The Cannon Fodder Alpha Who Made the Heroine Pregnant - Chapter 65

65:

Zhou Lan learned the truth about the situation but didn’t expose it, acting as if nothing was different.

She thought she was hiding it well, Chu Zhao still noticed something off about her.

It was hard to pinpoint the reason, but Zhou Lan’s emotional shift was obvious.

After returning from the gym, Zhou Lan was still sitting there, now with a cup of coffee in front of her, suggesting she’d gone out briefly.

Chu Zhao was somewhat curious about Zhou Lan. She was fiddling with her laptop, looking busy.

Zhou Lan had mentioned she was a musician. Shouldn’t musicians be tinkering with instruments?

The perks of a luxurious hospital room was the spacious sofa.

Chu Zhao sat on the single-seater sofa nearby, and the nurse promptly brought her a cup of warmed milk.

She took a small sip, wanting to glance at Zhou Lan but feeling too shy to do so.

Zhou Lan sensed Chu Zhao’s presence and checked the time: 10:30 a.m.

She removed her earphones, abruptly stopping the music playing on her laptop.

She had been drafting an email. Coming from a privileged background had its perks—her senior from school was a renowned international singer, somewhat famous domestically too.

For a world-class singer like her, releasing an album was a cautious process.

In fact, established singers, especially those at the superstar level, rarely released new songs. Was it because they didn’t want to? Of course not.

Without a good song, they’d rather not release anything. A bad release could tarnish their reputation and diminish their commercial value.

This senior was preparing a new album but hadn’t finalized the songs, so she posted a call for submissions through their alma mater.

Zhou Lan happened to see the announcement on the school’s website and sent an email with a song demo attached.

The response was swift, the senior offered to buy the song for 1.2 million.

The song’s quality was the main reason, though looking out for a junior was a secondary factor.

Zhou Lan was shocked. The offer was nearly equivalent to her earnings in her past life.

Of course, in her previous life, her songs never had the chance to be sung by a world-class artist. That was the advantage of her background.

Her university had produced countless singers and musicians, with alumni scattered across music-related industries worldwide.

In terms of career growth, she has better prospects abroad.

She thought when she first arrived in this world, going abroad would not only give her peace but also advance her career.

The senior’s email didn’t just offer to buy her song, it also invited Zhou Lan to participate in the recording process.

Zhou Lan wasn’t just a songwriter; she understood the weight of such an invitation.

Not only would she meet the singer in person, but the recording team would be no ordinary group.

Her songs never lacked singers, but her career in this world was just starting, and her options were limited.

It sounded absurd, but if her name appeared on this senior’s song credits, it would be like gilding her reputation, potentially elevating her to the level of success she had in her past life.

The email she’d just sent confirmed her agreement to the contract and her presence at the time of recording.

She turned to Chu Zhao and said, “I might not be able to come by in a couple of days due to some business.”

Chu Zhao’s head snapped up, but after a moment, she lowered her gaze and mumbled, “Okay.”

They fell into silence. After a long pause, Zhou Lan suddenly asked, “Don’t you have anything you want to ask me?”

Chu Zhao hesitated, pretending not to understand. “Ask what?”

Maybe ask about where I’m going or what I’m doing, Zhou Lan thought to herself.

The hospital ward was quiet, its soundproofing impeccable. In the stillness, they could almost hear each other’s heartbeats.

Zhou Lan was skilled at reading people, and she could tell Chu Zhao wanted to say something.

She stared at Chu Zhao, her gaze bolder than usual, as if she’d grown daring overnight.

Chu Zhao, with her dark hair loosely clipped with a shark clip and soft strands framing her face, looked gentler in her silk-striped loungewear. The pregnancy softened her usual aloof demeanor, adding a touch of warmth.

In the past, Chu Zhao had always seemed cold and unapproachable, though it was only surface-level.

Facing Zhou Lan’s gaze, Chu Zhao turned to look out the window, where sunlight streamed in, warming the damp autumn day.

The city, located in the south, was prone to rainy seasons, making sunny days rare.

Under the sunlight, they sat in silence, like awkward children, neither willing to speak first.

Zhou Lan picked up her coffee cup, only to find it empty. “I’m going to get another coffee,” she said.

“Too much coffee isn’t good for you,” Chu Zhao replied almost instantly.

They both wanted to say something to each other, but something held them back, a stubborn tension neither would break.

Zhou Lan chuckled. “Your assistant said you drink at least three cups a day.”

Chu Zhao: “…”

Some people just weren’t good at small talk.

Chu Zhao didn’t respond, and Zhou Lan, feeling a pang of frustration, got up and left.

Chu Zhao watched her straight-backed figure—dark floral dress, long trench coat, and simple white sneakers. With her height, Zhou Lan didn’t need heels; she dressed for comfort.

Zhou Lan loved trench coats, wearing different styles since autumn began.

Compared to Chu Zhao’s fixed suits and shirts, Zhou Lan was like a fashionista.

