Chapter 119
"First of all, there is absolutely no plagiarism." Then Chen Zhiyi opened the file bag and took out a notarized document. "This document has been officially recognized and stamped, confirming that the true designer of the fabric is Lin Ting."
All the media and fans present were stunned.
The female journalist didn't believe it, saying, "Nonsense, their fabric is patented and has a patent number. How could it be fake?"
Chen Zhiyi said sternly, "Because this fabric was designed more than ten years ago, they stole it and even applied for a patent."
"What exactly happened? Can you explain?" a media professional stepped forward.
Chen Zhiyi looked at Lin Ting with deep affection, his tone softening. "Ten years ago, there was an exceptionally talented student named Lin Ting in the fashion design program at Tianjin University. She was a recipient of the national scholarship every year and won awards in numerous competitions, large and small. She had exceptional design talent. Back then, there was a forum in the fashion industry called 'Flying Needle and Stitch,' a highly specialized forum. Registered members were all from the fashion field—university students, designers, fashion enthusiasts, and executives from fashion companies. They exchanged industry news and shared their latest designs. If someone liked a design, they could contact the designer and buy the copyright. However, at that time, people didn't pay much attention to intellectual property protection, and the forum system itself had flaws. Users weren't verified, and many business owners exploited these loopholes, directly downloading and using designs they liked. Lin Ting was an outstanding designer on that forum. Her designs, once posted, were highly sought after, selling many copyrights. The fabric design you all accused her of plagiarizing was one of her works posted on that forum."
A reporter raised a question: "But I just searched for 'flying needle and thread' and found that the forum is long gone. There's no way to find it. And even if it existed, how do you know it was downloaded by an e-commerce brand owner? Wasn't there no real-name authentication?"
Chen Zhiyi explained, "I found the founder of the 'Flying Needle and Thread' forum, obtained the database, and after professional screening, discovered that the e-commerce brand owner was also one of the forum's members. Although he didn't have real-name authentication back then, he registered with his mobile phone number, and he's still using that number." Chen Zhiyi then produced another document, "Here's a handwritten apology from the owner, admitting to stealing the design. Of course, we later found out that he stole more than just this one design; he's a repeat offender. His shop's closure wasn't due to poor performance; three years ago, his sob story made him a fortune. The real reason was being sued for plagiarism and being shut down. If you don't believe me, you can check with the court; the court has the lawsuit and the judgment."
The evidence was conclusive, silencing everyone present.
The same female journalist in black said, "Don't listen to him. If it's all true, why didn't he bring it up before, and why is he only saying it now? And if it's all true, why spend money to erase the traces online? Isn't it because he's guilty?"
Chen Zhiyi: "I'm not feeling guilty, I just don't want to cause a second injury."
The female media personality seemed to have heard something ridiculous, throwing her head back and laughing maniacally, "Harm? Have you forgotten how you hurt Sun Ziyan back then?"
Chen Zhiyi remained unfazed. "I admit I used her as a pawn back then, but if she hadn't succumbed to temptation, would things have turned out this way? Don't you think so, Ms. Sun Ziyan?"
Everyone present turned to look at the female media personality. Unexpectedly, she was Sun Ziyan. After disappearing for many years, she was now disheveled and dressed in all black, making it hard to imagine that she was the radiant female idol who used to sing and dance on stage.
The female journalist removed her mask, her eyes filled with hatred. "Yes, I am Sun Ziyan. I'm here to collect my debts. You ruined me back then, and I won't let you get away with it today."
Ever since seeing Chen Zhiyi and Sun Ziyan's official announcement video, the fans' blessings for them, and their frequent displays of affection, Sun Ziyan has been consumed by jealousy and regret. She thinks, if she hadn't listened to their encouragement to reveal their relationship three years ago, if she had been ruthless enough to prevent the unexpected from happening, wouldn't all of this have been avoided? She would still be a beloved idol star.
