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

So today was Qixi Festival.

No wonder all the girls at the studio had taken the day off—and Lu Yicheng too! He said he had something to attend to, but it turned out to be this.

Yu Wanqiu had insisted that since she was dressed so nicely, she ought to go out for a stroll. And now, she’d brought Jiang Lan here.

Jiang Lan had been so caught up with work these past few days that she hadn’t even glanced at the calendar. Today was Qixi Festival.

But she hadn’t prepared any gifts.

Yu Wanqiu seemed to read her thoughts. “Just enjoy the day. Lu Yicheng will be happy enough that you’re here. Oh, and those earrings don’t match your outfit—take them off.”

The earrings Jiang Lan wore were just simple silver studs. If they didn’t go with the look, she might as well remove them.

After taking them off, she pushed open the car door and stepped out.

Fluorescent markers lined the ground, not in the usual arrow shapes but as a continuous, shimmering river of stars. Walking on them felt like treading upon the Milky Way itself.

Jiang Lan glanced up at the sky—stars twinkled there too.

This was the planetarium, the best spot in City B for stargazing.

Stars symbolized eternity, their trajectories unchanging for millennia. Jiang Lan’s heart raced. No one could resist such a surprise—the pretty dress, the diamond hairpin, the planetarium.

She loved how Lu Yicheng became someone unlike himself just for her.

Following the starry path, Jiang Lan reached the rooftop observatory of the planetarium.

It was a large circular platform with multiple telescopes positioned in different directions. Lu Yicheng stood at the center, hands behind his back, as if he’d been waiting for ages.

Lu Yicheng looked different today. There were no lights here, and the summer wind was strong, yet his hair remained perfectly still. Jiang Lan noticed he’d used hair gel, slicking it back into a neat style.

The guy who usually wore casual T-shirts and shorts was now dressed in a crisp white shirt, a gray-and-white checkered vest, and tailored dark gray trousers. The outfit exuded an understated elegance.

Lu Yicheng was tall, and today, he wore a pair of non-prescription glasses that sharpened his gaze.

This look suited him better than the blue shirt he’d worn last time—though the slight tremor in his hands, still hidden behind his back, betrayed his nerves.

In truth, he was only a few months older than Jiang Lan, just starting his third year of university at 21.

Jiang Lan turned her head slightly, smiling at the night breeze before walking toward him.

Lu Yicheng met her halfway. Qixi Festival was the day when the Cowherd and Weaver Girl reunited across the Milky Way, but between him and Jiang Lan, there was no celestial divide—just a few oblivious people.

No galaxy separated them.

Lu Yicheng extended a hand, his fist clenched. On the back of it was a glowing five-pointed star.

“Press it,” he said.

Was this some kind of switch? Jiang Lan reached out and tapped it.

Lu Yicheng flipped his hand over. On his middle finger was a tiny pink flower. “Press it again, sweetheart.”

She did, and he uncurled his fingers to reveal a red heart drawn on his palm.

“One more time,” he murmured. “Last one.”

Hesitating briefly, Jiang Lan pressed down. His hand wasn’t soft—it was firm, even a little rough. The moment her finger touched his skin, Lu Yicheng seized the chance to intertwine their fingers. Then, pointing toward the sky, he said, “Look there.”

The rooftop was silent except for the wind, but Jiang Lan thought she heard the whir of propellers. Suddenly, a small drone appeared in her line of sight, its blades a blur as it ascended.

Dangling from it was an exquisitely wrapped bouquet of roses—vibrant red against black, the flowers dazzling under the night sky.

Roses symbolized passionate love. Or, more plainly, “I love you.”

Tiny fairy lights twined around the bouquet, twinkling softly. Jiang Lan drew in a quiet breath, unable to tear her eyes away. So many roses.

The drone hovered near them, and Lu Yicheng reached out to retrieve the bouquet. He’d chosen the flowers himself and overseen the wrapping—ninety-nine roses in total. He’d agonized over whether to go with 101 or 99, but in the end, he’d settled on the latter. For longevity.

Lu Yicheng was genuinely nervous. His voice was deeper than usual as he said, “Jiang Lan.”

His palm was damp with sweat. Anyone would think he was about to propose.

Even though it was August, the night was cool. But Lu Yicheng had layered up for the sake of looking good—vest and all.

“I don’t know how to write songs, and I’m not the one who discovered the Firefly Forest or the fireworks show on West Street. I didn’t find all those amazing food spots either. But I’ll learn. I’ll find fun places for us, work hard to make money, take you to eat delicious food, explore exciting places, go wherever you want. I’ll learn how to plan surprises, get better-looking…” His words tumbled out in a rush. He’d actually prepared a speech and memorized it—normally, he had a flawless memory. But now, his thoughts were all jumbled.

