Chapter 36: I Only Want My Innocence

"Fearless of being crushed to powder, he leaves his integrity in the world."

At this very moment, across the country, countless people were holding their phones, reciting this poem published by Cheng Cheng—this tragic, resolute, and defiant poem.

In this parallel universe, history had unfolded in a way completely different from the past life. There was no Yu Qian, and certainly no "Ode to Lime." In other words, this was the world premiere of the poem. The shockwave it created was beyond imagination.

"Did Cheng Cheng really write this?"
"Can anyone today still write a poem with such backbone?"

In Kunshan, Lanfeng City, on the set of *Chasing the Wind, Young Man*, Jiang Nan’s eyes turned red and she nearly burst into tears when she read the line, "Fearless of being crushed to powder."

In the Imperial Capital, a secretary knocked on an office door and handed a phone to a high-ranking official with a square face. The official’s right hand trembled, his expression filled with excitement, and he shouted "Excellent!" several times.

At Vance Entertainment, Jiang Wang was in disbelief. He searched the internet multiple times, but could not find the original text. He began to doubt his own perception of reality: Is this really the same lunatic he thought he knew?

At a university, in a freshman dormitory, a female student scrolled across the poem. Combined with the footage of Cheng Cheng being interviewed by influencers and reporters before the trial—his haggard face and sorrowful expression—she suddenly felt a dull ache in her heart, and a wave of regret washed over her.

"He really must have been framed, right? Otherwise, how could he write a poem of this caliber? Why wasn't I more firm back then? Why couldn't I bring myself to believe in him?"

Countless "haters" were also struck by the poem, trembling to their cores. Many knew—even the haters knew—that although Cheng Cheng won the lawsuit, it didn't necessarily mean he had won overall. On the contrary, he had "lost," because he had offended Xianghua Entertainment, countless wealthy backers, and numerous industry peers. No one in the industry wanted to see him rise again. His victory had come at a heavy price.

Because of this, many mocked him for being crazy, foolish, and unwise. They questioned why he had narrowed his own path.

"What good is the 'integrity' you care about? Only you care about it! The entertainment industry is about profit! It’s about social connections and worldly wisdom! Your resistance only shows people your arrogance, your crudeness, your lack of grace! Couldn't you have been more magnanimous? Couldn't you have been more of a gentleman? Couldn't you have learned to soften your edges and just get along with everyone? Wouldn't it have been better to resolve the matter perfectly without hurting anyone?"

Especially after Cheng Cheng publicly mocked and ridiculed Zhang Jiao following his victory, a segment of the public grew to despise him even more. But Cheng Cheng responded with only this poem.

Even if hammered and chiseled, even if burned by fire, even if crushed to powder, I demand nothing but my integrity!

This caused a large group of people to empathize deeply, feeling the weight of his struggle. As a top-tier celebrity, an elite earning millions annually, Cheng Cheng had encountered such a situation and had been pushed to the brink of ruin. If even he had been stripped of everything and pushed to a dead end, what would happen to an ordinary person? An ordinary person would likely have struggled even more, or at the very least, would not have had the courage or the time to prepare for such a lawsuit.

The debate on the internet continued to ferment, with voices coming from all sides. This was bound to be another internet war that wouldn't die down in the short term. However, Cheng Cheng’s declaration that Zhang Jiao would be forever nailed to the pillar of shame was realized with incredible speed.

A hater even created a Baidu Encyclopedia entry for "Ode to Lime," which passed review. Searching for it now brought up the result:

["Ode to Lime" is a seven-character quatrain written by modern actor, star, and poet Cheng Cheng. The poem uses the technique of using an object to express one's aspirations. Literally, it is a poem about lime, but metaphorically, it uses the object to represent the person, expressing the poet’s character of being willing to sacrifice everything for his own integrity. The poem is concise, vivid, profound in artistic conception, and rich in connotation, possessing high artistic value. At the same time, it conveys a positive, uplifting spiritual strength, encouraging people to hold onto their beliefs and forge ahead when facing difficulties and challenges.]

The focus was on the "Creation Background" section, which explicitly mentioned Zhang Jiao’s name:

[On April 3, 2021, @Zhang Jiao, who claimed to be Cheng Cheng's ex-girlfriend, posted a long essay on Weibo accusing Cheng Cheng of infidelity. Since the public opinion fermented, Cheng Cheng fell into a double judgment by the public and the media, and his career suffered a devastating blow. On May 15, 2021, Cheng Cheng sued Zhang Jiao. On August 15, 2021, the court held a hearing and ruled in favor of Cheng Cheng, finding that Zhang Jiao had committed factual slander and defamation. Faced with baseless accusations and public skepticism, Cheng Cheng endured immense pressure and injustice. He chose to express his inner emotions and his persistence for integrity through poetry, a form of expression with great literary and emotional power. From the perspective of social impact, through this poem, Cheng Cheng not only cleared his name but also conveyed positive values to the public.]