After finally escaping their dysfunctional family and enduring countless hardships to achieve success, they now enjoy flowers, applause, and adulation. A few more years of hard work would have brought them financial freedom, but now they have nothing left and are burdened with huge penalties for breach of contract.
For the past three years, she has lived in a basement, done all kinds of rough and tiring work, and has no end in sight to pay the penalty for breach of contract. She has also suffered all kinds of verbal abuse. The torment of life has taken away her last asset, her figure and face that she was once proud of. Her complexion is yellow, her hair is dry, and she is often so tired that she can't straighten her back.
So how could she not hate them when she saw their official announcement? They were both caught on camera in the same relationship, so why were they able to receive everyone's blessings after all this time, while she had fallen to this state? She was unwilling to accept it, so she wanted to tear off their masks and let everyone see their selfish and hypocritical nature.
Sun Ziyan grew angrier the more she thought about it, her whole body trembling. Her eyes widened as she pointed at Chen Zhiyi and Lin Ting, each shout sounding like a scream, "You've ruined me like this? How dare you still publicly announce your relationship and receive everyone's blessings, flaunting the greatness of your love in front of the camera? Bullshit, disgusting! You're the ones who should go to hell!"
Lin Ting felt guilty towards Sun Ziyan. She hadn't agreed to using her as a pawn, but for the sake of her loved one's career, she had done it anyway. Now, seeing her in such a miserable state, her guilt deepened. Lin Ting saw her current madness, saw her on the verge of collapse. She was only twenty-five, the prime of her life, yet she had suffered miscarriage, abandonment, and debt, falling from heaven to hell. She thought that if she had met a good man, if she had found true love, perhaps things wouldn't have ended this way. What made her even more desperate was that no one truly loved her, no one stood by her side. Lin Ting wanted to go forward and hug her, to comfort her.
Just as Lin Ting took a step forward, Chen Zhiyi pulled her back. He shook his head, his eyes telling her, "Sun Ziyan has been blinded by hatred and lost her mind. She will hurt you. Your guilt and your desire to show her some love are useless. She can't see or feel it. What she wants is for us to suffer the same fate as her."
Compared to Sun Ziyan's madness, Chen Zhiyi appeared quite calm. "You say we harmed you? But you agreed to do it yourself, we didn't force you. You hoped to use this method to make Xia Minghan reveal your identity so you could enter the wealthy family, and you did get that at first. But you weren't satisfied. After you entered the Xia family, you discovered that Xia Minghan was just a young master; the real power lay with his elder brother, Xia Minghan's older brother, who would be the future heir. You had inappropriate thoughts. Although you didn't do anything outrageous, do you think the Xia family would still tolerate you? Losing the child was just a reason for you to leave."
"Are you talking nonsense?" Sun Ziyan was furious and pointed at Chen Zhiyi.
"Whether I'm lying or not, you know best in your heart. Since the Xia family publicly acknowledged your identity, even if they didn't approve of you and felt you weren't good enough for their status, they would have accepted you out of consideration for the child in your womb and the pressure of public opinion. But you weren't content with that. You wanted to achieve upward mobility, to be second only to the Xia family, and that's why you tried to provoke the eldest son of the Xia family, crossing their bottom line. That's why they were so ruthless in kicking you out. So from beginning to end, it was your own dissatisfaction and insatiable desires that caused all of this. If you could just accept it..." Use the resources they provide to improve yourself and strive to become the ideal daughter-in-law in their eyes. People are human; excellence will eventually be recognized. I imagine that at that point, the social class you're so determined to enter will open up to you, instead of always looking for shortcuts. How much genuine affection do you have for Xia Minghan? How much is just novelty and excitement? How much is driven by selfish motives to use him to advance your own career? You know best. It's human nature to want status, wealth, and power when we climb the social ladder, but we must rely on ourselves, on our own hands, on diligence and hard work, not on others or shortcuts.
No one expected this outcome; there was surprise, sighs, and pity.
