The Cannon Fodder Alpha Who Made the Heroine Pregnant - Chapter 54

54:

Chu Yue Entertainment’s headquarters relocation to Luoan was underway, with the new location already secured—though it couldn’t compare to their prestigious capital address. In the capital, money could buy prime real estate; in Luoan, even wealth didn’t guarantee the best spots.

The new space was currently undergoing renovations, with the move-in date projected after the Lunar New Year. While termed a “headquarters relocation,” only the executive team would transfer, maintaining the capital branch as a significant operation.

Luoan offered superior resources for Chu Yue’s expansion. Having maximized growth potential in the capital through self-produced content, further breakthroughs required accessing Luoan’s richer entertainment ecosystem.

Chu Zhao, ever visionary, wouldn’t settle for stagnation.

Currently, Chu Yue was simultaneously debuting a girl group, producing two web dramas, and maintaining other projects—all while operating normally.

However, the girl group’s development costs dwarfed all other projects combined.

Finances were already stretched thin when Chu Zhao discovered a movie script she desperately wanted to produce, a BL film requiring twenty million yuan for production and promotion. While modest compared to blockbuster budgets, Chu Yue’s multiple concurrent projects made this sum prohibitive.

Her team’s analysis confirmed the script’s potential. The genre didn’t require A-list stars; Chu Yue’s trainees all receiving acting lessons could fill the roles perfectly.

Normally, she’d secure financing, but obtaining millions without sacrificing equity seemed impossible for a single project.

Hua Qiao inadvertently revealed these financial strains while complaining about denied budget requests to purchase more songs from Zhou Lan.

Upon learning this, Zhou Lan immediately assessed her finances—over ten million yuan. Substantial, but perhaps insufficient for Chu Yue’s needs.

She began seriously reviewing purchase inquiries for her songs, requesting raw vocal samples from each prospective artist to evaluate suitability.

In one day, she sold over a dozen compositions, bringing her total funds to twenty million yuan.

After transferring the amount to a new bank card, she hesitated before calling Chu Zhao.

Strangely, her fingers trembled—an uncharacteristic nervousness. Yet she couldn’t ignore Chu Zhao’s predicament.

Meanwhile, Chu Zhao stared at her ringing phone in surprise. They hadn’t spoken since Jiangning’s affairs concluded.

When news broke of Zhou Xianling’s death and Zhou Lan inheriting Zhou Corporation, she’d assumed Zhou Lan would accept—her provided evidence only implicated Zhou Xianling personally, not the corporation.

Zhou Lan’s subsequent donation of Zhou Corporation to the state, preserving its existence through bureaucratic maneuvering, proved her sincerity. Few could relinquish such wealth so decisively.

Now, with Jiangning’s matters settled, why was Zhou Lan calling?

Then it struck her, their marital status. Was this about divorce?

The thought brought an inexplicable tightness to her chest.

Her hand drifted to her abdomen, where new life grew—confirmed through medical tests.

Initially, she’d scheduled an abortion, but work interruptions delayed it. Recently, the headquarters relocation pushed it further back.

Strangely, she’d begun sensing the fetus’s presence—so well-behaved it alleviated her morning sickness. Against logic, she’d developed… feelings.

Had circumstances differed, had this child not been forced upon her, she might have considered keeping it.

Especially if its other parent knew of its existence.

“Hello?” Chu Zhao answered coolly, surprised by her own undercurrent of resentment. Why should she bear this burden alone?

“If this is about divorce,” she said icily, “you’ll need to wait. The law prohibits divorce during an Omega’s pregnancy.”

“…Pregnant? You?” Zhou Lan’s voice cracked. The thud following suggested she’d fallen. “Really?”

The novel’s Chu Zhao had remained childless and unattached. How?

“Mmm.” Chu Zhao maintained perfect neutrality.

“Mine?” Zhou Lan’s mind reeled. Gao Anying had confirmed no marking occurred.

“Of course not,” Chu Zhao snapped. “But legally, it’s yours as long as we’re married.”

Petty revenge, perhaps. Make Zhou Lan wear the cuckold’s horns. Alphas supposedly despised this, she wanted to provoke outrage.

Yet Zhou Lan’s response stunned her: “Whose is it?”

Curiosity, not anger. As if their marriage meant nothing.

“None of your concern. Consider them dead.”

“Dead?” Zhou Lan’s tone shifted subtly, was that a relief? She hastily corrected: “My condolences.”

Chu Zhao nearly crushed her phone. Damn her!

As she prepared to announce her abortion plans, Zhou Lan continued: “I’ll raise the child.”

“What?”

“If you want to keep it, I’ll be its parent. Legally, I already am.”

“I won’t let it suffer.”

The words flowed with startling sincerity. Single-parent children faced stigma, Zhou Lan seemed genuinely concerned for Chu Zhao’s wellbeing.

“You…want to raise a child?” Chu Zhao struggled to process this.

“Only because it’s yours.”

Simple, devastating honesty.

Zhou Lan had finally acknowledged her feelings—this wasn’t pity or obligation, but love. She wanted to stand by Chu Zhao, to protect her.

Before she could elaborate, the line went dead.

Typing quickly, she sent:

—Tomorrow, 12:30 PM. Coffee shop behind Chu Yue’s building.