After Becoming the Mother of the Scumbag Stand-In Female Lead - Chapter 22

A subtle thought crossed Si Mu’s mind, and the corners of her lips lifted almost imperceptibly.

Though barely noticeable, Sheng Yunjin caught it.

“I’ll call you that from now on,” Sheng Yunjin said with a smile, leaning in a little closer.

Feigning composure, Si Mu nodded slightly, lowering her gaze to the bamboo leaf pendant resting against Sheng Yunjin’s smooth collarbone.

“Do you wear this necklace often?”

Following her gaze, Sheng Yunjin glanced down and replied, “Yeah, it’s unique and beautiful.”

With a slight push, Si Mu gently nudged her away, withdrawing her hand—still warm from the contact—and deliberately replied in a flat tone, “It’s just a bamboo leaf.”

What’s so unique about it?

Hearing this, Sheng Yunjin looked up at her.

Though Si Mu still wore her usual cool and composed expression, Sheng Yunjin inexplicably sensed the faint pretense hidden beneath her words.

A smirk tugged at her lips, but Sheng Yunjin didn’t call her out. Instead, she simply smiled and said, “I don’t know about others, but I really like it.”

“Especially like it.”

After a pause, she added.

Meeting her earnest gaze, Si Mu faltered for a moment, about to say something—only to be interrupted by the sudden chime of the doorbell.

Sheng Yunjin got up to answer it, while Si Mu remained seated. Though she still held documents in her hand, her focus had long since drifted elsewhere.

…

Seeing who was at the door, Sheng Yunjin instinctively glanced at the clock on the wall.

“Why are you coming over so late?”

Lin Xiaoyu rolled her eyes at her in exasperation.

“Because I was worried about you!”

Puzzled, Sheng Yunjin let her in. “Worried about what?”

After slipping off her shoes, Lin Xiaoyu waved her phone screen in front of her.

“You weren’t replying to messages or picking up calls—I thought something happened to you!”

Only then did Sheng Yunjin remember, laughing awkwardly. “My bad, my bad. I forgot to charge my phone—it probably died on its own.”

After waking up from her nap in the afternoon, she had lounged on the sofa playing with her phone. Then, when it was time, she went straight to the kitchen without charging it.

Lin Xiaoyu had already made herself at home in the living room and nearly bumped into Si Mu, who had stood up upon hearing the commotion.

Surprised, Lin Xiaoyu quickly schooled her expression into something more respectful.

“President Si, what a coincidence, haha.”

Perhaps because she had idolized Si Mu as an industry role model from their first meeting, Lin Xiaoyu couldn’t help but be on her best behavior around her.

Si Mu nodded slightly in greeting.

Though she felt a twinge of irrational jealousy over Lin Xiaoyu’s closeness with Sheng Yunjin, Si Mu knew those thoughts were just baseless, emotional distractions.

Besides, she had no right to feel jealous. Mocking herself inwardly, Si Mu dismissed the thought.

Noticing the file folder in Lin Xiaoyu’s hand, Si Mu guessed they might have business to discuss, so she took the initiative to excuse herself.

Reluctant to see her go, Sheng Yunjin shot Lin Xiaoyu a silent glare before obediently walking Si Mu to the door.

“Goodbye… Xiao Mu~”

Standing at the doorway, Si Mu glanced back at her, then gave a faint smile.

“Goodbye.”

……

Back in the living room, Lin Xiaoyu had already helped herself to the desserts on the table, munching away as she asked curiously,

“What were you and President Si talking about so late at night?”

Sheng Yunjin cast a disdainful glance at Lin Xiaoyu’s messy eating habits.

“Let’s talk business.”

“Are you a starving ghost reincarnated or something? Eating this much.”

Seeing her reach for a second Swiss roll, Sheng Yunjin couldn’t hold back—she swiftly smacked the back of Lin Xiaoyu’s outstretched hand.

Rubbing the spot where she’d been hit, Lin Xiaoyu pouted. “What’s the big deal? Can’t I even have one piece of cake?”

With a cool nod, Sheng Yunjin stood up and stored the remaining two desserts in the fridge.

But her tone was all concern as she casually brushed it off. “You shouldn’t eat so many sweets this late at night.”

