After Becoming the Mother of the Scumbag Stand-In Female Lead - Chapter 35

Hearing footsteps behind him, Zhang Haochen turned his head and met Si Mu’s icy gaze.

Si Mu didn’t look at him again, instead focusing on Sheng Yunjin from a short distance away. “Are you alright?”

Shaking her head, Sheng Yunjin gave her a reassuring smile.

Her gaze shifted back to Zhang Haochen, who was blocking the doorway completely. Si Mu spoke calmly.

“The security downstairs will be here soon.”

At Si Mu’s words, Zhang Haochen’s eyes flickered subtly. His gaze briefly darted upward before he seemed to steel himself with some resolve.

Then, Sheng Yunjin watched as the man who had just been wearing a fierce expression instantly switched to another act.

She couldn’t help but marvel inwardly at his acting skills—tears welled up in his eyes on command.

Sheng Yunjin even had the presence of mind to reflect on herself. This was something she couldn’t do.

After half a month of training, if she had to cry, it would still take her at least a minute or two to summon tears.

…

Tears quickly streaked down his face as Zhang Haochen approached Sheng Yunjin with a pitiful display.

“Miss Sheng, I beg you… Last time, I was ungrateful. I truly know my mistake now. Please, give me a chance…”

“I really need this job…”

As he spoke, his expression twisted into one of despair mixed with the humiliation of having his dignity trampled—as if he had truly been pushed to the brink.

His knees bent slightly, as though he was about to kneel before Sheng Yunjin.

To an uninformed observer, this scene might have looked like Sheng Yunjin had bullied and oppressed him to the extreme, forcing him to grovel and beg for mercy.

A cold smirk curled on Sheng Yunjin’s lips as she watched his performance with an impassive expression.

The next moment, just as Zhang Haochen’s knee was about to touch the ground, Sheng Yunjin lazily lifted her leg and kicked the tip of her shoe mercilessly into his descending knee.

The unexpected move sent Zhang Haochen stumbling backward.

A sharp clack sounded as the phone in his pocket hit the floor.

Instinctively, he reached to pick it up, but Si Mu, noticing the tension in his expression when he glanced at the device, bent down and grabbed it first.

The screen was lit, displaying an active recording interface.

Sheng Yunjin glanced at it before walking over to Zhang Haochen, looking down at him with disdain.

She let out a derisive laugh, then leaned slightly forward, her expression hovering between amusement and mockery.

Her eyes swept over him before she reached out, her fingertips brushing against his clothes.

Zhang Haochen, now drenched in cold sweat, instinctively tried to recoil but found himself frozen in place.

With a slight tug, Sheng Yunjin plucked a black button from his clothing.

Si Mu, who had already guessed what was happening from the phone recording, frowned as she looked at the object in Sheng Yunjin’s hand.

“Is there a pinhole camera inside?”

Sheng Yunjin nodded, her gaze fixed on Zhang Haochen’s ashen face.

“All this elaborate preparation… just for a role?”

The man on the ground glared at her viciously. “Of course you wouldn’t understand! You don’t have to fight for anything—Director Lin just hands resources to you on a silver platter!”

Sheng Yunjin smirked and nodded, as if in full agreement.

“You’re absolutely right. That’s exactly how it is.”

Seeing that Sheng Yunjin wasn’t provoked into anger by his words, Zhang Haochen’s expression twisted even more grotesquely.

With a raised eyebrow and a mocking laugh, Sheng Yunjin was thoroughly satisfied to see him so utterly broken.

Beside them, Si Mu watched her triumphant little expression with a helpless yet indulgent smile.

Resting her chin on her hand, Sheng Yunjin continued, “Let me think—if you had succeeded, how exactly would you have used this video according to your plan?”

“First, edit it to make me look like a vicious, privileged insider bullying a struggling artist at the bottom of the company, even engaging in malicious harassment. Hmm… Then post it online to ruin my debut before it even begins?”

Observing Zhang Haochen’s expression, she felt her guess wasn’t quite right.

Noticing this, Si Mu gently reminded her, “His goal was to get his lead role back.”

“Besides, Qingguo Entertainment likely monitors online sentiment. The video would probably be taken down by your company soon after being posted.”

With a cold glance at Zhang Haochen, Si Mu ruthlessly exposed the truth. “President Lin wouldn’t let that video reach too many eyes.”

Of course, neither would she.

Sheng Yunjin nodded in realization, then thought of something else.

“So you planned to take this video straight to the manager or President Lin, didn’t you? Use it as leverage to get your role back.”

Zhang Haochen lay on the floor in despair, unsure why his body had suddenly failed him, leaving him completely powerless.

Otherwise, he might have fought back, snatched the camera from Sheng Yunjin’s hands.

Without evidence, their words would mean nothing.

Too bad…

As if reading his thoughts, Sheng Yunjin smirked faintly and flicked her fingers.

Seeing her waning interest, Si Mu signaled to the security guards waiting outside.

Several guards entered and hauled Zhang Haochen up.

Si Mu handed them the phone and camera. “Take him straight to the police station.”

