After Becoming the Mother of the Scumbag Stand-In Female Lead - Chapter 15

Leaning by the window and sipping wine in small sips, Sheng Yunjin’s gaze seemed idly fixed on the scenery outside, but in reality, she was eavesdropping on the conversation between the two people not far away.

She pretended to admire the view, unaware that she herself had long become a striking sight in someone else’s eyes.

…

The man standing beside her, Zhang Chuan, was once Si Mu’s business partner. His company primarily dealt in real estate development, and some of JM’s physical stores were located in the shopping malls he operated.

So, when he took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Si Mu, despite feeling somewhat repulsed, she had no choice but to respond with a polite and courteous smile.

Zhang Chuan was in his forties. Though successful in his career, he suffered from the common afflictions of middle-aged men—coarse stubble around his mouth and a protruding beer belly, euphemistically referred to as a “sign of prosperity.”

But these weren’t the real reasons Si Mu felt uncomfortable around him. The root cause was that Zhang Chuan had once pursued her.

At the time, Si Mu had tried her best to reject him politely to save face for both parties. Unfortunately, Zhang Chuan seemed incapable of taking a hint, sending gifts and bouquets to her company every few days until she was thoroughly annoyed.

Since then, Si Mu had made every effort to avoid any further dealings with Zhang Chuan when selecting business partners. Unless there was absolutely no alternative, she delegated all negotiations with him to Zhao Yuanqi, keeping herself at a distance.

Now, encountering him again at this banquet, Si Mu listened patiently to his small talk, only responding seriously when Zhang Chuan brought up business matters. Everything else he interjected, she pretended not to hear.

So, when Sheng Yunjin appeared in her line of sight, Si Mu felt a flicker of joy, her expression softening unconsciously, revealing a rare tenderness not often seen.

Zhang Chuan, who had been searching for topics to engage Si Mu, immediately noticed the change in her demeanor. His gaze roamed freely over her face, brimming with undisguised possessiveness.

From the moment he first met Si Mu, Zhang Chuan had been deeply intrigued by her. Her cool, aloof beauty and mature, restrained demeanor only drew him in further.

Especially after hearing that Si Mu had remained unattached all these years, his desire only grew stronger. Even though she had clearly rejected him, Zhang Chuan persisted in his pursuit, convinced of his own charm.

He prided himself on being a self-made success, having built his company from the ground up to its current grandeur. Few people still commanded his respect.

Thus, he was certain that Si Mu would eventually succumb to his advances, and he would, without a doubt, win her over.

His increasingly lecherous and oily stares grew bolder, and Si Mu’s expression turned icy cold.

Just as she was about to issue a warning, another voice, light and melodious, cut in first.

“Long time no see, President Si.”

Accompanying the words was Sheng Yunjin’s elegant and leisurely smile. Her gentle eyes met Si Mu’s as if completely oblivious to the presence of the other man.

Sheng Yunjin had originally been eavesdropping on their conversation, but the more she listened, the more uneasy she felt. The man’s words seemed to pry into Si Mu’s private affairs at every turn.

Unable to feign indifference any longer, she stepped in, interrupting the man’s incessant chatter.

A pale, slender hand extended before her. Si Mu lowered her gaze to look at it, then raised her own hand to lightly clasp it under Sheng Yunjin’s watchful eyes. “Long time no see, Miss Sheng.”

Their hands barely touched before parting due to propriety. Sheng Yunjin’s eyes crinkled with amusement, her tone carrying obvious familiarity as she spoke.

“I really liked the gift you sent me last time, President Si. Though it didn’t quite suit today’s occasion, so I didn’t wear it. I hope you’re not upset with me.”

Her relaxed voice lifted slightly at the end. Though the words themselves were perfectly polite and ordinary, to Si Mu’s ears, the trailing tone carried a lazy, charming lilt that seemed to linger by her ear, making her earlobes tingle faintly.

Si Mu’s expression softened at her appearance, her voice gentle. “Not at all.”

Sheng Yunjin smiled. Her words weren’t just empty pleasantries—she truly had been wearing that necklace and ring regularly. Only today’s overly formal occasion had prompted her to switch to accessories prepared by her stylist.

Zhang Chuan naturally recognized the star of tonight’s banquet. Seeing Sheng Yunjin up close now, his tone unconsciously grew more eager. “Miss Sheng, what a pleasure to meet you. I’m Zhang Chuan of Qiancheng Group—an old friend of Chairman Sheng’s.”

His words were seventy percent truth, thirty percent fabrication. While his identity was genuine, that last claim of friendship was pure fiction.

Though lying, this was merely social lubricant—something everyone recognized as optional to believe. Zhang Chuan felt no guilt whatsoever.

Moreover, judging from how Sheng Yunjin and Si Mu had been chatting, they seemed quite familiar, possibly even close. So, Zhang Chuan added that line, hoping to impress Si Mu with his connections.

Sheng Yunjin appeared to notice his presence only now. She gave Zhang Chuan a careless glance before offering a noncommittal nod. “If you’re really Dad’s old friend, why are you still here? I just saw him inviting several uncles and aunts to the inner hall for reminiscing.”

