After Becoming the Mother of the Scumbag Stand-In Female Lead - Chapter 11

After opening the door, the girl lowered her head and hurried into her bedroom. Si Mu didn’t pay much attention, simply sitting down on the sofa and helping Si Zhong pour more tea into his cup.

Si Zhong, who was sitting nearby, noticed though. He sighed with a smile and said, “This child, still so shy. You’re practically family.”

Hearing this, Si Mu glanced toward the slightly ajar bedroom door and said gently, “She’s probably doing her homework.”

The girl was a child from a mountainous region that Si Zhong had been sponsoring. Two years ago, after retiring from teaching, Si Zhong had visited her on a whim and learned that her parents were seriously ill. The money he had sent during that time had all been used for their medical treatment. As the only healthy person in the family, the girl had dropped out of school to care for them.

Not long after, the couple passed away from their illnesses. Unable to bear seeing the child suffer, Si Zhong discussed it with her and went through the necessary procedures to bring her home.

Si Mu wasn’t entirely sure about the girl’s original name, having only heard Si Zhong mention it once. It seemed to be something carelessly chosen by her parents, who had wanted a son. Displeased with it, Si Zhong took it upon himself to rename her—Sying.

Sying had just started middle school this year. As a retired teacher, Si Zhong tutored her at home and even hired a housekeeper to ensure she was well taken care of.

Si Mu’s parents had divorced after her high school graduation, and both had since moved overseas, losing contact with her years ago.

Thus, Si Zhong was now Si Mu’s only remaining family. Whenever work wasn’t too busy, she made time to visit him each month.

However, for the past two years, Si Zhong had been urging Si Mu to settle down. In the beginning, she could still use work as an excuse, but now that her business was steadily growing and her brand was thriving, Si Zhong had once again brought up the topic of marriage.

“Still busy with work lately?”

Sure enough, as soon as she sat down, Si Mu heard Si Zhong’s usual opening line.

Taking a sip of tea, Si Mu lowered her gaze to the leaves floating in her cup and replied softly, “Not too bad.”

The elderly teacher, who had worked hard all his life, looked at his only granddaughter with a mix of pride and resignation.

Their family had been a lineage of scholars for generations—from Si Zhong and his late wife to Si Mu’s parents, all had been educators.

Si Zhong had assumed Si Mu would follow the same path. But then his son and daughter-in-law had blindsided him, quietly filing for divorce on the day of Si Mu’s college entrance exams. The shock had nearly given him a heart attack.

During her university years, Si Mu had relied on scholarships and part-time jobs to cover tuition and living expenses, never accepting any money Si Zhong tried to send her.

After graduation, Si Zhong had hoped she would pursue a master’s degree and return as a high school teacher. Instead, Si Mu had skipped graduate school entirely, taking an internship in her senior year before joining a jewelry design company.

It was only then that Si Zhong realized his granddaughter had kept things from him too—she hadn’t enrolled in the teaching college he had wanted, but another university, studying jewelry design, a field he couldn’t even begin to understand.

Later, due to Si Mu’s persistence, Si Zhong gradually came to terms with things, which led him to the idea of sponsoring students in mountainous areas. His wife had passed away early, leaving him alone with savings he couldn’t possibly spend, so he decided to help children in remote regions.

Over the years, Si Zhong had watched Si Mu grow—from starting as a design assistant to gradually taking on independent projects, then eventually leaving her job to co-found a brand and open her own studio with friends.

But no matter how successful her career was, she was still a woman who needed a family, a husband, and children.

To Si Zhong, that was what made a complete and fulfilling life.

He knew his granddaughter had a reserved and introverted personality, often quiet and withdrawn. Even when her parents divorced, she barely reacted—just paused for a few seconds upon hearing the news, called her mother, then retreated to her room to read without shedding a single tear.

“If you’re not too busy in the next couple of days, come have a meal with your grandpa,” Si Zhong said, steering the conversation toward his real purpose.

He turned and picked up a thick album from the nearby coffee table.

Si Mu was puzzled but before she could ask, the old man handed her the photo album.

Si Zhong chuckled warmly. “These are all the group photos I’ve taken with my students over the years. Those boys mentioned they’d visit me soon. You should come along—who knows, you might find someone you like.”

Her fingers froze mid-flip. Si Mu realized there was no point in continuing.

Setting the album back on the table, she carefully declined, “I have a business trip coming up…”

Si Zhong’s expression darkened. “Didn’t you just say work wasn’t busy? What, no time for an old man like me?”

Si Mu sighed inwardly, lowering her gaze in silence. Her pale lips pressed into a thin line, and the sharp angles of her profile seemed to radiate detachment.

