The Cannon Fodder Alpha Who Made the Heroine Pregnant - Chapter 50

50:

At the roadside, Zhou Lan gently set Chu Zhao down to rest while she attempted to flag down passing vehicles.

The rural area saw sparse traffic, and the few cars that did pass refused to stop. Between attempts, Zhou Lan checked ride-hailing apps repeatedly, but their remote location showed no available services.

The nearest village was a thirty-minute walk—manageable for her, but impossible for Chu Zhao in her current state. Though Chu Zhao had mostly recovered from their frantic escape, the nausea lingered, leaving her silent and pale-lipped to avoid vomiting.

Misinterpreting her condition as worse than it was, Zhou Lan reached out to brush a comforting hand against Chu Zhao’s forehead.

“Just twenty more minutes. If no car comes by then, I’ll carry you to the village.”

Nearby guesthouses could provide shelter for the night, after which arranging transportation would be easier.

When the twenty minutes elapsed without success, Zhou Lan crouched before Chu Zhao.

“Let’s go,” she said, offering her back.

Chu Zhao studied her—really studied her—searching for traces of the person she once knew beneath that familiar face. But this Zhou Lan bore no resemblance to the cruel, calculating woman from before. Every mannerism, every expression belonged to someone entirely different—someone gentle yet detached, content in her own world without intruding on others’.

How could two versions of the same person be so diametrically opposed?

Hearing these thoughts through their peculiar connection, Zhou Lan suppressed a sigh. Explaining her transmigration was impossible; who would believe something so fantastical?

After a long pause, she said quietly, “We’ve had good times together these past months. Once everything’s settled, I’ll stay in the capital city for a while. Reach out anytime you need me.”

She left the initiative with Chu Zhao, her availability unconditional.

Then, softer still: “I’ll always be here.”

The words sent an unexpected tremor through Chu Zhao, who feigned sleep by resting her head against Zhou Lan’s shoulder, warm breaths ghosting over Zhou Lan’s neck.

As they walked, Zhou Lan’s mind grew hazy with proximity, torn between hurrying to their destination and wishing this moment could last forever. Only when Chu Zhao’s breathing evened into sleep did clarity return, her steps slowing deliberately to stretch the thirty-minute journey into an hour.

By the time they reached a well-reviewed guesthouse, Zhou Lan had grown so accustomed to the weight that she barely registered it anymore.

“One room, please,” she requested, supporting Chu Zhao with one arm while presenting her ID with the other.

The owner eyed Chu Zhao. “Her ID too.”

“Can I take her up first and bring it down?” Zhou Lan asked.

Before the owner could respond, Chu Zhao stirred. “I’m awake.”

Zhou Lan helped her stand. “How are you feeling?” she asked urgently before turning to the owner. “Is there a hospital nearby?”

“Just a clinic in the village. The town hospital’s farther out,” the owner said, adding with a knowing look, “You should take your wife to get checked.”

The term “wife” sent heat crawling up Zhou Lan’s neck—acting for Jiangning society was one thing, but hearing it from a stranger flustered her.

Their modest room held two single beds separated by a nightstand, compact but clean enough for one night.

“It’s only mid-afternoon,” Zhou Lan said while straightening the sheets. “We could still make it to the hospital, then ask about rides to the high-speed rail station tomorrow.”

But Chu Zhao refused, unwilling to risk her pregnancy being discovered. “We’ll go straight to the station in the morning.”

Zhou Xianling’s continued inaction puzzled her. If he knew about their involvement, why no retaliation? Unless… he remained unaware.

That possibility—that they might leave Jiangning unscathed—was almost too hopeful to entertain.

“Are you sure?” Zhou Lan pressed.

“Positive.”

With Chu Zhao adamant, Zhou Lan went to inquire about transportation, learning of both bus routes and private car hires.

Returning, she mentioned, “Ling He’na called. Should I return it?”

Her use of Ling He’na’s full name didn’t escape Chu Zhao’s notice. However strained their relationship, wouldn’t a daughter still say “Mom”?

Zhou Lan’s entire attitude toward the Zhou family—her indifference to the corporation, her clinical detachment from Zhou Xianling and Ling He’na—suggested someone completing obligations rather than navigating familial ties.

Realizing her slip, Zhou Lan didn’t backtrack. If Chu Zhao pieced together the truth this way, so be it—perhaps better than an outright confession.

“Go ahead,” Chu Zhao said after a pause.

The call connected to Ling He’na’s sharp demand: “Where are you?”

“What do you want?”

“Your father took you somewhere without telling me?”

Zhou Lan seized the opening. “Dad’s got a mistress,” she whined, laying the groundwork. “He thinks I caused her miscarriage and threatened me!”

She left the accusation deliberately vague, but Ling He’na pounced: “He thinks you’re behind those abortions?”

Those? Zhou Lan and Chu Zhao exchanged glances, Ling He’na knew more than she let on.

“Which abortions?” Zhou Lan played dumb.

“Never mind that,” Ling He’na dismissed. “Come back alone tonight. I’ll make your father hand over Zhou Corp.”

The revelation stunned them, was Ling He’na the true mastermind?

The novel’s plot had spiraled beyond recognition, leaving only character traits as reference.

In the original story, Ling He’na existed solely to torment Chu Zhao and undermine Zhou Xianling—even gifting the Ling family assets to Zhou Corp in an absurd display of incompetence.

Yet this Ling He’na operated with chilling precision.

“I told you I don’t want Zhou Corp!” Zhou Lan feigned hysterics. “Dad said I should die for his unborn children! I’m hiding until he calms down!”

She hung up mid-tirade, shedding the bratty persona instantly.

“She’s not what she seems,” Zhou Lan observed.

Chu Zhao nodded. “She’s been working against Zhou Xianling all along.”

A quick text to the Sang family insider confirmed their suspicion:

—Did you eliminate Zhou Xianling’s unborn children?

—No.

The terse reply carried undeniable credibility.

“It was Ling He’na,” Chu Zhao realized aloud, the pieces clicking into place.

Zhou Lan could only marvel at the narrative’s devolution. Had her changes triggered some cosmic correction, twisting events into ever more convoluted shapes?