After Becoming the Mother of the Scumbag Stand-In Female Lead - Chapter 9

Sheng Yunjin also smiled with satisfaction, speaking softly to Si Mu, “Thank you, I really like it.”

Looking at her slightly upturned peach blossom eyes and the bright, seemingly genuine smile on her face, Si Mu merely curved her lips faintly and responded with a quiet hum.

Pursing her lips, Sheng Yunjin unconsciously touched the newly worn ring on her finger. As she gazed at the woman before her, even though Si Mu hadn’t said a word, Sheng Yunjin inexplicably sensed a hint of melancholy in her expression when their eyes met.

Just as she was about to say something more, the buzzing sound of a phone interrupted them.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Si Mu glanced at the caller ID and frowned imperceptibly before politely excusing herself, “Sorry, I need to take this call.”

Sheng Yunjin nodded, watching as Si Mu walked away with her phone.

A nearby sales associate seized the moment to ask, “Miss, would you like to take a look at some necklaces as well?”

Sheng Yunjin paused, then leaned slightly to glance at Si Mu’s retreating figure before asking, “Is she the owner of this store?”

If she were just a designer, it was unlikely the store manager would personally report to her.

The sales associate smiled and replied, “Yes, JM was personally founded by our CEO, Ms. Si, seven years ago.”

Lin Xiaoyu, who had been listening nearby, gasped in amazement. Though JM wasn’t among the top-tier jewelry brands, it was quite well-known in the affordable luxury segment.

She hadn’t expected the brand to be only seven years old.

“Your CEO is seriously impressive,” Lin Xiaoyu said enviously, shaking her head. If only she could achieve such career success one day—maybe then her father would finally look at her differently.

“Ms. Si isn’t just the founder of our brand; she’s also a designer. Many of our classic pieces were personally designed by her.”

Sheng Yunjin seemed thoughtful at this. She examined the simple band ring on her finger before looking up with a smile. “Then why don’t you show me a few necklaces designed by your CEO?”

The sales associate, delighted at having achieved her sales pitch, beamed. “Of course! Please follow me, ladies.”

Inside the transparent display cases were necklaces of various styles. Sheng Yunjin listened attentively to the associate’s explanations, her eyes carefully scanning each piece.

Meanwhile, Lin Xiaoyu, unable to resist the associate’s sweet-talking, had already picked out several necklaces to try on. Sheng Yunjin glanced at her gleeful friend and teased, “Go ahead and pick whatever you like—just remember, you’re paying for them yourself.”

Lin Xiaoyu, who had been admiring herself in the mirror, immediately pouted. “But you promised you’d cover everything today!”

Sheng Yunjin innocently waved her left hand, flashing the ring. “Well, now that I’m preparing to find a partner, it wouldn’t be right to spend money on other women, don’t you think?”

Lin Xiaoyu, feeling thoroughly duped, grumbled under her breath, “How outrageous! You haven’t even started dating yet, and you’re already ditching friends for romance!”

Unable to contain her frustration, she defiantly picked out several more necklaces and asked the associate to help her try them on.

Fine, if you won’t buy them, I’ll buy them myself! Hmph!

As Lin Xiaoyu huffed in irritation, the sales associate beside her was inwardly overjoyed.

With this sale, her monthly performance was bound to skyrocket.

Sheng Yunjin pretended not to hear Lin Xiaoyu’s accusations. She stood up and carefully examined the jewelry in the display cases. After a while, her gaze fell upon a necklace placed in the farthest corner.

It was a simple design—a silver chain with a jade leaf pendant.

“This one, please take it out for me to see.”

The salesperson followed Sheng Yunjin’s pointing finger and hesitated for a moment before speaking, “I’m sorry, but this necklace…”

“Take it out.”

Si Mu, who had finished her phone call at some point, had returned to the shop. She stood beside Sheng Yunjin, slightly lowering her eyes to look at the chosen necklace.

With the owner’s approval, the salesperson felt reassured and carefully retrieved the necklace from the display case.

Si Mu took it first, her gaze carrying an emotion Sheng Yunjin couldn’t quite decipher.

“Miss Sheng likes this necklace?”

Nodding, Sheng Yunjin looked at the jade leaf hanging from the chain. “It’s beautiful, and the bamboo leaf is carved so realistically.”

After a pause, she raised her eyes to Si Mu and asked, “Was this necklace also designed by you, President Si?”

Si Mu stared into her eyes. Though her face showed little expression, the tenderness in her gaze was almost impossible to conceal.

“Yes.”

……

Boom… Boom…

Torrential rain poured from the sky, and trees swayed violently in the storm.

Yet, atop Wenxian Mountain in the southeastern part of Xinyuan County, everything remained undisturbed.

An invisible golden barrier enveloped the mountain, unaffected by the lightning strikes that crashed against it.

Sheng Yunjin, dressed in a green robe, sat cross-legged at the peak of Wenxian Mountain. Her eyes were tightly shut, and despite enduring the heavenly tribulation of the Ascension Realm, her expression remained calm and composed.

After an unknown amount of time, the storm still raged, but the once-fierce lightning had vanished without a trace.

Slowly opening her eyes, Sheng Yunjin looked down at her palm, where faint golden patterns flickered intermittently.

She knew—she had ascended another level.

Feeling neither joy nor sorrow, she waved her sleeve and dispelled the barrier. Standing up, she summoned the wind and flew down from the mountaintop.

Upon returning to Xinyuan County, she arrived at the Si residence, only to find the steward hurriedly preparing a carriage for departure.

The anxious steward spotted Sheng Yunjin and immediately rushed toward her. “Immortal, Immortal! You’ve finally returned!”

Sheng Yunjin nodded faintly and glanced around. “Where is she?”

