My Mother-in-Law and I Became the Internet’s Hottest Power Couple

Zhang Lin got up a little after six to eat—skipping meals could lead to low blood sugar, and as a pregnant woman, she needed small, frequent meals. By eight, she was delivering food, though it was unclear who exactly it was meant for.

She didn’t care if anyone saw her or if the cameras caught it. "Do you think just because the Xu family is wealthy and provides a comfortable life for me and our son, everything is fine? That nothing else matters? Sure, Little Yi attends a bilingual kindergarten with excellent educational resources, and he gets to learn specialties like Olympiad math. Without you, my son might not have access to such opportunities. But what about me? Have you ever handed me your salary card, Xu Chaoyang? Ask yourself honestly—in the seven years I’ve been married to you, how much of your money have I actually spent?"

"I have over 500,000 in savings from my acting days. Even your family’s housekeeper earns more than 10,000 a month. Xu Chaoyang, if you still have even a shred of affection for me, don’t you dare say we shouldn’t divorce. If you truly care about me, give me custody of Little Yi."

Xu Chaoyang’s eyes reddened, but Zhang Lin felt nothing. In the past, her love for him had made her overlook everything. Now, all she wanted was her son.

Xu Chaoyang clenched his fists. "...I didn’t know. I really didn’t know any of this before. Xiaolin, I can change—just give me one more chance. We can move out, live together as a family of three... no, four. You don’t want our baby to grow up in a broken home, do you? I—"

Zhang Lin found it almost laughable. "You didn’t know? That Monday when your mother pretended to be sick, you immediately blamed me without even asking what happened. How many times has this happened? Should I list every single incident for you? Xu Chaoyang, for the first two years, I could endure anything because I loved you. But after that, I realized—having you around or not made no difference. A broken home? It’s practically the same now."

Xu Chaoyang had reacted instinctively. He hadn’t realized...

Zhang Lin cut him off. "I’m not feeling well. Please leave."

The production team respected the guests’ wishes. Worried Xu Chaoyang might cause trouble, Zhang Tian immediately had security escort him out.

"Zhang Lin, from now on, tell the security at the complex not to let Xu Chaoyang in," Zhang Tian said, handing her a cup of warm water. They shared the same surname, so he felt obliged to help where he could.

Li Jia never showed herself. Zhang Lin now saw how ridiculous her past self had been—what had she been so afraid of? Why had she felt so inferior? Li Jia was nothing to fear.

"Thanks, Director Zhang, but it’s fine. The divorce will drag on anyway. This afternoon, I’m meeting with the lawyer Teacher Yu recommended. If I can get some assets out of this, even better. I’ve been part of the Xu family for years—I’ve contributed. Why should I walk away with nothing?"

She wouldn’t let go of anything she was owed.

Zhang Tian nodded approvingly. "That’s the spirit! Don’t let that bastard take advantage of you. If you hadn’t stayed home to raise the kids, could he have focused on his career? If he’d been the one at home, you could’ve earned just as much! You’re absolutely right—why should you leave empty-handed?"

Zhang Lin couldn’t help but smile. She had always been beautiful—even in an industry full of stunning women, she stood out. That smile only made her more radiant.

Zhang Tian grinned. "There you go. Keep smiling. Everything will pass."

Zhang Lin shrugged. "Let Xu Chaoyang come if he wants. With cameras around, I actually feel safer. Remember how Li Jia used to play the mother-in-law card? Well, it’s all on tape now."

"If you need any footage, just let me know," Zhang Tian offered. "Focus on having the baby first. Once the child is older, I’ll introduce you to some parenting shows."

He had plenty of connections in the variety show circuit, and Zhang Lin would be perfect for a mom-and-kid program.

Zhang Lin nodded. "Thank you, Director Zhang. As for Xu Chaoyang... let him come. I’ll curse him out every time."

The room was soundproof, but pressing an ear to the door revealed muffled voices outside.

Just yesterday, Li Jia had been on the phone with Xu Chaoyang. Her stance was clear: let Zhang Lin divorce. What future did a single mother with a child have? Acting was grueling work—she wasn’t the young starlet she’d been seven years ago.

Did she really think money grew on trees?

Xu Chaoyang was already stressed.

