After Becoming the Mother of the Scumbag Stand-In Female Lead - Chapter 50

The phone screen suddenly shifted, now only capturing the ceiling light in the bathroom.

Rustling sounds came through, and Sheng Yunjin rubbed her slightly flushed ears, guessing that Si Mu was undressing.

To distract herself, she continued telling Si Mu about her afternoon.

The script reading session had wrapped up in just one afternoon. Since Sheng Yunjin, as the lead actress, had already memorized all her lines, Chen Yan had nothing more to say.

That evening, on a whim, Chen Yan and the other members of the theater troupe performed a classic play they had once staged, right in the courtyard for Sheng Yunjin.

Over a dozen people gathered together, each perfectly controlling their emotions, movements, dialogue, and timing.

Sheng Yunjin sat alone to the side, quietly watching, inevitably moved by their passion for the performing arts.

She knew Chen Yan still had reservations about her, worried that Sheng Yunjin wasn’t taking it seriously, afraid she saw this as just a passing whim.

To that, Sheng Yunjin felt no need to explain. After all, three months would be enough for Chen Yan to see for herself what attitude she was bringing to this endeavor.

…

The sound of running water continued, and Sheng Yunjin couldn’t help but picture Si Mu in her mind. Her cheeks flushed as she rolled onto her back, lying flat on the bed.

Letting her thoughts drift freely.

…

The shower stopped, and Si Mu stepped into the bathtub.

Leaning back, she picked up her phone again.

The screen showed only Sheng Yunjin’s chin from this odd angle, and Si Mu couldn’t help but chuckle.

Her fingers instinctively took a screenshot, saving the image before she asked softly, “What about everything else? Are you settling in, okay?”

Hearing her voice, Sheng Yunjin lifted the phone back to her face.

Seeing Si Mu’s glistening, fair complexion and damp hair cascading down her back, she unconsciously bit her lip.

“Everything else… well, it’s livable.”

Quickly panning the rear camera around her room, Sheng Yunjin frowned and muttered.

This was the first time she’d stayed somewhere with such poor conditions.

And—whether it was just her imagination or not—she kept feeling like the room carried a musty, damp odor.

Earlier, when she’d showered, she’d stayed rigidly in one spot, eyes downcast, rushing through it before bolting out.

She couldn’t bear to look around. Every neglected corner of the room was coated in dust.

For the first time in her life, Sheng Yunjin thought her sharp eyesight might actually be a curse.

She’d already asked her assistant to have the hotel’s cleaning staff give the room another thorough scrub that afternoon.

But when she returned in the evening, nothing had changed.

Resigned, Sheng Yunjin had no choice but to accept it.

……

She’d kept these complaints bottled up all day. Now, faced with Si Mu’s concern, she couldn’t hold back, pouring out all her grievances about the accommodations.

After finishing, her face grew warm.

Leaning closer to the screen, her voice carried a hint of unconscious tension.

“Am I… being too fussy?”

Sheng Yunjin was actually aware of the covert exchanged glances between her two assistants today, though she simply didn’t pay them any mind.

She couldn’t care less about what others thought of her.

But Si Mu was different.

…

Her delicate features were magnified on the screen, her lively, clear eyes filled with nothing but concern for Sheng Yunjin.

Staring at her, Si Mu’s fingers twitched slightly at her side, instinctively wanting to reach out and touch Sheng Yunjin’s cheek.

“No, it’s just that the hotel’s housekeeping is terrible.”

“You were just stating your subjective opinion.”

Si Mu comforted her with a completely serious expression.

Laughing softly, Sheng Yunjin lay on the bed, her alluring peach-blossom eyes brimming with amusement.

“Xiao Mu, you’re so sweet~”

Mumbling as she curled up on her side, Sheng Yunjin hugged a pillow, her lowered eyes meeting Si Mu’s through the screen.

“I miss you.”

The words of affection slipped out effortlessly. Sheng Yunjin probably never realized before just how intense longing could feel.

It had only been a day since they parted, and here they were, still connected through a video call, able to see and hear each other despite the distance.

And yet, she missed her so much.

…

Her heart was gently struck, and Si Mu’s gaze deepened with tenderness.

Looking at Sheng Yunjin’s expression, now softened with affection, she responded in a low voice,

“I miss you too.”

For a fleeting moment, Si Mu nearly blurted out—

That she would go to Nan City to see her tomorrow.

But reason prevailed over emotion, and in the end, she held back.

…

Lying in bed, Si Mu propped her phone beside her, turning to face the screen as she whispered, “Sleepy?”

Sheng Yunjin half-opened her eyes and nodded drowsily, already too exhausted to keep them open.

She hadn’t slept at all the night before, only catching a brief hour or two on the plane.

Si Mu traced her fingers over Sheng Yunjin’s image on the screen, then said softly, “Go to sleep. I won’t hang up.”

With a faint hum, Sheng Yunjin murmured, “Goodnight, Xiao Mu,” before closing her eyes and drifting off.

Her voice, laced with sleepiness and sweetness, made Si Mu’s heart melt as she gazed at her long, curled lashes.

…

The next morning, just after breakfast, Sheng Yunjin received a message from Si Mu.

She had arranged for a cleaning service in Nan City to come by that day and tidy up Sheng Yunjin’s room.

At first, Sheng Yunjin was stunned when she read it. But once it sank in, she subconsciously touched the tip of her nose, suddenly feeling like the pampered little wife of some domineering CEO.

