After Becoming the Mother of the Scumbag Stand-In Female Lead - Chapter 32

When Sheng Yunjin stepped out of the bathroom, Si Mu had just hung up the phone.

She was wearing the spare bathrobe kept in the bathroom. Earlier, when they had gone upstairs, Sheng Yunjin had instinctively followed Si Mu into her home.

It wasn’t until she was getting dressed and saw the single bathrobe hanging inside that she realized it.

And clearly, Si Mu had forgotten to fetch her a change of clothes.

Turning at the sound of movement, Si Mu froze for a moment when she saw the white bathrobe on Sheng Yunjin.

That was the one she had worn before…

Though it was washed daily… still…

The tips of her ears, hidden beneath her hair, flushed slightly red. Si Mu stood and walked toward her.

Fingertips brushing against Sheng Yunjin’s still-dripping hair, Si Mu led her back into the bedroom.

“Why didn’t you dry your hair?”

Sheng Yunjin rubbed the tip of her nose. “Couldn’t find the hairdryer.”

Truthfully, she had been too eager to see Si Mu again and had absentmindedly forgotten to dry her hair.

She had sensed that Si Mu seemed deeply shaken by the elevator incident earlier. When they had ridden up together, Sheng Yunjin had even felt the fingers clasped in her palm trembling faintly.

Obediently seated by Si Mu at the vanity table, Sheng Yunjin turned around while Si Mu retrieved the hairdryer from the drawer.

Plugging it in, Si Mu paused when she found herself face-to-face with Sheng Yunjin.

Fresh from her shower, Sheng Yunjin’s cheeks bore a soft flush, and her upturned eyes shimmered with a liquid warmth—sincere and fervent.

Si Mu’s fingers tightened reflexively around the hairdryer, overwhelmed by this version of Sheng Yunjin.

Those unadorned peach-blossom eyes always carried an irresistible allure in Si Mu’s gaze, pulling her in helplessly.

Damp hair. A bathrobe. The bedroom.

Si Mu wondered if she truly was, as Zhao Yuanqi had once teased,

deprived for too long.

Unaware that her unconscious allure had already breached her girlfriend’s defenses, Sheng Yunjin smiled, her arms looping loosely around Si Mu’s waist.

Then, she rested her head lightly against Si Mu’s abdomen.

Breath hitching, Si Mu pressed her lips together, feeling at a loss for the first time.

After a few steadying breaths, she slowly relaxed, redirecting her focus to the damp strands of Sheng Yunjin’s hair.

Her fingers combed through the thick, dark locks, her gaze tender and attentive.

…

Once the dampness was blown away, Sheng Yunjin casually tied her hair into a bun.

Watching Si Mu search through the wardrobe for clothes, she hesitated before finally stepping closer to speak.

“Xiao Mu, I’m really fine, you know…”

“What happened today was just an accident… No matter what… I wouldn’t have gotten hurt…”

“Um… You could think of it like I have superpowers. I can protect myself.”

In this abrupt moment, Sheng Yunjin still didn’t dare reveal the fantastical truth about her magical abilities.

It wasn’t that she wanted to hide it deliberately—she could tell Si Mu was still reeling from the earlier scare.

She was genuinely afraid that introducing something so far beyond normal comprehension might frighten Si Mu even more.

Pulling out a loose striped shirt and a pair of jeans, Si Mu chuckled softly at her words.

She assumed Sheng Yunjin was just saying such things to ease her worries—after all, superpowers? Really?

That sounds really chuunibyou.

And her girlfriend also seemed to be at an age where she could still indulge in such chuunibyou antics.

Setting the clothes aside, Si Mu walked up to her.

Under Sheng Yunjin’s caring and expectant gaze, Si Mu slowly wrapped her arms around her, resting her forehead lightly against her shoulder.

“Alright, then you have to take good care of yourself from now on too.”

Sheng Yunjin nodded, her eyes lowering as she took in the vulnerability flickering across Si Mu’s expression.

Silently, she added in her heart—I’ll protect you too.

…

During the morning meeting, Zhao Yuanqi’s gaze kept drifting toward Si Mu’s face.

She had seen it earlier—Si Mu and someone else lingering at the elevator, as if reluctant to part.

If it weren’t for the urgent meeting, she would’ve definitely teased Si Mu about it.

With her sharp intuition, she was certain the progress between Si Mu and Sheng Yunjin had sped up.

So, barely making it to the end of the meeting, after everyone else had left the conference room, Zhao Yuanqi swiftly closed the door and fixed Si Mu—who was sipping coffee to soothe her throat—with a gossipy stare.

Long immune to her looks, Si Mu remained unfazed. She sat back in her chair and met Zhao Yuanqi’s gaze with ease.

“Something to say?”

Nodding, Zhao Yuanqi propped her chin on her hand and asked curiously, “I saw everything this morning, you two were…”

“Kissing goodbye?”

Though she had braced herself, Si Mu was still stunned by her audacious guess.