Lazily, Sheng Yunjin added, pointing to the classroom surveillance, “You can also pull the footage here as evidence.”

Did he really think she hadn’t noticed him glancing upward earlier?

His hidden camera was part of the original plan—only capturing Sheng Yunjin, combined with his earlier recording, it could easily frame her as a bully.

Then he played the victim, kneeling before her. That footage alone would sway public sympathy, regardless of the truth.

If Zhang Haochen had succeeded, Lin Xiaoyu would’ve had no choice but to yield to his threats.

…

“Understood, President Si, Miss Sheng,” the head guard replied respectfully.

As Zhang Haochen was dragged away, his legs suddenly regained strength, and his face lit up with excitement.

But the vigilant guard captain promptly smacked him hard on the back.

“Stay still!”

…

Silence returned to the classroom. Sheng Yunjin stole glances at Si Mu—once, then again.

Fully aware of her antics, Si Mu sighed. “What is it?”

Sheng Yunjin pressed her lips together before speaking softly, “Aren’t you going to ask me about what just happened?”

Although she knew Si Mu wouldn’t believe what that person just said, but…

Si Mu chuckled at her words, “What do you want me to ask about?”

“About what he said—that I caused him to lose his role and secretly suppressed him…”

Sheng Yunjin replied.

Si Mu gazed at her without speaking.

After a long pause, she glanced behind Sheng Yunjin, “Go get your bag.”

Pausing briefly, Sheng Yunjin obediently turned to retrieve her handbag.

Standing quietly in the elevator, Si Mu suddenly spoke, “Are you my employee?”

Sheng Yunjin looked puzzled and shook her head, “No.”

“Then what are you to me?”

Si Mu turned to her with a soft smile.

Sheng Yunjin immediately straightened her posture, her cheeks flushed with both joy and inexplicable pride.

“Girlfriend!”

The word was declared with conviction. Si Mu’s eyes crinkled with amusement as she reached for Sheng Yunjin’s hand, intertwining their fingers tightly.

“You’re my girlfriend, so I believe you unconditionally.”

Sheng Yunjin was someone Si Mu loved—she knew her well and understood her character.

Though it might sound strange, Si Mu sometimes found Sheng Yunjin so mature and dependable that she’d momentarily forget her age.

Yet at other times, she’d be so youthful and adorable that Si Mu would suddenly remember—her girlfriend was only twenty-one, fresh out of university.

No matter how exceptional she was, Sheng Yunjin still had less life experience than Si Mu, which meant she might lack clarity in certain matters.

Holding her hand firmly, Sheng Yunjin couldn’t suppress her beaming smile.

As they walked through the underground parking lot, Sheng Yunjin suddenly thought of something.

Clearing her throat deliberately, she turned to Si Mu.

“Did you not tell your friends about us?”

Si Mu paused, then realized, “Did Zhao Yuanqi tell you?”

Nodding, Sheng Yunjin replied, “At noon today, she asked me if we were together.”

Si Mu raised a brow, “And what did you say?”

Sheng Yunjin grinned, “I said whatever Si Mu says goes.”

Seeing her unreserved smile, Si Mu suddenly understood—Sheng Yunjin likely didn’t care about making their relationship public.

Her answer to Zhao Yuanqi had been out of instinctive respect for Si Mu’s wishes.

…

Once seated in the car, Si Mu glanced at Sheng Yunjin fastening her seatbelt.

“You’ll be entering the entertainment industry soon. Won’t being in a relationship affect that?”

Sheng Yunjin blinked, “Maybe, but that’s for the company boss to worry about.”

Si Mu considered this, “Did Ms. Lin know you’d be dating?”

Recalling the conversation she’d overheard between Lin Xiaoyu and Sheng Yunjin, Si Mu distinctly remembered Lin ‘threatening’ her not to date.

Nodding honestly, Sheng Yunjin admitted, “Well… I actually went to Xiaoyu again to confess…”

As she spoke, she glanced at Si Mu.

Their eyes met, and realization dawned on Si Mu.

They’d only gotten together last night, yet Sheng Yunjin said she’d spoken to Lin Xiaoyu earlier…

“Did you like me for a long time?”

Si Mu held her gaze intently.

Being gazed at by Si Mu’s deep eyes, Sheng Yunjin suddenly felt a bit shy.

She looked down at the ring on her finger—it was the one Si Mu had given her on their first meeting.

Her heart brimming with joy, Sheng Yunjin mumbled vaguely.

“Mhm… maybe…”

Si Mu moved closer, gently lifting her chin with a fingertip.

“When?”

For some reason, Sheng Yunjin found her girlfriend exuding an overwhelming dominance at this moment, and her face flushed red again.

“After you kissed me when you were sick…”

A dazed expression flickered across Si Mu’s face as she lowered her gaze to Sheng Yunjin’s rosy lips. Then, following her heart, she leaned in until their breaths mingled.

With the back of her neck cradled gently by Si Mu, Sheng Yunjin closed her eyes, her thick lashes fluttering faintly from another kiss.

Her hands instinctively sought support as she wrapped them around Si Mu’s waist, seizing the initiative to claim her breath.