There's always a reason why someone is pitiful; Sun Ziyan brought this upon herself.
She was disqualified from being an idol because she got pregnant during her time in the group, which almost led to the group's disbandment. She was also kicked out of the wealthy family for being unruly.
"So it was all caused by your own restlessness. This is called being fickle and always wanting more." Xiaoyuan finally vented her anger for Lin Ting. She could suffer injustice with her, but Lin Ting could never.
As soon as Lin Ting frowned and looked over, Xiao Yuan immediately shut her mouth.
Other media figures also began to whisper among themselves.
"Now it seems that Chen Zhiyi was right, it was Sun Ziyan's own doing."
"It's a pity that a once-popular idol in the group ruined himself by trying to climb the social ladder."
"It also ruined the group. Not long after she left the group, it disbanded. All the hardships the other members endured as trainees for so many years were for nothing."
"Xia Minghan must be blind to have fallen for her."
“I remember when she had a miscarriage and was kicked out of the Xia family, many people cursed Xia Minghan, calling him a heartless man. Now it seems he is a real man, as none of them stood up to tell the truth.”
"This is the consequence of wanting everything and having too much ambition."
"What ambition? To put it bluntly, his private life is too messy."
"..."
"Shut up!" Sun Ziyan covered her ears, her emotions completely broken, and screamed in anguish.
Seeing Sun Ziyan being criticized, ridiculed, and complained about, and her emotional breakdown, Chen Zhiyi couldn't bear it. Should he have revealed the truth in front of the media? He felt he was only adding fuel to the fire she was in. But he couldn't help it. He couldn't let Lin Ting suffer any more injustice. In the three years they were apart, seeing videos of Lin Ting being surrounded and attacked by reporters and fans caused him unbearable pain, so he absolutely couldn't let it happen again.
“Sun Ziyan, if you hadn’t come to cause trouble today, the truth would never have been known. I don’t know if you came here today to vent your anger or because you were instigated by someone else. But now that things have come to this, I don’t think you have the face to stand here anymore. Please leave,” Chen Zhiyi said.
Sun Ziyan gave a bitter smile. "Leave? I made an unforgivable mistake and I've been punished. But what about you two? You deceived your fans, maintaining a single image to protect your careers and give fans room for imagination, while you were always together in private. Aren't you disqualified as idols? Besides, I only made a moral mistake and didn't cause any real harm, but what right does the daughter of an economic criminal have to stand here, open a shop, start a business, and make money off fans?" Then she turned to Chen Zhiyi's fan club, "Wake up, this is the idol's sister-in-law you like. They're just making money off you."
“Sun Ziyan!” Lin Ting, who had been silent all along, finally spoke. “First of all, I apologize again for taking the blame for you back then. To make up for the damage, I will pay off your breach of contract penalty. If you don’t mind, you can come work at Yunshang. It will be much more respectable and comfortable than your current job. Life cannot be relived, but it can be restarted. It’s never too late. Please don’t give up on yourself. I’ve been through the same thing. I was abandoned, insulted, and bullied, but since I’m alive, I must live bravely and resolutely. We can’t go back to the past or change it, but as long as we are willing, we can create a new starting point for our lives. The road of life is long, so why not give it a try?”
After speaking, Sun Ziyan regained some clarity and calmed down. She stared blankly at Lin Tingkan. This was the first time in so long that someone had told her that her life could be restarted. So many times she had thought that this was it, that she had hit rock bottom.
Lin Ting continued, "Next, I need to prove some things. What I'm saying isn't just for you; I also hope that the media present can help spread the word. This is the first and only time I've publicly proven myself." She turned to look at Chen Zhiyi, their eyes met, and they understood each other perfectly. Chen Zhiyi seemed to see through what she was about to say, and he tightened his grip on her hand, giving her strength.