That morning, Sheng Yunjin had only mentioned coming down to have lunch with her later, asking Si Mu to wait for her.

They hadn’t even held hands.

How had it turned into something else in Zhao Yuanqi’s eyes?

Si Mu shot her a helpless look and flatly denied it.

“Nope.”

“Oh? Then what were you doing?”

Unfazed by the rejection, Zhao Yuanqi wasn’t bothered—she had just been throwing out wild guesses anyway.

If Si Mu could actually kiss someone in public, Zhao Yuanqi would run naked through the streets.

Glancing at the time, Si Mu stood from her seat, ready to return to her office.

“Just talking.”

Sheng Yunjin planned to become an actress, and though Si Mu didn’t know much about the industry, she was aware that relationships could negatively impact her career.

So, instinctively, Si Mu kept it under wraps.

…

Completely unaware of her girlfriend’s protective instincts, Sheng Yunjin had announced the happy news of having a girlfriend the moment she stepped into the company—to her best friend and boss, Lin Xiaoyu.

In return, she earned an eye roll and a flat “Oh.”

After their last conversation, Lin Xiaoyu had already made preparations, assigning Sheng Yunjin a manager who was ready for future PR crises and career adjustments.

If she didn’t want to rely on popularity, then she’d just have to rely on skill.

With the boss’s deep pockets and endless resources, was there any fear of not being able to promote a talented all-rounder?

…

As class neared its end, Sheng Yunjin’s phone, placed beside her, kept vibrating.

Ever since missing Si Mu’s call last time, she had set her phone to vibrate during lessons.

After several consecutive buzzes, Sheng Yunjin—with her sharp eyesight—saw that the caller was Sheng Mingzhao and promptly ignored it.

If something major had happened in the Sheng family, it would be Steward Li calling her, not Sheng Mingzhao.

Though Sheng Yunjin paid it no mind, Teacher Chen beside her certainly did.

She glanced at her incessantly ringing phone and sighed helplessly.

“Let’s call it a day here. We’ll continue in the afternoon.”

After all, it was only ten minutes until lunchtime.

With that, Teacher Chen packed her bag and left.

Sheng Yunjin bid her farewell with a “Goodbye, Teacher Chen,” before leisurely picking up her still-vibrating phone.

Her fingers lightly swiped across the screen as she settled into a nearby chair.

Today, she didn’t have to run around mimicking various animals for performances, so her clothes remained spotless.

Moreover, this outfit had been picked out by her girlfriend, and Sheng Yunjin absolutely couldn’t afford to dirty it.

…

The moment the call connected, Sheng Mingzhao’s steady voice came through.

“I heard you got stuck in an elevator this morning?”

Sheng Yunjin smirked. “You’re really well-informed.”

It hadn’t even been noon yet, and he already knew about something that happened in the morning.

Who knew how many people Sheng Mingzhao had secretly planted around her?

Detecting her sarcasm, his tone remained unchanged. “I’m just concerned about you.”

Sheng Yunjin rolled her eyes. “Thanks a lot.”

On the other end, Sheng Mingzhao seemed to chuckle before continuing.

“What, you have objections? If you wanted to place people around me, I wouldn’t have any complaints either.”

“In fact, I’d take it as you caring about your old man,” he added.

Sheng Yunjin’s lips twitched at that.

She actually had arranged for people to keep tabs on Sheng Mingzhao.

The thought only deepened her exasperation.

She wasn’t concerned about him—just worried he might meet an untimely end someday. That was all.

A man who played around yet claimed to love only her mother? She couldn’t care less about him.

“Anything else? If not, I’m hanging up.”

With the clock nearing twelve, Sheng Yunjin was ready to head downstairs to meet Si Mu.

Sensing her impatience, Sheng Mingzhao tentatively asked, “How about joining me for lunch? I’ll send a car for you.”

Pausing, as if anticipating her refusal, he added, “That boy is at school all day—you won’t run into him.”

He was referring to Zhang Lanyou. Sheng Mingzhao knew that, compared to her disdain for him, Sheng Yunjin outright loathed the kid.

It was probably a matter of opposing stances.

Their conflicting identities destined them never to get along.

Sheng Yunjin shot an annoyed glance at the call screen before standing and gazing at the cityscape outside.

“Didn’t your spies tell you I have classes every day now?”

“Between the commute and a meal, I’d miss my entire afternoon session.”

Mingsheng Group was practically on the other side of the city from her current building. Even if she came straight back after eating, the round trip would take nearly three and a half hours.

And Sheng Yunjin only had a two-hour break.

Sheng Mingzhao seemed momentarily taken aback. He knew about her plans to enter the entertainment industry but had assumed it was just a passing whim…

“You’re serious about this? Yunjin, don’t forget—Mingsheng Group will be yours sooner or later.”

“You’ve always been my only heir.”

With a slight curl of her lips, Sheng Yunjin even had the leisure to muse—if Zhang Lanyou heard these words, he’d probably be even more desperate to tear her apart limb by limb.

