The Cannon Fodder Alpha Who Made the Heroine Pregnant - Chapter 16

16:

Ling He’na, the original Zhou Lan’s mother—remained oblivious to the soul now inhabiting her daughter’s body.

In truth, she had never truly loved her child. Stripped of her youthful romanticism, she now fixated solely on securing lifelong wealth and comfort.

She refused to outlive Zhou Xianling.

If someone else inherited the Zhou empire, her golden years would vanish.

While the novel glossed over the Zhou family’s internal strife, Zhou Lan’s inherited memories painted a clear picture: a vipers’ nest of greed and calculation.

Ling He’na’s call could only mean one thing.

Zhou Lan nearly declined, but feared the backlash would fall on Chu Zhao. Reluctantly, she answered.

Silence stretched for several seconds before she prompted: “What do you want?”

A startled inhale. Clearly, Ling He’na had not expected her to pick up. The original Zhou Lan would only contact home for monthly allowances.

“Where are you?” Ling He’na finally demanded.

“Your father expects you at headquarters tomorrow morning. If you’re not there, he’ll publicly disown you. After that, don’t dream of entering the company again.”

Zhou Lan listened impassively.

The silence infuriated Ling He’na. “Zhou Lan! Are you listening? You’ve always been this way—disobedient, rebellious, a complete disappoint—”

“Finished?” Zhou Lan cut in coldly. “Let me repeat: I’m not going. Publish whatever notices you want. Better yet, get it notarized that I renounce all inheritance rights.”

Even without formal documentation, she’d refuse the inheritance, avoiding future liabilities when the Zhou empire crumbled.

She had only answered to shield Chu Zhao. But Ling He’na’s obstinacy knew no bounds.

After hanging up, Zhou Lan stepped into the shower—only to emerge to dozens of furious voice messages. She deleted them unplayed.

The rants would be predictable. Some people couldn’t be reasoned with.

Zhou Lan’s philosophy was simple:
Hate me? Go ahead. Not my problem.

Then a text stopped her mid-eye-roll:

[Ling He’na]: Your father heard everything. If you refuse, he’ll bring Chu Zhao into the company instead. How will you face her then?

[Ling He’na]: Worse, your uncle’s son Zhou Lundao will move into our home and join the firm. You know what that means.

Zhou Lan’s bl00d ran cold.

Chu Zhao and that psychopath cousin entering Zhou Corporation together?

The implications crystallized:

1. Chu Zhao’s Role: As Zhou Lan’s spouse, any achievements would be credited to her, rehabilitating her image.
2. The Cousin Threat: Zhou Lundao, the “perfect” heir apparent.
3. Long Game: Zhou Xianling might install a temporary CEO until a hypothetical child came of age.

A flawed plan. Same-s3x couples could conceive in this world, but she and Chu Zhao would never—

And even if they did, she’d never subject a child to the Zhou toxicity.

Then there was Zhou Lundao.

The original Zhou Lan’s memories surfaced:

– The Incident: Finding him torturing a dog—no external wounds, just calculated cruelty.
– The Fallout: When she intervened, the family blamed her. Who’d believe the troublemaker over their golden boy?

Now that monster might inherit everything.

Zhou Lan exhaled. At least she wasn’t the original Zhou Lan, that betrayal would have destroyed her.

More urgently: this plot twist never occurred in the novel. Her presence was altering events.

While the novel detailed Chu Zhao’s struggles, antagonists remained shallow caricatures. She had known not to rely entirely on its narrative—now less than ever.

Yet the broader trajectory held: Chu Zhao entering Zhou Corporation could accelerate her evidence gathering.

She texted Chu Zhao:

“Zhou Xianling plans to bring you and Zhou Lundao into the company, pitting you against each other. The winner takes control.”

(For you: stewardship. For him: everything.)

No reply came. Chu Zhao was undoubtedly weighing the risks.

—

Zhou Lan’s prediction proved correct.

By Monday morning, Zhou Xianling had summoned Chu Zhao to headquarters. Ling He’na’s gloating texts followed—unread as Zhou Lan scouted recording studios.

When she finally checked her phone, an unknown number flashed.

The voice on the line turned her veins to ice:

“Are you Chu Zhao’s emergency contact? She’s been in a car accident. We need a family at Jiangyi Hospital immediately.”