Her heart blooming with joy, she sent Si Mu a kissy-face sticker in reply.

…

Over at J&M’s secretary office, Secretary Sun, assigned the task, was utterly baffled as she remotely placed the order and coordinated with the cleaning team in Nan City.

Hiring someone to clean a hotel room?

Had President Si lost her mind?

Despite her confusion, Secretary Sun dutifully carried out the task as instructed.

…

At Chen Yan’s request, Sheng Yunjin didn’t bring her assistants along this time, instead telling them to go enjoy themselves while she waited for the cleaning team to arrive.

Arriving alone at the training courtyard on time, Sheng Yunjin paused mid-step as she entered.

There were two additional people in the yard today.

One was dressed in an elegant skirt, her face completely concealed by a hat, sunglasses, and a mask. The other was pushing a suitcase, likely an assistant or staff member.

Chen Yan stood before the two, engaged in what seemed like a conversation yet also a standoff, while the others remained inside the house, occasionally glancing toward the courtyard.

Even through a pair of sunglasses, Sheng Yunjin could tell the unfamiliar woman was sizing her up.

With a slight curve of her lips, Sheng Yunjin walked toward Chen Yan.

“Good morning, Professor Chen. What’s the plan for today?”

Before Chen Yan could respond, the stranger spoke first.

“You must be Miss Sheng, right?”

“This script was tailor-made by A-Yan with me as the prototype. Naturally, I should be the one playing the female lead. Don’t you agree?”

Chen Yan’s expression shifted slightly at the words. She pressed her lips together, her voice carrying a hint of warning.

“Zhou Yuan!”

Zhou Yuan…

Sheng Yunjin lowered her gaze, trying to recall where she had seen that name before—perhaps in the cast list of some play.

Her silence made Zhou Yuan think her words had struck a chord.

Removing her sunglasses, Zhou Yuan, bolstered by her eight-centimeter heels, barely managed to meet Sheng Yunjin’s eye level despite the latter wearing flats.

Perhaps aiming for a mix of firmness and persuasion, Zhou Yuan softened her tone.

“Stage plays don’t offer much exposure, Miss Sheng. Someone as young and beautiful as you would be perfect for idol dramas. I have connections with several producers in the industry, and there are plenty of great film projects lately—you could take your pick.”

“I just hope you’ll let me have this role.”

This time, her tone held no trace of aggression, even carrying a hint of friendly persuasion.

It came back to Sheng Yunjin then—Zhou Yuan had appeared in one of Chen Yan’s earlier plays. She had seen too many performances recently and hadn’t made the connection at first.

Zhou Yuan appeared slightly younger than Chen Yan, likely in her early forties, her delicate makeup making her look even more youthful.

Sheng Yunjin didn’t respond to her directly. Instead, she glanced sideways at Chen Yan, her tone laced with a superficial politeness.

“Professor Chen, is this your way of telling me to leave?”

Chen Yan shook her head helplessly, recognizing the cold detachment in Sheng Yunjin’s eyes.

“Go inside and review the script for now. I’ll handle this.”

Whether Sheng Yunjin was truly upset or not, Chen Yan privately didn’t want Zhou Yuan to provoke her.

If Sheng Yunjin was on such close terms with the CEO of Qingguo, her family background must carry some weight.

Chen Yan didn’t want Zhou Yuan to stir up trouble.

Besides, the role had already been given to Sheng Yunjin, and with Qingguo’s investment secured, there was no way she would agree to a recast.

“No! If she goes inside, how are we supposed to discuss this?”

Zhou Yuan grabbed Sheng Yunjin’s arm in agitation, glaring at Chen Yan.

Glancing down at the manicured fingers gripping her wrist, Sheng Yunjin let out a soft tsk.

With a slight flick of her arm, Zhou Yuan’s hand slipped away.

The faint smile on Sheng Yunjin’s face faded entirely.

“Talk if you must, but keep your hands to yourself. I have a thing about cleanliness.”

Perhaps stung by Sheng Yunjin’s bluntness, Zhou Yuan dropped her pretense of friendliness.

She studied Sheng Yunjin’s outfit, guessing she was just another privileged rich kid.

She had seen plenty of spoiled young ladies like her in the industry—full of attitude but not particularly sharp, easy to manipulate.

But with Chen Yan present, Zhou Yuan wasn’t willing to lower her stance too much in front of her.

“Just say it outright—what will it take for you to give me the role?”

Suppressing her temper, Zhou Yuan spoke coldly.

Sheng Yunjin curled her lips slightly and glanced at Chen Yan beside her.

Though Chen Yan looked anxious, hesitation was already evident in her eyes, her attention clearly still fixed on Zhou Yuan.

A cold laugh rose in Sheng Yunjin’s heart—she hadn’t expected Chen Yan to make such a rookie mistake of letting emotions interfere with work.

Her voice was calm as she called Chen Yan back to focus.

“Ms. Chen, it seems you haven’t finalized the casting decision yet. Please make up your mind quickly and don’t waste my time.”

With that, Sheng Yunjin turned and walked away, her expression icy.

“Contact my assistant for any further matters.”

Only then did Chen Yan’s attention finally shift away from Zhou Yuan.

Her face darkened as she watched Sheng Yunjin leave, lips parting slightly but ultimately saying nothing.

Though Zhou Yuan was angered by Sheng Yunjin’s domineering attitude, seeing her walk away made her assume her goal had been achieved, and her expression softened slightly.