After Becoming the Mother of the Scumbag Stand-In Female Lead - Chapter 37

Today was a day off, and Si Mu took Si Ying, who didn’t have school, to the hospital to visit Si Zhong.

The two took the elevator to the top-floor VIP ward. Si Ying held a bouquet of carnations Si Mu had bought along the way, her expression curious as she glanced around.

After scanning the surroundings, her gaze eventually settled on Si Mu, who was walking ahead of her.

The weather had turned cooler these past few days, and today Si Mu was wearing a black high-neck base layer paired with a fitted long skirt of the same color, topped with a simple yet elegant beige trench coat.

The hem of the coat swayed slightly with her movements as she walked, and Si Ying’s eyes unconsciously lingered on it, her fingers tightening slightly around the bouquet.

She had been staying at Si Mu’s place all week. Though they only spent brief moments together during dinner—and even then, Si Mu’s friend was always present—Si Ying still felt this might have been the happiest week of her life.

As for Si Mu, she harbored a mix of longing and hesitation—wanting to get closer, yet always feeling a little intimidated.

…

Inside the ward, Si Zhong was sitting on the hospital bed reading a book. When he saw the two arrive, a serene smile spread across his face.

He set the book aside and beckoned Si Ying over.

At the sight of Si Zhong, Si Ying instinctively relaxed a little. Biting her lip, she first glanced cautiously at Si Mu before handing the bouquet to Si Zhong.

Si Zhong accepted it with a smile and patted her head affectionately.

Her gaze fell on the cast around Si Zhong’s leg. Her lips moved slightly as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to voice the words, “Wishing you a speedy recovery, Grandpa.”

Si Zhong understood her. He knew the girl cared about him but was simply too introverted to express it openly.

Still, just receiving flowers from Si Ying was enough to make him beam with joy.

He couldn’t stop smiling, praising her for being so thoughtful, then pulled her to sit by the bed, asking gently about how her week had been, whether she was struggling with schoolwork, and if she felt uncomfortable not staying at home.

Si Ying answered each question patiently in a soft voice.

When asked if she had trouble adjusting to staying at Si Mu’s place, she shook her head without hesitation and murmured, “It’s fine. Auntie treats me very well.”

As she spoke, she turned to look for Si Mu, only to realize she was no longer in the room.

Her head lowered again, her lashes veiling a flicker of disappointment and unease.

Si Zhong, sitting beside her, didn’t notice.

…

Si Mu had gone to the attending physician’s office to check on Si Zhong’s recovery progress.

Though the caregiver updated her daily, she still wanted a more detailed report.

Back in the ward, seeing how Si Zhong’s attention was entirely on Si Ying, she had quietly excused herself.

Only after the doctor assured her that Si Zhong was recovering well did she finally relax.

When she returned, Si Zhong was still chatting with Si Ying. Spotting her, he asked, “Si Ying mentioned you’ve been taking her out to eat every day?”

Si Mu didn’t quite understand the question but nodded. “Yes.”

Si Zhong frowned slightly and sighed. “My leg will probably take another two or three months to heal. Do you really plan on eating out with her every single day until then?”

Si Mu didn’t see any issue with it and nodded faintly, “Yes.”

After speaking, she glanced at Si Ying with a hint of hesitation in her tone, “You don’t like eating at restaurants?”

She always handed the menu to Si Ying first, letting her choose dishes she liked. But each time, the girl would just shake her head and say she’d eat anything. Though Si Mu found it frustrating, she still made a point of asking for Si Ying’s opinion before ordering, only proceeding after getting her nod.

Si Ying’s face flushed red, and she instinctively shook her head at the question, her voice barely above a whisper.
“…No, I like it.”

Si Zhong, seeing her like this, gently patted her back, his heart aching even more.

He looked up at Si Mu and said, “No matter how good the food outside is, you can’t eat out every day. Where’s the sense of family in that?”

Si Mu instinctively furrowed her brows slightly, but her expression remained cool and detached. She didn’t argue back, simply sitting down slowly on the sofa.

Having lived alone for over a decade, she saw nothing wrong with this arrangement.

The apartment was hers, decorated exactly to her taste, with every piece of furniture personally chosen by her.

To Si Mu, this was the family atmosphere she needed.

Her thoughts unconsciously drifted to Sheng Yunjin, and the coldness between her brows softened slightly.

Now, she had Sheng Yunjin by her side.

In the future, Si Mu thought, the family atmosphere between her and Sheng Yunjin would only grow warmer and more intimate.

As for Si Ying…

Si Mu found Si Zhong’s remark utterly baffling. By no stretch of the imagination were she and Si Ying close.

The only reason she’d agreed to let Si Ying stay was because Si Zhong was injured, forcing her reluctant compromise.

She believed she’d done more than enough in providing for Si Ying’s needs during this time and saw no shortcomings in her actions.

Seeing her silent, Si Zhong—recalling that Si Mu was still single—continued, “If you’d listened to me and married earlier, you wouldn’t still be alone now!”

