**Core Concept**
Chronic hepatitis is characterized by a persistent inflammatory response in the liver, leading to fibrosis and potential cirrhosis. The histopathological changes in chronic hepatitis reflect the liver's attempt to repair and compensate for the ongoing injury.

**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
Bridging fibrosis is a hallmark of chronic hepatitis, where fibrous bands of connective tissue form between portal tracts and central veins, causing architectural distortion of the liver lobules. This process can lead to liver dysfunction and progression to cirrhosis. The deposition of collagen fibers in the liver is mediated by activated hepatic stellate cells, which produce excess extracellular matrix proteins. Bridging fibrosis is a critical feature that distinguishes chronic hepatitis from acute hepatitis, where inflammation is more pronounced but fibrosis is minimal.

**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** Ballooning of hepatocytes is a characteristic feature of acute viral hepatitis, where hepatocytes become swollen and rounded due to cell injury. This is not a typical finding in chronic hepatitis.
**Option B:** Councilman bodies are apoptotic hepatocytes that are seen in acute viral hepatitis, particularly in cases of hepatitis B and C. They are not a feature of chronic hepatitis.
**Option D:** While all options can be seen in various liver diseases, bridging fibrosis is the most specific feature of chronic hepatitis.

**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
In chronic hepatitis, the degree of fibrosis correlates with the severity of liver dysfunction and the risk of progression to cirrhosis. Therefore, accurate assessment of fibrosis is crucial for determining the prognosis and guiding treatment.

**✓ Correct Answer: C. Bridging fibrosis**