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

Chapter 35

The filming location was at a water park by the sea in Q City. The regular attractions included a carousel, bumper cars, trampolines, slides, roller coasters, and pirate ships. The water-based activities featured rapids rides, jet skis, wakeboarding, kayaking, kite surfing, shallow-water surfing, and single-board water skiing, making it one of the most comprehensive water amusement parks in the country.

Of course, some of the regular attractions like the pirate ship and roller coasters also incorporated water elements. For instance, the roller coaster would plunge from a great height, speeding through a small pool and sending up massive curtains of water on either side—almost as if the riders were passing straight through the water.

Beyond ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????the rides, there were plenty of photo spots, such as the mermaid sculptures and the Frog Prince murals, which served as iconic landmarks of the water park. The park was awash in vibrant reds, oranges, and pinkish-yellows, complemented by golden sandy beaches and towering coconut trees—thrilling yet brimming with childlike charm.

Zhang Tian had spent a considerable sum to reserve the entire park for the day, leaving it empty except for the production crew. He had announced that anyone without immediate tasks was free to enjoy the attractions as a perk from the team.

Unlike the day before, today was overcast and windy, making the seaside pleasantly cool. The waves surged higher and higher.

Dressed for fun, both women wore pants and short sleeves. Jiang Lan sported overalls, sneakers, and a high bun—less princess-like than her usual attire but far more comfortable.

Jiang Lan first stopped by the park entrance to buy two coconuts. The vendor expertly cracked them open and inserted straws, offering the sweet, refreshing coconut water inside.

"Here, Teacher Yu," she said, handing one over.

Yu Wanqiu noticed that whenever they went out, Jiang Lan always made a point of buying drinks. Perhaps it was a girl thing—liking those icy, sugary beverages. Jiang Lan had a knack for taking care of others.

Adjusting her hat, Yu Wanqiu accepted the coconut with both hands and took a sip. "It’s really sweet," she remarked.

"Jiang Lan, which ride should we try first? Director Zhang said we don’t need tickets—we can ride anything as many times as we want."

You could ride the roller coaster ten times or the pendulum ride a hundred—no one would stop you.

Jiang Lan glanced at the roller coaster, currently empty and paused at the lowest point. The tracks twisted and turned, rising and falling unpredictably. Just imagining the sensation of plummeting from the highest point made her stomach lurch.

Nope, not for her. She pointed at the carousel instead. "Let’s try this one."

The carousel moved so slowly it was outpaced by walking speed. With music playing in the background, it lazily completed a full rotation in under five minutes.

Jiang Lan found it a bit dull. "Teacher Yu, how about we try the bumper cars next?"

After the bumper cars, only ten minutes had passed. Normally, during summer break, the water park would be packed, and visitors could spend an entire day without experiencing all the rides—mostly due to long queues. But with the park cleared out, the lack of lines made everything feel oddly brief.

That left the pirate ship, roller coaster, and pendulum ride—just thinking about them made Jiang Lan’s legs go weak.

As she debated whether to risk her life for beauty’s sake, Yu Wanqiu spoke up, "Is that all? I’m not too keen on the others either."

Jiang Lan blinked. "Huh?"

Yu Wanqiu lowered her voice. "Truth is, I’m a little afraid of heights. But for filming, even if I’m scared, I have to do wirework. Still, this is different—the weightlessness is way more intense."

Jiang Lan didn’t buy it. "Teacher Yu, you’re lying! You said this morning you weren’t afraid of heights."

Yu Wanqiu smirked. "The cameras were too close back then, and the mics pick up everything. I had to say that. Now that we’re farther away, I’m telling you the truth."

Jiang Lan was overjoyed—not only did she get to skip the roller coaster, but Yu Wanqiu was also keeping her company. "Teacher Yu, don’t worry. Even if I collapse, your image won’t! I’ll say I’m the one who’s scared, so no one will blame you."

Yu Wanqiu nodded with a smile.

Suddenly revitalized, Jiang Lan felt like she could ride the carousel a hundred more times. But since Zhang Tian needed to shoot promotional posters, the two wandered off toward the beach.

The golden sand held no shells, but walking barefoot felt wonderful. Out on the water, people were kayaking, wakeboarding, and riding inflatable boats, dancing atop the waves.

Yu Wanqiu remarked, "I know how to ride a jet ski and do a bit of wakeboarding."

Jiang Lan assumed it was because Yu Wanqiu came from a wealthy family—rich kids learned everything, from golf to horseback riding. But that wasn’t the case.

Yu Wanqiu had picked up those skills for a role. "I usually prefer reading and quiet activities. Honestly, I’m not that into extreme sports—it was all for the character. Want to try? I can take you."

For her roles, Yu Wanqiu had learned countless skills, refusing to use stunt doubles. One particular action film required her to perform an aquatic escape sequence, complete with flashy maneuvers. She had trained for nearly three months.

Jiang Lan was tempted. Unlike the roller coaster, this wasn’t as high up. Even if they fell, they’d just land in the water, and with life jackets, there was no real danger. "Let’s do it!"

Yu Wanqiu grinned. "Come on."