Even with ordinary brands, she always managed to create a unique look.

As Chu Zhao watched, the nurse brought in lunch. She quickly averted her gaze, trying to hide her feelings, but anyone could tell something was off. Unfortunately, Zhou Lan didn’t look back.

When a couple has a falling out, one side has to give in first.

Zhou Lan wasn’t prideful, but she was both angry and hurt.

Chu Zhao’s decision clearly showed she wanted to keep her distance, and Zhou Lan wasn’t the kind to be demanding.

Yet, despite her resolve, the moment she saw Chu Zhao, her heart wavered.

That’s what liking someone does—even when you’ve made up your mind, one glance pulls you back in.

Zhou Lan lingered at the coffee shop near the hospital for a long time, only leaving when it was nearly time to meet Sang Yu.

She didn’t want to avoid Chu Zhao, but what else could she do?

Before she could return to the hospital, her phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number.

Since the Zhou family’s downfall, only Ling He’na and Chu Zhao had called this number.

Who could this be?

After a moment’s thought, she answered.

“Zhou Lan?”

The voice was familiar.

“Yes,” she replied.

“It’s Sang Xia. Are you with Chu Zhao?”

“No.”

Sang Xia said immediately, “Meet me at the coffee shop near the hospital. I need to talk to you. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

Zhou Lan glanced back at the coffee shop she’d just left, silently returning, and ordered an orange juice.

Chu Zhao was right, too much coffee wasn’t good.

She’d already had plenty in the past couple of hours.

As she entered, the server gave her an odd look. After she sat down, the server brought over a dessert plate and said, “Life goes on.”

Then the server left to continue working.

Zhou Lan: “???”

She shook her head with a smile, but the stranger’s unexpected kindness lifted her mood.

Five minutes later, Sang Xia arrived right on time.

Zhou Lan’s first instinct wasn’t to greet her but to look behind her.

“What are you looking at?” Sang Xia asked, setting her bag down, puzzled.

“Where’s Sang Yu?”

Zhou Lan was genuinely curious about Sang Yu.

“She’s at the company. She’ll be here later.”

The Sang family’s branch in this city was larger than their headquarters in Luoan. This trip was mainly for company matters, with meeting Chu Zhao and Zhou Lan as a side goal.

As she spoke, Sang Xia observed Zhou Lan.

Zhou Lan’s outfit exuded a gentle, elegant charm.

Sang Xia hadn’t met Zhou Lan before but had seen photos.

Those garish shirts and bizarre hairstyles were incomprehensible.

Her recent style was much more pleasing, though a bit too neutral.

Sang Xia didn’t waste time. She took out an earphone from her case, handed one to Zhou Lan, and put the other in her own ear.

Zhou Lan took the earphone, confused by Sang Xia’s actions.

It felt like a scene from a drama where two people share earphones to listen to music, not exactly fitting for them.

Sang Xia saw her hesitation and rolled her eyes. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m playing an audio for you.”

“Oh.”

Zhou Lan frowned, wondering what could be so secretive.

But as soon as she heard Chu Zhao’s voice, her brows furrowed tighter.

The audio was only a few seconds long and ended quickly.

Sang Xia removed her earphone. “You heard it. Chu Zhao hasn’t gotten rid of the baby.”

“Though she insists it’s for Aunt Wu, I don’t believe you’re not part of the reason.”

“Logically, I shouldn’t be sharing this with you. Chu Zhao had a tough childhood and lacked a sense of security. Getting her to open up is hard.”

“And you—you can’t deny you like her, given everything you’ve done, right?”

Zhou Lan never denied her feelings for Chu Zhao. “Yes.”

It wasn’t that she was cold; the audio left her reeling.

Having read the novel, she knew Chu Zhao’s personality. She had acted indifferent, as if she didn’t care about the baby.

She cared more about Chu Zhao than the child.

But she’d overlooked Chu Zhao’s perspective. Many would assume that not caring about the baby meant not caring about the mother.

Her so-called restraint and respect came off as indifference.

If she were the pregnant one and her partner, knowing the child was theirs, showed no concern or effort to keep it, it would feel like they didn’t care about her either.

Her earlier confession must have seemed insincere to Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao already doubted love, and the audio confirmed she had feelings for Zhou Lan.

Pregnancy’s sensitivity and Chu Zhao’s personality made Zhou Lan’s indifference hurt her deeply, leading her to hide her decision.

Realizing this, Zhou Lan was filled with guilt. Chu Zhao was already prone to overthinking during pregnancy, and her apparent lack of care only made things worse.

Zhou Lan removed the earphone and placed it in front of Sang Xia. “Thank you.”

“But I think Chu Zhao’s decision is influenced by pregnancy that is affecting her judgment.”

“She’s confident and capable. If she weren’t pregnant, she wouldn’t have made this choice.”

Zhou Lan smiled. “She’d tell me straight up, ‘This is your child, but I’m keeping it. Your opinion doesn’t matter’.”

Pregnancy affects a woman not just physically but emotionally too.