Grabbing a strawberry-flavored yogurt from the fridge, she tossed it to Lin Xiaoyu.

“If you’re hungry, drink this.”

At the sight of the strawberry design on the bottle, Lin Xiaoyu’s expression immediately softened. “Hehe, you’re still the best, Xiao Jin.”

Sipping her yogurt, Lin Xiaoyu handed over the documents she’d brought.

“Here, I had the team draft you a top-tier contract today—specially customized.”

Since she and Sheng Yunjin were friends, she couldn’t just slap a standard company template on her artist agreement.

So, first thing in the morning, Lin Xiaoyu had assigned someone to tailor this contract.

Flipping through the pages, Sheng Yunjin felt a twinge of guilt for how dismissive she’d been earlier.

Glancing at Lin Xiaoyu, who was still sipping her strawberry yogurt in tiny gulps, Sheng Yunjin affectionately ruffled her hair.

Only to get a firm slap in return.

“Don’t touch! A CEO’s hairstyle must stay perfect!”

Amused, Sheng Yunjin withdrew her hand. “Alright, alright, I won’t.”

After signing the contract, Sheng Yunjin, moved by her friend’s thoughtfulness, felt compelled to make it up to her.

“Still hungry? Want me to whip up some fried rice? There’s a bit left in the pot.”

Lin Xiaoyu eyed her skeptically. “You cooked today?”

It wasn’t an unreasonable question. Having lived together abroad for seven years, Lin Xiaoyu knew Sheng Yunjin’s cooking skills well.

But there was a catch. When it came to proper meals, Sheng Yunjin usually only cooked if Lin Xiaoyu begged her out of cravings. Unlike Lin Xiaoyu, Sheng Yunjin could tolerate bland Western food and didn’t crave Chinese cuisine as much—sometimes even lazing around all day eating nothing but fruit.

But baking snacks and desserts? That was different. If the mood struck her, Sheng Yunjin could spend an entire day in the kitchen.

So, the idea that Sheng Yunjin, living alone now, had voluntarily cooked a meal? The more Lin Xiaoyu thought about it, the more unbelievable it seemed.

Just as she was about to ask, a sudden ding from a phone interrupted them.

Sheng Yunjin’s gaze landed on the device on the table—and she froze.

That… seemed to be Si Mu’s phone.

Noticing her stare, Lin Xiaoyu asked, “What’s wrong?”

Shaking her head, Sheng Yunjin admitted, “Si Mu left her phone here. I’ll return it to her later.”

Frowning, Lin Xiaoyu checked the time. “It’s so late. Can’t you just return it tomorrow?”

A smirk tugged at Sheng Yunjin’s lips. “She lives right upstairs.”

Eyebrows shooting up, Lin Xiaoyu’s gaze darted between Sheng Yunjin and the phone.

Then, like a bolt of realization—

“Wait… Did you have dinner with President Si?”

Well, well. No wonder Sheng Yunjin had been willing to cook.

Remembering how she used to beg and throw tantrums just to get her to cook a meal for her, Lin Xiaoyu suddenly felt a pang of loneliness, as if her home had been stolen.

“Yeah, I invited her over,” Sheng Yunjin replied casually, reclining on the sofa as she leisurely flipped through TV channels.

“Are you going to eat or not?” The resentful gaze beside her grew increasingly palpable, making Sheng Yunjin fidget before she finally turned to ask.

“Yes! Make it for me right now!” What had been a casual joke yesterday—claiming Sheng Yunjin liked Si Mu—now seemed eerily accurate to Lin Xiaoyu.

How many times had they even met before she brought her home?

And even cooked for her.

Not to mention they lived just floors apart, making visits all too convenient.

The more she thought about it, the more suspicious she became. Lin Xiaoyu trailed Sheng Yunjin step by step into the kitchen.

“Why on earth did you invite her over for dinner? Was it really just to discuss work?”

Sheng Yunjin, slicing luncheon meat, caught the odd tone in her voice and glanced back.

Seeing Lin Xiaoyu’s exaggeratedly aggrieved expression, she couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hey, hey, what’s with that face?”

Feigning hurt, Lin Xiaoyu sniffled and muttered under her breath, “Are you really going to start dating?”

Sheng Yunjin paused, then looked down at her. “Would you be unhappy if I did?”

