After Becoming the Mother of the Scumbag Stand-In Female Lead - Chapter 34

The driver froze for a moment upon hearing this and instinctively replied, “But… Housekeeper Li instructed me to take you straight home after school…”

Zhang Lanyou let out a cold laugh. “Housekeeper Li? Does he run this household now?”

“Or do you think my words carry less weight than a mere butler’s?”

The driver shrank back under his sharp gaze, stammering nervously, too afraid to respond.

One was the Sheng family’s long-serving butler, also Chairman Sheng’s most trusted aide; the other was the biological son brought back halfway—neither was someone a mere driver could afford to offend.

Stealing another glance at Zhang Lanyou’s chilling smirk, the driver weighed his options silently.

No matter what, this was still Chairman Sheng’s flesh and bl00d. Whether acknowledged or not, he enjoyed every privilege and power that came with it. Who was he, a lowly driver, to meddle?

Regretting his earlier lack of tact, the driver quickly studied Zhang Lanyou’s expression. “I—I’ll turn around right away.”

Zhang Lanyou seemed pleased with his reaction. After staring him down for a moment, he finally curled his lips and tilted his chin up arrogantly. “Just focus on doing your job from now on. If you want to keep it, keep your mouth shut.”

The driver nodded hastily, forcing an ingratiating smile.

This job was easy and paid well. If all it took was putting up with a brat’s temper, he could endure it.

With this self-reassurance, the driver obediently made a U-turn at the next intersection, steering the car toward the airport.

…

During the break between classes, Sheng Yunjin stretched by the window.

Today, Teacher Chen had been coaching her on line delivery, spending the afternoon correcting the pacing and emotional nuances of each line.

Flipping through the partial script in her hands, Sheng Yunjin quietly pondered the overarching plot of the story.

Chen Yan approached unnoticed and, seeing her deep in thought, smiled.

“Tell me your thoughts.”

Sheng Yunjin glanced back at the script before slowly recounting the story her mind had pieced together.

When she finished, Chen Yan remained silent for a moment. Unbothered, Sheng Yunjin picked up her water bottle and took a sip.

“You have a keen imagination.”

Sheng Yunjin blinked, unsure what to make of the comment.

Noticing her confusion, Chen Yan chuckled. “You don’t watch many films or TV shows, do you?”

She nodded sheepishly—it was true.

To be precise, she hadn’t watched a single domestic drama in full.

Though back when she was studying abroad, she and Lin Xiaoyu had occasionally gone to the cinema out of boredom.

Afraid of disappointing her teacher, Sheng Yunjin quickly added, “I’ve been diligent with all the assignments you’ve given me.”

Chen Yan nodded unsurprisingly—she already knew that.

From the very first lesson, she had assigned Sheng Yunjin daily homework without fail: watch two plays every night, then write two reflections to be submitted the next morning.

Sheng Yunjin was an obedient student. She completed every assignment earnestly, her reflections always well-structured and heartfelt.

What amused Chen Yan the most was that since she hadn’t specified any format or word count for Sheng Yunjin’s assignments, the young woman had instinctively adopted an academic paper format, with each analysis exceeding eight thousand words. She had thoroughly dissected every major and minor character in each drama according to her own understanding.

Though unclear about Sheng Yunjin’s background, Chen Yan could tell she wasn’t from an ordinary family—being personally favored by the company’s CEO, coupled with her cultivated demeanor and natural grace.

Chen Yan concluded that Sheng Yunjin must come from considerable wealth or privilege.

When Lin Xiaoyu once asked for her opinion of Sheng Yunjin after just half a day’s lesson, Chen Yan had diplomatically replied, “Some talent, worth cultivating.”

This response had largely been polite lip service at the time. Hired as a tutor with excellent compensation for a well-behaved student, she’d chosen the path of least resistance—saying what people wanted to hear.

Before teaching Sheng Yunjin, she’d coached several established actors, taking the job for its simplicity and generous pay. Earning easy money to fund her theater troupe was an opportunity she wouldn’t pass up.

But Sheng Yunjin was different—the only complete novice. That the company would invest so heavily in training a newcomer made Chen Yan initially assume she was another privileged insider or wealthy dilettante dabbling in entertainment.

Yet through gradual observation, Chen Yan realized Sheng Yunjin was actually the most capable student she’d ever taught.

This capability wasn’t limited to acting talent alone, but encompassed her comprehensive skills. In her years in entertainment, Chen Yan had encountered countless actors—many more naturally gifted than Sheng Yunjin, and even more who worked harder.

But those who worked harder lacked Sheng Yunjin’s connections and backing. Those more talented couldn’t match her striking physical presence.

While true beauty lies in bone structure rather than skin-deep features, Sheng Yunjin possessed both—a photogenic face destined to stun on camera. Such rare combination of natural advantages, diligent attitude, emerging talent, and Qingguo Entertainment’s obvious determination to promote her…

Chen Yan mused that in a few years, Sheng Yunjin might become the most successful actor she’d ever trained.

