The Cannon Fodder Alpha Who Made the Heroine Pregnant - Chapter 24

24:

The room the Chu family arranged wasn’t Chu Zhao’s former bedroom. That space had long been converted into a storage room, despite the massive estate having dedicated warehouses. This petty transformation was clearly Liu Qing’s doing, meant to spite Chu Zhao.

The guest room they’d been given was decent enough, comparable to a five-star hotel’s king suite. There was just one problem: only one bed, without even a proper sofa for sleeping.

Zhou Lan: “……”

The choice was obvious, she’d take the floor. Sharing the bed would inevitably end with her getting beaten up. Better to be proactive.

But after searching the entire room, she found no spare blankets. Sleeping directly on the hardwood floor? Might as well stay awake all night.

Resigned, she settled into the small armchair—barely large enough to sit, let alone sleep. Dozing off risked a nasty fall.

Neither woman showered that night. With the chair occupied, Chu Zhao remained seated rigidly on the bed, refusing to lie down. Her defensive posture spoke volumes.

Zhou Lan understood, entering the bathroom might escalate Chu Zhao’s wariness further. Best to remain still.

They sat in awkward silence until midnight.

Zhou Lan fared better, distracted by exploring this world’s technology on her phone. Her previous life’s irregular sleep schedule made all-nighters familiar territory.

Chu Zhao, however, grew visibly restless. The dark aura around her intensified by the minute, threatening violent eruption at any moment.

Zhou Lan completely understood. Anyone forced to share space with their assailant would react worse than Chu Zhao currently was. That she only radiated murderous intent rather than acting on it demonstrated remarkable restraint.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?” Zhou Lan finally broke the silence, instantly amplifying the awkwardness.

Chu Zhao: “……”

Realizing her question’s implications, Zhou Lan hastily clarified: “There’s only one bed. I won’t touch you, I’ll stay in the chair.”

The explanation sounded hollow, only heightening Chu Zhao’s suspicion. Maybe silence was better after all.

Just as Zhou Lan resumed her phone exploration, Chu Zhao spoke abruptly:

“Why are you helping me?”

At the Zhou residence. Here at the Chu’s. Attempting to free her mother. Every action benefited Chu Zhao exclusively. Even Chu Meng understood, without her mother as leverage, his control over Chu Zhao would vanish. So why would Zhou Lan facilitate this?

If claiming affection, Chu Zhao wouldn’t believe it. Love wouldn’t violate its object.

Zhou Lan weighed her response carefully. Revealing her transmigration was impossible. Instead, she blended truth with the original Zhou Lan’s history:

“My childhood circumstances… you know them. To maintain my privileged life, I had to meet their expectations of worthlessness.”

“I had musical talent. They could buy my enrollment but not my degree. Graduating required my own effort.”

The original Zhou Lan’s university was notoriously strict—admission could be purchased, but graduation demanded genuine merit. That she’d earned her master’s proved unexpected capability, though the Zhou family attributed it to bribes.

Zhou Lan continued carefully: “I thought I’d remain abroad forever. Then my brother died, forcing my return… and marriage to you.”

“Initially I hoped to prove myself superior to him. Instead, they only want to use me—the marriage solely serves Zhou’s ambitions to absorb the Chu’s.”

“Raised as their useless puppet, now exploited at will, this is why I renounced the inheritance.”

“Moreover, I’ve seen the rot in Zhou Corporation’s foundations. Such enterprises never last. They only lack the final push—which you’re preparing to deliver, aren’t you?”

Her analysis was accurate. Chu Zhao had nearly dismantled the Chu’s before the forced marriage complicated her plans, requiring Zhou Corporation’s simultaneous downfall.

But how could Zhou Lan know this? Her intuition was correct—Zhou Lan understood everything, even her strategies. This revelation transformed Zhou Lan in her mind from a wastrel to someone terrifying.

Zhou Lan: “……”

She’d meant to demonstrate sincerity, not appear frightening. But terrifying was better than distrusted, so she pressed on:

“You’re targeting both families. With evidence against the Zhou’s, victory is assured. Nothing will make you abandon this, right?”

Without waiting for confirmation:

“If I became Zhou heir now, I’d share their inevitable ruin. I’d rather watch their downfall, consider it vengeance for what they’ve done to me.”

A flawless self-portrait as the vindictive schemer.

Chu Zhao’s gaze sharpened with skepticism.

“Knowing all this, you could warn Zhou Xianling and stop everything. Gain his approval. Become the true heir.”

She wasn’t wrong. Exposing Chu Zhao’s plans would earn Zhou Xianling’s trust and secure Zhou Lan’s position.

“I’m not the Zhou family’s obedient dog,” Zhou Lan retorted lamely, sounding like a petulant teenager. Chu Zhao’s disbelief was palpable.

Should she claim moral opposition to the Zhou’s crimes? No one would buy that.

Finally, Zhou Lan took a deep breath and played her trump card:

“The truth is… I’m doing this because I love you.”

Chu Zhao: “???”

Genuine shock. Of all possible explanations, this was the last she expected.

This was Zhou Lan’s nuclear option. If this failed, she’d truly leave the city. Her staying stemmed from pity and guilt toward Chu Zhao, but constant suspicion made persistence pointless.

She could confess this outrageous lie precisely because she knew Chu Zhao would never believe it.