The Cannon Fodder Alpha Who Made the Heroine Pregnant - Chapter 64

64:

Since that day, the atmosphere between them had noticeably changed.

Their previous interactions were filled with awkwardness and distance.

Zhou Lan was terrified of overstepping and making Chu Zhao uncomfortable, so she was careful with her words and actions.

That day, the compliment slipped out. Chu Zhao said nothing, yet it felt like she said everything.

She saw shyness on Chu Zhao’s face, so she wasn’t the only one feeling embarrassed.

This showed her a different side of Chu Zhao. Did it mean there was a chance for them?

Zhou Lan didn’t lightly bring things into the open. She had confessed many times before without getting a response.

Although Chu Zhao hadn’t actually given birth, the pregnancy and termination had affected her both physically and mentally. Pushing things might backfire.

Moreover, Chu Zhao’s attitude wasn’t clear. She couldn’t act too excited.

But she could at least be sure of one thing: Chu Zhao didn’t reject her anymore.

Zhou Lan could clearly feel Chu Zhao gradually accepting her care. It was a good start.

During these days of accompanying her, aside from buying food for Chu Zhao, she would read books or handle some work in the hospital room, usually staying for four or five hours.

Sometimes, by the time she bought what Chu Zhao wanted to eat, it was already late, around dinnertime. Chu Zhao would then ask her to leave.

But she made sure to stay for at least two hours every day.

During this time, Chu Zhao was usually working. Occasionally, she would glance at Zhou Lan, who would glance back. If their eyes accidentally met, they would initially look away simultaneously, but eventually, they would hold the gaze, like school children seeing who would look away first.

On this day, Zhou Lan came to the hospital as usual and laid out the food she had bought.

The queues were long today; it was already past 2 p.m. when she arrived at the hospital.

A nurse came in to check on Chu Zhao and said enviously, “You two have such good relationship. I wish my partner had been this attentive when I was pregnant.”

The nurse’s words made Zhou Lan smile sheepishly, but she didn’t detect anything amiss.

Similarly, Chu Zhao didn’t either. She looked at the delicious food on the table with a faint smile.

These past few days of interaction had been comfortable, with just the right level of closeness, devoid of the previous sense of distance.

But… Chu Zhao looked at her gradually swelling belly and felt this couldn’t go on any longer.

……

Half of Chu Zhao’s confinement period had passed. Sang Yu was scheduled to visit today.

Zhou Lan was curious about the first meeting between Chu Zhao and Sang Yu. What kind of sparks would fly?

The meeting between the novel’s protagonist and its greatest antagonist felt like it could cause a planetary collision.

They had agreed to meet at 3 p.m., for afternoon tea.

Zhou Lan arrived at the hospital early. There was a companion bed in the room, but Chu Zhao didn’t let her stay overnight.

Besides, with a nursing aide present, she would leave at dinnertime each day. In the morning, she would receive a menu from Chu Zhao and buy the items according to the specified times.

Today, Chu Zhao hadn’t sent her any requests, so she came to the hospital early.

The nurse smiled at her. “You’re early today, Ms. Zhou.”

After about twenty days of interaction, they were familiar enough to greet each other.

The nurses often teased her: “What delicious food did you bring Ms. Chu today, Ms. Zhou?”

Sometimes, if she brought too much, like shareable cakes, she would let the nursing aide distribute them.

When she entered the room, Chu Zhao wasn’t there.

Zhou Lan went to the nursing station in the ward area and asked, “Where’s Chu Zhao?”

“Ms. Chu went for a check-up an hour ago. She should be back soon,” the nurse at the station said after checking the records.

“Okay, thank you.”

After thanking her, Zhou Lan asked casually, “How is Chu Zhao’s health?”

Childbirth took a significant toll on a woman’s body. She didn’t want Chu Zhao to suffer too much damage.

“Don’t worry, both the mother and fetus are very healthy.”

Both the mother and fetus are very healthy…

The phrase echoed in Zhou Lan’s mind. Uncertain, she asked, “Fetus?”

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

She shook her head blankly, feeling somewhat lost as she walked back to the room.

Mother and fetus are very healthy—still referred to as a mother, and mentioning a fetus—meant Chu Zhao hadn’t terminated the pregnancy.

In hindsight, there were clues. The nurses’ casual remarks, upon reflection, didn’t sound like how they would treat someone who had had an abortion.

Zhou Lan always arrived after Chu Zhao’s check-ups were done.

She would ask Chu Zhao how she felt, if she was uncomfortable anywhere, but it never occurred to her to ask the nurses.

It was also because she disliked talking to unfamiliar people. Something that could have been clarified with one question had taken her this long to find out.

Zhou Lan had no issue with Chu Zhao’s decision. What bothered her was why Chu Zhao had told her the child was terminated.

Her attitude toward the child was indifferent, but if it was Chu Zhao’s child, she was willing to take responsibility. Even more so if it was her own child, she would never neglect it.

As for Chu Zhao… she couldn’t think of any reason that would convince herself.

Previously, when Chu Zhao thought she was the original, she could understand her decision.