Zhang Chuan’s expression faltered, his gaze shifting uncomfortably—clearly unprepared for this response. While his company wasn’t small, it hardly compared to Mingsheng Group’s chairman.

“You’d better hurry over, President Zhang,” Sheng Yunjin added leisurely. “They might get upset if you’re late.”

Meeting her gaze, Zhang Chuan couldn’t tell whether the young woman was deliberately mocking him. Regardless, he had no excuse to stay. Mumbling some hasty excuses, he scurried away sweating.

Si Mu had been quietly observing the exchange. Watching Sheng Yunjin dismiss him with just a few words, the corner of her lips quirked almost imperceptibly.

As Sheng Yunjin watched his retreating figure, a hint of cold amusement surfaced between her brows. “That lecherous glutton probably could become friends with Sheng Mingzhao, given the chance.”

The words slipped out thoughtlessly, but Si Mu detected deeper meaning. A thought occurring to her, she turned to study Sheng Yunjin. “Did Miss Sheng come specifically to rescue me?”

Their gazes met, and Sheng Yunjin realized she’d been caught. Her eyes flickered momentarily before she cleared her throat lightly. “I wasn’t intentionally eavesdropping…”

Si Mu’s gaze remained steady and gentle, silently interrupting whatever explanation Sheng Yunjin had been about to offer.

With a guilty conscience, she lowered her head and admitted, “Alright, I was eavesdropping.”

Fortunately, Si Mu didn’t seem bothered by her eavesdropping, merely asking softly, “Miss Sheng, why did you help me?”

Blinking in slight confusion, Sheng Yunjin replied, “Does there need to be a reason? President Si is my friend. Helping friends is just what one does, isn’t it?”

Si Mu looked at her, silently repeating, “Friend?”

“Of course. You even gave me a gift before—doesn’t that mean you consider me a friend?”

Turning the tables was something Sheng Yunjin excelled at. Seeing that Si Mu wasn’t pressing the eavesdropping issue, she seized the opportunity to throw the question back at her.

With a slight lift of her brow, Si Mu smiled and accepted her words.

Then she extended her hand toward Sheng Yunjin once more. Meeting her puzzled gaze, Si Mu calmly explained, “Since we’re friends, we should properly introduce ourselves.”

Their palms touched again, this time with a firmer grasp from Si Mu. “Si Mu, head of JM.”

Slightly dazed, Sheng Yunjin instinctively clasped the cool skin in her palm. “Sheng Yunjin, just an idler.”

As their eyes met under that gentle, liquid gaze, Sheng Yunjin nearly blurted out the question of whether they’d met before.

A sudden pressure on her shoulder snapped her out of it, and she reluctantly parted from Si Mu.

Zhao Yuanqi stepped between them, assuming they were making introductions, and interjected heartily, “Zhao Yuanqi, also vice president of JM.”

Sheng Yunjin nodded with a faint smile but remained silent.

Her silence didn’t mean others would follow suit.

Without ceremony, Zhao Yuanqi raised her glass to clink with Sheng Yunjin’s, saying cheerfully, “Since we’re all friends now, I hope JM can count on Miss Sheng’s support in the future.”

Though nothing had been officially announced, everyone at the banquet could tell that Mingsheng Group was positioning their young mistress in the spotlight—a clear signal of her status as the next successor.

As a member of the Zhao family, Zhao Yuanqi didn’t strictly need to curry favor with Sheng Yunjin. But as JM’s vice president, fostering ties with Mingsheng Group’s heir apparent was essential.

Mingsheng Group’s influence spanned domestic and international markets, with even government backing. Partnering with them would mean reaping both fame and fortune.

Si Mu frowned slightly, not wanting Sheng Yunjin to think she’d approached her for corporate gain.

Yet Zhao Yuanqi wasn’t wrong—wasn’t networking the whole point of attending this banquet?

Sheng Yunjin accepted the toast gracefully. As she took a sip, she caught a fleeting shadow in Si Mu’s eyes.

Choosing her words carefully, Sheng Yunjin turned to Zhao Yuanqi. “If there’s anything JM needs help with, Vice President Zhao can just say so.”

Her tone was so frank and sincere that it startled not just Si Mu, but even made Zhao Yuanqi choke slightly on her drink.

Exchanging a subtle glance with Si Mu, Zhao Yuanqi’s expression seemed to say:

Since when was the Sheng heiress this naive?!

Si Mu hadn’t expected Sheng Yunjin to speak up so directly. Surprised, she curled her fingers slightly, momentarily forgetting to restrain her gaze toward Sheng Yunjin.

Zhao Yuanqi was already eagerly explaining the project they were currently working on to Sheng Yunjin, completely oblivious to Si Mu’s momentary distraction.

But Sheng Yunjin, while listening attentively, still kept a fraction of her attention on Si Mu.

And so, in that moment, she clearly saw the emotions in Si Mu’s eyes as she looked at her.

Restrained yet intense, subtle yet unmistakable—her gaze held a fervent emotion Sheng Yunjin had never seen before.