He truly loved Zhang Lin—otherwise, he wouldn’t have fought so hard to marry her. Divorce had never crossed his mind. "Enough, Mom. Can’t you just stay out of it? I’m not getting a divorce. And could you try being nicer to Zhang Lin for once?"

Li Jia wished she’d never given birth to such a son.

Meanwhile, among the production crew and the other three guest families, not a single person spoke to her. Li Jia had no idea how she’d make it through filming.

Zhang Tian, ever the optimist, figured they could just edit around her—focus on Zhang Lin’s prenatal checkups and cut Li Jia’s scenes entirely.

Xu Chaoyang was handsome, Zhang Lin even more so, and their child—regardless of gender—would undoubtedly be adorable. Fans could enjoy watching the little one grow up, like unwrapping a mystery box.

After Xu Chaoyang left, Zhang Lin went for her usual walk. The food he’d brought ended up in the trash.

Her spirits were steady. Every checkup confirmed the baby was healthy, and this child had given her newfound courage.

That afternoon, she met with the lawyer.

The attorney, a woman named Cheng Ran, laid out the odds of winning custody. The outlook wasn’t good. While Zhang Lin had been the primary caregiver, she had no income. If the Xu family fought hard for custody, it would be an uphill battle.

With another child on the way, the most likely outcome was Xu Yi staying with Xu Chaoyang, while the unborn baby remained with Zhang Lin.

Cheng Ran also warned that a messy divorce would affect the children. Her advice? Try negotiating privately first. Legal action should be the last resort.

Zhang Lin frowned. "I’ve auditioned for a role—it’s not like I have zero income. And this variety show pays too."

Eight million in earnings should be enough to raise a child.

Cheng Ran sighed. "Eight million won’t buy you an apartment in City B. The Xu family, on the other hand, deals in real estate..."

She didn’t need to finish. Zhang Lin understood.

She couldn’t even afford a home, while the Xu family owned countless properties.

"Legally, this case is tough," Cheng Ran admitted. "Xu Chaoyang hasn’t cheated or been abusive. He’s not at fault in the eyes of the law, so..."

She was speaking strictly from a legal standpoint, not her personal opinion.

Zhang Lin nodded. "I’ll work harder to earn money."

The meeting left her feeling heavy-hearted, useless. After staring at her phone for over ten minutes, she called Xu Yi.

"Mommy!" His voice was bright with joy.

She hadn’t cried in front of Xu Chaoyang, Li Jia, or the production team. But seeing Xu Yi’s face, she couldn’t hold back. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Xu Yi’s smile faltered. "Mommy, what’s wrong? Why are you crying? Did someone hurt you?"

He reached out, as if to wipe her tears through the screen.

Zhang Lin shook her head. "I just missed you."

Xu Yi beamed. "Then I’ll come see you! I miss you too."

Zhang Lin vigorously shook her head, "Don't come, don't come. Wait until the show finishes filming, and Mom will visit you, okay? I’ll take you out for something delicious—fried chicken."

Xu Yi really wanted fried chicken. "Then you have to keep your word!"

For the entire day on Wednesday, Li Jia didn’t leave her room. When Jiang Lan returned from work, she still didn’t see any sign of Li Jia and even wondered if she... had withdrawn from the program.

Yu Wanqiu wasn’t the type to gossip, so she wouldn’t comment, leaving Jiang Lan to keep her thoughts to herself. She believed that Zhang Lin’s wishes were what mattered most—what others thought didn’t count. Just as Yu Wanqiu had said, divorce required immense courage. Since Zhang Lin had taken that step, she deserved support.

Jiang Lan had worked a full day, and though she’d had a lovingly prepared lunchbox at noon, it wasn’t enough to replenish her spent energy.

The women in the office had all taken the next afternoon off and even asked Jiang Lan if she wanted to do the same.

But Jiang Lan had just taken leave yesterday! She couldn’t keep skipping work. Even though half an hour wouldn’t deduct from her pay, frequent absences would surely draw criticism from Teacher Chen Ninglei.

Even as an intern, she had to stick to her schedule—no leaving early without reason.

For dinner, Jiang Lan had a vegetable salad and some reheated roast chicken. The aroma of the chicken grew even richer when warmed. Yu Wanqiu said, "Take tomorrow off if there’s nothing urgent at the studio."