"What I'm about to say might be harsh and infuriating, but that's the truth, whether you accept it or not. I know that in most people's eyes, I'm not good enough for Chen Zhiyi. He's a top star in the entertainment industry, how come he ended up with someone so ordinary? But that's how fate works. Three years ago, I didn't dare to go public because I was afraid it would affect his career, but we've been through two breakups and reconciliations, and we even went through life and death together during the pandemic, and we still chose to stay together. So I'm not afraid anymore, because your idol is stuck with me. I can't drive him away, I can't scold him away, he's still clinging to me, relentlessly pursuing me, following me everywhere. What can I do? Ten years have passed, and a handsome and rich boy tells you he loves you and wants to be with you. Can you refuse? No woman could refuse, right?"
The media and fans present were stunned. They didn't expect Lin Ting to be so direct, even showing off. What was even more surprising was that Chen Zhiyi didn't feel embarrassed at all. On the contrary, he was enjoying it and looked at the person next to him with loving eyes.
I knew he loved, but I didn't expect him to love so much.
Song Xiaolei exclaimed in admiration, "Well said!"
Lin Ting pointed at the male media professional with Sun Ziyan, just a quick tap before lowering her hand, but with a hint of imperiousness. "And you, saying I dropped out of university, saying you investigated at Tianjin University. Since you investigated, you should be able to find out my GPA was always number one, and I never missed a scholarship. I didn't drop out; I have a graduation certificate, just not a bachelor's degree certificate, because I didn't participate in the thesis defense. I had personal reasons for not being able to participate at that time, but I don't regret it, because I would regret it even more if I did."
The male journalist scoffed, "He didn't get a bachelor's degree, so he's still just a high school graduate. What's there to spout nonsense about?"
Chen Zhiyi wanted to retort, but Lin Ting stopped him, "Is it nothing? Even if I only have a high school diploma, am I doing worse than people my age with higher education? Education is just a label, not something welded onto you. When it's useful, it can give you an edge over others; when it's not, it's just trash in the trash. Don't use education as an excuse. In this world, there are many people who rise from the bottom to become powerful and wealthy, and many who fall from grace to become trash. With only a diploma, without opportunity, skills, effort, or diligence, everything is meaningless. A person's success requires the right timing, location, and people—you can't just walk around the world with a diploma."
Xiaoyuan chimed in, "Yes, I only graduated from a vocational school. According to you, shouldn't I be working in an electronics factory or a restaurant? But I'm lucky to have met my mentor, who is also my boss, so I can stand here and cut the ribbon with a group of outstanding people. Of course, good luck is only one aspect; I've also put in a lot of effort. I've cut thousands of garment samples, and my fingers are calloused from handling needles and thread. Plus, I have an accent, so to get rid of it and not affect the quality of the live stream, I get up early every day to read the news and practice my pronunciation. Without all this hard work, I wouldn't be my mentor's right-hand man and a veteran employee of Yunshang. A degree only represents what you learn in a certain period of time, but it doesn't guarantee anything forever. Only your own hard work and struggle can bring you real rewards."
"Well said. I graduated from the journalism department of a prestigious university, but I'm not as successful as the classmate with the worst grades in our class. He didn't even graduate from high school, but later became a contractor and then the owner of a construction company. He has a house, a car, savings, a wife and children, and a comfortable life. But he works from dawn till dusk every day, exposed to the sun and rain, and has suffered a lot. These hardships are not something that ordinary people can endure," a media professional said.
Another media professional said, "Yes, it's going too far to nitpick people's academic qualifications. It's not only those with high academic qualifications who can get ahead."
The male journalist shut up completely, lowered his head, and regretted taking on this job. He would have been better off staying at the film studio as an extra than being dragged here to be insulted instead of being insulted himself.
