IBHON 05

Chapter 05

“Please don’t pay attention to these details,” I said with an awkward laugh. “It makes me really embarrassed.”

“Uh… looks like you still have to marry him. The wedding is set for five days from now. Xiaoya, you need to prepare.” Mark ignored my previous words and said this with a serious expression.

“Can’t I not marry him?”

“You can…” Mark replied slowly. Hearing that, I felt a flicker of hope. So it was possible not to marry after all!

“But you’ll have to give up the Spring Spirit,” Mark said seriously after a short pause. My excited little spark instantly deflated.

Could you finish talking! Can we actually communicate! Making me so happy only to crush me like this! Once I’ve absorbed something, there’s no way I can just spit it out! If I weren’t weaker than you, I’d have pinned you to the ground and rubbed you silly!

“Why me? I’ve never even gone outside! Why would he like me? Is there some political or financial reason that needs me for a marriage alliance? I can’t believe you’re the kind of father who does this! If Mother were here, she’d never let you do such a thing!” I forced a few tears out. I looked utterly pitiful now—sure to strike deep at this father-obsessed man—and I even invoked Lin Xiaoya’s mother, who died in childbirth.

Truly a killer move. There’s no way he won’t soften.

Sure enough, from his expression, he was already wavering.

He sighed and stood up. “Xiaoya, I would never push you for the sake of interests. How could I answer your deceased mother otherwise? If he didn’t genuinely like you, do you think I’d agree?”

“I haven’t met him… so why would he like me?”

“Do you remember that little boy from when you were a child?” Mark said, as if entering his memories.

“I don’t remember,” I said bluntly. I didn’t inherit memories when I came here, so I wasn’t going to pretend.

“Uh…” Mark looked a little embarrassed. He clearly didn’t expect me to say that. “He was short, dark-skinned, dirty, and really timid.”

“I don’t remember. And besides… you’re letting him marry your daughter? Are you sure about that?” I rolled my eyes at Mark. I hadn’t even met him yet, but from his description, my first impression of this guy was awful.

“Uh… you actually liked playing with him as a child.”

“I’ve never left the house! And he’s in the Eastern Soul Divine Realm, I’m in the Central Divine Realm—how could I have liked playing with him?” This guy—if you’re lying, at least come up with a reasonable excuse.

“No, his father was my close friend. Back when he was struggling, he left his son with us to take care of. That’s when you two started playing together.”

I was a little confused, but I understood enough to nod. “I still don’t remember him.”

Hearing that, Mark seemed ready to play his final trump card. “I have something here. If you see it, you won’t be able to say you don’t remember.” He pulled out a color photograph.

He pointed at a dirty little boy in the photo and said calmly, “This is him. Even at a young age, he had charm.”

“Dad! You’re trying to trick your daughter, right?! Where on earth did you see charm in him?! I’m your biological daughter! You can’t do this to me!” I yelled. That little boy in the photo looked as filthy as possible. Even if I were a girl, I wouldn’t go for him.

“Okay, maybe a little ugly back then. But look at him now.” Mark pulled out another photo—this time of a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old boy.

Looking at it, one could call him a “male god”—no, calling him a “male god” would actually insult his perfect appearance.

“F…f…f…Father…are you sure this is the same person?”

“Absolutely certain.”

“No way… even twenty thousand levels of beauty enhancement couldn’t achieve this!” I shook my head in disbelief. As a man, I felt a deep sense of defeat.

“No, there’s no PS in this photo.” Mark nodded seriously.

“Isn’t it a bit exciting? Such a handsome guy as my son-in-law isn’t bad.” Mark laughed heartily, clearly satisfied with this prospective son-in-law. “And he’s the top genius of the Eastern Soul Divine Realm. At such a young age, he’s already reached level 50. Truly impressive.”

“Father, are you really willing to let your daughter marry someone so far away? You’ll never see her again.” Tears shimmered in my eyes. Not gonna lie, my tear-acting skill in this body has reached Oscar-level. But this father-obsessed man was already immune—no matter what I said, he wouldn’t budge.

“I don’t want to either… but you’re already 17.”

“So what if I’m 17? I want to stay with you forever.” To break the engagement, I’d say any cheesy line. It’s not the time to worry about embarrassment.

“I promised your mother that if you hadn’t reached level 35 by age 17, I’d marry you off.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know why. Anyway, it was your mother’s wish. Alright, it’s late. I’m leaving now.” Mark walked out. I hadn’t noticed, but it was already dark.

Seems like Mark puts his wife’s words above his daughter. But why did Lin Xiaoya’s mother say that? Judging by Mark’s expression, he’s not lying.

Am I really going to marry a complete stranger?

Impossible. As the “female lead,” I’m supposed to be the one who keeps the male lead single for life. There’s no way I’d just give in.

Escape the wedding. This marriage must be avoided.

I suddenly remembered that I’d previously set up a plot where Lin Xiaoya escapes her wedding to meet the male lead. That must have been the reason.

Why did I like this “escape the wedding” trope so much back then? Couldn’t she just travel peacefully and meet the male lead naturally?

Lin Xiaoya was a thrifty, good girl. Everything she got since childhood was stored in her special spatial ring, barely used. So this wedding escape was still feasible.

Even if I had no money, once I got the Summer King’s Blazing Red Lotus, I could join a mercenary guild, take on quests, and earn money.

Alright, it’s decided. Later tonight, I’ll start my escape. There’s a small item in my spatial ring that will help me get away. It’s one-time use, a bit of a pity.