The next day, Cheng Cheng, having just won the lawsuit and standing at the eye of the storm, quietly returned to the set amidst the uproar. The crew held a warm celebration to mark his triumphant return. Winning the lawsuit proved that Cheng Cheng was no longer a "disgraced artist," meaning there were no obstacles to him starring in *The Movie*, and the dark clouds that had hung over the set finally dissipated.

Yan Gou'er wrinkled her delicate nose, tears shimmering in her beautiful eyes. She tried to suppress her emotions as she presented a bouquet to Cheng Cheng. "Director Cheng, congratulations on winning the lawsuit. You have finally cleared your name."

Cheng Cheng took the flowers and asked, "Are you crying?"

"I'm not crying," Yan Gou'er denied. "I'm just a bit emotional, that's all."

Cheng Cheng replied, "Oh, I see. Well, thank you for the flowers."

In truth, he had not only cleared his name but also achieved the goals he had set since his rebirth:
1. Terminated his contract with Xianghua Entertainment and became a free agent.
2. Won the lawsuit and resolved the lingering problems left behind by his predecessor.

Now, unburdened by debt, he was ready to take bold strides forward. Furthermore, he had successfully "cleansed his fan base." Although his series of "crazy" actions and maneuvers had caused countless fans to defect and led some extremist groups to view him as an enemy, he had successfully reconciled with the "haters."

Now, in the eyes of the male demographic, his favorability had skyrocketed! While men might not be known for being vocal, patient with voting, or as cohesive as female fan groups, their support was genuine. They weren't "fair-weather" fans who switched sides constantly, and if trouble arose, they truly stood by you. As long as he didn't make any major mistakes, they wouldn't easily abandon him.

Wen Lian’s eyes brimmed with curiosity as she asked, "Director Cheng, everyone on the internet is guessing—did you really write that poem? The netizens are going crazy! Even the Chinese literature professors at Hanlin University were stirred by it and praised the poem. Even though I don't understand it, I felt those last two lines were incredibly powerful."

She was becoming increasingly curious about Cheng Cheng, sensing a contradictory quality in him. When she first met him, she thought he was just a top-tier celebrity born of the times, a well-oiled "assembly-line product": handsome, meticulously dressed, capable of saying things that pleased fans, with mediocre acting skills that were just passable, poor singing that relied on auto-tune, and stage presence that relied on fans. In short, he was a handsome boy with nothing else to offer, pushed into a position he didn't belong in by a group of adoring fans.

After his fall from grace, things became interesting. He went "crazy," lashing out at everyone he saw. In a short time, he managed to make everyone despise him—except for his former haters. But at that point, Wen Lian still thought he was just a deranged illiterate who had lost his celebrity aura and gained a "lunatic" label, with no change in his essence.

But upon interacting with him, Wen Lian realized, no, that wasn't it at all. He wasn't just "crazy" in a simple sense; he just did things that went beyond common understanding, yet he never hurt anyone. In fact, he was very meticulous and gentle. Most importantly, he possessed talent that exceeded the ordinary.

Directing a film for the first time, he could write a script with perfect logic, command a crew of over a hundred people with ease, fully mobilize the acting potential of every performer, and stay familiar with every role on the set. And now, he could write a poem where every word gleamed like a pearl. It was truly incredible.

In a daze, a top star who had once been like a marionette became vivid, expressive, and overflowing with talent.

Cheng Cheng asked, "Do you know about the phenomenon in neuroscience called 'mirror neurons'? When a person observes someone else performing an action, the corresponding regions in their own brain are also activated, as if 'mirroring' the other person's behavior."

Wen Lian’s curiosity was instantly piqued. Could it be that Cheng Cheng had gradually transformed into a genius himself by observing the actions of other geniuses?

Wen Lian asked, "I don't know. Does that have something to do with this?"

Others also turned to look at Cheng Cheng.

Cheng Cheng said, "It has nothing to do with it. I was just joking."

The crowd nearly collapsed. "If it has nothing to do with it, why are you talking about it!"

Wen Lian’s mouth twitched, her chest heaving. "I shouldn't have asked!"

Cheng Cheng clapped his hands. "Alright, take down the banners. Where were we? Back to work!"

As soon as Cheng Cheng returned, the crew began to operate like a precision machine. All the actors seemed to have found their backbone, and their work efficiency was many times higher than when Cheng Cheng was away.

The beret-wearing director sighed, "I really am getting old."

Cheng Cheng patted his shoulder to console him. "Director Dao, what do you mean you're old? Compared to me, you're still quite fresh."

The director: "?"