Lin Ting: "I have many indelible flaws, which I will list today to prevent you from digging them up and exaggerating them later. This is only an official response. I just explained the issue of my education, and now I'll clarify the matter of being the daughter of an economic criminal. It's undeniable that my father is indeed serving time for embezzlement and bribery. To me, he is only my biological father. He divorced my mother a long time ago and remarried, and I have my mother's surname, so he has no relation to me. He is him, and I am me; we are both independent individuals. He has already paid for his mistakes by serving time in prison, and there's no need to involve me. He committed the crime, but should we, his children, live in his shadow for the rest of our lives? Especially as a daughter who has long severed ties with her father."
Chen Zhiyi helped explain, "I have something to add about this. Her father's situation can't be simply summarized as 'divorced.' He cheated on his wife and abandoned their daughter. So the person I love has suffered a lot since childhood. You only see her skill in embroidery, which is her memorable strength, but it's actually her survival skill. She learned it from a young age to help support her family. While others were eating, drinking, having fun, and enjoying university life, she filled all her time with various part-time jobs during her breaks to earn a living. That's how I met her. I've never seen a girl with such tenacity, who isn't afraid of hardship and can overcome anything. She's steadfast in her choices, always saying that if you're alive, you should live well, and no one can stop you from forging your own path. That's why I had the confidence and courage to pursue acting despite the lack of support and understanding from my family and friends. And her father is the worst and most irresponsible person I've ever met." This man, when things are going well, never thinks of his ex-wife and daughter, but when trouble comes, he turns to them for help. I helped him back then, but Lin Ting didn't know. If she had known, she probably would never speak to me again. She's not one to expose her wounds to others; she has her own dignity and pride, and doesn't want anyone to look down on her. Her father's sentence was actually far more serious than what he's received now; Lin Ting used the demolition compensation from their old house to pay off the embezzled funds. Actually, given what her father did to her and her daughter over the years, she could have easily ignored it, but she still helped. Not only that, she also took in and cared for his father and his mistress's son, preventing him from becoming an orphan, and he's lived with her ever since. I don't know if this is called repaying evil with good, but I saw a truly kind and pure heart. What we've said is the truth. If you think it's fabricated, you can go to the Nancheng Construction Procuratorate to investigate this case and see if there are any false elements.”
Song Xiaolei only knew that Lin Ting came from a single-parent family, but she didn't expect such a painful story behind it. She felt more sorry for her sister, who was always clinging to her, and also had some respect for her. "You media people just like to interpret things based on pictures and twist them to your liking. But the truth is the truth, and no matter how distorted or twisted it is, the truth will eventually come out. If anyone ever says to my sister again that she is the daughter of a criminal, I will sue you for defamation."
Everyone present fell silent.
Lin Ting: "I'll only do this once, and I won't respond again. My father is in prison, and my mother is gone, so this matter ends here. If anyone brings it up again, as Xiaolei just said, I will use legal means to protect my reputation. As for the plagiarism accusation, Chen Zhiyi has already clarified the fabric plagiarism issue and cleared my name. False accusations and damaging others' reputations for personal gain have existed throughout history; those who harm others should receive their due punishment, and I won't discuss this matter again. But what I want to say is that I love design. I love seeing the surprised and happy smiles on people's faces when they find the clothes I design perfectly suited to them—that's what designers strive for. Therefore, I've always been very serious about design. Each of my works has its unique design elements, its 'soul' that distinguishes it from similar products. Even when I was working for M Group, a fast-fashion company with dozens of orders a day, I never plagiarized; I incorporated my own ideas into every piece." Later, after becoming a self-media personality and adopting the name "Teacher Yezi's Customized Clothing," I further ingrained originality in my bones. The customization I want to create is unique, allowing everyone to have a custom-made garment that is truly their own. In my philosophy, customization isn't just about the clothes themselves, but about the temperament that embodies the wearer. Designing, tailoring, and creating according to the individual is the initial principle I must uphold since entering this industry. My second venture, establishing Yunshang High-End Customization, and defining it as Chinese-style haute couture, is also to promote our traditional culture. China has many long-standing handicraft cultures, such as velvet flowers, enamel, and cloisonné, each a beautiful and exquisite craft left by our ancestors. They need to be inherited, and of course, they also need innovation. I hope that in the future, Yunshang can embody these cultures in its clothing, allowing Chinese people to spread their culture and amaze foreigners. I originally envisioned a successful opening today, but it seems unlikely. It's okay; since I've chosen this path, I will persevere to the end, even if it means selling each garment on the street. After all, when it comes to cultural treasures, few can rival China. Culture is only truly passed down when it is used by our own people. If others use it, it not only proves plagiarism but also shows that we ourselves are not using it effectively.