"If you like flowers, I'll plant them with you. If you like grass, I'll... wait, no, scratch that," Lu Yicheng said. "Jiang Lan... I like you. I love you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "This is your Qixi Festival gift."

Jiang Lan opened the box to find a pair of ruby earrings shaped like little bears. She touched her earlobes, which were bare. Had he planned this too?

The dress, the shoes, the hair accessories, the galaxy, the planetarium, the roses, and now the three switches in her hand...

Lu Yicheng said, "I want to be your emotional switch."

Jiang Lan set the roses down and threw herself into his arms. She couldn’t lie and say she didn’t like it—she loved it. Every word he said danced perfectly to the rhythm of her heart.

"Lu Yicheng, thank you."

In that moment, Lu Yicheng finally felt grounded, as if he’d returned to solid earth. It was a feeling of pure steadiness.

Just last night, when they were on the phone, Jiang Lan had no idea about any of this. He’d been overthinking everything—worried she’d find it cheesy, worried she wouldn’t like it. But for this moment alone, all that anxiety had been worth it.

He even felt a little smug. Which reader would dare call him a clueless straight man now?

But Jiang Lan looked slightly dejected. "I didn’t get you a Qixi gift, though."

Lu Yicheng grinned. "You’re spending Qixi with me—what more could I ask for? Come here, look at this telescope. You can see Altair and Vega through it."

Though science said the two stars were fourteen light-years apart, the ancient myth behind them was undeniably romantic.

From the observatory, countless galaxies were visible.

Lu Yicheng guided Jiang Lan on how to use the telescope. "Over there, and there—see? More stars."

Compared to the fleeting decades of human life, stars were eternal.

Lu Yicheng loved all things eternal.

It was breathtaking. The vastness of the Milky Way was beyond words—those shimmering dots of light forming sprawling nebulae.

"This is so beautiful," Jiang Lan murmured. She had never been this close to the stars before.

Lu Yicheng smiled and adjusted the telescope’s lens to focus on an even more distant celestial body.

"When you’ve had your fill, we’ll grab dinner. Barbecue or hotpot skewers?" He knew Jiang Lan wasn’t a fan of Western food.

"Barbecue!" Jiang Lan said. "But where should we put the roses? I want to wear my new earrings."

The earrings were adorable—little bears with ruby accents.

Lu Yicheng volunteered, "Let me help you put them on."

Meanwhile, Yu Wanqiu leaned back in her car after dropping Jiang Lan off, resting for a moment. The cameraman had followed the couple—this was a moment worth capturing.

Youth was such a wonderful thing. If she were twenty years younger, she might not have married Lu Shuangchen. And if she hadn’t married him, there’d be no Lu Yicheng, and she’d never have met Jiang Lan.

Sigh. What a vicious cycle.

Yu Wanqiu exhaled deeply. Her assistant wasn’t around—only the cameraman, who might as well have been invisible. She regretted agreeing to Lu Yicheng’s request, but he had looked so pitiful.

The dress had been bought with his own bonus. Though it was from an indie brand, it still cost five figures. The gifts, the flowers—if she hadn’t helped, she’d have felt like a failure as his mother.

But now, without Jiang Lan, she was left alone on Qixi night.

For a brief moment, Yu Wanqiu felt the weight of loneliness.

She stepped out of the car and leaned against it, gazing at the night sky. The moon was beautiful, the stars dazzling. She wondered when Lu Yicheng would bring Jiang Lan back.

The cool night breeze lifted her spirits slightly. Just as she was about to return to the car, headlights flashed in the distance.

A man in tailored slacks and a long coat stepped out of the car. From afar, his hair appeared half-gray, neatly combed. He wore silver-rimmed glasses and paused mid-step before bending back into the car to retrieve a bouquet of roses.

After straightening his collar, he walked toward Yu Wanqiu.

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‍cameraman was stunned. Though there was no background music or dramatic lighting, it felt like a scene straight out of an old Shanghai gangster film.

Who was this? The car hadn’t stood out earlier, but now that he thought about it, it had been there when they arrived.

Probably that internet mogul. Who else would dare approach Yu Wanqiu like this, roses in hand? No beer belly, no receding hairline—just a touch of gray and an air of effortless charm.

Seriously handsome. Sure, wearing a coat in summer might be overkill, but tall men in trench coats were undeniably striking. The sound of his polished shoes against the pavement echoed rhythmically as the cameraman adjusted his lens, zooming in on Lu Shuangchen.

Might as well film it. This was Lu Shuangchen—a man most journalists couldn’t even get a shot of. He had free rein here.

Yu Wanqiu scoffed, casting a disinterested glance at the approaching figure.

What an idiot. Wearing a coat in this heat—he might as well roast himself alive.

Lu Shuangchen walked a bit slowly, not cradling the roses but holding them in one hand while the other carried a gift box. Yu Wanqiu could already guess what it was.

