Ice is not averse to deception

Following the loss in court, Zhang Defa's reputation was greatly affected at the time.

On the one hand, because of the negative social impact, Zhang Defa's studio was taken back and his teaching duties were canceled, marking the darkest moment in Zhang Defa's life.

Moreover, with the charges confirmed, Zhang Defa was met with a barrage of criticism online, and for a time everyone's anger was directed at him.

Without the studio, teaching activities can no longer be conducted. Who would have thought that a renowned ice sculptor in Yanji wouldn't even own a single property?

Just when everyone thought Zhang Defa would become despondent, he suddenly appeared in the small park next to his studio. Every winter, Zhang Defa would set up a temporary worktable in the park and make ice sculptures using ice blocks from the park's lake.

In the beginning, Zhang Defa was subjected to fierce attacks. The insults never stopped, and some people even secretly threw stones and garbage at this man in his fifties…

Even worse, some people would smash Zhang Defa's painstakingly crafted ice sculptures on the spot.

Accusations, insults, and even attacks made Zhang Defa a tool for people to vent their sense of justice, and he was successfully put on the moral judgment seat by the public.

Because he became the target of public criticism, Zhang Defa's distant relatives also developed a strong aversion to him. Although Zhang Defa never used his privileges to provide favors to his relatives, they could still gain some benefits in the local area by leveraging his reputation. Now, those benefits were gone, and their attitude towards Zhang Defa changed drastically.

During his most difficult times, Zhang Defa couldn't even find a restaurant to treat him to a meal. His former competitors took advantage of his most difficult period to encourage and suppress him, trying to completely destroy his fighting spirit, as if only in this way could they comfortably enjoy the time of being respected.

It is unknown how long it took before the impact of this incident gradually subsided, and Zhang Defa gradually faded from public view.

Gradually, people began to buy his ice sculptures, and Zhang Defa barely managed to make ends meet with these meager incomes.

Surprisingly, even though Zhang Defa had given up his appeal, Zheng Jie never gave up.

Firstly, based on his years of legal experience and a strong sixth sense, Zheng Jie believed that Zhang Defa would never do such a thing. Moreover, Zhang Defa remained silent in court; he neither resisted nor pleaded guilty, which Zheng Jie believed must be hiding some unspeakable secret.

But as a lawyer, the evidence before him was already quite sufficient. The studio's surveillance cameras captured Zhang Defa rushing into Xiaomin's room, and shortly after, Xiaomin, dressed disheveled, rushed out of the room and disappeared from the surveillance footage.

Moreover, the woman named Xiaomin provided crucial evidence: a recording she made after Zhang Defa entered the room.

Based on the sounds, it's safe to say that Xiaomin was indeed being sexually assaulted. Of course, there's also the possibility that Xiaomin fabricated all the evidence.

The crux of the matter is that, faced with the trial, Zhang Defa offered no rebuttal and implicitly admitted to all the crimes.

Zhang Defa worked in the park for two years, and Zheng Jie also persisted for two years in order to help Zhang Defa clear his name.

As the matter gradually subsided, Zheng Jie finally discovered the truth.

After Zhang Defa lost the case, Xiao Min left Yanji. Zheng Jie spent a lot of time before finally finding Xiao Min's whereabouts.

Although Xiaomin insisted that she did not falsely accuse Zhang Defa, Zheng Jie had already judged that Zhang Defa had not done those despicable things the first time he saw Xiaomin again.

After a long period of communication and investigation, Zheng Jie finally succeeded in persuading Xiao Min.

What Xiaomin didn't know was that for a long time, her hospitalized mother would receive money transfers from strangers, and the person helping Xiaomin behind the scenes was actually Zhang Defa.

When Xiaomin saw the video of Zhang Defa being verbally abused and humiliated by the crowd while making ice sculptures in the park, her conscience was finally awakened.

  

The truth finally came to light, and Zheng Jie successfully obtained all the evidence that could exonerate Zhang Defa. However, when Zheng Jie excitedly presented the evidence to Zhang Defa, Zhang Defa rejected Zheng Jie's appeal.