After she finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted. Everyone understood why Chen Zhiyi had fallen for her. Her knowledge, charm, and talent were indeed extraordinary. Born into an ordinary family, yet her beliefs were extraordinary. It wasn't that she was marrying above her station, but rather that Chen Zhiyi was. In the future, one would be an actor-turned-CEO, and the other a lifelong artist. The difference in their worth would be obvious after just one conversation.
"Finally, regarding my relationship with Chen Zhiyi, we did indeed have shortcomings in terms of how we treated our fans and the public. We should have officially announced it three years ago when it was exposed, instead of using others as a shield. But at that time, I felt very inferior. How could a lowly costume assistant like me be worthy of a young film emperor? Moreover, his career was on the rise, and I really didn't want it to be affected by me or our relationship. When two people are together, if one is ahead and the other is behind, the one behind usually overthinks things, always feeling like they're holding the other back, so they easily become anxious and insecure. But this time, after we reunited, I feel that we are evenly matched. He is a film company president and a film emperor, but I'm not bad either; I'm a social media influencer with a combined following across two accounts." It's already surpassed ten million views, and all my product showcase metrics are perfect, with not a single negative review. You couldn't find such an outstanding self-media influencer even with a lantern. Although it might sound a bit self-praise, I'm confident in my abilities. I'm on par with him in my career, and I also have representative works, so I dare to announce our relationship this time. As for Chen Zhiyi, I know that even if it weren't me, but someone in or outside the entertainment industry who is far more beautiful and from a better family than me, his fans wouldn't agree. They would urge him to break up with his girlfriend, emphasizing his career, and focus on his work. But he's still human, with emotions and desires. He can't stay single forever just for your fantasies; marriage and children are important. He didn't cheat, didn't have casual sex, and didn't juggle multiple relationships. For ten years, his emotions have been focused on one person. He didn't create a single persona to gain fans while secretly dating while you were supporting him to debut and become famous. He got to where he is today through his own hard work. You only see his overnight fame, but you didn't see him working as an extra before that, practicing all night for a single line that would only be cut. You see him standing on the awards stage, but you didn't see him repeatedly jumping into icy lakes in the dead of winter to perfect his performance. And you see that almost every one of his works is a masterpiece, but you didn't see how much he sacrificed for each role. His back was injured during filming, leaving him with lasting health problems. The damage is irreparable. His works are the result of hard work and dedication; his acting skills are honed day by day; and his awards are the result of countless projects. He never accepts gifts from fans or asks for support. He believes the best gift is a film review written by a fan; nothing else is needed. He hopes fans will spend the money they would have spent on him or their families. He has a clear conscience towards his fans. You can be his career fans, his "mom fans," his "daughter fans," etc., but you can't be his life fans. He has to live his own life, and he hopes you will respect his decision. In front of the camera, I open myself up to you; in private, we just want to live an ordinary life.
Chen Zhiyi never expected Lin Ting to say such a thing. His heart was stirred, feeling both pain and numbness, soreness and tenderness. He needed to vent, so he grabbed Lin Ting's chin, turned her to him, and kissed her deeply.
All the emotion and deep affection were contained in this kiss.
Applause and cheers erupted, and flashbulbs went off as everyone snapped photos of it all.
They've said what needed to be said and apologized for what needed to be apologized for. From now on, whether it's blessings or doubts, Lin Ting and Chen Zhiyi won't care. They will only openly love and be loved in front of everyone.
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