Lin Xiaoyu nodded slightly, pressing her lips together without a word.

Sheng Yunjin rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then teased, “Don’t tell me you’ve got a crush on me?”

Before Lin Xiaoyu could respond, Sheng Yunjin arched a brow smugly and added, “Not that I’d blame you. My charm is undeniable—it’s not your fault.”

Lin Xiaoyu smacked her shoulder, laughing despite herself. “Crush on you? In your dreams!”

Delighted at having gotten a rise out of her, Sheng Yunjin turned back to her cooking. “Hmph, relax. I’ve already signed the contract—I’m not going anywhere.”

She wasn’t fooled. Lin Xiaoyu was just worried that romance would distract her from work.

Unfazed at being seen through, Lin Xiaoyu doubled down. “Not that I’m against you dating or anything—just maybe not in the next year or two?”

Having finally signed a rising star with looks, pedigree, and connections, Lin Xiaoyu was determined to make Sheng Yunjin a household name.

The agency’s current roster consisted of newcomers in their early twenties. After securing Sheng Yunjin’s verbal commitment last night, Lin Xiaoyu had called an early morning meeting to assess their potential.

To avoid bias, she hadn’t disclosed her relationship with Sheng Yunjin, instead having the team evaluate each newcomer objectively.

Unsurprisingly, Sheng Yunjin topped the list.

Though not a film school graduate and lacking audition reels, Lin Xiaoyu had pulled strings to obtain behind-the-scenes footage from Sheng Yunjin’s music video cameo.

Her control over presence and emotional nuance was impeccable—enough to leave everyone in awe.

And debuting as the lead in an internationally renowned artist’s MV? That alone would be a career-defining advantage.

Lin Xiaoyu had faith in herself, in her newly acquired Qingguo Entertainment, and above all—in Sheng Yunjin.

Suddenly struck by a thought, Lin Xiaoyu peeked over Sheng Yunjin’s shoulder. “The contract’s signed—tomorrow we start acting classes. Everything’s arranged at the company.”

Her voice brimmed with excitement and a barely detectable urgency. Sheng Yunjin, facing away, responded with a soft chuckle and a faint “Mm.”

As best friends, she could somewhat grasp Lin Xiaoyu’s current state of mind.

Taking over the company for the first time, Lin Xiaoyu was bursting with drive, eager to prove herself to her father.

And Sheng Yunjin—now both her friend and a signed artist under her—was exactly the ally Lin Xiaoyu had hoped for.

Of course, Sheng Yunjin felt the same.

Whatever they set out to do, they pursued with relentless perfection, unwavering success.

That was something they both wholeheartedly believed in.

…

After sharing a plate of fried rice and finalizing tomorrow’s schedule for company training, Lin Xiaoyu finally stood to leave.

Before heading out, she couldn’t resist adding, “Honestly, if you really like President Si, that’s great too. Talent meets beauty—can’t deny you’d make a striking pair.”

Sheng Yunjin’s lips twitched. She stayed silent.

Truthfully, she wasn’t sure if it was liking.

Looking back, she and Si Mu hadn’t interacted much.

Yet inexplicably, she cherished every moment in Si Mu’s presence.

Her pulse would quicken whenever their eyes met.

Si Mu drew her in—an attraction she couldn’t explain.

At first, it was just curiosity. Why, of all people, could Si Mu breach her defenses?

But after a few encounters, Sheng Yunjin realized: Si Mu was remarkable.

Reserved yet articulate in work, aloof yet tender beneath the surface.

“Stop probing me. I said I’m focusing on my career—no distractions, especially not romance.”

Sheng Yunjin knew Lin Xiaoyu was testing her, deliberately needling.

Caught again, Lin Xiaoyu giggled. “Your words, not mine—and I’ve got it all recorded~”

Waving her phone with a sly grin, she looked unbearably smug.

To Sheng Yunjin, that expression was downright punchable.

No wonder people cursed capitalists—this was the scheming they were known for.

In such a short time, her once-bubbly friend had grown alarmingly shrewd.

Neither noticed the figure lingering at the corridor’s turn.

Just steps away by the emergency exit, Si Mu—who’d returned for her forgotten phone—stood motionless in the shadows.