The Cannon Fodder Alpha Who Made the Heroine Pregnant - Chapter 20

20:

The tense family dinner concluded with Zhou Lan’s ambiguous declaration hanging in the air.

She knew her words might sway some, but Zhou Xianling was too shrewd to be easily influenced. He would dissect her statements, weigh their sincerity, then maneuver accordingly.

His concern for her stemmed solely from bl00d ties—if he had other offspring, she’d be disposable. Similarly, others only valued her as Zhou Xianling’s daughter.

This truth didn’t wound her. Pragmatism prevailed, why not leverage every advantage?

Her successful trip to the capital had brought clarity: some battles required flexibility.

As long as Zhou Xianling withheld that disownment notice, she remained the sole heir. Complete abandonment was impossible, not while Chu Zhao needed help.

This inexplicable protectiveness puzzled her. Logically, collaborating with Chu Yue should have assuaged her guilt. Yet hearing of Chu Zhao’s accident had sent her rushing back.

After much reflection, she identified the root: responsibility.

Their marital bond, however nominal, carried obligations. Until divorce, their fates were intertwined—as evidenced by the hospital’s immediate call to her.

In society’s eyes, they were legally bound partners. With the Zhou family still standing, divorce wasn’t an option—not without jeopardizing Chu Zhao’s plans.

Thus, her path became clear:

– Base: Capital (for her music career)
– Frequent Returns: Jiangning (to support Chu Zhao)

Rather than severing Zhou ties completely, she’d weaponize her status for Chu Zhao’s benefit.

This epiphany lifted a weight she hadn’t acknowledged.

—

Departing the Zhou estate revealed stark disparities:

– Chu Zhao: Chauffeur-driven luxury sedan
– Zhou Lan: Disowned and walking (Ling He’na had revoked her vehicle privileges)

She approached Chu Zhao’s car sheepishly. “Mind if I hitch a ride?”

A silent glance at the driver preceded Chu Zhao’s subtle nod toward the passenger seat.

Zhou Lan sat primly, hands on knees—a model of restraint. The short drive to their marital villa passed in silence.

Two days’ absence had made the opulent house feel foreign. Chu Zhao’s visible discomfort mirrored her own, this place held only bitter memories.

Without hesitation, Zhou Lan commandeered a sports car from the garage. “Where to?”

Chu Zhao’s injured arm made driving impossible. More importantly, she couldn’t bear staying there.

“Chu family villa,” came the quiet reply.

Zhou Lan’s grip tightened on the wheel. The Chu household’s toxicity dwarfed even the Zhous’.

The Chu Family Horror Show:

1. Chu Meng: Patriarch with a harem straight from feudal China, including the “cousin” who bore his first illegitimate son.
2. Chu Zhao’s Mother: Lured into marriage under false pretenses, later discovering the live-in “cousin” was her husband’s longtime mistress.
3. Psychological Warfare: After Chu Zhao’s birth, Chu Meng threatened to deliberately stunt the child’s development unless his wife complied.
4. Current State: The mother, broken by years of gaslighting, now mentally unstable—alternating between lucidity and childlike confusion. Kept as a pawn to control Chu Zhao.

The novel’s depictions had sickened Zhou Lan. Chu Meng’s particular brand of misogyny made Zhou Xianling seem almost civilized.

Parking outside the gaudy European-style mansion, Zhou Lan hesitated. “Want company inside?”

Chu Zhao’s silence spoke volumes. Bringing Zhou Lan would:

1. Deter harassment (none would risk offending a Zhou).
2. Possibly grant access to her mother.

Reading these thoughts, Zhou Lan smiled. Being a tool didn’t bother her, she’d feared refusal.

Chu Zhao could strategize calmly in her presence marked progress.

—

The security guard’s sneer at Chu Zhao transformed into panic at Zhou Lan’s name.

“Inform them Zhou Lan is here,” she snapped, channeling the original’s brattiness.

Her acting skills had sharpened remarkably. In her past life, she’d never needed pretense. Now? Oscar-worthy.

As the guard scrambled, she grinned at Chu Zhao. “Nailed the spoiled heir act, right?”

Chu Zhao’s mental “You are one” deflated her briefly.

The gates swung open.

A plump woman—the eldest bastard’s mother—awaited with a battalion of staff, smiles plastered on like poorly applied makeup.

Zhou Lan executed a perfect villainess entrance:

1. Parking: Aggressive swerve before the grand entrance
2. Service: Rushing to open Chu Zhao’s door, hand shielding her head

The proximity unleashed Chu Zhao’s conflicted physiology—simultaneously repelled and drawn to Zhou Lan’s scent.

Progress existed, but some wounds never fully healed. That night remained an insurmountable barrier.