…

Returning to the present, Chen Yan retrieved a complete script from her bag. “This is my new play—feel free to take it home and read.”

As Sheng Yunjin flipped through the pages under Chen Yan’s composed gaze, she suddenly paused halfway. These were the exact lines she’d been rehearsing all day.

Noticing her reaction, Chen Yan smiled faintly. “If you’re willing, I’d like to cast you as one of the lead roles.”

Casting a newcomer as her protagonist was actually among the tamer risks Chen Yan had taken. Sheng Yunjin’s recent performances—both in acting and line delivery—had proven her perfect for this leading role.

Perhaps by coincidence or perhaps because the thought had already taken root in her mind, in Chen Yan’s view, Sheng Yunjin was the most suitable candidate for the role.

Beyond that, what concerned Chen Yan the most was that if Sheng Yunjin agreed to join, she could then naturally approach Lin Xiaoyu to discuss investing in her theater troupe.

It was just a matter of convenience.

Not only would she have found the perfect lead actress for her new script, but she could also secure additional funding for the troupe. Chen Yan considered this a very worthwhile deal.

Of course, whether for her or for Lin Xiaoyu, this investment was a win-win collaboration.

All of this was because both Lin Xiaoyu and Qingguo Entertainment placed great importance on Sheng Yunjin.

For a newcomer to debut as the absolute lead in a stage play, with a renowned and highly respected actress like Chen Yan at the helm—this would undoubtedly be a dazzling addition to her resume.

…

Hearing these words, Sheng Yunjin merely raised an eyebrow in mild surprise, her expression otherwise unchanged.

This left Chen Yan momentarily uncertain about her thoughts.

However, given her age and experience, Chen Yan had always been composed and steady.

“I hope you can give me an answer soon.”

With a slight nod, Sheng Yunjin set the script aside and smiled. “We’ve rested long enough. Shall we continue the lesson, Teacher Chen?”

…

When work ended in the evening, Si Mu went upstairs as usual to wait for Sheng Yunjin’s class to finish.

Zhao Yuanqi had long grown accustomed to her rushing upstairs the moment she clocked out and took the opportunity to tease her.

“Hey, isn’t our CEO Si Mu usually the most dedicated to work?”

Meeting Si Mu’s indifferent gaze, Zhao Yuanqi wisely shut her mouth.

Then, changing the subject, she said, “Anyway, Sheng Yunjin won’t be done for a while. Wouldn’t it be the same if you waited for her in the office?”

As the elevator arrived, Si Mu curled her lips slightly and replied, “No, it wouldn’t.”

The elevator doors slowly closed, leaving Zhao Yuanqi standing there, shaking her head.

She then ran her fingers through her voluminous curls, a faint trace of envy in her expression, though she still muttered stubbornly, “Hmph, I’ll find someone to keep me company too!”

There were plenty of pretty girls at the bar—she wasn’t jealous at all!

…

Perhaps to give Sheng Yunjin more time to review the script, Chen Yan ended class half an hour early that day.

However, Sheng Yunjin still couldn’t go downstairs to find Si Mu right away.

She glanced irritably at her wristwatch before snapping impatiently, “Blocking me here is pointless. I didn’t swap your role.”

The moment Chen Yan left, she had been cornered here. Sheng Yunjin couldn’t help but suspect this guy had been lying in wait, just to ambush her.

Being blocked was one thing, but the man kept repeating the same few lines over and over.

Things like, “This is all your doing! You made President Lin replace my role!”

And, “Please, Sheng Yunjin, this role is really important to me. Please beg President Lin for me…”

Before Sheng Yunjin could even get a word in, the man started shouting again, wearing down what little patience she had for outsiders to begin with.

Now, watching him grow increasingly hysterical, Sheng Yunjin pressed her lips tightly together, feeling a vein pulse faintly at her temple.

She couldn’t even remember this guy’s name, let alone have the spare time to idly change roles for him.

Zhang Haochen desperately blocked the doorway, having nowhere left to turn. Xu Ziqiu ignored him, his agent wouldn’t help, and he didn’t dare approach Lin Xiaoyu. After much deliberation, he could only come to Sheng Yunjin.

Noticing Si Mu approaching from a distance, Sheng Yunjin’s expression shifted slightly.

She made one final attempt to keep her voice calm.

“Your issues have nothing to do with me. Take work matters to your agent—don’t make a scene here.”

Zhang Haochen’s eyes reddened at her words. He shook his head violently, his expression bordering on breakdown.

“How can it not be your fault! Just because I criticized you last time and President Lin took your side, that’s why she’s treating me this way!”

“And Ziqiu—you must have threatened her! Otherwise, she wouldn’t have broken up with me!”

“This is all your fault! If not for you, I’d already be the male lead!”

His hoarse shouts echoed conspicuously in the empty classroom. Si Mu frowned as she listened, quickening her pace.

Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Sheng Yunjin realized she should have kicked him out immediately from the start.

Then she wouldn’t have been trapped here for so long, forced to waste time listening to this nonsense.