After Becoming a Cannon-Fodder Lackey, I Swore to Protect the Young Lady to the Death - Chapter 35

Su Momo’s consciousness slowly drifted back. In the hazy blur of waking up, her mind was originally a chaotic void, and the room felt entirely alien. But soon, a sharp, searing pain shot up from her arm, snapping her into full alertness.

“Just now… that’s right!”

Memories rushed back like a tidal wave. The gunfight from a few nights ago flickered before her eyes like a vivid nightmare. Panicked, Su Momo fumbled for the call button; she was terrified for the safety of Lu Jiaoyue and Li Gangjiao.

As she waited, her arm throbbed with a burning agony. She furrowed her brow and tried to reach out with her other hand, but the slightest touch sent a fresh jolt of stinging heat through her. Her face drained of color, and fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead as she gritted her teeth, fighting to endure the bone-deep pain.

Fortunately, the nurse arrived quickly. Seeing Su Momo in such distress, she promptly administered a dose of central analgesics.

“Who… who brought me here?” Su Momo asked, her voice trembling. The medicine hadn’t kicked in yet, and she was still shivering from the cold sweat.

“Two girls. They told us to call them the moment you woke up. They’ve been coming to see you every night. Are you three close? They seem very worried about you,” the nurse said, chatting with her while hanging a bag of nutrients to distract her from the pain.

“Are they okay? Were they hurt?” Hearing that they hadn’t been incapacitated eased the weight on Su Momo’s heart.

“One of them has a mild concussion, but she’s fine. The other one keeps complaining of a headache, but the doctors couldn’t find a physical cause. They think it’s just emotional stress.”

“Oh… thank goodness,” Su Momo breathed.

But the moment her thoughts turned back to the fact that Gu Yan was behind all of this, a sense of crushing powerlessness washed over her.

Just then, Li Gangjiao and Lu Jiaoyue rushed into the room, their footsteps hurried and their breath coming in short gasps. Their faces were etched with relief and lingering worry. They hurried to her bedside, and Li Gangjiao grabbed her hand. “You’re finally awake! How do you feel? Is anything hurting?”

Being unconscious for several days had truly pushed them to the brink of panic.

Su Momo forced a faint smile. “I’m okay now. Sorry for worrying you,” she said, her voice still weak.

Lu Jiaoyue pulled out her phone and held the screen in front of Su Momo. It was a headline about Gu Yan, the text bold and eye-catching: GU GROUP HEIR GU YAN BOGGED DOWN BY MULTIPLE LAWSUITS!

Su Momo stared at the screen, a flicker of dark, undeniable satisfaction dancing in her eyes. The nightmare she couldn’t escape in her past life—the man she thought was invincible—was finally showing cracks.

In the news photos, Gu Yan was no longer the suave, untouchable prince. He looked haggard and exhausted, as if he had aged years overnight. His former glory had been replaced by a state of battered desperation. The reports even delved into the Gu family’s shady dealings; their reputation was in tatters, and their stock prices were in a freefall.

Watching this, a surge of vengeful joy rose in Su Momo’s chest. This was finally the price he had to pay for his actions.

“The Gu Group is severely wounded this time,” Lu Jiaoyue said, knowing exactly what Su Momo needed to hear. “With the negative press fermenting like this, it’s unclear if his connections in high places can even protect him anymore. My father has already begun the process of acquiring several of their subsidiaries…”

The three of them talked for a long while. Lu Jiaoyue assured Su Momo that her parents and Shen Nanshu were safe; she had kept the truth from them, letting them believe Su Momo was simply away at school.

“By the way,” Li Gangjiao said while peeling an apple, her tone full of genuine awe. “Your aim is terrifyingly good, and your driving is legendary. When I looked back, you’d tagged at least three of them in the legs…”

Li Gangjiao thought to herself: This isn’t a ‘white lily’ female lead at all. This is a top-tier, invincible Battle Queen!!

“Really?” Su Momo asked, looking a bit embarrassed as she took a bite of the apple. Was I really that good? Everything had been so chaotic and terrifying that she had been acting on pure instinct.

The trial for illegal imprisonment was set for a few days later. Su Momo had already made it clear that she refused any and all out-of-court settlements for the civil disputes.

*****

The courtroom was solemn and stifling. The national emblem hung prominently above the judge’s bench, adding a layer of grave authority to the room. Once the clerk announced the start of the proceedings, the gallery fell into a dead silence.

Gu Yan’s brow was furrowed as he stared at Su Momo’s bandaged arm. His eyes flickered with a strange, jagged annoyance as if he were frustrated by the very fact of her injury. He narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips thin, his fingers drumming a restless, quiet rhythm against the table.

Su Momo sat in the plaintiff’s seat, her body trembling slightly. Her lawyer was fighting for her rights, but her mind felt miles away. Every question from the judge felt like a hammer blow to her heart, ramping up her anxiety. Her voice shook, and she stumbled over her words during the testimony. It was only when the witnesses and physical evidence were presented that her complexion began to improve.

The atmosphere was suffocating. Su Momo knew her fate would be decided here, and the result would dictate the rest of her life.

Eventually, the presiding judge called for a recess so the collegial bench could deliberate. Gu Yan’s lawyer leaned down and whispered something to him. Immediately, the tension in Gu Yan’s brow vanished, replaced by his usual mask of cold, indifferent calm.

Observing this from across the room, Su Momo’s fists tightened. A cold dread began to pool in her stomach.

When the session resumed, the judge’s voice echoed through the hall: “After careful review of the evidence and investigation, this court finds the defendant, Gu Yan, guilty of illegal imprisonment.”

A murmur rippled through the courtroom, but Gu Yan didn’t even flinch.

“Given the facts and circumstances of the crime,” the judge continued, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority, “this court will now pass sentence according to the law. However, considering certain mitigating factors, the term of imprisonment will be adjusted accordingly.”

The gallery broke into hushed whispers. Su Momo’s dread intensified.

The moment the judge announced a sentence of only three months, Su Momo stared at Gu Yan, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her lips trembled as she tried to find the words, but nothing came out.

Three months? For a lifetime of agony?

A scorching, white-hot fury began to burn beneath her skin.

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