let’s go home too."

Jiang Baoguo had arrived alone, but now he was taking two youngsters back with him.

Lu Yicheng’s luggage outnumbered Jiang Lan’s—gifts for the Jiang family, Grandma Jiang’s household, and all the uncles, aunts, and cousins.

Jiang Baoguo said, "You didn’t have to bring so much. Take some back."

Lu Yicheng insisted, "Uncle, it’s really not that much. Let’s just go home."

Jiang Baoguo: "..."

Inwardly, he reminded himself—We’re not officially family yet.