(There is no way I am going to marry her!)
Getting married off to her could get me killed faster than any other protagonist. And even if I survive, my life would be miserable.
Bai Tianheng watched him calmly, waiting for his response.
Bai Zihan clenched his jaw, his fingers twitching as memories of Chu Ziyan's tyranny resurfaced in his mind.
(And now... Father wants me to marry that demon woman?!)
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm.
Then, with a dry chuckle, he looked up at his father.
"Hah... Father, I think there's been some mistake."
Bai Tianheng raised an eyebrow.
Bai Zihan gestured at himself lazily.
"Me? Getting engaged? To Chu Ziyan?"
He leaned back and scoffed.
"Come on, Father. I know I've caused some trouble, but do I really deserve this level of punishment?"
Bai Tianheng's lips twitched slightly, but he didn't react to Bai Zihan's antics.
Instead, he said calmly, "What punishment? This is your blessing! With your personality and talent, how could you find a girl like Chu Ziyan?"
Bai Zihan raised an eyebrow.
"Blessing? Father, can I decline such a blessing?"
"Do you think you can?"
Looking at his father, he knew that there was no chance he had any right to decline.
"Chu Ziyan is one of the strongest geniuses of her generation. Her talent is nearly on par with Bai Xueqing's, and she is the heir to the Chu Clan. This marriage will solidify our relationship with the Chu Clan and ensure that your position as heir remains unchallenged."
Bai Tianheng explained.
Bai Zihan's eyes twitched.
(What use is being the heir when all I see is a dead end for this clan?)
Perhaps not being the heir would guarantee that he wouldn't be killed alongside his clan.
Although, he knew that leaving the Bai Clan wasn't an option either.
"Father... I don't need a marriage to stay as heir."
Bai Zihan was confident that given enough time—perhaps six months or so—he could become the undisputed heir of the Bai Clan.
With his regained memories and the System on his side, he wasn't too worried that someone could replace him.
But would Bai Tianheng know that or believe in a son whose only talent was making trouble?
The answer was obvious.
Bai Tianheng answered with confidence.
He was certain that without Bai Zihan marrying Chu Ziyan, his position in the Bai Clan would vanish faster than light.
Although he was well aware that, given his past, there wasn't much proof to argue otherwise, he was a changed man—at least, he believed he was no longer the trash he used to be.
Bai Tianheng leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp.
"The elders have already started making moves to replace you. Bai Jian is growing stronger every day, and without strong support, your position is not guaranteed."
Bai Zihan clicked his tongue.
"Tch! Even so, why her? Why Chu Ziyan of all people? What, was no one else available?"
"Hmph! No one is better than her. You should be thankful that the Chu Clan agreed to this."
Bai Zihan was in a big dilemma.
He knew that no matter what he said, his father was not going to change his mind.
(Damn me and my past behavior!)
If he had stayed quiet and behaved well, there might have been a chance that his father would listen to him.
But after everything he had done, there was nothing he could say to change his father's mind.
(Shit... What do I do now?)
He already had to worry about all the death flags set by his family, and now, there was this marriage with Chu Ziyan.
Bai Zihan couldn't help but think his future was full of suffering.
A thought struck him.
(My words won't change my father's mind, but what if it was Chu Ziyan? She's probably being forced into this by her family too.)
His eyes narrowed slightly.
(If I take things too far, there's a high chance Chu Ziyan will object to this marriage. Unlike me, she's a genius and the darling of the Chu Clan. They will definitely listen to her. Hehe... I'm a genius!)
Making trouble and making people hate him was his specialty, and it felt like it was time to put that talent to the test.
"I'll agree, but I have to meet her first before the engagement."
Bai Tianheng's brow lifted.
He didn't know what his son was planning, but he was confident that no matter what Bai Zihan did, the result wouldn't change.
"I haven't seen Chu Ziyan in years. We were kids back then. So I want to meet with her first before the engagement."
Bai Tianheng raised an eyebrow.
"Meet her? And then what?"
"Well, you can't have strangers engaged to each other, right? It's good for our relationship if we meet before the engagement. Don't you think so?"
Bai Tianheng's fingers tapped against the armrest.
For a brief moment, he was silent.
Bai Tianheng agreed, seeing no issue with the request. It also seemed that by doing so, Bai Zihan would no longer protest his marriage to Chu Ziyan.
(That was easier than I expected...)
Bai Tianheng leaned forward slightly.
"You will meet Chu Ziyan. But make no mistake—this engagement is happening."
Bai Zihan crossed his arms and huffed.
Bai Tianheng smirked.
"And let me remind you, if you do anything to Chu Ziyan, I will personally deal with you. You'd better be on your best behavior. You hear me?"
Bai Zihan turned on his heel and walked toward the exit.
(Alright! Step one is complete. Now, I just need to figure out how to make her reject me. That should be easy, right?)