"Why?! Why did this happen?!" Zheng Jie cried hysterically. He had worked hard for two years, but this was the result. Zheng Jie was unwilling to accept it.

"Everyone makes mistakes, and some mistakes are forgivable. Young people always need opportunities."

Zhang Defa's expression remained calm, like an ice sculpture before him.

Zheng Jie was speechless with surprise. Although there was a difference of more than ten years between them, at that moment, Zheng Jie suddenly understood Zhang Defa.

He's old now, and reputation doesn't matter to him anymore. But Xiaomin is still young, with a long road ahead. Once the truth is revealed, Zhang Defa might clear his name, but it would also ruin Xiaomin's life, which is not the outcome Zhang Defa wants to see.

"But..." Zheng Jie wanted to try again.

"No buts, I've made up my mind." Zhang Defa said firmly.

Zheng Jie finally understood why Zhang Defa had refused legal help from the beginning, and why he hadn't resisted and had acquiesced to all the crimes. He had already prepared to bear everything, even if the price was losing everything he had ever had.

Even though the truth of the matter was clear, Zhang Defa still couldn't wash away his humiliation.

This situation continued for many years. Around the time Zhang Defa was fifty-six years old, perhaps because Zhang Defa's skills were too superb, or perhaps because people had forgotten that unpleasant past, his ice sculpture "Deep Love," created three years prior, stood out among professional judges and online voters, successfully winning the championship in an ice sculpture competition held in Yanji.

When Zhang Defa re-entered the public eye, the previous insults suddenly stopped, and people accepted this nearly sixty-year-old widowed man again.

Unbeknownst to Zhang Defa, Xiaoman did not choose to remain silent. On an online platform unfamiliar to Zhang Defa, Xiaoman's clarification video was seen by everyone.

When they learned that Zheng Jie had been helping Zhang Defa clear his name for the past few years, and when they learned why Zhang Defa didn't want to clarify the truth, everyone chose to respect Zhang Defa's wishes this time, and no one spoke of what happened back then.

The studio was handed back to Zhang Defa, and Zhang Defa did not disappoint the people of Yanji. In the following years, he trained a large number of outstanding ice sculptors.

Two months ago, Zhang Defa suddenly fell ill and died on the podium, thus ending his ordinary yet legendary life.

Faced with everyone's insults and humiliation, Zhang Defa did not choose to fight back.

Despite facing accusations from relatives and even legal judgment, Zhang Defa never considered giving up.

A beautiful childhood scene flashed through Sun Bing's mind: in a courtyard in the dead of winter, Zhang Defa sat leaning against the snow, his carving knife steady and skillful. He looked at the little boy sitting next to him, who was immersed in the atmosphere of ice sculpture, and smiled as he reminded him, "Young man, this path is not easy to walk on."

At that moment, Sun Bing was truly moved.

He didn't know what kind of belief supported Zhang Defa until the end of his life. He lost the woman he loved most in his early years and was depressed for a long time, but in the end he still stood up.

No matter what was happening in the world, or what was about to happen, the carving knife in his hand never stopped.

A strong sense of guilt welled up inside him; he knew he hadn't done nearly enough in this matter.

Slowly closing the diary, Sun Bing now fully understood the theme Zhang Defa's work wanted to express. The tragic childhood, the obscurity of middle age, and the torrential rains of old age—these miserable experiences never defeated Zhang Defa.

Do not forget the original intention.

This is the truth that Zhang Defa spent his entire life trying to explain.

Sun Bing stayed in the park for a long time, his mind filled with memories of his time with Zhang Defa.

After an unknown amount of time, Sun Bing seemed to sense a summons and got up to walk towards the studio.

At this moment, Wu Dayong was like an ant on a hot pan. Sun Bing's sudden disappearance seemed to have triggered something. He didn't know if Sun Bing would return, and he was even more worried that he wouldn't be able to finish the work in time and thus wouldn't be able to obtain Zhang Defa's inheritance.

With only eight days left until the agreed-upon time, Sun Bing unexpectedly caused trouble.

It was already evening, but despite the biting cold wind outside, Wu Dayong resolutely rushed into the darkness.

"Sun Bing! Grandpa! You're fucking tough!"