Jiang Lan: "Why?"

Yu Wanqiu replied, "Aren’t we going to Milan? You can’t show up at Fashion Week in a T-shirt and jeans. We’re trying on outfits tomorrow afternoon. Xiao Xu said the flight’s booked for Friday morning."

They’d arrive in Milan by evening.

"Yu Laoshi, can’t I just wear that green dress?" Jiang Lan also had a yellow one—either would work. Why bother with new clothes?

Yu Wanqiu raised an eyebrow. "Are you underestimating me? At Fashion Week, everyone wears the latest designs. From necklaces and bracelets down to the tiniest cufflinks, nothing is repeated. If you show up in something you’ve worn before, people will think I’m mistreating you. It’s settled—tomorrow we’re trying on outfits, and you’re trying multiple sets."

Jiang Lan understood now. The runway wasn’t just about admiring handsome men and beautiful women—it was also a fierce competition to outshine everyone else.

In short, she couldn’t embarrass Yu Wanqiu.

"But are the dresses expensive?" Jiang Lan didn’t want to spend Yu Wanqiu’s money.

Yu Wanqiu waved it off. "They’re sponsored by the brand—basically free advertising. Who keeps buying dresses like that anyway? Just ask Chen Ninglei tomorrow if you can take leave."

"It should be easy. Several of the girls at the studio have already taken time off, and the song recording is almost done. There’s not much left to do in the afternoon, and I won’t need to go next week anyway." Jiang Lan was ready to join the mass leave-taking.

Only then did Yu Wanqiu nod in approval.

The new season of Honor of Kings had updated. After playing a few rounds with Yu Wanqiu, Jiang Lan went to her room to call Lu Yicheng. It was already eleven, but Lu Yicheng was still at work. She waited fifteen minutes before he finally packed up and headed back to his apartment.

Lu Yicheng said, "The project’s done. I took tomorrow off."

Jiang Lan: "What’s the occasion? Why is everyone taking leave? A convention? Or some big sale?"

Lu Yicheng pressed his lips together. "...It’s not a special day. I just have something to take care of, so I’m taking a day off."

Jiang Lan let out an "Oh." "Well, I’m taking leave too. I’m flying to Milan the day after tomorrow. Yu Laoshi’s taking me to try on new dresses. If they look good, remember to update your wallpaper with the new photos."

Lu Yicheng agreed readily. "Sure."

Jiang Lan felt like Lu Yicheng was acting strange today—different from usual. "Are you hiding something from me?"

Idiot.

Lu Yicheng thought to himself.

He moved the camera farther away. "What could I possibly hide from you? Unless it’s something you’ve forgotten, but that doesn’t count, right?"

Jiang Lan snorted. "You’d better not dare."

Lu Yicheng sighed. "Ah, so you’re going to the fashion show this weekend. That means we can’t go on a date. Another stretch without seeing each other."

"Friday to Sunday—just three days."

Jiang Lan had been excited about Milan, but now that Lu Yicheng mentioned it, she felt a little... reluctant to leave. "Hey, I’ll bring you back a souvenir. I’ll shop at the duty-free—whatever you want, I’ll buy it."

Lu Yicheng: "...What I want isn’t sold there."

Jiang Lan had learned not to ask. "Then forget it if it’s not available."

She planned to bring skincare products for Xie Yunzhen and something for Xu Xiang—her shopping list was already long. If Lu Yicheng didn’t want anything, so be it.

Lu Yicheng was exasperated. "If you ask again, I’ll tell you."

Jiang Lan: "No. Curiosity killed the cat. I’m not curious at all."

"Come on, just ask."

Suppressing a laugh, Jiang Lan reluctantly obliged. Lu Yicheng said, "I want a date. I want to kiss you. And hug you."

Jiang Lan covered her face. Was this something he could just say out loud? "Alright, we’ll talk about it later, later."

"Always ‘later.’" Lu Yicheng sighed. "What was I again? Plan B? Option E?"

Lu Yicheng, you idiot.

Jiang Lan said, "Next time, okay? Next time. I can’t with you."

The next day was Jiang Lan’s last day at work.