The two weren’t far apart, and in less than a minute, Lu Shuangchen reached her. He extended the roses toward her. "Happy Qixi Festival."

With the same commanding presence he wielded in boardroom negotiations, he got straight to the point: "This is for you."

The gift was wrapped in a black box, tied with a black satin ribbon. Lu Shuangchen asked, "Aren’t you going to open it?"

Yu Wanqiu didn’t reach for it. "What is it?"

Lu Shuangchen replied, "Open it and you’ll find out."

Even without looking, Yu Wanqiu knew—it was probably diamonds again.

She found it utterly uninspiring. Though she knew it wasn’t fair, she couldn’t help comparing.

No music, no fancy restaurant—just a gift handed to her under the dim lights outside the planetarium.

Last Qixi, she had been filming, and by the time she remembered, the day had long passed.

Admittedly, this was better than last year.

But still…

After decades of marriage, Yu Wanqiu could predict Lu Shuangchen’s next move.

She unwrapped the gift. Nestled on black velvet was a diamond necklace, shimmering under the night sky. At a glance, it had to be worth eight figures or more.

The pendant featured a pink diamond, and the chain was studded with smaller stones.

It was beautiful—but Yu Wanqiu already owned countless necklaces just like it.

What she really wanted was to stroll somewhere with Lu Shuangchen, not… this.

Lu Shuangchen asked, "Do you like it?"

Yu Wanqiu hesitated. "...I do." Next, he’d probably invite her to dinner.

Sure enough: "I reserved a restaurant. Let’s have dinner together."

Yu Wanqiu checked the time. "No, I’m filming right now. The crew is recording everything—it’s not convenient."

Lu Shuangchen frowned. What was so inconvenient? Was he some kind of embarrassment?

After over twenty years of marriage, Yu Wanqiu’s career always took precedence, forcing him to compromise.

His mood soured. "It’s just dinner. What’s the problem? And so what if they’re filming?"

Yu Wanqiu sighed inwardly. Did she really have to spell it out?

You’ve had reporters delete photos from press conferences. You pull down Weibo trending topics the moment they trend. Let’s be clear—I’m on a show. The director has every right to edit and air whatever footage they capture.

Lu Shuangchen looked equally baffled. "I don’t mind being filmed or broadcasted. But isn’t it you who refuses to acknowledge our relationship publicly?"

"I had photos deleted because strangers kept using me for clout. I pulled those trending searches because they were gossip. What choice did I have? Meanwhile, after twenty years of marriage, what traces of me exist in your life beyond the word ‘married’ on your Baidu page?"

Yu Wanqiu shot back, "Your Baidu page only says the same two words."

Lu Shuangchen pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course mine says ‘married’—I am. But you? Your films are full of kissing, hand-holding, embracing…"

"Respect my profession. I’m an actress—this is part of the job. Or are you just looking for a fight?"

Lu Shuangchen immediately backed down. "That’s not what I meant. Wanqiu, it’s Qixi. We haven’t seen each other in a while. I don’t mind appearing in public with you."

"People keep calling me a pot-bellied, balding middle-aged man. I…"

He was a confident person. He worked out regularly, and though time had etched wrinkles and silver into his features, he knew he wouldn’t embarrass Yu Wanqiu.

At the very least, no one would mistake them for Beauty and the Beast.

Behind his glasses, his gaze was unexpectedly tender.

Yu Wanqiu didn’t want to argue either. This was just their dynamic. She couldn’t expect him to suddenly transform into someone like Jiang Lan overnight.

Still, there had been some progress this time.

Maybe Jiang Lan should write a book—Lu Shuangchen could stand to read it.

He tried again: "So… dinner?"

Yu Wanqiu was exasperated. Couldn’t he at least say something nice? Compliment her new dress, call her "beautiful," make it sound like an invitation rather than an obligation…

"Fine, let’s eat. Where?" She already knew—some high-end Western place.

Lu Shuangchen waved toward a black Bentley, which merged into the traffic. He opened the door, sliding into the driver’s seat to chauffeur Yu Wanqiu and the cameraman—though the latter knew he was just an afterthought.

"…Would you prefer Western food or hot pot?"

In the past, Lu Shuangchen would’ve taken her straight to a French restaurant without asking.

This time, he’d reserved both—a fine-dining establishment and a hot pot place.

He’d been keeping up with her show, start to finish. He knew Yu Wanqiu had developed a taste for hot pot lately—the kind of lively, communal meal bursting with flavor.

And during the fireworks show and Friday’s live broadcast, she had looked radiant.

Today, she looked stunning again, a sight that instantly brightened the room.

Yu Wanqiu glanced down at her outfit and asked, "Is this dress appropriate for hot pot?"

She was wearing a long skirt, while Lu Shuangchen had on a trench coat.

Lu Shuangchen nodded. "Why not? If it gets dirty, we’ll just buy new clothes—whatever you want."

After all, money was no object to him.