After Becoming the Mother of the Scumbag Stand-In Female Lead - Chapter 45

When Si Mu woke up, it was already past nine in the morning.

Her palm moved slightly against the pillow, but she didn’t feel the familiar presence beside her. Only then did she slowly open her eyes.

As consciousness returned, the first thing that flooded her mind were the lingering, intimate scenes from last night.

Pursing her lips, Si Mu felt her ears grow warm again.

“You’re awake?”

The familiar voice came along with the sound of the door opening and closing. Unable to resist, Si Mu’s gaze drifted toward Sheng Yunjin, who was walking toward her.

A playful, adorable bun hairstyle, a bright and radiant smile, and—clothes that looked familiar.

Si Mu felt something in her heart grow even softer.

…

Kneeling by the bed, Sheng Yunjin rested her chin on the pillow and locked eyes with Si Mu.

Unable to hide the joy and affection in her gaze, Si Mu looked at her and couldn’t resist reaching out to touch Sheng Yunjin’s long, curled lashes.

Obediently closing her eyes to let her stroke them, Sheng Yunjin curved her lips and then playfully captured Si Mu’s fingertips.

“Are you hungry? I made breakfast.”

Her fingers were gently kneaded, and Si Mu glanced down before speaking. “You…”

She had barely uttered a single word before pausing.

Looking up, she unsurprisingly met Sheng Yunjin’s gaze—pretending to be innocent while secretly smirking.

Handing her the cup of water by the bedside, Sheng Yunjin suppressed a laugh. “Have some water.”

Si Mu took the cup, and only as the warm liquid slid down her throat did she realize how dry and slightly hoarse her voice was.

A smile still escaped the corners of her lips as she set the cup aside and slowly sat up.

“When did you wake up?”

Her gaze unconsciously fell to Si Mu’s front, and Sheng Yunjin’s eyes remained unblinking, though heat gradually rose to her cheeks.

“Not… not long ago.”

Sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands trembled slightly as she tugged the blanket higher.

Until it covered the red marks on Si Mu’s body.

Si Mu let her do as she pleased, watching as Sheng Yunjin wrapped her up snugly before slowly extending a hand.

Her thumb brushed Sheng Yunjin’s earlobe, and Si Mu smiled faintly, her voice soft.

“You’re the one who bit me. Why cover it up?”

Sheng Yunjin opened her mouth, her bright face flushing crimson under Si Mu’s teasing.

She distinctly remembered being gentle last night…

But seeing the red marks and ambiguous fingerprints on Si Mu’s body, Sheng Yunjin felt she had no defense.

Flustered and a little indignant, she wrapped her arms around Si Mu, blanket and all, burying her face against her shoulder.

Her voice came out muffled and sweet, like a whine.

“I… I’ll be gentler next time…”

“But… but you were pretty excited last night too…”

As she spoke, Sheng Yunjin shifted closer to her ear, her voice soft and coquettish, laced with an unspoken hint of pride.

“…You even broke my skin…”

Held tightly in her embrace, Si Mu instinctively tried to turn her head, only to accidentally bump into Sheng Yunjin’s as she leaned in for a stolen kiss.

Her nose collided with Si Mu’s jaw, and the sudden sting brought instant moisture to Sheng Yunjin’s eyes.

Seeing this, Si Mu was torn between amusement and heartache.

Gently massaging the spot with her fingertips, she met Sheng Yunjin’s watery, reddened eyes and murmured, “Did I break your skin?”

Sheng Yunjin was practically draped over her now, blinking in response.

Si Mu’s gaze drifted downward as she lifted the hem of Sheng Yunjin’s clothes slightly, her warm palm resting against her waist.

Then, it began to creep upward.

“Let me see.”

…

When Sheng Yunjin got out of bed again, her cheeks were flushed pink.

She glanced back at Si Mu, who was lying on the bed with her arms pillowing her head. The blackout curtains blocked all the morning light, leaving only the warm glow from the ceiling lamp spilling into the room.

Si Mu’s slender, fair back was exposed, her smooth skin under the light dotted with ambiguous love marks.

Meeting Si Mu’s tired, half-lidded gaze—a mix of exhaustion and helplessness—Sheng Yunjin curled her lips into a smug little smirk, her expression satisfied and just a bit cocky.

Fetching a robe, she handed it to Si Mu, who took it and slowly wrapped it around herself.

Internally, Si Mu added a gym session to her schedule.

They’d both been exhausted the night before, so why was Sheng Yunjin still full of energy the next morning—even energetic enough to bite her again…

Sheng Yunjin, still waiting nearby, had no idea her girlfriend was silently praising her stamina.

Once Si Mu was dressed, Sheng Yunjin scooped her up and carried her toward the bathroom.

Si Mu leaned lazily against her, eyes closed, though the flush on her ears betrayed her lingering shyness.

…

While Si Mu soaked in the bath, Sheng Yunjin made another trip downstairs.

The sandwiches she’d made earlier had long gone cold, and she couldn’t be bothered to reheat them.

Instead, she baked the croissant dough she’d prepared that morning, making a fresh breakfast for Si Mu.

…

Half an hour later, Sheng Yunjin returned to Si Mu’s home with the new meal in hand.

Si Ying had somehow appeared in the living room, seemingly working on homework at the table.

Spotting Sheng Yunjin, she instinctively asked, “Is Auntie awake yet?”

Sheng Yunjin nodded without elaborating.

She was starting to think she had some kind of communication barrier with kids—she often couldn’t grasp their thoughts.