His gaze fell on Si Ying, and he added without thinking, “You might even have had a child as old as Xiao Ying by now.”

At this, Si Ying’s face turned even redder. She stole a glance at Si Mu, but seeing her displeased expression, didn’t dare interject.

Si Mu sighed inwardly as the conversation veered back to this familiar topic, equal parts resigned and impatient.

Si Zhong was getting older and currently hospitalized. Si Mu had no desire to argue with him.

Back when she’d just graduated, she’d fought with Si Zhong over his constant nagging.

But she’d eventually realized that as long as she refused to marry a man as he wished, this issue would always exist between them.

Now, Si Mu had long accepted that this was an unsolvable problem.

Because she would never marry a man, nor would she ever bear children.

Composing herself, Si Mu lifted her eyes, her gaze cool. “You’re still recovering. It’s best not to get too worked up.”

Faced with her calm tone, Si Zhong found himself at a loss for words.

He knew Si Mu wouldn’t listen anyway.

Beside him, Si Ying handed him a cup of hot tea from the table. Meeting her cautious eyes, Si Zhong gradually calmed down.

He steered the conversation back to the earlier topic.

“I know you’re busy with work, but now that you’re some kind of CEO, leaving a bit early shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

Si Mu seemed to have guessed what he wanted to say, her heart growing cold to the extreme.

She didn’t respond, her gaze falling on the watch on her wrist as her thoughts drifted unconsciously.

Si Zhong didn’t notice her distraction and continued outlining his plans.

“You could leave work a little early each day, buy groceries, and cook some simple home-style dishes. It’s much cheaper than eating out at restaurants.”

As he spoke, he took a sip of hot tea from his cup. “After dinner, you could even tutor Xiao Ying with her homework. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

Privately, he thought this arrangement would not only ensure better care for Si Ying but also let Si Mu experience the warmth of family life, perhaps even gradually changing her mind about marriage and children.

Si Mu sneered inwardly. Why should she waste her time and energy on such meaningless tasks for an outsider?

Glancing at her phone, she saw there were still no messages from Sheng Yunjin. She guessed Yun Jin had probably already arrived home.

Last night, Si Mu had mentioned visiting her family at the hospital today. Unable to meet for a date, Yun Jin had decided to make a trip back to the Sheng family instead.

Upon hearing about Si Mu’s grandfather’s hospitalization, Yun Jin had even offered help—Mingsheng Group’s private hospital employed top-tier specialists from home and abroad. If needed, the patient could be transferred there for better treatment and professional nursing care.

Touched by her girlfriend’s thoughtfulness, Si Mu had hesitated, saying she would consult the doctors first.

Now, seeing Si Zhong’s steady recovery and the doctors’ reassurance that rest was all he needed, Si Mu decided against the transfer. Moving him to a private hospital would only reinforce his belief that she was wasting money.

Growing impatient, she stood up abruptly. “I don’t cook, and I won’t cut work short for pointless errands.”

Si Zhong was taken aback by her icy tone. “What woman doesn’t know how to cook—” he blurted out reflexively.

Meeting Si Mu’s increasingly frosty gaze, his lips twitched before he pressed on, “Once you’re married, are you really going to let your husband and children eat out for the rest of their lives?”

Done with the futile conversation, Si Mu glanced at Si Ying. “Something came up. A driver will pick you up tonight.”

Without another word, she turned and left.

…

Sitting in her car, Si Mu didn’t start the engine immediately. Instead, she absentmindedly opened her chat with Sheng Yunjin.

Their messages were sparse—after all, they saw each other daily, whether at home or work, just minutes apart.

With a few swipes, she skimmed through their brief exchanges.

A faint smile touched her lips as she opened her photo album, scrolling to a candid shot of Yun Jin during a lecture.

Zhao Yuanqi had once asked why Si Mu insisted on waiting for Yun Jin even when her class wasn’t over yet.

Si Mu slowly browsed through each photo, feeling a gentle softness gradually welling up in her heart.

This was probably the answer.

At first, Sheng Yunjin, who was always serious in class, rarely noticed Si Mu’s arrival. So during those times, Si Mu could devote her entire attention to watching Sheng Yunjin’s presence.

Observing her frown, laugh, get angry, or make funny faces under the teacher’s guidance—so vivid and adorable.

It was the first time that, beyond just designing, Si Mu felt the urge to capture these moments.

Thus came the first photo she secretly took—Sheng Yunjin making a silly face at the mirror.

Gradually, Sheng Yunjin began noticing her presence. Sometimes when she caught Si Mu trying to sneak a photo, she would deliberately pose for the camera.

Though she’d inevitably get scolded by Teacher Chen the next second.

As her fingertips glided over each photo, Si Mu’s mind instinctively recalled the circumstances of that day—what Sheng Yunjin had said to her, the things they’d done together…

All the gloom and impatience from earlier had completely dissipated. Sitting quietly in the car, only a tender softness remained in Si Mu’s expression.