On one hand, she felt a pang of sorrow at Sheng Mingzhao’s ruthless indifference toward others. On the other, she found it bitterly ironic that she, as his daughter, was still sheltered under his wing.

Lowering her gaze, Sheng Yunjin was overwhelmed by mixed emotions.

Wasn’t she the same kind of person, after all?

If she could let go of those baseless resentments and hatred, turning a blind eye to Zhang Lanyou’s existence, perhaps Sheng Mingzhao wouldn’t be so insistent on her inheriting Mingsheng Group. Perhaps Zhang Lanyou could eventually get what he wanted.

Perhaps, they could all live a little more peacefully.

But there were no “perhaps.”

Because, from beginning to end, Sheng Yunjin had never been able to let go.

…

“Seems you still don’t understand me well enough. When have I, Sheng Yunjin, ever been anything but serious about what I set out to do? And when have I ever failed?”

Sheng Yunjin gazed at the ring on her index finger, her voice calm yet laced with her signature arrogance.

“It’s just a matter of a few years, Chairman Sheng. Surely you won’t give up before then?”

Instead of anger, Sheng Mingzhao laughed at his own daughter’s challenge.

Because this was the Sheng Yunjin he had always been most proud of.

Those born into the Sheng family were meant to carry themselves with such aloof pride—their excellence had always warranted this unyielding confidence.

So from the very beginning, Sheng Mingzhao had never considered Zhang Lanyou a contender.

He was merely a tool kept around to occasionally provoke his wayward daughter into action.

…

Before hanging up, Sheng Yunjin warned, “You’d better not interfere in my affairs. Whether it’s work—or my personal life.”

Without waiting for Sheng Mingzhao’s response, she decisively ended the call.

Left holding the abruptly disconnected line, Sheng Mingzhao could only sigh in resignation.

He had caught her implication—his daughter had likely already guessed why he had summoned her home.

Sheng Mingzhao had always assigned people to protect Sheng Yunjin, so he naturally knew just how frequently she had been interacting with Si Mu lately.

If they were merely ordinary friends, he wouldn’t have cared.

What truly raised his suspicions was the video his subordinate had sent him that morning.

In the footage, when that woman, Si Mu, had tightly embraced Sheng Yunjin, he could clearly see the unguarded softness that had flickered across his daughter’s face.

Sheng Yunjin was his daughter. No matter how strained their relationship, as her only remaining family, he could still read her at a glance.

Someone she cared for so deeply and allowed such intimacy—that was no ordinary friendship.

So, he had probed carefully during the call, only to realize Sheng Yunjin had already seen through him.

With her blunt warnings—don’t meddle in work, don’t meddle in her life—she had left him no opening to even ask.

Her directness left him with no room to maneuver, no matter what he might have intended.

Shaking his head, Sheng Mingzhao wore a wry smile.

Truly his daughter—always effortlessly turning the tables on him.

…

As Sheng Yunjin reached the lobby, she happened to run into Zhao Yuanqi, who was heading down alone for a meal.

With a polite smile at her, Sheng Yunjin carried her lunch and made to walk towards Si Mu’s office.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yuanqi intercepted her first.

“Miss Sheng, here to see Si Mu?”

Nodding, Sheng Yunjin gave Zhao Yuanqi—who was dressed to the nines—an inscrutable look.

It was hard to believe she and Si Mu had been friends for over a decade. Their styles were just too different.

“Did you need something, President Zhao?”

“Oh, no, nothing.” Zhao Yuanqi’s gaze flicked to the takeout bag in Sheng Yunjin’s hand, her smile turning complicated.

No wonder she was entering the entertainment industry—even with a figure like that, her lunch was just a light salad.

Not long ago, while discussing investment in a drama production with Lin Xiaoyu, Zhao Yuanqi had incidentally learned that Sheng Yunjin was also a signed artist under Qingguo Entertainment.

Though she couldn’t fathom why Sheng Yunjin would abandon her position as a corporate heir to dive into showbiz, Zhao Yuanqi had pieced together another matter.

No wonder Si Mu had been so punctual with her comings and goings lately—someone was waiting for her.

Sheng Yunjin studied Zhao Yuanqi’s conflicted expression, baffled.

If you don’t need anything, why stop me…

“Are you and Si Mu together?”

The question slipped out before Zhao Yuanqi could stop herself.

Almost immediately, she regretted it. Sheng Yunjin wasn’t Si Mu—they weren’t close at all. Only a lunatic would answer such a personal question.

Her expression turning subtle, Sheng Yunjin countered, “What did Si Mu tell you?”

Though she cursed her impulsiveness, Zhao Yuanqi felt a flicker of hope at the response.

Recalling her earlier conversation with Si Mu, she shook her head. “She said you two aren’t together.”

Her gaze landing on Si Mu, who was now approaching from a few steps away, Sheng Yunjin smiled.

“If she says we’re not together, then we’re not together.”