An image of Sheng Yunjin flickered unbidden in her mind. Her eyes wavered slightly, and her fingers resting on her knees twitched almost imperceptibly.

Seeing her stubborn resistance, Si Zhong softened his tone. “It’s just a meal. Think of it as making new friends.”

Then, as if remembering something, he added with a smile, “Many of my students are in business. Networking with them might even help your company in the future.”

Si Mu had spent the entire day inspecting brand stores across major malls, followed by an hour-long drive to get here. Hearing the same old arguments, she felt a dull throb of exhaustion at her temples.

Forcing a polite smile, she met Si Zhong’s hopeful gaze.

“Grandpa, I have no plans for marriage right now. The company is still growing, and my focus remains on work.”

She didn’t look away this time, so she saw the disappointment flicker across his face.

His face filled with incomprehension and disappointment, Si Zhong retorted, “Then when do you plan to consider this, Si Mu? You’re not young anymore—you’re already in your thirties. If you don’t get married soon, do you even plan to have children later?”

It was the same old argument. Hearing this, Si Mu’s expression didn’t change in the slightest, nor did she feel even a ripple of emotion in her heart.

She understood perfectly well that no matter what she said, Si Zhong would never comprehend her perspective.

Because in his mind, women should follow the conventional path—marry, have children, and take care of the family.

With such deeply ingrained beliefs, any further explanation would be futile.

Glancing at her watch, she saw it was already 9:30 p.m. Si Mu rose from the sofa and said gently, “I have my own plans for life. There’s no need for you to worry about me.”

Pretending not to notice Si Zhong’s increasingly furious expression, she added, “I have work tomorrow, so I’ll head out now. You should rest early too.”

With that, Si Mu turned and walked toward the door. Passing by one of the rooms, she caught sight of Si Ying peeking at her through the crack in the door.

Offering a polite yet distant smile, Si Mu averted her gaze and pushed open the door to leave.

…

Driving home alone.

Si Mu turned on the living room lights, revealing a spacious, bright, and impeccably tidy space—her preferred minimalist style.

Kicking off her high heels, she walked barefoot across the carpet, unbuttoning the top two buttons of her shirt as she went. The pale skin beneath was exposed, and deep within the collar, a faint mark could barely be seen, almost blending into her complexion.

Taking a bottle of water from the fridge, she paused while closing the door, staring at the shelves filled with boxed milk and bottled mineral water. For some reason, it felt like something was missing.

Slowly, she made her way to the balcony and settled into the lounge chair, letting her thoughts drift aimlessly.

Her mind wandered through countless fleeting ideas—so many that before she could even grasp them, they dissipated, leaving behind only the faintest traces.

Tonight’s conversation with her grandfather had been within her expectations. She understood the old man’s mindset, so she had never truly taken his words to heart.

Emotions had never been her priority—until now, her focus had always been on academics and work.

Later, when she started her own business, Zhao Yuanqi had once jokingly suggested setting her up on a date after a late-night work session, asking whether Si Mu preferred men or women.

That was the first time the idea of romance had ever crossed Si Mu’s mind.

She hadn’t given Zhao Yuanqi an answer, staying behind alone to continue working overtime.

By the time she returned home in the early hours of the morning, she had already forgotten about the question. But that night, for the first time in years, she had a dream.

In it, an extraordinarily beautiful woman smiled at her… and then, they kissed.

The next morning, Si Mu woke up blushing for the first time in her life and immediately hid in the bathroom.

That same day, she discovered a faint mark on her chest—so light it almost blended into her skin, shaped like a leaf.

…

From then on, Si Mu began dreaming frequently, and without exception, it was always that woman.

Seven years.

If you’ve been entangled with someone in your dreams for seven whole years, it’s probably impossible not to develop feelings.

…

The moonlight was fairly bright tonight, with stars sparsely dotting the sky. The residential area was exceptionally quiet in the late hours.

Si Mu closed her eyes briefly as the cool evening breeze tousled her hair. Without the hairpin to keep it in place, her long locks danced wildly in the air, exuding a carefree, lazy charm.

Her mind wandered back to the brief encounter with Sheng Yunjin earlier that day. Unconsciously, the corners of her lips curled upward before she rose from the balcony and headed toward the bedroom.

“Surely, I won’t dream of you again tonight.”

Sheng Yunjin.

…

In a bedroom downstairs.

Sheng Yunjin suddenly opened her eyes. Then, the bedside lamp flickered on, illuminating the pitch-black room that not even a sliver of moonlight could penetrate.