Even after learning she wasn’t the original, if Chu Zhao still wanted to terminate, she could understand.

No woman could accept a child conceived under such circumstances.

But Chu Zhao clearly hadn’t terminated the pregnancy yet and told her she had.

After much thought, only one reason came to mind: Chu Zhao didn’t want to be associated with her.

If that was the case, then what was there left to fight for?

Just then, Chu Zhao returned to the room. “When did you get here?”

Zhou Lan was sitting on the sofa in the room, eyes closed, expression neutral, unreadable.

Hearing the voice, she didn’t open her eyes immediately. First, she composed herself, ensuring her emotions wouldn’t show, then sat up and looked at Chu Zhao.

She calculated the time, Chu Zhao was clearly over four months pregnant but still maintained her figure well.

Normally, a baby bump should be visible, but Chu Zhao kept in good shape, and with loose clothing, it really wasn’t noticeable.

She tried to keep her voice even. “Just got here.”

Chu Zhao still keenly detected something off about Zhou Lan but couldn’t pinpoint what.

It was time for her daily exercise, so she left the room with the nurse.

Yesterday, after discussing business with Sang Xia, the latter asked her when she would tell Zhou Lan the truth.

Honestly, before Sang Xia asked, she still wouldn’t admit that keeping the child had anything to do with Zhou Lan.

She believed she was doing it so her mother could recover sooner with the child’s companionship.

Hearing about the pregnancy had made her mother very happy. In a good mood, she cooperated with treatment and had even had moments of lucidity recently, albeit brief.

She was keeping this child for herself. She wouldn’t use the child to try to bind Zhou Lan.

They were they, the child was the child.

Whatever the outcome between them in the future, it had nothing to do with the child.

Regarding Chu Zhao’s thoughts, Sang Xia asked, “Have you considered what if Zhou Lan finds out the truth by accident?”

Chu Zhao hesitated. She didn’t know what to do.

Her best friend’s silence made Sang Xia quite helpless. Then she turned on her phone’s recorder and continued, “Chu Zhao, what are you really thinking?”

“If you don’t say it, no one will know your thoughts. She’s not a mind reader.”

Mind reader… Chu Zhao was stunned. She seemed to have forgotten something.

Right, Zhou Lan couldn’t hear her thoughts anymore. How would she know what she was thinking?

For the first time, she seriously considered this. After a long time, she said, “At first, I really wanted to terminate this pregnancy. After we cleared up the misunderstanding, I did think about keeping the child.”

“But Zhou Lan’s attitude was to support terminating. On the way to the hospital, during the consultation, check-up, even until signing the forms, she had many chances to stop me, but she didn’t.”

“I saw from the surveillance that she signed almost without hesitation. It seemed like she didn’t really want to have a child with me, so I…”

It was only with Sang Xia, during heart-to-heart talks between best friends, that she felt less burdened.

Knowing her best friend well, Sang Xia said directly, “So you thought she didn’t want the child, and you just told her you terminated it?”

Chu Zhao, whether stubborn or explaining, said, “It’s not that either…”

She didn’t know how to put it.

Sang Xia took over, “I understand what you mean.”

“After all that, you didn’t deny that you like Zhou Lan.”

“As for Zhou Lan herself, I’d only heard about her before. Actually interacting with her, eliminating prejudice, and looking at her normally… she’s quite good.”

“Chu Zhao, give yourself a chance.”

Sang Xia was telling Chu Zhao to give herself a chance. Having been best friends with Chu Zhao for so many years, no one understood her better.

The shadows of Chu Zhao’s childhood made it hard for her to like someone. Even if she did, she wouldn’t say it. She would wait silently for the other to confess, only deciding whether to accept after she was sure of their feelings.

This process was long. Even if the other confessed, she might not agree, going by her own feelings.

Chu Zhao’s indecision might be because she was still figuring out the other’s feelings, but if the other stopped pursuing or acted indifferent about being together, she would immediately withdraw.

Since childhood, apart from her mother, Chu Zhao had never experienced love. Moreover, her mother’s condition fluctuated; to avoid beatings and hunger, she would even comply with the Chu family’s unreasonable demands.

She could only rely on herself. Essentially, she lacked a sense of security.

Sang Xia guessed that Zhou Lan was probably the type to worry about being presumptuous or disliked, hence acting restrained, not daring to speak directly.

Little did she know that with someone like Chu Zhao, only passionate, sincere love could make her open up.

Sang Xia wasn’t trying to pressure her; she just didn’t want her trapped forever in the abyss, unable to escape.

Looking at the recording, she sighed inwardly. This group couldn’t do without her.

Having said what needed to be said, she changed the subject. “How’s your mom?”

Chu Zhao paused, her mood dimming. “She’s okay.”

She had asked the doctor if the child could really help her mother recover.

The doctor said her mother cared most about her. Having her mother accompany “her” growth again might be effective.

This “her” referred to the child—letting her mother treat the child as her, making up for the guilt over her childhood.

However, the child was hers, but also Zhou Lan’s.

Had she really been too harsh on Zhou Lan? Chu Zhao began to reflect on herself.