In the morning, after finishing the song recording, she went to Chen Ninglei to request leave. Chen Ninglei said, "The rule here is that once you finish your tasks, you can leave—no need to count it as leave. You’re graduating soon. You could consider working at the studio full-time. The atmosphere’s good, and the commute’s convenient."

Jiang Lan said she’d think about it, then bid farewell to her colleagues.

Her part-time pay was calculated daily—500 yuan per day. Even though Fridays were usually off due to high efficiency, the pay remained.

From last Monday to this Friday, twelve days in total, she earned 6,000 yuan.

Her bank account now held a considerable sum—earnings from livestream gifts and her part-time job.

With money in hand, she planned to treat Yu Wanqiu, Lu Yicheng, Xu Xiang, Xie Yunzhen, and Jiang Baoguo to meals.

When she saw Yu Wanqiu, Jiang Lan immediately announced, "Yu Laoshi, I got paid!"

Yu Wanqiu: "Shh, don’t flaunt wealth. Say it quieter—don’t let others hear."

Jiang Lan repeated in a hushed tone, "I got paid—6,000 yuan."

Yu Wanqiu smiled. "You’re treating me to a meal, then."

"Absolutely. A proper feast." Jiang Lan was overjoyed. Six thousand yuan—she’d earned that in just twelve days. Unlike gift money, this was hard-earned income.

Yu Wanqiu said, "Let’s hold off for now. Fashion Week’s coming up—it’s better to be a little slimmer."

Not that Jiang Lan was overweight, but cameras added pounds. With all the glamorous celebrities around, legs long and slender, she couldn’t afford to be outshone.

Jiang Lan nodded. She understood.

Xia Jing brought several dresses—two for Yu Wanqiu, whose style leaned toward modest elegance, with sleeves or backs occasionally revealed but legs rarely on display.

The choices for Jiang Lan were far more varied, including a dark red dress in a shade she’d never worn before.

It was from a niche brand with a poetic name: "Flowers of the Elves."

The upper body was adorned in a deep red so dark it bordered on black, crafted from fine chiffon with subtle crimson floral patterns. The lower half featured layers of lightweight, deep red chiffon, the skirt ending at mid-calf—voluminous enough to be elegant but not so much that it hindered movement. Wearing it, she looked almost like an elf.

Though elves are often imagined in green, this dark red carried a bewitching allure, like a corrupted woodland spirit. As for makeup, a light touch would soften the dress’s edgy vibe.

The dress was stunning.

Paired with strappy sandals to accentuate her calves and ankles, and a black diamond-studded headband, she resembled a princess straight out of a fairy tale.

Yu Wanqiu nodded approvingly. "This set works well."

Lu Yicheng had decent taste after all.

Jiang Lan twirled in front of the mirror. "So, this one then?"

Yu Wanqiu had her try another outfit—a pale blue princess dress, equally lovely, with white shoes and pearl hairpins, evoking a mermaid emerging from the sea.

"Jiang Lan, switch back to the red one. Let me compare," Yu Wanqiu said. "I still think the first one suits you better."

Jiang Lan changed back into the deep red dress. It made her skin glow, almost radiant.

"Do we really need makeup? It’s not like we’re going out today."

Yu ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍Wanqiu insisted, "Just to see the full effect—whether bold or subtle works best."

Jiang Lan tilted her head as the makeup artist worked, and half an hour later, Yu Wanqiu finally gave a satisfied nod. "Such a gorgeous outfit deserves to be shown off. How about dinner out?"

Yu Wanqiu had already chosen her own attire—a sleek silver mermaid dress that hugged her curves flawlessly. The deep V-neck and bare back exuded mature sensuality.

Jiang Lan grinned. "Should we go take some photos then?"

Yu Wanqiu grabbed the car keys. Since Jiang Lan wasn’t familiar with B City’s roads, she left the navigation to Yu Wanqiu. "Perfect timing. I’ll treat you. We can split it into two smaller meals—less guilt about calories."

Yu Wanqiu found Jiang Lan amusingly naive for not even asking their destination.

The car stopped outside B City’s planetarium. After an afternoon of outfit changes and primping, night had fallen.

"As much as I’d love to dine with someone this beautiful," Yu Wanqiu said with a smile, "Lu Yicheng begged me for this favor. Happy Qixi Festival, my little princess."