The park had jet ski instructors, but with so few visitors today, the coach was bored out of his mind. He was about to explain the safety guidelines when Yu Wanqiu whisked Jiang Lan off to change. Two women wanting to ride a jet ski? Unusual. Unlike inflatable boats or wakeboards, jet skis had engines—they could go slow for beginners or rip across the water at high speeds.

After a couple of solo laps, Yu Wanqiu returned for Jiang Lan. "Can you swim?"

Jiang Lan shook her head.

"No problem. Hop on," Yu Wanqiu said. "I can teach you if you want. Swimming’s good for weight loss too."

Jiang Lan had no idea which part of her could possibly be considered "overweight," though she had eaten quite a bit yesterday—Lu Yicheng’s skewers were delicious. "Teacher Yu, what should I do?"

Yu Wanqiu was handling the jet ski, so what was her role?

Putting on her goggles, Yu Wanqiu stretched her neck and smirked. "Hold on tight so you don’t fall off… and cheer me on."

Then she added, "But not too loudly."

Years of fitness training had given Yu Wanqiu the strength to control the hefty machine effortlessly. Still nervous, Jiang Lan clung tightly.

Yu Wanqiu reassured her, "Don’t worry. If we fall, we’ll probably go down together."

Jiang Lan loosened her grip slightly—just as the jet ski shot forward with a sudden burst of speed.

Yu Wanqiu then hit the brakes hard, sending Jiang Lan’s heart into freefall. "Teacher Yu! Drive properly!"

Yu Wanqiu laughed. "Just teasing. Let’s go."

She steadied the ride, and Jiang Lan barely felt any bumps—just the occasional spray of water tickling her feet. "Can we go faster?"

Now she was craving more excitement. A little extra speed wouldn’t scare her.

Right then, a towering wave surged toward them. The jet ski climbed its crest, suspending them at the peak for a breathless moment before plunging back down. Water crashed over them, and for that split second, the weightlessness felt like falling from the clouds—or bursting through the ocean’s surface.

Jiang Lan decided then and there: she would never try anything this thrilling again.

As the waves subsided, Yu Wanqiu asked Jiang Lan if she was okay.

Jiang Lan pressed her lips together before answering, "Teacher Yu, I forgot to close my mouth earlier and swallowed a huge gulp of seawater!"

"We could actually go even faster—this is so thrilling."

...

The speedboat accelerated slightly, and the wind roared past Jiang Lan’s ears. She clung tightly to Yu Wanqiu’s waist, afraid she might fall off. She had thought riding over the waves was exciting enough, but then the speedboat flipped midair before landing smoothly back on the water. Jiang Lan’s hair was completely drenched.

She had even put on makeup and lipstick before heading out—now it was probably all ruined.

The cameraman felt like these two were testing his limits. He was just an ordinary cameraman, yet he’d had to learn how to weave through crowded food streets, capture fireworks and sparklers perfectly, and now he was stuck on a small boat, filming nervously while praying his expensive equipment wouldn’t end up in the water.

And he was seasick—ughhhhh.

That morning, the "wealthy group" had been shooting promotional posters, so Zhang Tian had been preoccupied until his assistant mentioned that Yu Wanqiu and Jiang Lan were going wild. "What are they doing? Isn’t it usually Jiang Lan dragging Yu Wanqiu along? Why’s it the other way around now?"

"Teacher Yu is driving a speedboat—they’ve been racing across the water for almost half an hour. The cameraman is seasick; we need to switch people."

This was something Zhang Tian had never expected. He thought they’d stick to things like merry-go-rounds and bumper cars. "Wait, Yu Wanqiu knows how to drive a speedboat?"

"There’s a thirty-second scene in Deadly Strike where Teacher Yu handles one."

Zhang Tian: "...Send the assistant director over. Make sure they don’t fall into the water. Teacher Yu is a grown woman—she knows her limits. Just let them be."

Jiang Lan was genuinely having the time of her life. When she finally got off, her legs were weak—not from fear, but from sheer exhilaration. Her heartbeat refused to slow down.

And there was another reason: Yu Wanqiu looked unbelievably cool driving that speedboat.

With her hair tied back, a cap and goggles on, and that faint smirk at the corner of her lips—it was just too much.

Jiang Lan sat on the beach, gulping down half a bottle of water. Her clothes were soaked, and she’d probably get covered in sand when she stood up, but right now, she couldn’t even manage that.

Yu Wanqiu took off her cap and goggles. "You alright?"

Jiang Lan shook her head. "I’m fine... Teacher Yu, you were so cool just now. Like, insanely cool."

Yu Wanqiu hadn’t expected the skills she’d learned years ago—things she thought she’d never use again—to come in handy now. At least she wasn’t just tagging along while Jiang Lan led the way.

Yu Wanqiu: "Haven’t you seen Deadly Strike? I drove a rubber boat in that."

Jiang Lan had been putting off watching Yu Wanqiu’s movies. "Next time, for sure! Teacher Yu, you’re not actually afraid of heights, are you?... I think I’m ready to try the pirate ship now."

The pirate ship was the tamest ride among the options—just being lifted to the highest point before dropping with a thud, swaying back and forth until it gradually came to a stop.