The steward quickly explained, “The young mistress went to inspect the tea plantation early this morning. She should have returned by this afternoon, but we’ve waited all day without any news.”

The heavy rain had started after noon. At first, the steward thought the delay was due to the bad weather and difficult roads. But as night approached with no sign of Si Mu, he grew worried and decided to take some guards to search for her.

“Which direction is the tea plantation?”

The steward was momentarily stunned before hastily pointing the way.

In the blink of an eye, the woman in green had vanished.

Though he had long known Sheng Yunjin was an immortal cultivator, witnessing her use of divine magic for the first time left him utterly astonished.

While marveling at the exquisite craftsmanship of the immortal arts in his heart, the butler quickly regained his composure and hurriedly called for the guards to harness the carriage and set out to search for the person.

…

“Young lady, thank you for bringing me home. With this heavy rain still pouring outside, traveling would be difficult. Why not rest at my place for a while?”

The elderly woman expressed her gratitude while bringing out a pot of hot tea from the kitchen, personally pouring a cup for Si Mu along with her maids and guards.

Hesitating for a moment, Si Mu stood up and glanced outside. The heavy rain had started suddenly in the afternoon, accompanied by thunder and lightning. Si Mu guessed this must be the signs of tribulation that Sheng Yunjin had mentioned.

With the thunder and lightning so fierce, she wondered if Sheng Yunjin would make it through safely.

Feeling a bit worried, Si Mu accepted the tea and thanked the old woman, “Then we’ll trouble you for a while. We’ll leave after resting briefly.”

……

When Si Mu woke up again, she found her hands and feet bound. Panicked, she looked around, only to see her maids and guards lying unconscious on the ground.

The door creaked open.

The once-kindly old woman now wore a fawning, ingratiating expression.

Pointing at the bound Si Mu, she turned to the man behind her with a beaming smile, “This one’s truly top-notch—not just a pretty face and a good figure, but even her reputation is renowned.”

The man behind her pushed the bothersome old woman aside and strode toward Si Mu, grinning. “Isn’t this the famous Boss Si?”

Si Mu coldly stared at the unfamiliar man before her. “Are you after money?”

The man burst into laughter. “Boss Si, you’re still a bit naive. Once I have you, your family’s wealth will naturally fall into my hands.”

As he spoke, he looked Si Mu up and down, adding with a leer, “I’ve long heard that Boss Si is a renowned beauty. Seeing you today, you truly are a stunning sight.”

The old woman at the side curled her lips. “No matter how pretty she is, I heard she’s already twenty-six or twenty-seven. At her age and still unmarried, she must have some hidden ailment.”

The man’s smile faded slightly, and he waved dismissively at the woman. “Enough. Go call some brothers to carry those maids and guards out. Don’t delay my fun.”

The old woman hurriedly nodded with a sycophantic smile. In no time, only Si Mu and the man remained in the room.

Si Mu struggled against her bound hands, frowning when she realized it was futile.

Biting her lip, she racked her brain for a way to escape.

“Who exactly are you people?”

The man had already sat down on the bed, smirking smugly. “What, Boss Si hasn’t heard about the bandits that have been appearing near the outskirts of the county lately?”

“Seems Boss Si isn’t cautious enough.”

Step by step, he approached, reaching out to touch Si Mu’s cheek. “Once this is done, Boss Si will be mine. From then on, you’ll obediently be a housewife, and I’ll take care of your family’s business. Hahaha…”

Pushed onto the bed, Si Mu turned her face away in humiliation, trying to avoid his touch.

With a cold snort, the man pinned her down. But before he could go further, a sudden sharp pain in his arm snapped him back to his senses.

Si Mu clutched the hairpin tightly in her hand, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably. The name “Sheng Yunjin” echoed incessantly in her mind.

She couldn’t die here. Not like this.

“You damned woman, asking for death!”

The man, enraged, ignored the wound on his arm. With a forceful tug, he easily wrested the hairpin from her grip and flung it to the ground.

Pinned beneath him, Si Mu felt her collar being torn downward. Despair overwhelmed her as she shook her head, tears spilling freely. She pushed weakly against him, sobbing Sheng Yunjin’s name between ragged breaths.

“…Sheng Yunjin… Sheng Yunjin…”

A hundred miles away.

Sheng Yunjin stood in the wilderness, her aura growing colder with each passing moment of failing to locate Si Mu. Closing her eyes, she channeled her magic, expanding her spiritual senses outward in search.

“…Sheng Yunjin…”

Her eyes snapped open. In an instant, she vanished, following the sound’s origin.

Bang.

The door was blasted off its hinges.

The man, interrupted mid-assault, scowled in irritation—but before he could even turn to see the intruder, an invisible force clamped around his throat. Within two breaths, his life was snuffed out.

Si Mu clutched her torn clothes, lifting her gaze to Sheng Yunjin, who now stood beside her.

Her expression remained indifferent, as though nothing could stir her emotions.

Tears still streamed down Si Mu’s face. “You killed him.”

Sheng Yunjin glanced at the corpse at her feet and nodded. “He deserved it.”

A sudden smile curved Si Mu’s lips as she threw her arms around Sheng Yunjin’s neck, letting her tears soak into the other woman’s skin.

“There are more outside.”

The warmth against her neck gave Sheng Yunjin pause. Without hesitation, she replied, “Then I’ll kill them all.”

Her fingers twitched slightly. Moments later, agonized screams erupted outside, unending.

Si Mu clung to her, face buried in her shoulder, her expression unreadable—whether weeping or smiling, it was impossible to tell.

You once said you were born without emotion, raised to cultivate the Path of Heartlessness.

Yet everything you’ve done for me—

Is it love, or is it still indifference?

Sheng Yunjin.