Better to just say less.

Si Ying noticed the tray in her hands and instantly guessed it was for Si Mu.

Glancing toward the dining table, where the earlier breakfast still sat untouched, she hesitated before speaking.

“There’s… still one over there…”

Sheng Yunjin knew what she meant but didn’t mind, just smiling as she replied, “This one’s different.”

Without explaining further, she carried her lovingly prepared breakfast straight back to Si Mu’s bedroom.

One was just store-bought toast, the other freshly baked by her own hands—how could they possibly be the same?

Sheng Yunjin grinned to herself.

…

Changing into the loungewear Sheng Yunjin had set aside for her, Si Mu couldn’t help but smile.

It matched Sheng Yunjin’s.

So, she’d noticed.

Ever since meeting Sheng Yunjin in real life, Si Mu had never planned on letting her go.

Sometimes, without thinking, she’d buy matching couple items for the house.

Because she knew—one day, Sheng Yunjin would live here with her.

…

When Si Mu stepped out of the bathroom, Sheng Yunjin guided her to the vanity.

“Eat first. I’ll dry your hair.”

Looking down at the tray packed with all kinds of food, Si Mu’s brows lifted in amusement.

“You made all this?”

In addition to a croissant sandwich, there was also a portion of pan-seared salmon, yogurt with cereal, a fruit salad, and a steaming cup of coffee.

Sheng Yunjin turned on the hairdryer and smiled nonchalantly, “It’s fine. If you can’t finish it, I’ll take care of the rest.”

Strands of hair were gently tousled by warm air and soft fingertips as Si Mu slowly nibbled on her sandwich.

She rarely ate breakfast—sometimes just a glass of milk, sometimes just coffee—and could easily last until noon.

But today, perhaps because she had woken up too late or because she had been too exhausted from last night’s activities, Si Mu felt not only a languid weakness throughout her body but also a distinct hunger in her stomach.

The sandwich was still warm, the croissant flaky and soft. The moment it touched her lips, Si Mu paused.

She lowered her gaze to the breakfast in her hands. This bread… it seemed freshly baked.

Recalling Sheng Yunjin’s earlier claim that she hadn’t woken up much earlier than usual…

Si Mu took a sip of coffee and decided she really needed to work on her fitness.

Just how much stamina did Sheng Yunjin have to make breakfast and bake bread first thing in the morning?

Once her hair was dry, Sheng Yunjin sat down in front of Si Mu, her eyes sparkling.

“Good?”

Nodding, Si Mu replied earnestly, “Very good. I love it.”

A satisfied smile curved Sheng Yunjin’s lips, bright and radiant across her delicate features.

…

Though she knew Si Mu had a small appetite, Sheng Yunjin hadn’t expected it to be this small.

After going hungry all night and half the morning, a single sandwich was enough to fill her up.

With a resigned sigh, Sheng Yunjin ate the leftovers, her other hand mischievously rubbing Si Mu’s stomach.

“Really full?”

Though it tickled, Si Mu let her touch and prod freely.

She hummed in confirmation but couldn’t resist reaching out to feel Sheng Yunjin’s stomach in return.

She remembered there were abs there.

As Sheng Yunjin ate, she burst into laughter when Si Mu’s palm lingered on her abdomen.

“That tickles, Xiao Mu.”

Her fingers froze, and Si Mu withdrew her hand with feigned composure.

Changing the subject, she asked, “Any plans for today?”

Sheng Yunjin, successfully distracted, shook her head.

“Not really.”

After a thoughtful pause, Si Mu suggested, “Then let’s stay home today? I… want to try designing the rings.”

When Sheng Yunjin mentioned wanting matching couple’s rings yesterday, Si Mu had already considered this.

That was why, despite using Sheng Yunjin’s injured left hand as an excuse not to buy any at the store, Si Mu had actually wanted to design them herself.

Beaming, Sheng Yunjin agreed, “Sounds great.”

…

The two stayed in the study—Si Mu sketching drafts at the desk while Sheng Yunjin lounged on the sofa reading a script.

A stage play meant no retakes, everything performed in one go.

This was her first acting role, and though Sheng Yunjin was usually confident, she couldn’t help feeling a flicker of nervousness deep down.

Not enough to unsettle her, just enough to make her take it even more seriously.

…

For lunch, Si Mu ordered takeout. Neither she nor Sheng Yunjin was particularly hungry, but Si Ying was still at home.

After setting out the packed meals, Si Mu noticed Si Ying’s bowed head and suddenly said, “It’s the weekend. Do you want to meet up with friends or classmates? I can have the driver take you.”

Si Ying was still in school, and it suddenly occurred to Si Mu.

Weekends were rare, and children usually loved playing with their peers.

Yesterday, Si Ying had spent the entire day at the hospital, and with only half a day left today, Si Mu guessed the child would probably want to go out and have fun?

To her surprise, Si Ying shook her head.

She seemed nervous, poking at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks.

“…No need, I still have homework to do.”

After saying that, she quickly glanced up at Si Mu.

The moment their eyes met, she immediately lowered her head again.

Without overthinking it, Si Mu followed up, “Is there a lot of homework?”

Si Ying hesitated, then shook her head.

Recalling what Si Zhong had mentioned earlier, Si Mu spoke gently, “If there are any problems you don’t understand, you can ask me.”

Nodding, Si Ying murmured, “…I know.”

Acknowledging her response, Si Mu noticed she kept her head down while eating, likely feeling tense with her presence. So, she didn’t press further and quietly retreated to the study.